Hearts On Fire (Jalex fanfic)

2. Hello There

Two months have passed since my grandfathers death and I haven't felt happy since. My parents tried to get me to go to a councillor at least once every week but I had only turned up to one appointment because I did want to get better at first but speaking to some stranger about my problems didn't help me. So every time my parents made an appointment I pretended to go but in fact I was sitting in a park with my grandfathers guitar. It was a beautiful afternoon in Baltimore but I didn't seem to care. I sung my grandfathers song quietly to myself as a bunch of fitness enthusiasts jogged past me. I continued to play the song for hours until tears started to form in my eyes. I stopped singing right a way and just continued to strum the correct cords for the song.

It wasn't until I was halfway through playing did I realize that I wasn't playing my grandfathers song, I was playing one I wrote. Feeling angry I placed the guitar beside me and placed my head in my hands. My phone buzzed beside me and I looked down to see my fathers number flashing across the screen. I reached towards it and pushed my phone off the table. It landed on the ground with a thud. The phone stopped buzzing and I leaned down and picked it up to see that the screen was cracked.

"Great," I groaned. "I've gotta pay to get it fixed now."

I was pissed off at myself for pushing the phone of the table but I couldn't help it. Seeing my fathers name pop up onto the screen pissed me off because I just couldn't take his bullshit at the moment.

"That happens when you drop your phone on the ground on purpose," a deep voice said behind me.

I spun around to see a man with black hair and brown eyes standing behind me with a grin on his face.

"How long have you been there for?" I asked.

"A while," the guy replied as if it was okay to stand and watch someone. "I also heard you play, you're really good."

"Thanks," I muttered as I turned to face the opposite way to the guy behind me.

"The name's Jack Barakat," he said.

"Alex Gaskarth," I replied.

"Alex Gaskarth," Jack repeated. "Are you Bill-"

"Yes," I snapped, breaking him off mid sentence. I just don't how well I could handle someone talking about what happened to him.

I heard footsteps but I thought that he was going but he came to stand in front me. It took all my might to not sigh because for the first time in a while I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Jack took a seat beside me and I could feel a spark of electricity fly out from Jack's arm.

"I'm sorry," Jack whispered. "I know that he ... was close to you because my grandfather knew him and he used to talk about you."

"I don't want to talk about it," I grumbled.

Jack turned his head in my direction and stared at me as if I was crazy. Maybe in his family they liked to talk about these type of things but I hated it.

"Look, Jack, you seem nice but I should actually be at a councillor appointment to talk about my grandfather but I don't like talking to strangers about this," I continued.

"I understand," Jack replied.

"How do you understand?" I demanded. "How do you understand the pain I feel? It feels like I've lost my only friend and that I could never be whole again! My parents keep telling me that he wouldn't have want me to feel the way I do but I can't help!"

Jack reached out and patted my back. I could sense how awkward I made him especially when my tears began to escape. I quickly wiped the tears away and forced myself to not shed anymore.

We sat in silence but it didn't feel awkward like a silence between my parents felt. The sun was starting to touch the horizon and I knew that I had to get home before my mother started wondering where I was. I got up from the park bench while grabbing my grandfathers guitar. Jack looked up slightly startled and I forced a smile at him.

"My parents will wonder where I am if I don't get home soon. I'll see you around Jack," I said.

"Wait Alex, I could use someone like you in my band," Jack said.

"Look Jack I love music but I don't think I could join a band," I replied.

"No problem," Jack said as he got up. "If you change your mind just give me a call."

"I don't think that will be necessary," I replied.

Jack ignored me and slipped me a card anyway before spinning on his heel and sauntering off straight ahead. I watched him go feeling shocked to have met someone like him. In this moment I felt as if I was alive again and being in Jack's presences made me feel as if there was someone to help get me out of this depressed state.