Pen Pal Project [Alex Gaskarth]

Chapter Twelve

March 9th

It had been little over a month since I was pushed into the icy waters of the canal. And little over a week and a half since I'd woken up from my coma.

I was still confused about everything. Rosie was trying to insist that I not worry about exams, but I needed the distraction. So every waking minute, I began to re-memorize everything that I had learned.

It helped when I was in physiotherapy because working on remembering different equations took my mind off the current pain that I was in.

With the broken ankle, whilst it was healing, I still had to retrain my body to walk again. I think it hurt Alex more than me because each time I cried out, begging them to stop because it hurt, he turned away.

I didn't blame him because they didn't stop. And in the long run, I knew it would be better, but in the moment, it just hurt too much to think of the future.

Cassadee and Rian went back to the States a day ago, Cass promising that when I go over to visit, she'd treat me to a spa day.

Even when I tried to protest, she refused to listen. Alex and Rian didn't even try to help me with that battle.

Alex couldn't put off going back home any longer and Rosie was having me discharged today so I could return to school and sit my exams.

So this meant farewell for now.

Once I was out of the hospital, Rosie drove Alex to the airport. I was content sat in the back with him, listening to the music on his phone.

"You know, it's gonna be weird going back home without you." I kept my face calm as I shrugged my shoulders.

Inside, my heart was beating so fast I was certain that he could hear it.

"It's gonna be weird not seeing you every day." I muttered and he wrapped an arm around me.

"Well, you're going to go and ace those exams, come and visit me and then graduate high school. How does that sound?"

"Alex." I whined, causing him to simply grin. "We've been over this a thousand times-"

"A thousand and one." He corrected, the cheeky smirk on his lips. I elbowed him for that.

"I just wanna make it through without being the freak-show who almost died." I grumbled and he sighed.

"Promise me that you'll behave and work hard?" I nodded my head.

We sat in silence for the rest of the journey, comfortable with each others silence. There wasn't a need to force the small talk and it was comforting. A silent reminder that he was supporting me no matter what.

And that scared me. Because never before had someone who didn't grow up with me, or raise me, show so much support in me. There's always a terrifying thought that I'd lose him from my life and that would be it.

I wouldn't be happy again.

Once we were at the airport, I followed him to as far as I was allowed to go and I hugged him tight.

"Alex?" He pulled away, looking at me directly.

"Yeah shortstuff?"

"I wanna make it official." I mumbled, not taking my eyes off the floor.

"You what?" I felt his fingers under my chin, coaxing me to look up.

"I wanna make it official. I want you to adopt me." It took a split second for the words to register in his mind and the grin that promptly followed made my heart melt as he crushed me back into a tight hug, which I returned.