New Beginnings {ACM}

Chapter 8

Song of the chapter: Wanted by Hunter Hayes

Austin's POV

"Hey Emily?" I called up the stairs.

She appeared at the top a few seconds later. "What's up?"

"Alex just called me and asked if I could go over to his place and help him fix a leaky sink." I immediately felt guilty for lying to her, but I needed a reason to go over there.

Emily started down the stairs. "Oh, okay. I'll probably be gone to another meeting for the bullying video by the time you get back, so I'll pick something up for supper on my way home after I get Lucy from your mom's place."

"I won't be that long, hopefully. Fixing a sink shouldn't take longer than an hour," I said, mentally slapping myself. Actually, it was more like a mental punch. "But you know Alex," I added, laughing nervously.

She looked at me curiously. "Are you okay, Austin?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine! Never been better," I told her quickly before bending to kiss her. "I'll see you later."

"Alright," she said slowly, still watching me. I had to get out of there before I blew it.

I grabbed my jacket and keys in the hallway before hurrying out the door to my black Volvo XC60. As soon as I was in the driver's seat, I sped off to Alex's.

I hated lying to anyone, especially Emily, but I wouldn't have had a reason to leave the house so suddenly if I hadn't. I did need to see Alex, yes, but it wasn't about a leaky sink. It was about something much more important than that, and I was freaking out over it.

When I hit a red light, I pulled out my phone and tapped Jace's number in. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hey Austin, what's up?" He said.

"Do you think you could go over to Alex's right now?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah, sure. What's wrong, man?"

"Nothing's wrong. Well, not really, but it's not bad. Well, not really bad, but-"

"Dude, you're freaking me out. Look, I'll be there in fifteen," Jace cut me off.

"Thanks Jay, I owe you."

"No problem." We hung up and I waited for a bit before the light finally turned green.

When I got to Alex's, I pulled into his driveway and jumped out. He opened the front door before I had time to knock. "Hey buddy."

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Jace called and said you told him to come over here so I figured something's on your mind. I was watching out the window." He opened the door wider so I could pass by him. His turkey that I can never remember the name of ran past my feet into the living room, followed by Jeffrey, his pig.

"Penelope Frances Barbara Louise Turkeyson!" Alex yelled. That's the name. God, I have to write that down somewhere. "You do not peck at Jeffrey's tail! It is not a curly fry; we've been over this many times before!" Alex looked at me. "Kids. They never learn. I mean, do you know how hard it is to be a mother?"

"Alex. I'm a dad of an actually human baby!"

"I'm a mother of a turkey and pig. You're point?"

I just shook my head and went into the dining room.

Alex opened the fridge and tossed me a root beer. "How'd you manage to get out of the house?"

"I told Emily I was fixing a leaky sink at your place," I admitted.