Memories That Fade Like Photographs

It’s been about a month since I first moved here, and Christmas break and, more importantly, the school’s first dance since before I moved here were coming up. Alex and I were still just friends even though it seemed as if he was flirting with me often and we normally acted like a couple. I admitted to Kara that I liked Alex at a sleepover at Kara’s house a couple weeks ago but she didn’t seem surprised at all, and Rachel kept pestering me about being careful around Alex.
I’ve been going to guys’ band practice nearly every day, and today was no exception. The guys were getting ready for their first gig in a long time, and they’re practically forcing me to go as their good luck charm. Instead of going straight to Rian’s house, I had to stop at my house first today, so when I went to Rian’s house, I let myself in since his parents were still at work; I was walking down the stairs and was just about to enter the basement where the guys practice Monday through Saturday, even though they don’t actually practice sometimes and goof off instead, when I overheard the Alex, Zack, and Kara talking and it seemed like they were talking about me. Curiosity taking over, I stood at the last step where they couldn’t see me and listened in on what they were saying.
“Alex why don’t you just ask Kaylie out already? It’s obvious you like her,” Kara said with a sigh.
“I would, but what if she says no?” Alex said nervously and I smiled at his nervousness
“I doubt she’d say no,” Zack said quietly from across the room.
“I have an idea!” Kara exclaimed loudly.
“What?” Alex asked warily.
“You should ask her to the Winter Formal! If everything goes right, then ask her out after it’s over!” Kara said happily.
“I want to ask her to the dance, but I’m not sure how. I guess I’m just waiting for the perfect moment,” Alex said.
“You better hurry. Caleb Johnson looks like he’s going to ask her soon, if he hasn’t already,” Kara said, and I thought about who she was talking about. Caleb Johnson is one of the best guys on the track team, and he kept trying to flirt with me during biology last week because he sits across from my lab station. I’ll admit, Caleb is cute, but I’d never date him.
“I know. That’s what I’m afraid of,” Alex muttered.
I jumped and turned around when I heard the first step on the stairs creaked and saw Rian and Jack standing there looking at me with a confused look and I signaled for them to be quiet. They were still looking at me confused until they overheard what the others were talking about. ‘Play along.’ I mouthed to them then quietly walked up the stairs and stood beside them; they nodded before walking downstairs to join the rest of the group.
“Kaylie texted me, she said she’ll be here in a second,” Rian said. I waited another minute before I came walking down the stairs.
“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. I got held up at my house by my brother,” I said with a laugh as I sat down on the couch in between Kara and Zack then looked up questionably, “Why aren’t you guys practicing?”
“We were discussing the upcoming gig then Rian and Jack went upstairs to do who knows what,” Alex said laughing and I smiled.
“So are you guys excited for the gig in Jersey next weekend?” I asked happily.
“Hell yes!” Jack yelled and everyone laughed.
“Well, I was talking to my brother about going with you guys this weekend, and he said yeah. That’s why I was so late,” I explained.
“What about your parents though?” Jack asked confused.
“Oh, well they’re rarely home and this week they’re going to California to visit my uncle and they decided not to invite my brother, sister, or me,” I said bitterly as I thought about them telling us about going, and when Jasey asked if she could go as well because she loves hanging out with our uncle and his band mates, my mom said no because they wanted to have some alone time.
“I’m sorry about them,” Kara said apologetically.
“No it’s fine, I’m used to them never being around,” I said quietly while looking down. There was an awkward silence in the room for a few minutes because no one really knew how to respond to that since they’re parents are always around before I looked up with a smile. “So are we just going to sit around talking about my screwed up family, or are you guys going to practice?” I joked and they all smiled before Jack, Alex, Rian, and Zack got up and went to their designated spots where their instruments were.
“They’re truly amazing, aren’t they?” Kara asked me with a huge smile as I continued to watch Alex sing the chorus of the newest song he wrote, Hometown Heroes National Nobodies; I’ve only heard the song a few times, but I’m already in love with it.
“Yeah. They’re going to get huge, I can already see it,” I said smiling at her before turning my attention back to the guys. Jack was jumping around while Zack was much calmer.
“Me too,” she said much quieter than before and I could tell she was worrying.
“What’s wrong?” I asked turning to face her.
“When they become famous, what will happen to us? After graduation next year, they’re probably going to continue to get more famous, but what do we do? Go to college? Join them on their tours?” Kara asked and I had to admit I had thought about that a few times myself.
“Hey, we have the rest of our junior year and senior year until we have to think about that,” I told her and she smiled.
“Thanks Kaylie, that’s all I’ve been worrying about for awhile now, and ever since you moved here, I haven’t worried about it as much because you’ve been able to make me forget about it for awhile,” Kara admitted and I smiled pleased that I helped her forget about her worries.

“Can I get something besides pizza? I’ve had so much pizza in the past month than I’ve ever had,” I complained once practice was done and Rian was about to call for another pizza. Kara laughed at me and nodded her head in agreement to my statement.
“Um, sure, but what do you want?” Rian asked.
“Hm, how about we go out to eat or something? I can talk to my brother and he’ll probably give us enough money to go somewhere,” I suggested.
“I don’t want to take all his money though,” Zack said and I rolled my eyes.
“My parents left us enough money for this week to last at least half a year of dining out,” I said laughing and everyone agreed to go out and eat. “So I need to go to my house first and ask him. You guys can come too if you want.”
“I’ve never been in your house,” Alex stated and all but Jack and Kara agreed.
“Well then let’s go,” I said laughing and they all followed me across the road.
“Holy shit,” Rian muttered once they all walked into the foyer, and I laughed.
“So this is the foyer; the kitchen, dining room, and a bathroom are on the right and the family room, bathroom, a guest room, a sunroom, and living room are on the left. The second floor has a study, my parents’ room, mine, Chase’s, and Jasey’s bedrooms, and a bathroom. The third floor has another guest room, and an exercise room, and we have a pool out back,” I said giving them a quick walkthrough of my house. Yes, it’s large, but between my parents’ jobs and my uncle’s job, we have a lot of money.
“Damn, I think I got all of that,” Alex said laughing.
“It’s actually not that hard to learn,” I said before jogging up the stairs to Chase’s room. “That’s my room,” I said pointing to the door with a Blink-182 and Green Day poster that Billie signed after I bought it in California on one of my visits on the door, “You guys can go in there if you want; I need to ask Chase.” I knocked on Chase’s door and he yelled at me to come in. I opened the door and he was sitting on his bed on his laptop
“Chase, is that seriously all you ever do?” I asked him before sitting down on his bed beside him.
“No. What do you want, Kase?” he asked shutting his laptop.
“Well, Alex, Jack, Rian, Zack, Kara, and I were going to go eat somewhere because we’ve had pizza every day the past month and I’m getting sick of it, so I was wondering if I can use some of the money mom and dad left us,” I explained sweetly and he sighed before handing me $150.
“Thank you, Chase,” I said giving him a huge hug.
“Hey, Kay?” Jasey called before walking into Chase’s room.
“What’s up, Jase?”
“Um, who are all the people in your room?” she asked confused and I laughed before walking out of Chase’s room and into mine with Jasey following me.
“Jasey these are my friends Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson, Zack Merrick, Alex Gaskarth, and Kara Diakoulas. Guys, this is my younger sister, Jasey,” I said introducing them, “and my asshole of a brother Chase is in his room.” Jasey laughed and nodded.
“Ok so, I have to go. Gabby, Izzy, Cody, and I are going to the mall, and then I’m staying at Gabby’s house with Izzy,” she said before skipping out of my room happily.
“She’s crazy, just a fair warning if you ever have to be around her for awhile,” I warned them. “She’s not like Jack crazy, but she’s still pretty crazy.”
“Wow,” was all Rian said.
“Yeah, she used to not be that bad, but she started dating this kid named Cody two weeks ago, and I guess he’s made her happier?” I said but it came out as more of a question. “Anyways, ready to go?”
“Yeah, what car do you want to take?” Alex asked.
“Doesn’t matter. Chase doesn’t let other people ride in his Mercedes though,” I said while we were walking down the stairs.
“How about me, Kara, Jack, and Zack in my car, and Kaylie and Alex in his car?” Rian suggested.
“Uh sure,” I replied, somewhat annoyed with Rian. Over the past month, Rian and the rest of the group always make sure Alex and I are alone or beside each other, whether it’s sitting alone on the couch while watching a movie, eating at the lunch table at school, or even now, driving alone to go eat out somewhere.
“So are you going to the dance next week?” Alex asked casually after driving for a few minutes.
“Eh I don’t think so,” I said while glancing out the window at the passing scenery as we followed Rian’s car to wherever they decide to go.
“Why not?” He asked while still keeping his eyes on the road.
“Well I don’t have a date for it, and it’d be kinda weird to go dateless,” I admitted with a sigh while laying my head against the window and staring straight ahead.
“That’s strange that no one asked a beautiful girl like you,” Alex told me and I blushed and smiled but tried to hide it.
“No, a few guys asked me but I said no,” I mumbled.
“Why’d you say no to them?” he asked confused.
“Because I’m still waiting for the right guy,” I said while trying to seem like this conversation wasn’t making me slightly nervous. Any conversation about guys with Alex makes me nervous because I’m afraid I’ll slip and tell him I like him a lot.
“Oh,” he said quietly and I mentally kicked myself as I thought about the conversation I overheard earlier today. Please tell me I didn’t just make him decide not to ask me like he told Kara he was going to.
“How about we go together? You don’t have a date and I don’t either, so it’d make sense for us to go together,” Alex suggested after an awkward silence and I tried as hard as I could to keep from smiling like a fool but a small smile still escaped.
“Yeah, I’d love to,” I said while still smiling.
“Seriously?” he asked surprised.
“Yeah seriously,” I said while laughing at his surprised face.
“I thought you were waiting for the right person?” he asked while smiling.
“Yeah I was, but then the right guy asked me,” I said while smiling widely and I have no idea where my confidence came from.

“Seriously?” Kara squealed into the phone with pure excitement after I just finished telling her he asked me to the dance earlier today.
“Yes!” I said with just as much excitement and happiness. When I got home a couple hours later, Chase was worried about me because I was so happy and was practically smiling from ear to ear while telling him what happened.
“I’m so happy for you, Kay! The boy finally got the balls to ask you after telling us he’s wanted to for awhile now,” Kara joked.
“Oh he’s been talking about this for awhile now, huh? I thought he only has after you gave him your brilliant idea today,” I joked.
“Whoa, you mean you heard that conversation?” Kara asked surprised.
“Yup, you guys aren’t that sneaky, I was listening on the steps the whole time,” I teased.
“But Rian said you were on your way over?” She asked confused.
“Yeah I know, I told him to cover for me since I had been eavesdropping on the conversation the whole time,” I explained.
“Damn you’re good,” Kara said and I laughed while she continued, “Anyways, he’s apparently been talking to the guys for a couple weeks about asking you, but he only told me today because I practically forced him to; I guess he was afraid I’d end up telling you.”
“Oh, well I don’t blame him, no offense, but you’re not the best at keeping secrets,” I teased her and she laughed at me.
“The dance is next week! We need to go shopping soon!” she said excitedly and I laughed.
“Yeah, so tomorrow? Shopping at the mall for dresses? Do you want me to ask my brother to take us? He’s going to the mall with his friends and girlfriend tomorrow because she needs to get a dress as well and he and his friends need suits still,” I asked and she agreed and said she’d be here tomorrow at noon before saying she had to go and hanging up the phone. Tomorrow will be an interesting day…