This Could Be All I've Waited For

Harlow sat in the crummy seating on the first flight she could get. What the fuck am I doing? She thought to herself as a boy in the seat behind her kicked her seat for the millionth time.

Faye's words came back to Harlow's mind:

"Harlow! Thank god I got ahold of you!" Faye had cried.

"What? Why? What happened?"

"Alex! -He- they-him!" She started, obviously panicked.

"Faye! Calm down! I can't understand you. What happened to Alex?"

"He, he needs you Har.." She said. "He- he did something drastic." She said, sounding sad.

Harlow gasped. "He tried committing suicide?!" She cried, assuming the worst.

Faye paused for a moment trying to decide if she should say he did or tell her the excuse she had come up with. "Yes." She finally said. "Yes, he did. He needs you Har.." She said, smiling at the other end of the line knowing for sure that she'd come now.

"Oh my god! Is he honestly that stupid? Is he okay?"

"I. Don't. Know?" She said slowly, almost sounding like a question. "Can you get over here. He needs someone. He needs you."

Harlow sighed thinking. "Fine."

And now she sat in the plane, with that annoying little brat of a boy sitting behind her kicking her seat as the plane landed. She hurridly got off the plane, not having any luggage except a small bag she'd carried on that had a few shirts and pairs of jeans. She spotted Rian and Zack and ran full speed towards them, wrapping each in an arm. "Is he okay? Any news?" She asked, worry lacing every word.

Rian and Zack looked at each other with false, sad faces knowing Alex was perfectly fine in a hospital room with a concussion and stitches where he hit his head on a rock. Zack and Rian were grateful for the drama class they were forced to take in high school when they'd needed another class. "We don't know yet. Sorry Harlow." Rian said after she pulled away to look at their faces.

She felt her heart sink. Zack ushered her out to the car, Travis's car, that they'd taken without his permission as the lead singer was waiting for news on Alex.

Both boys were aware that after she found out Alex was fine that they'd be killed by Harlow for scaring her so badly, but both knew Alex and Harlow were meant to be together: even if Alex made a major fuck-up.

Zack tucked the petite blonde under his arm as they entered the hospital and guided her to the elevator. The ride up to the seventh floor seemed like and enternity to Harlow who was ready to break down in tears, even if she didn't show it on the outside. Kara and Anna sat in the waiting room across from the elevator when the doors opened. Both felt extremely bad for lying to Harlow so they avoided seeing her. Faye and Jack walked out of a room down the hall. Harlow hurried toward them. "What's going on?" Harlow asked.

Faye shrugged. "I'm not even sure." She said. "Just go in there. He won't talk to anyone." She lied, pushing Harlow towards the door. Harlow took a deep breath before pushing the door open. Her heels that she'd worn to work that day clicked lightly on the hard floor as she entered slowly. She found Alex propped up on the bed. He immediately perked up until he saw her cross her arms and stare at him with a disappointed look, unaware that Faye had said he tried commiting suicide.

Harlow stood at the end of the bed in silence for a long moment, confused at why he had welts all over his arms and the fact that he had a gash on his forehead. "Why'd you do it Alex?" She asked softly, tears filling her eyes. She looked at her pointed-tip heels, sniffled a little and blinked away the moisture in her eyes before looking back up.

Alex wrinkled his brow in confusion. "Why did I end up here or why did I hurt you?" He asked.

"Both." She said sternly. "Are you dumb?! Why on earth would you even think of suicide?!" She said, her voice shaking slightly.

His eyes widened. "What? Suicide? I didn't try killing myself!" Just hurting myself enough to get you back. He thought.

"You didn't?"

"No!"

"Then why are you here?" She asked gestering to the hospital room. She wiped the tears away, realizing for the first time that she'd been crying.

He laughed nervously. "Well, you see. It's really a funny story. I purposely tied myself to the back of Travis's car on a skateboard in attempt to injure myself to get you back here."

Harlow frowned. "Are you serious?"

"It wasn't my plan!" He cried. "It was all Faye!"

Faye, who was listening through the door with everyone else, felt her jaw drop. "No. Let them talk." Anna whispered seeing the girl's expression.

"I really, really want to talk to you though and this was the only way I could get you here."

"I don't want to talk to you Alex." She said looking back down to her shoes.

Alex sat up straighter. "Yes you do."

"No I don't." She sniffled.

"Then why are you here?" He asked.

That took her off guard. She thought for a moment, glanced up to him, then back down at her shoes before answering. "Guilt." She lied. "I thought it was my fault you tried killing yourself. Obviously you didn't try killing yourself, so I have nothing to worry about." She said firmly.

"You're a terrible liar Harlow!" He yelled.

She looked up giving him a dirty look. "I'm not lying Alexander William!" She shouted.

"Yes you are. Everytime you lie, you play with the bottom of your shirt." He said matter-of-factly. Harlow immediately dropped her hand from the bottom edge of her shirt. She hadn't even realized that she was holding the corner of her shirt between her fingers until he'd said that. "I know you."

"You obviously don't." She said. "If you knew me you wouldn't have fucked that girl that night in the club!" She yelled. She looked at him with tears welling in her eyes. She turned away and covered her mouth with her hand, not allowing him to see her cry.

When she opened her eyes, she found Alex in front of her. She gasped and clasped a hand over her heart, startled. "I'm so sorry, Har.." He said. She could see the pain in his eyes. "I never, ever meant to hurt you. I'm not going to come up with some lame ass excuse for my behavior. I'll take all the blame. I realized you were the best thing in my life after I lost you." He said taking her hands. "Hold on." He said quickly before tip-toeing to the door and swinging it open fast, knocking all six people listening to their conversation to the ground. He gave them a dark glare. "Away!" He hissed then slammed the door back shut.

Harlow would've smiled at her friend's curiousity, but she couldn't at the moment. Alex walked back and took her hand in his. "I love you Harlow. I was a dumb ass, and I didn't think, and I completely understand if you say no. I'll only ask you once: Will you give me a second chance?"

Harlow buried her face in her hands, thinking and also trying to avoid eye contact with him. "I- I honestly don't think I can Alex." She whispered. She looked at Alex with pleading eyes. His brown eyes were filled with pain, disappointment and sadness. She shook her head 'no' as she went through her thoughts.

Alex took that as her answer. His shoulders drooped and he puffed out a breath in disappointment. Looking down at the ground, he felt moisture build in his eyes, but he refused to show them. I just lost the best thing I ever had He thought.

"I swear to god Alex, if you ever, ever cheat on me again, you will never see me again. I don't want to go through this anymore." She said.

"What?" He asked, looking up at her. "What did you just say? Did you...?" He trailed off and she nodded. He smiled, lifting her up in his arms. "You won't regret this!" He cried into her shoulder.

He tried kissing her but she stopped him by pressing her index finger over his pursed lips inches from her face. "No. I'm still mad at you." She said. "Why would you injure yourself over me?! You are the dumbest man I know!" She exclaimed, slapping him across the head.

He cringed in pain. "Ouch! I think you just gave me another concussion!" He hissed/whined.

"Well, you deserve it!" She said sternly. "Never, ever do that again." She whispered, touching her nose to his before pressing her lips to his."

"Okay." He grinned in victory after they broke apart. "I promise." He grinned, pressing his lips to hers once again.