Come Bail Me out of This God Forsaken Precipice
Same Problems - Different Coasts.
'Austin Carlile, will you please come down here.' Austin got up from his seat and jogged down the few steps to his professor. It was only his second day back to college and he was already getting called down. You would think being a senior in his community college, he would get a little bit of everyone getting of his back. He stood in front of the desk while the professor scanned a essay in front of him. He put it down and Austin glanced at the name, realizing it was his.
'This here, is by far excellent. You have such a keen way of writing. It's beautiful the way you talk about your mom.' Austin gulped and feigned a small smile on his lips. It hurt talking about his deceased mother but he managed perfectly when his mind was preoccupied with writing.
'Thank you.' The professor hummed in response and went to pull out a piece of paper from a small cabinet that was directly behind him. He handed the paper to Austin and in bold at the top of the page, Pen Pal, screamed back at Austin.
'What's this?'
'That,' the professor pointed to the paper, 'Is the assignment I have my seniors work on. Plus, you're a fantastic writer so this should be merely entertainment for you. Now let's see who you have.' The professor took a hold of the paper once again and glanced down to the bottom of the page.
'Ah, a Mr. 'Alexander Gaskarth'. He lives in Townson, Maryland. An east coaster!' He handed the sheet back to Austin who in turn looked at the sheet.
'There are a few starters for you and than you can take it from there.' Austin nodded and walked back to his seat. 'Great, already a new assignment. Didn't I just finish with an essay?' Austin groaned and felt a vibration come from the pocket of his jeans. He entered his password and saw it was his wife, Ariella, who texted him. A smile ghosted his mouth but as soon as he read the text, the smile faded.
'Hey bae, cnt make it 2nite. :( Gotta work till 12.' Not only did it upset him but it made Austin mad that his wife didn't take the night off to celebrate their one year anniversary. Austin rolled his eyes and responded back with a simple, 'Okay. He shoved his phone in his bag and looked at his new assignment, scanning over the questions he could possibly ask the boy. He thought he might as well start the stupid thing, knowing this won't lead to anything other than someone responding back to the ludicrous questions. He flipped to a clean page in his notebook and wrote down his name in perfect cursive.
'Dear Alexander,
Um, I'm not quite sure how these pen pal things work but I was simply assigned this. I guess I should tell you my name and a little bit about myself, huh? Well my name is Austin Carlile and I'm twenty-four years old. An obvious senior in college. I'm happily married to my beautiful wife, Ariella. In fact, today is our anniversary. Well, I'd like to know more about you if you don't mind?' Austin bit his lip and rolled his eyes at the last sentence. Obviously he has to know more about the boy.
'I have nothing more to say than it will be nice getting to know you Alexander.' Austin smiled and glanced at the sheet, realizing he never used a question the teacher assigned on the sheet. But since the assignment already had the address on who he was sending it too, he figured his teacher didn't need to read everything he wrote. He shut his book just in time for the bell to ring. He collected his things and walked out, waving a goodbye to his favorite English professor.
___
Four Days Later
Alex walked up to mailbox, clearly eager to see if his new book arrived. To his utter disappointment, the mailbox only revealed to show it was this months bill, a few offers from stores, and a letter all the way from California. To say Alex wasn't curious at all about the letter, was the understatement of the century. He walked up the steps, avoiding taking the elevator because hell, was he scared of it. He walked into his cozy apartment, petting his dog, Baz, on the head on his way to the couch. He sat down beside his other dog, Peyton, and opened the letter. In perfect cursive, the month was scribbled on the on the top. Alex smiled at that little word and let his eyes roam over the letter. It was a small thing and then it hit Alex like a ton of bricks. He had completely forgotten that he had to do a pen pal assignment and was expecting a letter soon. He got up off the couch and began to write to Austin. He tilted his head a bit and looked over at his dog who was staring at him in the exact same posture.
'Yeah, I have no clue what to tell him either.' Alex huffed out a breath, allowing his brown fringe to unstick itself from his forehead a bit. Too bad he couldn't even begin to write because his boyfriend, Jack Barakat, called. He smiled at the name and answered quickly.
'Hey you.' Alex said in a flirtatous voice.
'Uh hey. I can't make it over tonight.'
'But it's our six month anniversary...' Alex pouted his bottom lip and played with a strand of hair between his fingers.
'I gotta work Alex. Tomorrow we can celebrate.'
'But tomorrow isn't our anniversary...'
'Alex stop being stubborn. I'll see you tomorrow.' Before Alex could protest, Jack hung up. Alex sighed and picked up his notebook, quickly flipping to a clean page.
'Dear Austin,
I don't like to be called Alexander for one. It bothers me. Usually when I get called Alexander is because I'm in trouble. Ha. Wow, you're twenty-four and you're already married?! That's super sweet. I hope your anniversary was lovely. Funny how my anniversary with my partner is today... Unfortunately they're busy. Uh, I like the Baltimore Ravens. Duh right? I'm seventeen, turning eighteen soon. I'm also in college too. Ha. No bragging rights. I love playing guitar, piano, a little bit of drums. I guess you could say I like music. I dab in writing but I'm not that great I guess. I have two dogs and one cat. Well I guess that's all I can tell you for now... Austin, what do you look like? What are you hobbies? How did you meet your wife? What are you majoring in? Well talk to you soon Austin.
Sincerely,
Alex' Alex was a little reluctant to sign it considering Austin didn't but shit, he was doing it anyway. Besides, Alex was curious about Austin. Maybe he would have an actual friend. He smiled at the thought.
'This here, is by far excellent. You have such a keen way of writing. It's beautiful the way you talk about your mom.' Austin gulped and feigned a small smile on his lips. It hurt talking about his deceased mother but he managed perfectly when his mind was preoccupied with writing.
'Thank you.' The professor hummed in response and went to pull out a piece of paper from a small cabinet that was directly behind him. He handed the paper to Austin and in bold at the top of the page, Pen Pal, screamed back at Austin.
'What's this?'
'That,' the professor pointed to the paper, 'Is the assignment I have my seniors work on. Plus, you're a fantastic writer so this should be merely entertainment for you. Now let's see who you have.' The professor took a hold of the paper once again and glanced down to the bottom of the page.
'Ah, a Mr. 'Alexander Gaskarth'. He lives in Townson, Maryland. An east coaster!' He handed the sheet back to Austin who in turn looked at the sheet.
'There are a few starters for you and than you can take it from there.' Austin nodded and walked back to his seat. 'Great, already a new assignment. Didn't I just finish with an essay?' Austin groaned and felt a vibration come from the pocket of his jeans. He entered his password and saw it was his wife, Ariella, who texted him. A smile ghosted his mouth but as soon as he read the text, the smile faded.
'Hey bae, cnt make it 2nite. :( Gotta work till 12.' Not only did it upset him but it made Austin mad that his wife didn't take the night off to celebrate their one year anniversary. Austin rolled his eyes and responded back with a simple, 'Okay. He shoved his phone in his bag and looked at his new assignment, scanning over the questions he could possibly ask the boy. He thought he might as well start the stupid thing, knowing this won't lead to anything other than someone responding back to the ludicrous questions. He flipped to a clean page in his notebook and wrote down his name in perfect cursive.
'Dear Alexander,
Um, I'm not quite sure how these pen pal things work but I was simply assigned this. I guess I should tell you my name and a little bit about myself, huh? Well my name is Austin Carlile and I'm twenty-four years old. An obvious senior in college. I'm happily married to my beautiful wife, Ariella. In fact, today is our anniversary. Well, I'd like to know more about you if you don't mind?' Austin bit his lip and rolled his eyes at the last sentence. Obviously he has to know more about the boy.
'I have nothing more to say than it will be nice getting to know you Alexander.' Austin smiled and glanced at the sheet, realizing he never used a question the teacher assigned on the sheet. But since the assignment already had the address on who he was sending it too, he figured his teacher didn't need to read everything he wrote. He shut his book just in time for the bell to ring. He collected his things and walked out, waving a goodbye to his favorite English professor.
___
Four Days Later
Alex walked up to mailbox, clearly eager to see if his new book arrived. To his utter disappointment, the mailbox only revealed to show it was this months bill, a few offers from stores, and a letter all the way from California. To say Alex wasn't curious at all about the letter, was the understatement of the century. He walked up the steps, avoiding taking the elevator because hell, was he scared of it. He walked into his cozy apartment, petting his dog, Baz, on the head on his way to the couch. He sat down beside his other dog, Peyton, and opened the letter. In perfect cursive, the month was scribbled on the on the top. Alex smiled at that little word and let his eyes roam over the letter. It was a small thing and then it hit Alex like a ton of bricks. He had completely forgotten that he had to do a pen pal assignment and was expecting a letter soon. He got up off the couch and began to write to Austin. He tilted his head a bit and looked over at his dog who was staring at him in the exact same posture.
'Yeah, I have no clue what to tell him either.' Alex huffed out a breath, allowing his brown fringe to unstick itself from his forehead a bit. Too bad he couldn't even begin to write because his boyfriend, Jack Barakat, called. He smiled at the name and answered quickly.
'Hey you.' Alex said in a flirtatous voice.
'Uh hey. I can't make it over tonight.'
'But it's our six month anniversary...' Alex pouted his bottom lip and played with a strand of hair between his fingers.
'I gotta work Alex. Tomorrow we can celebrate.'
'But tomorrow isn't our anniversary...'
'Alex stop being stubborn. I'll see you tomorrow.' Before Alex could protest, Jack hung up. Alex sighed and picked up his notebook, quickly flipping to a clean page.
'Dear Austin,
I don't like to be called Alexander for one. It bothers me. Usually when I get called Alexander is because I'm in trouble. Ha. Wow, you're twenty-four and you're already married?! That's super sweet. I hope your anniversary was lovely. Funny how my anniversary with my partner is today... Unfortunately they're busy. Uh, I like the Baltimore Ravens. Duh right? I'm seventeen, turning eighteen soon. I'm also in college too. Ha. No bragging rights. I love playing guitar, piano, a little bit of drums. I guess you could say I like music. I dab in writing but I'm not that great I guess. I have two dogs and one cat. Well I guess that's all I can tell you for now... Austin, what do you look like? What are you hobbies? How did you meet your wife? What are you majoring in? Well talk to you soon Austin.
Sincerely,
Alex' Alex was a little reluctant to sign it considering Austin didn't but shit, he was doing it anyway. Besides, Alex was curious about Austin. Maybe he would have an actual friend. He smiled at the thought.
♠ ♠ ♠
Bare with me; it's short.