Manage Me
My Dear in the Headlights
Life was dull with Alex gone. Sure, he’d call and text me several times a day, but I had nothing to do. I ended up spending a lot of time with Kara and she introduced me to a couple of her friends (who were also friends with the guys), including Lisa, who’d dated Alex at one point, but it was never awkward. She was really sweet to me and we became close in a matter of weeks.
I also became close with my college roommate, Nicole, which was kind of random, but I supposed that she was just nostalgic. We decided to go out drinking one night.
“So you’re dating Alex Gaskarth?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah.” I sighed blissfully.
“What’s it like?” she asked.
“Amazing.” I sighed.
“Wow, you’re so lucky.” she gushed.
“Hey, I’m gonna use the restroom. Watch my purse?” I asked her.
“Of course.” she nodded.
When I came back, I saw her toss my phone into my purse, where it was originally.
“What are you doing?” I asked her.
“Oh uh, just checking the weather.” she replied awkwardly.
I gave her a weird look but dropped the subject.
Alex’s Perspective
I missed Brooke so much. I really wish she could have come on tour with us. I admit, I’ve had a few times where I was tempted to cheat, but I always managed to shake myself out of it. And the guys noticed my completely changed attitude.
I sat cross-legged on the wrap-around couch in the back lounge with my Macbook balanced in my lap and my phone sitting next to the mouse pad. I was waiting for Brooke to text me or tweet or something. But meanwhile, I was also browsing our message boards and creeping on tumblr. Some fans didn’t know this, but I liked to send them anonymous messages. They’d flip if they knew it was me. Just normal stuff like, “I hope you’re having a fantastic day”.
But then my phone vibrated and I opened up iMessage. There was a message from Brooke.
“heyy babe. srry, i just can’t do this longg distance thing anymore. we’re over. ps i’ve been cheating on u while u’ve been gone. srry :(.”
My heart felt like it was smashed. I didn’t know what to do. Brooke was all I ever wanted in a girl, but she cheated on me then dumped me. I felt like shit.
“Hey bro, I was wondering if--oh crap.” Jack said, coming into the back lounge.
He abandoned his original thought and came over to me, sitting down next to me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
I threw him my phone and he read the still-open text.
“Wow...” he whispered.
“I know.” I choked. I was such a fucking man. “Like, what the fuck did I do, or not do? Yeah, I know I cheated on her first, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for that. Do I fucking deserve this?” I asked.
“No, dude. I don’t know why she’s doing this.”
“You and me both, bro.” I replied darkly.
Brooke’s Perspective
It was the end of tour and the boys were flying home tonight. I was so excited to see all of them, especially Alex, although I hadn’t heard from him since I went out with Nicole that night. I thought maybe he was just busy, but I wasn’t sure.
But when the boys walked through the terminal, I felt like I’d been slapped. Alex had his hood up, hair matted beneath his signature beanie. He didn’t even look at me when he walked by. And Jack, Zack, and Rian all gave me cold glances, like I’d kicked their collective puppies.
“Jack, what’s going on?” I asked. He just shook his head.
“Alex!” I called. He didn’t answer. I tapped him on the back.
“What?” he snapped coldly.
“Hi.” I whispered meekly. He just rolled his eyes.
“Can I at least get a hug?” I asked desperately. He sighed and flung one arm around me, patting my back awkwardly.
“You can let go now.” he said pointedly, when I still hadn’t released him. I gave him a weird look. We usually gave each other long hugs, especially when we hadn’t seen each other in a while.
When I looked up into his face, his eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot. His lips were chapped. His cheeks were blotchy pink.
“Alex, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“It obviously doesn’t matter to you, so why should I tell you?” he asked sharply.
I felt like I was in a bad nightmare. Alex was mad at me and I didn’t know why and the guys wouldn’t speak to me. I had no idea how I’d survive the car ride home.
I also became close with my college roommate, Nicole, which was kind of random, but I supposed that she was just nostalgic. We decided to go out drinking one night.
“So you’re dating Alex Gaskarth?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah.” I sighed blissfully.
“What’s it like?” she asked.
“Amazing.” I sighed.
“Wow, you’re so lucky.” she gushed.
“Hey, I’m gonna use the restroom. Watch my purse?” I asked her.
“Of course.” she nodded.
When I came back, I saw her toss my phone into my purse, where it was originally.
“What are you doing?” I asked her.
“Oh uh, just checking the weather.” she replied awkwardly.
I gave her a weird look but dropped the subject.
Alex’s Perspective
I missed Brooke so much. I really wish she could have come on tour with us. I admit, I’ve had a few times where I was tempted to cheat, but I always managed to shake myself out of it. And the guys noticed my completely changed attitude.
I sat cross-legged on the wrap-around couch in the back lounge with my Macbook balanced in my lap and my phone sitting next to the mouse pad. I was waiting for Brooke to text me or tweet or something. But meanwhile, I was also browsing our message boards and creeping on tumblr. Some fans didn’t know this, but I liked to send them anonymous messages. They’d flip if they knew it was me. Just normal stuff like, “I hope you’re having a fantastic day”.
But then my phone vibrated and I opened up iMessage. There was a message from Brooke.
“heyy babe. srry, i just can’t do this longg distance thing anymore. we’re over. ps i’ve been cheating on u while u’ve been gone. srry :(.”
My heart felt like it was smashed. I didn’t know what to do. Brooke was all I ever wanted in a girl, but she cheated on me then dumped me. I felt like shit.
“Hey bro, I was wondering if--oh crap.” Jack said, coming into the back lounge.
He abandoned his original thought and came over to me, sitting down next to me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
I threw him my phone and he read the still-open text.
“Wow...” he whispered.
“I know.” I choked. I was such a fucking man. “Like, what the fuck did I do, or not do? Yeah, I know I cheated on her first, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for that. Do I fucking deserve this?” I asked.
“No, dude. I don’t know why she’s doing this.”
“You and me both, bro.” I replied darkly.
Brooke’s Perspective
It was the end of tour and the boys were flying home tonight. I was so excited to see all of them, especially Alex, although I hadn’t heard from him since I went out with Nicole that night. I thought maybe he was just busy, but I wasn’t sure.
But when the boys walked through the terminal, I felt like I’d been slapped. Alex had his hood up, hair matted beneath his signature beanie. He didn’t even look at me when he walked by. And Jack, Zack, and Rian all gave me cold glances, like I’d kicked their collective puppies.
“Jack, what’s going on?” I asked. He just shook his head.
“Alex!” I called. He didn’t answer. I tapped him on the back.
“What?” he snapped coldly.
“Hi.” I whispered meekly. He just rolled his eyes.
“Can I at least get a hug?” I asked desperately. He sighed and flung one arm around me, patting my back awkwardly.
“You can let go now.” he said pointedly, when I still hadn’t released him. I gave him a weird look. We usually gave each other long hugs, especially when we hadn’t seen each other in a while.
When I looked up into his face, his eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot. His lips were chapped. His cheeks were blotchy pink.
“Alex, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“It obviously doesn’t matter to you, so why should I tell you?” he asked sharply.
I felt like I was in a bad nightmare. Alex was mad at me and I didn’t know why and the guys wouldn’t speak to me. I had no idea how I’d survive the car ride home.
Notes
Title: Dear in the Headlights, The Bigger LightsBrooke, what did you do? Come on now. Hmm, Nicole looks suspicious...
Most of you guessed that Alex would cheat. Threw you for a loop, didn't I?
Thanks to:
ToxicDancefloor
SaraBethGaskarth
tragic_ending
and my babe, NewKidOnAnOldBlock
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