When It All Comes Down

I was putting the finishing touches on my makeup when Alex walked into our bedroom. He leaned against the door frame, watching me apply a few strokes of black mascara to my eyelashes. "You don't need makeup, you know. You're prettier without it."

I turned around and smiled at him. "Awwwww." I cooed. "Wait, are you saying I don't look good with makeup on?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"No! You're very pretty with makeup on, it's just I think-" I laughed as he rambled nervously. "I was kidding, babe." He smirked, then charged at me. I squealed as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, running out of the bedroom.

"Alex! I have to go in a minute! Put me down!!" I laughed as he set me down on the couch and started tickling me. "NO! Alex stop it!!!" I screamed and laughed as he tickled my sides. "Stop it!" I swatted at his hands until he finally stopped his tickle attack on me.

"Wow, your hair looks great now." He chuckled. My eyes widened and I bolted back into the bedroom to fix my hair. "Dammit Alex! It looks like sex hair!" I whined as I started brushing it again. "You know, we could make it real sex hair before you leave." I glared at him in the mirror and he winked. "No Alex. No." He pouted and I rolled my eyes. "I gotta leave now." I grabbed my purse and walked up to him. I went to kiss his lips but he turned his head, making me kiss his chin instead.

"Hey! I wanna kiss!" I grabbed his face and kissed him hard on the lips. I smiled when he kissed back just as hard. "You're sure we can't..." He mumbled against my lips.

"I have to leave, Alex." I laughed as he grabbed my hips tighter, as if to keep me in place. "Baby, I really need to go. I was supposed to be there by now." He rolled his eyes and let go of me, reluctantly. "Fine. I'll see you in a little bit." He pecked the tip of my nose, making me smile. I kissed him and pulled away. "Call Jack. He'll probably wanna hang out with you." I told him this right when I saw him open his mouth to say something.

"What if he tries to rape me?" I shrugged and walked out. "Won't be the first time, certainly not the last! Love you!" I smiled to myself as I walked out of our house and to my car. Just as I got in and was ready to start it, my phone rang.

"Hello?" I groaned, trying to put my seat belt on while putting the keys in the ignition and holding a phone all at the same time.

"YOU'RE TWO MINUTES LATE!" Nasty sobbed over-dramatically.

"I'm starting the car right now, sheesh! I'll be there in a minute!" I hung up before he could say anything else. I slipped my engagement ring off my finger and put it in the glove compartment for now, so that way there would be no questions.

I drove to Nasty and his girlfriend/my sister Sammy's house, which is where Ronnie's welcome home party is being held. As soon as I got out of my car, the front door opened and bolting out came Scarlett, Nasty and Sammy's adorable daughter, and also my niece. "AUNT VIKKI!" She screeched.

"SCARLY!" I squealed, kneeling down so she could run into my arms. I picked her up and smothered her with kisses, making her giggle. "How've you been, sweet cheeks?!" I exclaimed.

"Good!" She squealed, hugging me around my neck. I laughed and walked in carrying her. "VIKKI!"

"SAMMY!"

"VIKKI!"

"NASTY!"

"JACKY!" The three of us looked at Jacky oddly. "I felt left out..." I laughed at Jacky and gave him a one armed hug, doing the same to Derek, Nasty, Oskar, and Sammy. "So where's the jailbird?" I asked as I handed Sammy her daughter.

"Ex-jailbird to you, missy." I turned around and came face to face with Ronnie.

"You haven't changed at all. Looks-wise, anyways." I smiled as I took in his appearance that he's had for years now; long black hair, dark skinny jeans, band t-shirt, and a nose ring.

"Neither have you." He laughed. He held his arms open for a hug. I hesitated, but walked into him and hugged him after a few seconds. "I've missed you." He whispered into my ear.

"Missed you too." I whispered back. I wasn't sure if I really meant what I said, though.

"Alright, so since the final guest has showed up.....LET'S PARTY!!! Responsibly, though. Ronnie did just get out of jail and all..." I giggled at Nasty. "How lameeee. I wanted to get wasted." I joked.

"Me too. But we can't. Now, once again...LET'S PARTY!" We all cheered and let the party begin.

*****

***3 hours later***

The party was still going strong. Music was still playing, everybody was talking to each other and Ronnie, stupid jokes were being told, and girl-talk was had between Me, Sammy, and Regan, Ronnie's little sister and my best friend.

"So how're you and Alex doing?" Sammy asked. She slapped her hand over her mouth right after she did it, as Regan looked at her oddly and I just stared at her.

Regan didn't know about Alex. Yes, some how, some way I've managed to keep him a secret from her. Why, you ask? Because once Regan finds out something, she runs and tells everyone. And even when you tell her it's a secret, it accidentally slips out.

"Alex? Who's Alex?" Regan looked at me, curiosity and interest sparkling in her eyes.

"Er...my new goldfish! His name's Alex." I lied terribly. She saw right through it, furrowing her brows at me and crossing her arms. I sighed and got up, grabbing her hand. "Come with me." I lead her outside, where it was quiet and just us. "Alex was my boyfriend for the past 3 years...but as of two months ago, he's my fiance." Her eyes widened. "YOU HAVE A F-"

"SSH!" I put my hand over her mouth. She slapped it away. "You've kept your fucking fiance a secret from me for 3 years?!" She whisper-yelled.

"Only because if I told you, you'd run and tell Ronnie and everyone else!" I whisper-yelled back. "I can't fucking have Ronnie knowing about this, Regan. I know he still loves me, and...he just got out of jail, and the last thing I want is for him to be all sad and mopey tonight because he found out. So don't you DARE tell him, or his dad, or anybody." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"How could you do this?" She put her hands on her hips. "You love Ronnie! Ronnie loves you! You two were meant for each-other!"

"Ronnie hurt me, Regan. After we broke up, I was so depressed. I was a walking train wreck. 6 months later, Alex swooped in and saved me. I don't love your brother anymore, Regan...my heart belongs to Alex now." She scoffed and glared at me.

"How could you just replace him like that? That quick? You're already engaged to this Alex guy?!" My eyes bugged out. "REGAN WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR OVER 3 YEARS NOW! WHAT, WAS I SUPPOSED TO NEVER GET ENGAGED TO ANYONE EVER AGAIN AFTER RONNIE?!" I yelled in her face. She was my best friend, yes, I loved her, yes; but she's being ridiculous.

"No, but.....he loves you! He wants you back!" I looked at her.

"How do you know?" She laughed slightly.

"He's told me every single time I went and visited him. Yeah, while I visited him. Unlike you."

"Alright, you know what? Now you're just fucking pissing me off. Listen, I don't fucking want your big brother anymore. He hurt me so badly with his drug addiction, he hasn't ever fucking told you about the screaming matches we would get into almost every day towards the end of our relationship. You weren't there, you weren't in my shoes, Regan. Alex is someone who's good for me. He treats me the way I should be treated." She stared at me the entire time I talked, the anger in her eyes building and building.

"Ronnie treated you the way you should be treated. Ronnie was good for you!" I shook my head. "No, he was destroying himself Regan, therefore it destroyed me!" She was about to talk, but I stopped her. "See this is the exact reason I kept him a secret from you. I knew this would happen."

"But why would you do this? Keep him from me for 3 years! You could've told me earlier." I shook my head and chuckled. "No, you're a tattle tail, Regan. I couldn't have." She rolled her eyes, ignoring my statement. "What's this guy's last name?"

"Gaskarth." Her eyes slowly widened again. "Alex...Gaskarth? You're with Alex Gaskarth? YOU'RE ENGAGED TO-"

"Yes I'm engaged to Alex Gaskarth, now quit yelling!" I covered her mouth again.

"Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low, THAT'S who-"

"What're you two doing?" I turned around and saw Ronnie walking towards us, laughing slightly.

"Oh, I was...um...showing her...my car! Cause she wanted to see it." Regan nodded and Ronnie looked at both of us suspiciously, but nodded his head anyways. "We were just getting ready to come back in." I smiled.

"Okay." He shrugged and walked back to the house. We trailed behind him slowly. "Remember, don't tell a soul." I warned Regan.

"Who already knows?" She whispered.

"Nasty Sammy Jacky Oskar Derek." She nodded and we walked back into the house. "Well, I think I'm gonna head back to my place." Ronnie smiled. "Already? It's only 10pm." He laughed.

"I've been here for 3 hours. I think that's enough." I joked.

"Can I at least talk to you before you leave?" I nodded and smiled. I gave everyone hugs goodbye before I walked back out to my car with Ronnie. "So how've you been?" He asked.

"Pretty good...I'm happy." I smiled at him.

"Gotta boyfriend?" I laughed and smirked, shrugging my shoulders slightly. "Maybe, maybe not." He smirked back. "Well can I take you out for dinner tomorrow? We can just hang out, catch up on everything, just chill.........maybe have sex..."

"WHAT?" He started laughing hysterically and I punched him in the arm. "Not funny!"

"Okay, I'm sorry....so can I take you out tomorrow night?" I sigh and nod my head. "Yeah, okay. Sure." He grinned and squished me in a hug and I hugged him back.

"I really have missed you." He mumbled into my hair.

"I've missed you too." I murmured. I think this time I actually meant it.

"I'll let you go home now, since it's just soooo late." I scoffed and he laughed slightly. "See you tomorrow." I nodded and gave him one last hug before getting into my car and driving home. I put my engagement ring back on and smiled when I saw Jack's car in our driveway. When I walked inside, I saw Alex and Jack all curled up on the couch, snoring, as paid programming sounded from the television.

Yeah. Those were my boys.