Into the Woods

“ CASEYYYY,”
I peaked my head out from underneath my comforting blanket to see my best friend, Alicia, standing there with her hands on her hips. The blonde eyed me as if she was going to kill me.
“Yes?” I asked, sighing heavily, not daring to take the blanket off of my head.
“Do you realize what today is?”
“Um…should I?”
“Today is the day is the first day of break!” She yelled, tossing her arms into the air.
“Ugh. Let me go back to sleep!” I grunt before closing my eyes again.
“No such luck, sweat heart. We’ve got plans with that gorgeous cousin and his friends. Just look out at the beautiful California sunshine! It’s perfect weather!”
“Zack’s already your boyfriend, Al. And it’s just the UCLA campus.” I muttered into the pillow.
“Yeah? So?! Get your fucking ass up! We have to leave in twenty minutes!”
“That’s fifteen that I can spend sleeping!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“Fuck off!” I yelled.
Alicia sighed and pulled the blanket from my body.
“Get the fuck up or I’m dragging your lazy ass off of your damn bed.”
“Stop being so demanding,” I whined.
“Babe, I was born demanding. Get the hell up or I’m pouring water on you….again.”
I finally lifted my head and stared at her.
“You couldn’t give me fifteen more minutes?”
“We both know you take at least ten to do your hair.”
“Not today I’m not.” I shook my head. I stood up from my bed, and stretched out my tired limbs. I scratched my head and yawned, earning a laugh from Alicia. “Where are we going again?”
“Jalama Beach…now get dressed. The guys will be here any minute,”
I rolled my eyes but dressed myself in a simple band t and some shorts. I finished my look off with some converse and Ray Ban sunglasses.
“I’m ready.” I announced to her.
Alicia just rolled her eyes.
“I see that genius.” She retorted. “Do you have everything packed for our fun weekend?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “I wish that we could have gone camping somewhere else…but I guess the beach is good too.”
Being from Maryland, when we went camping when we were younger, it was usually in the woods on a campsite, not a beach. But the guys haven’t been doing anything besides touring for forever, and this might be the last time I get to see them for a few months. I want to make the most of it, even if we are camping in Santa Barbra.
“I think you just need to be quiet and take a nap on the way there.” Alicia joked.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t let me get fifteen more minutes of sleep.” I argued. I picked up my iPhone from the table beside my bed, and decided to check it. Alex had texted me saying that they were going to be ten minutes late. “They’re going to be late, Leesh.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” She groaned.
“Nope,” I replied, shaking my head. “Alex just texted me,”
“Ohhhh Alex,” Alicia said, wiggling her eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes.
“It’s not like that with us,”
“Case, you’ve had a crush on that kid for forever.”
“It’s not right.” I sighed. “He’s…he’s 23 for God’s sake. I’m barely an adult.”
“You’re Alex’s 19-year old best friend, not some 12-year old fan girl.” Alicia rolled her eyes. “It’s OK to admit that you have more than best friend feelings for him.”
“I have admitted them,” I sighed. “It’s just easier to pretend that they don’t exist. It’s been easier since I moved out here.”
“I don’t understand what’s stopping you from telling him,” Alicia sighed, sitting down next to me.
“Fear of rejection, Lisa, tour, and Zack.” I replied instantly. “There are four very good reasons right there.”
“I can handle Zack, take some time off from college and tour with them, and Lisa is so in and out that it isn’t even funny.” I shook my head at her again. “And as for the fear…take a fucking chance for once in your life.”
“We’re not talking about this,”
“Why the fuck notttt?” She whined.
“Because you’re meddling, and I can’t have that.” I laughed, looking at her pout. “Cheer up, your boyfriend is due here in twenty minutes.”
“I know,” She giggled. “Do you want to grab some Starbucks before the guys get here?”
“That would be lovely.” I answered for her.

♥

“I can’t fucking do this!” Jack whined as he tossed the tent poles down on the sand.
“Jack, it’s not that hard.” I giggled, picking them up and handing them over to him. “Just try again,”
“I’m not picking up those things again. They’re the Devil.” He crossed his arms across his chest and pouted.
“Stop being a pussy,” Alex laughed, rolling his eyes. “You’re making a girl put up your tent for you?”
I looked up from where I was bent down to the tent.
“I don’t mind. It’s Jack,” I laughed.
Jack rolled his eyes.
“Casey, please tell your husband that I’m only going to end up hurting myself.”
I giggled and went back to looking at the tent. I prayed silently that the red tint on my cheeks went away.
“Go play in the road,” Alex laughed. “That way you do hurt yourself.”
“Am I going to have to separate the two of you?” Cassadee asked playfully. “It shouldn’t surprise me that you two are making poor Casey put up that tent all by herself. It’s not even her tent.”
I laughed, and walked to the other side to finish.
“It’s okay, Cass. Alex was seconds from volunteering his time to help me put up their tent,” I said, looking at Alex.
He glared playfully before he started to help me with the tent.
“Come on, Jacky. Let’s go get some firewood.” Cassadee suggested before she pulled the lanky guitarist away from them.
“He seems like he’s doing better since the break up,” I commented.
“Yeah, he’s bouncing back quickly.” Alex laughed. “He’s got his eye on Jess.”
I let my eyes roam to the drummer who was setting up her tent with the help of Alicia.
“That’s why she’s here, right?”
“Jack and Cassadee practically begged the girl to come,” Alex replied, rolling his eyes. “She’s pretty good friends with Cass, and she’s gotten close with Jack too.”
“That’s good. She’s sweet,” I replied. “Not that Holly wasn’t a sweetheart, because she was…but I like Jess better.”
Alex laughed.
“Me too,”
“What have you been up too?” I asked him.
“Eh…the usual,” He shrugged, blocking off emotion.
“Come one, Rock Star…tell me the real dirt,” I laughed, walking toward him.
“Only in exchange for a bear hug,”
“Of course,” I giggled before hugging him tightly. Alex placed a small kiss in my hair.
“I missed you, Casey.”
“I missed you too, Lex.”
“God, it feels like it’s been years.”
“I guess that’s what happens when you leave someone behind for so long,”
“That’s not fair.”
“I never said that it wasn’t,” I replied, giving him a weak smile and pulling away. “I’m going for a swim now,”
“I’ll join you, wifey.” Alex replied before he walked over to his duffle bag that carried his clothes for the few days that we were here.
“Okay,” I laughed before he disappeared into the tent that we just put up. “Lex and I are going for a swim in the ocean, anyone care to join?”
“I’m down!” Jack nearly yelled. “You coming too Jessy?” He asked, using a pet name for the girl.
“Sure,” She laughed, obviously already used to Jack’s craziness.
“Yes!” He shouted before stripping down to his boxers. “I’m ready!”
“Nice,” Rian laughed. “I’m making food, any suggestions?”
“Make me toast, dammit,” I stated, laughing slightly.
“That’s for breakfast!”
“Please?”
“Okay….if I must….” Rian trailed off playfully.
“You must.” Alex agreed, slinging his arm over my shoulders. “Are you ready to go swimming?!”
“YES!” I mocked his excited tone. “Get us some towels, yeah?” I asked. Alex nodded and grabbed two clean towels for us to use after we got out of the water. Jack and Jess followed us into the water where we played for a few hours. We played a few games of chicken, which Alex and I won like we normally did. We were finally pulled from the water by Zack and Alicia. It wasn’t that hard. All they had to say was ‘the food’s ready!” and out we ran. Rian had already built a fire and cooked everyone food for the night.
“How’s college life treating you?” Alex asked me.
“Eh…same old school stuff.”
“I don’t see why you’re even going to college. Didn’t you get some kind of contract thingy with that dance company?”
I laughed at his choice of words.
“Yes, Alex. I did.”
“Then why exactly are you wasting your time at school when you could be dancing?”
“Maybe I’m going for the experience?”
“Or maybe you’re going to school just to make your parents happy?” He questioned. I gave him a surprised look and Alex just laughed. “Hey, don’t give me that look. Just because I didn’t go to college doesn’t mean that I’m automatically stupid.”
I giggled and shook my head.
“You amaze me.”
“No, you amaze me, Casey Merrick.” Alex stated, hugging me tightly. “You should come on tour with us soon,”
“I don’t Lisa would like that very much,” I stated, scrunching up my nose.
He laughed and shook his head.
“We’re over…again.”
“Hmmm…seems like a trend.”
“What’s that mean?” He asked playfully.
“You guys have never been together very long without breaking up. I- We all just kind of expect it to happen sooner or later.”
“What if I don’t get back together with Lisa?”
I laughed.
“Doubt that you two will stay apart,”
“What if I’m more interested in some other girl to even try to get back together with her?”
“That would be a cold day in Hell,” I giggled.
“Then I guess you better bundle up,” He smirked.
“What does that mean?” I questioned, laughing.
“You’ll see, Merrick. By the end of this weekend, you’ll understand.”
“Bring it on, Gaskarth,” I joked back.
Alex laughed and kissed my forehead before he got up off of the log we were sharing. He stretched a little bit, and caught the attention of the other people around the fire.
“I’m turning in now,” He stated. We said out goodnights, and then he disappeared into his tent that he was sharing with Jack.
Alex’s commented replayed in my head. I didn’t understand any of it.

♥

“This has been the best weekend ever.” Jack stated, tightening his arm around Jess. “It’s been relaxing.”
“We definitely needed this,” Zack agreed. “I’m just glad we got to spend with our favorite merch bitch and her sidekick.”
“I am no sidekick,” Alicia scoffed playfully.
I rolled my eyes.
“Please, you’re the Robin to my Batman.”
“The peanut butter to my jelly,”
“The Harper to my Alex,” I giggled at the pre-teen like reference.
Alicia shook her head, but laughed anyway.
“The Alex to my Harper,” She agreed.
“You two…damn,” Alex chuckled. “So…show of hands who thinks that we should start off our tradition now?”
“ME!” I nearly shouted.
“Me too!” Jack agreed, shouting louder than I did.
“I’m down,” Rian stated, agreeing with us.
“Alright…let’s do it,” Zack was the last to agree.
“Do what?” Cassadee questioned
“I’ll go get the hat.” Alex offered before he left the log that we shared together to grab the hat filled with tiny squares of paper that we used every year.
“So every year when we go camping, the guys and Casey, we always play a stupid game of truth or dare.” Jack started to explain.
“It starts off with Rian and we go in a circle before we just randomly pick someone else to go after us.” Zack continues.
“But the catch is that we don’t ask random questions off the top of our head.” Rian added.
Alex sat down beside of me.
“Which leads us to the hat,” He announced.
“The hate is filled with random questions and dares. You have to find one that says either truth or dare, depending on which you picked, and you pick a random piece of paper. You do what it says or answer it.” I finished.
“It’s actually really fun. We usually just end up staying up all night playing.” Rian laughed. “So…let me start by picking truth.”
Alex smirked and shook up the hat before he slipped a piece of paper from the hat.
“Truth: when was the last time you got laid?” Alex asked, smirking in Rian and Cassadee’s direction. The small girl hid her face in her hands, and Rian just chuckled.
“In the unisex shower earlier today when we went to freshen up,” He answered. “Your turn, babe,”
Cassadee looked up from her hands and her face was still red.
“After that truth, I’m kind of scared.” She laughed. “I pick dare.”
“Great choice,” Alex mocked before he picked a dare piece of paper. “Dare: go streaking down the beach.”
“Are you serious?!” She nearly shouted.
“Read it and weep.” Alex said, handing the singer the piece of white paper. She groaned before she slipped down to her bra and underwear.
“I’m not completely stripping until I get closer to the water.” She mumbled before she walked the small distance to where the water met the sand.
“Get it girl!” Jack yelled playfully, causing me to laugh my ass off. Cassadee quickly slipped the rest of her clothes back on when she reached us.
“That was awful,” She girl blushed, hiding her face in Rian’s chest. He just laughed and rubbed her back to soothe her. I giggled and Zack picked dare. He had to eat a raw egg, which wasn’t hard for him, but the rest of us considered it nasty. Alicia decided to go with truth, only have to tell about her bi-curious behavior in high school. She was quick to correct the guys when they encouraged her to kiss another girl. She wasn’t like that anymore and that it was just a faze. Alex’s turn was next, so he handed me the hat. He picked dare, which didn’t surprise me. I rolled my eyes at him behavior, and picked out a dare. My eyes went wide as I read the paper to myself, not once or twice, but five times. I wasn’t seeing things.
Dare: Kiss the person to your left for twenty seconds.
“What does it say?” Alex asked.
I looked up at everyone and took in a small breath.
“Dare…” I started. “Dare: kiss the person to your left for twenty seconds.”
“OHHHH!” Jack yelled while Zack cat called.
I felt my cheeks heat up.
“You…uh…don’t have to. You can totally pick another dare.”
“Shut up, Merrick and pucker up,” Alex smirked down at me.
“I…okay.” I nodded my head, feeling even more embarrassed.
Alex’s rough hands grabbed my face softly and brought his lips to mine. They met in a sweet and slow kiss, but I felt his lips start to move slowly against mine. Jack was counting for us, but I got so caught up, I lost focus after 15 was counted. All I felt was Alex’s lips pressed and moving against mine. It was the best kiss I’ve ever had.
“Alrighty kids, time to pull away.” Jess laughed.
Alex’s lips lingered on mine for a minute and then he pressed his forehead to mine.
“Looks like Hell just froze over.” He whispered before pulling away from me fully. “It’s your turn, wife.”
I felt my cheeks heat up ever more.
“I…uh…truth.”
He laughed before pulling out the piece of paper for me. I had to get up and dance like a belly dancer for a whole minute. Jack picked dare and ended up with cross dresser-looking make up caked on his face thanks to Jess. Then Jess got to go and she had to tell everyone about her dead hamster. Needless to say, the night was full of ridiculous things that we had to do, but everyone was having a great time. It was the perfect ending to a nearly perfect weekend.
I was laughing at some run on story that Zack was telling, due to another piece of paper in the hat when I felt a warm hand rest over mine. I turned my head to look at Alex who, was staring at Zack, but a smile was sketched on his slightly scruffy face. His eyes swept from Zack to me, and his smile grew before his eyes went back to my cousin. I turned my hand over under his warm grip, and quickly laced our fingers together. This time his hand squeezed mine, and he looked down at me.
“Are you cold yet?” He joked.
I smiled widely up at him.
“That totally depends.”
“Depends on what exactly?” He asked, now facing me. We grew closer on the log.
“If you’re cold too,” I smirked.
“I’m definitely cold as ice.” He laughed before he pressed his forehead to mine. “She won’t buy my sex appeal, just an easy coast kid with a record deal.” He sang softly.
I giggled.
“Is that supposed to impress me?”
“One can only hope with you Merrick. You hard to impress,”
“How would you know, Gaskarth?”
“Because I’ve been busting my ass off for the past year trying to impress you,”
“You had me at hello, you douche.” I laughed playfully.
“You’re such a bitch.” He replied before his lips met mine softly. “Be mine?”
“Maybe,” I giggled and pulled my head away from his. “I expect you to be faithful, Mr. Rock Star.”
“And I expect you to call me out on my shit.” He laughed. “But seriously, Casey….please me mine?”
“Since you’re begging….” I trailed off playfully. “I’d love to be yours.”
Alex smiled at me before lifting our linked fingers and placing a small kiss on my knuckles.
“That’s all I ask for,”
Nothing ever felt so right. We sat around our loud friends, no one paying attention to the romantic exchange, under the moon and on the beach. Alex was sweet, but realistic. He was my best friend already, so how could we not work?
Under the gorgeous full moon, I finally took that chance. If it all turned out to be a mistake, I know I could proudly say that Alexander William Gaskarth was the best mistake I ever made.