I'll Be Fine (All Time Low Fanfic)

Chapter 22

June 2005

Alex’s P.O.V.

Jack and I were fighting yet again. Sometimes I regretted my relationship with Isabel so much. It left me heartbroken, Isabel heartbroken and left Jack and I with numerous arguments and problems. He didn’t agree with my relationship with Lisa. But like everybody else, he didn’t know the full story. I needed to talk to Jack though and whether he liked it or not I wasn’t getting on the plane without us being friends again. I rang his cell. Of course, he didn’t answer. I tried again: no answer. I tried once more and hoped he’d pick up.

“Alex you fucker, stop calling me I don’t want to talk.” He said before letting me say a word.

“Jack, man listen to me. I’m not getting on a plane to England for two months while we fight because I’m going out with some chick you don’t approve of. C’mon man please? Come over?” I begged. I heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the call. Heather’s voice came softly through the other end asking Jack. He softly whispered my name back and I heard him kiss her head.

“Okay, fine we’re cool. I can’t come over now though, I’ve got company. But hey, listen I’m having a party Wednesday for my seventeenth? Wanna come? It can be a joint birthday/going away party?”

“Yeah that sounds cool! But wait, will Isabel be there?”

“Well, I don’t know. She’s convinced you’re going to be there so she’s been refusing to come so since she’s not you may as well. If she decides to come anyway I’ll be sure to keep you two separate.”

“Yeah okay. Thanks Jack. I know what you’ll say but it’s worth a try: Can Lisa come?”

“Yeah sure, bring the skank.” He sighed.

“Hey!” I protested.

“Yeah, I know she’s an awesome girl. She’s a good friend of mine but Isabel is my best friend and I don’t understand-” he began to argue.

“Listen man, I’ll explain it to you another time okay?”

“Okay, whatever.” I heard his phone vibrate and then him pressing some buttons. “Oh, shit Lex I gotta go, I’ll talk to you tomorrow or something. Bye.” He said before clicking off and disconnecting the call. At least we were friends again.

Shit my mom had seriously gotten better at hiding the alcohol. Maybe she’d just stopped buying it.

“Fuck!” I exclaimed kicking the cupboard door. All of them appeared to be empty. I needed some type of alcohol. Anything to get my mind off her. Every day I seemed to feel that little bit guiltier about what I was doing to her but I knew in the end it was the best for her even if she didn’t know it now. Every day I needed more drink. I ran up to my room and threw myself back on my bed. I stared at my blink poster. I wondered could All Time Low ever have been that big? Never could now. Everything didn’t seem to go my way lately. I looked over  at my laptop lying on my desk. I was tempted to check up on Iz but I knew I’d regret it no matter what I saw. If she was happy then I’d be jealous and upset that she wasn’t feeling my pain. If she wasn’t happy, that would just add to the pain I had already and make me feel even worse. I couldn’t resist. I clicked on her page and her profile came up. Her dark brown eyes shone up at me. It was so good to see her smile. I scrolled down to see pictures of her, Jack and Heather at the beach only two days ago. Wow, she’d become so thin, not that she was fat before at all. She was normal but you could almost see her ribcage. She wasn’t smiling but she didn’t seem particularly unhappy. Even at the beach she was wearing a light tank top and shorts, probably to cover the scars. She was ashamed of them in public. I scrolled down a bit more to a couple of months ago. I saw myself, well my old self and Isabel. Both of us looked so happy, I missed that so much. I didn’t even know what I turned into lately. It wasn’t me anyway. I didn’t like being labelled “emo” by everyone but honestly, I hadn’t been happy in months.

“Fuck sake.” I muttered. I went back over to the bed. I really needed booze. Lisa. That’s how I’d get it. I picked up my phone and rang her. She answered on the second ring.

“Hey, Lisa I’m coming to pick you up. Bring the beer.”

Isabel’s P.O.V.

The whole drive I spent shaking and silently crying. I texted Jack to ask him to come to the hospital and he said him and Heather were on their way. Sometimes I wondered what I’d do without them. We pulled up outside the hospital and stopped.

“You ready?” Abigail asked.

“As I’ll ever be.” I breathed. We got out of the car and walked towards it. I hated hospitals. I always had. I remembered spending time here as a kid, one of the few memories I had from childhood before the Millers. We checked the room at reception. Jack and Heather ran in panting behind us. The two of them held me as I began to cry again. It felt good to know that they were there.

“We’ll be here honey.” Heather promised as the two of them took a seat in reception. Abigail joined them. They waved me off as I ventured off in search of the room. Room 378. I stood outside the partially opened door and listened. There was faint snoring and the noise of the television. This was probably a bad time.

“Izzy?” a voice called from behind me. I spun around to see Rebecca standing in shock behind me. A small smile played on her lips. She ran towards me wrapping her arms around me into a hug. We stood there silently sobbing for about ten minutes until Daniel came out of the room and joined us. It felt so good to have my family back even if it wasn’t for long.

“Are mom and dad asleep?” I asked.

“Yeah, they are.  Think we should give them some time alone.” A tear appeared in the corner of his eye but he wiped it away. Dan wasn’t used to being weak. He’d always been my big, strong older brother who’d never be seen crying.

“Let’s go get coffee.” Becca suggested. We all agreed and wandered off to the cafeteria.

“So you and Alex are done?” Rebecca looked shocked. I nodded.

“Yup. Single Pringle now.” I tried to laugh it off.

“Funny, I always imagined you two being together for years.” Dan said.

“Well, two.” I shrugged. “Anyway, what about you two? What’s up?” I changed the subject still uncomfortable with talking about it.

“No, nothing really.” Dan shrugged.

“Things have just been revolving around mom lately, all our time has been devoted to her.” Rebecca added. A pain stabbed through my chest. I closed my eyes.

“You do not know what I would’ve done to be back with you all. To be there for mom and support her with you. I didn’t even get to be there for her last few months. More tears trickled down my cheeks, I was surprised I had any left.

“Stop.” Dan said coming to my side of the table and cradled me. “It wasn’t your fault!” he comforted.

“Yeah but-” suddenly I was cut off by a voice.

“Excuse me, you’re the Miller family, yes?” a nurse had made her way over to us in the cafeteria. All three of us nodded. I felt Dan’s hand wrap around mine. “I think you better come with me. Be prepared.”

That night I lost my second mother.