Status: Completed!
Living with a Heartache
Chapter Twenty-Two: Guardian Angel
Alex’s POV
Jessica flipped through her closet of unworn dresses and sighed. Penelope sat on her fluffy beanbag chair and played with the ends of her hair. I was sprawled out on her layers of dresses thrown on her bed.
“I’m never gonna find a dress,” Jessica mumbled through her fingers as she pressed them against her forehead.
“Yes you will,” I pointed out, even though I knew too well she’d end up choosing at the last minute.
“I’m sure Steven will like you in anything,” Penelope countered, trying to keep the boredom out of her voice. Jessica groaned and put her head next to mine as she thumped on the bed next to me.
“Have you two got your dresses?” Jessica asked suddenly. I ran my hand through my hair and grunted a short ‘no’ while Penelope stared at the ceiling and bit her lip.
“Well I guess that leaves all three of us butt naked,” sniffed Jessica. We laughed.
“Why don’t go dress hunting for the rest of the week, and then on prom night we meet up at Alex’s house and head to school together? See who has the best dress?” said Penelope as she jerked her head up from her daze. I considered this idea; it would beat lying here all day and watching Jessica wallow in her misery- I could head home and do some of my own stuff.
“That’s a great idea,” I said, pushing myself up and heading towards the door.
“Stay a while longeerrr…” whined Jessica, but Penelope and I shrugged and just headed out the door with a quick “see you tomorrow”.
Once outside I gave a Penelope a side-ways glance.
“God anything to get away from her dresses,” Penelope mumbled. I laughed and nodded.
“I’ll probably get something together by then,” she smiled and looked at me.
“Yeah, I’ll probably show up in jeans and something other than a tee-shirt,” I muttered as we headed out onto the streets. We chatted for a while before heading off our separate ways. I was heading home, probably to spend my Sunday away. It was only a week till prom day anyway, and since that it was nearing the holidays we had no homework.
Time passes so fast- Brian had already been living with me for around 2 months already. I guess I under estimated his wimpiness. I bit my lip, thinking about him. His name made me feel weird, it made me feel funny. When I was with him, I felt at ease- but it wasn’t the same comfort as when I was with Patrick or other people. It was a whole new different feeling- like swallowing a mug full of hot chocolate on a winter day. It made me feel warm and sweet inside- I was confused.
I was so confused; I plugged in my earphones and drowned out my thinking with music all the way home.
Brian’s POV
I watched the stone which Patrick had thrown into the lake water bounce of the surface a few times before finally sinking into the water. It was oddly serene, and I needed it. Alex had gone out to her friend’s place to get ready for prom since she was all new to this and everything.
“So, you getting a tux for the prom?” I asked him as I propped myself up against a giant tree which was implanted on the rocky ground. Patrick walked over to me and heaved himself down.
“I don’t know, Mrs.Lindy said she’d get something for me. I haven’t been to a prom before, I usually spend proms-“
“With Alex,” I muttered under my breath. Patrick looked at me strangely, and I shrugged and smiled back.
“So tell me Brian O Brian, why are you going single for this year’s prom?” Patrick asked teasingly. I didn’t take it as a joke though, maybe because I’m just so sick and tired of spending everyday waking hour of a day with Alex. It’s hard not to show how much I like her, much less live with her. Everyday’s like a living torture, but spending every hour with her just makes up for it. I know it doesn’t make sense, but love never makes sense.
“Because… The person I wanted to ask got asked out first,” I shrugged. Patrick blinked once, then twice.
“How is that possible? You’re like Brian, you can get any girl you want, they’re all breathing onto your shoes in case you never noticed,” Patrick spluttered bewildered.
“Not this one,” I murmured. “Hey, have you ever had this feeling that you’re just so close to getting that girl, but you just can’t?” I asked. I hope I wouldn’t regret telling Patrick this.
Patrick considered for a moment while cracking his fingers.
“Well, yeah. It’s like thinking you’ve fallen for your closest friend, but then she doesn’t feel the same way about you right?” He replied.
“Something like that,” I sighed.
“So are you still going to the prom, seeing that your special someone is dancing in another guy’s hands?” Patrick asked. My heart seemed to throb against my skin as I pictured Alex falling slowly for Sam.
“I’ll go. For her sake,” I said, looking out into the distance.
“Wow, you’ve really fallen for her haven’t you?” asked Patrick as he suddenly jerked himself up.
“Who?”
“Alex, duh,” Patrick said matter-of-factly. I was dumfounded, it wasn’t that obvious wasn’t it? Patrick seemed to read my mind as he told me that it was so obvious from the way I looked at her sometimes plus what I told him just now.
“But, I just. Since I’ve been living with her, it’s like all bad things just seem to happen to her. What if like one day when I tell her I like her, a bell flies from the sky and crushes her?” I asked. Patrick seemed to consider this for a moment.
“Well, technically, most of it would be my fault. Or my dad’s which one you would like to consider. The hospital, the fighting, everything mostly,” he regarded, his voice quavering.
“What about the divorce?” I asked.
“That’s hardly your fault idiot,” replied Patrick, rolling his eyes. After some silent moments, Patrick shifted on his seat.
“Well, in case you didn’t know. You’ve been protecting her more than harming her. I can tell from Alex that she appreciates you being there, she lets you be there for her. And don’t think she didn’t tell me about the hospital incident with her dad and the crying and stuff. Think about it, she’s never cried until you came around- so it’s obvious that you let her be who she really is. It’s tough for her sometimes, concealing her true self you know?” Patrick said.
“Well, that makes sense,” I said after thinking for a moment.
“We better go, it’s almost 5,” said Patrick as he got off the ground and dusted himself off. I agreed and we both headed up the path to get a ride home.
Jessica flipped through her closet of unworn dresses and sighed. Penelope sat on her fluffy beanbag chair and played with the ends of her hair. I was sprawled out on her layers of dresses thrown on her bed.
“I’m never gonna find a dress,” Jessica mumbled through her fingers as she pressed them against her forehead.
“Yes you will,” I pointed out, even though I knew too well she’d end up choosing at the last minute.
“I’m sure Steven will like you in anything,” Penelope countered, trying to keep the boredom out of her voice. Jessica groaned and put her head next to mine as she thumped on the bed next to me.
“Have you two got your dresses?” Jessica asked suddenly. I ran my hand through my hair and grunted a short ‘no’ while Penelope stared at the ceiling and bit her lip.
“Well I guess that leaves all three of us butt naked,” sniffed Jessica. We laughed.
“Why don’t go dress hunting for the rest of the week, and then on prom night we meet up at Alex’s house and head to school together? See who has the best dress?” said Penelope as she jerked her head up from her daze. I considered this idea; it would beat lying here all day and watching Jessica wallow in her misery- I could head home and do some of my own stuff.
“That’s a great idea,” I said, pushing myself up and heading towards the door.
“Stay a while longeerrr…” whined Jessica, but Penelope and I shrugged and just headed out the door with a quick “see you tomorrow”.
Once outside I gave a Penelope a side-ways glance.
“God anything to get away from her dresses,” Penelope mumbled. I laughed and nodded.
“I’ll probably get something together by then,” she smiled and looked at me.
“Yeah, I’ll probably show up in jeans and something other than a tee-shirt,” I muttered as we headed out onto the streets. We chatted for a while before heading off our separate ways. I was heading home, probably to spend my Sunday away. It was only a week till prom day anyway, and since that it was nearing the holidays we had no homework.
Time passes so fast- Brian had already been living with me for around 2 months already. I guess I under estimated his wimpiness. I bit my lip, thinking about him. His name made me feel weird, it made me feel funny. When I was with him, I felt at ease- but it wasn’t the same comfort as when I was with Patrick or other people. It was a whole new different feeling- like swallowing a mug full of hot chocolate on a winter day. It made me feel warm and sweet inside- I was confused.
I was so confused; I plugged in my earphones and drowned out my thinking with music all the way home.
Brian’s POV
I watched the stone which Patrick had thrown into the lake water bounce of the surface a few times before finally sinking into the water. It was oddly serene, and I needed it. Alex had gone out to her friend’s place to get ready for prom since she was all new to this and everything.
“So, you getting a tux for the prom?” I asked him as I propped myself up against a giant tree which was implanted on the rocky ground. Patrick walked over to me and heaved himself down.
“I don’t know, Mrs.Lindy said she’d get something for me. I haven’t been to a prom before, I usually spend proms-“
“With Alex,” I muttered under my breath. Patrick looked at me strangely, and I shrugged and smiled back.
“So tell me Brian O Brian, why are you going single for this year’s prom?” Patrick asked teasingly. I didn’t take it as a joke though, maybe because I’m just so sick and tired of spending everyday waking hour of a day with Alex. It’s hard not to show how much I like her, much less live with her. Everyday’s like a living torture, but spending every hour with her just makes up for it. I know it doesn’t make sense, but love never makes sense.
“Because… The person I wanted to ask got asked out first,” I shrugged. Patrick blinked once, then twice.
“How is that possible? You’re like Brian, you can get any girl you want, they’re all breathing onto your shoes in case you never noticed,” Patrick spluttered bewildered.
“Not this one,” I murmured. “Hey, have you ever had this feeling that you’re just so close to getting that girl, but you just can’t?” I asked. I hope I wouldn’t regret telling Patrick this.
Patrick considered for a moment while cracking his fingers.
“Well, yeah. It’s like thinking you’ve fallen for your closest friend, but then she doesn’t feel the same way about you right?” He replied.
“Something like that,” I sighed.
“So are you still going to the prom, seeing that your special someone is dancing in another guy’s hands?” Patrick asked. My heart seemed to throb against my skin as I pictured Alex falling slowly for Sam.
“I’ll go. For her sake,” I said, looking out into the distance.
“Wow, you’ve really fallen for her haven’t you?” asked Patrick as he suddenly jerked himself up.
“Who?”
“Alex, duh,” Patrick said matter-of-factly. I was dumfounded, it wasn’t that obvious wasn’t it? Patrick seemed to read my mind as he told me that it was so obvious from the way I looked at her sometimes plus what I told him just now.
“But, I just. Since I’ve been living with her, it’s like all bad things just seem to happen to her. What if like one day when I tell her I like her, a bell flies from the sky and crushes her?” I asked. Patrick seemed to consider this for a moment.
“Well, technically, most of it would be my fault. Or my dad’s which one you would like to consider. The hospital, the fighting, everything mostly,” he regarded, his voice quavering.
“What about the divorce?” I asked.
“That’s hardly your fault idiot,” replied Patrick, rolling his eyes. After some silent moments, Patrick shifted on his seat.
“Well, in case you didn’t know. You’ve been protecting her more than harming her. I can tell from Alex that she appreciates you being there, she lets you be there for her. And don’t think she didn’t tell me about the hospital incident with her dad and the crying and stuff. Think about it, she’s never cried until you came around- so it’s obvious that you let her be who she really is. It’s tough for her sometimes, concealing her true self you know?” Patrick said.
“Well, that makes sense,” I said after thinking for a moment.
“We better go, it’s almost 5,” said Patrick as he got off the ground and dusted himself off. I agreed and we both headed up the path to get a ride home.
♠ ♠ ♠
Yup.