Totally Not Average

The days kept winding down until it was almost a week until my Mom’s deaths’ anniversary. I was getting more and more nervous, but with every passing day, I tried to push the thoughts away. I didn’t want to have to deal with this now, not when everything was going so well.

I shook the thoughts about my Mom away and walked down the stairs to the living room.
Alex was waiting outside for me because Dad was away for a business trip; three weeks. I was pretty damn happy that I didn’t have to deal with his lectures for three weeks, but the house felt empty without him.

I opened the front door and closed it behind me. After I locked it, I walked down the path to the black car idling on the curb. I got into Alex’s car and put on my seatbelt.

“What are you doing this weekend?” Alex asked as he put the car into drive.

“No ‘hey Mandy, nice job being on time!’?” I asked jokingly.

He smirked at me and rolled his eyes, “There’s going to be a party at Jack’s house where the band is going to be playing. Do you want to come?”

I pursed my lips in thought, “Do I want to go to a party where loud music will be played while kids have sex with their clothes on, on the dance-floor while they’re drunk and high?” I grinned, “Hell yes!”

Alex laughed, “That’s my girl.”

I smiled at him and leaned against the leather seats, letting it comfort me. Things were going good; I didn’t need to screw them up, not now.

---

“I’m writing this new song,” Alex told me during lunch, “But I need some help…”

I raised an eyebrow, “Is the rock-star having some problems?” I laughed at the look on his face.

“Can you just listen to what I have so far?” He asked, looking at me with those eyes of his.

“Well, what choice do I have when you look at me like that?” I shot back, lost in his eyes.

He winked at me, “Thanks Mandy,” He got up and looked at me expectantly, “Come on, let’s go to the music room.”

I nodded and followed him as we navigated through the halls until we got to the music room. There was an acoustic guitar in there, and Alex picked it up, balancing it with a knee that was propped up on a chair.

“I'm sitting here wishing for something that's missing

I'm waiting for you to tell me
that time keeps on passing
I'm hoping, I'm asking
to stand by your side
at least for tonight

let's follow through with this reckless dream
that's tearing me up inside
and all the time we've been so innocent” Alex sang, strumming the guitar with an expert precision. I watched him with big eyes, wondering how he could be so good and I never would have known.

“That’s all I have so far,” He looked up at me, “What do you think?”

“I think you’re much better than you give yourself credit for.” I chuckled.

“Really now?” He asked, putting the guitar down and advancing towards me.

I nodded, “Yeah, I think, that as soon as you become famous, you’re going to forget about me, because you’ll be too damn famous with a bunch of hot—whorish—girls around you.” I joked.

“I don’t think that’ll ever happen.” Alex was so close to me now, so I took a step back to avoid getting lost in his eyes.

“How are you so sure?” I whispered, my voice was serious now, and I realized that I thought this was true.

As soon as Alex was famous, I would be old news—nothing special.

“Because I’ll never let you go.” He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight.

“People change,” I mumbled against his shoulder.

“I promise, Mandy, I swear to you.” He put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me a bit away so he could look seriously into my eyes, “I’ll never let you go.”

My eyes welled up with tears as he hugged me tight. One sentence ran through my head, one that I never got to finish.

People change, promises are broken.