...And Stop Waiting Up

Alex's POV

I watched intently as Jack and Hailey sat on the couch together. Hailey's arms were crossed as usual, Jack's left arm around the back of the couch, weirdly close to each other. I wonder if there's anything going on between them. I really do. Jack's been all "Hailey this!" and "Hailey that!" since last week or so.... Rian, well he's still all quiet but other than that our RiRi is back to his normal self.

"Lexy! Where are you?" Hailey called tipping her head back. She saw me leaning up against the wall and waved. I had just last seen her 15 minutes ago. Strange girl, I tell ya.

"Hailey. I just saw you last, what, 15 minutes ago?" I laughed. She made a face at the statement but didn't say anything, just waved her hand for me to come over to her. "What?" I asked when I was standing behind her.

"I'm not mad at Zack anymore! It's all better!" she squeaked, earning a disapproving glance from Jack, who had Home Alone in. Again. "Don't you look at me like that, Barakat."

"That rhymed!" Rian butt in. A steaming plate of fajitas rested on the counter next to him. He made the best fajitas in Lutherville. Literally. I've tried so many other fajitas but none compare to his.

"Well, as I was saying before Rian rudely interupted me, Zack and I talked it out and we're all good now. He was just confused on why I didn't remember anything from last night. I told him I was shitfaced. I'm a light weight." she said, sounding sad at the end.

What she didn't know was I'd spiked her drink with ecstasy to make her not remember. I'm such a douchebag. "Coolangatta." I mumbled as her attention drifted back to the movie. I can't believe I thought up that plan. What dick would have done that to the girl he's (secretly) madly in love with? Me. I'm that dick. I can't make a move because Jack's already said something about him liking her.

Fucking bro code. Sometimes, I tell ya, sometimes.

I trudged upstairs to my room and grabbed my acoustic. I had been working on some stuff for a while now and, weirdly, hadn't used my guitar yet. The torn and well-used lyric book Hailey got me for my birthday a few years back was filled to the brim (do books have brims?) with scribbles and ideas. It's been a while since we released anything, it's already been a year. I've got nothing.

"How was I supposed to know...." I scribbled it down, "Some thing's tellin' me to leave." I strummed on the guitar a few times and tapped the pencil against my forehead. It sounded right together but something was missing. Ah, fuck.

For the next three or four hours, I worked in my room on lyrics. I didn't leave at all, only getting up to stretch and grab my phone when Mum called. Gah, I need Zack's input. I opened the door to see Zack already standing there, hand raised to knock.

"Uh, I heard playing and mumbled singing. Can I join?" he wiggled the acousic in his hand. I nodded my head and he followed me into the dimly lit room.

He grabbed the book and skimmed the past few lines. After a few minutes of deliberation, he started humming an unknown melody. Then, the melody became an acoustic guitar quietly strumming. I soon got the drift of where he was heading and began singing softly.

"Woah-oh-oh how was I supposed to know? Uh, that you where..." I had lyrical block from then on.

"Oh-oh-over me I think that I should go." Zack finished. Fuck that was great. Woah-oh-oh how was I supposed to know that you were oh-oh-over me. Haha! There's a song begining!

"Dude, that was great! Where'd you get the inspiration from?" I asked, confused. He hadn't had a girlfriend since Madison. I think that was last spring or something.

"Well, when Madison dumped me for that Trevor dude, she said 'I'm over you.' and that sentence came to me in song form. It was weird, considering I hadn't thought about her in a while." he mused. Zack was a good muser. He could be The Thinker!

"It was good, okay, brah? Now, seriously, what did you and Hails talk about? Not to pry or anything." I quickly said, eyes widening and arms raising in defense. He chuckled and scratched his cheek.

"Well, I asked why she didn't remember anything. She said she didn't know, all she remembered was her 3rd shot and after that" he made a motion with his hand, "all memory was gone."

"Oh, wow. She's usually not that much of a lightweight." I remember I spiked her fourth shot. God damn me. Fucking things up when they shouldn't be fucked up.

"Yeah. Let's get back to business. Shall we?"

I agreed and we spent every minute working on lyrics until Rian came up and told us dinner was ready. We sat the guitars down and I ran downstairs, stomach threatening to eat itself. I didn't want that. Hailey and Jack were sitting together, again. What's up with them? I mean, I didn't get a notification that something was up with them. I'll ask later, don't wanna pry... Or do I?

******

Hailey's POV

Jack had been acting weird since I talked to Zack after lunch. It's like he didn't want us to make up. He's been so unusual these past few weeks. Well, he's always unusual but, still. He's acting so different. I hope I didn't do anything wrong. That would be bad.

"Sexy Lexy! Bring me my food, dammit!" I demamnded, slamming my fist on the table jokingly.

"Fine, Hail Storm. I'll bring you your fucking lasagna." He cocked his head a funny way and made a face at Rian's back. Oh yeah, he didn't like lasagna. Oh, poor Alex.

"Alex, don't give me that face. I know you don't like it but your stomach says, "he adopted a high pitched, squeaky voice, "'Feed me Alex, feed me! I want to eat something besides my own acids! Please, Alex! I don't wanna have to eat myself."

"Stomachs don't really eat their own acids! That's gross!" Alex said, disgustedly. Oh, that reminds me of the time when Zack eat a bunch of ketchup and Alex made a weird face in the background. That was a funny time, funny time.

"Yeah, they do! The growling noise is actually your stomach trying to digest its own acid for nutrients." I chimed in, shoveling food down my throat. The sauce was piping hot and the noodles were still burning. It hurt like fuck.

"Ew...." Jack pushed his food away from him. I had never once in my life seen Jack push food away. That's a first.

"Jack. It's food. Eat it or your stomach will-"

"Don't tell me!" he cut me off and put a giant forkful of food in his mouth. As the lasagna hit his tastebuds, a look of complete satisfaction came over his face. That boy loves lasagna. Especially Rian's.

The rest of dinner was the same way. Though it was eerily quiet, I enjoyed the silence. It never seemed to be quiet in the Gaskarth/Dawson/Killip household. Thank God for silence.