must be the music. [ chapter fifteen ]

"Hayley, someone's at the door for you."

I got out of the kitchen, and licked the frosting that was on my finger off, and walked past her, looking at a grinning Alex.

"Hey." He said happily.

"Alex." I smiled widely

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" He asked frowning the teenist bit.

I shook my head, "No, I just finished frosting a cake, is there something wrong?"

He shook his head, "No... Well, I mean, yes."

I giggled, "Well, what is it than?"

"Tom wants to hang out and watch a movie again, he says he misses you." Alex said chuckling to himself and scratching the back of his head, "So... What do you think?"

"Something tells me it's not only him who wants to hang out." I teased and bit my lip when Alex blushed. He was cute, no doubt about that.

"You could be right, but you could be wrong." He teased back making me grin

"I'll ask my mom." I smiled and let him in.

_______

When we got back to the Gaskarth house, Alex's hand was bouncing off of mine which made me grin. We walked inside the house and there was Tom, wrapped around in a blanket, watching the Main Menu on Fast Five. I took off my shoes and ran over to Tom and hugged him, "Hi, Tommy."

He grinned at me, "Hayley! You came back."

"I like hanging out with you." I smiled and sat in the middle and Alex sat beside me and he hit play. There was popcorn and chips and sodas on the centre of the coffee table.

"Where'd Mom go?" Alex asked

"She went to get something for me." Tom said his eyes looking at Alex, than looked at me, than looked back at the T.V.

"Oh, right." Alex said and left it at that.

I frowned, what was wrong with Tom? Sighing, and smiling when I felt Alex pull me closer to him, I rested my head on his shoulder and we watched the action packed movie. I smiled when I felt Alex's fingers play with my hair. Alex's touch was so gentle, and full-of warmth. And he was so kind and loving towards his family. 

When the movie was over, Tom was sleeping so Alex grabbed a blanket and put it on top of his older brother.

_______

When the movie was over, Alex walked me home again, our hands bouncing off each others' lightly, and he smiled when I turned to him again when we got to my doorstep.

"Thank you, again." Alex said softly.

"For what?" I asked, "I didn't do anything."

"You did." He said and carefully bent in and kissed my cheek, "I'll see you at school tomorrow, Hayley."

When I got inside the house, I pressed my fingers against my cheek and smiled, feeling flustered and tired I went upstairs and laid on my bed. After awhile, I fell asleep.

________

The thing when Alex told me that he'd see me tomorrow, that was a lie. It was Wednesday and Alex hadn't been to school at all this week. It made me feel bad, but I was worried. What if something happened to him on his way home on Sunday? Why was I so worried? I asked myself. When I was at my locker at the end of the day, Taylor came up to me and frowned.

"Something happened, and Alex needs to talk to you." Taylor said holding out his phone towards me, I took it and placed it against my ear.

"Hello?" Anxiety had kicked in and I sighed when I heard Alex's voice. What a relief, "Are you okay, Alex?"

"Hayley.." He said quietly, "He's gone."

"Alex?" I muttered, "W-What are y-you talking about? Where are you?"

"At my house, Hayley, I need someone, please.."

I closed Taylor's phone, and slammed my locker shut before running out of the school, sprinting towards Alex's house. What happened? What happened? What happened? Kept repeating itself in my head, What did he mean, he's gone? Who? Why did Alex want me to come?  So many questions went through my mind and I banged on the Gaskarth's door, and watch it swing open and Alex envelope me in a hug, and sobs came out of his body. I wrapped my hands around him after figuring out he was serious, and he tried to tell me what happened but it only made him cry harder, which made me start to cry. We stayed like that, on his porch, where people could see us, for what seemed like a long time.

After Alex finally mustered up enough strength to control his emotions he sat me on the porch, and held onto my hand. "Tom died, last night." He said quietly, "He died, Hayley... Five years, and when everything seemed to be looking up, he was taken away from me! From my family!"

Everyone has fucking problems! I have problems, but you don't see me whining. Jesus Christ, Hayley!  I heard Alex say in my head.

"What do you mean... died?" I asked him looking at the tears start to swell up in his eyes again.

"He had leukemia. Remember when he came into my room telling me he had news, but stopped himself when he saw you were with me? Hayley... But since he stopped with the treatments and chemo, they couldn't do anything for him, they couldn't help him. I'd never seen his so sick on Monday. He was yelling in pain, he was yelling, oh gosh. 'Help! My head, it hurts, Alex! It hurts!' He was running a high fever-" He closed his eyes, "He held on as long as he could. And I'm proud of my brother. Five years and six months he held on. Now he can rest in peace."

Tears were coming from my own eyes, "A-Alex... I'm so sorry."

Alex looked at me and smiled before putting his hand against my cheek, "Wanna know what he said about you when I got home Sunday night?"

"What?" I said quietly, feeling more tears swell up in my eyes.

"He wish I would of brought you home sooner, because to him, you seemed like an Angel. He told me that you were beautiful, inside and out. When you hung out with him, he was the happiest he's ever been, Hayley." Alex said wiping away my tears, "Please don't cry."

I rubbed my face against his hand and closed my eyes, "How can I not? Someone you loved deeply has died, and you're unhappy and hurting."

"No." He said, "Not unhappy, but I am hurting. I am happy he gets to rest now. I am happy right now, because I finally told someone about it and most of all, I'm happy you're here and it was you, I told."

I opened my eyes, and saw he was looking softly at me. 

"I might kiss you." He said bending his head towards mine.

"I might be bad at it." I said before he put his lips against mine, I felt a spark run through my body and kissed him again.

"Impossible." He breathed his hand resting in my hair and he kissed me again before pulling away, "I should probably walk you home."

I nodded my eyes still closed, I bit down on my lip and he kissed me again before helping me up, I looked at him and he was smiling. Our hands were still intertwined when we got to my house.

"I'll be at school tomorrow." He said when I turned to him, he was smiling slightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked

He nodded once, "It hurts, but I'll be fine, Hayley. Things will look up, I just have to keep my hope."

I nodded and he hugged me tightly before pulling away and waving goodbye to me.

Things will look up, I just have to keep my hope.

Were things actually looking up for me, now?

Oh boy. Tell me what you think.

Comments and buzzes, please! Les'go! :)

Love, Maxie. <3