You're Grinning Like A Fool

You have one new message, received today at 10:15 am. - Hey Peyton, its Alex. Do you want to hang out later? Unless you're ignoring me...since you haven't answered your phone in two weeks. Did I do something? Yeah, so...bye,"

"C'mon Pey, you've made him suffer enough." Jay said from my right as he listened to the message again. I looked at him desperately. "Do you like him?" He asked raising an eyebrow at me.

"I don't know, Jay. I don't know him."

"Get to know him then. Don't be so stubborn." I glared at him before shaking my head. "Why not? Whats stopping you? Are you scared?" he hissed looking around the coffee shop making sure no one was listening. He looked back at me before sighing. "Why are you scared, Peyton? Maybe this Alex dude is an alright person." He grabbed one of my hands and kissed it. "Just go home, think about it, than call him, love." I smiled at him before getting out of my seat, walking over to him and gave him a huge.

"I really do love you hon." I whispered kissing his cheek before leaving the old coffee shop.

On my way home, I started to think. Why was I afraid? Was it because I'm only seventeen? Maybe it was the fact that he was six/seven years older than me? or maybe it was his ex, I bet she was really pretty, were as I'm just a normal fake red haired girl, and this Lisa girl sounded really pretty on his voice machine. Or maybe it was the fact that hes in a band? That could easily be it. I don't want to fall for someone who has to leave every month to go on tour or to go somewhere to record a song or something. But would I fall for Alex? or maybe I already have?No that's impossible.

"I barely know him."I whispered out loud.

"Barely know who?" I heard a girls voice beside me. I looked up to see my mom in front of me.I looked at my surroundings and realized I was home.

"No one." I said pushing past her to notice that there was only one car in the drive way. "Wheres dad?" I asked looking behind me to see shes following me.

She hesitated for a moment until she answered, "A business meeting."

"But he told me he has one tomorrow, not today." I stated confused.

"Change of plan, god, Peyton!" She hissed before pushing past me, "dinners in the microwave."

~*~

That night I lay in bed thinking about what Jay had said. I should call him, I really should. Even if he didn't like me that way, we could still be friends, right? Right. I smiled before looking for my phone. Then remembered I left it down stairs while I was eatting my dinner.

I skipped out of my room, to hear yelling come from my parents room. My eyebrows pulled together, I tip toed over to the side of the door that was opened an inch. I peered inside of it to see my dad, looked really angry.

"I want a fucking divorce! If you are going to talk about my kid like that, then I don't know how I fell in love with you." He growled glaring daggers at my mother.

"You're letting that little bitch get between us?" She questioned. A little bitch? A little bitch? I asked over and over again.

"That little bitch is you're daughter, Mae! This is why I want a fucking divorce. You don't care about anything or anyone other than yourself. My parents where right when I asked you to marry me twenty years ago. I was too fucking young and was making a big mistake. I should of never had Peyton with you." He hissed crossing to the other side of the room so I couldn't see him.

"I told you to put her up for--"But I didn't stay to her the rest of her sentence. I ran back to my room, grabbing a small bag and throwing the normal shit in it. I walked down the stairs grabbing my phone on the table before running out of the house.

~*~

I knocked on the door for the third time. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to runaway at twelve am. I knocked again before seeing a light turn on in the hallway. The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Alex.

"What do you wa- oh hey Peyton." He stated looking at me weirdly.

"Alex, I-i am really really sorry to be over here at this time and not even call you. It-its just..." I couldn't even finish the sentence before I burst out in tears.

"Hey,hey. Come here." Alex muttered pulling me into a hug. "Shhh, just cry." he mumbled into my hair and for the first time in a while I felt safe. "Come in."

I felt his arms unwrap from my figure and he walked up the stairs with me following behind him after I closed the door. When I walked into his room he was wrapped in his blankets with a spot next to him. "Come here." He whispered slightly. I smiled setting my bag beside the door before making my way over to him. I crawled into the space, making myself comfortable. I lay down next to him, while facing him, I felt his arm wrap around my waist pulling me in closer to him. "Wanna talk about it?" I nodded my head feeling more tears coming.

"I-I was in my room thinking, than decided to-to go downstairs to get my phone,to cal-call you, when I heard my parents fighting. Long story short, they're getting a divorce and its because of me." I heard myself say with ease. I guess Alex had that effect on me.

"Hey, dint say that-"

"No, Alex, you don't understand. I heard my dad say it, my mom had been calling me a bitch and other words I probably don't want to know about. My own mother, Alex." I complained sitting up so I was looking down at him. "My mom was going to say she should of put me up for adoption, and my dad said he should of never had me with her. Alex, I was unwanted from the start. I still fucking am. They probably don't even know I'm gone, y'know? or they probably do and they're celebrating, hoping I'm dead in a ditch or river or something like that." I said just on the verge of yelling. I noticed I wasn't crying anymore and smiled at Alex,who was shaking his head at me. "What?" I asked confused.

"You are not unwanted. Your parents may or may not want you but there are so many other people that want you." He insisted sitting up on his elbows so our faces were closer.

"Who? Alex, who?"

"Charlotte, that dude, you're other family such as cousins, aunties, uncles,grandparents, other friends at school, your boyfriend-"

"I don't have a boyfriend and that dude is called Jay."

"Really?" He asked slightly confused. I nodded grinning like a fool. "I could of sworn you had one." I noticed the joy in his eyes.

"Nope. Single pringle."

"Seriously,Peyton, single pringle?" He laughed before turning serious again. "I know for a fact Jack likes you, and me, Peyton, I want you......That sounded weird." He said after a few seconds of silence. I laughed slightly before looking him in the eyes.

"Really? You really want me?" I smirked at him when I saw he was uncomfortable.

"Yes, I really want you." He chuckled grabbing my waist pulling me on top of him. "And you want me, you cant hide that fact, Peyton, I can see it in your eyes." I blushed slightly before laughing.

"Obviously Mr Gaskarth. You're just too sexy." I winked at him.

"I know dear, no need to tell me." I laughed loudly before smacking his chest, which I noticed had no clothes covering it. I stared for a minute before looking back up at him, he was grinning like a mad man. I than remembered I was still on top of him. I swung my leg around before laying down beside him. He wrapped him arms around me again, pulling me to his chest. "Good night." he whispered close to my ear.

"Thank you Alex."