Hardly Worth Your Time

“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEE-“

Alex slammed the snooze button on the irritatingly loud alarm clock and buried his head farther into his navy pillow case.

It was the first day of summer and he did NOT want to get up at eight in the morning to listen to Jack talk about his dick while they drove for hours in a small ass van.

He wanted to spend his day with Emily. He wanted to prove to her that he wasn’t going to screw up again.

He groaned and rolled over on his back staring at the ceiling. He hoped he had a chance when they came back from the two small tours and before they went on the last leg of Warped. He hadn’t stopped thinking of three nights ago. She looked so upset that he had to let her go then. She needed a break; he knew it and it hurt, A LOT.

“Alex, you should probably get up, the guys are going to be here in 20 minutes,” his mother suggested, peeping her head in.

“Kay,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

“Alex, really,” she said coming in.

“I’mup,” he muttered.

“Alex,” she said severely.

“Okay, okay, I’m up,” he replied rubbing his eyes. Satisfied with his reaction, Mrs. Gaskarth left the room calling out that she would have food for him ready in five minutes.

He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, making his hair even messier, before slowly rolling off the bed. He grabbed a shirt off the floor and slid it on before doing the same with a pair of jeans. He found a bandana on his dresser and masterly tied it around his head. He quickly brushed his teeth and went back into his room. Sliding on flip flops, grabbing his wallet, keys, and cell, he took one last look around the small room making sure he had everything, before exiting the room and making his way down the stairs groggily.

After eating and having a few minutes just to say goodbye to his parents, he dragged his bags out into the front yard, glancing down the street. His phone rang a minute later with Zack explaining they were about to turn down his street.

He hung up and watched as a black van pulling a black trailer sped down his road and skidded to a halt in front of the sidewalk in front of him. He grinned as the guys, Rebecca, and Lindsey (Zack’s girlfriend), fell out of the van with grins on their faces.

As Alex joined in the excitement of pre-tour, he couldn’t help but wonder if Emily would come say goodbye.

“EMMALINE!” Jack screeched as soon as Alex finished his thought.

Before Alex could fully register the high pitched scream, Jack ran past him in a flash.

He focused on the two figures laughing as Jack held her in his arms and spun her around. A mixture of pain, guilt, regret, jealousy, and longing erupted in his stomach. Nerves bubbled in his stomach as she walked towards the group with a bright smile and one of Jack’s arms around her shoulders and the other flailing around as she laughed at whatever he was telling her.

She looked happy; happier than she seemed in the past few months. His stomach twisted at this thought and a frown graced his face. He hated that the reason she seemed so happy was because she wasn’t with him.

He watched, slightly away from the small group of friends, as Emily took her time saying goodbye to Matt, Zack, Rian, Rebecca and Lindsey (who was merching for them), and Jack. She spent a couple minutes with each, hugging, joking, laughing, and talking with each.

After she let go of Jack, she turned to Alex with a hesitant stature. Alex grinned nervously before beckoning her to him. She walked forward slowly before wrapping her arms around his torso tightly, head against his chest. His arms slid around her shoulders and rested his head on top of hers. He could faintly smell her signature coconut shampoo and nuzzled his head ever so slightly into her hair, closing his eyes contently.

“I wish you were coming,” he mumbled.

He felt Emily shift slightly before she laughed and muttered back, “Like I’d really want to listen to Jack talk about his dick twenty four seven.”

“I heard that!” Jack yelled.

Emily chuckled against Alex’s chest and his heartbeat quickened at the feeling of her laugh against his chest. He chuckled and a comfortable silence consumed them. It was hard for him to not kiss her. He wanted nothing more than to bring her along. He hated that she didn’t want to go; that she refused the offer.

Too soon Matt was telling the two that Alex and the rest of the guys really needed to be leaving. Emily and Alex both squeezed each other tightly for a second before slowly letting go. Emily kissed his cheek and he kissed her forehead before he trudged, backwards, over to the van.

“See you later,” they both mouthed before Alex was pulled into the van and the door shut. Emily stood with her arms crossed as the van started up and all the windows went down as everyone screamed “I love you!” and “Bye!” Emily caught Alex’s eyes and never broke from it until the van was too far out of sight.

She sighed heavily before strolling down the sidewalk away from her house, to a familiar spot in the park.

Alex’s eyes never left Emily’s until she was too far to be seen and after that he kept his head staring out the window at the direction they just left.

“It’ll all work out dude, just give her time,” Rian spoke from the seat behind him.

Alex nodded and took a minute to compose himself before joining in on the excitement.

It was going to be a long three weeks.