Cognizant (Adopted By Alex Gaskarth: Book 2)✅

Chapter 22

Adelpha Gaskarth's POV:

"Hey, Adelpha, wake up. Ad," a soft voice said. I wriggled away from the arms that touched me as I opened my eyes to see Lisa crouching by my bedside. I hummed softly in response, sitting up. "You doing okay?" I nodded and rubbed tiredly at my eyes. "Okay. Well, when you see your dad today, I want you to give him a big hug. He relapsed again last night, and he's really depressed right now. I don't want you to mention his relapse, but just try and give him a lot of hugs and help him out, you know what I mean?"

He hurt himself again?

I felt my face melt into sadness before I nodded. "Okay," I whispered. "I'm sorry," I added sympathetically.

"What for?" I shrugged in response, and Lisa leaned forward to hug me tightly. I leaned against her, too, and hugged her back before we pulled away. I stood up with her and we began slowly travelling downstairs, hearing Alex's soft snores as we passed through the hallway.

"I'm gonna make breakfast, that okay with you," I said softly once we were downstairs.

"Yeah, of course, you need help?"

"No, thanks."

"Hey," a tired voice greeted later. I turned around as I put a hand towel on the counter. Alex stood with his messy hair in a black long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants. This only confirmed for me that he had relapsed, as he usually wore no shirt in the mornings, unless it was cold.

"Hey." I hugged him. He embraced me back tightly, and we kept our hug for a few minutes before the oven timer rang. I slowly pulled away to open the oven, removing the stone tray filled with the now brown and golden rolls of dough.

"What's that," Alex asked curiously as I placed the brioches on the top of the stove.

"Brioche. It's like a puffy roll of dough used for breakfast and stuff that most people put fruits or jellies on top of. But my uncle used to put creamed mushrooms on it."

"What does it mean in English?" He chuckled.

I stood in silence looking at Alex for a moment. I tried to decide what the English equivalent would be, but there wasn't one. I shrugged dramatically at him. "I dunno. I guess it means 'food that sounds fancy so let's put it in expensive foreign restaurants.'"

Alex laughed at this. I handed him his own food and handed Lisa hers also, taking my own. "Holy shit, this is really good, Ad," he commented as his teeth slowly sunk into the puffy golden dough. "Thanks." Lisa agreed and showed her appreciation.

.

"You ready to leave for Warped next week?" Alex's voice echoed off the walls as he draped himself upside-down over the couch.

"Yus," I stated dramatically, drawing out the 'y.'

"Great!"

.

A wave of deja vu rushed over me as a certain skunk-haired man jumped on me and straddled my waist. "Wake up! We're going to Warped!" He poked my stomach as I looked up at him. I slowly lifted my right hand, forming a middle finger at the dark and blurry figure on top of me. "That's not nice, Adelpha." He giggled as he stood up off of me and began dragging me out of the bed.

"Fiiine," I drawled out. "I'm getting up." I began to push myself up to a standing position on the carpeted ground.

"Yay." Jack began to gently pull on my hands to lead me out of the room. "Is your stuff already on the bus?"

"Put it there yesterday."

"Okay!" He began to pull me out of the room, but I stopped him.

"Jack! I can't see without my glasses," I laughed as I hit the doorway.

"Oh, yeah, sorry!" He brushed up against me as he stepped back into my room, coming back with a pair of converse and my glasses. I took them both, putting them on with a small thanks before continuing to follow Jack, who walked with a small bounce in his step as he gently pulled on my fingers while I trekked behind him.

"'Mornin'," Alex greeted from the kitchen, placing to travel mugs on the counter, steam from the coffee hovering over them.

"'Morning." I ran my hands through my hair quickly.

"You ready to go, kid?" I nodded in response as I gratefully took the warm plastic travel mug from him.

"Have fun, you two," Lisa said from the doorway, going to hug Alex first and kiss him deeply. She hugged me tightly next. "Keep watch over him, please, make sure he'll be okay," she whispered in my ear. I nodded.

"I will. I promise."

"And keep yourself clean, too. Call me if you ever need anything, hun."

I nodded. "Thank you." We finally pulled away from each other.

"Two?" Jack piped up. "Do I not get to have fun?" He giggled.

"You have fun, too, Jack," Lisa replied, hugging him tightly, also. "And tell the others to, also."