The Hustler [Alex Gaskarth]

Chapter Eighteen: The Secret

When I awoke the next morning, Alex was still asleep, his arms tangled around my back, so that I was facing him. He looked so... Alex. It was the same thing that had gotten me on the morning after Halloween, except even more intense. Messy hair, bags under his eyes, and a small mischievous smile on his face as though, even in his dreams, he was causing trouble for Matt Flyzik, their tour manager, and everyone else. I smiled at how innocent he looked, and smiled at how sweet he was.

I don't know how long I lay there, smiling and thinking about all the things that Alex did that made him... Alex. All I know is when he woke up and saw me there, he smiled too.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Morning, 'Lex."

"What are you smiling about?"

"Just... you. You're so... Alex."

He laughed. "I try."

We lay there for another few minutes, just smiling at each other, occaisionally making weird faces at each other, but not saying a word. The spell was broken when Alex's cell phone beeped, and he turned over to find out who it was.

"Jack," he said finally, turning back to face me. "I didn't really tell anyone where I was going."

"Impulsivity. Another Alex Thing."

"I have to ask, are Alex Things positive or negative?"

I wrinkled my nose and laughed. "Both. Just like I have negative Airlia things, too."

"I don't believe that. There is nothing negative about you, 'Lia."

"There is. But there's another Alex Thing."

He smiled. "What's that?"

"You're the only one who ever called me 'Lia."

"Positive or negative."

I thought for a moment. "Positive. I love the name 'Lia. If I ever have a kid, I'll name her Lia."

Alex smiled. "Lia Gaskarth?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now," I jokingly chided. "My life plan says I won't get married or have kids until I'm thirty."

"Haven't you ever heard the John Lennon quote about life?" He asked, half-serious.

"Imagine all the people living life in peace?"

"Nope," he smiled. "Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans. But knowing the words to Imagine is definitely going on the Love Lia list."

"What's on the Hate Lia list?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, there has to be one thing on the Hate Lia list."

He thought carefully for a moment, then smiled. "One thing."

"I knew it."

"You think there's a list of things to hate about you."

I shook my head and sat up. "If there's not, there should be. Nobody's perfect, especially not me."

"I never said you were. That doesn't mean that people have to hate stuff about you."

I laughed. "But there are plenty of things they should. Trust me, 'Lex, you don't even know the half of it. If you did, you would probably hate me, too."