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

Chapter 50: Mail

        For the first few days of summer, I moped around my house. I really didn't even go outside and enjoy the sun. I sat in my room, watching movies on my television. I rented 500 Days of Summer and watched it, over and over and over again. I watched Tom Hanson fall in love with Summer Finn, and have her leave him behind. I watched her get married, and tear Tom's heart to pieces.  I cried, even though the movie really isn't all that sad.

        But now, I was pulling the piano outside with me, sitting in the back yard on the chars. I sat with my legs criss-crossed and the piano on my legs. It was pretty comfortable in the sunny and humid weather; the heat was never anything I minded, especially considering some of the places I'd lived before.

        I plugged head phones into my piano, so I would only listen. I strummed my fingers to the beat of the songs I knew, and songs that I was making up on my own. I almost considered calling Alex to ask him what he thought of the piece I'd written. Almost.

        Alex called me the night he left, and that was it. He hasn't talked to me much since. I spoke to Kara quite a bit. She decided that when the boys were on stage and when she wasn't in the mood to watch was the best time. She was still getting used to the other bands, trying not to feel so out of place

        Kara told me about how the boys were already befriending a number of people. They'd been speaking to We The Kings, Forever the Sickest Kids, Boys Like Girls and others. I've heard of those bands every once ina while, but they were the same as Alex and the boys. All Time Low was just taking off and more people were hearing them over time. The other new bands were the same way, just trying to get a feel for the tour and make a name for themselves.

        I didn't want to think about how much it hurt that Alex hadn't found the time to call me. I was sure that Zack had talked to Lauren, probably several times. The fact that he still hadn't made more than one phone call was a little upsetting. I was trying to remind myself that they were busy: interviews, shows, signings, endorsements, fans, and other stuff. I wasn't trying to take it personally, but it felt like after everything tat I gave him the night before he left a call wasn't much. It might have saved me from the new attachment that I had grown with Alex. Maybe then I would have had a fighting chance of making it out of this summer without having my heart torn apart and stomped on.

        I hadn't even realized they'd be missing my birthday until I noticed the date, and that my birthday was four days away. It didn't even hit me, but it hurt a little more that I'd be spending another birthday with just my dad, even if it was nice for us. I thought that this year, I might hav epeople to spend it with. Maybe even a small party for the first time ever. I guessed wrong. Damn my best friends and making a life for themelves by doing somethng they love.

        I glanced up from the keys of the piano, noticing that my dad was talking. His mouth was moving as he glanced between me and the pool. I hadn't realized that he'd come outside, or that he was skimming the pool. I pulled my headphones out of my ear, raising my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to repeat what he'd said. He sighed deeply, running the skimmer over the pool. He pulled it out, tapping out the contents and went at it again.

        "You should call someone, you haven't done anything since summer started." It was hard to picture my dad in anything but his pajamas and uniform. He'd taken the next few days off, lazing around the back yard in khaki shorts and a t-shirt.

        "Allt he friends that I'd call are almost 3,000 miles away," I muttered, leaning my chin into my hand. "It's sort of difficult to get ice cream with them."

        "Come on, Stella. I know you have more friends than Kara and the boys," my dad rolled his eyes at my pessimistic attitude. I shrugged, hitting the keys on the piano, making noise in my ear. He stared, and I could see him from the corner of my eyes.