Novocaine Hearts

Lexa's POV

It was hard to say goodbye to Jake at the airport. I couldn't imagine what I was going to do without him.
The whole flight home, I kept my headphones in and gazed out the window. I felt this strange feeling come over me; like I had lost something.
When we landed in San Francisco, we claimed our baggage and started to go our separate ways. Well, except for me and Parker. We shared an apartment.
We were both silent on our way home. It was like we were sick of each other.
As we reached our building I gave the driver the fee and started to grab all our stuff.
"Got everything?" I asked Parker.
"Yeah, that's it. Let's get it upstairs."
Our apartment was on the seventh floor; luckily we had an elevator.
I unlocked our apartment door and a wave of dust hit me.
"Woah, we need to clean" I said as I coughed.
"It smells like weed... Did you leave bong water in your room or something?" Parker accused.
"God no! And why are you asking? You know I haven't had the stuff since I was like... 17?"
"Lex, you really need to cut the bullshit. You fool Nate and Saxon, I have no idea how, but you don't fool me. Come on, 3 years? I will say during recording you laid off, but you're not clean."
"How can you say that!" I hissed.
"Cause I live with you. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead."
"When have I been on the brink of death?"
"Wow... You don't even remember. I had to stick my fingers down your throat cause you'd passed out on me! So don't say I haven't saved your life!" Parker yelled.
I was speechless. Had my memory been affected? Had PJ really saved my life?
"PJ, I'm sorry" I said quietly.
"Just keep it under control" he shook off.
The rest of the day he was silent towards me.
We unpacked our stuff, while our own album played in the background, but no air guitar solos emerged.
In our small living room, there was one large wall, that held all our guitars. Between myself and Parker we had about 8 guitars and they were displayed at all times.
I went to hang up my guitars I used on tour, and Parker was about to do the same.
"Still mad at me?" I mumbled.
"I'm only trying to look out for you. But I gotta say, I've noticed a huge change in you since you met Jake."
I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, Jake's pretty great. I really like him."
"I can tell. Anyways, your purple is fading" he commented.
I gasped with sarcasm. "The green looks more like yellow."
"Well we need to go shopping anyways. Am I picking up hair dye?"
"Yes!"

"So, what's gonna happen between you and Jake?" Parker asked as we entered the shopping center.
"Umm, I don't know. We briefly spoke about about living together, but I couldn't leave you guys, unless I convinced you all to move up to LA."
"I'd move to LA" Parker smiled.
"Really?" I said in surprise.
"Well, not just for you... But I think it would be beneficial for the band. You could probably sway Nate and Saxon. They love BVB, I'm sure they'd want to be closer to them."
"That's what I said!"
"So ask" Parker shrugged as he grabbed a trolley.
"Oh, nahh, not yet. I want to see if Jake is serious about all this. I can't up root our lives for this to not work."
"What makes you think it won't work?" He asked, looking through the fruit section.
"I don't know. I have such a dark past, I don't even remember it..."
"Yeah, but that's the old you. Yes, you've done some pretty fucking horrible stuff, but you're still here" he smirked as her checked every punnet of blueberries.
"Well that makes me feel great" I said sarcastically.
"I'm just saying, you've been through hell and maybe it's finally over."
"I suppose... Hey, I'm gonna go see my parents tomorrow, coming?"
"Hell yes! I'll never pass up Tanya's cooking!"
"Ooo, there's a special on Oreos!" I said completely distracted.
"Grab 'em!"

The following day myself and PJ drove up to North Beach where my foster parents lived.
I hadn't seen them in since we started recording the album, so I knew a visit was well overdue.
"Do I look okay?" I asked Parker as we walked to the door.
"You look fine. Why are you so worried?"
"I don't know... "
Parker shook his head and sighed before he rang the doorbell.
A moment later the door opened and my foster Dad, Simon answered.
"Alexia!" He grinned.
"Hey Dad!" I said hugging him.
When finally released me, he shook Parker's hand and walked us inside the house.
I went straight to the kitchen to see Tanya in front of the stove as usual.
"Mom!" I said, surprising her.
"Alexia! My baby! It's been so long!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms around my shoulders.
"I know Mom, I'm sorry. We have been so busy."
"I know! Oh my God, how was Vans Warped Tour?" She asked as she went back to cooking.
"It was such a great experience. Met so many new people and made so many more fans. The album got a great response" I said, going to the fridge and helping myself to a drink.
"Sweetie, that is so good to hear. I knew you guys were gonna do well" she said bending down and pulling homemade pizza out of the oven. "Well lucky I made a big pizza" she smiled.

After all we sat down and ate, I helped my Mom clean up, but she had a serious mood about her.
"Alexia, I just wanna say how proud I am of you."
"What?" I said a little confused.
"Me and your father are very proud of you. I remember when you were first assigned to us. I was so scared for you. You were this skinny, fragile looking girl who had rough travels. And I always thought, how am I going to do this? Turning this one around is going to take a miracle" she chuckled, but I could see her tearing up. "But here you are. In a successful band, healthy as ever and on the right track. I know it wasn't all me and your father, but I'm thankful to be part of your journey to recovery" she choked as she cried tears of joy.
"Oh my God Mom! Stop, you're gonna make me cry!" I whined as I hugged her. "You know, when I came here I thought it would like every other place, but it wasn't. You guys were my first glimmer of hope for a normal life" I said into her ear.
It only made her hug me tighter.
It was the best homecoming I could imagine.

Notes

comments would be appreicated.
-Tina xx