Just Us

There were tons of recently bought supplies waiting for her to start working on her jewelry, but she didn’t feel like making necklaces or earrings. Her sister, Dia, was planning on going to the city to run errands and asked her if she wanted to come along, but she didn’t feel like walking around on a crowded sidewalk. The coffee table in her living room had a small pile of unopened envelopes on top of it, some of them bills while the rest were just junk mail. It was best she paid her bills before she ended up forgetting until the end of the month, but she didn’t feel like looking at all the numbers. Honestly, Meg didn’t feel like doing anything that she was supposed to do.

Not even the things that weren’t chores piqued her interest. One of her neighbors stopped by to invite her to a barbecue they were holding in their backyard on Saturday and despite Meg telling them she might make it, she already knew she wasn’t. When had these neighbors really talked to her or even wanted to talk to her? She knew what they really thought of her and it wasn’t exactly positive.

She had seen the way they’ve looked at her. Those suburban mothers would whisper into each other’s ears whenever she passed by the houses while walking around the neighborhood. She was pretty sure they thought she was weird, which was one way to put it. Probably the nicest way to put it. The past year she had been doing things that got her some attention, such as walk in the middle of the street late at night or play her guitar on the front porch steps to sing songs. One neighbor had even called the police on her because she felt like sitting on the roof and they actually thought she was going to jump off of it. Just because she did these things that made one consider her “strange”, that didn’t justify them alienating her, did it?

They didn’t know her story.

Through all the weird shit she did that past year, it was all because she was desperately trying to figure herself out and work her way through all the guilt she felt for causing so much pain to the one person who was probably the best thing to ever happen to her. They gave her so much happiness and in return, she threw them away. Not a day went by that she didn’t hate herself for being selfish and scared.

All those nights she would be up late on the street were because her mind kept flashing back to the night she woke up at 3 AM and decided to leave him. She couldn’t sleep because of it and because he occupied her thoughts so much, she started writing songs about him. She would play those songs over and over again, singing as if he was right there in front of her listening to the words she wanted so badly to say to him. When she went up on the roof to look up at the sky, she kept wondering what he was doing. Had he moved on and forgotten her? She tried to push him out of her head, but he wouldn’t leave and if he really had erased her from his life completely, she felt that was for the best.

Before, she thought it would be easy to leave him. As the weeks passed, she changed her number and stopped listening to his music to make it clear that she had to move forward, but she could still hear his voice in her head and his number was one that she already remembered by heart. When she went out with a few guys, she kept comparing them to him; kept trying to find him in all of them and none of them came close to how much he meant to her. That’s when she realized that she fucked things up and leaving him was a big mistake.

Meg couldn’t bring herself to call him, feeling that he would never forgive her after what she did. For all she knew, he most likely didn’t love her anymore. It wouldn’t have been a surprise if he straight up told her he hated her. The best thing to do was to finally let him go.

...Until the song.

She heard it when she was downtown. It came from a car that was parked at the curb and it only took her a second to recognize that it was him singing. Noticing that she was drawn to the music, the person in the car told her what the album was and sure enough, it was his band. If that wasn’t enough to make her heart stop, they went on to tell her all about the song that was currently playing.

“It’s such an amazing and beautiful song,” they had said. “I’ve been told that the singer wrote this for a girl he met on tour.”

Meg’s eyes widened. “D-Did he say what her name was?”

“Not that I know of,” they answered. “All I know is that apparently the last time he’s seen her was in Vegas.”

Her heart fluttered and her legs started feeling weak. She had to place her hand on the car in order to keep herself up, still trying to process what had just been said. It had been months since she'd seen his face and it was close to being a year since they’ve last been together. All this time she had convinced herself that what they had was no more, only to find out that he wrote a song for her.

And it was a beautiful song. She ended up listening to the whole thing the same day she first heard it and tears were falling down her face by the time the song ended. He put everything into that song and she could tell from the words he wrote and the emotions his voice conveyed. He wasn’t over her and she couldn’t stand to see him hurt anymore. It was time for her to come to him and make things right.

I’m not letting you go.

His band came to her town and she saw that as a sign for her to finally do what she was supposed to do. Dia ended up being the one to buy her the ticket and encouraged her to go when she started having second thoughts. As excited as she was to see him again, she was also terrified of all the possible ways this could turn out. He could forgive her and they could start over or he was done and they could both get the closure they needed.

In the end, he chose to start over and their second chance began the moment his lips met hers again after so long.

That’s all she could think about that Friday. It had been a few months since she’d seen him and their reunion was actually the last time they were together. She was only able to spend a couple of days with him before he had to go off to the next city and she couldn’t go with him because she and Dia were working on their new album. That was back in December. It was now March and she hadn’t done anything for most of that day, which was probably how the rest of her weekend was going to go. Maybe she should go to that barbecue and actually become friends with her neighbors. That’s probably what they wanted to do, too...

No, she wasn’t doing that and just the thought of doing that made her cringe. Crumpling up the flyer given to her about the barbecue, she leaned back on the couch and sighed. She knew the only reason they were inviting her was so they could maintain their perfect image of being the friendly neighbor that everyone adores. They were fake and Meg wasn’t going to give in and act like she actually cared about all that stuff. To her, it was more of a waste of her day than her just sitting there was.

It was 2:30 in the afternoon and all she really wanted to do was spend her day with Alex Gaskarth.

Looking over at her cell phone on the other side of the couch, she reached for it and began dialing his number. A year they had been away from each other and it wasn’t fair that after finally deciding to be together, they had to say goodbye once more. The last time they talked, he remembered telling her when he was going to be off tour and now was her chance.

He eventually answered. “Oh, Meg. H-hey! I-It’s nice that you called. Now where is my-”

It sounded like he was in the middle of doing something and she guessed he was also somewhere crowded since she heard voices in the back. Nevertheless, he was genuinely pleased that she had called.

“Hey,” she said. “I’m sorry, is this a bad time? You seem like you can’t talk right now.”

“No, it’s cool,” he assured her. “I’m just trying to get...somewhere.”

That was when she heard something else in the background. It sounded like somebody speaking over an intercom and though she couldn’t make out everything they said, she heard the word “delay”.

“Are you at the airport?” she asked. “But I thought you weren’t on tour anymore.”

“Yeah, I’m not,” Alex said. “But I have to go somewhere for, uh, other reasons. Anyway, I was just thinking about you.”

A smile crept across her face. “ You...you should come over.”

“Come over?” he repeated. When he said that, something in his voice hinted that he was happy about this idea.

Meg took a deep breath and went on. “I’ve had so many things I could’ve done today, but I really don’t want to do any of them. I just kept wishing that you were with me because being with you would make anything better as long as we could do it together. I’m probably sounding needy and ridiculous but this is how I feel. Come over to my place.”

The other end was silent. Or at least as silent as it could be in the airport. She kept hearing all these different voices (including the one on the intercom) and none of them came from Alex’s mouth. It almost led her to assume that he just put the phone down and walked away, probably trying to figure out a way to tell her he couldn’t do that. However, he finally spoke right when she was about to hang up.

“I’ll be there before you know it.”

She attempted to respond, but he ended the call and it left her confused. There were still parts of Alex that she loved but didn’t fully understand and this exchange was one of them. He sounded like he really meant what he said, but she still wasn’t sure if this was actually going to fall through. Didn’t he just say that he had to go somewhere? So did that mean he was going to ditch his planned flight and get a last minute ticket to reach her? Knowing him, he could’ve just said the first thing that came to mind before trying to escape the uncomfortable position she put him in. That’s what happened in Vegas, after all.

Next came a few texts she sent to him apologizing if what she said threw him off and one voicemail of her hastily telling him that he didn’t have to come over and could completely disregard what she said. Thirty minutes passed. She didn’t receive any replies and felt so embarrassed for possibly making things weird to the point where she felt like screaming into one of the couch pillows.

Then the door knocked. Initially, she thought this was her neighbors again, probably wanting to bother her about the barbecue in order to get her to come. This was not something she wanted to deal with at the moment.

Meg went over to the door and opened it. “Look, if this is about the barbecue, I really don’t-”

Her words came to a halt when she realized this wasn’t her neighbor. Standing right in front of her with his luggage in hand, his bright red hoodie slung over his shoulder, his signature grin wide across his face, was Alex.

“Hi,” he said in a voice so low that it was close to a whisper. This was always how they greeted each other. A simple word that acted as a door to all the thoughts they needed to express. Big things always followed this small word.

She was so close to just throwing her arms around him and pressing her lips against his. Instead, she ran her hand through her hair and responded as expected. “Hi.”

“I, um, I bet you’re probably wondering why I’m here.” He let out a slight laugh and scratched his head.

She nodded. “And why you came here so fast...”

“I made a plan when I was on tour,” he began. “That plan was to pack up some of my shit, sneak off to the airport without the guys knowing, and surprise you at your front door. Funny that it just so happened to be the same day you called me and asked me to come over.”

“Wait a minute.” Meg put a hand up. “You were already here when I called you and that’s why you didn’t answer my texts and calls?”

He looked at her sheepishly. “Surprise.”

Her first instinct was to hit his arm and she did it multiple times, albeit playfully. That whole time she had worried she scared him off when he was just trying to avoid revealing that he was already in Utah to be with her.

“You jerk!” she exclaimed, laughing as she smacked his arm again. “Do you have any idea how much I was freaking out when you weren’t replying? Ugh, you’re the worst!”

“Hey, I didn’t want to ruin the surprise!” he retorted, trying to shield his arm from her. “I’m like really bad at keeping secrets, so I tried to keep myself from saying anything that would make you suspicious.”

“You’re still the worst.”

Alex grabbed both her wrists so she would stop hitting him. She tried to break free, only for him to catch her off guard by wrapping his arms around her waist. He lifted her off the ground and she hooked her legs around him as her arms went around his neck. Meg couldn’t stop giggling and gave him kisses all over his face. When she was done, they both locked eyes and grinned.

“And I’m so glad I’m the worst.”

“You’re here ,” she mused.

He looked up at her with bright eyes. “Of course I did. I went to all these cities and did all these fun things, but as much as I loved playing for all those fans, I wanted you to be touring with me like when we first met. I always searched the crowd as if you’d be there watching and every time I realized you weren’t there, it sucked.”

His smile revealed a dimple and she gently ran her thumb along it, causing him to blush at the contact. Unlike her slaps from earlier, this touch was gentle and even calming in a way. He closed his eyes for a bit while she continued to gaze at him. It was almost like he wasn’t really there; like he was just a figment. His arrival seemed like one that only existed in fiction and each grand gesture he did for her was more surprising than the last. She didn’t know what she did to deserve a guy who went through so much for her, but she was still thankful he was hers.

The first thing they ended up doing was go for a walk. This was Alex’s idea and Meg didn’t really think he’d be one to want to do this. She kept insisting that he should relax since he was probably tired from his flight, but he told her he was far from tired.

Their hands were intertwined as they passed all the houses and observed all the things that were going on in her neighborhood. Since it was spring, it was warm outside and the sun was out, meaning a lot of people were outside. Some people were taking care of their lawns, either by cutting the grass or planting flowers. Others were just sitting out in front of their homes, conversing about their weekend plans. Kids of all ages were coming out to play and one of them—a little girl with braided blonde hair—came up to Meg and Alex.

Meg knew who she was, too. Despite her not being close to any of her neighbors, she was close to this little girl. She was probably the only person on this block who liked her and they formed a friendship because of this. Her name was Lucy and she was about seven years-old, almost on her way to turning eight. Lucy first met Meg a few months back when she saw her playing her guitar, prompting her to walk up Meg’s porch and ask her if she could watch her play. She was extremely sweet and smart for her age, always asking interesting questions and listening to all the lyrics Meg sung without judgment. She was one of the few things that made Meg smile during the time she was hurt over leaving Alex.

“Hi, Meg!” She smiled at them and waved.

“Hey, Lu.” Meg went down on her knees and held her arms out wide. This was the cue for Lucy to step forward and hug her. “Did you just get home from school?”

She still had her backpack on and on her shirt was a sticker of a smiley face. This wasn’t the first time Meg had seen this kind of sticker, as Lucy told her before that her teacher apparently gave the students stickers when they went above and beyond. From what Meg knew of her, she wasn’t surprised that Lucy was the kid who always came home with stickers.

“Yeah, and it was fun!” The little girl took off her backpack and started searching for something inside. “Today was somebody’s birthday and we all got goody bags.”

That’s when she finally found what she was looking for and took her hand out of her backpack, revealing a clear plastic bag that was nicely sealed with a thin red ribbon. Inside the bag was all kinds of candy and whoever’s birthday it was did not hold back on the sweets at all. The bag was pretty full.

Meg couldn’t help but giggle at her enthusiasm and listened as Lucy went into detail about how the class celebrated this person’s birthday. She talked about what the cake looked like, how they all got a slice of pizza, and she was proud to admit that the teacher gave her a sticker for offering to help pass out plates.

“It’s just like you to be the one to help out,” Meg said. “You’re always helping people. I’m proud of you.”

Alex chuckled and put his hands in his pockets, watching the two interact. He noticed the cheerful expression on Lucy’s face as she updated Meg on her life and it was clear that this little girl considered Meg important to her. As for Meg, she was just as cheerful and was truly interested in what Lucy had to say and gave her all her attention. It was honestly really sweet to witness all of this.

But then Lucy saw that Meg had company and her eyes darted to Alex. “Who’s this?”

“Oh, sorry.” Meg stood up and returned to his side. “Lucy, this is my boyfriend, Alex. He came all the way from Baltimore to visit me.”

“Hi, Alex.” Lucy stared up at him and held out her hand, which Alex shook. This time, he was the one to kneel down in order to properly shake her hand. “Are you the boy that Meg sings about?”

Alex raised an eyebrow and turned to Meg. “Really? She sings about me?”

“She plays guitar a lot,” Lucy told him. “And she sings and some of the stuff she sings talks about a boy. Are you the boy?”

“Hmm, I hope so.” Alex smirked. “Otherwise I guess I got some competition. Also, I hope it’s good stuff. It’s good stuff, right?”

Meg rolled her eyes, but her face softened as she looked back at Lucy. “He is the boy I sing about, Lu.”

“Sorry I’m no prince charming,” Alex joked and it made Lucy laugh. “Meg’s more into funny-looking guys.”

When she stopped laughing, she just nodded at Meg in what seemed like an approving manner. “I like him.”

Meg bent down to give Alex a kiss on the cheek. “I like him, too.”

Alex let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Phew, looks like I passed the test.”

“Meg always sings about you,” Lucy said. “She has a pretty voice.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” He still remembered how her voice was the first thing he heard before they met. She pulled him in with that voice and it had been in his head ever since. “Her voice is my favorite thing to listen to in the whole wide world.”

“Do you sing, too?” she asked.

His eyes lit up and he grinned. “Yeah, I do. And you want to know something, Lucy? I play guitar and sing about Meg, too.”

“Can I hear a song, please? And then can you teach me?” This had increased her excitement. Since making friends with Meg, she had taken a liking to music and was always willing to learn. A few times, Meg had taught her a few simple chords on the guitar and now that she just learned Alex was also involved with music, there was no telling what questions she had in mind.

“Sure, sounds like a plan.” Alex put a hand on her shoulder. “Once I get my hands on a guitar, I’ll definitely play for you and give you a few lessons.”

“You should play tomorrow,” Lucy suggested. “My mom and dad are having a party at our house tomorrow and they invited everyone. Are you and Meg coming?”

Meg’s smile faded at the mention of the barbecue. She already made a decision to skip this event, but that was before she took Lucy into account. The little girl sounded so hopeful and her eyes were practically begging them to say yes. So Meg didn’t really care about her parents or anybody else that would be attending, but she cared about Lucy. If she wanted them to be there, then she was fine with going. At least she knew she would be with Alex.

Alex was standing again and didn’t quite know what to say, which made sense since he wasn’t really informed about this party. “Oh, we, um-”

“You bet we’re gonna be there,” Meg interjected and Alex was grateful she stepped in.

“Yay!” Lucy cheered. “I can’t wait-”

“Lucy, there you are.”

They all turned to see Lucy’s mother, Mrs. Porter, walking up to them. She didn’t look very happy and as soon as she reached them, she grabbed Lucy’s arm.

“What have I told you about running off somewhere without telling me?” she scolded. Then in seconds, her face switched to a friendlier expression as she turned to Meg and Alex. “Sorry if she’s bothering you. We just got back from picking her up from school and she just walked out the car and went down the street without us knowing.”

“I wanted to say hi to Meg,” Lucy try to explained to her mother, who didn’t seem like she wanted to listen.

“I’m sure Meg and her friend have more important things to do.”

“But Alex was going to teach me to play the guitar-”

Her mother frowned. “Since when do you have any interest in the guitar? And is that candy in your hand? You know you’re not allowed to have too many sweets.”

Not one for lectures, Meg tried to help and grabbed the bag of candy from Lucy. “No, that’s actually my bag. I was offering her some, so it’s all my fault.”

“Your bag?” Mrs. Porter repeated and from the tone of her voice, Meg realized this didn’t help matters at all. “I’m...not even going to question why you think it’d be a good idea to give candy to somebody else’s kid, but considering it’s you, I don’t know if I should even be surprised. Come on, Lucy, let’s go.”

Alex was not happy after hearing this. “Hey, don’t talk to her like tha-”

“Okay, I’m done with this,” Meg put a hand up to stop him from moving forward. At this point she was already irritated with how Mrs. Porter was acting, but that last remark set her off. “Don’t act like you know me because you apparently don’t even know your own daughter. If you really knew her, then you’d know that she’s smart, she wants to play the guitar, and she likes to hang out with me. And yeah, even though she’s not my kid, I still care for her. Though you wouldn’t know that, would you? You never wanted to know about me, yet you always judged me behind my back and the only reason you want me at your stupid party is so it seems like you’re everybody’s friend. Well, you’re not my friend and maybe you should try to spend time with Lucy instead of gossiping all the time.”

They were all surprised by what Meg had to say, especially Mrs. Porter. Obviously she didn’t expect to hear all that from somebody she barely interacted with and she came to the realization that the things she was called out on were true. This left her embarrassed and she tried to make it seem like this didn’t phase her, but it clearly did. However, that still didn’t stop her from giving a response.

“Then I guess you understand that you’re no longer invited,” she simply said.

Lucy pulled on her mother’s arm. “Mom, you can’t do that!”

“It’s alright, Lu,” Meg assured her. “Alex and I will still teach you how to play guitar, whether your mom likes it or not.”

Mrs. Porter just glared at Meg and Alex and once again took her daughter by the arm before walking back to her home. Lucy gave them a small smile as her mother pulled her away, feeling some comfort from Meg’s words. It was amazing how positive she always was, especially with the parents she had to deal with.

Even if it felt good that Meg called out Mrs. Porter on her shit, she knew this also meant that she was going to be more strict with Lucy, no doubt planning on keeping her from seeing Meg. But they could figure out something. Hopefully.

Alex put his arm around her. “You okay?”

She sighed and leaned into him. “I’m fine. I just hope she won’t punish Lucy just because of me.”

“I’m sure she’ll be able to take care of herself,” Alex said. “She’s a good kid. You were pretty awesome for defending her and yourself like that. Her mom doesn’t seem like the greatest parent.”

“She’s not.” Meg looked down at the bag of candy still in her hand. She knew she was going to have to keep it safe at her house for a while until Lucy could get it back. “She doesn’t pay attention to her kid at all, which is how Lucy met me in the first place. She always tells me her mom would rather go out with her friends than spend time with her and it’s just...sad. I mean, she barely knows her own daughter, Alex. And she has the right to talk shit about me?”

He pulled her into a hug. “Fuck her, you’re sure as hell a lot better than she is. Now come on, let’s head back to your place and do something together. You deserve good things to happen to you. We can do whatever you want. What do you want to do?”

The only thing running through Meg’s mind was how tired she was of all the negativity that had been surrounding her for the past few months. She had been working way too hard and never really allowed herself to take a break from all her responsibilities. And of course, there was Alex. What she had been dealing with this past year couldn’t compare to what this year had been to him. He had told her that when she left him in Vegas, his means of comfort became alcohol and the only way he expressed his feelings was through anger or tears. There were even times where he blacked out from drinking so much and at hearing all this, it scared her that she had made him put himself through so much harm. It really showed how strong he was, as he still managed to pull through and make a new album, followed by so much touring.

They both needed this weekend. They needed to relax.

She pulled away from his embrace and placed her hands on his chest. Keeping her eyes on him, she leaned in to give him a soft, short kiss. Then she placed her fingers beneath his chin and smiled.

“Wanna smoke?”


So this was their Friday.

One thing Meg loved about her house was that in her bedroom she had a big window with a sill that doubled as a long cushioned seat. She made good use of this by spending some days reading an old book or sometimes even just sitting there to admire the scenery that intertwined with her neighborhood. But now the window sill had another use.

“I feel like this is a great thinking spot for you.”

“It kind of is. The best songs I’ve written came from me sitting on here.”

They were sitting across from each other on the sill, shoes off, and legs slightly sprawled out so that they were nearly tangled. In Alex’s hand was a blunt and after he took a hit, he handed it over to her. She faced the window as she smoked. It was open to prevent her room from filling up with smoke and the blinds were up. This exposed them when she looked down at the street where all the kids were playing. Some of them probably noticed her, but she didn’t mind if they did. Leaning her back against the wall, she smiled and took in another deep breath. No longer was she worrying about whether she should pay the bills or if people were saying things about her. Instead, she was perfectly content and relaxed, feeling so much better after smoking for the first time in what seemed like forever.

When she first met Alex, they got high together during Warped Tour after learning that weed was something they once in a while indulged in. Alex told her he preferred not to smoke it too much, as he worried about the effect it would have on his voice. Meg understood that concern and informed him that even though she loved the feeling it gave her, it wasn’t that much of an addiction. To be completely honest, that was the last time she had smoked and this Friday was the perfect time for her to smoke again.

He watched her as the smoke escaped her lips. There was a bit of a breeze outside, so the wind swept her hair out of her face, revealing her round brown eyes that were practically glowing. Maybe it was the weed, but seeing her sitting in front of him as she talked with the blunt in her hands was doing things to him. It didn’t help that she sat there wearing a shirt with sleeves that fell off her shoulders and had on a skirt that showed off those long tan legs.

“...I’m not perfect, though, so I can’t really say all the songs I’ve thought of while sitting here were great,” she was saying. “Like the one I wrote about two squirrels fighting over nuts. I don’t even know where they got that nut. I think one of the kids gave it to them. Who cares, it was stupid.”

Alex started laughing. “Nah, what are you talking about? A song about nuts is definitely important and everyone should sing about them more often. I know I do. So does Jack.”

She started laughing as well, taking the blunt away from her face so she could cover her mouth with her hand. Because she was laughing so hard, it made her cough a little and that just made them laugh even more. They both knew they were finding things way funnier than they should be, but it was nice to be smiling at something no matter how small it was.

“I wanna hear some of your songs,” Alex managed to say once his laughter toned down. “It looks like I need to catch up on them. Lucy said you’ve been singing about me?”

Meg felt her cheeks heat up and she smirked at him. “What can I say? You’ve inspired me.”

“I really do wanna hear them,” he said, taking the blunt from her after she held it out to him. “I’ve missed your singing. Your voice...it’s just so soothing to me and I’m always thinking about it. The way you harmonize, how your voice goes so high, the breaths you take in between words, and holy shit, the way your lips look so kissable every time.”

She moved from her sitting position and began slowly crawling toward him. “Kissable, huh? Do they look kissable now?”

He bit his lower lip as she came close, taken aback by how quickly her voice changed from sounding normal to sounding extremely seductive. Obviously he didn’t mind and allowed her to come forward until she was straddling him. Her face was inches away from his and he could feel her breath, which no doubt made him shiver.

“Very.”

Alex took another hit, only this time he held the smoke in his mouth and Meg pressed her forehead to his. Her lips parted and he looked her in the eyes before finally blowing the smoke into her mouth, watching her suck it all in. She lifted a hand and her fingers gently trailed down the side of his face, her thumb softly running along his cupid’s bow before meeting his lips with her own. His arms that had made their way around her waist pulled her against him and he ran his free hand up her back until his palm was on the nape of her neck. There was just something about this kiss that was exhilarating to him and he wanted to savor the experience. They still couldn’t be like that forever and after a few more minutes, they had to come up for air.

There was a big grin on Meg’s face when she pulled away. She let out a giggle and pushed his messy hair out of his eyes so that she could continue to gaze at him.

“Wow,” she breathed.

They were very hungry afterwards and desperately craved breakfast food, ignoring the clock that informed them it was 5:21. Their activities had moved to the kitchen because of this and they were both getting out pots, pans, ingredients, and basically anything that could help satisfy their hunger.

“What are you making?” he asked as he leaned against the island counter. She was across from him, using a whisk to mix all the flour, baking powder, milk, all kinds of ingredients she had poured into the bowl. She had went through all the steps so quickly and confidently that he assumed she had done this recipe enough times to do it within a short amount of time.

Meg stopped whisking and looked up at him. “I’m making something that my family goes crazy over.”

“Which is...” Alex dragged out the last word, waiting for her to finish.

She glanced at him with a smile before turning her back on him to open the fridge. When she returned to the bowl, she set down a small plastic container with a certain fruit in it. Then she opened one of the drawers and took out a rubber spatula.

“I’m making pancakes,” she said as she opened the plastic container. “My famous blueberry pancakes.”

He walked around the counter to be next to her. “Yeah, I guessed that once you took the blueberries out of the fridge. So this is what your family goes crazy over, huh? Is it really that good?”

“To them, it’s the biggest treat.” She chuckled. Half of the blueberries that were in the container were now in the bowl and she had began folding them into the mix with the spatula she took out. “There was even one time Dia came over to eat them after she found out I was making them when we were talking over the phone.”

“Is pot your secret ingredient?” he teased. “Maybe that’s why they’re so addicted.”

Meg stuck out her tongue. “I’m just really good at cooking and you’re about to taste the pancakes yourself.”

“I’m not gonna deny you can cook good,” Alex said. “I’m preparing myself and I don’t know if I’m actually ready to try them because there’ll be no turning back.”

Giggling again, she shook her head and turned to him. Without breaking eye contact, she reached for the container of blueberries and took one. Once she got one, she popped it into her mouth.

“I think you’ll survive,” she told him.

And about thirty minutes later, he did survive but he was also never going to want pancakes from anywhere else ever again.

He was practically licking his plate clean, having eaten about five pancakes and already reaching for another. Meg sat across from him at the table and propped an elbow up so she could rest her chin in her hand. She watched him as he finished the last pancake, an amused expression on her face the whole time. To be honest, she didn’t really expect to have any leftovers and she was perfectly okay with that if it meant seeing him be more adorable than ever.

“I hope you’re happy.” Alex took her hands in his and squeezed them as he leaned forward. “These pancakes are now all I’m gonna think about and my life is ruined because I’ll never get enough of them.”

She rolled her eyes. “So I take it you liked them?”

“Are you kidding, I loved them,” he corrected. “I don’t even think I was chewing and my mouth turned into a vacuum.”

He was doing a good job of making her laugh that day. Once again, she was holding her hand to her mouth and unable to speak for a bit due to giggling uncontrollably thanks to Alex saying so many things that were dumb yet hilarious.

Meg took a deep breath and was almost done laughing until she noticed that there was some blueberry on his lip, which of course sent her back into a fit of giggles.

“What?” Alex cocked his head to the side. “What is it?”

“You got something on your mouth,” she pointed out. “It’s right there.”

He took a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth, completely missing it. “Is it gone now?”

“No, here.” She took the napkin from him. “I’ll get it.”

She got up from her chair and he scooted his own seat away from the table. Just as she was about to bend down to wipe his face, he pulled her onto his lap and looked so satisfied with himself for pulling that move. In response, Meg put down the napkin and held the sides of his face. That’s when she decided she wasn’t going to wipe his face. Instead, she lowered her head and put her lips on his, sucking on his bottom lip to get rid of the blueberry juice that he had trouble getting off. Throughout the day, she had kissed him every chance she got and for this moment, she wanted more than just his kisses. She wanted him. All of him.

Grinning against his lips, she moved her hands down and tugged at his shirt. It didn’t take long for Alex to get the message because in seconds, he got up from his seat and carried her over to the counter while their lips were still attached. As soon as he placed her on the counter, he broke away from her to pull off his shirt and that gave her the cue to take off hers. Meg placed her hands on his chest as her legs wrapped around his waist again to bring him closer to her. She couldn’t help but take in all the little details of him that she still remembered from the last time they were like this.

His hair had grown out a little, this time being much darker because the blonde streaks he once had were gone. He had managed to have it cut in a way that complimented the shape of his face and the ends no longer flipped out. He even had a bit of stubble and for some reason she liked the scratchiness of it when his mouth traveled down to her neck. And then there was his scent. He still used the same cologne that she was never able to resist and she giggled when she caught another familiar smell: sweat.

This triggered even more memories of him that she adored. Those days back on Warped Tour where she would hide from fans and bandmates with him after performances came to mind. They’d once hid in the small space between two tour buses that were closely parked side by side, giving her no choice but to be pressed up against him. Alex was worried the odd mix of his cologne and sweat would gross her out, so he’d apologize profusely. To Meg, there was no need for him to be sorry. Not only did she get this because, well, she also smelled of sweat, but because she actually liked it—she still did.

Meg ran her hands through his hair as he continued to plant kisses on her neck. Soon those kisses turned into him sucking on her skin and she moaned when she felt his hands grip her thighs, lifting them up a little. She placed her palms flat on the counter and leaned back as his lips trailed down even further to her collar bone. Then he returned to sucking, but this time he made sure he did it lightly because he didn’t want to leave marks just yet. Her eyes closed, letting herself relax and enjoy the attention. She knew how good he was at that and was surprised he still remembered what spots were sensitive.

Then his hand reached her inner thigh and slid up her skirt.

At last, he found that spot, which made her gasp and bury her face into his shoulder. This was new. This was definitely new. He hadn’t done this to her before, but because of how great he was at doing it, she wished he had. With his hands working her and his mouth exploring her upper body, it was impossible for her to stay quiet. He felt her grab hold of him, listening to all the noises she made and they prompted him to stroke faster. Alex just wanted to spoil her; give her all the pleasure she deserved.

When she finally came, her back arched and she cried out, reveling in the sensation of his fingers sliding and pushing deep within her. Meg was panting as she tried to get a hold of herself again, thankful that Alex was there to keep her up otherwise she would’ve slid off the counter and down onto the floor.

Her legs felt weak and he caught her, quickly putting his arm behind her back to support her. There was a quick flash of worry in his eyes, but when she let out a slight laugh it relieved him.

She sighed and cupped the back of his head. “Wow. That was...wow.”

That was a word she was probably going to be saying a lot that weekend. She could already tell and it seemed he saw this, too.

No exchange of words was necessary for them to make it clear that they weren’t done. Her lips immediately crashed into his again and they made their way out of the kitchen. Alex took the lead, walking backwards and running his hands up her sides before reaching around to unhook her bra. They were halfway up the stairs when he threw it aside and it hit the railing, but that was the last thing they could care about. Meg was too busy unbuttoning his pants and immediately pulled them down once they were both at the top. She dropped them in the middle of the hallway and they were soon followed by her skirt.

She grew impatient, going much quicker than him and not even hesitating to maneuver him into her bedroom. She pushed him onto the bed and joined him, kneeling by his side as he lay down on the mattress. Her index fingers hooked onto the waistband of his boxers and she pulled them down, exposing him. It was her turn to fulfil his needs and with all that he’d been going through, this was long overdue. All the touring and media coverage was exhausting sometimes and she was able to spot how overworked he was the moment he stepped into her home. Bags were underneath his eyes and though they weren’t noticeable at first, he also had dark circles. His enthusiasm was still present, but his yawns and the slight crack in his voice made it less convincing. Honestly, Alex wasn’t kidding when he told her he needed a break.

Meg’s fingers curled around his length, earning a groan from him. He shuddered when she began stroking him and let her thumb lightly brush over the head. This gesture alone was making him spit out incoherent words.

“S-shit, Meg I...” he tried to say something—anything—but her touch was reducing him to a stuttering mess and he wasn’t against it at all.

She put a finger to his lips before he could finish his sentence. “I just wanna ease your mind and make you feel alright, so go ahead and relax.”

He should fear how she was so alluring when she wanted to be; how even just her talking was sensual. Taking a deep breath, he did as he was told and relaxed. But really, she only let him relax for a total of three seconds and he knew all that was going to change the moment she licked her lips.

Sure enough, he jolted when she started blowing him. Her mouth was wet and hot, tongue sweeping around his head and forcing him to grab onto the pillows to prevent himself from pulling on her hair. Then a little bit of teeth were added into the mix and she hummed, which really fucking drove him crazy. He wasn’t sure he was going to last and when she met his gaze without pulling away, her eyes made it obvious that she could feel him getting close.

Except she stopped. Finishing him was not apart of her plan and neither of them wanted this, but she was thrown off by Alex grabbing her waist and flipping them over so that she was the one laying down on the bed while he was on top of her. He had plans of his own and it started with him removing her panties that were in the way.

She looked up at him with a smirk; that same kind of smirk she had on the first night they slept together. It got his heart pounding again and he wasted no time propping himself in between her legs. Meg’s head fell back on the pillows and she tried to wriggle closer to him to give him easier access, but he already took care of that by pulling her toward him. Her legs were draped over his shoulders and his hands were firmly holding down her hips. For what he had in mind, he had to keep her still.

She couldn’t wait forever, though, and was just about to urge him to hurry up, only to be interrupted by his tongue. Those fingers of his returned to making her moan, this time due to him teasing her. As he rubbed her, his other hand moved up to cup one of her breasts and her responses got louder. His tongue moved slow, only giving her long strokes so that he could take his time and savor her taste. There wasn’t any need to rush and he had all the time in the world that weekend to relish in the parts of her he missed. This was his chance to really get to know her body.

Her hips bucked up when he let both his fingers and tongue go deeper, gaining more confidence when she pulled on his locks and begged him to keep going. He sped up his movements and even when she came again, he didn’t stop until her muscles spasmed. Toes curling, she took his face in her hands and brought him up to look at her. He was quiet for the moment, the only sound being their heavy breathing. He wanted to stop for a second to admire her beauty that was still so evident after all they’d done.

There was the smoothness of her skin, the lipstick marks she left on him, and of course, those big brown eyes that shined so bright. This was the girl he thought he’d never see again and now they were laying together, connected and happy after wandering around the world aimlessly for years just looking for that piece that could make everything complete. It turned out this whole time they had been looking for each other.

And he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Her nails dug into his back as his hips met hers, mouth breathlessly whispering into his ear to go deeper and faster. When her legs tightened around his waist, he pressed his mouth to her neck and groaned at the hot feeling of her clenching around him. It had been so long since Meg felt him and fuck, she couldn’t believe she almost forgot how good he felt inside her. It had been way too long and Alex focused only on her, pinning her wrists down onto the mattress. Their fingers interlocked and he kept his eyes on her as she took in the pleasurable sensation of him driving harder into her until she yelled out his name.

When they were able to catch their breath again, he rested his head on her chest and she brought a hand up to gently thread her fingers through his hair before kissing the top of his head.

“You’re so amazing,” he murmured, grinning to himself and closing his eyes. “It’s almost like you’re not even real.”

“I’m real.” She sighed and her lips curled into a smile of her own. “I’m happy, too. All thanks to you.”

Alex felt like he could fall asleep at that very moment. It was just so comforting to feel her hold him like that, making him feel so safe in her arms as she relieved him of all the pain and stress that his life piled up on him. When he finally gave in and fell asleep on her, she smiled down at him. She knew right then and there that she was never going to leave him like before. Ever. She was going to love him and enjoy every aspect of him.


Hours later, they were awake again and Alex was sitting up in her bed with his head turned toward the bathroom. His t-shirt and boxers were back on and he was leaning against the headboard, wondering why it was taking her so long to come out. The time was now 8:06 PM and the sun had been gone for almost an hour. This left most of the house in darkness, the only lights being the small lamp on the nightstand and the one in the bathroom.

Meg then stood in the doorway, her back against the frame as she awaited his reaction. She was wearing one of his shirts; a white button up that she took from his bag earlier when they were smoking. The sleeves had to be rolled up four times so that they fell just below her elbows and the whole garment loosely fitted her small figure, the length of it hitting her mid thighs. The shirt was unbuttoned enough for him to see a little bit of her breasts, but not too much. Her hair was pushed to one side, the waves falling over her shoulder while her lips still remained that deep shade of red she always loved.

He almost drooled. Almost, but he caught himself. “Y-you look great.”

“You really think so?” She tilted her head and giggled. “This all sounds like something coming out one of those cliché romance movies.”

“You’re the one that wanted to put on the shirt,” he retorted.

“Well, yeah, because I want to be comfortable,” she countered. “Not because I think it’s ‘sexy’ or whatever.”

What made a woman wearing a man’s dress shirt sexy anyway? Was it the whole questionable idea of wearing a professional piece of clothing during a situation that was the complete opposite of its purpose?

Alex scoffed. “Sure, you just want to be ‘comfortable’. Alright then.”

He even included air quotes. Meg walked over to the bed and sat on the side near his legs. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I just think it’s funny that out of all the shirts I packed, you picked that one,” he replied. “I mean, there’s some band tees or plain t-shirts you could’ve worn. Unless all this time I’ve been wearing the wrong shirts. Maybe I should buy more button ups because those are apparently so comfortable that-”

Her hand clamped over his mouth. “Okay, so a small part of me wanted to look sexy.”

When she removed her hand, he pointed at her. “There it is.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” she said sarcastically, crossing her arms.

After he got a laugh, his expression softened and he ran his hand along her cheek. “But you really do look beautiful right now.”

Meg’s cheeks flushed pink and she averted her eyes, the widest smile on her face as she gave off a demeanor that equalled that of teenager. She didn’t know how to respond other than joke about it. “I said I wanted to be sexy, not beautiful.”

“I know you did,” he said. “And I’ll admit you look sexy. It’s just that...I just really think you’re beautiful. That describes you better.”

Alex had never been afraid of using the word “beautiful” on her. Whether it be her voice, her appearance, or her personality, it was the word he often used for her. Even then, he still didn’t feel like this word did her justice, but it was the best the English language had to offer.

“Speaking of beautiful,” he began. “I still haven’t heard your songs. Why don’t you play something?”

She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissed him gently on the cheek. Then in a low voice, she replied with, “Yeah. I’d love to.”

They made themselves comfortable in her living room before she even laid a finger on any of her instruments. The coffee table was pushed aside to a corner so that she could spread three of her biggest blankets on the floor and throw in a bunch of pillows. The light was dimmed so that they weren’t overwhelmed by brightness, deciding that this helped maintain the calm atmosphere.

Alex was on the floor, his back against the couch. He had her acoustic guitar in his hands and couldn’t help but appreciate how she had managed to handle it with care for so many years. The guitar was nicely polished and in tune without any excess strings dangling from the headstock. There were no scratches or stains, nor were there ripped stickers or penises drawn with a sharpie (like his). She took good care of her instrument and he was struck with more memories as he played a few chords.

She sat beside him, holding her ukulele. According to Meg, she had that longer than her guitar and it was her uncle who taught her how to play it. For the moment, she decided against playing it when she heard Alex strumming, wanting to see if he was playing anything she recognized.

When he noticed her watching, he laughed. “I’m just messing around. But you know what, we should play a little game. I’ll play something and you gotta name the song. You up for it?”

“I’m up for it.” She nodded. “Sounds fun.”

Most of the songs were easy for her to guess right away while others she had to listen closely. Alex was pretty impressed at how fast she was able to answer, but not really surprised that she knew them.

“I’m gonna play one more song,” he told her. “Ready?”

“Of course I’m ready. Go play it,” she urged.

Despite him telling her he was going to play one more, he didn’t really know what song he had in mind. It was really just because of the way she kept looking at him that pushed him to keep going. She showed off a childlike grin and sat close to him with her knees brought up to her chest, her arms hugging them while she hummed along to whatever tune was playing. When she slightly swayed her body side to side, it was almost hypnotic and soon Alex’s hands took over, playing something that neither of them expected.

He didn’t even need to look down to see where his hands were; he just knew. Once he hit those first few chords, he realized what he had ended up doing and couldn’t bring himself to stop even when her smile had slowly went away. It was hard for him to read her face. Was she angry? Upset? Whatever she was feeling, it was definitely towards the song because she managed to whisper the name.

“Remembering Sunday.”

Of course she’d recognize the one he wrote for her.

Finally, he stopped strumming. “I-I can stop if you want me to.”

He was about to put the guitar down, only for her to lightly put a hand on the neck of it to stop him.

“Keep playing,” she said and her smile was back. Maybe not as wide as the grin she had earlier, but it was there.

That song had been on repeat ever since she first heard it and there was no way she would ever stop him from playing. It was a track that meant so much to the both of them and for her to hear it live was amazing. But there was something different about him playing it for her here. Instead of a crowded venue, it was just the two of them alone in her house. It was a way more intimate moment and that was probably what he wanted all along.

That was the picture he had in his head when he wrote it. She was the only one that he wanted to hear it. She was the only one he wanted in the room with him.

Just us.

And now it was actually happening; the real thing turning out very different compared to the one he imagined. They were sitting comfortably on all these blankets with a guitar and ukulele in their hands, all the while barely dressed. So yeah, it wasn’t the ideal setting his mind had hoped for. It was better.

She lay her head on his shoulder when he started singing, closing her eyes at the sound of his voice. Already she knew the words and mouthed them along with him. So many times, she had heard people tell her how immersed they were into the story the song told, not knowing that it was her story. Their story. Alex had a way of telling it better than she ever could and it led her to realizing she didn’t want it to end like that. It wasn’t over. Not even close.

He was at the bridge, meaning he was getting closer to the part that his friend Juliet sang. Of course, she wasn’t there to do it and it was then that Meg found herself singing in her place without thinking.

It was her voice that was singing his words back to him and he wasn’t sure if his heart could take it. Meg’s voice wasn’t as strong as Juliet's, but it fit so perfectly anyway; how it was so breathy yet smooth with a bit of a soulful edge to it. She was singing it in her own way and Alex couldn’t have been more mesmerized by that voice. This almost caught him off guard because not only was it surprising, but this was the first time he had heard her sing in a year and like the rest of her, it was beautiful. That was one thing about her that he never really wanted to change.

When they finished the song, they just exchanged smiles. He playfully bumped her shoulder with his and she returned the gesture.

“I never did get to tell you how much this song means to me,” she began. “Sometimes I still find it unbelievable that this was written for me.”

He placed his hand over hers. “I just had to write it because I didn’t want to shut in all my feelings. When we released the album, I just kept hoping you’d buy it and hear the songs. I wasn’t really expecting you to come back to me. It was like a message, like me trying to get...closure.”

She nuzzled into his shoulder and kissed it. “Well, I didn’t want closure. I wanted to make things right, but was so scared of what you’d think of me. That song was the final push for me to find you.”

“I’m so fucking glad you found me.”

“And I’m so glad you wrote that song.”

She sat up straight and took the guitar from him, feeling it was her turn to take over. He moved away from the couch and sat himself down in front of her. He sat cross-legged and his hands were resting on his knees, waiting in anticipation.

“I think you’ve waited long enough.” Meg giggled. “It’s time for me to sing you one of my songs.”

“I’m excited. And nervous,” he admitted. “I know Lucy said you sang good things, but my palms are still sweating.”

“Relax. It’s gonna be okay, Lex,” she assured him. “I’m singing Lucy’s favorite.”

“What’s it called?” he asked.

“It’s called, ‘Into You’,” she replied, placing her fingers where the first chord was. “It was one of the first songs I started writing after...well, after Vegas. You deserve to finally hear it.”

He nodded and mouthed “okay”, only because he couldn’t speak at the moment for some reason. Barely blinking, he sat there quietly and waited for her to start. She took a deep breath and began playing, her soft, breathy voice joining in. The song was amazing so far and no wonder Lucy thought of it as her favorite, but what really got his attention was the words. It was such a simple song, but the lyrics opened up to him all the thoughts that had been going through her head when they were apart. He had always wondered what she had been up to after Vegas and she was finally giving him the answers.

Can’t get away from you, although I’m trying to
Someday I’ll be free to love you

This was written weeks after leaving him. When she wrote it, she was sitting on that window sill of hers, notebook in her lap while her cell phone was right next to her. Every few minutes, she’d get a call and she didn’t need to look at the screen to know it was him trying to get a hold of her. There were times when she was close to answering, her thumb on the green button but never actually pressing it. It didn’t help when he left voicemails and she had done a good job of not listening to them at first.

But after she had finished writing the song, she got another one late at night and sat back on the window sill before finally putting the phone to her ear.

Her heart was pounding when she heard his voice and she closed her eyes, feeling like he was in the room with her. She still remembered what he said in that voicemail because it was the only one she had listened to.

“Meg...i-it’s me again. You’re probably asleep, but I-I didn’t want to go to bed without calling you one more time. I...I’m so fucked up. I tried to get back together with my ex and I couldn’t be with her. I was using her to get over you, but I just can’t. I can’t expect you to love me when I’m a mess who can’t even love myself. You had every right to leave me and I know I can’t fix what happened. I’m not really sure what the point of this message was, but I’m so sorry for everything. I won’t call you anymore. Bye.”

His voice had wavered near the end of it, which made her stomach drop and she wanted to call him back. She wanted to scream to him don’t go but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead she got a new number and erased the rest of the voicemails that she never listened to and never will.

Alex wasn’t the mess. She was.

That unforgettable night in Vegas and everything else that had followed up until All Time Low’s show in Utah flashed through her mind and she realized all that happened because she couldn’t get herself together. She had been trapped in all her insecurities, keeping her from loving him and it caused them both so much pain. Why did it take her so long?

Tears were in Meg’s eyes at that point and it was difficult for her to concentrate on the song. She was so lost in her thoughts that her fingers stumbled when she changed chords and she just gave up on continuing, putting the guitar aside while Alex looked at her with concern.

He didn’t ask if she was alright, knowing how stupid he’d sound because obviously she wasn’t if she was crying. Instead, he rubbed small circles on her back as she curled up against him, his other hand gently stroking her hair while he held her. Even if he didn’t know why she was upset, he was there for her and she could take all the time she needed until she was ready to talk.

They stayed like that for a few minutes and the only sounds were the small gasps of breaths she took to calm herself down. Eventually she took one last deep breath and looked up at him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“No, it’s alright,” he said and he tried to lighten the mood. “I’ve cried over a few of my own songs, too. You’ve seen me.”

But she didn’t laugh and just shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I’m sorry for all that I’ve done to you. All you ever wanted to do was love me and I hurt you. I just ran away because I didn’t want to deal with the issues I had with myself. You didn’t deserve any of that and yet you still took me back. That just proves how amazing you are and how awful I am. I don’t deserve you...”

She got off of him and turned away, only for him to wrap his arms around her from behind. He pressed his lips against her back and she wished he hadn’t because the contact made the tears come back. Still, she didn’t really want him to pull away from her and let him give her a few light kisses.

He then rested his chin on her shoulder. “Well, I think you’re pretty great. You were trying to understand what kind of person you were and that led me to finding out who I was. It wasn’t exactly a nice journey, but if it weren’t for you I don’t think things for us would’ve ended up the way they did. We would’ve still been lost. So don’t say you don’t deserve me. Please. You’re better than you think you are.”

Alex gave her another kiss, this time on her cheek and it got her to smile once more. She wiped the tears away and sighed. “There you go again, being amazing.”

“You needed to know that,” he told her. “I love you.”

And just like that, her heart was back to pounding against her chest and she bet that he probably felt it, too. Meg turned her head to look at him over her shoulder and kissed him ardently. After pulling away and shifting her body so that she was back to facing him, she reached for his hands so that their fingers laced together.

Though she noticed her nose was still running from crying and she ended up laughing in embarrassment on how gross that must’ve made her look. He didn’t really care, though, and also laughed.

“Here, wipe it on my shirt,” he joked. “On my sleeve.”

She lightly shoved him and rolled her eyes. “Stop.”

There was a box of tissues on the small table near the couch, so she got up for a quick second to get one. After she was done, she dropped to her knees and started playing with his hair, letting her fingers comb through it.

“I love you, too,” she said and it was his heart’s turn to start pounding. They remembered how difficult it was to exchange these words the first time and now it was so easy; rolling right off the tongue, but the meaning still so strong and true.

She believed every word.

After making and eating another plate of pancakes and cleaning the kitchen, they were laying down in the blankets on her living room floor at a quarter to midnight. They put on a movie, one of the old black and white ones that she enjoyed watching as a little kid. It was mainly just for background noise as they only watched the first few minutes before getting lost in conversation.

“I never got to ask you,” Alex was saying. He rolled over to his side to face her. “Where’d you get the weed?”

“Is that your big question?” Meg smirked. “Well, if you really want to know, I got it from an old friend who works at the farmer’s market. He gave it to me last week when I went and thought I’d want it. For some reason I took it.”

“Were you gonna smoke it even if I didn’t come up?”

“Nah.”

They just looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. She honestly didn’t know what she would’ve done with the weed, but she didn’t want to say no to a friend. It was a good thing Alex decided to come otherwise that would’ve been a waste.

Yawning, she took the remote and turned off the television. They were starting to feel tired again and because of their great idea to have some sort of second breakfast, it was obviously a food coma they were going to fall into. But neither of them wanted to sleep. They didn’t want the sun to come up or time to go by, putting an end to this weekend. This whole weekend of just relaxing together and forgetting everybody and everything. Alex wanted more of it; more of her.

They tried to keep each other up, doing all they could to ignore how comfortable all the blankets were and how nice it was to be laying down with their faces inches apart. She lifted her hand and he put his palm against hers, their fingers interlocking like earlier when they were in her bed together. His phone rang for what was probably the fifteenth time and they knew it was his band still trying to reach him.

“I don’t care if they’re gonna kill me when I get back,” Alex said once the ringing stopped. “I didn’t feel like going to band practice. I’d rather be here.”

Meg yawned and moved closer to nuzzle against him. “I hope I’m worth it.”

He put his arm around her and felt her get more comfortable as she tucked her head into the space beneath his chin. “You’re always worth it.”

“Stay awake,” she murmured, though that somehow made it even more difficult for them to do so.

It was like those words acted as a weight, making their eyelids feel heavier. No longer willing to fight it, Meg closed her eyes and Alex did the same. Her hand slipped away from his, falling onto his chest. Despite the slightly audible smack, it didn’t really phase him.

“I’m trying,” he muttered. “I don’t think I can.”

He couldn’t. They both knew they couldn’t and she realized there was no use in forcing themselves. So instead of speaking, she just pulled the blanket over them and lay her head on him.

“Should we go to your bed?” he asked, but it wouldn’t have mattered what she answered because he was losing consciousness.

Meg slowly shook her head. “No. Everything is okay right here.”

The response she heard was just a small hum and his deep breathing was the last thing she heard before melting into him. With that, they both fell asleep tangled around each other.


Alex was the one to wake up first when morning came and chuckled when he noticed that overnight he ended up being the little spoon. He could feel her light breathing on his back and her slim arms around him, once again feeling safe from the warmth and comfort she gave him.

So this was what it felt like to wake up next to her.

It felt like forever since he’d shared a morning like this with someone. Mornings on the tour bus were never peaceful thanks to Jack and that last morning with Lisa was when he told her he couldn’t be with her anymore. Then there was that morning in Vegas. Needless to say, he’s had a number of rough mornings that made it hard for him to enjoy them.

But then there was this morning where he was on the living room floor with the girl who changed everything for him. Over a year ago, he woke up in a Vegas hotel room to find that Meg wasn’t there anymore, not even getting a chance to see her face when he opened his eyes. Now it was a year later and waking up to find her still sleeping next to him while holding him was almost surreal.

He didn’t dare move from his position, almost as if she’d disappear if he did. She was still sleeping and he just couldn’t bring himself to disturb her; he couldn’t disturb this moment. It needed to last for just a little bit longer and then he’d preserve this memory, remembering it for the rest of his life. Yeah, he could wait for her to wake up even if it took hours.

And while she usually would’ve woken up an hour later, she was up earlier that day. Just minutes after he woke up, she did, too. Letting out a sigh of content, she pressed her cheek against his back and smiled.

“You’re really cute when you sleep,” she said with a giggle.

He laughed and turned around to face her. “You mean you wish I was.”

“You’re cute and you know it.” She cupped his cheek. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

“You say that now, but just wait until I start drooling all over your pillow and snoring in your ear,” he retorted.

“I don’t care.”

Like that would actually change her mind. Her only counter to that was giving him a kiss on the nose, prompting him to crinkle it and make a silly face at her. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her against him. His mouth moved down to her neck and she felt him laugh, the vibrations making her giggle even more. Though he didn’t stop there and started tickling her. To his satisfaction, she was one of those people who were affected by it.

“Alex!” she yelled in between laughs. “This isn’t fair!”

“Still think I’m cute?” he said.

Surprisingly, she still managed to break free of his hold and climbed on top of him. Pinning his arms down, she smirked and tilted her head to the side. “Yes.”

He pouted. “Fine. You win this time.”

Grinning widely, she got off of him and stood up, offering a hand. He took it and with both of her hands, she pulled him up and caught another kiss from him.

Alex made her breakfast and refused to have any of her help because she already cooked for him twice. It was his turn to feed her and show off his skills that she hadn’t witnessed yet. He had secretly learned a few recipes in his spare time and decided to make something savory. After all, with how many blueberry pancakes they ate, they needed to balance things out. In the end, he made her an omelet with mushrooms and spinach while his had bacon. He had eagerly waited for her opinion on his cooking, not touching his food until she gave him some sort of approval and to his relief, she loved it.

He offered to do the dishes and then showered afterwards. Initially, it was only him in the bathroom and the next thing he knew, she was in the shower with him. He swallowed hard when she gave him those lustrous eyes that were still so enticing and her hands roamed over his body, lips on his while the water continued to fall. Steam surrounded them as he pushed her against the glass wall of the shower, making her come apart with his fingers once more. The hot water and skin on skin contact made them stay in there longer than they needed to, but they were nice and clean once they were done.

Alex wrapped a towel around his waist while she wrung out her hair, waves already forming. They walked out of the bathroom and he fell back on the bed, completely bare thanks to Meg. He watched the towel that was wrapped around her drop to the floor and she got on the bed and sunk down on top of him. Her hips rolled slowly and she eventually found a rhythm, riding him until they’re both letting out cries of pleasure.

Her index finger traced small circles on his chest and she propped her chin up to look at him. “Guess what?”

He loved the way she said that. Her tone was playful, innocent even. It was almost hard to believe she was the same girl who was being so seductive just a few minutes ago. “What?”

“I love you.”

Around noon, they cleaned up a bit. Blankets were folded, clothes were put into the hamper, and condom wrappers were discarded. To make it less boring, they played music and let it blare throughout the house. Alex was in charge of picking songs and started with some old music from the eighties that they could sing along to—the first choice being “Forever Young” by Alphaville. Then he went on to nineties hits like Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys. The pop music then shifted to pop punk when he started playing all the bands that inspired him and they found themselves not only singing at the top of their lungs, but also jumping on the couch together with spoons in their hands acting as microphones.

“What’s My Age Again?” by Blink-182 was appropriately playing.

She took over as the DJ and played something less fast-paced. That’s when they ended up slow-dancing to Corinne Bailey Rae in her living room just because. His hands were on her waist while hers were around his neck and it filled them with nostalgia of the days of Homecoming and Prom. He regaled her with the story of his very first dance back in seventh grade and how the girl he went with ended up dancing with another guy after Alex stepped on her feet one too many times. Meg then went on to share with him her own story, saying how she only went with one of her friends to help make his crush jealous and they succeeded.

“With you as his date, of course she’d be jealous,” Alex remarked.

She pressed her forehead to his shoulder. “If you were my date, I wouldn’t have ditched you. That girl was stupid.”

“I’m just glad I’m dancing with you now,” he admitted.

“Yeah, you haven’t stepped on my foot,” she teased.

“That’s what I was aiming for.”

He twirled her one last time before the song ended and the music had stopped, having reached the end of her playlist of indie songs. Her fingertips ran down his arms and she took hold of his hands, tugging on them as she stepped back. “Come on, let’s go outside.”

They sat down on the steps of her porch and Meg had her guitar again to sing more songs for him. Since she never really finished her song the night before, she felt obligated to give him a proper performance. This time, he got to hear a much happier song and rested his chin in his hands, watching her in admiration. As they sat outside, there were quite a few people passing by on the sidewalk. Some were carrying trays of food or liters of soda. Of course, some even had beer or other types of alcohol. Both Meg and Alex knew that all these people were heading over to the barbecue.

But honestly, they were in such a good mood that they didn’t care. It was the best they weren’t going because they didn’t need to be surrounded by all those strangers to have fun. That weekend was supposed to be about spending time with each other and only each other. They were doing their own thing and it made things far more enjoyable that way.

Yet a weekend still wasn’t enough. They both knew he was going to leave the next day.

Meg set her guitar aside, linked arms with Alex, and leaned on him. “Why can’t you just stay with me a little longer?”

He looked down at her. “You know how much I want to. If I had it my way, I’d probably never leave, but we know there’s shit we have to do. I gotta tour again and you’re working with Dia on your new album. We got busy lives.”

“Yeah, I know.” She nodded. “But you’re leaving tomorrow and after all we did this weekend, I don’t want you to go.”

“Let’s not worry about that,” he told her. “You still got me for one more day, so let’s have as much fun as we can, alright? And I’m gonna make a promise to you: After all this stuff with your new music and my band going on tour is done, let’s take a vacation together. Just you and me. We’ll go anywhere you want. What do ya think?”

She beamed at him and pecked him on the lips. “I’m all for it.”

They weren’t exactly sure when they’d get to take that trip, but they could already picture it. They’ll be able to get away from everyone and venture out to all kinds of places around the world together. Nobody would bother them and they’ll relish all the intimacy and connection that they shared just like they did on that amazing Friday in March. Late night conversations, his lips on her skin, mornings in each other’s arms. They couldn’t wait. But until then, they were going to make the most of this weekend.

“Meg! Alex!”

At the sound of their names being called, they turned their attention to the front of the house where the voice came from. That’s when they saw that a familiar blonde-haired girl was running toward them.

“Lucy?” Meg stood up and walked over to her, Alex following closely behind. “What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t want to be at the barbecue,” Lucy answered. “I want to be here with you guys.”

“Do your parents even know you left?” Alex asked.

Lucy shook her head. “They don’t, but I don’t care. My mom doesn’t pay attention to me and my dad just does whatever she says. The party wasn’t any fun at all and, and...can I just stay with you and Alex forever?”

The poor girl looked so upset that she appeared to be close to shedding tears. Meg gave her a small smile and pulled her into a hug. “Don’t be sad, Lu. Of course you can hang out with me and Alex.”

She looked up at Meg with wide eyes. “So I can stay?”

“Okay, maybe not forever.” Meg chuckled. “But just for today and then we’re taking you back. Got it?”

“But I don’t want to go back,” Lucy protested.

Alex kneeled, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Look, Meg and I can’t just take you away from your parents. Even if we’re way more fun than they are and they sound like a bunch of-”

“Alex.”

“Sorry.” He gave Meg an apologetic look and cleared his throat. “Anyway, the point is you’ll be okay. Maybe your parents don’t get you right now, but maybe in time they will. For now, just remember that Meg will always be here for you whenever you need someone and when I’m around, I’ll be here for you, too.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up and her mouth curled into a wide grin. Then right away, she threw her arms around him. Though initially taken aback, he reciprocated and Meg couldn’t help but crack a smile at the moment.

“Can I finally hear your songs?” Lucy finally asked him after she pulled away. She walked over to the guitar and handed it to him. “Then you can teach me?”

Alex took it from her and smiled. “Sure, kiddo.”

She grabbed Alex’s hand and with her other hand, she got a hold of Meg’s. The three of them then began walking up the steps and into the house.

“While you guys are doing that, I think I’ll make one more batch of pancakes.” Meg winked at him and she smirked at how much his eyes were shining.

Lucy, on the hand, was curious. “Pancakes? Are they good?”

Meg and Alex just glanced at each other.

“You have no idea.”