the Reckless and the Brave (Sequel to Scream, to be Heard)

We'll Carry On

"I'm really going to kill them this time, " I said angrily. I saw Alex's fists clench and release as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, calling someone. When they didn't answer, he called someone else. They didn't answer. The fifth time he got ahold of somebody. He said a few words and then hung up, turning around with a frown on his face.

"We're going to have to stay the night here. They're far enough away and it's late enough that they'll be here early morning," he said. I sighed and sat back down on the step, my hands on my knees. He looked up some hotels in the area and we ended up walking about a mile and a half until we found the one we were looking for, which was a bed and breakfast. We were greeted by a woman in her early 50's or so, dressed in black dress pants and a red floral dress shirt, and waved us inside. We told her that we got left off of our tour bus, and needed a place to stay for the night. She gave us a room and we went upstairs, where I pulled off the cropped shirt and replaced it with the hoodie that had been around my waist, pulling it over my head. I noticed my phone was out of battery, and wished I could go put it in to charge. But I couldn't.

Alex and I just hung out by the bed the entire night, watching TV. "When we get back, I'm going to crush Matt like a bug," I grumbled. Alex laughed, and I felt his chest rise and fall as he rubbed my arm.

"Don't do that. We'll be fine. It's just for a night," he said.

"Dedication takes a lifetime," I started, remembering the song. He looked down at me.

"But dreams only last for a night. I know," he finished. "Now go to bed. I don't want you to have the crankies tomorrow." He turned off the TV, pulling the covers close to us and leaving us in almost complete silence, except for the air conditioning. I turned so I wasn't facing him, and was instead facing the window. Soon enough, I fell into a deep sleep and stayed asleep, until a flash of lightning and roll of thunder had me awake again. I jumped up, feeling Alex rise as well. Then I fell back onto the pillow. "It's just thunder," he said quietly. I nodded, trying to find the breath to reply to him.

"I know. It just woke me up," I replied. In response, knowing fully well that I hated thunderstorms with no rain (I don't know why. I just like rain and I feel safer knowing it's raining and not a tornado or something), he just pulled me closer to him, our long Gaskarth-esque legs tangling together as his arms tightened around mine. I smiled in spite of myself, knowing that without Alex I'd probably be dead, and we wouldn't be in this situation, and closed my eyes again. The last things I felt before everything went black were Alex's lips on my cheek and his arms loosening, signaling he was asleep as well.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of Alex's phone chiming, and he took his arms from around me, turning around and digging his phone out of his pocket, answering the phone. He said a few things and then hung up. "They'll be here by noon. It's nine now so we've got awhile," he said, sitting up. My hair was all messed up, but I didn't care. I stood at the mirror and frowned at my appearance. My light makeup had washed off, leaving my uneven complexion up to chance. The tank top revealed that I was skinnier than a stick, and my hair stuck out in all directions. I was staring at every one of my flaws when I saw Alex walk up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder. "You look beautiful," he said, his warm breath tickling my ear. "Don't break the mirror by staring at it and telling yourself you're not, because you so are." That made me smile a little bit. "There's that smile," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders as I stared at the image of us. I laughed a little  and turned around, giving him a big hug. He laughed and we stayed that way for a long time until there was a knock at the door. Alex pulled away, kissing my cheek as he walked to the door and opened it up. The lady that ran the place was standing there.

"We still have some food if either of you want any. They're downstairs," she said. Alex said we'd be there in a few minutes and she nodded, saying she would keep them warmed up. Then Alex shut the door again, looking at me as I was staring at the mirror, trying to see how he thought that I was pretty. I hated everything about myself, no doubt about it. Alex sighed.