echelon92

The energy that Nat and Sean brought to the stage never ceased to amaze me, and by far, they were one of my favorite artists on the tour to shoot. It was only one song into the set and I was almost too tired to move anymore, between Nathaniel's spastic jumping and Sean's running I'd been jogging from one end of the stage to the other, all the while dodging security and flying body parts. I was thankful when Sean paused between the songs to talk to the large Milwaukee crowd.

I rested against the stage and sipped water while the two bandmates continued their banter.

The show in Milwaukee marked a big day on the tour, the first day of August, which meant the tour was beginning to come to a close. There were only seventeen more days until we would all be off to our respective homes, tours, and rest stops. Luckily, I wouldn't be going home alone, Gabe had made sure we'd have some time together before he was yet again jetting off to Europe.

My rest was short lived, because before I knew it I'm Not Your Boyfriend Baby was blaring through the speakers that were nearly as tall as I was. And after the song was through, and they had sped through ChokeChain, the less than enthusiastic security guard told me I had to go.

"Hey! Get back here!" a deep voice shouted from behind me while I made my way up the stage ramp.

I rolled my eyes and turned around to see a bright orange shirt standing before me, "Yeah?" I raised an eyebrow as I looked up at his stern expression before taking a step back, "What's the problem?"

"You can't go up there." he stated, pointing up at the stage.

"Uh, yes I can actually." I nodded, pointing towards his clip board, "Kaelin Saporta."

"I don't have a Kaelin Saporta." he shook his head, "I have a Kaelin Roberts, no Saporta."

I laughed quietly to myself, "I recently changed my name, but I was Kaelin Roberts." I replied, adding a quick wave at my pass dangling from my belt loop, "I promise I'm not an imposter, could I please go now?"

The large man merely rolled his eyes before waving me towards the stage.

There were already quite a few people waiting on the sides, some fans as well as friends. I settled myself next to a girl I knew to be working on the tour, Angela, she only smiled before returning her gaze on Nat, the smile not fading from her soft features. She was completely and utterly falling for him. I could only grin at her before snapping a few more photos and enjoying the rest of the set, though the intense heat wasn't making it that easy to do.

Per usual the boys ended their relatively short performance with Don't Trust Me, which seemed to be the most infections song on the tour, everyone was singing it; the crew, the crowd, and everyone on stage. As the duo sang the final words they thanked the crowd before retreating from the stage, shortly followed by everyone else.

"You guys were awesome today." I smiled at Sean, hoping Nat had heard me as well, wherever he was.

"Thanks, Kae." he grinned, wiping the sweat off his face before dousing himself in a bottle of water. I thought it completely defeated the purpose of drying himself off, but I didn't ask, "Where were you? I didn't see you at all."

"First I was down infront of the stage, and after that I came and sat at the back with Angela." I replied, motioning towards the love sick girl vying for Nathaniels attention, "Poor girl."

"Huh?" Sean raised an eyebrow before shrugging, "Whatever, I'm gonna take a shower before he does, bye."

I laughed a goodbye before taking my phone from my pocket, the loud ringing was now attracting the attention of others. It was only a text from Gabe, a simple I love you. I grinned, and knew the smile would be there for hours. It seemed like I'd been floating through the days since the wedding, despite all the opposition we faced, and the planning of a second wedding.

I replied with a return of I love you before slipping my phone into my pocket again and heading towards the gate, managing to bump into the people bustling by, apologizing to the girl behind me, "Oh, sorry." I patted her shoulder before heading off again.

"Bitch." Sara's familar voice sneered as I took a step away.

I turned around, my eyes wide at the statement, "Excuse me?"

Her dark brown eyes smoldered angrily as she stared me down, "You heard me, bitch."

"Okay," I laughed. I couldn't believe it, Alex's little girlfriend stood before me, arms crossed tightly over her chest staring at me, shooting daggers. I'd only met her once in my life and it had been for all of two minutes, her hate was more than dramatic.

"You know, I can't believe you'd even bother showing your face around here anymore." she took a step foreward as I took a step back, "Everyone hates you." she made sure to emphasize every word, using the tactics of a fifteen year old girl to intimidate me.

"If everyone entails Alex, Jack, and yourself, I know." I sighed, "You know, Sara, I can understand you, sort of...Just get over it." And before I knew it her tightly balled fist collided with my cheek, "What the fuck!?" I roared, holding my tingling skin and staring at her incredulously, "What are you doing?"

"You're nothing but a fucking bitch," she snapped, venom filling her every word, "You cheated on Alex with a guy who cheated on you? Obviously you have terrible standards, but someone like you deserves that, a shitty relationship, you're worthless."

I couldn't believe the words she was throwing at me, bitch? Worthless? "Who do you think you are that you can say things like that to me, you don't even know me!" I shouted. Now people were taking notice, I could see Nat out of the corner of my eye eyeing Sara and I carefully, "You should be the one worrying! Obviously Alex was cheating on me too, you're with him now. Your standards aren't all that great either."

She was about to take another swing at me when Alex seemingly popped up out of no where, "Sara! What the fuck are you doing?" he stared at the young girl and held her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye before turning to me, "Seriously, someone tell me what the hell happened? Kae's got a fuckin' bruise on her face!"

"You're girlfriend just attacked me." I stated, glaring at the two, "You two can just fuck off, I'm through with your childish shit."

I didn't even let Alex begin to say what was on his mind, I just walked away quickly, fuming. For two weeks the three had avoided me like the plauge, and when I just happen to run into Sara she completely freaked on me. "Fuck." I clenched my teeth as I walked, the overwhelming anger and hurt were beginning to come through.

As I walked across the venue I kept my face down, if Alex had noticed the bruise obviously others would too. Gabe would be furious, I knew that for sure. It only took a few minutes to reach my bus, and get on without a word, hurriedly making my way to the bathroom.

"Gross..." I winced at the light purple bruise already present on my cheekbone, she really could punch hard.

"Hey, I thought you were doing another shoot?" Gabe poked his head in the bathroom door quickly, raising an eyebrow at my appearance, "Did you fall again?"

"That was one time!" I frowned, and shook my head before acting as if I were going to punch him, "I was punched."

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, and even though he should have been worried, I couldn't help but notice the slightly amused smile he was trying to hide, "Who hit you?"

It wasn't a surprise when I glared, "Alex's girlfriend, she just came out of no where and started going off on me and then she hit me! It was fucking ridiculous!"

"Why?"

My eyes rolled instinctively, "Because I'm apparently the most worthless piece of shit on the planet." And though I knew it wasn't true, I couldn't help it when I bit my lip, knowing the familar feeling, "I'm a bitch, a cheating whore...everyone hates me."

"No." he stated firmly, quickly pulling my sweaty body into his, "You're definitely not, Kae, you're the best thing ever."

I only breathed in deeply, his cologne nearly knocking me out, I hated that the overuse of body spray was the alternative to a shower. "You have to say that." I mumbled into his chest, "If you don't you know I'll hurt you."

He laughed before disagreeing, "I don't have to, hon, I want to. I want to because it's true, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

I'd been on the verge of tears before, but after his sweet comment I couldn't hold them in. "I love you," I sniffled, holding onto him tightly while I cried a mix of angry and happy tears. The fact that Sara, Alex, and Jack seemed to think I was the antichrist made me far more upset than it should have, but having Gabe there to comfort me was a blessing.

"I love you, too." he chuckled, kissing the top of my head, "You done for the day?"

"I just need to lay down." I sighed. Gabe backed away and let me pass by as I wiped the mascara filled tears from my cheeks, "You guys don't go on until one-fifteen, right?"

He confirmed the time as we walked into the back lounge, passing Victoria as she made her way out. "Woah, Kae, what'd you do this time?"

"Nothing." I grumbled, she looked at me curiously before looking at Gabe and sighing, "I'm sure you'll hear about it later."

Gabe paused in the hallway and whispered quietly with Victoria before joining me, I'd already taking up much of the couch, so he merely plopped himself on me. "You're a turd."

"I know." he laughed before scooting himself from my hips, "I'll wake you up when it's time."

Hours later I woke up, alone; Gabe as well as the rest of the bus were gone. And as I rose from the couch I groaned at the pain in my lower back, it definitely wasn't my day. And after looking at the dark, crescent shaped bruise on my left cheek I decided it didn't matter if I put make up on, nothing was going to cover it.

I grabbed my phone and camera before heading off the bus. It seemed that the day had gotten much, much hotter; I felt like at any moment I might melt. But, the sun shining off the metallic buses only made it worse, so I hurriedly made my way down the row. As I was about out of the maze my name echoed off the sides of the buses.

When I turned around I saw Alex grimace quickly, more than likely from the large bruise on my face.

"What?" I demanded, though tiredly while he stepped closer, "I'm kind of in a hurry, could you please spit it out."

"I wanted to apologize...for earlier." he raised a finger and motioned to my eye, "I don't know what happened with her, she's just a little off today. I guess?"

"Don't apologize for her, Alex." I shook my head, and crossed my arms, letting my camera dangle from my wrist, "She's an adult, she can obviously make her own choices. She'll apologize when she's ready."

Alex laughed and shook his head, telling me she would never be ready. "You don't know Sara, Kaelin, she holds grudges. She's never going to apologize."

"I know." he raised a thick eyebrow and sighed, "What?"

"I was just trying to do something nice for you, but obviously that'll never be enough."

His snide comment sent me over the edge, "Oh, fuck you, Alex." I snapped, "You know that it wasn't because you weren't "enough". Gabe and I have something, special. We were never going to go anywhere!"

His already red cheeks turned a brighter shade as his jaw clenched, "And how the hell can you know that? You didn't let it go fucking anywhere!"

"I'm leaving." I stated before turning on my heel.

"Yeah, again." he chuckled to himself.

And all I could do was ignore his comment and keep on walking. I showed my pass to the woman at the entrance and headed over to the main stage, even though I knew their set was nearly over.

Ugh, apologies are useless at this point. I've just had so much school work the past few weeks, and it sucks. Pages and pages of math that I don't understand, tons of chem., writing papers for english, tons of ready for history, sketches for portfolio and all of my other lovely classes. It sucks, a lot.

But, hopefully you liked this crap chapter :/