The next night, at another sold-out Los Angeles theater, it was Olivia Rodrigo's turn. Backstage, she was a whirlwind of nervous energy, pacing in her carefully chosen outfit, her parents trying to calm her. Alex, despite his own pre-show preparations, took a few minutes to speak with her.
"Hey Liv," he said softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You got this. Just you and the piano. Sing those amazing songs you wrote. Tell your stories. They're going to love you."
She looked up at him, her big brown eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. "What if I mess up, Alex? What if they hate it?"
"They won't hate it," Alex said firmly. "And if you mess up a note, who cares? It's live music. It's about the feeling. Just connect with them." He gave her a quick, encouraging smile. "Now go out there and shine."
As Alex's stage manager gave Olivia her cue, she took a deep breath and walked out onto the vast stage, a tiny figure in front of a grand piano, the expectant murmur of Alex's massive crowd her only welcome.
Alex watched from the wings, his heart unexpectedly tight. He felt a strange sense of pride and protectiveness.
Olivia sat at the piano, adjusted the microphone, and a hush fell. "Hi everyone," she said, her voice a little shaky but clear. "My name is Olivia Rodrigo, and I'm so, so incredibly happy to be here. This first song is called 'Drivers Licence.'"
Her fingers found the opening chords, and she began to sing.
Her voice, though young, soared through the theater, filled with a raw, undeniable emotion.
"I got my driver's license last week
Just like we always talked about
'Cause you were so excited for me
To finally drive up to your house
But today I drove through the suburbs
Cryin' 'cause you weren't around
And you're probably with that blonde girl
Who always made me doubt
She's so much older than me
She's everything I'm insecure about
Yeah, today I drove through the suburbs
'Cause how could I ever love someone else?
And I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way for no one
And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay now that I'm gone
Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me
'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street
And all my friends are tired
Of hearing how much I miss you, but
I kinda feel sorry for them
'Cause they'll never know you the way that I do, yeah
Today I drove through the suburbs
And pictured I was driving home to you
And I know we weren't perfect
But I've never felt this way for no one, oh
And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay now that I'm gone
I guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me
'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street
Red lights, stop signs
I still see your face in the white cars, front yards
Can't drive past the places we used to go to
'Cause I still fuckin' love you, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Sidewalks we crossed
I still hear your voice in the traffic, we're laughing
Over all the noise
God, I'm so blue, know we're through
But I still fuckin' love you, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way for no one
And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay now that I'm gone
'Cause you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me
'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street
Yeah, you said forever, now I drive alone past your street"
She sang of teenage heartbreak with a sincerity that transcended her years. The crowd, initially just waiting for Alex, grew quiet, listening intently. She followed with two more of her original piano ballads from her demo EP – songs about friendship, dreams, and navigating young feelings.
By the end of her short set, the applause was thunderous, genuine, and surprised. Olivia, visibly emotional, beamed from the stage, giving a small, shaky wave before practically running off, right into a waiting Alex.
"You did it!" Alex exclaimed, giving her an impulsive, congratulatory hug. "You were amazing, Liv! They loved you!"
Olivia was breathless, tears in her eyes. "Oh my gosh, Alex, that was… the scariest and best thing ever! Thank you, thank you for letting me do this!"
In that moment, flushed with success and adrenaline, something subtle shifted between them. The hug lingered a fraction too long. There was a new awareness in Olivia's eyes as she looked up at him, a youthful admiration mixed with something warmer. Alex, too, felt a pang of something beyond just mentorly pride. She was talented, vibrant, and her joyful energy was infectious. He quickly pulled back, clearing his throat, reminding himself of their age difference and professional dynamic.
"You earned it, Liv," he said, a little more formally. "Go celebrate with your parents. You were fantastic."
Alex's own show that night was powerful, but he felt the strain. His voice was fine, fueled by technique and adrenaline, but his mind was frayed. He'd nearly forgotten a lyric in "Someone You Loved" and had to cover with a quick instrumental improv, something the Codex silently noted with a [Performance Anomaly: Potential cognitive fatigue indicator.] He brushed it off. Everyone has off moments.
His tour continued, a whirlwind of cities, adoring crowds, and late-night bus rides. He released another single, "Counting Stars" (OneRepublic), its anthemic energy perfect for the stadium-esque feel his concerts were taking on. Echo Chamber was becoming a significant indie powerhouse, largely on the back of his success and the critical acclaim for Billie.
Olivia opened for him on the other California dates, growing more confident with each performance, her fanbase starting to bud online. She and Alex fell into an easy tour rhythm on those days. They'd soundcheck together, share meals in catering, talk for hours on the tour bus between cities – about music, dreams, silly jokes. Their friendship deepened rapidly. Olivia, with her bubbly optimism and straightforward nature, was a refreshing counterpoint to the intense, often solitary world Alex inhabited. She made him laugh, genuinely laugh, in a way he hadn't realized he'd missed.
She often looked to him for approval, her eyes bright when he complimented a new song idea or a performance choice. He, in turn, found himself looking forward to their conversations, to her unjaded perspective. There was a spark, an undeniable chemistry building, unspoken but palpable in their easy laughter and lingering glances. It was innocent, born of shared experience and mutual admiration, but it was there.
Billie, meanwhile, was back in LA with Finneas, working on more material for her next album, building on the success of dont smile at me. Alex had fewer direct sessions with her now, trusting Finneas's growing prowess, though he checked in regularly. Her path was more introspective, less tied to the immediate demands of touring and public performance that Alex and Olivia were experiencing.
One evening, after a particularly grueling travel day followed by a high-energy show, Alex was on the phone with his dad, discussing a potential European leg for the tour.
"Alex, you sound exhausted," David said, concern in his voice. "Are you sure you're not overdoing it?"
"I'm fine, Dad," Alex insisted, though he was staring blankly at a spreadsheet the Codex was displaying with projected international royalty splits. The numbers were blurring. "Just a lot on. Good busy."
But later that night, alone in his hotel room, he missed a scheduled Skype check-in with Olivia, simply falling asleep in his clothes, phone still in hand. He woke up hours later to a worried text from her: "Alex? Everything okay? Missed our chat. Hope you're not too tired. Night! xo Liv."
The "xo Liv" gave him a strange pang. He felt a rush of guilt, and something else he couldn't quite name. He quickly texted back an apology, blaming bad hotel Wi-Fi.
The spotlight was bright, the music was soaring, but subtle fractures were beginning to appear in Alex's meticulously constructed world. The demands were immense, and the burgeoning, innocent connection with Olivia Rodrigo added a new, unexpected layer of emotional complexity he hadn't bargained for. He was shaping a music world, but his own inner world was becoming increasingly turbulent.