Kill Me With Words (All Time Low Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

We stayed on the beach for a while after that. I’d never felt so calm in my life, curled into Alex with my feet snuggled into the warm sand. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the scent of the salty sea air and allowed Alex to drape his jumper over my shoulder. He had an annoying talent for being able to tell when I was cold.

“I’m proud of you,” He said softly, “For getting through all of that. Sometimes you just get dealt with a shitty hand, you know. And it sucks. But you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, Finley.”

I laughed. “Then obviously you don’t know me as well as you thought. But, thanks.”

He pulled me closer to him. “I think I know you pretty well.”

Our conversation began to die after that, but it was a comfortable silence. A sense of peace enveloped us as we watched the waves wash up upon the shore.

 

“I like it here,” Alex sighed. “I wish I came up here more often, but it’s really only during tours or recording. The rest of the band live here. I can see why.”

“Why did you stay in Baltimore?”

He shrugged, thinking. “I don’t know. It’s just home, I guess. My family’s there, my friends from high school. My dogs. You like dogs, right?”

I smiled. “Love ‘em.” I thought about what he’d said, comparing it to my own life. I was born in Summerfield, and had spend most of my childhood there. But it had never felt like home to me. “It’s probably nice to have a familiar place to go back to after you’re finished a tour.”

Alex chuckled. “It’s freaking weird. Going home is like a vacation for us. Doing the most mundane things, like grocery shopping or doing laundry, it’s the best.”

I laughed. I imagined myself living like that.

As it started getting colder, we moved inside. We’d been out on the beach for quite a bit, and I was damp and cold and wrinkly, so Alex sent me upstairs to shower. When I got out, Alex was finishing up dinner. He spun out plates of chicken curry, before going downstairs.

“I might see you guys later,” He said, “But I’ve got to work on some songs for the album. Ri, you’ll look after Finley?”

“Of course!” Rian said, flashing me a smile.

We went upstairs to the couch corner outside of our bedrooms. How I Met Your Mother played on the television, and the lovely aroma of vanilla filled the room. For rockstars, they were surprisingly fond of their Yankee candles. It was a cosy little spot, with two couches perfect for snuggling.

Rian and Cassadee curled up on one couch, and Jack sat down on the other.

“Sit here, Finley,” He said, tapping the leather beside him. He smiled invitingly, widening his chocolate coloued eyes in an attempt to look innocent.

“I’m not sure whether Alex would let you drink,” Rian said to me, “I mean, he did when he was your age, but...”

I laughed. “It’s fine. I’m happy with Coke.”

“I won’t drink either,” Jack said.

We all stared at him.

“What?” He shrugged. “This is my first chance to get to know Finley. I want to be partially sober.”

Jack turned and faced me. “So, Finley,” He smiled. “How are you finding LA? Is this your first time?”