Quassim POV

I watched Rosalina scribble furiously in her notebook. I can remember last night, right after the concert.

"Quassim, they told me that they wouldn't hurt you guys if I left. I thought I was doing the right thing...they said they could destroy your careers."

I had gone to congratulate her, patted her on the back reassuringly. I was feeling brave, I was sure that I had convinced Rosalina to stop thinking of the phone messages.

"And then..there was that one interview in Miami..Quassim, this isn't fake. I'm not lying about this."

But she was tired. She was probably a little hung over, a little disoriented. She had just gone to a huge party.

"Quassim, I'm not lying about this! You guys are going to be in so much danger if you don't do something!"

It was late, and I remember telling her to get some sleep, that I'd talk to her in the morning. I remember before, being angry with her.

"God Rosalina! You don't have to make this huge story up just to say that you miss us!"

I remember her hurt face.

"I'm not making this up Quassim, I swear."

But I was so tired. And frustrated. I was trying to become Rosalina's good friend again without losing David or Thomas. And I was so exhausted...

"Just go get some sleep, Rosalina. I'll talk to you in the morning."

But she hadn't talked to me yet. And it was way past morning. It was lunch time and both bands were drinking fruit smoothies on the bus. In fact, Rosalina hadn't been talking to anyone.

I remember catching Cati and Lianna's glance at breakfast - They were talking about how Rosalina came back from my end of the hallway teary-eyed and silent. They wouldn't stop whispering about me...and whatever I said to Rosalina. They wouldn't stop talking about how she hadn't talked since she came to see me.

I felt bad - I even tried to talk to her before we got on the bus. But no luck. Her friends whisked her away from me before I even got close - It was the same way they guarded her from Nat.

I watched Rosalina again. I watched her scribble and scribble and pause, and then scribble some more. She was writing a ton.

"Hey, you're gonna drop your smoothie." The emptiness felt odd, as Christa moved the smoothie to a cup holder. "We're almost there, thank God." She sighed, leaning her head back against the window.

Nat was sleeping.

I could feel Rosalina's eyes on us...on me. But when I looked back up she was writing again.

"I wonder what she's writing about." Christa half-whispered, not really worried because Rosalina's music was blasting in her ears. I shrugged.

"Have you talked to Nat yet?" Christa shook her head. "No. It got a little crazy last night." I only nodded - Of course there was another party. Christa, instead of elaborating, nudged my arm again.

"Did something happen between you two last night?"

"We...tried to talk." Christa nodded thoughtfully.

"What'd you say?"

"What?"

"To make her so angry? Why is she so mad today?" I shook my head.

"I think she's just preoccupied." Christa nodded.

"Yeah...the girls says she's been like that more and more. She's acting like the Rosalina that they met on the first day of school. It's like she's slipping into some sort of defense mode." My body stilled for a second.

"Christa? ...Did...did Rosalina say anything to you about people who would want to hurt us?" Her eyebrows furrowed, before her eyes lit up.

"Not...exactly. But I remember at one of our earlier stops, she said something about...I dunno. Something like she was protecting you guys? It was when I told her you all still missed her..." My head snapped wildly toward her. Christa merely shrugged.

"What? You do. Don't deny it."

"Protecting us? What the heck is she talking about? You know...she said the same thing last night. But...it all sounded crazy. Insane."

"Quassim, I'm sure it's nothing. We're probably just blowing this out of proportion. I bet Rosalina is too."

"...Yeah. Yeah, Christa, I bet you're right." I leaned back against the window, my head close to Christa's.

We stayed like that for a long time, until Jordan pulled the bus into the hotel parking lot.

"Well, Christa. Two more concerts to go."

"Let's do this."

Rosalina POV

I know we hadn't talked in a while...but Quassim and I, we would always be close. At least, that's what I had thought when I went to tell him about...everything.

"Rosalina, I don't get it. We've already handled whatever the worst that the media's thrown at us, we can handle anything."

I tried to tell him about the messages. I tried.

"You're just tired. You're overreacting Rosalina - Celebrities get hate messages all the time. It doesn't mean that the media has this huge conspiracy to take them down."

He didn't get that it was the entire media...it was just the reporters with a nastier past. It was just...him.

"Everyone's terrorized us on the media Rosalina. Honestly, you're just being paranoid."

I stared at the message on my phone - It woke me up at one a.m., and then kept me up all night long.

It's about six hours from Virginia to Boston, Rosalina. That's how much time you have.

Six. Hours. - M

It didn't matter that Quassim didn't believe me anymore. I had to find a way to stop them from playing tonight, or else they would all be in danger.

I felt Quassim's eyes on me several times. From the corner of my eye, I could see Christa and Quassim talking. Every time Christa glanced my way, Quassim would follow her eyes.

They were definitely talking about me.

The ride was long. I tried to find a way to keep the guys off the stage for one night. I tried to take a nap. I tried to find a way to stop them from playing. I tried to write. It turned into nothing but messy scribbles. I tried to make a plan. I tried to play guitar, until I realized I was playing the part from I'd Do Anything for You. I tried to make a plan again. I sat for a solid fifteen minutes just holding my guitar.

"You're not going to get any better if you keep holding your guitar like that." Alex plopped down on the seat next to me. I shrugged hesitantly.

"I was just putting it away."

"Rosalina, I didn't mean to bother you - I just - I just want things back the way they were." I sighed.

"Alex, I don't think they ever will be."

"You haven't even tried. You haven't tried to fix anything since this tour - No one has! And it's driving me crazy!" The last sentence came out in a startling yell, which stirred Christa and Quassim who seemed to be sleeping.

"Alex, you don't understand."

"Then make me understand, Rosalina. Because Nat is trying to move on from something impossible and you're running away from the inevitable."

"Alex, I'm not going to get into this-"

"Yes, you are. Because you need to. Because you need Nat and Nat needs you and Rosalina the whole freaking Naked Brother's Band needs you."

"You have Christa to play the bass."

"Rosalina. That. Is. Not. What. I. Meant." He glared at me for a second before looking out the window.

"I just don't understand why you left." The words were right there on my lips. Because people are trying to hurt us. Because someone is going to get injured if I don't stay away from you. Because someone has to keep you boys safe. Because this was the only way.

But it wasn't the only way. It was the easiest way, I knew that much deep down. It was the way I could save them and save me...I needed to save my old band and in return I had to start a new life.

"Alex...when this tour ends, I'm going to go back to Tennessee."

"Why?"

"Because I am the bass player for the Star Rockers and I can't quit their band like...like...like..."

"You mean you can't quit their band like you quit ours." Alex crossed his legs and positioned himself so he was facing me.

"Rosalina. At some point, they're going to be gone. Next year? Next year they'll be in college. Who were your other friends in Tennessee?" I didn't have an answer. I liked staying with my close group of friends, and sure, I'd hang out with many of them, but my classes were often with seniors and most of my friends were seniors as well.

"Exactly. When Cati and everyone else leave, you're going to have to start all over again. Are you guys still going to be the Star Rockers? I heard Cati talking about a performing arts school in California. Are you just going to find another band?"

"Alex, you need to stop."

"Rosalina! You need to listen! We want you back! Quassim wants you back, Thomas wants you back, David wants you back, I want you back, NAT WANTS YOU BACK, even Jesse wants you back! Everyone misses you Rosalina!"

"It - It doesn't matter anymore Alex."

"It does though Rosalina. And you need to see that before the tour ends. Because I know that deep down, you want to stay in New York instead of going all the way to Tennessee.

Without another word, Alex stood up and left. It was all I could do to stare after him, with the dreading sense that he was probably right.

As always, with Alex.