My Name Is Alexander

Chapter 13

Alex's PoV

We're leaving for California. School is over after another long and awful month. Not as bad with John, but still pretty crappy. John, Gilbert, Meade, and Thomas are my only friends as of now. We're at the airport. Me, Gilbert, Dad, John, and Thomas. He's going to VidCon this year as well. I'm excited and nervous as fuck. I've never been to California before. We're going to board our flight in about five minutes. I open up my Twitter and use my Nonstop account. Boarding to Cali in five minutes guys!!! I'm really excited, as you know this is my first time on a plane! I can't wait to see you all at VidCon, those who are going, please don't be afraid to video me or whatever to share with everyone who can't come! Don't be afraid to ask to take a picture with me or something, I'd be more than happy to! I love you guys so so much and can't wait to meet you!!! I quickly tweet. I put my phone away and swing my carry-on backpack over my shoulder, tapping my foot impatiently. I did a lot of research on airlines, airplanes, California, and VidCon in the weeks between John being my boyfriend and now, so I kinda know what to expect. He wraps his arms around me, causing me to jump about a foot in the air. "It's just me." He says, trying and failing to bury the amusement in his voice.

"Sorry. I'm just nervous." I say, my foot tapping resuming. "I'm imagining all the things that could go wrong and I shouldn't be but I can't help it."

"It'll be fine Hammie." He still prefers to use my last name instead of my first.

"I know but I'm still nervous. Oh, time to board!" I cry, jumping up. "Come on let's go before someone here robs us!"

"Hammie, chill! We're not going to be robbed. You're just paranoid." John says.

"Johnny, if you think this is paranoid, wait 'till we actually get to Cali!"

---

Hours later, we land in LAX. John prods me awake. "Hammie. Hammie wake up. We're in LA." He whispers. I open my eyes stickily and blink. I fell asleep on his shoulder. Something is wrong. It feels like it's twelve at night. We got a late flight. "Time change, remember?" He reminds me, seeing my confusion. I nod. It's only nine. My body has finally adjusted to a somewhat normal sleep schedule, and now I'm going to screw it all up.

---

I don't even remember the name of the hotel we're staying at. I stumble into the room behind Dad. "Alright. We're all tired, we're all suffering from jetlag, we're all going to sleep and worrying about everything else at a more reasonable hour." Dad announces, putting his bags down in a corner of the hotel room. I got us two bedrooms that are connected so we're together. I kick my shoes off and follow John into the bed he chooses. "Hey, sleeping pills first you two." I take them from his hand and dry-swallow them, too tired to care. I curl up against John, letting him hug me, and fall asleep in a matter of moments. The last thing I feel is a kiss being pressed to my forehead and John's warm breath on my skin.

---

I wake up to what is seven in the morning but it feels like ten. I groan softly and rub my eyes. I hate this time zone change already. I pull out my phone and open Twitter. Hey guys, sorry I didn't tweet the moment I landed, I was too tired. But I'm here in LA and I just woke up. Time zone change sucks. But I got to fall asleep in my bf's arms so yaaay! I won't be making any videos during my trip because I left my PC at home, but I'll make a SnapChat account the day of VidCon. Today we won't be doing anything, just walking around and getting to know LA and sitting here watching TV. The hotel we are staying at will not be named because I don't want people stalking me. Nonstop out! I extract myself from under John's arm and sit up and take in the hotel room. It's a decent size, got a TV, balcony, everythings a nice white and green, it's nice. I stand up and make sure the doors are locked. They are. I glance over to see that Thomas is sleeping in the other bed, meaning Dad and Gilbert are in the other room. I stand up and grab the bag of coffee off the desk/table, along with a mug. No Redbull, but coffee by itself is good too. I make a cup of coffee with water from the bathroom sink. I turn the TV and put it on the history channel because why not? I can't believe it's already summer. Thomas wakes up after a little while. "What time is it?" He croaks. I check my phone.

"Eight oh three. Feels like eleven though." I reply, sipping my coffee. "I don't know if anyone else is awake yet."

"I'm awake." John says, his morning voice rough and scratchy and oh, so very sexy.

"Good morning. When did you wake up?" I ask.

"Just now. Is there anything to eat?" I shake my head.

"Dad has the food. You can wait for them to come in." I see the door connecting us move a little and decide to mess around. "Or, if you're hungry enough, you could eat my-" The door flies open and Gilbert yells at me in Baguette as John's face reddens and Thomas cackles. "I'm joking! I'm joking! Can't you take a joke? Get off me!" I yell, curling into a ball as he starts beating me over the head with a pillow.

"Knock it off or we're leaving right now." Dad growls, pulling Gilbert off of me. He looks at me.

"I made half of a dirty gay joke to mess with him and then he overreacted and now I think he's being overprotective." I answer.

"No more dirty gay jokes Alexander, and cool the fuck down Gilbert, your brother is smarter than that." Dad says calmly. Gilbert glares at him but relents.

"Don't lay a 'and on 'im or 'o'll end up dead." He hisses to John. John looks back innocently and puts his hand on the top of my head. " 'O know what I mean."

"Gilbert, go get the cereal." I order him. He walks sulkily back into his and Dad's room.

"Well that was interesting." Thomas says.

"Indeed it was." I reply as Gilbert comes back in. "Any plans or today, or are we just walking around and getting to know Los Angeles?"

"Pretty much. When is VidCon?" Dad asks, taking the cereal from Gilbert.

"On the twenty-first. Thats." I pause to count. "Four days. Shit, that's in four days." I run my hands through my hair. Dad pulled us out of school with the excuse that we're sick. So we're all missing the last few days, but they're not important. I only have four days to prepare myself for VidCon. "Which hotel is this again?" I ask.

"The Hyatt Regency, LAX." Dad says. I mutter a quick thanks and pull out my phone. A quick Google search informs me that VidCon, which is at the Anaheim Convention Center, is a forty minute drive away.

"VidCon is only forty minutes away from here. So we should probably get there at, say, sevenish? Before too many people are there?" I ask Dad. He nods. It's so nice to have a father who can basically read your mind. He knows I nervous as fuck about VidCon and he doesn't mind getting up early to take me there so I can get a grip on my nerves. I hope I don't freak out and end up running away to escape it all.