The Party Scene

Chapter 4
Suspension

That night Rian and Jack eventually left the Gaskarth residence after about half an hour of watching the sun set on the driveway.

"See you when I see you!" said Jack, hoping into his mothers van and rolling the window down.

"You need a lift to school tomorrow, Jack?" asked Alex.

"Of course, mom has to go in early." said Jack glancing over at his mother.

"Don't sleep in, be there around 8:20." laughed Alex.

"Blah, blah. I'll be up, don't worry." chimed Jack, and he rolled the window up, and his mother backed out of the driveway.

"You know he's not going to be up, right?" questioned Rian.

"Oh I know, and then he won't get a ride to school, not my problem." replied Alex.

"This is true." laughed Rian. "See you tomorrow man." he said getting into his mothers car, she'd just driven up.

Alex waved him off then placed his hands in his front pockets, and trotted to the garage. He turned the light switch on and took a once over glance on the progress they had completed over the course of the weekend. It still wasn't much, but it was a start, and that was something Alex found rewarding enough to be proud of. He walked to the center of the garage and picked up his shiny yellow guitar and once again began to strum chords together. This was what he loved doing, playing his guitar, it was what he was good at. He closed his eye for a moment and images of his childhood days appeared in his mind. It was his fourth birthday all over again, there were his parents and brother all sitting around him.
"Come on Alex, bud open it." beckoned his dad.
"I hope it's a guitar!" squealed little Alex, he quickly tore the silver wrapping paper off, and there before his eyes was a guitar, it wasn't real, but to Alex it was perfect. "Daddy! You got it!" he squeaked.

"Haha." Alex chuckled softly coming out of his past, he remembered that day like it was yesterday. He didn't realize he was still strumming on his own guitar; it was a rhythm that actually sounded decent. "So don't you go, I've got you right where I want you." he began to sing. "I'm never letting go." It fit, the rhythm he was strumming, and he couldn't believe it. "Hit the lights we'll be alright. All our dreams will come true tonight." he continued. He'd have to tell the others tomorrow all about it. But in the meantime he needed to go eat, for his mother had just shouted his name to come in and help set the table.

After eating, and preparing for sleep he sat up in his bed with his back against his pillow looking at his cell phone, there was someone he hadn't contacted at all this weekend; the girlfriend. That was the thing with Alex, he was one of those boys at school that every girl swooned over. He knew it, and he knew he could get any girl that he wanted, all he had to do was ask, and the girl was immediately attached to his hip. This year alone he'd already been in four relations, all of which lasted maybe two weeks top. However, this relationship was different, he was with someone who didn't actually like him for his looks, and that made him fall for her. Her name was Julianne, but everyone always called her Jewelz. She was completely opposite from Alex, she had the brains and the book smarts, him on the other hand...he didn't care for school all to much, he was satisfied with barely making it. Which for those who actually try and don't succeed, it sucks because Alex was that one who didn't try, and seemed to succeed no matter what. This didn't bother him, he just added it to his list of many talents.

"Jewelz, hey!" he said with the phone placed against his right ear.

"Hey there, you haven't called all weekend." she said sounding upset.

"I know, I'm sorry. I've been crazy busy this weekend with the boys." He explained.

"You're always with those two knuckleheads." She cracked.

"Yeah, I know they're like obsessed with me. They follow me everywhere." He joked. Julianne actually had no problem with Rian or Jack, she thought they were absolutely hilarious, especially when they were with her and Alex; which was most days they were together.

"That is true, Jack especially loves you. You might want to break it to him that you're with me. I don't think that he realizes that yet." she laughed.

"Most likely." he chuckled. There was a quick pause. "So how was you're weekend?" he asked.

"Better, now that you called. I was so busy with homework, why I ever decided to take all AP core classes I don't know. But I hate it." she sighed.

"Aw, are you actually complaining about school work? You love that junk!" exclaimed Alex.

"Ha ha, very funny. It wouldn't have been so bad if our relatives didn't stop by unannounced." she continued to explain.

"That blows, our relatives never come by, like ever." chuckled Alex.

"Well that makes you lucky." she said.

"I'm already lucky, because I'm with you." he replied. He could practically hear Jewelz smile on the other end.

"You define your point very well!" she breathed. Sometimes this boy really could take her breath away, and she was flabbergasted each time. He was that boy that constantly made her heart race when she saw him. When her phone viberated and she saw it was him, she'd smile; showing off her perfectly straight teeth. And at night, when he'd text her, she shined even brighter. He made those butterflies appear, she was a complete romantic...one who fell for Alex Gaskarth's charm. He was also her best friend, they'd known each other since he moved here from England. That's correct, Alex was born and raised in England until he was seven, until the day they moved to Maryland. And while the two were never really close when he first moved here, things changed around Middle School. And then this year, it was her turn to know what it was like to date the boy. It was everything she'd expected, and more.

"Jewelz...you still there?" asked Alex tapping his phone.

"Huh...oh Alex! Yeah, sorry I was daydreaming I think." she giggled.

"So does that mean you didn't hear what I said?" he asked.

"Hah, no sorry." She giggled more.

"Me, Jack and Rian started a band, well sort of. We cleaned out my garage and we got all the equipment in." he started.

"Really, that's great." she exclaimed.

"And they left a couple hours ago, and I was alone in there playing my guitar, and I think I may be coming onto something." he said excitedly.

"You're amazing, you really are." breathed Jewelz.

"I don't even have to try." chuckled Alex.

"You're being a little conceited." said Jewelz.

"Babe, it's not like you try to be smart, it's just a talent." he shot.

"I suppose, well I'm tired. See you tomorrow." she said. That was another thing. Alex was well egotistic. In fact, he probably didn't know what egotistic meant. He never thought about what he was saying when he said it. And he didn't realize if he was being rude. But even still Jewelz cared for him dearly.

"See ya babe." said Alex. And flipped his phone shut.

*Honk*

It was exactly 8:20 and Alex and his mother were in the Barakats driveway. Alex chuckled to himself, having previously known that this would happen. He jumped out of the car and ran to the front door; it was always unlocked so he carried on in. He walked into the kitchen and found a wooden spoon and an aluminum pot, and walked to Jack's room. There on the bed, of course was Jack sleeping.

"JACK ATTACK!" shouted Alex, banging the pot with the spoon right next to his ear. "Get up! Or we're leaving without you." he said as Jack's eyes began to peel open.

"I'm up." murmured Jack.

"Good, you have two minutes to get ready." said Alex in a monotone voice. Jack quickly got up, and stripped right there, and got into a fresh pair of underwear, some black knee length shorts, and a Something Corporate T-shirt. And then he quickly ran to the bathroom down the hall to brush his teeth, and to wet his hair.

"Okay, ready." he said walking out, sliding his tongue over the fronts of his teeth. The two walked out, and the car ride to school was silent, neither boys we're much of a morning person.

"Bye mom." said Alex ejecting from the car.

"Bye mom." winked Jack.

"Hah, you're a freak." laughed Alex. "Look, there's that girl who has had her eyes on you for the past week." he said looking out of the corner of his eyes.

"Oh, I wish I knew her name." said Jack. "She's hot." sighed Jack.

"Her name is Cayden, dude." said Alex.

"What you've made out with her too." he asked.

"No, if you'd have let me finish, I was going to say we have Algebra with her, during 4th." finished Alex.

"Oh, right." paused Jack. "Do you think, maybe she'd be into me?" he asked, as the entered the crowded hallways of another grueling Monday.

"You never know, until you ask her." said Alex.

"But, by looking at me, we're like mismatched. We're not into the same things, she'd never fall for me." sighed Jack.

"Everyone loves you." Smiled Alex, leaning over and giving Jack a peck on the cheeks.

"Man kiss!" yelled Jack.

"What can I say, I do love you bro, but I hate to break it to you, I'm with Jewelz. And you need to try and move on from me. Ask Cayden to hang out." chuckled Alex.

"You're right." smiled Jack, grabbing onto Alex's hand.

"Not in public, Jack." grinned Alex.

The whole morning classes were quite a bore, Alex had managed to fall asleep in World History, wait...so did everyone else, not a way to start out school, especially on a Monday. Jack on the other hand, in his classes had been preparing what he was going to say to Cay-.

"Cayden!" someone shouted behind Jack, he turned around, and stared. There she was walking and talking with two other girls, that he didn't know. "I know! It was such a fun weekend, I'm glad my mom decided to let us go, too." smiled Cayden talking with the girls. "I'll see you later, I'm off to Algebra." she winked to her friends, and turned around to be greeted by Jack.

"Hey Cayden!" said Jack.

"Hi Jack, we should just ditch this class." she laughed.

"I'm game enough for that." he chimed in, just the Alex pushed through the door, then looked back at Jack, and winked. "Sorry for running into you...and touching you." he coughed. Alex laughed at him.

"Hah, don't worry about it. I'm fine, that's what matters." she smiled. The way she smiled made Jack extemely happy. The two took their seats, Cayden was digagonal from Jack. He decided he was going to ask her to hang out, he had to. He'd wait till after this class was over, when it was time to go to lunch.

"Cayden...why don't you come up to the board and work this problem." said their teacher Mr. Mathis. Cayden slowly got up and made her way to the front of the room. Hesitating to work the problem on the board. "Well..." said their teacher.

"I don't know how to work this." she mumbled.

"This is basic algebra, I expect you to know this by tomorrow for our quiz." he grumbled. "You may all leave." he sighed. Alex was in the back of the room, drooling on his books, so he didn't get the memo that class was over. This made Cayden a little happy to see, since she'd been humiliated in front of the entire class.

"Hey Cay, if you want to study I can help you out after school...I understand this stuff." said Jack walking up to her. She smiled at him, and agreed that she could use the helped and waved him off. "Shit...ALEX get up!" shouted Jack. Alex quickly woke up. The two walked out of the room fast paced.

"What Jack..." yawned Alex.

"Are you good at Algebra?" Alex shook his head left to right. "Me either, and I told Cayden I was, so she's coming over after school so I can tutor her." panicked Jack.

"Dude, that sucks! Why on earth would you tell her that!" exclaimed Alex. "Why didn't you stick with your original line?" Jack covered his face with his hands.

"Hey Alex, Jack!" shouted Rian coming up behind them.

"Hi" said Alex. Rian titled his head towards Jack, whose hands were still placed on his face. "He told a girl he's good at math." laughed Alex.

"ALEX!" shouted a femles voice. He turned to see it was Jewelz. "Hiya!" she she smiled biting her lower lip. Alex stopped, and grabbed her hands, and kissed her on the lips real quick.

"UGHHH" sighed the other two boys. They didn't tell Alex this, but they got annoyed with Jewlez a lot. She didn't take the hint, and thought they were all best friends. So they pretended to like her, just to please Alex.

"What's with you two silly heads." she cracked.

"Nothing...we're going to go to lunch." said Rian. "Oh but Alex, don't be long...I have some good news!" Alex walked his girl to her next class, talking about how their days were so far, and planning on possibly hanging out this week. Then he quickly went on to his lunch, where he found Rian and Jack, and their friends Ali, and Amanda sitting together, like they did eveyday.

"Good, you're here...so listen, I think maybe we might of found a bassist. He's goes to Towson high school, but he's pretty good. Maybe we can have him come play some." shrugged Rian.

"What's his name?" questioned Alex. Just then a friend of Ali's walked up, the boys sort of knew her, they always saw her walking around the halls.

"Hey Samantha!" said Ali. The boys waved to her, and she sat down.

"Anyway...his name is Zack Merrick." said Rian turning back to talk to Alex.

"Zack?" gasped Samantha confused.