Time Bomb

It was a little after six am in Baltimore, Maryland when I had finished showering and getting dressed. My skin tight skinny jeans with my black camisole along with my red and white striped cardigan kept me extra warm in my apartment, even with the heater on it still felt extra inside, considering it was still a bit snowy outside. I put on my reading glasses, which were thick black framed nerd glasses, and slipped in my silver zebra print plugs into my ears before checking my phone. I sighed, nothing yet.

My brother and Alex were coming home from tour soon, but I wasn't sure when they would be in town. I sat down in my computer chair, and spun around a little, trying to entertain myself. Nothing fun happened around six am, unless you counted me writing something entertaining for my characters in my next book, but that was a different form of entertainment.

I set my iPhone on my desk, and opened my macbook pro and plugged in my purple Beats headphones, then began to play some music as I opened up the last chapter I had worked on for my book. It didn't have a title just yet, I usually named my books after they were finished, unless it was going to be in a series. Then they all had names before I began writing. I was a bit of a weird author, I was eccentric and did things differently than other authors, but then again every author was a little different.

I began typing away on my computer, getting ready to finish the last paragraph of this chapter, getting into the high amount of conflict in this tiny, little paragraph when I felt my phone vibrating on my desk. I groaned, and pressed save to avoid losing any work, and checked my phone It was a phone call from Jack! I took out my headphones and quickly answered, wanting to hear my big brothers voice.

“Jack-Jack!” I squealed, then smiled when I heard him laugh.
“Sophie! I knew you would be up right now, writing another best seller?” He asked.
“Of course, you know me too well. How close are you to coming home?” I asked, anticipating his answer.
“We just got into town. I was wondering if you could pick me up? And possibly give Alex a ride home.” I smiled wide.
“Of course! But how about we go get breakfast first? I'm starving, and I'm sure you guys would love some food right now.” I heard Jack talking in a low voice to someone else, I assumed it was Alex because when he agreed it was a good idea.

“Okay, I'll be there soon!” We said goodbye and hung up the phone, then I rushed back to my room, and put on a pair of silver ballet flats and grabbed my iPhone, car keys and rushed outside. When I got to my car, I put my hair up in a bun, and started the engine, driving way past the speed limit to pick up my brother. Thankfully, I didn't get stopped. I didn't know why I was so excited, I mean yeah. I hadn't seen my brother in over a year, but I think it was the fact Alex was there to add to the excitement. Alex was one of my best friends, we were almost as close as Jack and I were.

Once I got to where they had been dropped off, I honked the horn and smiled wide when I saw my big brother and Alex waiting for me. They smiled as well, and I popped open the trunk so they could put in all their bags. Once I heard it shut, I unlocked the doors and let them get inside. They first fought over who would get shot gun, playing about three rounds of rock, paper, scissors. Alex won of course, and ended up sitting next to me, with Jack pouting in the back seat.

“Hey guys, so. How was tour?” I asked as I began driving off, then they began to tell me all about tour, all the drama, the pranks and the fun they had. I laughed and joked around with them before going towards a iHop.

“How's iHop for you guys?” I asked, when they began to protest I was already in the parking lot, and turned off the car.

“Too bad.” I smiled innocently, and got out of the car and waited for them to get out as well. Once they were on the side walk, I locked the car and set the alarm before walking behind them to the doors. Jack was ready to open the door, but Alex intervened and smiled at me.

“Ladies first,” Jack muttered something about me being nowhere near a lady, earning him a back slap from me before I entered the warm restaurant. We went inside, asked for a booth and waited for the hostess to find us a place to sit. She finally came back, and led us towards a booth in the back, providing some privacy for us.

I was expecting to have one side of the booth by myself, but Alex decided to slide in next to me, and began looking at his menu. Jack gave me a confused look, considering Alex always sat with Jack when we went somewhere. I shrugged and began looking at my menu. We all ordered hot chocolate for drinks, then they ordered their usual breakfast and I got chocolate chip pancakes.

We handed over our menus, then we began talking about random things, like life before the fame and life after fame. It was quite different, we never expected to be as successful as we were today. I sighed, and sat back, then Alex put an arm around the top of the booth, nearly touching my shoulders.

“So, how's the new book coming along?” Alex asked, looking down at me. I smiled, and shrugged.

“It's okay, I'm almost finished with it.” I told him, sipping on my hot chocolate.

“Really? Didn't you just start on it last month?” He asked, I simply giggled and nodded.

“Yeah, I did. I just have no life and write all day every day.” He nodded, and looked at Jack.

“Do you want to tell her?” I looked at them both, confusion in my eyes.

“Tell me what?”

“We're going to start writing for a new album.” Alex told me, and I grew wide eyed.

“Really? Already?” He nodded, and I was ready to express my excitement, but our food came and distracted me. We ate mainly in silence, only speaking when telling each other how good our food is. After we finished everything, we went to the front desk to pay. I got out my card but Alex stopped me.

“No, I'll pay for your food Sophie.” I shook my head.

“No thanks, I can pay for my food.” He shook his head.

“No, let me.” I sighed, and let him pay for my food. I didn't really have a choice in the matter, when he wanted to do something he was going to do it.

After we finished paying, we went back to my car and got in, then I began to drive towards Jack's house. Once he was got all his bags out of the trunk, I told him I'd call him later and I would see him at the party, then I began driving towards Alex's house.
“Why don't you stay for a while?” He asked when he got all his bags out. I shook my head in protest.

“No thanks, I'm good.” He frowned.

“Why not? We can watch a movie or something, like old times.” I sighed.

“Unfortunately, I have a deadline to meet for my book.” He gave me a certain look.

“Is it this tomorrow?” I shook my head.

“Is it this week?” I shook my head.

“Is it next week?” I sighed.

“No, it's in July.” He simply smiled.

“See? No need to rush yourself, you can come and watch a movie with your old friend.” I sighed, and turned off the car.

“Fine, but just one movie, okay?” He nodded and I got out of the car, and offered to help him with his bags, but he denied my offer, even though I practically begged.

Once we were inside, he told me to get comfortable while he went to go put his bags upstairs. I plopped down on the couch, and looked around. His house looked the same as the time he first moved in, barely decorated and untouched. Something that was normal when you barely lived in the house to begin with.
I heard Alex coming down the stairs, and smiled.

“When are you going to unpack?” I asked him, and he shrugged.

“Whenever I get the time, but for now it's movie time.” I rolled my eyes and he turned on the TV, and the DVD player. He went to his entertainment center, and made suggestions for movies, each one I denied.
“How about the Hangover?” I smiled and nodded.

“Perfect.” He sighed in relief and found the DVD, and put it in the DVD player and pressed play. He looked at me for a moment, then smiled.

“Want some popcorn?” I shrugged.

“Sure, why not?” He smiled and went into the kitchen and made us some movie theater popcorn, then came back and placed the bowl in his lap. We watched the movie, laughing harder than ever even though we've both seen the movie about fifteen times each. Yet somehow it was just as funny as watching it for the first time.

About half way through the movie, I felt Alex's arm wrap around me, causing me to shift uncomfortably. He looked at me for a moment, and frowned.

“What's wrong?” I shook my head.

“Nothing.” He sighed, and paused the movie.

“You know, you can tell me anything.” I rolled my eyes.

“It's seriously nothing, you've just been going over my touching limit, that's all.” He nodded then removed his arm from the back of the couch, therefore preventing himself from touching me.

“Sorry,” I shook my head.

“It's fine.” He nodded, and pressed play, then kept some space between us for the rest of the movie. Lately, Alex had been acting closer to me than he usually did, as if he had feelings for me. I didn't think anything of it though, considering he couldn't see me as anything more as a little sister figure. He's known me since I was in diapers, so it was a bit weird to have any other feelings for me.

After the movie ended, we told each other goodbye and I left to go to my apartment, and finish writing. Once I got back to my apartment, I didn't really feel like writing anymore. I felt different, it was almost like an empty feeling. I seldom felt like that, considering I was a fairly happy person. But something about leaving Alex alone for the rest of the day, it brought me pain.

I shrugged it off, and decided it was time for a nap. I went up to my room, took off my jeans and my cardigan, leaving me in my cami and my underwear, then crawled under the covers and fell asleep. But, I was rudely awaken around one pm, someone was trying to call me. I groaned, and grabbed my phone, pressed “answer” and held the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I asked groggily. Turns out it was my mother, telling me she was making dinner for Jack and the rest of the band tonight, and I was invited to come along. I told her I'd be there, then sat up and yawned. I looked around my room, and plopped back down on my mattress, my head hitting the soft feather filled pillows.

“Why can't I stay asleep forever?” I asked, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I peeled the covers off my body, then swung my legs over the bed, slowly letting my feet touch the hard wood floors before going to my bathroom. I took a look in the mirror, and noticed how my hair was a mess, and how I looked like a zombie. I groaned, and decided to get ready.

I turned on my hair straightener so it could heat up, then I made my way back into my room, and over to my closet to pick out my clothes. After looking through the closet for a good fifteen minutes, I picked a pair of ripped up skinny jeans, a scoop neck tee shirt that had navy stripes, and a red belt to go over it. Once I was dressed, I slipped on my black vans then went back into the bathroom to straighten my hair. After it was perfectly straight, and I tended to my face for the burns I had received, I began on my make up, brown eyeliner and a peachy colored lip gloss.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled, then ran a brush through my hair. I was ready to go, now I just had to wait another three hours. I went downstairs, and sat on the couch, then turned on the TV, and much to my surprise the Hangover was playing. So what else was I supposed to do? I watched it all over again.