::Alex::

The first week Brook and I were together as an official couple was pretty amazing. I was worried that my outbursts of random confessions, would eventually sink in and Brook would go running. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. We actually talked about it a lot more over the week.

She kept assuring me that she wasn’t completely bothered by all of it. She understood that a lot of that behavior happened when I was younger. She trusted that I had grown up and was more mature now.

Brook was right. I had grown up and I was more mature and yet I still could not bring myself to admit I was still kind of talking to Lina when we had first met. I wanted to tell her but I somehow had convinced myself that I had told her enough. Telling her that I made a shitty boyfriend in the past was a blanket confession and should have covered everything, right? That’s what I kept telling myself.

I knew that Brook had accepted the shitty things I’d done in the past because they were just that, done in the past. I can’t imagine that she would have been too accepting of things that directly affected her.

Things had been going so well; I just could not bring myself to ruin that in anyway.

I saw Brook every night after she got out of work and we would make dinner together. I loved how normal it felt to do such simple things with her. After the first few nights, Brook decided we should stop spending the night together. It kind of sucked but she had a good reason. She didn't want us getting too used to sleeping next to each other every night since it would only make it harder when I was away.

The second week I needed to go to LA for a little while with the guys to do some writing and recording for the new record already. I tried to convince Brook to come with us or at least come for a long weekend but she regrettably refused. She said she couldn't take time off from work and even if she could, she couldn't afford it. I'd offered to pay for her plane ticket but she still said no and I think she was a little mad at me for offering. I’d noticed she was pretty weird about things like that.

It was easier to keep in touch with her from California. I could pretty much call or text Brook whenever I wanted without worrying about a six or seven hour time difference or an astronomical phone bill.

Thankfully, my time in LA went by quickly and I was excited to get back home to Brook. By the end of the week the rest of my bandmates, Cassadee included, would be back in Baltimore. Rian and I decided to throw a little party at our house with our friends from home. I wanted Brook to finally meet everyone and we’d all been away for so long, it was time we all caught up.

Surprisingly, Brook seemed really excited about the idea and even offered to go shopping with me to get whatever I needed for the party. I was also surprised at how excited Brook was when I mentioned Cassadee would be coming home with Rian. Apparently, they had gotten closer than I realized that one night and actually occasionally texted each other. I liked that Brook got along with Cassadee. It gave me hope that she would get along just as well with my other friends, not that there was any real reason to believe she wouldn’t get along with everyone else.

"Okay, let me see your lists," Brook said as we walked into the Target.

"Here," I said, taking two pieces of paper from my pocket.

I passed her two lists. One was for stuff I needed for the house in general and one was for stuff I needed for the party.

"Let's start this way and get all the paper goods," she decided, tugging on the back of the shopping cart while I pushed the front and leading me in the right direction.

She threw a couple of packages of plates, cups and napkins into the back of the cart.

"How many people did you say were going to be there?"

"Not many,” I shrugged. “Maybe like fifteen or twenty."

"Okay," she nodded, looking over what she threw in the cart and nodded satisfied. "That should be plenty," she said, mostly to herself before taking a pen from her pocket and crossing a few things off the list.

After that we walked a few aisles up and got dog food and then soda and chips for the party.

"It's kind of warm in here, huh?" Brook asked, unzipping her coat and stuffing it in the front part of the cart.

"No way!” I gasped. “I never, ever, in a million years thought I would ever hear you say it was warm anywhere."

"Shut up," she hissed, bumping me with her shoulder and shoving her mittens in the pocket of her coat. "I'm leaving on the scarf though."

"It's okay," I nodded. "We're making progress."

She rolled her eyes and led me down the aisle for laundry detergent. When I reached for the usual brand I bought, she stopped me.

"This brand is better," she said, holding up a container of a generic brand of laundry detergent. "It's like 4 bucks cheaper and you have to use less of it at a time. Plus it won't leave this gross film around the washing machine like the other one does," she educated me. "And they're on sale, two for one," she smiled, dropping four into the
cart.

I'd only then noticed she had a small pile of stuff on the side that I assumed were things she needed for her own apartment.

I smiled at her and lightly tugged on the end of the braid she had pulled her long hair into and hung over her shoulder.

"This is why I say you're perfect," I said right before I kissed her.

"I'm not perfect," she said, like she always did, pulling away from me just enough.

"Yes. You are," I said, placing my hand on her waist and pulling her closer. "And I'm not done," I whispered before pressing my lips back down to hers.

She giggled as she kissed me back, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, which only encouraged me to kiss her longer and squeeze her tighter.

"Paul, doesn't that young girl look a lot like our Brook?"

"She sure does but I don't recognize that growth on her face."

I heard two voices talking behind me and suddenly Brook jumped away as if my mouth had electrocuted her.

"Mom. Dad," she gasped and I immediately felt the desire to become invisible. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, your father and I have been married for so long, we've been looking for a way to sort of re-light our spark. I figured we'd come make out in store because clearly that's what all the youngsters are doing these days," Brook's mom said.

Had the situation been slightly different, I probably would have laughed.

"Oh dear God," Brook mumbled under her breath and she seemed just as tense as I was.

"So, who's your friend, Brook?" her dad asked. "I assume you do know his name. Or did you just meet now?"

"Wow. Okay," Brook said quickly, shaking her head. "Mom, dad, this is my,” she paused and took a deep breathe before finishing, “boyfriend Alex."

Her parents exchanged looks and I couldn't help but notice the way Brook had awkwardly and quietly said the word boyfriend.

"I'm sorry," Brook's mom said, moving closer and cupping her hand around her ear "Did you just say boyfriend? Because I think you said boyfriend. But I would have thought if my daughter had a boyfriend I would have heard about this boyfriend already."

"Oh my God, Mom. Please stop," Brook mumbled and I was momentarily entertained to see her so uncomfortable.

"Well, Alex," her father spoke up. "It's nice to meet you, despite never having been made known of your existence," he said, extending his hand out to shake mine, which I did happily.

I swallowed uneasy when I took notice of the size of his hands. He probably only needed one to kill me.

"It's great to meet you guys and I can say that Brook had told me a lot about you guys," I said trying to keep my voice calm.

"Wish we could say the same," Brook's mom muttered and Brook shot her a look.

"Well, Alex, since we know nothing about you. Tell me something about yourself," Brook's dad requested, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sure. Like what?" I asked, a new wave of nerves washing over me.

"Like what is it that you do for a living?"

I took a deep breath. I dreaded this part. Brook's dad is a police chief. Her mom is a nurse. Her brother is the Director of Athletics at Northwestern University and Brook, of course, is a guidance counselor.

I so did not fit in saying I was in a band. Her dad was about to laugh me out of the store.

"I'm a musician," I answered, hoping I sounded as confident and proud as I really was.

"Oh," her dad said simply and it seemed like he was toying with the idea of this being an acceptable profession.

"Alex's band is called All Time Low and they’re actually quite successful. After Christmas they toured in the UK and then Canada and at the end of this month they're going to Japan. Sami is a big fan," Brook explained quickly.

"Wow. Japan," Brook's mom nodded. "That's far away."

"It's an incredible place," I added. "We've been there a few times."

"How nice," Brook's mom smiled and it seemed like a genuine smile.

"What do you do in this band?" her dad asked.

"I sing and play guitar.”

“And he writes songs,” Brook chimed in.

Both her parents nodded, almost seeming a bit impressed and her mom lightly nudged Brook's arm with her elbow.

"You got yourself a rock star, don'tcha Brooky? That's so unlike you."

"Wow. Okay. So as much fun as this has been, we have shopping to finish doing," Brook said, quickly kissing both her parents on the cheek.

"It was nice to meet you guys," I said, shaking her dad's hand again and letting her mom hug me quick.

"He feels strong. Nice work," Brook's mom not so softly whispered, winking at her.

"Thanks," Brook rolled her eyes, a shade of pink creeping up to her cheeks. "I'll call you later," she said, gripping the handle of the shopping cart tightly.

"Oh and just in case you're headed in that direction, be warned that your mother and I are probably going to be making out in the Electronics Department," Brook's dad said, kissing the top of her head before him and her mother walked away laughing to themselves.

Brook turned to look at me and I did a poor job stifling the laugh that escaped me when I saw the horrified look on her face.

"I am so sorry."

"What? What do you have to be sorry for?" I asked, slipping my arm around her shoulders.

"My parents are out of control. You must think I came from the looney bin or something."

"Are you kidding?” I shook my head. “I loved that just there. It pleases me that your parents have a sense of humor."

"Really?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Duh. Do you think a guy like me would ever stand a chance getting along with them if they were uptight and all prim and proper?"

"Probably not," she shrugged. "But really, I'm sorry. They could have at least toned it down meeting you for the first time in Target."

"It's really okay. I promised," I said as we started to walk out of the aisle and finish getting the stuff on my list. "Can I ask you one question?"

"Sure," she nodded as she skimmed the rows of shampoo looking for the one she needed.

"How come you didn't tell them about me?"

She looked up at me, two bottles of Aussie shampoo in her hands.

"It's nothing personal, I promise," she said, dropping the two purple bottles in the cart where her things were gathered.

"Then what is it?" I asked. "I'm not offended. I'm just curious," I said, following her down the feminine product aisle and I had to remind myself that I was an adult and these things shouldn't bother me.

"Ever since I went through that bad breakup, my parents have been a bit overprotective of me. They don't want me to end up in that same position. So, if I told them I had a boyfriend they would have brought up all the negative things I should watch out for and honestly, I'm too happy right now with you to be bothered with that," she answered, dropping a box of tampons in the cart.

"Oh," I said.

I wasn't expecting that to be her answer.

"Is that a good oh or a bad oh?”

"A good oh." I smiled.

"Good," she smiled, leaning up and kissing me quick. "Wait. Does that mean you told your parents about me?"

I felt my cheeks heat up immediately.

"Well, yeah. Not so much my dad, because he's not that type of guy but he knows you exist. My mom just knows more details."

"Really? What kind of details?"

We started walking again.

"I don't know. I told her how great you are and how great I feel when I'm around you. I told her about your job and how you're close with your family. She was especially grateful to hear you've been teaching me to cook and making me do laundry on a regular basis."

Brook smiled at me and leaned up to kiss my cheek.

"You're sweet."

"And you're perf-" she cut me off with another kiss.

"Please stop saying that I'm perfect."

"I would but that would a lie," I said, kissing her forehead before steering the cart out of that aisle.

We shopped for about twenty more minutes before we finished and headed for the check-out counters.

"Oh no," Brook muttered. "I have to go grab something. I'll be right back," she said before she took off quickly.

While she was gone, our turn to pay came, so I started to load everything onto the conveyor belt, her stuff included. By the time Brook came back with a bottle of dish washer detergent everything was mostly rang up.

"Why did you mix everything together?" she asked, handing the bottle to the cashier to ring up.

"At first I forgot,” I shrugged. “Then I just figured it was fine to put it all together," I said, swiping my debt card when the cashier told me the total.

"Oh. Well then we're going to have to stop at the bank because I don't have cash to pay you back."

"Then don't," I shrugged, pushing the cart towards the store exit.

"That's silly," Brook said, following after me towards my car.

"Why? It's really no big deal, Brook," I said, opening my trunk and starting to load the bags in.

"Exactly. It's no big deal," she said, passing me a few bags.

"Brook. What are you trying to say?”

"I'm just saying that I don't like to be spoiled. I dealt with it all growing up and then with my ex. Please don't you start too."

"I didn't mean it in any other way than trying to be nice," I said, loading the last bag into my trunk before closing it.

"I know. Thank you," she smiled, kissing me quickly. "But don't let it happen again.”

"Okay, deal. I promise to never pay for your shampoo and tampons again," I smirked and quickly pushed the cart to the side of the parking lot before Brook and I got into my truck.

"I'm going to pay you back for that stuff," Brook said as I pulled out of the parking lot.

"You don't have to. Just continue to stay perfect and you've already paid me back," I said, glancing over at her and smiling.

"I'm not perfect," Brook mumbled, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

There was a loud gong like noise sounding from it that signaled she'd gotten a text message.

She read the message and I heard her gasp.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She looked over to me, holding up her phone with the screen facing me. We were stopped at a light so I was able to read it.

Brooky, dinner tonight at home - 6:00, bring that cute rock star boyfriend of yours.

"My mom just invited us to dinner tonight."
***

Notes

Story Title: Taylor Swift - Sparks Fly
Chapter Title: Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Brook's outfit.