I Need Something More.

Sophia smiled grew larger and larger as she approached him. Her nerves began to disappear with each step, thinking everything will be okay. She called his names a few times to grab his attention over the crowd. Over and over she called, until he finally took note of her.

“Jack!” She smiled wrapping her arms around his tall frame.

“Soapie!” Jack squealed enthusiastically holding an equally excited Sophia in his arms.

“Sophia!” Rian joined in along with Zack and Matt.

“You actually came.” Rian noted.

“Yeah.” She nodded meekly as she straightened herself out after being squeezed almost lifelessly in the boys’ arms.

“Umm, where’s Hannah?” Sophia asked, noting Hannah’s absence along with Alex’s. “And Alex?”

The boys exchanged looks letting Matt explain.

“Well,” Matt started as he began to scratch the back of his neck. “They’ve already left. They’re in Maryland.”

-----------

“Alex!” He heard her yell again.

“Yes mom, I can hear you.” He smiled warmly at his frantic mother.

Mrs. Gaskarth had on a tight smile. Her dirty blonde hair framing her discretely aged face. The faint wrinkles adorning her face began to fade as a bright smile emerged on her face as she embraced her son, and grand-daughter.

“Mom, we’re in public.” Alex whined.

“Oh hush boy, I’m your mother. I can be happy to see my son and beautiful grand-daughter if I please.” She scolded with traces of her refined English accent lingering in each word.

“Mom.” Alex warned, signaling for her to stop. “Where’s dad?”

“He’s getting the car, he’s out front love.” Mrs. Gaskarth answered, pulling the sleeping Hannah out of Alex’s arms and into her own. “Get your bags dear, and lets go.”

Alex pulled on his luggage filled with both his and Hannah’s belongings and followed his mother, lagging behind to avoid being seen with her. The woman was well intentioned, she just caused a lot of commotion.

In most instances, Alex would have been thrilled to be home. But coming home this time around just felt empty, like he was missing something. Someone.

----------

Sophia felt her heart sink low into her stomach once hearing Matt’s words. It feel as if her intestinal acids were burning away at her heart. Needless to say, she was heartbroken.

“I’m sorry?” She asked softly, needing further clarification.

“They had an earlier flight since Keith messed up the flight schedule.” Matt answered lowly, keeping his head low in hopes of avoiding the evident sadness on Sophia’s face.

“Oh...” Sophia trailed off beginning to chew on her bottom lip trying not to show too much emotion.

“I just came here to. But he. And now.” Her words incoherent from all her thoughts. Her dark eye brows furrowed as she began to think this further.

Hannah was gone. Alex was gone. One of the last few words she spoke to Alex were that she didn’t want to see him again. And now, she wouldn’t. Alex was thousands of miles away, across the country. Sophia wouldn’t be able to see him again, or tell him that she was sorry for ignoring him. Worst of all she didn’t get to tell him what she had been neurotic about telling him for a while now, that she loved him.

As the thoughts swelled in her mind, the boys began to grow anxious. There in front of them, was a girl they had all grown to adore. To all of them, she was like a little sister, and like any older brothers none of them wanted to see her cry. Her jade eyes began to burn and pools of water began to surface along her bottom lid. They watched as she bit down hard on her bottom lip as she swallowed hard hoping to calm her nerves.

“I-umm, I hope you boys have a safe flight home.” Her voice cracked, spilling with emotion. “I’ll miss you.”

Jack was the first to pull her into a hug, holding her close to him. Sophia didn’t resist, she melted into his arms clinging to him tightly.

“Shh, it’ll be okay.” Jack cooed stroking her hair platonically.

“I-I just can’t believe h-he’s gone.” Her voice cracked again. “I didn’t- I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“It’s okay, shh.” Jack continued to coo.

“H-how could he just leave?” Sophia’s voice pressed, looking up at Jack and the concerned boys surrounding her.

“I don’t know.” Rian piped in, pulling her from Jack and leading her towards a vacant bench.

“I know I ignored him for a w-while, but I was upset, I didn’t- I didn’t mean it.” Sophia continued to stutter choking back the imminent tears. “I swear I didn’t mean it.”

The boys continued to watch as Sophia bit back tears, refusing to let them fall. They all knew what happened, and even before Alex and Sophia they knew how they felt about each other. They tried to comfort the frail girl, with words they knew she would want to hear, and that Alex would have said if he were there.

“Alex loves you, you know?” Zack being the first one to break the code among the friends not to tell her before Alex did himself.

Sophia looked up at the curly haired blonde, holding a tight frown misinterpreting his words. Sophia knew Alex loved her as a friend, but now she wasn’t so sure.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” Sophia stated lowly, her nerves calming finally calming down.

“I’m not Sophia,” Zack started. “Alex does love you.”

“He used to.” Sophia countered.

“No, he does.” The boys insisted.

“He just spent the last two weeks being non-stopped rejected by someone he loves, but still can’t forget her.” Rian started.

“She’s really amazing and a complete sweetheart, but then she got hurt and shut him out. He tried endlessly to win her back she couldn’t let him, so now he’s given up, giving her space, thinking that’s what she wants.” Rian finished.

Sophia didn’t know what to say. Rian was right, Alex did try- she just kept shooting him down. She looked down embarrassed that she acted in such a manner before looking back up at the boys.

“But I don’t want space.” She frowned. “At least not anymore.”

The boys exchanged looks and were about to answer when the intercom sounded. The monotone voice filled LAX announcing the flights ready to check in, beckoning the boys to leave. Jack pulled Sophia up off the bench and into another hug.

“I told you I was a hugging kind of person.” He chuckled hoping to lighten the mood. “Just call him. He’d love to hear from you.”

And with that the boys rounded up, each giving their own words of advice and goodbyes. Sophia stood at the gate holding a tight smile waving goodbye.

----------

Alex sat in his cozy home he shared with Rian and Hannah. It had been hours since he landed and was waiting for his friends to land in a few hours. Less than a day and he already missed California, more specifically he missed the girl who held his heart back in California.

The eleven o’clock news hummed in the background as Alex blankly stared at the screen, not fully absorbing any of the information due to his scattered brain. His mind revolved around a girl, the same girl it had revolved around for the past few months. Alex wished things had worked out differently between Sophia and himself. He wished he hadn’t messed up and hurt her, he wished he had the heart to say goodbye, he wished many things, but most of all he wished that he had her.

The news continued to buzz and Alex grew tired of everything. Hannah was asleep her twin sized bed beside his own and he contested going to sleep for a few hours until his friends landed. Alex was shutting off the television when his phone sounded off.

Alex scrambled around the living searching for the source of the ringing. After a few rings he found his iphone and touched the talk button before checking the call.

“Hello?” Alex answered. In his frantic state he took a second to check the caller ID, surprised by who was on the line. “Sophia?--”

“You left me!” She cut in. “You left without saying goodbye!”

“Soph--”

“No wait, please let me say this.” Sophia cut in again, her feeble voice aiming to be strong. Alex remained silent at her request and waited for her to continue.

“You left! You didn’t even say goodbye!” Her voice forced. “So I did this really stupid embarrassing thing and went to the airport to see you. You know, be all corny and cliché, just to tell you I’m sorry for ignoring you. And I’m sorry that I got upset when you told me the truth. At least you told me the truth, well not really tell me but more like show me, but that’s not the point. I walked out and I’m sorry but I was hurt. My feelings got really crushed when you told me it was a mistake. I felt like you didn’t like me and thought lesser of me because I made such advancements when I was drunk.”

“Soph, I didn’t- I’d never--” Alex began to cut her off before she interrupted again.

“No wait, I’m not done.” She pressed. “I left because it hurt to be around you. I felt horrible, and I didn’t want to see you because you made me feel that way. I get hurt easily Alex, and I don’t open up to people very well. Its hard for me, so I ignored you as a defense. I hoped it would make me feel better but I ended up missing you instead. So when I was ready, when I got all whole and healed you gave up on me! You left me! These things aren’t easy for me Alex, I’m not good at putting myself out there, having my heart on the line. It’s been hurt too much.”

There was a small pause before Sophia continued.

“So Alex, please don’t hurt me again because I love you too much to lose you again.”

At her words Alex smiled, because in her voice he could hear she wasn’t upset, she wasn’t angry, she was opening up to him again. She still loved him.

“I won’t Soph, I promise.” Alex answered. “I love you too much.”

Alex heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. He could tell by their content silence that all was forgiven and that both of them were finally on good terms.

“I miss you so much.” She admitted first.

“You have no idea how much I missed you.” His voice smiled back, knowing they were going to be okay.