Hearts On Fire {Alex Gaskarth}

Chapter 18

Grace

It was like one of those really melodramatic movie scenes that take place in highschool. Like, the ones that go in slow motion to try and add extra effect, but really just makes everyone wish the movie would play normal speed.

Watching Alex stand there with one hand tucked into his skinny jean front pocket and the other holding red roses against his chest made my heart do this really weird twist thing and soon it started to hurt from the guilt.

People noticed, but didn't say anything. What really surprised me the most was the fact that he didn't show up here with Lisa, no, he showed up and found me. Found me dancing with his best friend.

Jack sat next to me in the hallway after that while the roses laid in my lap and I sniffled as a sneeze made its way through, I had a habit of trying to keep my sneezes quiet and it always made a little squeak.

"That was the most adorable sneeze I've ever heard." Jack commented as I lifted my head back up and itched my nose. For the first time in five days, I found myself wanting to talk to Alex and fix everything. I just wanted my best friend back. My boyfriend, I shouldn't have said anything in the first place, none of this would've happened.

"No, you were right to say something Gracie, you're his girlfriend." Jack said as if he were reading my thoughts. What is he a mind reader now?

"No, you just speak your thoughts when you're really deep in thought." He explained making me scoff softly before I stood up abruptly and smoothed out my dress. I was going to try something new tonight, and that was to take initiative and talk to Alex. I needed to fix things.

"So you're going?" Jack asked standing up and rubbed the dirt from the ground off of his pants. I nodded and picked up the roses and sneezed again as I accidentally put the flower to my nose. Who knew I was allergic to roses?

"You're gonna need this." He whispered reaching into his back pocket for a moment. You know what he pulled out? A condom. A fucking condom. I opened my mouth in surprise as he slapped it down in my hand like a high five and smirked. "You'll thank me later." He added and walked away, back into the gym leaving me standing there stunned.

I sneezed again and turned around making my way out of the school and towards my car. Well, my mom's car, but mine for tonight.

I drove away from the school and towards home, where I would walk over to Alex's from there and talk to him. Fix things. That's all I wanted to do. I felt the need to make things right again, I was sick of fighting. Fighting never helped anybody fix a relationship. At least, I haven't heard of anyone that has a relationship helped with fighting.

I didn't want to lose what I had with Alex. I got to the point, where I wouldn't let it be a fuck and dump. I won't allow it, it's not going to happen.

I parked the car in my driveway and grabbed the roses and sneezed again. Goddamn allergy. I saw my mom already looking out the window and sighed as she smiled running away from the window and towards the door.

"Gracie! Baby, how did it go?" She yelled as she opened the door. Moooooooom. I groaned in my head as I looked at her urgently.

"Look, mom- I'll be back." I said without an explanation and continued walking across the yard in my mission to see Alex. I looked back to see her watching me in surprise as I stepped onto Alex's doorstep and stared at the door, like this was going to be the biggest decision of my life.

It was far from it, but definitely nerve wracking.

"Grace! What are you doing?" My mom asked from across the yard, I didn't answer her, I only rang the doorbell once, hearing it reverberate throughout the house. I tapped my heel on the patio under me and sneezed again as the door opened to reveal Alex with a surprised look etched onto his face.

"Grace?" He whispered. I nodded slowly and handed him back the roses and sneezed again.

"Why are you giving these back?" He asked sounding hurt. I sneezed again and rubbed my nose.

"I'm allergic." I muttered as he nodded in understandably and placed them down on the table where the keys were held.

"Do you want to come in?" He asked opening the door more to allow me to step in. I took the chance and stepped up the step and heard my heel click on the linoleum floor beneath me and looked around. I don't know why I was expecting something to change in the five days that I wasn't here, but I was relieved to find everything the same.

"I thought you would've been with Jack still." He muttered and shut the door placing the latch onto it as he turned around. I played with my clutch and laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, it just didn't feel right without you there." I whispered looking around, trying to distract myself. Remind me why I did this again.

It was quiet for a while before Alex finally cleared his throat as he spoke up.

"I'm sorry." We both said at the same time. I laughed and shook my head.

"No, I'm sorry." We both said again. It was his turn to laugh and shake his head as I took my chance to talk again.

"I overreacted Alex, I'm sorry." I said sadly as a look of regret passed his face.

"No, no, I shouldn't have said yes to Lisa, it's my fault and I'm sorry." He said back. "You're not a fuck and dump Gracie. I actually like you. Like, a lot." He muttered next making a smirk cross my face.

"Well, I wouldn't have let it be that way anyway." I muttered and looked down at the ground twisting my shoe on the ground as if I were squishing a bug. It turned cliché real fast as I looked back up to see Alex wringing his hands together as if he weren't sure on what to do next. It was awkward.

"So are we like, good now?" He asked softly. I walked closer to him and stood in front of him. I looked up at him and he looked down at me. His hair was a little messed up which made me smile as I took the chance and made the first move, kissing him for the first time in what seemed like forever.

He kissed back fervently and wrapped his arms around my waist as mine circled around his neck. His tongue swept across my bottom lip making a little smile crawl onto my face as I opened my mouth more, deepening the kiss.

I was the first to pull away as I felt my swollen lips and laughed, bending over and holding my stomach. I didn't even know why I was laughing. I was just overwhelmed with happiness now.

"Why are you laughing?" Alex asked bending over next to me to see if I was ok. I felt my hot face and knew that I was the equivalent shade of a tomato now. I stood up, wiping a tear from under my eye and exhaled heavily.

"I don't even know." I said and put a hand to my chest and smiled. "I guess I'm just happy." I added shrugging.

Alex didn't say anything to it except smiled widely and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind while walking me towards the stairs.

"Where are we going?" I asked. He continued up the stairs and placed his head in the crook my neck while laughing.

"As much as I like you in that dress, I think a makeup is in order." He whispered enunciating makeup more to get the meaning across. Weren't his parents home? I can't do this. You've done this before Grace. My conscious rang back at me as Alex opened his bedroom door.

"Just be quiet my parents are in the next room." He whispered putting a finger to his lips while pushing me back.

"No promises, I'll get you in trouble on purpose." I threatened as he shut me up with a kiss and climbed on top of me. I pulled away and he gave me a confused look as I reached into my bra and pulled out the condom Jack gave me and smirked again as Alex looked surprised.

"Remind me to thank Jack on Monday."

An: ah, young teen love, I'm such a cheesy writer I swear, but I can't help it.

ALSO I HAVE TO GIVE LOTS AND LOOOTTSS OF CREDIT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I PROMISED SABRINA THAT ID GIVE HER SOOOO MUCH CREDIT FOR MAKING THE COVER FOR THIS STORY imabluemermaid THIS IS FOR YOU CAUSE I JUST REMEMBERED TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF CREDIT!

Song of the chapter: Picture Perfect by Escape the Fate