Love Ain't Always Easy (YouTuber Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: Mental Situations

Alex stepped up the few stairs to the front door. One hand on the cold handle, one holding the cracked phone in his pocket. He let go of the door handle and wiped a single, warm tear aimlessly rolling down his cheek. He sniffled and took a deep breath. Returning his hand to the door handle, he felt ready to step inside. Whether someone was there or not. Waiting or not.

He closed his eyes. Alex opened the door leisurely, though he was unsettled and his heart beat fast. Da dum, da dum, da dum. He peeked in. Da dum, da dum, da dum.

"Hello?" he called. All he could hear was Braden and Shelly fighting.

"But bowling is FUN!" Braden vehemently responded to Shelly.

"It's athletic!" Shelly yelled back. Not exactly yelling, but definitely not a whisper.

"So what?"

"I didn't know you liked athletic stuff!"

"It's not for me! And it's not the wor-" both Braden and Shelly simultaneously turned their heads to Alex. They looked over the kitchen counter to the front door. He was surprised by their weird reaction of him entering the house without their knowledge. Then the two quieted right away.

"You two.... doing okay?" he questioned, walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah we're fine, we a-are fi-" Shelly started, but Braden covered her mouth with his hand and added, "Like a tiff between a couple. It's alright."

"About?" Alex asked, letting his hands droop into his pockets. Braden couldn't find words, couldn't find an answer. Then Elijah walked into the room, and suddenly Braden's and Shelly's attention went straight to the new arrival.

"E-Elijah! Hey buddy, where ya been?"

Elijah took bite of his apple. "Where you been? Hopefully the doctors, you're actin' weird." he dropped on the couch and crossed his legs. Alex was irritated, and wanted to ask more.

"Tell us, what's wrong?" Alex spat out.

"Us?" another bite of the apple. He pointed to him, apple in hand. "More like you."

Alex tried to ignore him. "Me, whatever."

"Stop bein' offended, nothing happened, relax." Elijah shot at him the second after Alex stopped talking, dragging the word 'relax'. Shelly and Braden wanted to defend him; but they looked at each other, like Alex and Toluwase. A conversation between expressions.

"I'm not." but he was. Ears pink, just barely pink.

"You relax. He is just concerned." Shay walked in and placed a hand on Elijah's head. "I apologize for his antics, Alex. He's gawt prablems," she shook his head, and Elijah smiled, trying to bite his apple. Alex just nodded, her words not exactly helping.

"But, Alex, you're acting a bit weird. You okay?"

"Why is that not the first time someone has asked me that today?" Alex shook his head and stormed out of the room, walking upstairs weirdly soft for not being happy. Elijah also shook his head, being Elijah.

"Hope he's okay." mumbled Braden as he looked over at Shelly.

Jordan walked in out of nowhere, jingling her keys. "Ready to head out?" she headed toward the door.

Elijah threw the apple core into the trash, brushing his hands together. "It's about time, I'm bored and you took forever." Shay tapped the back of his head, as if slapping him for what he's said. Elijah put an arm around her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Jordan opened the door for the two to walk out, and then followed.

:Upstairs:

Alex ran upstairs and into his room. He didn't want people to think he was mad, or even worse; Jordan to hear him and come upstairs to check on him. So he silently closed the door, turning the handle to push the door until it hit the mull post, then slowly letting go of the handle as it rose up. This was kind of surprising, considering he had lots of energy and emotions inside of him. But he's had practice holding it in.

Once finished, he let himself drop onto his bed and he buried his face into the pillow. He did not feel like moving. He did not feel like talking. Or doing anything, for that matter. He could only stay up there for so long until people would start worrying or come to check on him. He lifted his face and barely opened his eyes, with the light of the sun shining through the blinds. Tears blurred his vision. He sniffled and sat up, reaching for a tissue to blow his nose. One yawn and he fell back to the bed and right to sleep. So tired of today's stress; never mind the fact that it was 4 in the afternoon. He was asleep.

:30 minutes later:

Sleep slowly left him as he heard a knock at his door. Not exactly a knock, but a scratch. Like an animal. A furry animal. Well, forget the fur.

He slowly crawled out of bed, tired and groggy. Once the door opened, Lou came running in and jumped on the bed. Alex smiled and rubbed his eyes. Closed the door and back on the bed. Almost asleep. Lou went to sit by him and warmed him up instantly.

"Aww, Lou." he pet the hairless beast. The adorable little beastie child. The cat cheered him up a bit. Then back to dreamland went Alex. He dreamed about Lou, dreamed about nothing, really. But his dream, quickly turned to a nightmare. Fun, happy and oblivious dreams to scary things and terrifying thoughts. So quickly. About 10 minutes later, he woke up in a cold sweat. Shirt sweaty and sticky at his back, the air conditioner blowing air in the room, with the purpose to keep him nice and cool. His heart beat and he wished things were better. Lou was still there, and looked up at him. The tears in Alex's eyes grew, one blink and his cheeks were wet, but Lou was there, and head bumped him. He was still scared. But Lou made him feel less alone. More safe. Though he was with a cat and not a human; he felt less alone. But still scared.