Expect Anything Less

When Alex came to visit his family during Christmas time, he came to my house to say hi. My parents let him in cause they adored him, but when he walked up the stairs and opened my door, he found something he never expected.

We were always close and he had never knocked before entering. He's opened that door to find me sleeping, making out with a boyfriend, changing clothes, etc. Usually I would just throw something at him and he'd either close the door or throw something back.

Except when he opened my door at Christmas, it was different.

Last night was a thiller, a killer, a damned good time. I went to this party and there was free booze and joints being passed around, people in closet and bedrooms with strangers. I, of course, had the time of my life.

I drank till I couldn't feel my legs, smoked till the walls turned pink, and the hook-ups. . . Wow, it was amazing. Definitly a great way to spend my Christmas vacation. I don't know how New Years is going to top last night.

I've been laying in bed for about an hour. I took some advil when I woke up and the hangover is just about gone. My hangovers never last long.

I slowly sit up and pull the covers off and look around my room. I think about maybe cleaning it today and decide it'll just become a mess within a day, so I decide to just leave it. There are empty beer bottles sitting everywhere and the remains of a few joints sitting on my bedside table.

My parents never come in here so who cares?

Just as that thought crosses my mind, the door opens and I see Alex leaning against the door way. What's he doing here?

I quickly spring up from my bed and cross the room. I try to get him to not see anything, but he's already looking around and taking in the scene in front of him. Even with my trying to get him out, he easily gets in the room and closes the door behind him.

I stop trying and he just stands there, looking at everything.

Eventually he turns to me and asks, "Are you Carter? This is her room and you kind of look like her, but. . . This is not what everything looked like a few months ago."

I roll my eyes and start to throw everything in the empty trashcan by the door.

Once all the illegal substances are put away, I sit on my bed and look at Alex who is still just standing there. I clear my throat and say, "Everything's fine."

Really, it's not that big a deal. I know he drinks. Maybe he doesn't do drugs, but come on, it's not that big a deal. I'm seventeen, I can make my own choices. I know three years ago, when he was my age, he partied too.

After a few minutes of just looking at me, he comes to sit next to me. "You've changed, Carter."

I shrug my shoulders, "These things happen."

"But what happened to make you change? You don't drink. You've always said that you hate those girls who go out and party all night. You always said that they make girls look stupid."

"Look, Alex, I've just grown. I'm still me, I just have a few different opinions on life."

"But-"

I roll my eyes and do the one thing that I know will make him shut up-I kiss him. And after a second, he kisses me back. I grab the back of his neck and pull him so that he's on top of me and my back is on the bed. We break away for a second so that I can take my shirt off, then we reattach.

Soon neigher of us had clothes on and when he asked me if I was sure, I nodded.

I slide down to sit against the wall outside the motel room. Alex went back inside a few minutes ago after I refused to tell him what he wanted to hear.

A door a few rooms down opens and some dude walks out. I think that was the Every Avenue room. I wonder who this guys is. He has dirty blond hair, tatooes on his right arm, and muscles. Yumm.

He looks over to me and kind of has a confused expression. He walks over to me and sits down. I just look at him until he says, "You aren't some creepy fan, are you?"

I laugh and reply, "No, I'm Jack's sister. I was just tired of being squished between Jack and Alex, so I decided to get some air. You?"

"I'm Dave, the singer for Every Avenue." I nod, pull my knees up to my chest. I wrap my arms around my bare legs and turn my head to look at Dave as he says, "So you're Jack's sister? That must be interesting."

I shrug my shoulders and decide I'm tired again. I stand up, tell Dave I'm gonna go get some more sleep before we have to leave, and then I go back inside. I crawl up the bed and get recomfortable between Jack and Alex and then I fall back into sleep.

I dream of Alex coming to visit during Christmas. Everything feels real; the touching, the kissing, the built-up emotion, everything.

When I wake up, I decide that I'm going to make this a fun tour. I think I'll find a guy to have some fun with and forget about everything that's happened with Alex. I should start to meet some more guys on this tour.

I prop myself up and look over to the other bed when I hear some mumbling.

Oh no! Not you too, Zack! Now the only quiet sleeper in the band is Alex.

I stop my little rant in my head when something Zack mumbles catches my attention, "Mmm. . . Cart- Carter. . . Mmm."

Did I just hear right?