Manage Me
Let the Walls Break Down
"Brooke, I can't believe you're working for the Alex Gaskarth, you lucky girl!" My friend Morgan gushed.
"Yeah, but I heard he's a complete asshole." I commented, slipping on my wedges.
“He is not! I’ve met him!” She protested. She’d been a fan since 2008 and would rise to their defense if anyone said anything about them. She’d actually met them all in 2009 and gotten to hang out on their bus. I liked them, but they weren’t my favorite.
"Yeah, you met him. I’m going to be spending quality time with him. I think there’s a difference.” I replied testily.
"Okay, calm down. I'm sure he'll love you. Everyone does." she assured.
"I hope you're right." I sighed.
I arrived at the address I had been given, which was an okay looking white house. I knocked and waited. A guy I recognized from Morgan as Alex answered, wearing a white v-neck, black basketball shorts, and white socks. He had a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and was holding a glass of water. He spit in the glass and wiped his mouth.
“Hey, um if you’re here about the barfight, we worked it out, I swear.” he said, raising his hands.
I laughed.
“I’m not a lawyer. Your manager hired me as your personal assistant.” I replied and he relaxed.
“Colussy got me a personal assistant? Am I really that out of hand?” he asked, scratching his head.
I shrugged.
“That, I don’t know. But I’m here to do whatever you need me to.” I told him.
“Sounds good. My first request is to get changed. You don’t have to dress up for this.” he said, gesturing to his own clothes.
“Got it. I’ll be back in like an hour?” I asked.
“Sure, go for it.” he nodded and I left.
--
When I let myself into the apartment, Morgan ambushed me.
“Back already? How’d it go? Was he nice? Was he rude? Did it go okay? WHAT HAPPENED?!” she said, talking too fast for me.
“Woah, slow down. It was fine, he was fine. He wants me to get changed is all. Then I’m going back.” I told her.
“Oh okay. Try to get his autograph next time or I’m changing the locks.” she laughed.
“Shut up.” I laughed back, throwing my blazer at her.
I dressed in sweats, a plain t-shirt, and a sweatshirt. I put on my Uggs and drove back to Alex's.
--
"Much better. But where's the rest of your clothes?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
“Oh shit. Colussy forgot to tell you. I’d like you to move in with me...I mean, if that’s alright with you.” he said.
"You could just call me if you needed me." I replied.
"But what if I'm dying?" he asked.
"Get one of your friends to help you." I replied.
"Ugh. Damn, you're stubborn. Um, you can just go home later tonight, pack everything you need, and come back here. I have a nice room ready for you." he told me.
"Okay. Where is it?" I asked.
"Upstairs, second door on your left." he replied and I walked up.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" I screamed when saw my room.
"What’s going on?" he asked.
"Look at this room!" I snapped.
"I see nothing wrong with it." he stated.
"It's got alien green walls and dirt brown carpet!" I exclaimed.
"Oh!" he said, smacking his forehead. "Go out and buy some stuff to redecorate then." he replied.
"I don't have that much money." I replied in a small voice.
"Oh, well I can pay for it. I do owe you." he offered.
"I'm your personal assistant. You don't owe me anything." I whispered.
"True, but I’d like to do this for you." he replied.
"I guess I'll let you pay." I surrendered.
“Excellent.” He smiled. He wrapped his arms around me awkwardly. I left him there.
"Wait, Brooke." he whispered and I turned around.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Could I come with you? It is my wallet." he asked.
"Sure. Be ready in ten." I replied.
"Yeah, but I heard he's a complete asshole." I commented, slipping on my wedges.
“He is not! I’ve met him!” She protested. She’d been a fan since 2008 and would rise to their defense if anyone said anything about them. She’d actually met them all in 2009 and gotten to hang out on their bus. I liked them, but they weren’t my favorite.
"Yeah, you met him. I’m going to be spending quality time with him. I think there’s a difference.” I replied testily.
"Okay, calm down. I'm sure he'll love you. Everyone does." she assured.
"I hope you're right." I sighed.
I arrived at the address I had been given, which was an okay looking white house. I knocked and waited. A guy I recognized from Morgan as Alex answered, wearing a white v-neck, black basketball shorts, and white socks. He had a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and was holding a glass of water. He spit in the glass and wiped his mouth.
“Hey, um if you’re here about the barfight, we worked it out, I swear.” he said, raising his hands.
I laughed.
“I’m not a lawyer. Your manager hired me as your personal assistant.” I replied and he relaxed.
“Colussy got me a personal assistant? Am I really that out of hand?” he asked, scratching his head.
I shrugged.
“That, I don’t know. But I’m here to do whatever you need me to.” I told him.
“Sounds good. My first request is to get changed. You don’t have to dress up for this.” he said, gesturing to his own clothes.
“Got it. I’ll be back in like an hour?” I asked.
“Sure, go for it.” he nodded and I left.
--
When I let myself into the apartment, Morgan ambushed me.
“Back already? How’d it go? Was he nice? Was he rude? Did it go okay? WHAT HAPPENED?!” she said, talking too fast for me.
“Woah, slow down. It was fine, he was fine. He wants me to get changed is all. Then I’m going back.” I told her.
“Oh okay. Try to get his autograph next time or I’m changing the locks.” she laughed.
“Shut up.” I laughed back, throwing my blazer at her.
I dressed in sweats, a plain t-shirt, and a sweatshirt. I put on my Uggs and drove back to Alex's.
--
"Much better. But where's the rest of your clothes?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
“Oh shit. Colussy forgot to tell you. I’d like you to move in with me...I mean, if that’s alright with you.” he said.
"You could just call me if you needed me." I replied.
"But what if I'm dying?" he asked.
"Get one of your friends to help you." I replied.
"Ugh. Damn, you're stubborn. Um, you can just go home later tonight, pack everything you need, and come back here. I have a nice room ready for you." he told me.
"Okay. Where is it?" I asked.
"Upstairs, second door on your left." he replied and I walked up.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" I screamed when saw my room.
"What’s going on?" he asked.
"Look at this room!" I snapped.
"I see nothing wrong with it." he stated.
"It's got alien green walls and dirt brown carpet!" I exclaimed.
"Oh!" he said, smacking his forehead. "Go out and buy some stuff to redecorate then." he replied.
"I don't have that much money." I replied in a small voice.
"Oh, well I can pay for it. I do owe you." he offered.
"I'm your personal assistant. You don't owe me anything." I whispered.
"True, but I’d like to do this for you." he replied.
"I guess I'll let you pay." I surrendered.
“Excellent.” He smiled. He wrapped his arms around me awkwardly. I left him there.
"Wait, Brooke." he whispered and I turned around.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Could I come with you? It is my wallet." he asked.
"Sure. Be ready in ten." I replied.
I've been stumbling across stories I've read, and checking them out again since I seem to forget them after it's been a while. This was one of those cases.
Reading this again, and after reading other stories on here and Mibba, I've realized that with my last comment, I was a bit off. Yes, Brooke and Alex's relationship was cute when they were together/sweet to each other, but reading it again, their relationship was a bit abusive. Neither is completely innocent, but the version of Alex you wrote in this took it to the next level. I realize a lot of it was because of his insecurities, what he dealt with in the past, etc., but Brooke didn't deserve any of that. When she did mess up, she definitely didn't take her anger to the levels he did.
Idk, I'm conflicted because again, when they were together, it was cute, but then it just got sad when they weren't. I'm not sure why she put up with as much as she did.
Your writing is still good, though. Just wish they didn't have so many downs in their relationship. It got really sad at a lot of points, and I just felt Alex didn't need to take it to the degree he did, I mean really.
I doubt you saw my other comment, but just thought I would comment again as an update and to possibly get you to see it.
11/19/17