(2) Overnight Sensation: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 30: Trouble

        I knocked on the door three times before I realized no one was going to asnwer. I looked down the driveway, to make sure his car was still there, and he didn't take off like a drunken idiot. After Jack called me, I freaked out. I had to see Alex, I just had to.

        I opened the door quietly, and slipped inside shutting it behin dme. I recognized all the pictures cluttering the walls, like the one that hung by the stairs; Alex and his brother. They couldn't have been older than ten and twelve in that picture.

        My feet carried me to the kitchen and down the hallway that I remember leaning against, kissing his mouth. I could hear pacing from the room at the end. I took long strides to the door, pausing to find it open for me to come into. I closed it behind me, while keeping my eyes on the pacing boy in front of me.

        His eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing so heavily I could hear it. His hair was a disaster as he raked his fingers through it. He walked horizontally across the room, continuously. I wasn't sure for the longest time that he even realized I walked in.

        "I just -- I can't believe I didn't see the signs," his voice slurred noticiably. I glanced towards the bed where he had twelve empty beer cans.

        "What signs, Alex?" I whispered quietly, picking myself off the wall and walking towards him. He paced, even with my body as an obstacle. I tried to block his path so he could just look at me, but I knew that it wasn't going to happen. He was too heated and drunk to stop.

        "Daniel," he grumbled under his breath, coming to a stop at the door before leaning his head against it. I tried to walk to him, to wrap my arms around him but he pushed me away. "He -- he just gave me his favorite hat, just like that -- and I didn't ask why -- I just -- I took it, Stella! I didn't even -- I just walked away! I fucking walked away!"

        His fingers ran roughly over his face, swallowing whatever was in his mouth and looking at the ceiling. He was trying to regulate his breathing, but he was too worked up.

        "Alex, you couldn't have known," I tried to reason with him.

        He was so torn apart, something I'd never seen in another person before. He looked like hell had run him over with a truck and thrown him to the wolves. He was staggering as he hit the wall with his fist.

        "Yes I -- why am I so stupid? I should've known. I'm not an idiot -- I know the signs by heart btu -- with my brother -- I just didn't even think about it," he hit his own head rather hard with his palm. I touched his shouler and he groaned loudly and smashed his fist into the wall.

        He didn't stop at one punch; he continued to hit the wall until his hand was bleeding, and until the dent in the wall was smeared with his blood. I was yelling at him to stop, to not hurt himself. He wasn't listening to me until I placed myself between his fist and the wall, knowing fully well that he could've easily broken my nose with a wrongfully aimed punch.

        He saw me, and faltered for a moment, but then punched the wall a few inches above my head. Fear struck my mind, but I wasn't going to stop trying. He was breaking his hand. He'd mess up his hand forever, and he wouldn't be able to play the guitar. He was about to throw away the most important thing in his life without even realizing it.

        I reached forward and put my hands on either side of his face, whispering softly so he could only hear it if he was really listening. He was listening, I was making him. "Alex, it's not your fault. It's not your fault. You didn't cause this. Your brother is happier now. It's not your fault. It's not your fault!"

        Underneath my grip, his tensed muscles began to relax. I was looking straight into his eyes, watching the water gloss over them, and then roll down his cheeks, and over my thumbs. He leaned his head against mine, pushing my back against the wall as he cried silently. His fingers wrapped around my waist, and his head fell to my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close, tears stinging my eyes as well. I wasn't willing to let him fall, I had to be strong for Alex, not join in on his pain. I ran my fingers through his hair, hushing his quiet sobs.