These Bright Lights Have Always Blinded Me

“Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, tomorrow I'll miss you, Remember I'll always be true, And then while I'm away, I'll write home every day, And I'll send all my loving to you,” Craig sang to me.

“Craigie,” I said kissing him. I felt like a little kid around him. I liked it.

“Yeah baby,” he said wrapping his arms my waist.

“I love you,” I said facing him.

“I love you forever and always,” he smiled, “So what did you get at Hot Topic yesterday?” he asked walking over to the bed where his cell phone was.

“Nothing really just another Cobra Starship shirt, and Tom gave me one of the new Tokio Hotel shirts. They got a new shipment,” I said walking over and straddling his legs.

“Well,” he said putting his phone down, “What do you want to do?” he finished while putting his hands on my hips.

“Guess,” I said before kissing him.

“Wait this isn’t one of those test/trick questions right?” he said stopping me.

“No,” I laughed.

He laid back pulling me with him when the door swung open.

“I came to get any laundry,” Max said walking in the room.

“Wait why are you getting laundry?” I asked getting off the bed.

“Monte said it’s my turn to do laundry,” he sighed.

“You aint touching my laundry,” I said with a lot of attitude.

“Come on please I want Chelsea to come over,” he whined.

“Fine,” I said getting my hamper of dirty clothes.

“Oh yeah and Gerard is waiting for you downstairs,” he said walking out.

“Really?” I questioned following him out the door and downstairs.

“No I meant Mikey,” he said shaking his head.

“Oh,” I said stopping in my place.

“Yeah but I need your help first,” he said pulling me along.

“With what?”

“Switching loads,” he said escorting my to the laundry room.

“Um?” I said following him. He could do it himself. Wait shit I know what he wants he wants to talk to me.

“Ali, can I ask you something/” he said opening the washer and the dryer.

“What?” I said as he handed me a bunch of wet clothes to put in the dryer.

“Do you think its wrong that I am with Chelsea?” he said stopping.

“No,” I laughed.

“Do you think it’s right you are with Craig?” he said looking down at me.

I thought for a second, “Yeah do you?” I said looking up at him.

“Not really,” he sighed, “But then again I don’t like seeing you with anybody because you are like my little sister,” he said looking straight at me.

“Oh,” I said taking more clothes out of the dryer.

“I mean I look out for you Al,” he began, “And I just worry that he is going to hurt you,” he said holding my chin.

“I know,” I said hugging him.

“I just think you need somebody more your age,” he said that and I pulled back.

“Excuse me!” I said taking a couple steps back.

“Well I mean he is much older than you,” he began.

“And you are much older than Chelsea,” I said cutting him off.

“Al, I am talking about you,” he said cutting me off.

“Fuck you,” I said beginning to walk off.

“You cant be mad at me for looking out for you,” he said laughing.

“If you are looking out for me,” I said walking back, “You would be looking out for Chelsea to and you wouldn’t be with her,” I said before storming off.

“Ali,” I heard Mikey’s voice say and I turned to him and smiled, “Can we talk?”

“About what love?” I asked not realizing what I had said.

“Just let’s go for a walk,” he said grabbing my hand. I looked up at his hazel eyes before we stepped outside. “What so you think of me?” he asked once we hit the side walk.

‘I think your still hot, you’re sweet, I miss you, I still taste your kiss on my lips’ I thought, “I think you are an amazing friend,” I said putting on a fake smile.

“What were you thinking before you gave me an answer?” he smirked.

“Mikey,” I began saying.

“Sorry I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Mikey it’s fine it’s just I still have feelings for you,” I sighed.

“I still have feeling for you too, Al,” he said as he stopped walking.

“But I have Craig,” I said looking away from him.

“I am not saying we should get back together,” he laughed.

“Then what are you saying?” I laughed back.

“Can I kiss you?’ he said changing the subject.

“No,” I laughed.

“Too bad,” he said kissing me. My mind drifted off to all the good times we had together, but then I heard Craig’s voice yelling at me.

“Ali!” I heard he yell.

I pulled away from Mikey and looked at Craig to see the hurt in his eyes and I began to cry.

“What are you doing?” he said walking up to me.

“Craig I, I,” I began put couldn’t finish.

“Save it,” he said walking off to his car and driving off.

“Mikey don’t talk to me,” I said walking off into the house and up to my room. I grabbed my phone and dialed Gab’s number.

It rang twice before, “Hello?”

“Gab, It’s Ali,” I said crying.

“What did Craig do?” she said getting worried.

“Nothing its what my ex-boyfriends did,” I said wiping my eyes.

“What happened?”

“Well,” I began before explaining the story to her.

“Babe,” she said before my phone started beeping. I pulled back the phone so I could read the screen.

“Hold on he is calling,” I said answering his call.

“I thought you loved me,” he said sounding pissed.

“Baby I do,” I said crying.

“Then why did you kiss your ex-boyfriend?”

“I didn’t mean to,” I said still crying.

“You know I love you with all my heart right?” he asked and I was silent, “Right!?”

“I think Max was right,” I said crying.

“What did Max say to you?” he said getting worried.

“He said I shouldn’t be with you because you would hurt me,” I said hanging up the phone on Gab and Craig.

I got a text message from Craig right away:

Craig: Darling please don’t say you are leaving me.

Me: Craig Maybe he is right. I am too young for you.

Craig: Fuck what he said.

Me: Craig you can’t trust me. I still love Mikey.

Craig: I want to take my chances. I should have understood when I saw you guys kiss. I am sorry.

Me: I am going over to Chelsea’s tonight and you can call me later tonight if you want.

Craig: Okay I am going to go get a drink then I am coming home to see you before you leave.

Me: Can you just come here first so I can go now?

Craig: I will take you there if you want.

Me: See you soon then.

Craig: I am here already.

I read that last message before sitting up in my bed and hearing the door open.

“I love you,” Craig said walking in and tackling me into a hug.

“I love you too Craigie,” I said before being kissed all over my neck, “Craig I want to get to Chelsea’s now,” I said stopping him.

“Can I give you one thing?” he asked getting up slightly.

“What?” I asked smiling.

“This,” he said kissing me deeply, deeper than he ever had.

“Mmm,” I said as he pulled away.

“Now lets get you to Chelsea's,” he said picking me up as a quickly texted her.

Me: Chelsea can I stay the night?

Chelsea: Duh!

Craig carried me out to the car and held my hand in the car the how way singing Framing Hanley to me.

“I love you,” I said kissing him before getting out of the car.

“I love you too,” he said as I shut the door.

I walked up to Chelsea’s door and she was right there.