Jack

Hopefully my plan to take him out for drinks would work; hook, line and sinker. I need somebody besides my family in my life, and he's the kind of guy I want. Yes, he is attractive, but the fact that he busks is a big give away about his lifestyle. May watches me carefully, rolling her eyes as I hang up.

'Drinking buddy out of town? Really?' She said, closing her laptop. 'You never drink, Jack, not even a sip. This lie is going to trip you up so much.' I walk out of the kitchen, heading upstairs to take a shower and possibly change my socks. I feel May's eyes burning a hole in my back as I leave her standing there.

It's not my fault I don't drink. And besides, I could always start. I scaled the stairs, taking them two at a time, almost tripping because of the speed I was going. I flew into my room, closing the door behind me.

My room is quite plain, despite having the money to buy pretty much whatever I wanted. A double bed is in the middle of the room, being just big enough to accommodate for my lanky frame. Bedside tables were positioned either side of it, with a lamp on one of them. A communal bathroom shared by my brothers Leeyh, Joe and I is through a door to the right of my room, next to my wardrobe. I take a quick shower and put on some more casual clothes - a tight fitting plain shirt and jeans. My mum hates that I own them "you're the heir to the wealthiest industry in Maryland! Dress up, would you?" but they are perfect for an occasion like this. I look at the watch that I had just finished securing on my wrist and saw that I only had half an hour to get back to the park. I grab a jacket and sunglasses before racing downstairs and out the door, shouting a hasty goodbye over my shoulder at May, who had her arms crossed as she leaned on the archway to the main living areas. She shook her head, her tousled, frizzy hair falling in front of her face.
- - -
I check my watch for the sixth time on my walk back to the park. Thanks to the fact that I had had a shower - and, truthfully, hadn't really needed one - it had pushed back the amount of walking time I had and my hair was finally starting to dry. I can still feel the little water droplets from where it had splashed onto my clothes from when I had first started my trip.

Five minutes left.

I start jogging, trying to reach my destination on time. It had taken me at least ten minutes to walk to my current location on the way back home. I had my wallet in my pocket, with a decent amount of money inside, as well as my phone. My sunglasses were hanging from my top, having no need of them now that the sun's final efforts to project light onto this part of the Earth were almost gone. I had only used my sunglasses for about the first five minutes when the sun was at it's most annoying angle and always seemed to get into your eyes.

I reach the park a few minutes late to find a very attractive Alex leaning against the gates. He had on cologne, and it blended with his natural scent perfectly. It danced on the slight breeze that had picked up, alerting people that he was near. He has on different jeans to the ones he had worn this afternoon, and a battered leather jacket. It suits him.

'Alex, ' I call, catching his attention. His face breaks out into a smile, though he quickly hides it away. His brown eyes glow in the soft lamplight.

'Jack. I thought you were going to be a no show.' He says, falling into step as I lead him away from the park. I sigh.

'I already told you, I would never stand you up. You're too much of a catch.' I wink at the slightly shorter boy. He's lucky it's dark or I may have missed the rosy tinge that coloured his cheeks.

'So, where are we going?' He asks after a few minutes. My feet are starting to ache and I can't wait to reach the bar so that I can sit down.

'Just a few minutes.' I say, leading him down a back alley. Alex's step falters and I can tell he's instantly become wary of me. I push open a door about halfway down the alley and hold it open for Alex, who ducks inside, immediately scoping the place out.

The place is quite nice, with dark furnishings, giving it an older feel. You instantly feel at ease here, and there's soft music tinkling through the speakers. It's not the usual pop music that you find in clubs, just soothing background music. I walk over to the bar, quickly ordering before Alex reaches me.

'A coke, please.' I say, sliding over a few dollars. The bartender accepts my money and fills up a glass, handing it over to me. Alex orders a beer and a few dollars disappears from the change that the bartender handed me when I bought my drink.

We found a free booth and sat down. It was dark leather upholstery and wooden benches either side of a table.

'So, how did you find this place?' Alex asked, looking around. 'It's so cosy.'

'On my eighteenth birthday my friends brought me here for celebratory drinks. I never forgot it.'

But I don't know how.

Images flashed through my mind, a series of quick, hazy memories from my eighteenth birthday. Shots lined up on the bar, waiting impatiently to be swallowed, "friends" clapping me on the back, girls batting their lashes at me.

I blink, the images disappearing from my mind. Alex had continued talking, apparently not noticing me fade out.

'... I haven't gone out like this in a long time. Thank you, Jack.' He finishes, smiling and placing a hand over mine.

'What's your family like?' I ask, trying to start up an easy conversation.

Alex averts his eyes. 'They're good. My parents are living in England at the moment. I'm originally from there. England, I mean. How about you? How's your family?'

'Mine are good. My sister, May, is looking for a job.' I laugh softly at the ridiculousness of the situation, before realising that I am doing exactly that, just a different route. 'Do you have any siblings?' I ask, once again trying to force myself out of my inner monologue.

'I did. I had a brother, Tom. He... died a few years ago.' Alex said softly, taking a sip of his beer.

'I'm sorry.' I say, plucking a straw out of one of the containers on the table and sticking it in my drink.

Alex looks up as I start drinking.

'A straw? Really?' Alex raises both eyebrows, laughing quietly. I shrug.

'I like straws. What can I say?' I smile over at him.
- - -
About an hour later and we've both had a few more drinks - mine all non-alcoholic of course. Alex looks over at me as we exit the bar, him stumbling and me supporting him.

'Are you okay?' I ask, worried.

'Yeah, fine,' Alex says, hiccuping, 'it's been a while since I've had that much alcohol at once, is all.'

'Do you want me to take you home?' Alex nods miserably. The cold air has obviously hit him hard. We walk back to the park, Alex sobering up pretty quickly. He drags me into the park as we pass it, presumably showing me the way to his house. Instead, we walk down the gravel path, the stars shining brightly in the dark sky above us. There are lamps in the park, but they are spaced out, giving us a nice view of the solar system. It's beautiful, and I want to lie down on the cool grass and stargaze with Alex. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen tonight.

'Can I just sit for a moment?' Alex asks, promptly sitting on a park bench next to the gravel path.

I chuckle. 'I guess.' I answer, sitting next to him.

'I had a good time tonight.' Alex says, lacing his fingers with mine. 'Thank you, Jack.' He gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

'You're welcome.' I say. 'It was a nice first date.' Alex shoots me a look.

'So, if this is a date,' he says, working something out in his mind, 'would it be okay if I ask for a kiss?'

I look at the caramel haired man sitting next to me and lean closer to him. I pause with my head on an angle, my eyes closed, a few millimeters from his lips. I flick my eyes open and stare into his, noticing his long eyelashes and flecks of varying shades of brown in his eyes.

'I don't see why not.' I say quietly, closing the gap between us.
Title credit: A Party Song (The Walk Of Shame) - All Time Low
c0l0urfultears

Notes

Title credit: A Party Song (The Walk Of Shame) - All Time Low
c0l0urfultears