A Home That Wasn't There// Alex Gaskarth [COMPLETED]

chapter thirty two

I woke up overheated. I was actually sweating.

Alex was still sleeping peacefully, and I really wanted to go back to sleep as well. I chugged the water I had sitting on my bedside table and turned back towards Alex.

He looked much more relaxed when he was asleep. Here recently, he's been looking anxious.

I cuddled up into his chest and he subconsciously wrapped his arms around me. My breathing evened out, and I fell back asleep.

When I woke for the second time, Alex was looking at his phone.

"What time is it?" I asked, my voice thick with tiredness.

"Nine thirty." He responded.

"You want coffee?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said.

"Okay. I'll be back." I said and rolled out of bed.

I shuffled downstairs to find somebody sleeping on our couch.

Upon closer examination, it looked like Jack Barakat had rolled into town.

I picked up a pillow and slammed it down on his back.

He shot up and almost screamed, but fell off the couch.

"Why the hell are you here?" I asked.

"To knock some sense into Alex." He smiled lazily.

"You know, I need to work out these problems with him. And not with weird other adult supervision. I appreciate it, but I can handle it." I yawned and walked into the kitchen.

I started a pot of coffee, and stared at it to try and make it go faster. I'm so sore, I just want to not move all day.

When coffee was finally done, I grabbed my favorite mug, and a random mug for Alex, and made our coffees.

I took them back upstairs, where Alex asked who I was talking to.

"Jack's here." I yawned.

I handed Alex his coffee and I sat back on my side of the bed.

"Oh it's so hot but I don't even care. Burn me and my soul." I groaned after taking that first, lava-like sip of my coffee.

"Hey, I was looking through my emails. You know that guy that you showed us on tour? The one that did the conspiracy theories?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. Shane Dawson. Why?"

"You wanna go out to LA for the summer next year? He said he wants to do a documentary or series with you on his channel. Said you were an interesting young mind who he felt needed to get her story out there." He said, looking towards me.

"You're shitting me. Are you for real?" I asked.

"Yeah. Do you want to read the email for yourself?"

Sure enough. And I'm suddenly more awake now.

"Tell him that I'm completely down." I said, passing Alex his phone back.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and went through my notifications. I saw a missed call from Rose.

It Sunday, and like nine forty five. She's at church with her mom, her dad, and her brother. Should be back at around noon after going to lunch with family.

I'll just call her later.

Speaking of family, we're having dinner at the Roucco household! I'm excited to see my grandparents and my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I haven't seen them in a while as I've had evening practices the past week, which is when we normally see them.

Alex and Lisa and Tom still go, I just haven't been able to. Which is fine. I just feel like I'm being left out sometimes. Which is also fine.

"You ready to leave?"

We normally go over at around noon, so we can spend most of the day with each other.

And, it's football season. Which is taken very seriously. We're mostly a pro-football family, so I was dressed in a Baltimore Ravens jersey and a pair of black skinnies. With a pair of converse.

I shoved my hair into a pony tail and walked downstairs. Lisa had a plate of fried chicken strips on a platter wrapped in foil, Alex had Tom, and I had everyone's stuff. Lisa's purse, Tom's diaper bag, Alex's guitar because it's required that he plays something while we wait for dinner and stuff.

"I'm ready. Can I make a sandwich before we leave, I'm hungry." I said.

"Go for it. We're leaving in five." Lisa said.

I set the stuff I had in my hands down, and raced to the kitchen to make myself lunch. In record timing, I made a chicken sandwich with pickles, mayo, mustard, cheese, tomato, salt and pepper with a small bag of jalapeño Cheetos. And I managed to grab some apple juice and a coke.

"Okay, let's go." I said, gathering everything I sat on the floor while eating my sandwich.

I loaded everything into Alex's car and got into the backseat. The rest of the family followed shortly after.

The drive to the Roucco household is about thirty minutes away. So I had plenty of time to eat. I've been so hungry lately after joining the swim team. I will eat anything and everything if I can get my little hands on it.

"When's your next practice?" Alex asked from the drivers seat.

"Tomorrow. I can either go in the morning or in the evening. But nobody goes to to evening so I think I'll go early morning, which is at six." I said, before taking another bite of my sandwich.

"Okay. Want me to take you?" He asked.

"If you want. I have to be up and have a meal in me by five thirty." I said.

He nodded and continued driving.

I ate my sandwich, my Cheetos, and drank half of my apple juice in about ten minutes.

"Lisa. Do you have any snacks in your purse or in Tom's bag? I'm hungry." I said.

"Uh. I think I've got a couple granola and protein bars in my bag." She said.

Lisa dug through her purse and handed me a protein and granola bar.

"Thanks." I said.

"What's up with you today?"

"I've started to get really hungry after joining the team. Probably because I'm exercising more than I was before." I said, ripping into the granola bar.

When we got to my grandparents house, I finished off my snacks and grabbed my two drinks. They went in the back pockets of my jeans and I grabbed the stuff from the back of the car.

"Hey everybody!" I yelled through the house while walking in.

"Ivy! Glad you could make it!" Nick, Lisa's brother, called back. Taking things out of my hands and pulling me into a hug.

"I'm glad I could make it too. I missed you all." I smiled up at him.

"Hey short stack." Mike, Lisa's other brother, said.

I waved to everyone, said hello to everyone.

Lisa, Alex and Tom came in shortly after, Lisa deposited the food she made in the kitchen, Alex came in the living room with Tom and put him on the floor.

"I have to pee, watch him for me." He said and ran off.

We all eventually gathered outside for a family football game.

I got gently tackled by Erin, Nick's wife, and I felt dizzy afterwards.

As we, Lisa, Alex, Mike, and I got into a huddle, I felt like I was goin to pass out.

And I did.