Walls

Alex was sitting on a barstool and a cup of gin and tonic sat in his hand. He had spent a few hours at his house just moping and then decided that he needed to get away.

Alex couldn’t believe that Sydney was still as beautiful as he remembered. Hell, he’d say that she had gotten even more beautiful since he had seen her. She had this sunkissed glow and her green eyes were as beautiful as they had always been.

He sipped more of his alcoholic drink and then felt a person sit beside him. He looked over and then back in front of him.

“Alex, you need to get out of this funk.” She said softly. “I know that it’s not right what happened.”

“I know tha’.” he slurred. “An’ I know you know tha’.”

“Alex-”

“Ma’am, if you’re going to sit at the bar, you have to buy a drink.” The bar tender said. The girl beside Alex sighed and Alex giggled.

“Vodka cranberry.” She said tiredly. A few seconds later the light pink drink was in front of her.

“Alex, you leave in two days. Are you really going to leave things like this?”

“Why not? She did.” He said, looking over, his brown eyes glassy. She sipped her drink and then set it down.

“That’s not the way to go about things.” She said softly. “I know you’re upset.” She sighed, “I know that, Alex. But you both have to grow up at some point.”

“Thanks.” He said bitterly. “You’re loads of help.”

“Fine Alex, be childish. I’m just trying to help.” She said bitterly. She finished her drink and dropped a five on the bar.

As she began to walk out Alex followed her and grabbed her arm. “Wait. Don’t...don’t go.” He mumbled.

She turned and faced him and he sighed, running his hands through his hair his face contorted to that of frustration. “I don’t know what to do.” He said, “I want to trust her again. But...it scares me.”

The girl sighed and nodded, “I know it does. It scares her too.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, “Just talk to her. And don’t run.”

“She doesn’t care if I run.” He said, “She’s fine with me running. Or at least she should be.”

“Alex, grow up.” She said irritated. “I understand, okay. But the fact of the matter is, she cares about you. She thinks that she doesn’t deserve to talk to you because of what she did.”

Alex softened and took a deep breath, “Do you want me to come talk to her now?”

“Not right now, Alex. You’re drunk. I’ll text you an address in the morning.” Alex nodded and then smirked, “Do you wanna take me home?” at the end of his question he raised his eyebrows in mock suggestiveness

She laughed and nodded, “Okay. Come on.” She grabbed him at his elbow and led him outside. She helped him into the passenger side and secured his seat belt. Once she was behind the wheel, Alex looked over at the black haired girl and smiled.

“You always save me. And Sydney. And whoever else needs saving.” She half smiled and nodded.

“That I do.”

“But...” he continued and she looked at him confused, “You never take time to save yourself.”

“Alex,” she said softly, “I don’t need to be saved.”

“Momma.” He said stubbornly, “Everyone needs to be saved every once and a while. Who would save you?”

“Sydney.” She said softly, “Sydney has saved me.” She said turning onto Alex’s parent’s house street.

Alex sighed, “You can’t rely on her all the time.”

“I don’t.”

He was quiet for a few moments, “Just like I can’t rely on you.”

“Alex-” she said, then cut herself off, pulling into his parent’s driveway. “Alex, you can always rely on me. All I was saying is that, if you want to talk to her than do it. Don’t be afraid and run away. Because then things will never get solved.”

“I know.” She nodded and helped him to his bed and then walked away. “Love you momma.”
She laughed lightly, “Love you too, Lexy.”

Alex laid in his bed that night, and sighed. His hands were behind his head, and his thoughts were on the now blonde girl. He closed his eyes, and in his mind, the events of the night in Vegas replayed in his head like a fuzzy movie.

His phone buzzed and he groaned looking at the screen. The number wasn’t one that he recognized, but he saw that it was a California area code.

I’m at your house. Do you want to talk?

He bit his lip and rolled out of bed. He walked out to the porch and saw Sydney sitting on the porch swing. He sat down next to her, still feeling some of the alcohol in his system. “Alex...I’m sorry.”

“I know you are.”

“And I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know that.” he said again, and then ran his hand through his messy hair. “I thought that maybe being rude to you, would help me cope.”

“Has it?” she asked softly.

He chuckled darkly, “No. Not a bit. It’s actually...made things a bit harder.”

She nodded and she sighed, “I never would’ve thought that this is what we would become.”

He nodded, “I agree. I mean...” he sighed, “I was always attracted to you, Syd.” He sighed, “And I never wanted us to end the way we did. I never...” he sighed again, “I never wanted us to end in any way.”

“I’m sorry Alex.” She said weakly, “I’m so fucking sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to just...” she paused, “I never wanted to do what I did, and I sure as hell never wanted us to meet again under the circumstances that we have.”

“You mean at his trial?”

She nodded, “I never even thought that there would be trial.”

“But now that he’s been convicted, and he’s going away...what are you going to do?”

She shrugged, “I guess I’ll go back to Cali.”

“You don’t plan on staying with your dad for a while?”

She shook her head, “No, too many memories in this town.”

He nodded, and he had to admit to himself that he didn’t blame her. He wouldn’t want to either if he were in her shoes. “I understand.” He said softly. He paused, “Maybe when I get back from tour, we can talk again.”

She half smiled, and tucked some hair behind her ear, “I would actually like that a lot, Alex.”

He smiled and nodded, “Cool.” A few beats later, “Are you going to see us off when we leave?” Sydney half smiled and shrugged, “If you want me to.”

He nodded and looked over at her, “I would enjoy that a lot.”

“Then I’ll be there.” She said with a smile. Alex smiled back and nodded. She yawned, “Well I should be off. My dad is going to have a fit if he finds out that I’m gone.” Alex laughed and nodded, “Okay. See ya, Syd.”

She half smiled, “Bye, Galaxy.”