We're The Back Pocket Believers (All Time Low Fan Fiction)

Chapter 7

She looked like she'd been finished hers for ages , she was leaning back on her bed , eyes closed , deep in thought .

“Tashie ?” I asked quietly . No answer .

I stepped closer , and shook her shoulder gently .

Her eyes blinked open , and she looked up at me .

“Oh , hey Hazel” She said , yawning .

“You fell asleep ?” I asked in disbelief . Tashie bit her lip and nodded .

“Well , Cait called us all down for dinner .”

Tashie jumped up , smiling .

“She's going to tell us who is getting adopted !” Tashie said . I nodded , and together we went downstairs .

Everyone else was already waiting at the table . Cait smiled at us , and gestured to two empty seats .

“Well , now that everyone's here “ She said , passing us our dinners , “We can get down to business .”

“Who is it !” Terri demanded .

Cait glanced around at us nervously .

We pushed our plates away from us . No one was hungry anymore .

“Well , only one of you have been chosen” Cait said . We nodded ; she'd told us this already .

“That person … hasn't been here long “ She continued . A few of us sighed , and looked down . I didn't , though . I hadn't been here long , there was still a chance for me .

Then , my hope stopped . That one dream I'd been clinging on to , crashed down on me . Just a couple of words , whispered to me .

Tashie didn't mean it , though . She didn't want to hurt me , she wasn't thinking that way at all . She wasn't even thinking about herself when she said it .

So I couldn't hold it against her .

Tashie leaned towards me , and whispered , just four little words .

“I can't leave Fay” She hissed . “I can't , I just can't leave her .”

And with that , she got up , and left the table .

I sat there for another second . Tashie thought Alex had chosen her to be adopted .

And , now , I did too .

It made sense . Alex had never met Tashie , but I'd met Alex , and in that time I'd realized what kind of person he was . He liked doing things with absolutely no real reason behind them .

He'd seen Tashie storming off , and watched her curiously . I'd pointed out to him her door , and he'd looked at it with a type of longing .

Cait was saying something , but I didn't listen as to what it was .

“Can I leave , please ?” I asked . Cait looked surprised , but nodded .

Once I left the room , I ran . I wished I could have run away , into the streets and just think , out in the open , but I knew that was impossible . So I ran upstairs instead , and into my room .

“Stupid !” I hissed , “Stupid ! Alex would never adopt me , why would he ?!”

I sat down on my bed with a thump . Tears began to flow out of me , and I cried , the first time since the accident . Fuck , I cried .

I spent about half an hour , just lying on my bed and crying .

After a while , I sat up an wiped my eyes .

“No point in just crying about it” I muttered to myself .

I didn't want to think about it , though . Glancing around my room , I spotted something that might help lift my spirits . Steven's guitar .

I picked it up , shifting it around on my lap until it felt just right . And it did feel right .

“Thank you “ I said softly . I knew Alex couldn't hear me , but I whispered it anyway . “Thank you .”

I named the strings , tapping each one , then began to pluck out scales .

The sound of the guitar relaxed me , so I kept going over and over what Alex had taught me .

“Hazel ?” A voice asked . I jumped , the guitar sliding out of my hands and onto the floor .

I need to get a strap for that I thought .

I walked to the door , and blinked when I saw who was standing outside .

“Terri ?” I said .

Terri shifted awkwardly .

“I just wanted to say congratulations “She said .

“Huh ?”

Terri frowned . “Well , you know , for getting adopted .”

“What !”

“Didn't you ...”

I stared at her , then blurted out a thank you , before running downstairs .

“Where's Cait ?” I asked someone . Blondie , green eyes . Cute .

He shrugged . “Kitchen , maybe ?”

“Thanks !”

Cait was in the kitchen . I jumped to her side .

“Who is it ?” I asked her .

She blinked . “What do you mean , love ?”

“You said only one of us was getting adopted – who was it !”

Cait frowned . “You are .”

“I am ?”

She nodded slowly . I got the distinct impression that as soon as I left the room she would be calling a shrink .

“Of course , it's voluntary . If you don't want to , then -”

I cut Cait off before she could jump t any conclusions .

“No , I want to . Thank you .”

I wished I could talk to Alex . Ask him , why , out of all the homes he'd visited , out of all the kids he'd seen , why he'd chosen me .

I fell asleep , that thought still lingering in my mind .