Our Time Has Come, and We've Got These Big City Dreams

Life; unexpected.

I can say, with the upmost sincerity, that I was not expecting Alex to be the Alex.

In the midst of screaming, yelling, talking, jabbering, I sat in shocked silence. I was reduced, quite simply, to nothing. I felt so many emotions at once that I felt blank.

I finally stood up, pushing my chair back. I felt a few girls push their way forward to fill the now empty space the chair had left. Just to be those few inches closer to Alex Gaskarth. Just so they could tell their jealous friends, “I was a table away,” and boast and boast and boast.

It made me sick to my stomach. I had thought, that for once, I had met a guy, a playboy nonetheless, who showed potential to be a regular, nice guy.

That was out the window. Flung out the window, flew through the air, sailed above the edge of a cliff, and crashed into the water below.

I turned on my heel, disgusted with myself, with Alex, with the girls, with the whole damn complication. Some complications are too complicated.

“Tara!” I heard. I didn’t turn around. I kept walking. I curtly nodded to one of the workers on my way out, my name still on his lips, being repeated, repeated.

To no avail.

I pushed open the door and stepped outside. I walked a couple of steps before realizing that I was getting wet. I looked up, and saw what I had expected, that it was raining.

I took a couple more steps before realizing, damn, I had left my hoodie in the café. Where Alex and the screaming fans were.

There was no way in hell I was going back in there.

I kept walking confidently. I heard the door to the café open, and I began to run, the sound of my Converses hitting the ground reassuring me. I felt free, I was free; I would be okay. I felt euphoric.

Until I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk. Two strong arms wrapped around my waist as I twisted sideways, prepared to fall. I heard heavy breathing, and looked behind me to see Alex.

“I,” he panted, “am so, so, so, so, so, so, sorry!”

I pushed him off. His handed me something. My hoodie. I grabbed it from him.

“Look,” he said quietly. “I didn’t know that was going to happen. You have to believe me.”

I sniffed. “I have to?”

“No, you don’t have to,” he amended. “But I would really, really like it if you did.” He smiled.

I sighed, not knowing what to say.

“Alright. Just… come with me. To the hotel room. Please? No, I didn’t mean it like that,” he said hurriedly, seeing the look on my face. “You’re wet. And cold. You could get sick.”

“Nu-uh,” I protested, and then, of course, sneezed. Then sneezed again.

He peered at me, smirking.

“Alright,” I sighed. “You’re right.”

“Okay then,” he grabbed my elbow and steered me back towards the hotel. “Let’s go before the fan girls find me.”

“Aw,” I giggled. “That’s no fun.”

“Shut up.”