Fire in My Eyes

After dinner with Jess I went home to change. A lot of us were getting together tonight for some drinks at Bryce's house. Me and Bryce might as well have been brother and sister. We were raised from the time we were in diapers until we graduated together. Stuck at the hip. I drove over to his house and sat there for a few minutes thinking of how the hell to tell him I might actually have some sort of feelings for some guy I don't even know. How do you even say that to a person? I took a deep breath as I shut off my ignition and walked inside the already packed house.

"Babe! You made it!" he said giving me the biggest hug.

"Of course I did, but why is the house so packed?"

"Just a little welcome home party for a friend of mine. You remember Zack don't you?"

"From high school? Yeah. Why?"

"He and his band are taking a small break for a few months and they came home this morning."

"Oh awesome. Look, I need to talk to you when you hav---"

"Bryce! Man, it's been too long!" Zack said walking over giving Bryce a 'bro-hug' as he called his. "And this can't be Kayley." He said laughing as he hugged me. "You look great. How are you?"

"I'm great. I hear things are going good for you too." I said smiling looking around the house at the people crowding around.

"Yeah, we just got back from tour this morning. I'm actually excited to get away from it all for a little while. We all need a break ya know?"

"Oh yeah." I said laughing. "Bryce, can I talk to you for a minute. Alone?" I said trying to ignore the elephant in the room as I caught his eye. Fuck.

"Yeah." he said as we walked out to his back deck.

"I have a problem." I said looking down crossing my arms over my stomach.

"If you say you're pregnant I will blow a gasket. What's going on?"

"Well, long story short I saw a guy this morning. I don't know him but Jess went to school with him and well, I really think I might have some sort of feelings for him and he''s here. I say him. When we were talking to Zack and my hearts beating out of my chest and I just. I can''t breathe. She says he no good but I dunno. He just. There's something about him that I just want to get to know him."

"Well, who is it. I can tell him to leave. You being here is more important."

"Alex..."

"You mean, Alex Gaskarth? Dark hair, tattoos, in there drinking a glass of wine? He's not that bad. Just talk to him. Granted, I wouldn't bring up the feelings thing. He's really touchy about it after he got his heart shatter in pieces a year ago." he said kissing my forehead. "And remember if he makes you cry he won't be a man anymore. His manhood will be nailed to a tree in my back yard."

I sighed as we walked back in. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and made my way across the room.

"Hey! It's you! You look better without coffee dripping off your scrubs, which I still feel like shit about."

"Yeah." I said smiling. "This is kind of my best friends house. I didn't even know all these people were gonna show up."

"Well, I'm glad fate somehow landed you here. I'm Alex."

"Kayley. Kayley Spencer. It's nice to officially meet you."

"Wanna go somewhere and talk or something. All these people make me anxious. It's one thing when I'm ten feet away on stage but it's different when they're in my bubble."

"Absolutely." I said feeling my heart fluttering in my chest. Where's a shot of tequila or vodka when you need one.

"So Kayley, what do you do? Are you a doctor?"

"No. I'm a pediatric nurse. It's probably the best job I could have. I never work night shifts, or weekends. I get to see kids all day. It's great."

"Aww! Awesome. I still owe you new scrubs."

"Oh, no. Trust me. I have enough scrubs to staff my own doctors office. I learned the hard way. You always end up with something on you." I said laughing.

Alex and I sat on the front porch just talking for what felt like an eternity. We talked after everyone left and it was just us and Bryce. We talked about everything like we'd known each other forever. I dont know where Jess got the bad boy thing from.

"Can I ask you something. It's been bugging me." I said lighting staring at the moon.

"Yeah. Always. I'm an open book."

"I have a friend, Jess Parker. She went to high school with you and well, I told her about what happened this morning because we work together and she said you're kind of, well more like a lot of an ass hole, but I don't see it."

"Oh.. God. Listen, first of all, whenever you see or talk to her again, tell her whatever I did to her I'm sorry. I had a really rough time in high school with some family shit and I tended to take it out on people, but that's a story for another night. It's getting really late. Do you need a ride home or anything?"

"No, I'm good to drive. Do you have somewhere to go. It seems like the rest of your gang kind of left you behind. I have a spare room if you need one, or my mom runs the hotel downtown if you want a room."

"A place to crash would be great. I haven't had a chance to house hunt since we got back this morning."

"Well, come on then. Let's roll out." I said smiling feeling like my heart for once had a purpose.