Feels Like I'm Falling in Love Alone

After about an hour of lying on the cold tiles in the bathroom, Addison stood up and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red and her skin was pale. She absentmindedly touched her stomach and cringed when she thought about who she had seen just an hour before.

After cleaning herself up as much as she could, Addison took a few deep breaths and turned to face the door. She opened it and went out into the hallway. She listened, and heard voices coming from the living room. With no doubt that the boys were all still there, Addison walked into her cousin Jack’s room and shut the door.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Addison muttered a feeble “Come in.” and Jack walked in the room.

“Are you ok?” Jack asked, tentatively. Addison shook her head.

“Well we’re going out for dinner. And you’re welcome to come along. We’re probably going out for pizza or something,” he offered. Addison cringed at the word “we’re” and shook her head again.

Jack sighed, “Come on Addy. Please just come with us. I promise you’ll be able to keep your distance from him.”

Addison looked over at Jack and narrowed her eyes. “If you really meant that, then you would have told me he was coming today in the first place.”

Jack flinched. “If I had told you, you wouldn’t have come today. And me, Zack, and Rian really wanted to hang out with you,” he tried to reason.

Addison sighed and nodded, showing that she would go. Jack squealed and pulled her up off of the bed.

“Come on then. We’re leaving in a minute,” Jack said and ran out of his bedroom.

Addison reached into her pocket and pulled out her iPod. She put the headphones in her ears, and turned it on shuffle. She walked out of the bedroom, down the hall, out the front door, and straight to Jack’s car. She climbed into the very back seat and closed her eyes as she waited for the boys to come out. A few minutes later, she heard the car door open and close, and felt someone sit down next to her. She didn’t dare open her eyes out of fear that she wouldn’t like knowing who it was that was sitting next to her.

About 15 minutes later, they finally arrived at the restaurant. Addison shut off her iPod and opened her eyes. She glanced to her right to see who it was that had been sitting next to her. For the second time that day, she met the eyes of Alex Gaskarth. For the second time that day, she felt the urge to cry. And for the fourth time that day, she dropped her arms to her stomach.

Addison blinked the tears out of her eyes and got out of the car. She ran forward and linked arms with Zack and Rian. She forced a cheesy grin on her face and pulled them into the restaurant.

After a painfully long dinner sitting across the table from Alex Gaskarth, Addison and the boys headed back to Jack’s house. When they arrived, Addison walked into the living room and sat on the couch in the middle of Zack and Rian. Alex was sitting in the chair that he had occupied earlier, and no one quite knew where Jack was.

Zack reached over to grab the remote for the CD player. Before he could turn on some music, Jack walked in the room with something hidden behind his back.

“Jack,” Addison started slowly, “What are you up to?”

Jack grinned and brought the tray in front of him.

“TEQUILA TIME! Fuck yeah!” Alex exclaimed when he saw the bottle of tequila and 5 shot glasses Jack had brought in. He, Zack, and Rian all stood up to pour themselves a shot.

Addison shook her head. “No way. There is NO way I’m doing shots tonight.”

Jack pouted, “But Addy! You’re sleeping over anyway, so it’s not like you have to drive home. Please do at least one with us!”

Addison bit her lip as the other members of All Time Low (other than Alex) begged her to take the shot Rian had poured for her. She groaned and stepped forward to take the shot.

When everyone had a shot in their hands, Alex started the countdown. “Three, two, one, GO!” he declared, and everyone dumped the shot in their mouth and swallowed at the same time.

Addison winced as she felt the liquid burn its way down her throat.

“Let’s go again!” Jack exclaimed as he refilled everyone’s glass.

Addison looked around to make sure everyone was ready, as it was her time to countdown. “Alright guys. This is the last one for me. Three, two, one, GO!” she shouted and tipped the glass into her mouth.

They didn’t stop after two.
By the third shot, Addison was welcoming the numbing burn in her throat that the alcohol caused.
By the fourth, Addison forgot why she didn’t want to do a third in the first place.
By the eighth, everyone was wasted, and drunkenly singing along to the radio.

By the twelfth, Addison and the boys were passed out on the living room floor, and Alex Gaskarth’s arm was wrapped around her waist.