Drama By Name

Alex jumped up from Jay's lap and walked over to Tay, who stepped back looking at Alex, horrified.

''Alex, put some fucking pants on!"

He sighed and did a quick sweeping search of his room, and dived for a pair of old jeans lying in the corner. He pulled them on, no one saying anything until Alex's mom called up the stairs.

''Is everything alright up there?''

''Yeah mom, everything's fine!" Alex called back, buttoning his jeans as fast as he could. He straightened up and looked at Tay, who hadn't moved from the doorway. He made a move towards her, but she stepped backwards.

''Don't you fucking touch me, Alex.''

''Tay, just, please, get in here.''

She stepped into the room, arms folded and refusing to look at Jay, whose knees were now pulled up to his chest in a form of defence. Alex closed the door and leant against it, putting his hands over his face. This was not good.

''So, Alex, are you going to fucking explain to me what the hell is going on?'' Tay practically spat the words, eyes blazing.

Alex had no idea that bubbly little Tay could get like this. The fun little girl with a big smile had been replaced with an angry teen that demanded answers and did not plan on fucking around, at all. Alex took his hands away rfom his face and looked at her. She really was furious, and Alex was scared. He slid down the door until he was sitting with his knees tucked up. He sighed and looked up at Tay.

''Right... Firstly, you can't tell anyone, I mean it.''

''No, Alex, you don't tell me what I can and can't do. Just tell me what the fuck's happening.''

''Okay, sorry. Just, hear me out first.''

''I'm listening.'' Oh God, she was furious.

Alex paused for a moment, breathing deeply, trying to stop a panic attack happening and to come up with the right words. He looked up at Jay who still sat looking terrified. He looked so innocent and frightened.

''Right... It started on the first day. He walked straight into me and... I don't know. I looked him in the eyes and it just... here was something, you know? The other day I fainted after school and he gave me a lift home without really thinking about it. We were just friends to start with. It's my fault, though. We were talking and... He was so sad...'' He looked over at Jay, who was now watching Alex over the tops of his knees. It was hard enough trying to explain how he fell for Jay, but the fact that he had to share it with Tay was awkward. ''I already liked him. I just... I lost control. But, he didn't mind. I... I've never known anyone to, er, 'not mind' me before.''

Tay just looked at him. Her stare had softened a little, but she still looked pretty much horrified. ''Alex, this is illegal! You do know that right?''

''Yes of course I do! I know how dangerous this is, how badly it could end. So does Jay, he's risking the most here. In fact, he's risking everything!"

Tay just looked at him and unfolded her arms. She looked over at Jay, who froze under her gaze, then she looked back at Alex, still sat on the floor. ''Jay?"

''Yeah, that's his name...''

''I don't fucking care! To me, he is Mr Barakat. He should be Mr Barakat to you too! He is our teacher, Alex! You're only 17! This is so fucking illegal, do you know how fucked up this could get?" Tay yelled at Alex, eyes wide and hands shaking.

At this, Alex stood up, slightly offended. ''You think I don't fucking know?" He shouted back. Tay obviously hadn't been expecting Alex to respond like this, and took half a step backwards. ''Of course fucking know, Tay! He is risking so much for this, for me. If anyone found out, he would lose his job, at best. Worst case scenario, he's arrested, jailed and put on the sex offenders register! He could never have a normal life again!" He lowered his voice, letting his words sink in, not only for Tay, but for himself and Jay. ''He's risking all of that for me, Tay. Don't you think that means something?''

Alex looked over to Jay, who had uncurled himself. He stood up from the bed and walked over to stand next to Alex, gently taking Alex's hand and lacing their fingers together with a reasurring squeeze. Alex looked up at him, and saw that Jay was close to tears. His yes glistened, but he still managed a smile as he spoke.

''It does mean something, Alex.''

Alex smiled up at him, squeezing his hand back. He blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek. Alex hadn't realised he himself was crying until that moment. He was so caught up in the moment. There was meaning to everything, finally. Everything had been said that needed to be said, that at least was clear in the look they shared.

Alex looked back at Tay, whose whole body had relaxed. She stood with her arms hanging limply at her sides, face slack, eyes blank. She suddenly blinked, and swallowed, and opened her mouth to speak. Unfortunately, words failed her.

''See?" Alex cut in, voice slightly broken from emotion. ''This isn't anything sinister, Tay. He's not hurting me, everything is fine. In just a few months, I'll be eighteen, and Jay's only a temporary stand-in. In a few months time, he won't be our teacher anymore. Everything will be fine.''

Alex felt Jay's thumb stroking over the back of his hand. He looked over at the man, and relaxed into his side. Jay wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulders and rested the other around his waist. Alex continued to watch Tay. After a few minutes, she managed to speak.

''This is... Oh my God, I don't... Alex, this is ridiculous.''

''Tay, please, you can't tell.'' Jay spoke. Although he couldn't see his face, Alex could tell that Jay was crying. He put his arms around Jay's waist and gave a soft squeeze. ''Not a soul, please.''

Tay sighed and turned her gaze to Alex, looking lost with the situation. ''Alex?''

''Yes?''

''Are you happy... With this?" She gestured to Jay, his arms around Alex's slightly smaller frame.

''Yes, I am. I'm happier that I've been in a really long time.''

''Okay then,'' she said with mid finality, ''I won't tell. But,'' she stepped forwards, looking Jay straight in the eyes, ''if you fucking dare hurt him in any way, I'll make sure the whole country knows who you are. This is not a fucking game, and Alex is not some toy. Got it?''

''I know, Tay, I would never hurt Lex. Not ever.'' He reached up and stroked the back of Alex's head, soothingly running his fingers through Alex's blonde hair.

Alex rested his head on Jay's chest, in the crook of his neck, and looked Tay in the eyes, hopefully portraying all the thankfulness he felt for her in that moment. She walked past Jay and towards the bedroom door. Alex let go of Jay and opened the door, just before Tay reached it. ''I'll show you out, yeah?''

They walked down the stairs in silence, Tay a few steps ahead of Alex. They reached the front door and Tay stepped outside, turning back to Alex.

''Seriously, Alex, this is deep shit. If he does anything, I mean anything, you tell me, okay?''

''Okay.''

''Do you promise?''

''Yes, I promise.''

''Good. Look,'' she said with a sigh, her shoulders relaxing, ''I'm happy for you and all, but I just don't want this to fuck up, you know?''

''It won't, I can feel it.''

''Whatever, just, stay safe, yeah?''

''Will do. Thank you, Tay.''

Tay stepped forwards and hugged Alex tightly. He hugged her back and she left down the garden path, throwing a smile over her shoulder as she began to walk down the street.
Alex closed the door with a sigh, leaning against it and rubbing his eyes. At that moment, Alex's mom wandered out of the living room and rested a hand on his shoulder.

''You okay sweetie? What was all that shouting about?''

Alex looked up, and spotted Jay stood at the top of the stairs, eyes wide in fear of Alex's mom. He needed a lie, and fast.

''Oh, Tay was...just annoyed with me. I missed a group performance... in drama... we missed out on a lot of marks.''

''Oh dear,'' Alex's mom cooed sympathetically, ''Well, you have been ill, she must understand?''

''Yeah, don't worry. She understands now. I explained it all.'' He looked at his mom, but his eyes drifted back up to Jay who stood smiling, leaning against the banister. Alex smiled at his mom and made his way back upstairs and into his room with Jay. They sat down on the bed and sighed in relief.

Jay wrapped his arms around Alex's middle and pulled him closer, letting him crawl onto his lap and rest his head against Jay's shoulder. He sighed and spoke.

''How can we trust her, Lex?''

''She cares about me. I think that as long as I'm happy, she won't get involved.''

Jay smiled down at Alex, curled up on his crossed legs. ''Well, I guess we'd better keep it that way.''

He leaned down and kissed Alex. Alex pressed back, their lips moving smoothly together. Alex's heart started beating faster, and smiled into the kiss. When he felt Jay do the same, he couldn't help but giggle. How they had gotten here, and how they had gotten away with it so far was a mystery. A beautiful, magical mystery that Alex never wanted to solve.
He quietly hummed into the kiss and pulled back, smiling up at Jay through his eyelashes. Jay leaned down and pecked him once, twice on the lips before Alex burried his head in his shoulder, breathing in his smell. Jay always smelt the same; a cool, calming mix of coffee, cigarettes, peppermint and some kind of deodorant or aftershave. Alex loved it. It was intoxicating.

Alex shifted on Jay's legs and lay down, pulling Jay with him. Here, they stayed, with Alex on his side, Jay with one arm draped across Alex's middle, his fingers tracing small circles just above his hip bones, his head propped up on a pillow, placing light, tiny butterfly kisses across Alex's neck and collarbone as they watched the rest of the movie.
When Alex's mom called upstairs that it was time for Jay to leave, neither of them wanted to move from Alex's bed. They walked downstairs together and, hopefully avoiding the prying eyes of Alex's mom and the neighbours, briefly kissing goodbye. As soon as the door was shut, Alex raced to the living room and watched Jay from the window as he climbed in his car, waved from the window and pulled away.

''It was nice to see your friend again. What's his name... Joe?''

''Jay, mom. And don't you dare, okay?''

She smiled slyly at Alex. ''Don't what, sweetie?''

''Oh come on mom, just... don't okay?''

''I didn't say a word!" She called out in mock-shock as she made her way back to the kitchen.

''You know what I mean!" He called back as he settled on the sofa and turned the TV channel over, avoiding the recap of the teacher scandal.

He and his mom had their dinner and watched some more TV before Alex decided to go to bed, where he drifted off to sleep. His dreams tonight weren't illness-addled and cold-flu remedy infused. They were dreams of swimming in the warm ocean with a certain skunk-haired, brown eyed man, whose water droplet covered skin shimmered in the dreamland moonlight.

Notes

Taylex angst and Jalex fluff... What more could you possibly want on a Monday, eh? c: