13 Days, 10 Hours, and 22 Minutes of Being Married to Alex Gaskarth

12 DAYS 45 MINUTES

"Why the hell would you choose an apartment with so many steps leading to it?" Alex gasped as we struggled up the second flight of stairs.

"Because we don't regularly come stumbling drunk up them." I giggled.

"Pfff, lair" I burst out laughing and i fumbled for the lock on the door.

"Lair? I'm a lair?" I laughed as we stumbled into my living room. Alex grinned and shoved my shoulder, causing me to drunking topple to the side slightly, still laughing my ass off. I tossed my purse into my bedroom and then went to my open window, where the cool desert air was circulating in.

"You hear that Vegas? I'm a L-AH!" I shrieked as Alex's arm wrapped tightly around my waist, tossing me onto my bed as if I weighed nothing.

"Don't make fun of my drunkish." He joked, forcing a puppy-dog face, then moved to sit on the bed but instead tripped over his own two feet and face planted on my carpet. I giggled and crawled to the edge of my bed, watching him roll onto his back with a groan.

"Way to go, Gaskarth." I chuckled, reaching a hand down to help him off my bedroom floor.

See, the difference between Sober Taryn and Drunk Taryn is that I so wouldn't have done this sober. I would've been able to tell exactly what would happen. But as I was drunk...

Alex grasped my hand, but rather then let me pull him up, he yanked me head first off my bed to flop on top of him on the floor. My face thudded against his collar bone and I groaned, raising my head to glare at him.

"Way to go, Gaskarth" He mocked. I smacked his chest with a smile, a little too dizzy to care.

"Your carpet sucks." Alex stated, his head falling back and his lip curled slightly.

"It's your fault we're down here." I grumbled.

"Right." He declared before pushing me off him and hopping on my bed. I landed with an oof and rolled onto my back, the ceiling slightly swirling from the alcohol. Suddenly Alex's face swirled with it.

"What the hell are you doing down there?" He asked, head cocked to the side.

"You threw me down here..." I trailed off. His lopsided grin appeared and he reached down, yanking me to my feet. In my still amazingly drunken state, I stumbled foreward slightly, Alex catching me before i knocked us both over. However, this also left us in extremely close proximity, my forearms pressed to his shoulders, his hands curved around my waist, and our noses pressed together. I stood speechless against him as our eyes caught, a slight ripple of shock shooting through me. A small smile slowly slid across Alex's lips.

"Whoops." He murmered lightly, his whiskey flavored breath brushing gently across my lips. 'Tantalizing' I thought, seconds before I closed the gap and captured his lips agaisnt my own. Alex gasped against my mouth and I felt his pulse fly against my wrist pressed to his neck. He paused in shock for a split second before he eagerly slanted his mouth to mine and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, drawing me to him. I threaded my fingers through his hair, tugging sharply on the strands. Alex's breath hissed through his teeth and he twisted his body, yanking me around him and onto the bed. He leaned back on top of me, his lips trailing down my jaw, his tongue flicking against the skin of my neck. His hands ran cool against my stomach as he pushed slowly up my shirt. I dragged his lips to mine as my own hands toyed with the hem of his shirt, eliciting another gasp from Alex.

But this time he pulled away.

"Fuck." He muttered, resting his forehead on my collar bone and his hands on the mattress. I opened my eyes and glanced down at him.

"Wha-" I started, but he looked up at me and, even in my state of extreme intoxication, I was stunned by the emotion in his eyes.

"No." He murmered, his jaw tight. My brow furrowed as he pushed up off me and rolled onto his back. I sat up and looked at him next to me.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked, fixing my shirt. Alex sighed and opened his eyes to look at me.

"The other time we did this you ended up hating me the next day." He stated, his eyes darting away from me. My lips parted slightly and something in my stomach dropped.

"Alex, I-" I trailed off, not sure how to respond to a statement like that. Mainly because I knew thats exactly how I had reacted.

"I just don't want you to resent me again." he muttered.

"I...I'll be back in a minute." I said, scooting my way off my bed and into the bathroom on the left. I heard Alex sigh behind me as I closed the door. I flicked on the light and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a complete mess, my eyeliner was smudged down my cheek, and my lips were red and swollen. I was sickened by my own appearance. I twisted the water tap and washed my face quickly before lifting some to my lips to drink. I glanced at myself again. Even without the slut smeared make up I felt disgusted. Being in love with Alex didn't give me the right to mess with his emotions, especially if I knew exactly what was going to happen in about 24 hours. I sighed and flicked the light off and left the bathroom.

Alex's breathing had already evened out, indicating he was either asleep or very near it. Despite this, he instictively turned to pull me against him the second I rested on the bed next to him. I tensed but relaxed into the now familiar feeling of the perfect way I fit in Alex's arms.

The last time I would rest there.

I squeezed my eyes shut and ignored the tear streaking down my cheek. I have a terrible feeling it wouldn't be the last time I cried over Alex Gaskarth. I took another glance at his serene face before resting my head in the perfect niche between Alex's neck and shoulder, whispering

"I don't resent you."

*********

12 DAYS 9 HOURS 18 MINUTES

I woke up the next morning to my obnoxiously loud roommate storming into my room. Alex sat bolt upright looking around wildly.

"JACK, LET ZACK GO- oh. Holy fuck, Watson. You scared the shit outta me." He muttered before falling back onto his stomach and burrowing his head beneath a pillow.

"Ashley? What time is it?" I muttered sloppily as I searched for my clock on the bedside table.

"9am." She growled. I groaned and pressed my face to Alex's back.

"Why are you waking me up so early?" I muttered.

"Because Governor Evans just pulled me out of the shower." She barked. That got me up. I looked at her, eyes wide.

"My dad's here?" I whispered. And that woke Alex back up.

"I'm in my underwear and in bed with the governor's daughter while he's in the living room. Fuck, not again!" He exclaimed before scrambling out of bed and searching haphazardly for his pants.

"Not aga-you know what? Never mind. Don't want to know. And don't worry about it. He's already seen much more of Jack then he would of you." Ashley grumbled, hand on her hip.

"You let JACK answer the door?" I gasped, flipping the covers back to jump out of bed.

"No, I got out of the shower to answer the door. Jack decided to follow...and his towel slipped." She said, shifting from foot to foot. I groaned and pulled a sweatshirt over my tank top before heading to the door, deciding to ignore the fact that Ashley Watson was in the shower with Jack Barakat.

"As if things couldn't get worse" I grumbled as I rustled my hair into a messy ponytail. I plodded barefoot across the carpet into the living room wear my dad was sitting on the couch, tapping his fingers on his forehead with one leg across his knee.

"Hey Dad." I stated as I approached him. He raised an eyebrow about me.

"The nude boy?" He questioned dryly.

"Completely unrelated to me." I responded.

"Then I'll ignore it." He said, uncrossing his legs and indicating me to sit in a chair near him. Out of habit, I quickly complied with my father.

"Where's mom?" I asked, trying to think of someway to break the silence.

"I locked her in the hotel room." Dad sated resolutely. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Spa?" I asked.

"Of course." My dad chuckled. I smiled.

"She always thought of the appearance politics more then I did" Dad said, leaning back in the couch slightly.

"Dad, just ask the question." I stated, not giving in to his relaxed demeanor, he was a politican after all. Well, I'm a lawyer. My dad smiled slightly.

"I just want to know why." He said, game face in place.

"I was drunk." I shrugged nonchalantly. Dad rolled his eyes and gave me the look. You know the one, 'don't bullshit me, I'm your father' look. I have found politicians have perfected it.

"Taryn Rose, I'm your father and I know you. It doesn't matter how much you had been drinking, which we will talk about later, by the way, but you are never one to lose your head." He replied. I ground my teeth roughly and averted my eyes.

"This is why I didn't bring your mother. Taryn, do you want a divorce from this Alex guy?" He questioned sincerely. My head flew back to face him.

"Yes." I stated resolutely.

"Why?" He asked simply.

"Dad, I want to be partner as soon as I pass bar and you're the governor! How could it possibly look if it was known that I was married in a stereotypical Vegas wedding to a musician?!" I argued. My dad shook his head, his silver hair swaying slightly as he stood to his full imposing 6'2''.

"Forget fucking politics!" He exclaimed. I jumped and stared at him. My dad never used that language, ever.

"If all you're thinking about is how it looks to the press or how your marriage will effect your career then I have failed as a father." I blinked as I continued to look up at him.

"I...don't know anymore. Dad, what should I do?" I asked quietly. He slid back down into his seat and looked at across at me.

"Do you love him?" He asked gently. I bit my lip and averted my eyes from his.

"Yes." I whispered. My dad took both my hands in his and I looked back at him.

"Then I can't tell you what to do." He responded. I sighed and quickly wiped the tear before it trailed half way down my cheek. I nodded and my Dad squeezed my other hand before standing, pulling me up into a hug.

"I'll distract your mother and call you tomorrow before we leave. I love you, sweetie." He said, kissing the top of my head gently.

"Love you, too, Dad." I replied and then closed the door after he walked out of my apartment. I sighed and sank down into the couch, rubbing my eyes aggitatedly. There is far too much to think about that I've been trying desperately to avoid. I opened back up my eyes to see Jack standing at Ashley's bedroom door, ruffling the back of his hair nervously.

"I think your dad saw my dick..."

***********

12 DAYS 9 HOURS 31 MINUTES

Alex Gaskarth had never been one to eavesdrop.

Alex Gaskarth respected his friends privacy.

Oh, who the hell was he kidding. Alex Gaskarth had no respect for anyone's privacy. Alex had always been a little paranoid, slightly jealous, and a whole lotta curious. He was the boy reading through his ittle sister's diary and following Jack when he had a date, mainly because Jack wouldn't kiss and tell and Alex loved gossip in high school.

So it wasn't even remotely odd for him to press himself against the seam of Taryn's bedroom door, listening intently to the conversation she was having with her father.

"Taryn, do you want a divorce from this Alex guy?" He heard Governor Evans ask. Alex's heart pounded. Finally, the question that had been itching a the back of his throat for the past week.

"Yes." Taryn stated resolutely. Alex's heart sunk and he felt his throat swell up. Shit.

"Why?" Gov. Evans asked. It was like he was speaking for Alex. Alex smiled ironically at the thought.

"Dad, I want to be partner as soon as I pass bar and you're the governor! How could it possibly look if it was known that I was married in a stereotypical Vegas wedding to a musician?!" Taryn shouted. It physically hurt listening to those words leave Taryn's mouth. This pain only further convinced Alex of what he had probably known from the beginning but had refused to acknowledge.

He was in love with Taryn and she didn't love him.

And the player gets played.

"Forget fucking politics! If all you're thinking about is how it looks to the press or how your marriage will effect your career then I have failed as a father." Alex jumped slightly as Governor Evans voice boomed through the door. He heard Taryn's voice, so quiet it was muffled so he was forced to crack the door open slightly to hear.

"Dad, what should I do?" Taryn murmered.

"Do you love him?" Gov. Evans asked gently. Alex bit his lip and his heart sped up, pounding painfully in his ear. He pressed his ear closer to the door crack.

"Yes." Taryn whispered. Alex's heart completely stopped for a good thirty seconds and Taryn's father's response was lost behind the roaring in his ears. He turned and leaned against the door, it clicking closed quietly behind him. He looked around the empty room, gasping for breath.

She loved him.

SHE loved him.

SHE loved HIM

Alex couldn't stop his hearts elated racing or force the ridiculously silly grin from his lips.

Taryn Rose Evans loved him.

It was then that Alex realized he hadn't hear anything from the other side of teh door for the past couple minutes. He cracked the door slightly to hear into the living room.

"I think your dad saw my dick..." Jack said. Alex rolled his eyes and opened the door the rest of the way, walking into the living room.

************

12 DAYS 9 HOURS 40 MINUTES

"I think your dad saw my dick..." Jack said. I rolled my eyes and chuckled lightly. Good 'ol Jack. I heard my bedroom door open and I looked up to see Alex walking into the living room.

"Who hasn't seen your dick, Jack." Alex stated.

"You're just jealous." Jack muttered, glaring before shuffling back into Ashley's room. Alex ruffled his hair, looked at his beat up converse, and then sat onto the couch next to me.

"You ok?" He asked awkwardly. How do I answer that question? I had probably the biggest decision of my life to make in less then 24 hours and I still had no idea what to do. I thought I had, but everything my dad said messed with what I had been so sure of for the past two weeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I mumbled. Alex sighed before nervously slipping one hand beneath mine and weaving his fingers with hers. I barely felt the pressure of his hand and my finger instictively curled around his own.

"So what're we gonna do?" Alex asked. Again, I don't even know how to answer that question. Not anymore.

"I..." I trailed off, looking away. Alex sighed next to me.

"I should really get back to the hotel. All my stuff is there anyway." Alex said. I nodded and stood up with him. He squeezed my hand before releasing it at the door.

"We'll figure it all out at the courthouse tomorrow morning. Just... think about things, ok?"

"Yeah, alright. I'll see you tomorrow." I said, grasping the door in my left hand as he stood beneath the arch.

"Oh, and to help your thinking..." Alex's hands suddenly grasped the sides of my face gently and his lips met mine in a heated and unexpected kiss. I froze in shock as the blood rushed through my veins and my heart accelerated. Alex pulled away slightly, his face a fraction of an inch from mine.

"I don't want a divorce." He whispered and then pulled completely apart adn walked away, leaving me standing mutely watching him go.