I'm Just Going to Act Like I Know What This Is

Andrea walked carefully and slowly on crutches through her house as she grabbed bits and pieces that she would need during her stay at the hospital. She had clothes packed, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste and other personal care stuff. She was now just gathering up her favourite book and puzzle books, if she could find when Alex had placed them.

About a week before Alex had left on tour he and Jack came over to her house; not that they didn’t pretty much lived there anyway and went on a cleaning spree. Apparently they wanted to do something for her as she cooked them and the rest of the band a bunch of cakes they had asked for the day before.

Being her she couldn’t refuse Alex and let him and Jack clean and tidy the house around her. But she had to admit it was one of the most funniest this she had seen in a while; mainly when Alex and Jack got into a playful fight with cleaning bottles and the vacuum cleaner. And the best thing about that was she got it all on tape and showed Zack and Rian which caused Rian to almost choke on the food he was eating at the time from laughing.

Andrea laughed to herself remembering that and sighed after a moment looking around the quiet house. She had always found herself missing the noise from the guys when they were away, but this time she missed it the most.

She sighed again and moved towards the bookshelf that was placed against the living room wall. She stopped in front of it placing one of her crutches against the couch and leant her weight on the other one as her eyes scanned the book titles. Those books had to be in the house somewhere, right?

Bringing her hand up to skim her fingers over the benders of the books she had to do a double take on the second shelf. Right there in the middle was her favourite book leaning against a small silver box with random black writing all over it. She smiled and pulled out her book and as she did her puzzle books feel out with it, she managed to catch them before they fell to the ground. Her eye then moved back to the box.

“So that’s where you went too.” She whispered to herself smiling.

She placed the books under her arm and pulled out the box gently not wanting books all over the ground. Andrea shuffled the two steps to the couch and sat down wincing. She ignored the usual pain and let her crutch sit with the other one on the side of the couch.

Andrea placed the book beside her on the couch and pulled off the lid of the box. It had been so long since she looked in it last; almost to the point that she had forgotten she had it. She picked up the thick bunch of photos and gasped.

There were new ones on top of the pile, ones she hadn’t seen of before.
But Andrea could recognize where and when they were taken though; they were from a whole random bunches of times and trips with the band and her family. She didn’t even know half of these photos were taken.

The first one was of her and Alex hugging each other on the beach...Right before Jack threw a sand ball at them. She could actually see Jack in the background making it with a goofy smile on his face and Zack standing by him looking almost disappointed with Jack’s plan. Andrea chuckled and ran her finger over the shiny paper before turning it over.

There was writing on the back written in black pen.

‘Photos keep memories alive, so here are more photos for you.
I hope you like them; I know I love this one!
Alex :D’

Andrea smiled at Alex’s handwriting. For a moment it almost brought tears to her eyes but she pushed them back and slipped that photo into her book to take with her to the hospital. She sat silently and smiled softly looking at all the other photos Alex had left her.

*~*~*

Alex lay across the couch with his arm hanging off the side and his legs over Jack’s lap using him as a foot rest. Alex was bored; very bored as the bus moved down the road. He just stared blankly out the window at the trees and buildings that went past letting his mind wonder.

He knew that today was the day Andrea was going to hospital for her operations tomorrow. He wanted so bad to be there, but he knew he couldn’t. He had called twice that morning knowing he couldn’t talk to her for the next couple of days as she had and got over the main part of the ops. He hated the fact he couldn’t talk to her then, but Kassie; her sister said she would keep him updated.
He was grateful to Kassie for that.

Suddenly Jack started snickering at something. Alex tore his eyes away from the window and lifted his head to look at Jack. He noticed that in Jack’s hands was his phone, Alex rolled his eyes and let his head fall back down. Jack looking through his phone was nothing new.

“What you laughing at?” Alex asked.

Jack looked away from the phone and to the guy lying boredly across the couch.

“You’re photos on here. Can’t believe you still have that one of Zack when we buried him in the sand on here.” Jack snickered remembering how his plan worked so well.

Alex smiled but didn’t say anything. Jack looked at him raising an eyebrow when Alex said nothing. He then poked Alex in the knee a couple of times.

“You ok? You’re really quiet.” Jack asked unsure.
“Yeah I’m fine.” Alex said lifting his head up to look at Jack. “Just thinking a lot that’s all.”

Jack nods his head and looked down at the phone in his hands. He said nothing more on that, he didn’t want to push Alex. Jack knew even before they had left Alex was slightly stressed about everything. He wouldn’t blame Alex for feeling that way and was going to try his best to help Alex. They were best friends after all.

Jack laid one of his hands over Alex’s leg in comfort and pressed the button on the phone to view the photo; which so happened to be a photo of Alex giving Andrea a piggy back ride around the back yard of her house. Jack smiled remembering the BBQ they had that day with his “family”.

Alex sighed lightly and pulled his beanie over his head closing his eyes and letting himself fall asleep.

*~*~*

The hospital room stood empty and bland around Andrea. It reminded her how much she hated being at the hospital. And at the hospital alone.

Kassie had been there but only long enough to take Andrea there before she had to back to work. Andrea sighed and rested back on her bed chewing on her lip. Her eyes wondered over the room and stopped the book that sat on her bedside table. She blinked and reached for it.

She opened the book and picked up the photo she had placed in there that morning.
She smiled running her fingers over the glossy paper.

“Miss you.”