The Girl With the Half Beating Heart

A day passes after Alex gets released from the hospital. Surprisingly, his mother still has not said anything to him. She’s been drunk off her ass, but she’s ignoring him. And even though worried about what she will say when she finally talks to him, he’s okay with the fact that she isn’t.
But him and Acacia talk everyday. Every waking second, it seems. She left the day after him. While she’s glad to be back in the privacy of her own four walls, she’s even happier that she’s talking to Alex now.
Alex sits on his bed, idly writing something in one of his journals. After some time of impatient scribblings, erasings, and scratching out, he seems content with what’s he’s written. He picks up his guitar from the side of his bed, and starts to strum it softly. He does this for a few more minutes, finally catching the beginning of what he thinks is a catchy riff. Deciding that he’s bored of his guitar, he places it back on the floor. He then lays on his bed, staring at the ceiling. This is how his days usually go. He’ll do some writing, play his guitar, sleep, and then eat. Or go to work if he has to. And not necessarily in that order. But now with Acacia in his life, its all of those things, while talking to her in between.
He grins to himself, thinking about her small dimples, and her huge smile. And her sassy attitude, man did that girl have a mouth. But its one of the reasons he likes her.
He picks up his phone to see if there’s any new messages or anything, but nothing. The last time he texted her her was about two hours ago. She said she was going to take a nap, but he didn’t think she’d be sleeping for this long. So he texts her.
Alex: Sleeping Beauty? Did you eat the poison apple or something?
He smiles to himself, and puts his phone back on the bed. A few minutes later, it vibrates.
Acacia: Haha, nice one. But those are two completely different stories, Dopy.
She puts her phone down, rubbing her eyes as she sits up in her bed. If that was anyone else, she would have rolled over and went back to sleep. But it’s Alex, and he’s an exception to that rule.
Alex rolls his eyes at Acacia’s last message, and types out something quickly in surprise.
Alex: That was kind of the point, Sleepy.
Acacia: Suure, Alex.
Alex begins to type out his reply, but hesitates. He’s going to ask her if he can call her. They might have been texting non stop since they exchanged numbers, but they haven’t called one another. And he’s trying to change that.
Alex: Is it a good time for me to call you?
He puts down his phone, and starts to anxiously bite his finger nails.
With her head in her pillows, Acacia's phone vibrates again, causing her to sit up with a groan. She might as well get up now, since she's talking to Alex. And since she did sleep for a long time. She reads his message, grinning widely. She does miss the sound of his voice. She begins to type slowly.
Acacia: Yeah, that's cool.
Alex’s phone vibrates, and he picks it up. He opens Acacia’s message, and reads it. A huge grin appears on his face. He waits a few minutes in hopes of not appearing to be too eager. Within those minutes, he runs downstairs to get a glass of water. While in the kitchen, he peeks over to the couch, where his mother is passed out. He shakes his head, and quietly pours some water into a plastic cup. When he’s finished he tosses the cup in the trash, and tip toes back to the solitary of his room.
Once he’s there, he picks up his phone, and dials her number. It begins to ring, and he bites his lip.
Acacia stands in front of her bathroom mirror, splashing water on her face. She’s washing her face in hopes of waking up. And her face was greasy anyway. After turning off the water and drying her face with a clean towel, she hears vibrating coming from her bedroom. Alex is calling her. She runs out the bathroom, grabbing her phone off her nightstand. She sits on the bed, and presses the answer button, clearing her throat.
“Hello?” She chimes, smiling widely.
“Hello.” He replies, grinning to himself as he leans back on his headboard.
“So, how are you doing?” She asks, leaning back into her fort of pillows.
“I’m okay. Being home is… well its nice to sleep in my own bed.” He laughs, biting his lip. “And how are you, m’lady?”
“I’d say the same. My family is still annoying. But I washed my hair, and that felt amazing.” She then runs her fingers through her hair, which is clean and grease free. Alex laughs again. “In the few days you have known me, Alexander, you should know that I hate small talk.” She says with a smile, twirling one of her brown curls between her fingertips. She’s bursting with happiness. Never has she talked to a boy on the phone, (unless it was family,) yet alone in person. She’s doing something a normal girl does. And that makes her happier than anything.
“I know. I just love to antagonize you.” He smirks. “And don’t call me that.” He adds, furrowing his eyebrows.
“I heard love. And the word you. Look, Alejandro, I know you’re in love with me, but get some self control. Desperation isn’t a good look.” She says sassily, a huge grin on her face. She pulls her knees into her chest.
“Oh, young, little Acacia. Thinking every boy who gives her a split second of their time is head over heels for her.” Alex begins, and Acacia scoffs. “I know you’re naive, but get some self control. Vanity isn’t a good look.” He mocks, and Acacia rolls her eyes. “I can’t see you, but due to your lack of speaking, you’re probably rolling your eyes.” He laughs, making her give in and laugh as well.
“Whatever.” She tries to say seriously, but ends up giggling a bit. “And I’m not that much younger than you!”
“Yeah, yeah.” Alex says with a yawn, looking up to his ceiling.
“You’re still a punk.”
“And you’re still a bully.”
They sit on the line in silence for a few seconds. Its funny, one would think that when on the phone, they’d refrain from their gaps of silence. But nope, still the same.
“Hey Acacia?” Alex speaks up, chewing on the cap of a pen he was using to write.
“Hey Alex.” She replies, looking at her fingernails.
“Say my name in Spanish again. My full name.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked you to.” He smirks, and she scoffs again. “Please? It sounds nice coming from you.”
“I don’t even know your middle name.” She says, reaching over on the other side of her bed for her nail file.
“William. Alexander William Gaskarth.” He says poshly, still grinning.
“Fine.” She grumbles, and he grins. “Alejandro Guillermo Gaskarth.” She semi-whispers in her thick accent, her voice lowering a bit.
“Damn.That’s hot.” Alex says as he bites his lip, a smile appearing on his face. Well it never left, but it’s there.
“Shut up!” She giggles, sitting up straight in her bed.
“Wait, Guillermo is Spanish for William?” He questions, and Acacia nods.
“Mhm.” She hums, sitting back and filing her nails.
“Why? They don’t even sound the same.” He says, way too intrigued.
“I dunno, go ask the Spanish writing committee.” She shrugs, and Alex rolls his eyes.
“Whatever.” He mumbles. “Where are you from?” He asks, and Acacia furrows her eyebrows in confusion.
“I told you, San Diego…” She states, studying a fingernail that won’t shave down like the others
“No no, my bad. I meant what are you. Like where are your parents from?” He clarifies.
“Oooh!” She says, sitting up again. “I’m Salvadorian. My parents are from El Salvador.” She finishes, leaning back once more.
“Oh that’s cool. Mine are from England.” He replies, playing with his bracelets again. “So am I, actually.”
“Are you serious?” She questions, giving up on the fingernail, and starting to bite it.
“Yeah.” He replies quietly, noticing that one of his string bracelets has become untied. He tries to tie it back.
“You’re lying.” She laughs, looking back to her fingernails. They look as even as they can be, from a file and biting. She has to get a manicure soon.
“I’m not.” He responds with a laugh alike to hers, still struggling with the two pieces of frayed string.
“Then wheres your accent hmm?” She inquires, placing her hand by her side, giving him her full attention again.
“I dunno. We moved here when I was like 7, so I guess it went away or something.” He mumbles, still trying to fix his weary bracelet.
“I don’t believe you.” Acacia whispers.
“You don’t have to, but I’m telling the truth.” He says with a laugh, finally giving up on his tattered bracelet. He takes it off and puts it on his nightstand, figuring he’ll get back to it later.
“What part of England?” She asks, genuinely curious. She does believe him, but she wants to tease him.
“Essex. Its just outside of London.” He replies as he picks up his pen again, and starts tapping it on his leg.
“Hmm…” She hums, and Alex laughs again.
“I told you that you don’t have to believe me. But I am indeed telling the truth.”
“Alright, alright! I believe you.” She laughs out, sitting up for a short second, only to lean back into her bed.
“I know you do.” He smirks, and Acacia scoffs again.
They talk for the longest while, about nothing in particular. Just random things that come up. The both of them are enjoying themselves, laughing, smiling, blushing. Its a good thing that they’re on the phone rather than in person.
“So, then the penguin says,” Acacia starts, trying to get to the punch line of a cheesy joke she’s trying to tell Alex. Her door flies open, startling her. A small figure runs to her bed, and jumps right on it.
“Rosalinda! Go away!” She yells, trying to kick her little sister off the bed. Alex laughs into the phone.
“Noo, quiero dormir en tu cama!” Rosalinda whines, clinging onto her older sisters leg.
“What? No! I’m not sleeping right now. Soy occupada. Porque no duermes en tu cama?” She questions, staring down at her younger sister. Why does she want to sleep in her bed?
“Porque mama y papa se peleando. Muy ruidoso.” She says with a frown, burying herself further into Acacia’s sheets. Acacia sighs, leaning back onto her bed. Of course her parents are fighting. They’re always fighting.
“Okay. Cerrar la puerta.” She sighs again. Rosalinda gets up and shuts the door, then snuggles into Acacia’s side.
“Sorry about that, my little sister wants to sleep with me for some reason.” She says heavily, her voice filled with annoyance, and worry. She’s annoyed that her parents are in one of their stupid fights again, but she’s worried that they’ll get too loud and Alex will hear. She told him that they fight, but she still doesn’t want him to know about it right now.
“Its okay,” he says into the phone with a chuckle, biting his lip again. “She sounds cute.”
“if cute is a synonym for annoying, then she sure is.” She groans, causing Alex to laugh again. “I’m guessing you don’t have any younger siblings?”
“Nope.”
“Lucky.” She grumbles, and Alex chuckles again. “Do you have any siblings?”
Alex begins to think of his older brother, Tom. A ton of memories start to flood him all at once. He thinks of the things he taught him, and the times they shared. A sickening chill of nostalgia runs through his bones, and he shivers.
“No.”
“Well, you’re a lucky one alright.” She says with a slight laugh.
“Yeah.” He replies blankly, feeling a rush of sadness run over him.
“You okay?” Acacia asks, stroking her thumb over Rosalinda’s head.
“Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” Alex says, trying to put some joy into his voice. He smiles slightly, but it quickly turns into a frown.
“Alright. You just sound a little down.” She honestly feels worried now. He was fine a few minutes ago, what’s got him so upset?
“Nah, just tired.” He yawns, laying down in his bed. He tries his best to suppress the the memories that just flooded him, something he’s far too used to.
“Okay.” Acacia hums quietly, pulling Rosalinda closer into her side. She’s sleeping now and breathing heavily, but not quite snoring. They sit in silence again, Acacia stroking her little sister’s hair and trying to block out her parents yelling, and Alex is staring at at his ceiling, thinking about all the changes in life.
“So, Christmas is coming up soon…” Acacia whispers, in hopes of not waking up Rosalinda.
“Really?” Alex asks, surprised. He never really pays attention to Christmas, or the things surrounding it.
“Uh, yeah?” She laughs in response. “Christmas Eve is tomorrow. My family is flying in from San Diego tonight.”
“Shit.” He hisses quietly to himself, as he starts to bite his fingernails. If its Christmas Eve, his mom will definitely say something.
“Is everything okay?” She questions. Not too long ago they were talking on the phone, laughing at everything. Now Alex seems upset, and she has no clue why.
“Uh, yeah. Just forgot to uh, buy some presents.” He says with a laugh, trying to cover up his growing anxiety.
“I see. I guess I’m kind of lucky, no one really expects the girl who is home for her first Christmas in three years to buy presents.” She shrugs, and Alex chuckles.
“Yeah, that sure is lucky.” He replies, feeling less upset than before.
They continue talking for sometime, their conversation changing Alex’s bad mood. Rosalinda rolls over into Acacia’s side, waking up as she does so. She yawns and stretches, and Acacia smiles down at her.
“Oh hold on, my sister just woke up.” She says to Alex. “Hey buggie, have a good sleep?” She cooes, and Rosalinda nods with a smile. She calls her buggie because she has huge bug eyes.
“Tengo hambre. Quiero comer.” She says sleepily.
“Okay, que quieres comer?” She asks, and Rosalinda looks away curiously.
“Quiero un emparedado.” Rosalinda replies, resting her head in Acacia’s lap.
“Alright, I’ll make you a sandwich. Let’s go.” Rosalinda lifts up her head, and jumps off the bed.
“Se pelean?” Acacia shakes her head.
“No, I don’t think so. Es tranquilo.” She reassures. She hasn’t heard her parents in a bit, so she assumed they were done. She picks up her phone again, where Alex was waiting patiently.
“Hey Alex?”
“Hey Acacia.”
“I have to go, my sister woke up and she’s hungry.” She says, looking to Rosalinda who is waiting patiently by the door.
“Before you go, I have a question.” He says curiously.
“Shoot.”
“Does your sister speak English? Just curious.”
“Yes,” She begins with a laugh. “But she speaks Spanish first. And she doesn’t like speaking English, it's harder for her. Me too sometimes.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.” She hums, getting off her bed. “Too many rules.”
“Huh, you learn something new everyday.” He says, making Acacia giggle. “Well, I’ll let you go now. Call me back soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Hey Acacia?”
“Hey Alex.”
“You’re still a bully.” He smirks, and she laughs again.
“And you’re still a punk.” She replies, smiling like crazy. “Bye Alex.”
“Bye Acacia.”
She hangs up the phone, and walks to her sister. “Lets go eat, buggie.”
Alex shuts his eyes, and smiles. Even though its Christmas time, the time of the year he despises, he’s happier than ever. And its all because the girl with the half beating heart.