Chapter Inspiration: We All Fall Down - All Time Low


I fell back against the glass wall of the phone booth as I listened to the scuffle on Marc's end: he wasn’t alone. Any hope I had to say a simple good bye and cut my ties had vanished, just like that. I listened as Marc murmured to another person as they fought over the phone.

"Jasey, Jasey where are you!?" Marc's voice busted through the white noise.

"I can’t say, I just wanted to call and sa-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CANT SAY?" He yelled in a sudden bolt of aggravation that had been unknowingly suppressed since the party.

"Because I can’t go back, and I can’t have you looking for me!" I explained to the heavy breathing boy on the other end with a shard voice that easily cut through to his ear above everyone else grabbing at his phone.

"Let me talk to he-"

"Jasey please, tell me where you are, I just wanna talk."

"Let me talk to-"

"Talk now," I broke in, "I only have a few minutes then I’m gone-"

"JASEY!" A new voice broke through the line. The tone sharp, raspy, tired and clear. The phone nearly slipping from my hand as my eyes grew wide.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" I shook my head as the voice continued. I wanted to hang up the sticky device with all I had, but my body refused to move, not budging an inch aside from my violently shaking head that couldn't be seen by who sat at the other end of the line.

"JASEY WHERE ARE YOU?" The voice shouted, my mind simply praying I hadn't put in enough money and it would soon go dead, begging for another round of coins. "Jasey, give me an address I’m coming right now, I don't care how far you are, I’m bringing you home-"

"NO ALEX!" I cried into the phone, my voice threatening to break.

"Jasey..." His voice grew small, like he was at the brink of breaking down because of what I was putting him through. His tone dull, weak, and watery, but mostly: scared.

"Alex I can’t..." I shook my head trying to keep my thumb on my breathing so I would stay in control, stay away from them.

"Jasey please!" He begged, the background arguing fading away as I could hear him climb the stairs, "don't do this!"

"I have to!" I fumbled blinking away the forming tears, I'd come too far to go back to being soft now. "I can’t hurt you guys anymore, I just can’t do it!"

"Jasey, Jasey don't you see!" He pleaded as the tears began to form in my eyes. I hadn’t known it, but Alex had wandered into my bedroom, his calloused fingers running over all the trinkets I had left behind, "you leaving again would hurt us more than anything else you could ever do while being here" for a while I let his words sink in, his tone chipping the letters into my brain. For a brief moment I wondered if he really wanted me to stay for the band, or because he genuinely wanted me there, even after all I had dragged him threw in the few months. But it was clear to him, he no longer cared. He no longer cared what having me around for another day let alone another year would do to him. His emotions were taking the largest toll in my absence, a moral beating compared to anything I had thrown his way in the past few months. "Please just come home," he would whisper through the silence, his voice soft and vulnerable, a tone even I had never heard before, "we need you," Alex taking a break to swallow knowing the whole conversation was risky, my actions riding on his words, he never once thought till then that maybe, all he had to do was open up a little, "I need you." He would break, "forget about Rian, or your mom, or Riley, and forget about Tammy, and soccer, and grades, just listen to me." His words falling passed his lips with such ease, like he had rehearsed the speech a hundred times, shocking himself as he continued, "I don't care what you say, or what has happened, or how crazy and fucked up this year has been thus far, I need you here! I need you Jasey, I need you to keep me sane through all this- this chaos, and I need you by my side to know that all this drama, and bull shit is worth it."

"What are you trying to say?" I spoke up, my voice sharp and hoarse.

"what I’m trying to say Jasey is," he sighed running his hands through his hair with his free hand. "Any pain you think you’re causing me, it doesn’t matter, what matters is that you are home, where you belong, with Cass, and Jack, and Rian, and Marc, and me. Right now all I care about is not losing you again so please, I’m begging you, come home!"

"I can’t hurt you anymore!" I protested and a silent tear slipped down my cheek as much as I had tried to fight it.

"Then don't, come home, don't make me go through another Christmas without you." He'd sigh sitting on my neat bed thinking about all the memories we missed out on when I left the first time, "just come home and forget anything ever happened, I miss my best friend Jasey, Jack doesn’t let me be the big spoon!"

His comment causing a smile to break through my quivering shell, "but nothing will be like it used to..." I would remind him with a shaky voice.

"Things would be different even if you had stayed," he tried to explain hoping this was a step in the right direction to get me home at the time, "we aren’t in the 8th grade anymore, Jack grew, Zack got a haircut, Rian's got a job, I got more handsome, and you, well you got boobs and a nice ass, oh and your braces off, sometimes change is for the better."

Ignoring the opportunity to call Alex out for looking at my ass I sighed, too caught up in the conflict I had put myself into, but as I thought on it, it dawned on me that maybe I was causing my own issues, that maybe things could get better for me, if I hadn’t already royally fucked up like I had. "I don't belong there anymore Alex, I have too much baggage, you of all people should understand that." I sighed in defeat as I slid down the wall of the phone booth, no longer being able to withstand the growing weight of my body and the world.

"No, don't go all 'gotta go my own way' high school musical shit on me," he protested, "I don't care what you or anyone else thinks, I need you okay."

"Alex..." I sighed looking up at the phone on the wall, reaching my hand up to slip another set of coins into the slot in case, "I’m just a nuisance, a chore that you have to babysit and check up on."

"No you are not!" He snapped back, "Jasey, if any of us really believed that we wouldn’t have fought over this phone to talk to you, we wouldn’t be trying to track down the bus, or care at all, and do you really think no one here cares about you enough to deal with a little drama..."

"A little drama!" It was my turn to scoff, "Alex, I’m a mess, a walking disaster, hurricane Jasey, look at all the issues I’ve caused in four months!"

"And look at all the good times you've had in those same four months!" He pleaded with me, "Personally I like our new relationship than the one we had in the 8th grade..."

"Is this connected to the fact that I now have tits and don't look like a 12 year old boy?" I mumbled looking down into my lap, honestly preferring that new rout of conversation that didn't have tears pricking at my eyes.

"No," he puffed with a light chuckle, "its connected to the fact that were older now and you being gone only made me realize how vital of a role you played in my sanity!"

"So you’re asking me to come back to be your muse?" I grumbled picking at the rubbery sealant on the glass door to keep my mind busy.

"No, I’m asking you to come back to be my friend, we need you here Jasey," he sighed leaning back on my bed, "and believe it or not, for some reason I find you intriguing."

"Thanks..." I muttered sarcastically, "You know, I don't totally hate our new relationship either..."

A smile I would never be aware of perked at Alex's lips, "good," he'd smile into the phone, "I didn't totally hate kissing you either..."

"I never said that..." I dragged, pulling another round of quarters from my pocket and slipping them into the phone.

"Well did you?"

"Hate it?" I question sitting back on the floor of the booth.

"Yeah..."

"Not totally..." I smiled as Alex did the same, neither of us aware of the others, but both present in the same.

"Good..." Was all he would start with at that moment, "maybe we should do it again sometime?"

"Oh... I don't know of I liked it that much..." I teased with a smile.

"I did." He'd state with a knowing smirk as my jaw popped open.

"Alexander!" I scoffed in disbelief.

"What!" He laughed defensively, "Tell me if I kissed you right now, you wouldn’t kiss me back!"

"I wouldn't seeing as there’s no way for you to do that!" I taunted my distance as if it were nothing just minutes ago.

"Will you come home so I can kiss you then?"

"I will not!" I smiled slightly at the light banter in a time I felt so broken.

"And why is that?" He questioned sitting up, smiling as he switched the hand holding the phone.

"I have no idea how to get home even if I wanted to..." I muttered into the phone, my voice growing small as it retreated from the light banter to the reality of the phone call.

"Give me an address, I’m coming."

"Ale-"

"Please." Alex begged with a sigh, "Let me do this..."

"But Alex..." I murmured into the phone as I twirled a finger around the cord.

"Give me till new year’s to prove to you that people want you here, if after new year’s you feel you still don't belong, then we will have this talk again, but give me that much, please?"

"I can’t ruin Christmas for you guys..." I fumbled around the deal with a watery eye.

"Then come as my Christmas present, just think of being back like a favor to me... You don't have to enjoy doing it - though you will - but you have to, for me?" He'd ask as the conversation came to a close, "can you do that for me?"

"Fine..." I sighed in utter defeat.

"So what’s the address?"

* * * * *

"Alex you can’t drive like this you haven't slept in two days!" Cass would plea; her tone filling with worry after Alex explained his angle and started for his keys.

"I have to, if she sits there any longer she could change her mind and we'll lose her!" He argued slipping on his sweatshirt.

"Let someone who’s seen a bed drive then... It’s not safe!" She pleaded following him into the foyer.

"No, she's expecting me, she agreed to my terms... I’m going." Alex finished placing his hand on the door as Rian wandered into view from our living room.

"Lex..." He called stepping up beside his towering friends. My brother looked up to his band-mate's eyes as he did the same, "just bring her home." Was all he would say before Alex would nod and pull his friend into a hug, a true, two armed, full blown hug.

"I love her all the same like you do..." Alex whispered as they pulled from one another.

"I know man..." Rian patted Alex's slender shoulder trying to force a smile, "I can see it, we all can, and that’s why I’m letting you go."

With a nod of his head and a tight hug from Cass the rest of the gang would gather on the porch and wish Alex the best in the task of bringing me home.

* * * * *

Alex looked up as his car rolled to a stop outside the café. A fair amount of people had begun to collect inside so the immediate realization of Alex's appearance had gone unnoticed by my eyes. The singer blowing out a sigh as he walked up the sidewalk to the glass door. His large brown eyes scanned the shop before they fell on my figure hunched over a white mug at a table for one. The teen made no hesitations as he shoved the glass door open, the bell above sounding as my eyes lifted. There dull color was getting worn from looking for him for hours, truth be told, if it had been Marc on the other end of that line, I may have never considered going back. But the pure look in both our eyes as they fell on the others told it all.

As I looked at Alex's stalky figure in the doorway of that café, everything sunk in. The very sight of how worn and exhausted he looked showed what I had put him through, but the fact he stood in the doorway, five counties over proved his mind thought otherwise. My insides disintegrating the walls I had built up as I looked at the face of the familiar soul. I got to my feet as Alex's gaze remained locked on me. In what felt like slow motion Alex's eyes sunk into mine, his jaw dropping open as his chocolate orbs glazed with tears. Blinking at them with desperation, he extended his arms out to me with hopeful eyes, "Jasey" he hushed inaudible to me ears. I made no rash actions, or bold comments, I simply did what every sappy story writer would think I would do. I ran into his arms. But as I ran forward, everything else seemed to stop.

I knew I was running but I didn't hear my steps, I knew the people around us had turned their heads but there presence was nothing more than a passing blur. There was no morning chatter, or clanking of cups, no change being made, of foam being sprayed, no bell ringing or order calling, just silence and warmth. Like the only two people standing in that coffee shop were me and Alex. As if no one else was there to see the scene unfolding around them. Alex wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me off the ground with a spin. The small crowd in the café watching in admiration as I nuzzled my nose into his warm neck, breathing in the scent of him. His musky warm smell filing my nose as he placed my feet on the ground. "Thank god you’re okay." Alex sighed pawing at my back as a hand ran through the ends of my hair.

"I’m not sure that’s the word..." I hummed nudging my nose into his chest.

"You’re breathing and in one piece, that’s enough for Rian and me!" He breathed with a smile as he pulled my face into his large warm hands. "I'm sorry of I caused this, I know I’ve been a dick and a horrible-"

"Alex!" I cut in, placing my hand over the back of his as it remained glued to my face, "don't worry about me."

"I'll always worry about you, don't you get that..." He hushed causing the closest couple in the café to awe aloud at his words.

"You’re tired..." I sighed looping an arm over his to brush at his bangs.

"Oh course I am, I couldn't sleep a pinch knowing you were out here somewhere!" He hushed pressing his forehead to mine.

"You need rest Alex..." I sighed looking at our toes, "you should have sent Rian, or Andrea even... You needed sleep not an hour car ride."

"I needed you, is what I needed!" He protested tucking a small portion of hair behind my ear as our foreheads parted, another chorus of 'awes' escaped the group in the room.

"Alex..." I rolled my eyes looking at his close chest. The thought dawning on me that I was still tangled in his arms, the warmth radiating from his body making it seem effortless to stay like that. It was then that I looked back up at Alex, only to find he was already watching me. His eyes soft and pure with a look I had never seen wash over his face, a look of content, and pure emotions.

His stare seeped through my pores as I slid my hands up his chest go distract myself, his eyes drilling down on me with a new found look I could feel my heart pound against my rib cage. I looked up at him as I took in everything. His eyes, hair, smell, the way his lips twisted to form that crooked grin, how his hand felt as it glided up my side to cup the back of my neck. How his second hand slipped to my back with such ease to tug me forward as my hands found his shoulders. My breath caught in my throat as he dipped his head to simply brush his lips against mine before pulling away. My eyes snapping open, shocking myself in how much I actually wanted his lips on mine, how I craved the feeling, the mental fuzz his lips coated my being with the simplest action as a peck on the lips, a coil tying itself inside my stomach at the loss. I looked up from his lips to catch his eyes as his smile only grew.


As I lifted my eyebrows in confusion Alex would smirk again, pulling my body closer - if even possible - once again before finally speaking up with, "I told you, you wanted to kiss me!" The comment causing my eyes to roll before I rolled to my toes. My hands slapping to cup his jaw in there pale grasps before I crashed his lips to mine. A cheer of joy roared through the café. To them we were a lost couple finding one another in a coffee shop far away from home. But they didn’t need the story to see what we failed to just then. That there was a reason everyone was routing for that kiss, that everyone saw it coming, that it fit in the same manor our bodies molded together. Effortlessly perfect, how things often felt with Alex. Our bodies pulling far enough apart for me to mumble against his lips what he and everyone else in that café wanted to hear, and honestly what I wanted to say, "so what if I did?"

Notes

SAAY WHATTT!?

totally not the direction i had PLANNED on taking this.. but the chapters you usually like the most are the ones where i just wing it..

but im nervous you guys arent going to like this one..

EITHER WAY TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS OPINIONS AND IDEAS IN THE COMMENTS! I TAKE THEM ALL INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN I WRITE TO HELP ME IMPROVE TO HAVE BETTER UPDATES YOU YOU!


SO IN THE END COMMENTING ONLY MAKES THE STORY BETTER! EVEN IF ITS TO TELL ME I SUCK!


until next time
-Sarah :)