Don't Forget I'm a Lightweight
Chapter Seven: I Wish it Were Just So Simple
Alex’s POV
Barakat is the same Barakat from weeks ago, I thought I’d never see him again but here I am now in the bathroom stall with Pierre and him telling me I get to have him as my history teacher.
“You’re serious?” I ask.
“I am, Jack told me yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“After you ran off Jack and I kept contact and became friends with each other.”
“Great, okay it’s official. I’m ditching every history class from now on out.”
“Can’t avoid him forever Alex, you know that.”
“You’re right, gotta face reality someday.” I say honestly.
We end our conversation there and then head to our next period class since Language Arts was only homeroom so we didn’t do anything.
The day goes by quickly and last period finally comes around, that's when I see Jack writing the name “Mr. Barakat” on the board.
“Student’s don’t take your seats, I’ll be changing them up. No talking so you can hear your name.” He says as all the students groan.
“When I call your name I’ll direct you to where you will be sitting. Nia Lovelis?” Jack says, then directing Nia to sit at the desk in the quad of tables, each marked with a number and her sitting at number one out of the nine tables. Jack must’ve maneuvered the desks like this since they weren’t like this before, they were in rows.
“Alex Gaskarth, you’ll be sitting at table three with Pierre Bouvier, Tess Vannis and Nicks Mickenson.” The elder man says, then moving to the next table.
I’ve known Tess since elementary school, we used to be pretty good friends before Tom died, then she kind of just slipped away from me. We would always hang out and was my first crush as well. I told her she was cute and then she gave me a peck on the cheek. It was magical but things eventually end for some strange reason. I may never know why but if I could talk to her once again I’d find out and I’d never screw up again.
“Okay, now hopefully we all know each other as you’ve been in the same class since the beginning of the year but as a nice start to the new year and as I don’t know any of you I’d like for you all to introduce yourselves to the class. Tell me your name, age, favorite musician and a random fact, it can be anything at all from telling us you have an older brother to what you want to do with your life after high school. I’ll give you a moment to think and then we’ll start off with table one.”
I think for a moment on what I’m going to say for my fact, I can’t say anything personal, people will judge and it’s not fun to be judged in a world where everyone hates you. Sure Pierre will more likely not judge and stand up for me but I can’t risk it, he knows too much.
“Nia could you start us off?” Jack says, then asking Nia to start and shaking me out of my thoughts.
“Hi as you all know I’m Nia Lovelis and I’m seventeen. I love the band The Bangles and I play in a band called Cherri Bomb with my little sister, Rena, and my two best friends Julia Pierce and Miranda Miller.” The redhead says, standing up when she speaks and clapping her hands together before sitting down.
“I have to wish you luck on making music a career choice, it’s hard but if you keep doing what you do then you may make it out there and there aren’t many full girl bands out there anymore so more girl power to you!” Mr. Barakat tells her, then moving onto the next person at the table, Katheryn Hudson, another seventeen year old musician but inspired by Alanis Morissette and plays pop music instead.
When Jack gets around to our table he starts with Tess, her not saying anything but slightly whispers to Nicks who tells Jack that she will speak for the both of them. You see she hasn’t talked to anyone except by notebook and slight whispers to Nicks. I don’t know why she became like that, no one knows except for her and the best friend that sits beside her. People think that she was raped, others think that she became a mute due to family issues and some people think like me, that she just can’t stand the outside world and that society is too much for her but death is just a fear for her so suicide isn’t an option for her and the only thing keeping her going is Nicks.
People don’t pay that much attention to Tess and Nicks, they have each other along with their three other friends, Bree Hang, Chyanne Tayrent and her sister, Trinee Tayrent. They’ve all been friends for as long as I could remember, I’d hang out with all of them when we were younger and things were pretty great. I still don’t understand anything but I guess it’s better off that way, the best things in life are unknown but the pain still stands between all of us. Sometimes I still walk by the park where Tess pecked me on cheek and I guess in a way it brings back memories, I mean we had fun and I wish we could go back to that time where everything was so simple. I wish everything was so simple and not the pain feeling I deal with now.
“This is Tess Vannis, she’s eighteen and her favorite band is our local band here in Baltimore and in this class, Yellowcard. She says hi Ryan!” Nicks says, then saying “hi” to Ryan Key, the singer in our class from the hometown band.
“Hey Tess!” Ryan interrupts and Tess gives a small, blushing smile to him as Nicks goes on.
“Lastly her random fact is that she wants to come out as my girlfriend!” Nicks, the black and red haired girl says before people yell things like “Lesbian,” and “Go die.” at her as Nicks hugs her close while small tears go down her pale face.
“Cool it! I do not tolerate that kind of language in my classroom! No one should be judged on who they love despite gender so if you have an issue then I have no issue to send you to the office.” The teacher says, making everyone including me, in shock. I’ve never seen a teacher stand up for anyone's teasing, as I know from experience.
“Now does anyone have an issue?” The class nods their heads no and Jack continues talking. “Good and as for you, Tess and Nicks, I must congratulate on telling the class that. I’m Gay myself and I know that if anyone does anything or calls you anything then I want you to come to me about it and we can discuss matters or you can come to me as support, I don’t mind helping students out when they need someone. I know that things are hard and not everyone has that.” While Jack says that he also eyes a bit at me.
They both nod and Nicks goes on to tell us that she’s seventeen, loves the band Nickelback and likes to relax on her dad’s yacht with Tess in her free time.
It becomes Pierre’s turn and he tells the class that he’s eighteen, loves Face to Face and plays in his band, Simple Plan.
Then dreadingly it becomes my turn.
“I’m Alex Gaskarth, I just turned seventeen, I like the band Blink-182 and over the break I met a billionaire.” I tell the whole class who looks at me in shock.
“Fagskarth you met a billionaire?” Derek Hollander says.
“Yeah I did, now leave me alone.” I say, pulling my hood over my head from my black hoodie.
“Derek, office now! Like I said before I do not tolerate that kind of action!” Mr. Barakat yells at him. “Mr. Gaskarth I’d like to see you after class.”
The class goes on with all of us introducing ourselves to the new teacher and then assigns us to a history project called “The Person in front of Us.” He goes on to explain that we need to learn as much as we can about the person in front of us, maybe even making a new friend along the way too. Which would be nice but telling myself to Tess wouldn’t be so hard if she didn’t already know me. We had history and now I have to re-tell my life to her, get her to open up and not feel so awkward.
The end of the day comes and Jack says we’ll start our projects in class tomorrow, he lets us leave as the bell rings to go home and I stay put in my seat.
“Alex, come up here, you know I need to speak to you.” Jack says, motioning for me to come near his desk.
“You know why you’re here right?”
“Yes sir.”
“Alex, I told you not to call me that weeks ago. It’s Jack, not sir except for when I’m teaching. Now what about before?”
“You said to do a fact, so I did. I only followed your rules.”
“Not that, what happened between us when we first met. You should know I care about you right?”
“Say what you want Jack, I won’t listen. Like I’ve said before, I don’t know who to trust with the exception of what you say. I need to get going though, my parents want me home.” I say, lying about my parents wanting me. They’d rather have me anywhere but their presence.
“Alex wait!” He says, chasing after me as I walk out of his classroom to leave anywhere but here.
“I’m done Jack!” I yell at him, facing him.
“You aren’t done till I say you are. Just give me one chance!” He says before pressing his soft, un-chapped lips to mine.
I kiss back, unknowing what to think. I feels so nice but so wrong so I do the only thing I know what to do.
Push away and run from all the pain and fear I’ve had for years, back to the place where hell sits down to meet me.
Home.
Jack’s POV
I really kissed the broken, battered boy and he kissed back but then ran away from me. I can’t blame him though, someone randomly kissing you isn’t entirely cool right?
Walking back to the classroom I take my stuff and go home, not even knowing what to do when I see Alex in the morning.
Barakat is the same Barakat from weeks ago, I thought I’d never see him again but here I am now in the bathroom stall with Pierre and him telling me I get to have him as my history teacher.
“You’re serious?” I ask.
“I am, Jack told me yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“After you ran off Jack and I kept contact and became friends with each other.”
“Great, okay it’s official. I’m ditching every history class from now on out.”
“Can’t avoid him forever Alex, you know that.”
“You’re right, gotta face reality someday.” I say honestly.
We end our conversation there and then head to our next period class since Language Arts was only homeroom so we didn’t do anything.
The day goes by quickly and last period finally comes around, that's when I see Jack writing the name “Mr. Barakat” on the board.
“Student’s don’t take your seats, I’ll be changing them up. No talking so you can hear your name.” He says as all the students groan.
“When I call your name I’ll direct you to where you will be sitting. Nia Lovelis?” Jack says, then directing Nia to sit at the desk in the quad of tables, each marked with a number and her sitting at number one out of the nine tables. Jack must’ve maneuvered the desks like this since they weren’t like this before, they were in rows.
“Alex Gaskarth, you’ll be sitting at table three with Pierre Bouvier, Tess Vannis and Nicks Mickenson.” The elder man says, then moving to the next table.
I’ve known Tess since elementary school, we used to be pretty good friends before Tom died, then she kind of just slipped away from me. We would always hang out and was my first crush as well. I told her she was cute and then she gave me a peck on the cheek. It was magical but things eventually end for some strange reason. I may never know why but if I could talk to her once again I’d find out and I’d never screw up again.
“Okay, now hopefully we all know each other as you’ve been in the same class since the beginning of the year but as a nice start to the new year and as I don’t know any of you I’d like for you all to introduce yourselves to the class. Tell me your name, age, favorite musician and a random fact, it can be anything at all from telling us you have an older brother to what you want to do with your life after high school. I’ll give you a moment to think and then we’ll start off with table one.”
I think for a moment on what I’m going to say for my fact, I can’t say anything personal, people will judge and it’s not fun to be judged in a world where everyone hates you. Sure Pierre will more likely not judge and stand up for me but I can’t risk it, he knows too much.
“Nia could you start us off?” Jack says, then asking Nia to start and shaking me out of my thoughts.
“Hi as you all know I’m Nia Lovelis and I’m seventeen. I love the band The Bangles and I play in a band called Cherri Bomb with my little sister, Rena, and my two best friends Julia Pierce and Miranda Miller.” The redhead says, standing up when she speaks and clapping her hands together before sitting down.
“I have to wish you luck on making music a career choice, it’s hard but if you keep doing what you do then you may make it out there and there aren’t many full girl bands out there anymore so more girl power to you!” Mr. Barakat tells her, then moving onto the next person at the table, Katheryn Hudson, another seventeen year old musician but inspired by Alanis Morissette and plays pop music instead.
When Jack gets around to our table he starts with Tess, her not saying anything but slightly whispers to Nicks who tells Jack that she will speak for the both of them. You see she hasn’t talked to anyone except by notebook and slight whispers to Nicks. I don’t know why she became like that, no one knows except for her and the best friend that sits beside her. People think that she was raped, others think that she became a mute due to family issues and some people think like me, that she just can’t stand the outside world and that society is too much for her but death is just a fear for her so suicide isn’t an option for her and the only thing keeping her going is Nicks.
People don’t pay that much attention to Tess and Nicks, they have each other along with their three other friends, Bree Hang, Chyanne Tayrent and her sister, Trinee Tayrent. They’ve all been friends for as long as I could remember, I’d hang out with all of them when we were younger and things were pretty great. I still don’t understand anything but I guess it’s better off that way, the best things in life are unknown but the pain still stands between all of us. Sometimes I still walk by the park where Tess pecked me on cheek and I guess in a way it brings back memories, I mean we had fun and I wish we could go back to that time where everything was so simple. I wish everything was so simple and not the pain feeling I deal with now.
“This is Tess Vannis, she’s eighteen and her favorite band is our local band here in Baltimore and in this class, Yellowcard. She says hi Ryan!” Nicks says, then saying “hi” to Ryan Key, the singer in our class from the hometown band.
“Hey Tess!” Ryan interrupts and Tess gives a small, blushing smile to him as Nicks goes on.
“Lastly her random fact is that she wants to come out as my girlfriend!” Nicks, the black and red haired girl says before people yell things like “Lesbian,” and “Go die.” at her as Nicks hugs her close while small tears go down her pale face.
“Cool it! I do not tolerate that kind of language in my classroom! No one should be judged on who they love despite gender so if you have an issue then I have no issue to send you to the office.” The teacher says, making everyone including me, in shock. I’ve never seen a teacher stand up for anyone's teasing, as I know from experience.
“Now does anyone have an issue?” The class nods their heads no and Jack continues talking. “Good and as for you, Tess and Nicks, I must congratulate on telling the class that. I’m Gay myself and I know that if anyone does anything or calls you anything then I want you to come to me about it and we can discuss matters or you can come to me as support, I don’t mind helping students out when they need someone. I know that things are hard and not everyone has that.” While Jack says that he also eyes a bit at me.
They both nod and Nicks goes on to tell us that she’s seventeen, loves the band Nickelback and likes to relax on her dad’s yacht with Tess in her free time.
It becomes Pierre’s turn and he tells the class that he’s eighteen, loves Face to Face and plays in his band, Simple Plan.
Then dreadingly it becomes my turn.
“I’m Alex Gaskarth, I just turned seventeen, I like the band Blink-182 and over the break I met a billionaire.” I tell the whole class who looks at me in shock.
“Fagskarth you met a billionaire?” Derek Hollander says.
“Yeah I did, now leave me alone.” I say, pulling my hood over my head from my black hoodie.
“Derek, office now! Like I said before I do not tolerate that kind of action!” Mr. Barakat yells at him. “Mr. Gaskarth I’d like to see you after class.”
The class goes on with all of us introducing ourselves to the new teacher and then assigns us to a history project called “The Person in front of Us.” He goes on to explain that we need to learn as much as we can about the person in front of us, maybe even making a new friend along the way too. Which would be nice but telling myself to Tess wouldn’t be so hard if she didn’t already know me. We had history and now I have to re-tell my life to her, get her to open up and not feel so awkward.
The end of the day comes and Jack says we’ll start our projects in class tomorrow, he lets us leave as the bell rings to go home and I stay put in my seat.
“Alex, come up here, you know I need to speak to you.” Jack says, motioning for me to come near his desk.
“You know why you’re here right?”
“Yes sir.”
“Alex, I told you not to call me that weeks ago. It’s Jack, not sir except for when I’m teaching. Now what about before?”
“You said to do a fact, so I did. I only followed your rules.”
“Not that, what happened between us when we first met. You should know I care about you right?”
“Say what you want Jack, I won’t listen. Like I’ve said before, I don’t know who to trust with the exception of what you say. I need to get going though, my parents want me home.” I say, lying about my parents wanting me. They’d rather have me anywhere but their presence.
“Alex wait!” He says, chasing after me as I walk out of his classroom to leave anywhere but here.
“I’m done Jack!” I yell at him, facing him.
“You aren’t done till I say you are. Just give me one chance!” He says before pressing his soft, un-chapped lips to mine.
I kiss back, unknowing what to think. I feels so nice but so wrong so I do the only thing I know what to do.
Push away and run from all the pain and fear I’ve had for years, back to the place where hell sits down to meet me.
Home.
Jack’s POV
I really kissed the broken, battered boy and he kissed back but then ran away from me. I can’t blame him though, someone randomly kissing you isn’t entirely cool right?
Walking back to the classroom I take my stuff and go home, not even knowing what to do when I see Alex in the morning.
Notes
I hope you like this chapter!Tell me what you think in the comments below!
Any questions? Want to co-write with me? Just want to chat? Need some advice or someone to talk to? Message me in the comments or by personal messaging me here or on my Mibba, AllfortheMusic.
I'll be uploading a co-write I'm doing with an author called born2bhaydene here called The Prince and The Peasant very soon, a Jalex love story. Also another fic that should be up very soon.
Till darkness completes us,
Sarah's Butterflies
@letmesleepwithsirens
Thank you!!!
1/15/14