Weekends With Old Friends
3
When I woke up that morning to my dismal life, I had no friends or prospects. Nothing to live for. Not even 24 hours later I was sat on a plane with my best friend I had not seen for 2 years, going to America. I had to take Vic back to my flat to pack. I insisted I would meet him later, but he wasn’t taking no for an answer. I hated every minute of it. He didn’t say anything of course, but his face said it all. I couldn’t say i was going to miss the place. I was really looking forward to spending some time with my boys, some time away to pretend everything was fine again. I just hoped they would forgive me as quickly as Vic had done.
“Do the guys know I’m coming?” I asked. We’d been on the plane for what felt like forever.
“No, I thought we’d surprise them” Vic turned and smiled at me.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, it’s been a long time” The thought was making my stomach do somersaults.
“They’ll be just as pleased to see you as I am if that’s what you’re worried about” He answered my silent concern, rolling his eyes. I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to talk to me after the way I had ignored them.
The rest of the journey passed without much excitement. Vic filled me in on all I had missed since I hid myself away. Apparently I had a lot to catch up on.
A short car ride later, we were at the house Vic shared with the band. I felt physically sick as we stood in front of the door.
“Ready for this?” Vic grinned at me as he placed his hand on the handle. I screamed unintelligibly in my head. I exhaled deeply. Too deeply, a warm rush of dizziness passed through me.
“As I’ll ever be” I smiled with fake enthusiasm, making Vic chuckle. I had no idea how many people were inside, but there were definitely more than 3. He pushed the door open and led me inside. I couldn’t breathe.
“Honey, I’m hooome!” Vic’s call echoed through the house, followed by loud cheering. He looked at me with a grin and signalled for me to wait in the hall. Fuck. This was really happening.
“What’s up fuckers? Oh, hey guys” Vic greeted the boys and people he obviously didn’t expect to see.
“Come on, how much did you miss us?” I recognised Mike’s sarcastic voice, a grin involuntarily spread across my face. I had missed them so much.
“Every day was a struggle” Vic said mockingly.
“Okay, cut the shit, where’s my souvenir!” It was Jamie’s voice now.
“Well, I did pick up something on my travels…” Vic turned to me with a smile, holding out his hand with a wink. My heart was going to break free from my chest. I put my shaking hand in his and stepped into the doorway. I lifted my eyed from the floor, looking into the room. They were all sat on the floor, game controllers in hand. Sat with them were four faces every female pop punk fan would recognise, the four members of All Time Low. There was a silence as I stood awkwardly in front of them.
“Phoebe?” Tony gasped. I beamed at him.
“Hey” I said quietly.
“PHOEBE!” All 3 exclaimed in unison, jumping up from the floor and running at me.
“Guys… GUYS WAIT-“ My words were too late, I laughed as I was bundled to the floor.
“Where the fuck have you been!” Jamie shouted as he picked me up and span me round.
“Not where I should have been” I said giggling like a three year old being spun by their dad.
“Damn right!” he retorted. Relief washed through me. They didn’t hate me.
We had been sat on the living room floor for almost 2 hours, just talking an eating pizza. I spoke mostly to Tony, Jamie and Mike, whilst Vic spoke to the ATL boys. They seemed like really cool guys, but I wasn’t ready to make new friends just yet. I sat listening to the boys talk when I felt something warm against the skin of my arm. I looked down in horror. I must have knocked my arm when I hit the floor, fresh blood had begun to run from my cuts. I desperately didn’t want the guys to know, not about this, not yet.
“Uh, can i use your bathroom?” I said to Vic
“Yeah sure, you don’t have to ask. Want me to show you where it is?”
“No, I’ll find it myself” I smiled back. I stood from my seat and walked into the hall, looking behind me to check I was alone. I found the toilet easy enough. I folded up my sleeve, turned on the tap and let the water run over my bloodied wrist. I reached for a mirrored cabinet to the left of the sink, expecting to find a first aid kit. As I stretched for a box of bandages at the very top, the shelf gave way, littering its contents onto the floor tiles. I cursed under my breath, turning the tap off. I turned to retrieve the box from the floor, but somebody had beaten me to it. My heart stopped as blood continued to run from my wrist. Alex Gaskarth was stood in front of me, holding the box in his hand. His eyes flickered between my face and my arm, his dark eyes turned soft. He gave me a sympathetic smile as he handed the bandages over.
“Thank you” My voice was barely audible.
“You’re welcome” He answered just as quietly. I dropped my eyes to the floor, suddenly feeling ashamed of
what he had seen. My eyes began to sting.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have just walked in” Alex’s voice was laced with guilt and a slight awkwardness. I reluctantly raised my eyes back to his.
“It’s okay, I shouldn’t have left the door open” Tears were threatening to break free at any moment.
“They look new” His voice was still low and soft.
“They’re from yesterday” I sat down on the edge of the bath. My voice strained as I struggled to stop myself from crying. Alex shut the bathroom door, walked forward slowly and sat himself down next to me. He was completely silent. He put his arm around me as tears slowly snaked down my face. He took the bandages from my hand without a word, taking one from the box. He carefully held my wrist and began gently wrapping it around my cuts.
Alex placed my wrist back in my lap, the bandage neatly wrapped around it.
“Okay?” He asked softly with a crooked smile. I nodded, smiling in return. He stood up holding his hand out to me, I took it and stood beside him.
“C’mon. They will think you’ve done a runner again” He went to open the door.
“Wait” I pulled him back. Alex turned and looked at me in confusion, his brows lowering.
“Don’t say anything to them, please?” the desperation in my voice was not well hidden. He was silent for a moment before he replied.
“Only if you promise me you’ll stop” His eyes burnt fiercely into mine. I lowered my eyes.
“I can’t promise that”
“Then promise me you’ll try?” I looked back up to him, exhaling heavily.
“I will try” Alex slowly nodded once with a smile.
“Okay, deal. Our secret”
“Do the guys know I’m coming?” I asked. We’d been on the plane for what felt like forever.
“No, I thought we’d surprise them” Vic turned and smiled at me.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, it’s been a long time” The thought was making my stomach do somersaults.
“They’ll be just as pleased to see you as I am if that’s what you’re worried about” He answered my silent concern, rolling his eyes. I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to talk to me after the way I had ignored them.
The rest of the journey passed without much excitement. Vic filled me in on all I had missed since I hid myself away. Apparently I had a lot to catch up on.
A short car ride later, we were at the house Vic shared with the band. I felt physically sick as we stood in front of the door.
“Ready for this?” Vic grinned at me as he placed his hand on the handle. I screamed unintelligibly in my head. I exhaled deeply. Too deeply, a warm rush of dizziness passed through me.
“As I’ll ever be” I smiled with fake enthusiasm, making Vic chuckle. I had no idea how many people were inside, but there were definitely more than 3. He pushed the door open and led me inside. I couldn’t breathe.
“Honey, I’m hooome!” Vic’s call echoed through the house, followed by loud cheering. He looked at me with a grin and signalled for me to wait in the hall. Fuck. This was really happening.
“What’s up fuckers? Oh, hey guys” Vic greeted the boys and people he obviously didn’t expect to see.
“Come on, how much did you miss us?” I recognised Mike’s sarcastic voice, a grin involuntarily spread across my face. I had missed them so much.
“Every day was a struggle” Vic said mockingly.
“Okay, cut the shit, where’s my souvenir!” It was Jamie’s voice now.
“Well, I did pick up something on my travels…” Vic turned to me with a smile, holding out his hand with a wink. My heart was going to break free from my chest. I put my shaking hand in his and stepped into the doorway. I lifted my eyed from the floor, looking into the room. They were all sat on the floor, game controllers in hand. Sat with them were four faces every female pop punk fan would recognise, the four members of All Time Low. There was a silence as I stood awkwardly in front of them.
“Phoebe?” Tony gasped. I beamed at him.
“Hey” I said quietly.
“PHOEBE!” All 3 exclaimed in unison, jumping up from the floor and running at me.
“Guys… GUYS WAIT-“ My words were too late, I laughed as I was bundled to the floor.
“Where the fuck have you been!” Jamie shouted as he picked me up and span me round.
“Not where I should have been” I said giggling like a three year old being spun by their dad.
“Damn right!” he retorted. Relief washed through me. They didn’t hate me.
We had been sat on the living room floor for almost 2 hours, just talking an eating pizza. I spoke mostly to Tony, Jamie and Mike, whilst Vic spoke to the ATL boys. They seemed like really cool guys, but I wasn’t ready to make new friends just yet. I sat listening to the boys talk when I felt something warm against the skin of my arm. I looked down in horror. I must have knocked my arm when I hit the floor, fresh blood had begun to run from my cuts. I desperately didn’t want the guys to know, not about this, not yet.
“Uh, can i use your bathroom?” I said to Vic
“Yeah sure, you don’t have to ask. Want me to show you where it is?”
“No, I’ll find it myself” I smiled back. I stood from my seat and walked into the hall, looking behind me to check I was alone. I found the toilet easy enough. I folded up my sleeve, turned on the tap and let the water run over my bloodied wrist. I reached for a mirrored cabinet to the left of the sink, expecting to find a first aid kit. As I stretched for a box of bandages at the very top, the shelf gave way, littering its contents onto the floor tiles. I cursed under my breath, turning the tap off. I turned to retrieve the box from the floor, but somebody had beaten me to it. My heart stopped as blood continued to run from my wrist. Alex Gaskarth was stood in front of me, holding the box in his hand. His eyes flickered between my face and my arm, his dark eyes turned soft. He gave me a sympathetic smile as he handed the bandages over.
“Thank you” My voice was barely audible.
“You’re welcome” He answered just as quietly. I dropped my eyes to the floor, suddenly feeling ashamed of
what he had seen. My eyes began to sting.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have just walked in” Alex’s voice was laced with guilt and a slight awkwardness. I reluctantly raised my eyes back to his.
“It’s okay, I shouldn’t have left the door open” Tears were threatening to break free at any moment.
“They look new” His voice was still low and soft.
“They’re from yesterday” I sat down on the edge of the bath. My voice strained as I struggled to stop myself from crying. Alex shut the bathroom door, walked forward slowly and sat himself down next to me. He was completely silent. He put his arm around me as tears slowly snaked down my face. He took the bandages from my hand without a word, taking one from the box. He carefully held my wrist and began gently wrapping it around my cuts.
Alex placed my wrist back in my lap, the bandage neatly wrapped around it.
“Okay?” He asked softly with a crooked smile. I nodded, smiling in return. He stood up holding his hand out to me, I took it and stood beside him.
“C’mon. They will think you’ve done a runner again” He went to open the door.
“Wait” I pulled him back. Alex turned and looked at me in confusion, his brows lowering.
“Don’t say anything to them, please?” the desperation in my voice was not well hidden. He was silent for a moment before he replied.
“Only if you promise me you’ll stop” His eyes burnt fiercely into mine. I lowered my eyes.
“I can’t promise that”
“Then promise me you’ll try?” I looked back up to him, exhaling heavily.
“I will try” Alex slowly nodded once with a smile.
“Okay, deal. Our secret”
Notes
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So I just stumbled across this and read what you have of it... and I seriously love it so far! So bummed to see it hasn't been continued. :(
Phoebe and Alex's relationship so far is sooo cute and if you ever choose to continue it, I would love to see how their relationship develops and what all happens for them. Where you stopped seemed like just the beginning of it and ughhh... just wish there was more to read. :(
I hope maybe you find the inspiration to continue this someday. I will definitely be here to read. You're a really great writer and definitely have me hooked on just 12 chapters. Just wanted to leave this comment letting you know you would still have an active reader if you do continue. :) I'm sure the others who commented would love to see you continue as well. <3
4/3/17