The Hustler [Alex Gaskarth]

Chapter Sixteen- The Perfect Guy

     Alex's surprise date turned out to be one of the few things I never would have expected him to pick: Second row seats for an orchestra. Granted, it was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, so it wasn't as if they played Beethoven or anything like that, but still.

     When I gave him a funny look, he gave one back and laughed. "What? Just because I do punk doesn't mean I'm not entitled to go to like other music every once in a while." Of course, he wasn't paying attention, and got hit in the temple with a door.

     The next few weeks were a blur of shopping, Alex, shopping with Alex, shopping for Alex, and running interference with Lucy, who kept trying to take back all the presents I bought and exchange them for something 'better'. Alex's birthday went by, celebrated quietly with the band, close friends, and family. He laughed at the Rare Beer Of The Month membership I gave him, and promised not to let it go to waste, even after he got a paper cut on the certificate.

     Honestly, I hated giving him that gift- it seemed so thoughtless, like I had forgotten his birthday and simply ran out to the liquor store looking for something. I consoled myself by thinking that I still had nine shopping days to pick out a much better Christmas present for him.

     Of course, I somehow managed to screw that one up, too. Alex invited me to dinner with the rest of the guys, all their parents and siblings, Ashlyn, Mila, and Cassadee. He also asked if I wanted to invite my parents, but backed off as soon as I told him I wasn't on the greatest of terms of them. He didn't even ask why. Later, he told me it was because he knew I would tell him when the time was right.

     Christmas Eve Eve dinner at Alex's is apparently a tradition. A truckload of catered food was brought in, and everyone's mother brought something too. After everyone ate more than they should have, sitting in the living room, watching Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! and talking about everything that was going on in their lives, dessert and hot chocolate were served, and gifts were exchanged.

     To my surprise, Alex's parents, Peter and Isobel, as they asked that I call them, brought me a present. A loud chorus of laughter met my ears when we found out that their gift to me was the same as the one i'd gotten for Isobel: A gift certificate to the spa at the Four Seasons.  

     "Oh, I hope I get one too!" Peter joked, pulling the paper off his gift. Inside, he seemed genuinely happy to find a soft black cashmere sweater, hand-selected by the queen of Christmas shopping herself, Miss Lucy Sandler. Not that I felt the need to tell him that. 

     "Ah, thank-you!" Peter smiled. 

     "I think they like you," Alex murmured from behind me, placing his hands gently on my hips. "Good job." 

     "What can I say?" I smiled as I poured myself a glass of Bailey's Hot Chocolate. "I'm a people-pleaser." 

     He laughed. "You sure are. Less than six hours after meeting them, and you've got them wrapped around your little finger." 

     "I try," I shrugged. 

     "Well, thank-you for that... Sa- my ex," he corrected himself. "Didn't, and uh, my parents never got off my back about that. So... this is for you." 

     He handed me a little silver-wrapped box with a whit bow on top. The paper came off easily, and the black velvet box within lay delicately in my palm. When I looked up at him curiously, he smiled. 

     "Open it," he encouraged. "Don't worry, it doesn't bite." 

     I gave him one last dubious look, shook my head and smiled. "Okay." My thumbnail slid in between the top and bottom of the box and pushed it open. Inside, a thin, silver strand held a simple snowflake charm, dotted with brilliant Swarovski crystals.