What's it like at the Barakat house? Well being the oldest kid in the house, when you don't count my dad, I tend to have a lot of responsiblities when my dad's gone. My younger sister Olivia is thirteen and then my baby brother Alex is six. He looks like my mom and both myself and Olivia look like my dad. I guess, like Nate and Tom, I grew up quickly since my dad is always gone. But I'm also like Stella with wanting to be like my dad and getting fame and recognition and going out on tour. Unlike Stella, I learned my lesson that I had to wait on my dreams and get through school and build up on my skills and just be a kid.
Right now I'm hanging out with Stella at my house. She and I were laying in my bed, her left and right arm still in their casts. Stella's been depressed since she got hurt by my bitch of an ex-girlfriend. I think she should have taken her hurt out on me, not Stella. I know now that I'm going to keep Stella from getting hurt like that again. Mr. Gaskarth isn't too pleased with me right now either, due to how I handled getting Stella to be my girlfriend and using the girl Stella had issues with.
"Jack, you've been quiet for awhile," Stella looked up at me.
"I'm just thinking about how I could have handled asking you out better. You being like this is my fault," I told her.
"Jack, it's not your fault. It her fault. She's the one that attacked me. She could have just move on and forget about what you had," Stella replied as she sat up.
"Stella, if I didn't leave her and ask you out right after, she wouldn't be upset with you," I told her.
"Jack, can we stop talking about it. I miss being able to use my hands and playing my guitar. It hurts to talk about me being hurt like this," I noticed Stella was about to cry. I placed a hand on her cheek, which she leaned into. I pulled her in for a nice kiss.
"I think I should walk you home. So your dad won't have to come here and kick my ass for having you over too late," I got off my bed and helped her up.
"Okay," Stella agreed and I grabbed her jacket and book bag.
Stella and I walked in silence, me arm over her shoulder. Stella stayed focused on the walk to her house. Once I got her home I kissed her goodnight and helped her in the door.

---

"You took Stella home already," Dad asked. He was in the living room playing with Alex.
"Yeah, I don't want to make Stella's dad mad at me," I told him.
"He's not upset with you, he's just upset that Stella got hurt by that girl. I'm trying to keep him from killing you since he wants to pin on you when he shouldn't," he told me.
"Dad, it's my fault I got her hurt. That girl hates me and she's taking it out on Stella. I feel like crap because of it," I told him as I plopped on the couch.
"Jack, I swear there are times when you remind me of when I was your age. I was a horny teenager and I wouldn't think before I acted. I want you to be different," Dad said as he sat down next to me.
"Alex," my mom got my little brother's attention, "Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed."
"Okay, Mommy," Alex ran off upstairs and Mom followed him.
"Dad, I've had a couple hook ups like Nate has. But I want to be serious like Tom is with Aubree. But I keep screwing up," I told him.
"That's what being young is all about. You learn from mistakes. You know, your mom and I didn't get married right away. After we got engaged, she got pregnant with you. Then Stella's parents got engaged. They got married while Mrs. Gaskarth was still pregnant with Tom and Stella. Your mother and I got married after Tom and Stella turned a year old. We waited since we had some tension between us since I was always on tour while your mom stayed home with you. But we finally did it and we haven't been more in love since. I just want you to know, that you will make mistakes like I did where I almost lost your mom, but I learned from my mistakes," Dad advised.
"Dad, do you see the band making it," I asked,
"I do. But I see you also making the wiser decisions and considering all of your options. I think you should at least plan for college. I want you to not put yourself in a box and go only for making it big on the band," Dad said.
"I think I could be a good music teacher," I told him, "I'll look at colleges so I have a a few ideas for my future."
"Good. Maybe if you include Stella into your planning, she'll follow your lead and do the same. I know she's like her father and is focused on the band," my dad said.
"I think I will," I told him, "Is Stella really just like her dad?"
"Oh hell yeah she is. She writes lyrics, plays guitar, and sings like him. But she also has a lot of his expressions and mannerisms. Plus she tends to have his no care attitude and his smirk. Oh and she plays with her hair when she's bored or tired," Dad said with a chuckle.
"Well I need to get some sleep for school," I got up and went to my room.
I guess I am like my dad. I'm a goof ball. I have his humor, but not to the extent he has on stage. I play guitar just like him, but in my own style. I'm tall and lanky like him. I got lucky and got my mom's nose. I have his hair, all over my damn body. I know for a fact that I can make it with Serenading Sirens like All Time Low did. The four of us and Tom have to just get more gigs under our belt and write more music so we can play more of our own stuff and play less of the covers we know.
But for now, I'm going to be a sixteen year old kid whose madly in love with his girlfriend. And I'm pretty damn happy about it.

Notes

A taste of what it's like for Jack Bassam Barakat II.