Together, We'll Move On

Alex kept a firm grip on my hand as he led me through a door that went from his garage to inside his house. I didn’t even have a chance to look around his house seeing that he was in a hurry to get up the stairs and go into his room. As we walked up the stairs, I couldn’t help but notice the various pictures of Alex growing up along with another person that looked similar to him but older. I could only guess it was his brother, but from the times I had hung out with him, he had never mentioned having any siblings.

I tore my attention away from the photos on the wall and what secrets Alex was hiding when I realized we had reached the top of the staircase. He led me down the hall and into a dimly lit room, which I presumed was his. The walls were covered in posters of his favorite bands: Blink 182 and Green Day. The duvet that adorned his bed looked like it was picked out for him and the rest of the room looked surprisingly tidy. In the corner of his room, near the window were a series of guitars both acoustic and electric. I let go of Alex’s hand before making my way across the room and picking up his acoustic guitar.

“I’ve always thought songs sound better when they’re done acoustically.” I smiled and then strummed an E chord softly before saying, “Too bad I can’t play the guitar.”

“You strummed an E chord, that’s a start.” he sat down on his bed and motioned for me to sit next to him. Reluctantly, I complied and set down the guitar before sitting down next to him, wondering what he could possibly want to talk to me about.

“I only know an E chord because Jack taught me. Other than that, I’m pretty clueless as to which frets make produce specific notes and all that,” I shrugged before changing to the subject that really had me anxious. “So what did you need to talk to me about?”

“Oh yeah, uhm- what’s up with you and Jack?” his hand was scratching the back of his neck in a somewhat nervous manner, a gesture I had never seen Alex express.

“What do you mean?” I replied, nonchalantly. This conversation was heading into a very awkward direction from what I could tell. I didn’t know if he was trying to see if I liked Jack or trying to drop the hint that Jack liked me, which I knew to be improbable.

“You guys act like a couple. You hold hands, and are constantly attached at the hip. He talks about you constantly and practically puts you up on a pedestal. Are you dating him?” Alex had certainly planned his argument carefully and gave me the third degree with only a couple of words. I hadn’t expected this to be the conversation when I agreed to talk to him, but then again, I never knew what to expect with Alex.

I shook my head, “No. Jack and I are not dating. I don’t date, and he knows that. Besides, you’re his best guy friend, don’t you discuss all of the people that you’ve dated and gone to bed with? I’m sure he would have told you if we were dating.”

“So, hypothetically speaking, if you did date, would you date him?” he inquired, raising his eyebrows.

“Nope. And you know why?” Alex shook his head, moving his hand to urge me to continue, “He’s my best friend and I don’t believe in love so there’s no reason for me to date.”

“What is wrong with you?” he stood up and started pacing the room. I couldn’t help but laugh at how riled up he was getting. I never thought I would see Alex get mad over something so miniscule and unrelated to him.

“Nothing,” I shrugged as I fiddled with the necklace that adorned my neck. Of course, it was the one I never took off. It was a gift, and I had taken to wearing it religiously over the past two years. No one knew why, except Jack but then again, he knew basically everything about me.

“I’ve never heard a girl say she doesn’t believe in love,” he mused and looked at me skeptically.

“I suppose you have now,” I shrugged. “I don’t want to spend my time fantasizing about things that only happen in books or movies. Love is an abstract idea, nothing else.”

“You’re hiding something, Adelaide. Now that only gives me more incentive to try and figure you out.” I didn’t even notice that he had stopped pacing and was now standing in front of me, looking at me, eyes meeting. I had never noticed how brown his eyes were, a great contrast from my green eyes that were often bespectacled.

“I doubt you’d be interested in what goes on my life, Alex. It’s not like you’ve ever made any effort to get to know me when you knew Jack and I had been friends for ages.”

“You didn’t either! You made friends with Rian and Zack but you’ve completely avoided me! Jack may be your best friend, but he’s my best friend too and we owe it to him to at least try to get to know one another,” he offered a reasonable argument this time, but there was no way in hell that I would fall for some kind of con.

“Bullshit. If this were really about Jack, you would have tried to get to know me ages ago. The only reason you’re trying to get to know me is so that you can figure out whatever the hell’s wrong with me,” I replied through gritted teeth. “I know your game, Gaskarth. You make people believe they’re close to you but once they open up to you, you break them like a vase at an Italian wedding. I respect you, Alex. Your talents are amazing and I’m flattered with what you did with my writings but your personal skills need work. There’s no way in hell that you’re going to get to know me. I’m not going to get screwed over by you, emotionally or literally.”

I shook my head at him before walking out of his room, and bounding down stairs to the garage. Jack perked up as soon as he saw me but his expression turned to a confused one when I began walking towards the garage door.

“Thanks for the songs guys, I loved them, but I can’t stand being here another minute. Your best friend’s being an utter asshole,” I grumbled before walking towards the driveway, Jack following close behind.