I frowned as I walked into the rain. My iPod was playing Hey Monday, and right now, I could sympathize with their song "Candles". My boyfriend of 9 months, Justin, had just broken up with me today and I had only just stopped crying. I decided I needed some quality time alone, and what better place to go than Center City? But then it had started raining, and I had to leave my favorite place in the world. It was back to Chestnut Hill, and back to my lonely house with my father.
My father was always very awkward around me, as he and I had never had the bond that my mother and I had had before she died in the the travesty of 9/11. Our house had never felt quite as full without her presence. It had been 9 years, but still, I missed her every day with all my heart. I was only 7 at the time, myself. My older brother, Harvey, was always my best friend, over everyone else, even Sophie Jacobson, my best girl friend.
My name is Hannah Wright. I lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I attended Northside, a private school that was very close to my house. I was in 12th grade, was 18 years old, and I played guitar and sang and was in a small pop punk band called Secret Valentine Affair. Next school year I would be off to Kenyon College.
I was so intent on the music that I walked into a complete stranger. I fell down.
"Whoa!" He said. I looked at him. He was average height, but he was very cute and he was dressed very pop punky, my kind of guy. He laughed and grinned at me.
"My bad, my bad. Here, let me help you up." He grabbed my arm and helped me up.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I never saw you, I was just listening to music." I frowned.
"Really? What are you listening to?" He seemed genuinely interested, which really surprised me.
"Oh, well right now it's "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me" by Fall Out Boy," I said, taken aback.
He grinned even wider. "No shit?" He reached in his pocket, took out his iPod, and scrolled through the songs for a second. He held up his iPod to me and showed me the exact same song.
"My name is Alex...I didn't quite get yours?" He asked me politely.
"Oh, I'm Hannah! Nice to meet you, Alex!" He was a very nice guy, and he looked around my own age. I shook my head. It was too soon to be lusting after guys, right after the travesty with Justin.
"Look, Hannah, my friends and I will be in Philadelphia until the beginning of summer...do you want to hang out sometime?" Alex asked me, unexpectedly.
I gaped. "Sure, that sounds awesome! I'm free tonight actually...how does that sound?"
"Sounds great! Meet me at the Starbucks on Germantown Avenue at 6, kapeesh?"
"I'll be there," I smiled. He patted me on the arm and walked down the street. I felt my gaze follow him until he walked out of sight. Oh, Hannah...you're getting into one HELL of a situation...I couldn't help thinking to myself.
Still, I couldn't help but get an extra spring in my step when I thought about the meeting with Alex. I hurried home happily and then proceeded to primp for the next 3 hours, going for the casual stage look. At 5:55, I hopped into my old car and drove to the the Starbucks.
Alex was sitting inside, scribbling inside a leather notebook. He was sipping at a cappucino and sitting at a table. I walked in, smiling, and sat down opposite him. He looked up and closed his notebook.
"Hey, Hannah! Glad you could come!" He seemed enthusiastic enough, and my heart gave a reluctant pound.
"Yeah! I was actually wondering if we could get to know each other better," I said without stuttering, thank the Lord.
"Sure," he gave a confident smile. "My full name is Alexander William Gaskarth. I am 19 years old and I live in Baltimore, Maryland. I play guitar and sing in a band called All Time Low and we're here in Philadelphia prepping with our record label for Warped Tour this summer...and you?" I was speechless. He was on Warped Tour!
"Well, compared to that introduction, I'm outright boring," I joked.
"Ah come on, such a pretty face can't have that boring of a life." He encouraged me. My heart fluttered at the compliment. Was he flirting with me?
"Fine...I'm Hannah Wright, I happen to be 18, and there's a similarity...I play guitar and sing in a tiny tiny band called Secret Valentine Affair, but that's about as far as they go...we're not on Warped this year." I smiled.
"See, that's not boring! What kind of music do you play?" He asked me.
"Mostly pop punk. Two of our biggest influences are My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy." I eyed his notebook. "What are you writing?"
He laughed nervously. "Oh, just lyrics..."
I stole it out of his hand. I began reading. I opened to a random page and "We Say Summer" was written in large letters at the top of the page and underlined. Words written in messy handwriting underneath caught my eye. 'I have seen millions of faces, ever unchanging, content with redundancy, I'm not the same way...searching for change in directions that I want to go!'
"Whoa, Alex! These are really good!" He bit his lip and coughed.
"Well that was a song on our first album, The Party Scene...ever since we signed to Hopeless Records, they've been kind of telling us not to emphasize on these old songs. They want us to write new ones, more poppy ones, but truth be told, I prefer these. They have more character than pop tunes." He frowned. "Don't get me wrong, Hopeless is great, but I like these songs better."
He handed me his iPod. "Here, listen to that song. It's one of my favorites off the album."
I listened. It was beautiful. I knew then that I wanted to explore All Time Low, and that their music would be my next big inspiration.
We spent the next hour or so just talking about music and enjoying each other's company. A little while after that, we walked down the street to the playground and climbed over everything, laughing and screaming and just having childish fun. Alex was a delight to be around. He was so much better than Justin, and Alex and I were just friends...though I secretly wanted something more.
We had begun to slow down, and I collapsed on the grass, laughing. Alex fell next to me. The laughter died after a minute or so, and I stared into his eyes. He stared back. His eyes were wondering, pondering, gazing. A few seconds later, I felt something around my shoulders. It was his arm, and I didn't push it away. Instead, I leaned into his side.
I was completely taken by surprise when he leaned his head down and gently kissed me. I mean, I kissed back, of course, but I was very shocked. I didn't know he felt this way too. I enjoyed that kiss. It seemed so perfect then. When it was over, we snuggled in the grass for a while.
"Hannah...do you have school tomorrow?" The question was so abrupt.
"Um, I think so...it's a Monday, after all..." I said uncertainly.
"Goddammit. I'm just going to be hanging around with my band. I won't be able to get you out of my head. Fuck." He gave me a sad little smile, and stroked my hair.
I pouted. "Come drive by Northside at 3. I'll be out of school by then," I smiled.
"Sounds like a plan! Wait...did you do all your homework this weekend?" He grinned. "I wouldn't want you getting in school trouble 'cause of me."
I laughed. "No, no, I did it all yesterday!"
He stood up suddenly and held out his hand. "You can't get to bed too late, girl," He flashed that cute smile.
I took his hand and he pulled me up. "Oh, don't worry, I have to practice my songs so that's not an option."
We talked about our bands for a while until it was dark. We slowly walked to my car. When we got there, I snuck one last glance at Alex. A wistful smile was painted on his face. He pulled me into a hug before I got in the car.
"I'll be at Northside tomorrow," he whispered in my ear and kissed my forehead. He let me go and I got in the car. I looked at him in the rearview as I drove off until he was out of sight.
I shivered. Something about that boy drove me absolutely crazy.
