Guts To Say Anything

Weeks passed and Alex and I had grown closer than ever before. The band were on a break from touring for two months so everyone, band and crew, could just relax and spend time with their familes. Alex and I had fallen into a routine. He would pick me up from school on Mondays and Thursdays, we would head to the mall, mess around then head back home for a movie night. Jack joined us nearly every Thursday and once or twice Zack and Rian had been there too. I eventually started talking again without a stutter. Well except for school. The bullying kept going on but it was bearable now I had Alex back. Although, I couldn't shake this feeling that something bad was going to happen. That shows how optimistic I am. Alex and I had a great relationship, better than when I was a kid since we were around the same maturity level now. I teased him about having an American accent since I was only 5 when we moved and that my accent should have changed more than his. I remember the first time I played piano for him. I had started when I was 9. Sam had encouraged me a lot but of course I was nothing special until I was 14. That's when I started tackling hard classical music. I had played Celine Dion's song for Titanic for him and he cried. It wasn't very hard but it's a beautiful song.
"I've missed so much," I remember him whispering. "Every time I came home you had grown a few inches. It didn't hit me that you weren't a kid anymore until I read your blog. I promise you this Bethy that from now on it's you and me as a team. Alex and Beth Gaskarth. Us against the world. I'm gonna take you so many places when you finish high school. The summer between college and high school is goign ot be magnificent" He grinned and we hugged.
Then of course everything changed. A month after Alex had come home we were walking home from the movies. We were joking around until we saw a cop car outside of our house.
"What in the world?" Alex asked. We just headed inside as it everything was breezy.
"Mum? Dad?" I shouted once inside. They should be home. Two seconds later the doorbell rang and lo and behold it was two cops. One man, one woman.
"Hello BPD sir. Officer Cole and my partner Officer Grayson. We assume you are Mr. Alexander Gaskarth and Miss Elizabeth Gaskarth?" The male officer who had introduced himself as Cole said. Both Alex and I cringed at our fulls names.
"Yeah that's us. Is everything okay?" Alex had changed into his 'grown up' persona. One I had rarely ever seen.
"I'm afraid we have some bad news for you and your sister sir. May we come in?" Officer Grayson told us.
Shit. This was never good. We sat down in our living room and there was a moment of silence.
"Officers what's going on?" I was so worried I just couldn't keep my mouth shut.
"I'm so sorry but your parents Peter and Isobel Gaskarth were hit by a truck on the freeway two hours ago. They died on impact. We can't tell you how sorry we are," I could tell Officer Cole still hadn't gotten used to being the bearer of bad news.

Alex and I were just in shock. My heart was thumping. I then heard what I thought was a cat dying. I didn't realise it was me until I felt myself sobbing. Alec scooted over on the couch and just held me. I could feel him crying too.
"Ssssh it's gonna be okay. Remember me and you against the world. We'll get through this I'm going to take care of you" he just kept whispering words of comfort and all the right ones.
"We'll leave to you two alone. Here's the card of your contact of the morgue. He'll help you with details for the funeral. Again our condolences," with that the two police officers showed themselves out.
Eventually I calmed down but we still stayed hugging.
"Bethy I'm going to call Jack and Nana Becky and Nana Lizzy and tell them what happened. You go upstairs and get changed into pjs. We'll talk properly when you come back down," Alex had a determined look on his face.
In a daze I went upstairs to get changed, I knew something bad was going to happen I knew it.
I came back downstairs and just sat on the couch looking into space. I could hear Alex in the kitchen on the phone.
"I love you too Nana, I'll see you in a couple of days," he paused. "I'll tell Elizabeth, Bye Nana." Ugh she always insited on calling us by our full names. Alex came into the living room, sat down beside me and grabbed my hands.
"I called the police. They say that I'm your legal guardian now since I have steady income and well a house now I guess. I'm gonna take care of you Bethy. Mom, Dad, Sammy... they're gone and we're just gonna have to get through it okay?" We hugged and just stayed like that on the couch. We put on Aladdin but neither of us were really watching.

Next thing I knew I was in my bedroom sitting straight up after having a nightmare. Alex had died in the car crash too. Was that part a dream or were all of them gone. I got out of bed and walked out of my room and across the hall to Alex's room. I pushed open the door and saw him sitting in bed on his laptop. He took one look and me and whispered "C'mere Bethy". And like I had done so many times when I was a kid I climbed into bed beside my big brother and cried.
"We'll be okay. Us against the world. Lexy and Bethy against the world."