The pretender (An All Time Low Story)

Chapter Eleven

Jesse's POV

I was the center of attention at this moment and I hated it. I just directed my attention to the floor as I felt overly self-concious and could feel the mix of anger and pity in the air. I didn't like this at all. I was about to say something when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me in a hug. I looked up to see Zach looking down at me with way too much sympathy in his eyes. “I'm so sorry Jess,” he said.

I just stepped back. “Don't be, I should be the one that's sorry. Um, he saw us hanging out at the park and thought that we were being a bit 'too friendly'.” I said, he just shook his head. When it looked like he was going to argue with me, I raised my voice hardly above a whisper. “I'd rather have him pissed at me than at you, you didn't do anything. It's okay, I promise. I'm okay.”

The room got way too quite at this point. I guess that I had to explain what was going on to them, but I didn't especially want to. Jack, Rian and Matt still seemed really confused. I was about to talk when Jack ran over and picked me up in a hug, he pulled away and started fussing about my eye. “What the hell happened? Are you okay? We've known her for less than a day and she's already hurt, oh no! Are you sure you're okay?!” He started to try to talk again so I covered his mouth with my hand.

“Jack! I'm fine, I promise. I guess I have some explaining to do...” I said, just loud enough for everyone to hear me in the nearly silent room. I then explained how my older brother is kind of an ass, but that I love him more than anything. I explained how he gets mad over little things and sometimes just explodes. I also explained that this didn't happen very often. They didn't seem happy with my story, but they didn't push it. I forced a few smiles here and there, and I tried to look generally happy.

“Well, I guess its a great thing that you're going on tour with us for the next few weeks, isn't it?” Rian said. I gave him a shy, but thankful, smile and nodded. We all started talking about random things. Zach, Matt, and Jack went off to talk amongst themselves leaving me talking to Rian and Alex.

They were very nice, and soon enough it was getting kind of late. I suggested that we make dinner plans for the next day so that we could talk again. I was getting ready to leave when Alex spoke up “Hey, Jesse, how do you feel about having dinner with me and a friend tonight?”

I was considering saying yes, because he legitimately seems to want to know me, but I thought of Nick and Ceci, and how I had to see them again before I leave for tour in three days. I was about to say something when I got a text from Nick.

My Favourite Faggot :3: My house, 45, bring the 8 year old boy.

Nick had a very bad habit of reffering to Ceci as “the 8 year old boy” because when we were teenagers, she was very skinny and rather flat chested, not to mention with buzzed hair. She thought it was funny though, so I tried not to be bothered by the rude comment. I guess I was meeting Nick at his house in 45 minutes, okay.

“Um, actually Alex, I'd love to, but I won't see Nick and Ceci for a long time and...” I trailed off as a smirk grew on his face. I cocked my head to the side, questioning why he was happy that I was turning him down on his offer.

“Make that a friend and Ceci. Nick is who I was talking about. I was planning on the three of us hanging out together tonight?” He seemed nervous at the end. How the hell was he friends with Nick? He seemed to be reading my mind as he then said “I dropped by the coffee shop this morning and ended up talking to him. He's actually really cool.” He smiled.

“Um, obviously he's cool, he is my best friend!" I said with a small smile. He smirked at me. "I guess, sure. I already miss him, and Ceci will have a stroke meeting you.” I shyly smiled at him.

We continued talking for a while, and they asked a few questions about my past, but didn't pry much. I was thankful for this because I didn't want to tell them about it. I didn't need them getting hurt. I already cared about all of them far too much.

Alex's POV

She immediately seemed stronger again. I was probably the only one who noticed how small and scared she seemed for those few seconds. After getting fussed over by everyone, and having Zach pinky swear 3 times not to confront her brother about it, Jesse seemed as happy as ever. I was glad she didn't let these type of things get to her, and she was just so strong, I admired her. I had to get to know this magical girl who stood beside me. She was still just mystery.

When I told her about being friends with Nick, her face completely fell and then lit up more than anything. She hesitantly agreed, but I knew that when we actually got to hang out with Nick and Ceci, she would be ecstatic. The way she talked about them made them out to be the most perfect people in the world. She really, really cared about them.

She avoided the topic of Family like the plague. Rian and I never pushed whenever she left questions without answers. She only said that she left home the day she graduated high school and that she lives with her brother. I hadn't heard her say a word about her parents because she just shook her head when asked about them.

Zach and Jack had walked over by the time that family questions were being asked, and Zach gave her knowing looks when she refused to answer some of them. She was friends with her brother, so I assume that he had told him about his past. I would ask him about it all later, but right now, Jesse and I said our good byes to the guys and made our way out of the building to meet up with Nick.