The Broken Rhythm
Chapter 6
Rhythm's POV
I'm waiting outside Avril's office on one of the chairs when she comes out with two men. I instantly tense up, not knowing what will happen if they adopt me. I'm not worth their time anyway.
"Rhythm, this is Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat. Alex wants to adopt you and Jack is here for support." Avril says bending down to my height, I've always been a short one.
"Alex and Jack, this is Rhythm. Like I said earlier, shes been going through a rough time here." She says to them.
"Hey Rhythm, I wanted to talk to you. Maybe we can get to know each other?" The man I suspect is Alex tells me.
I stay silent but instead of telling Alex what I want to say I whisper to Avril and she tells them what I want to say.
"Rhythm is a little bit scared of you guys so she wants me to stay with her, but she does say that maybe if you get to know her, she'll open up." Avril says, protective arm around me.
"We'll how about we go to Starbucks and talk? Get Rhythm out for a bit?" Jack speaks up.
"I'd have to getr my husband to cover me while we're gone but I'd think that would be okay." Avril says, then turning to me. "Do you want to go Rhythm? It's up to you, I wont force you."
I nod yes and then Avril goes off to tell Chad, our other care taker and husband that we will be off, leaving me with Alex and Jack.
It's an awkward silence until Avril gets back, but then we all get into our separate cars. Alex and Jack in theirs, Avril and I in hers.
On the way to Starbucks, Avril speaks up.
"I know you may be scared of Alex and Jack but trust me, they're kind people. Alex can't hurt a fly and Jack is like a little kid inside" Avril says, keeping her eyes on the road.
"How do you know what they're like?" I ask. "Do you know them?"
"I'll let them tell you, you'll understand better if they do." She says pulling into a parking spot.
We get out and head into Starbucks, not seeing Alex and Jack yet we get a table for four.
About five minutes later a crazy haired Alex and silly grinned Jack appear at the table.
"Sorry we look a wreck already. Jack drove." Alex grumbled.
"You drove last time, it was my turn!" Jack exclaims at Alex.
I giggle, confused that why Jack shouldn't drive.
"So we should probably re-introduce ourselves, since we've been a little crazy, lets get our selves on a new track." Alex says. "Hi I'm Alex Gaskarth, I'm in a band called All Time Low and I sing and play guitar. We go on tour a lot, around 300 days of the year but even though I may be tired after late nights from a show I will always make sure there is time for my daughter." Alex says, giving me a warm feeling if I get to be his daughter.
"I'm Jack Barakat, I'm Alex's right hand man. I play guitar with Alex in our band, All Time Low along with our friends Rian and Zack. I love the Home Alone movies and according to everyone I can't drive. If you become apart of the All Time Low family I promise to love you as much as Alex will." Jack says, making me feel a little different of him and Alex.
"Now what about you Rhythm? How about telling us about you? It can be anything." Alex says, having a look that shows that he genuinely cares, unlike the look everyone else gives, like they don't care and only feel pity.
"There's not much about me. I'm thirteen and hate most things. What can I tell you?" I say, tongue playing with my lip ring, Rylie's brother pierced for me since he works at a tattoo and piercing place for free.
"There has to be more, your a beautiful young girl." He says, eyes telling the truth but me swearing its all a lie.
"I'm not pretty and I don't need your pity, just because I don't have anything to say doesn't mean anything. You don't know what my life was like so don't force it on me to tell you." I say, not knowing where the confidence came from. Alex looking at me, shocked.
Alex opens his mouth to speak but I run out of the coffee shop before he can say anything.
As I run, angry tears flow and I eventually slow down when I see a creek in the forest like area. I sit down on the dewy green grass, place my feet in the shallow blue water and re-think of everything I said to Alex. Just because he's a man doesn't mean he will hurt me but that doesn't mean he won't. Dad was sweet and kind up until mom died, who says this is an act to make me feel misery again?
I stay there for a little while longer until I hear my name being called from a distance.
"Rhythm! Rhythm, can you hear me? Its Alex"
It's him of course, you would think he would just leave me alone. Maybe he does care.
I start walking to where I hear his voice, I don't answer him though.
About five minutes later I realize I'm lost. I do the first thing I think of as I'm in a panic. Scream.
"Alex! Please help me!" I scream, tears of fear flowing. "Alex please! Find me! I'm sorry!" I keep screaming until I hear running steps and a voice.
"Rhythm, is that you? Yell Jalex if you can hear me!" Its Alex!
"Jalex! Jalex! Jalex!" I shout as loud as I can, foot steps closer.
I eventually see Alex, once he catches my eye he sprints faster than lightning to get me, and when he does he picks me up and holds me in his arms like he does care.
"I thought you were gone!" Alex says into my hair, me still in his arms.
"Why do you care? Your just another rockstar." I say.
"Because I've lost a lot of important people in my life. Once I saw you I knew I couldn't loose you either." Alex says, walking back through the forest, carrying me.
"What do you mean?" I ask confused.
"You have to trust me before I can trust you." Alex says, me still not getting it.
"Still not getting it." I say.
"What I'm saying is, is that I love you very much darling but I can't give my information to you unless you become apart of my life. Like when I first met you a few hours ago I saw the pain you were feeling and I want to help you, but I can't yet, you have to trust me that I will love and protect you. What I'm saying is I want you to be my daughter. So will you?" Alex says and by the time we're back at Starbucks, placing me back on the ground and him kneeling to look me in the eyes.
I stand mesmerized at his speech, knowing every word he meant was true, I say my final answer.
"Yes"
I'm waiting outside Avril's office on one of the chairs when she comes out with two men. I instantly tense up, not knowing what will happen if they adopt me. I'm not worth their time anyway.
"Rhythm, this is Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat. Alex wants to adopt you and Jack is here for support." Avril says bending down to my height, I've always been a short one.
"Alex and Jack, this is Rhythm. Like I said earlier, shes been going through a rough time here." She says to them.
"Hey Rhythm, I wanted to talk to you. Maybe we can get to know each other?" The man I suspect is Alex tells me.
I stay silent but instead of telling Alex what I want to say I whisper to Avril and she tells them what I want to say.
"Rhythm is a little bit scared of you guys so she wants me to stay with her, but she does say that maybe if you get to know her, she'll open up." Avril says, protective arm around me.
"We'll how about we go to Starbucks and talk? Get Rhythm out for a bit?" Jack speaks up.
"I'd have to getr my husband to cover me while we're gone but I'd think that would be okay." Avril says, then turning to me. "Do you want to go Rhythm? It's up to you, I wont force you."
I nod yes and then Avril goes off to tell Chad, our other care taker and husband that we will be off, leaving me with Alex and Jack.
It's an awkward silence until Avril gets back, but then we all get into our separate cars. Alex and Jack in theirs, Avril and I in hers.
On the way to Starbucks, Avril speaks up.
"I know you may be scared of Alex and Jack but trust me, they're kind people. Alex can't hurt a fly and Jack is like a little kid inside" Avril says, keeping her eyes on the road.
"How do you know what they're like?" I ask. "Do you know them?"
"I'll let them tell you, you'll understand better if they do." She says pulling into a parking spot.
We get out and head into Starbucks, not seeing Alex and Jack yet we get a table for four.
About five minutes later a crazy haired Alex and silly grinned Jack appear at the table.
"Sorry we look a wreck already. Jack drove." Alex grumbled.
"You drove last time, it was my turn!" Jack exclaims at Alex.
I giggle, confused that why Jack shouldn't drive.
"So we should probably re-introduce ourselves, since we've been a little crazy, lets get our selves on a new track." Alex says. "Hi I'm Alex Gaskarth, I'm in a band called All Time Low and I sing and play guitar. We go on tour a lot, around 300 days of the year but even though I may be tired after late nights from a show I will always make sure there is time for my daughter." Alex says, giving me a warm feeling if I get to be his daughter.
"I'm Jack Barakat, I'm Alex's right hand man. I play guitar with Alex in our band, All Time Low along with our friends Rian and Zack. I love the Home Alone movies and according to everyone I can't drive. If you become apart of the All Time Low family I promise to love you as much as Alex will." Jack says, making me feel a little different of him and Alex.
"Now what about you Rhythm? How about telling us about you? It can be anything." Alex says, having a look that shows that he genuinely cares, unlike the look everyone else gives, like they don't care and only feel pity.
"There's not much about me. I'm thirteen and hate most things. What can I tell you?" I say, tongue playing with my lip ring, Rylie's brother pierced for me since he works at a tattoo and piercing place for free.
"There has to be more, your a beautiful young girl." He says, eyes telling the truth but me swearing its all a lie.
"I'm not pretty and I don't need your pity, just because I don't have anything to say doesn't mean anything. You don't know what my life was like so don't force it on me to tell you." I say, not knowing where the confidence came from. Alex looking at me, shocked.
Alex opens his mouth to speak but I run out of the coffee shop before he can say anything.
As I run, angry tears flow and I eventually slow down when I see a creek in the forest like area. I sit down on the dewy green grass, place my feet in the shallow blue water and re-think of everything I said to Alex. Just because he's a man doesn't mean he will hurt me but that doesn't mean he won't. Dad was sweet and kind up until mom died, who says this is an act to make me feel misery again?
I stay there for a little while longer until I hear my name being called from a distance.
"Rhythm! Rhythm, can you hear me? Its Alex"
It's him of course, you would think he would just leave me alone. Maybe he does care.
I start walking to where I hear his voice, I don't answer him though.
About five minutes later I realize I'm lost. I do the first thing I think of as I'm in a panic. Scream.
"Alex! Please help me!" I scream, tears of fear flowing. "Alex please! Find me! I'm sorry!" I keep screaming until I hear running steps and a voice.
"Rhythm, is that you? Yell Jalex if you can hear me!" Its Alex!
"Jalex! Jalex! Jalex!" I shout as loud as I can, foot steps closer.
I eventually see Alex, once he catches my eye he sprints faster than lightning to get me, and when he does he picks me up and holds me in his arms like he does care.
"I thought you were gone!" Alex says into my hair, me still in his arms.
"Why do you care? Your just another rockstar." I say.
"Because I've lost a lot of important people in my life. Once I saw you I knew I couldn't loose you either." Alex says, walking back through the forest, carrying me.
"What do you mean?" I ask confused.
"You have to trust me before I can trust you." Alex says, me still not getting it.
"Still not getting it." I say.
"What I'm saying is, is that I love you very much darling but I can't give my information to you unless you become apart of my life. Like when I first met you a few hours ago I saw the pain you were feeling and I want to help you, but I can't yet, you have to trust me that I will love and protect you. What I'm saying is I want you to be my daughter. So will you?" Alex says and by the time we're back at Starbucks, placing me back on the ground and him kneeling to look me in the eyes.
I stand mesmerized at his speech, knowing every word he meant was true, I say my final answer.
"Yes"
Notes
This is not the end, we have more chapters and drama to come.Also I took two days to type this up, it took a while but I'm happy on it.
Who's going to The House Party tour? I might, my date is 10/13/13. I may go but I'm not sure, the venue is hours away from where I live and if I don't go there I may go to Yellowcard's Ocean Avenue Tour, that date for me is 9/21/13. I'm not sure if I'll go to either due to the venues both being kind of far from me. Meaning both are more than three hours away from me.
-Sarah's Butterflies
thank you :)
9/4/13