Lost In Stereo

Sunday, usually a day of rest. Oh, not in the Black family! Here I was in the back garden, clearing out all the broken branches from the old tree down the bottom of the lawn and picking up all the old leaves before I mowed the lawn. I didn't argue with my mother for making me do this, after all she did let me live here for free, even though it wasn't really my choice. My father had died two years ago, he lost his long time battle with lung cancer and my mother couldn't cope, neither could Daniel, so I had to stay at home and look after mum; she'd gotten really depressed.

''Oh for fuck's sake!'' I complained rather loudly to no one in particular as I dropped the heavy bag that was previously in my arms, causing it to splatter like a bug on the concrete path as I was carrying it around to the bins at the front of the house.

I bent down to pick up the garden debris as I suddenly heard a laugh and approaching foot steps. ''Looks like you could use some help,'' said someone with an American accent. I looked up to see a tall, dark haired, muscled boy running towards me, probably about the same age as me. He gestured to the ripped dark green bag that had ripped from the impact of the fall.

''Does it? Really?'' I replied in annoyance, sarcasm soaking my tone as I began to survey the rubbish, suddenly not so keen to pick it all up a second time.

''Yeah, it does.'' The guy said, crouching down to my level so he could help get the rubbish from the floor and into a new bag. ''I'm Alex.''

''As in Alex Gaskarth from next door?''

''Yu-hu. The very same,'' he grinned appealingly as he transferred the rest of the broken branches and brown leaved into a new bag before tying it up. I went to pick it up, but Alex threw out his arm to stop me. ''I got it.'' He told me, flashing me another smile.

He lifted the bag without any difficulty and half-jogged around to the bins at the front of my house.

''Thanks,'' I told him, wiping my hands on my dirty jeans. ''I'm Rox-''

'' Roxanne Black, I know, my mom asked me to come around here and help you so here I am.''

I smiled, trust Mrs. G to always be the helpful neighbor, ''that was nice of her,'' I smiled. ''And of course, nice of you too.''

''Nah, it's no trouble. I was also kinda hoping that when we're done that you can show me around this place, I havn't been here since I was a little boy and I can tell I'll be reallllly bored.''

''Yeah no problem. If you help me out tomorrow, we can leave this for now and I can show you where the nearest Starbucks is.''

Alex smiled once more, ''yeah I'll help, let's go.''

Nodding, I walked beside him until we got to the front of the house, ''can you wait a minute, I think I should probably change. And I want my glasses, these contacts are killing the hell outta me.''

Alex nodded and followed me into the house, ''You can wait in the living room if you like,'' I said, motioning to a door on the left side of the hallway.

He nodded once as I made my way up the stairs, straight to the mirror to remove the contacts and placing my glasses on my face and taking out the hair tie so my hair could hang loosely by my sides. I changed into a long grey t-shirt, light denim shorts, opaque tights and grey pumps before going down stairs to meet Alex.

''You ready?'' I called.

He emerged immediately from the living room and followed me out of the front door. ''So...'' He began.

''Aren't you meant to be in America?'' I asked, looking at his handsome face. ''Only Mrs. G never mentioned that you were coming.''

He nodded, ''yeah she didn't know I was coming, but here I am.''

''And isn't it your dad's birthday?''

He nodded, ''yup. He's getting real old real quick,'' he laughed, swinging his arms wildly as we walked. I adjusted my glasses and smiled with him. ''He's out with friends now, so I guess I'll see him later.''

''You mean you haven't seen him yet?''

Alex shook his head, grinning evily, ''I brought my friends too, so this should be so much fun!'' Something about the mischievous glint in his eye told me that his friends were troublemakers and jokers.

''If your friends have the same accent as you do I'd love to meet them.'' I laughed, shoving him slightly.

Raising an eyebrow he looked at me questioningly, ''you like my accent?''

I nodded, ''It's awesome, I hate my plain, boring Chelsea accent. In fact I hate the English accent all together...''

''Well ma'am, I do believe you have a lovely accent,'' he said in a thick Tennessee accent, bowing slightly, making it all the more hilarious.

''Oh my gosh Alex that was so bad!'' I exclaimed in one breath while I tried to stop myself from laughing, my sides aching from the laughter. By now we were at the end of my street, just getting to the high street, people must have thought we were crazy!

''Go on then, I'd like to see your best American accent!''

''No way!'' I told him, I'd never been good at anything like that, ''I can't!''

He turned the full force of his brown eyes on my as he pulled a cute face, ''please? Please, Rox?''

''Rox?'' Nobody ever called me that, only Roxy, or Roxanne, sometimes Anne...but never Rox.

He nodded, ''it's your new nickname.''

''I'd call you Al, but it doesn't really suit you...Alex is much better.'' He grinned, forgetting completely about his attempt to make me do an accent. ''Here we are,'' I announced as the Starbucks came into view.

Alex didn't need telling twice, he ran ahead and burst into the shop, grinning as he smelled the stench of freshly made coffee. He quickly went to the counter, ''I'll have a plain capuchino, what about you Rox?''

''Uhh...the same,'' I reached into my pocket to get out the loose change. He handed over twenty pounds to the woman behind the counter, ''I can pay for myself.'' I mumbled.

''Yeah, but I'm not letting you pay for yourself. I'm paying,'' Alex flashed a quick smile at me.

''I can argue forever, and I'll win in the end, so why not give up and let me pay now?''

''Because I want to pay.''

''Give me your reasons.''

''One, I have more money because I'm a fucking rock star.'' He grinned, showing me that he was only joking, even if he was speaking the truth. ''Two, I always pay for pretty girls.'' He smiled once more.

''You just made this very awkward...'' I mumbled, ''and flattery won't get you anywhere,'' shoving my glasses up my nose a little more, I turned my head to conceal my blush as Alex collected his change and picked up the cardboard cups that were now waiting on the counter for him to take.

I led him to a table in the corner of the room. ''So give me your story,'' he smiled at me as I took the coffee.

It tasted like heaven, glancing up at Alex again, I grew confused. ''What do you mean?''

''Tell me stuff about yourself,'' Alex shrugged before sipping at his coffee and flicking his hair out to the side and away from his brown eyes. Gosh, he looked so cute when he did that.

''Well...my full name is Roxanne Laura Black, I'm 21, my favorite colour is red, I love coffee but hate tea, my favorite band is probably My Chemical Romance, my father died of cancer two years ago so I still live with my mom,'' I sipped from the coffee, thinking of more things that might not bore him to death. ''I'm half blind in my left eye, I don't believe in love, and I have a phobia of large bodies of water and small spaces. Your turn.'' I grinned as I finished, sipping from my coffee as Alex nodded thoughtfully, trying to digest all of the random information that I'd just thrown at him. ''Come on,'' I encouraged when he didn't answer. ''Your story has to be more interesting than mine!''

''Well, my full name is Alexander William Gaskarth, I'm also 21, my favorite colour is blue, I love coffee and tea, my favorite band is Green Day, I'm in a famous band, my best friends are totally weird, back stage groupies freak me out, I once fell out of a tree and broke my foot and right now there's one of my fans just over there.''

''How do you know?'' I asked. He grinned and pointed behind me to where a girl was wearing a too-big t-shirt saying 'All Time Low' with Alex's face plastered on the front along with three other guys'. ''Well aren't you going to say hi?''

Grinning again, he replied, ''she's already seen me, and I guess she'll come over sooner or later.''

I nodded before sipping at my coffee and as if she had heard, the girl stalked over nervously. ''H-hi Alex,'' she mumbled, twisting her hair between her fingers, obviously flirting.

She was around 19, tall, thin, dark hair, green eyes. Alex seemed to be checking her out as he signed the shirt underneath his face while I sipped my coffee. ''What's your name?'' Alex asked her.

''Abigale.'' She replied breathlessly as she grinned uncontrollably.

''Can I call you Abi?'' Alex asked, smiling seductively.

I scoffed unintentionally, ''really Alex?'' I asked incredulously. ''That's your attempt at flirting?''

The girl ignored me, ''I really love All Time Low, where's Jack, Rian and Zack?''

''At my parents' house.''

She looked behind herself, grinning. ''Uhh...I should go,'' the girl mumbled as someone called for her.

Alex nodded slightly, ''have a nice day Abi.'' Turning back to me he smiled slightly as the girl walked away. ''Why were you glaring?''

''Glaring? I didn't!''

''You did.''

I rolled my eyes ignoring him while we both continued drinking our coffee, talking and laughing like we'd known each other for years.