My Life with O2L

Chapter 8

I wake up and hear two voices coming from Kian's room next door.
"I kissed Alex after I cleaned her scrapes, and then last night, before she went to bed, she kissed me." It's Sam. He's telling Kian.
Kian sighs. "Sam! Seriously. You know if Jc finds out, you're screwed right?"
I hear Sam sigh. "You're right. I can't do that. Never mind. Forget I ever said anything."
"Okay. You know I'm here for ya man."
"Thanks Kian."
I hear the door open and close, then footsteps down the hall. Another door shuts.
Wow. He told Kian? Was he looking for advice or something? I don't even know what's going on between us. But I know one thing: I don't want a relationship. I've seen too many go south. And after my stepdad? God no. I shouldn't have led Sam on like that. I mean, yeah he's cute, and nice, and caring. But then again, so was my stepdad at first. I'm just not ready to take a risk like that.
Then, I reach out and grab my phone. It's seven. I log into Facebook and scroll through my news feed. The last time I was on my account James had posted about the likely hood of me getting adopted. Well, look at me now, James. Look at me now.
After awhile, Facebook gets boring so I decide to go downstairs. I try to be as quiet as possible because that Conner guy spent the night, and I'm pretty sure he slept on the couch.
To my surprise, Connor is up and already in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.
"Morning," I say, walking in and fixing myself a cup.
"Morning," he says, looking up from the phone. "Surprised to see you're awake."
"Honestly?" I ask. "Me too. I'm never up this early."
He laughs. "I'm not really an early riser either, but I rolled off the couch so.."
I laughed. "You fell off the couch?"
"Yeah."
I hop onto the counter and start drinking my coffee. Mmm. So good. Nothing like a good cup of joe when you first wake up. I down the cup pretty fast. Me and Connor make small talk, but then I excuse myself to go wake up Jc.
I open his door and see he's already awake, playing in his phone.
"You know you have a guest downstairs, right?" I ask him, coming to sit next to him.
"Good morning to you too, Alex." Jc says, sarcastically. "It's just Connor. He knows his way around the house. And if he really wanted company he'd come up here and wake us up. Trust me."
He puts his phone down, and sticks out his arms for a hug. I hug him, and ask, "So, what are we doing today?"
"We could make a short father-daughter video and then watch movies the rest of the day."
I nod. "Sounds good. You think I should actually get ready or just put on some sweats?"
Jc laughs. "Girls and their clothes."
"Whatever." I say, playfully punching his arm. "I don't want to look too terrible, but it's not like we're actually doing much of anything."
"So then just wear sweats."
"Alright." I say, getting up to leave. "Get up Jc!"
Then I go to my room and do the basics. Wash my face, and tie my hair back in a fishtail braid. I change into sweats and walk out of my room.
Downstairs, all the guys are crowded around a camera. I hear my name and clear my throat.
"Alex, what now?" I ask.
"Speaking of the devil," Trevor says, jokingly.
I laugh. "Trevor, don't make me sit on you."
"Try me," he challenges.
I walk around to where he is and pin him down. Then I sit on him. He wheezes. "Being crushed... giant elephant. It was a good fifteen years. Bye.... World."
I get up and the guys laugh. Trevor pops right up and laughs too.
"Seriously though, what's my name about?"
"Connor's vlogging his day. Him and the guys are going to the beach." Jc says.
I nod. "Okay! You still didn't answer my question though. But whatever. Are we making our video now or are you gonna hang with the guys for a few?"
"We can film now. Let's go."
The two of us head to his room. Jc sets up all of the equipment. The lights, the tripod, the camera. There's so much more to it than I thought.
"So what are we doing exactly?" I ask Jc.
"Well, I'll read off of Twitter some troubling situations we might possibly end up in, and you'll tell me how I'd handle it as a parent. Then I'll tell you if you were right. We can keep score if you want. If you get it right, you get a point. If you get it wrong I get a point."
I nod. "I'm so gonna win."
"No you're not! I only adopted you a couple days ago! You can't possibly know what my parenting skills are like."
"Jc," I start off. "Let me explain something. I read people pretty well. That, plus the fact that you are a pretty open person, is going to win me this challenge."
"Pfft. Whatever." He says, rolling his eyes.
"How much are you willing to wager?"
Jc hesitates. "Should I even be letting you bet?"
"Oh come on, Jc!"
He shakes his head. "Fine. Whatever. Fifty dollars."
"Deal." I don't have fifty dollars. Oh well. I'm about to win anyways.
Jc finally finishes setting up and toying with the camera. "You ready?" He asks. I nod. With that he clicks the starts filming.
"What's up o2l?! Jc here. Today, I'm joined by my daughter: Alex Caylen. Say hi Alex!"
"Hey guys!" I wave.
"Today we're going to do the father-daughter tag that I just made up. Basically, I tweeted out for different scenarios we may end up in soon. I'll read some off. Alex will try and guess how I'll react to each one. If she's right, that's a point for her. If she's wrong, I'll get the point. Let's get started."
"First scenario: Fans constantly giving you hate." Jc looks at me.
"I already know this is gonna happen." I say. Jc tries to interrupt, but I shush him. "Don't try to deny it, Jc. Everyone gets hate. I know you're gonna try and prevent it as much as possible. You're probably gonna be posting on every social media telling fans to stop. You might even make videos about how they need to stop. You're just that protective of me."
Jc nods. "Well, that's all true. But that was easy. It's basically what every parent would do. First point goes to you. Second one: you start up drugs."
"Jc. This is too easy. You'd confiscate the drugs and try to get me immediate help of some sort."
"And you'd be grounded for forever." He says. "You didn't say that, so I get the point."
"What?"
He sticks his tongue out. "Three: you killed someone."
I shake my head. "You would SO disown me. I'd just be screwed."
We laugh. "Yeah, pretty much." Jc says, winking. "I'm kidding. I would be mad and disappointed. I'd let you sit in juvi or prison or wherever they'd put you. But when you get out I'd be there for you."
"So you got that one?" I ask.
"Yep. The score is one to two."
The questions continue. Eventually, I catch up to him. The score gets to be six to six. Then there's the last question.
"Thirteen, for the win: what would I do if you and one of the guys started dating."
How ironic, considering my current situation. "It depends." I start. "I think if I were dating Ricky or Kian, since they're older you'd probably flip and try to kill them. If it were Sam or Trevor, you'd flip, but not as bad as you would if it were Ricky or Kian."
"True," Jc says. "I mean, if you're into younger guys, Trevor would be alright I guess. But you got it."
"Yes! I win! In your face!" I stick out my tongue. "Cough up those fifty dollars!"
Jc sighs, shaking his head and laughing a little bit. He digs in his pocket and pulls two twenty dollar bills and a ten. He hands it to me. "There ya go, Alex."
Then he turns to the camera. "Well, there you go guys. Alex won our little challenge." He does his outro and shuts the camera.
I lay down on his bed. "What are we gonna do now, Jc?"
"Well, we could go watch movies and I'll edit the video later, or you can keep me company while I edit the video and then we'll go watch movies."
We decide on editing the video first. Jc shows me everything he does to a video. Really, I never thought about how hard the editing part is. When he's finished, we go downstairs. The guys are gone, so we pop popcorn and put in Grownups.
After Grownups, we watch Grownups 2. Grownups marathon!
At some point during the second one, the guys come back and join us. All of us die laughing throughout the entire movie. When it's over, it's about four. Connor says he has someplace to be, so he leaves. Then it's back to the original six. Well, at least my original six. Since, I technically wasn't in the original six.
"What's for dinner?" Trevor whines. "We have, like, no food."
I raise my eyebrows. "Then why don't you guy go get some?"
All the guys look at me confused. I shake my head. "You know, like going to the store and shopping for food?"
"Ugh," Kian says. "But the store is so far."
"Too bad." I say, standing up. "We are about to go get some food so we have something to eat."
Groans all around. "Come on guys!" I yell. "Let's go!"
I steal Kian's car keys and and head out the door. I unlock it and start the ignition. The guys slowly file out of the house and into the car. Kian gets in the passenger seat.
"Do you have a license?" Kian asks.
"Nope." I say. Kian and the guys stare at me. "But if it makes you feel better, I've stolen plenty of cars and I've never been piled over or gotten in a wreck."
Ricky throws his hands up. "Well, that's so much better!" [sense the sarcasm]
I laugh. "You will survive. Don't worry."
All the guys look hesitant. "I don't know," Jc says. "I think someone else should drive."
"Relax. I can handle this!"
I pull the shift into reverse, and pull out of the driveway.
"Oh my god! I'm too young to die!" Trevor yells. I see him cover his face with his hands.
"Have some faith!" I say, grinning.
I drive out of the neighborhood and down the road, to Walmart. I park in a spot close to the entrance.
"See?" I ask. "That wasn't bad!"
"I'm alive!" Trevor screams, pushing the guys out of his way. He was the first one out of the car. The rest of us follow laughing.
Jc grabs my hand. "So when exactly did you steal cars?"
I grin. "There's a lot of stuff about my past that I'd rather you not know."
"You told us everything else though!"
"Yeah, but I'm not gonna tell you about my life of crime. That's a secret." I wink at him, as if it's a joke. But honestly, I meant it. My life of crime is a secret.
We walk through the doors and I grab a cart. "So what do you guys normally get? Just snack food? Microwaveable meals? Real stuff for cooking meals?"
Ricky gives me a weird look and snaps his fingers. "Girl, we get everything. We own this bitch!"
I laugh. "But seriously, though."
Sam speaks up. "Snacks and microwaveable stuff mostly."
"Well, that's gonna change. I know how to cook and I'm putting it to use!" I say. "We're still getting snacks and microwave stuff too, so don't panic." I add, before the guys have heart attacks. They're all holding their hands over their hearts.
"Whoa girl." Ricky says, fake panting. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
"Whatever. Let's hurry up."
I'll spare you the boring details of my shopping experience. About twenty minutes into it, the guys abandoned me. They went off to the Halloween area. Or at least that's what they said. So, I finished the shopping in my own, then went to find them.
Right now, I'm pushing the cart down toward the area with the Halloween costumes. Suddenly, someone in a creepy mask jumps out at me.
"AHH!!" I scream. The guy in the mask laughs, and takes the mask off. I gasp. "Sam! You're so mean!"
I whack his arm, and he pretends to be hurt. Then he hugs me, swaying. "Aww. Did I scare you?"
"Well duh!" I say, pulling back. The rest of the guys came parading toward us. Judging by how hard they're laughing, they saw the entire thing.
"Oh my god, you guys saw it didn't you?!" I ask.
"Yes!" Jc laughs, gripping his stomach. "We filmed it too!"
My eyes practically pop out of my head. "You did not!"
All of them nod. "No! Delete it!"
"Can't make any promises!" Jc says.
I see the camera in his right hand. At that moment, our eyes meet. My feet take off, and I jump on his back in attempt to get the camera.
"Gimme the camera!" I yell.
"Never!" He says, laughing. "Kian! Catch!" He throws the camera.
I jump off of his back and for the next ten minutes, we play monkey in the middle. Me, being the monkey, trying to get the camera from the rest of the guys.
Finally, I just give up and we go to check out. Before we get in the car, Trevor yells at me, "I am not getting in the car if you're driving!"
"Well then," I say. "Looks like you're walking home then."
"Actually," Kian says. "I agree with him. I want my car to make it back in one piece."
I sigh. "Fine." I hand over the keys, and get in the very back next to Trevor.
As soon as we pull out of the parking lot, a One Direction song comes on. All the guys start singing at the top of their lungs.
Me, on the other hand, all I could do is shake my head.
"What?" Trevor asks. "Sing with us!"
I sing along. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of 1D. They're alright I guess. Oh, well.
When we get home, we haul in the groceries and I put them away.
"What's for dinner tonight, Chef Alex?" Jc asks, sitting on one of the bar stools.
"We can just do frozen pizza tonight. I don't feel like cooking right now."
Jc laughs. "You making it?"
"No!" I say. "You guys owe me for abandoning me and making me do the shopping in my own!"
"Fine, I'll make it."
"Thanks!"
Then I go to the living room and play Candy Crush on my phone until dinner is ready. All of eat in the living room while watching Impractical Jokers.
When we're finished, Kian suggests going for a late night swim.
"Nah," I say. "I'm beat."
"You sure?" They ask.
"Yeah. You guys go ahead though."
I tell them all goodnight, and head upstairs. My phone buzzes.

From: Sammers😋
Are you really going to bed?

I reply.

To: Sammers😋
.... Maybe? I don't know

From: Sammers😋
Meet on the roof in 10??

To: Sammers😋
Sure...?

From: Sammers😋
See ya in a few!😆

To: Sammers😋
Ok

I click off my phone and change into my pajamas and a sweatshirt. Then I put in a pair of slides and head up to the roof. There's a slight breeze. I can hear the guys, down below in the pool. They're laughing. I move toward the front of the house, so they don't see me.
After a few minutes, Sam sits next to me. He grabs my hand, and plays with it in his. I nibble on the inside of my cheek. It's a nervous habit of mine.
We sit in silence, until I pull my hand from him and turn to face him.
"Sam-" I start to say. But Sam interrupts me.
"Listen, Alex. I understand. It's okay. I know how the guys and Jc would react. But I have one question: Do you like me? Like, really like me?"
I nod, and look down, blushing like crazy.
He nods. "We could keep it a secret. Nobody has to know."
I sigh. "It's not just that, Sam."
I look at him. I mean, really look at him.
"Then what is it?" He asks.
I shake my head. Before I say anything, Sam's lips crash into mine. It's a soft, sweet kiss. There's butterflies in my stomach. For a minute, I forget to breathe. Then Sam pulls back, looking concerned.
"Alex, why are you crying?"
I dab at my eyes. Why am I not surprised? "I don't know. I just- I can't."
Sam pulls me into a hug. I put my head on his chest and the tears keep coming.
"Shh." Sam says rocking me. "Hey, it's alright. What's wrong?"
"I can't do this, Sam. After what happened with my step dad. I just-"
"Hey, look at me." Sam says, pulling back and placing his fingers under my chin, forcing me to look at him. "I would never do that to you. Never. I promise."
Then he just presses his lips to my forehead. We sit there for a while, in silence, then I lean into his chest and slowly slip away from the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam's P.O.V.
After a while, Alex falls asleep on my chest. She is so adorable. Right now though, I have to say I'm kinda flustered. She's scared that her past will repeat itself. But I won't do that to her. I promised her that. But I also won't push her into something she's not ready for. Especially with the reasons she has.
Slowly, I adjust myself so that I can pick her up. Then I carry her bridal style down to her room.
As I'm tucking her in bed, her eyes flutter. I kiss her forehead and whisper, "Goodnight Alex."
"Night Sam," she breaths.
I back out of her room, and go into my own. I lay on my bed, and fall asleep thinking about Alex.