Drama By Name

The next few weeks went without a hitch. Alex and Zack were still awkward with each other, not being quite as touchy-feely as usual, but everyone went back their normal hang outs, although the Den was getting a little cramped whenever both Cass and Tay would come along too. Luckily Cass and Rian combined only took up one seat as she always sat on his lap.

Lessons went as smooth as possible, Tay and Alex collaborated on an art project centred around gang violence and prisons (which certainly made for some interesting pieces). Alex, Zack, Gerard and Andy carried on working together in music, compiling a presentation of “The Evolution Of The Genre” which every group had to do. Turned out, Andy just looked as though he didn’t give a shit, and was actually a really friendly guy. Gerard was a little hyperactive, and more than once he had to be retrieved from the other side of the classroom.

Dramatic Arts was going well, too. Alex's monologue was just about ready so all he had to do was learn his lines. It was a Wednesday afternoon, and school was over for another day. Alex, Zack, Tay, Rian and Cass had decided to go into town just for the hell of it, having nothing better to do. They all managed to cram into the Trans Am, the back seat being more squished this time seeing as Tay was nowhere near as skinny as Matt (who is though?). They all decided to drop into The Dungeon to see Matt, which Zack seemed pretty eager about.

“Hey Matt!” The group chimed as the walked in, startling the two small boys who had been looking at the comics near the door.

Matt had his back to the door as he was restocking the shelves with action figures. He turned to face them and his face broke out is smile. “Oh, hey guys! You alright?” He stepped down from the box he was stood on and walked over to the group, hitching up his jeans as he went, the belt obviously not working. There was a small chorus of ‘Yeah, fine’s and ‘I’m good’s from the group. Soon they all dispersed a little, Rian and Cass going over to the graphic novels and Matt, Zack, Alex and Tay going over to the counter. “Erm, I don’t think we’ve met.” Matt said looking at Tay.

“Er, no, we haven’t. I’m Tay.” She said quietly, holding out a hand, which Matt shook gladly.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Matt.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“How come you weren’t at the party the other week?” Matt asked, leaning on the counter.

Tay turned to look at Alex now, arms folded. “Because someone didn’t invite me.” She said to Matt, but pointedly glaring at Alex who shrunk a little under her gaze.

“I’m sorry, ‘Tee! But it’s kind of a good thing you weren’t there, after what happened...” Alex received a sharp blow to the back of the head from Zack at this comment. He rubbed the back of his skull and looked up at Zack, who stood, lips pressed tight together and his eyes wide in a “don’t you fucking dare” kind of way. “Sorry...” Alex said to both Zack and Tay, while Matt just laughed. “Yeah, okay, I’m a dick. I get it...” Alex said apologetically, and Matt sighed a final laugh before speaking.

“Well, nice to meet you anyway. Zee, can I have a word?” Matt said, looking up at Zack with big wide eyes and nodding his head towards the store room door.

“Er, yeah, sure...” Zack walked off behind the counter and followed Matt through the door, closing it behind them. Alex couldn’t help but giggle a little at Matt's lack of subtlety, accidentally attracting the attention of Tay.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just...” Alex turned to her, trying to suppress his smile, “I think they have a ‘thing’.”

“Oooh,” Tay said, understanding Alex perfectly, “A thing-thing?”

“Yeah, a thing-thing.” Alex said, nodding and smiling like a child who just told a dirty joke.

“Aww that’s cute... When did that happen?”

“Er...” Alex thought for a moment. Zack hadn’t really said when anything had happened other than when Matt had comforted Zack after Alex did a runner. “I don’t really know.”

“Oh, okay then.” Tay said, shrugging her shoulders and heading over to look at the new comic shelf.

A few minutes later, mid argument between Alex and Tay about who was the better Robin in the Batman films, the store room door opened again and Zack came wandering out alone. He caught Alex's eye and smiled, wandering over to join the two of them.

“You alright there, Zee?” Alex asked looking up at Zack, who did look a little worse for wear.

“Yeah, fine.” He shrugged, still smiling, “Why do you ask?”

Tay laughed, “Well firstly, your face is all pink. Secondly, your hair’s sticking up all on one side,” Zack reached up to feel his hair and quickly flattening it down, “And thirdly, your hoodie is inside-out.”

Alex burst out laughing when he noticed that Zack's hoodie was, in fact, inside out. Zack looked down at himself and blushed deep red, quickly removed his hoodie and put it back on the right way out. Alex had to physically lean on Tay just to stay upright because he was laughing so hard. After some protest from Zack, Alex calmed down a little bit, just in time to see Matt dragging a box out of the store room and begin to reline the shelves with various merchandise. He looked over at the group of three and smiled oh so innocently at Zack, which made them both blush a little. This set Tay and Alex off giggling again, making Zack shove them until they surrendered and stopped. Alex and Tay peered around Zack's frame to look at Matt again, which only made Alex's jaw drop and set him off laughing again.

“Oh my god...” He said, grabbing hold of Tay's arm, “Zack...”

“What?”

“Zack... where’s Matt's belt gone?”

The three of them turned to look at Matt again, who was stretching up to the top shelf, making it clearly visible that he was no longer wearing a belt.

“Oh my god, Zack!” Tay whisper shouted, gapping up at him, “You guys... You didn’t...?”

“Ew, Tay, no! Nearly, but...”

“Ew Zee, not in the store room!” Alex practically screeched, accidentally attracting the attention of everyone else, and again scaring the two boys who were still in the shop. He laughed and ducked his head, avoiding another blow from Zack.

Zack quickly looked over his shoulder at Matt, who caught his eye, bit his lip and smiled, before turned back to the shelves.

“Jeez, he’s really into you, isn’t he?” Tay said quietly, gently nudging Zack in the arm. Zack smiled and blushed, quickly looking at Matt over his shoulder again before turning his gaze to the floor. “Aww that’s so cute!” she squealed, hopping on the spot a little and grabbing Alex's shoulders.

Alex and Zack managed to calm Tay down a little, and after Zack joined in the Robin debate, they all finally decided that Dick Grayson was original and best, they were pulled out of their conversation by Matt calling their attention.

“Hey guys?” All five of the group turned to face Matt, who had climbed down from his box again. “You know next weekend is Christmas break, right?”

There was a collective “Yeah?” from the group before Matt continued.

“Well, I managed to get my parents out of the house for next weekend, so I was thinking, Saturday night, party at mine. Fancy dress, the works...”

“Er, Matt?” Alex interrupted.

“Yeah?”

“My birthday is that day.”

“Oh shit!” Matt exclaimed, smacking himself in the head, “Of course! Sorry Alex... Oh, we can turn into a birthday party, yeah?”

“Oh, Matt, I don’t know...”

“Oh please? My brother’s getting drinks in, I’m inviting a few friends but you can invite some people too. Come on Alex, you only turn eighteen once!” Matt was gripping Alex by the arms now, eyes alight with joy.

As Alex looked at him, he saw something familiar and comforting in Matt's eyes, though he didn’t quite know what. Either way, the look convinced him. “Oh, okay then!” He sighed with a laugh, “I’ll have to make sure my mom’s not planning anything though.”

“Oh my god, yes Alex! I promise, it will be the best birthday ever, swear on my life!” Matt was bouncing up and down again now, as he let go of Alex and returned to behind the counter and resumed restocking the shelves. “It’s gonna be great! Remember to come in costume guys! We missed Halloween so get spooky if you want!” He chirped over his shoulder.

The group laughed a little at his childlike enthusiasm and giddiness. Alex thought for a moment and had a sudden brain wave. “Hey, Zee?”

“Er, yeah?” Zack said, tearing his eyes away from Matt's slender figure.

“I wanna go to the music shop, check they’ve still got that Les Paul guitar.”

“Oh, okay... I swear you reserved that thing?”

“Yeah, but I don’t trust that guy working in there.” That was a lie. Alex completely trusted that Jaime had reserved the guitar for him, but not because Alex wanted the guitar. Something more along the lines of Jaime wanting Alex.

“Oh, okay.” Zack turned to the rest of the group. “Hey, guys we’re gonna head to the music shop. Meet you at the café in about fifteen minutes?”

There was a collective agreement, and Alex and Zack turned to leave. Just as they did, there was a small shout of “Wait!” from somewhere behind them. They both turned back to face the counter, where Zack was gripped by the front of his hoodie and pulled forwards, his lips meeting Matt's over the glass front cabinet. Matt held him there for a moment before pulling away ever so slightly and saying “Text me, yeah?”

Zack stared, eyes wide and Matt licked his own lips, replying with “Uh, ye-yeah... Sure.”

Matt released his grip and sauntered back into the store room, looking at Zack over his shoulder in a, in Alex's opinion, pretty damn sexy way, and Zack must have thought so too if his wide eyes and hitched breathing was anything to go by. A chorus of wolf whistles and ‘Oo-ooh’s went up from the group, causing Zack to turn away from the counter and practically drag Alex out of the shop. Alex stumbled and tripped to try and keep up with Zack as he stormed down the street towards the music shop.

“Whoa... whoa, hey... Zee!”

Zack stopped suddenly, allowing Alex to catch up to him. He turned quickly, pointing a warning finger. “Not. A fucking. Word.”

“Okay, okay... Promise.”

They carried on walking to the music shop, Alex somewhat dreading what awaited him. The bell on the door rang as Zack pushed open the door to the shop. Again, it was pretty much empty of people, other than dreadful Jaime behind the counter reading some magazine.. He looked up when he heard the bell ring, spotted Alex and smiled.

“Hey there! Back for the guitar?”

Alex smiled nervously. “No, not yet... Still need to find the money. You still go it reserved then?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” He closed the magazine and walked over.

Alex nudged Zack in the side by way of telling him to disappear for a moment, and he obliged. It was just Alex and Jaime stood alone together now. Alex looked up, trying not to show his nerves and disgust at Jaime's closeness.

“So,” Jaime said, smirking down at Alex, “You’re having trouble getting the money?”

“Er... yeah, just a bit. Don’t worry though, I’ll be back for the guitar soon.” He forced a smile.

Jaime stepped a little bit closer now, Alex able to smell the stale cigarette stench that wafted around him. It wasn’t a pleasant fresh smoky smell like Jay had, it was dirty. Grimy. “You know, I could always help out. Get you a weekend job here? Or...” He stepped closer still, leaning down and breathing into Alex's ear, Alex not daring to move, “we can come up with some other kind of payment.”

Alex gasped ever so slightly, hoping Jaime hadn’t heard him. He met the man’s shadowy eyes, glittering like beetles. Jaime looked Alex up and down for a moment, licked his lips and winked. Alex was flattered, but that was completely overridden by the creeping shivers itching their way across his entire body. He had to play along. He really wanted that guitar, but he was not going to do that to get it. Jaime was still watching him, and Alex realised he had to reply. “Er... Well, I have your number, so... I’ll, um, let you know, yeah?”

“Sure thing.” Jaime smirked again, swept his gaze over Alex once more and walked back behind the counter.

Alex watched him walk away, and kept eye contact as Jaime licked his thumb to turn a page in the magazine. “Yo, Zee, we’re leaving.” Alex called across the shop.

Zack straightened up from where the was banding over the old record boxes and walked back over to join Alex, giving Jaime a sideways glance. “Okay, lets go.”

They turned towards the door and left, but not before Jaime had called out a rather tuneful “See you, Alex.”

As soon as they got outside and away from the shop front, Alex shivered, shaking every limb as though to get rid of bugs on his skin. Zack looked across at him, giving him a look.

“What is up with you and that guy?” Zack asked, obviously noticing Jaime's creepy behaviour.

“Ugh... right, I reserved a guitar the other week and he gave me his number. I haven’t called him or anything, but he is fucking weird. Keeps coming onto me.”

“Well why did we go back there then, if he’s a fucking creep like that?”

“I just really want that guitar...” Alex whinged like a child being dragged past the candy shop.

“Alex, you’re not gonna, you know... just for the guitar?”

“Ew, Zack! No! I just need to make sure I get that guitar.”

They walked into the café and found the others sat at a table at the back, already with their drinks and two extra milkshakes waiting for Zack and Alex.

-

Alex knocked again, harder this time, on the weather-worn door. “Come on! Open up, you bastard!” He shouted playfully.

After waiting a few minutes in the cold winter air, Alex looked back around to the door, just as it opened to reveal Rian in full zombie costume, makeup and all. His hair was filled with fake leaves and twigs woven into it.

“Dude, nice get-up!” Alex stepped over the threshold and gave Rian a brief hug before continuing inside.

“Same to you, Gaskarth!” Rian grinned as he looked at Alex's costume.

Alex was, this year, dressed as a vampire. He was still wearing black skinny jeans (the ones without any holes) and his tattered Converse, but he was wearing a slim fitting white shirt and tight black waistcoat and a skinny black tie. He’d applied a little eyeliner tonight, to give his eyes a bit of a hollowed-out look, and a small drizzle of blood at the corner of his mouth, and two on his neck. As it was a special occasion, and he’d been feeling adventurous, he’d dyed parts of his hair red. His hair was styled up as usual, and he was buzzing for the Christmas-come-Birthday/Halloween party at Matt's which had the whole spooky theme going on, god knows why.

“Hey Alex!” Cassadee came bounding down the stairs, equally zombie-fied as Rian, her usually sleek brown hair backcombed and also full of leaves. She was wearing a prom style dress full of tears and smeared with mud. It was a costume well done. “Whoa, your hair! Is that permanent?”

“Yep. Well, until I get fed up of it! Nice costume by the way, you look ravishing.” Alex did his best gentlemanly vampire impression, bowing down and kissing Cass' hand, making her laugh.

“Oh, Count Gaskarth, you’re too kind!” she replied is an airy flirtatious voice.

They all laughed as Rian grabbed Cassadee by the waist and said to Alex “Hey, you won’t be biting this one tonight, Fagular!”

“Fagular!” Alex exclaimed in shock, “I find that very offensive and highly accurate!”

Alex decided to go find Zack and Tay, who he knew would be lurking elsewhere in the house, as Rian and Cass had started some necking of their own. Alex's instincts were correct, as he walked into the kitchen to find Zack and Tay talking in the kitchen over two cans of Coke.

Tay spotted him as he walked in and pointed, shouting “SNAP!” as she stepped into full view from behind the kitchen counter to reveal her own vampire costume.

Alex laughed as he walked over and hugged her. “Aw man, people are gonna think we’re a couple!” he looked her up and down, admiring her outfit; a full length black dress, synched in at the waist with a red and black laced corset. Her hair was teased slightly and her makeup was flawless, with darkened hollowed eyes and red lips complete with dripping blood, she looked beautiful in a sinister, undead way. “Damn Tay, you almost made me go straight for a moment there!” he laughed, kissing her pale cheek.

“Aww, thanks! You look amazing too, Alex! Happy birthday by the way!”

“Hey, you remembered!”

“How could I forget? I got you something!” She turned around and picked up a small gift bag and handed it to Alex. He smiled and reached in, and produced a roll of duct tape. “You know, for the next time you break your guitar?” She laughed at Alex's confused face, Zack snickering behind them. “But, seriously, I got you a real present.” She reached back again and this time handed a neatly wrapped rectangle to Alex, a big grin plastered across her face.

He carefully took hold of the paper and gasped. It was a painting, one of Tay's own. He recognised the style immediately and smiled at the picture. It was a ballroom scene with two people in the middle. As he looked closer, Alex could see that the two dancers were in fact himself and Tay's gothic ballet dancer. He looked exactly like himself, even down to the outfit he’d been wearing the first day he’d met Tay. He carefully put the painting down on the kitchen counter and threw himself at Tay as a sign of gratitude.

“Oh my fucking god, Tay! This is seriously the best thing anyone’s ever gotten me! Thank you!” he grabbed her face and repeatedly kissed her cheeks, until she managed to bat him away.

“Just wait until you see what Zack got you!” She said excitedly.

Alex turned to Zack, who sat a little awkwardly in a medieval knight style costume. Alex laughed a little. “Zack, the knight in shining armour? I’d have expected you to be the damsel in distress, Princess!” he laughed, a blushing Zack shoving him gently in the arm.

“Just open your present, fucker.” Zack handed him an envelope that didn’t even look thick enough to have a birthday card in.

Alex smiled, slightly sceptical over the supposed greatness of Zack's present. Alex pried open the envelope and pulled out three slips of paper. Having no idea what they were, he turned them over. It took him a moment to realise what they were, but when he did, Alex was completely speechless. He stared at Zack for a moment, looked over at Tay who was grinning maniacally and nodding her head, then back at Zack. He finally managed to string a kind of sentence together.

“Are. You. Fucking. Kidding?” was all he could manage.

Zack just grinned and shook his head at Alex's disbelief.

“Seriously?”

Zack nodded.

Suddenly Alex launched himself at Zack in a flying hug. Thankfully Zack caught him and held him as he squeezed Zack tightly repeatedly squealing thanks and disbelief into Zack's shoulder, Tay and Zack laughing and Rian and Cass coming to investigate the noise.

“What’s going on?” Rian asked, appearing at the kitchen door with Cass.

“Ri! Look!” Alex released his grip on Zack and ran over to show Rian the slips of paper.

“What the- Warped Tour...? Holy shit! Zee, how the fuck did you get these? They’re not even on sale yet!”

Zack just laughed at everyone’s shock as he replied. “My cousin’s boyfriend works at Kerrang! Magazine in England, and he managed to pull a few strings with the organisers. I seriously owe him one, but it’s worth it. Happy birthday, Alex.”

Alex ran back over and hugged Zack again. “Oh my god... Thank you Zee...” He said quietly against him.

He just laughed and hugged Alex back. “No problem. You’re my best friend Alex, you’ve put up with a tonne of my problems recently, this is the least I could do.”

“Ugh, Zee, never change.” Alex laughed, crouching down to kiss Zack gently on the cheek.

The moment was slightly ruined by Rian suddenly shouting “Okay guys! It’s seven thirty, we need to go!”

The group of six clambered into the Trans Am, narrowly avoiding shutting Tay's dress in the door, and started to make their way to Matt's house. He lived on the other side of town, but from Rian's house it wasn’t a particularly long journey. When we got onto Matt's street, it was easy to see which house was his. Most of the houses had the lights on and maybe one or two Christmas decorations up on their porches, but one house had darkened windows with coloured lights shining from the inside, and a few people sat outside smoking or making out. It was easy to see why there were so few Christmas goers on this street.
Rian pulled up alongside the rest of the parked cars on the green area opposite the house. They all clambered out and made their way into the house. It didn’t take long to find Matt as he was pretty near the door, obviously waiting for Alex to arrive. As soon as they greeted him, it was obvious he was drunk. Not dangerously wasted, but just tipsy enough that his lanky limbs were moving a little more independently to his body. His costume was a little unexpected, but obvious at the same time. He was dressed in a green tunic and white leggings with a toy bow and arrows across his back, and a little green cap on his head, completing and perfecting his Link from ‘Legend Of Zelda’ costume.

“Heya Alex! Happy birthday!” Matt shouted as they walked through to the living room. “Hey everyone, the Birthday Boy is here!”

A few cheers went up from the people around the room. Alex recognised most of them, seniors from last year and few people from his year, but there were a few people he didn’t recognise. Either way, he was overjoyed about how many cheered him as he walked in.

Matt walked up behind him and threw and arm around his shoulders. “Welcome to your kingdom for tonight! Nice costume by the way. Loving the hair!” he giggled, running a hand over the red part.

“Haha, thanks! I like your outfit too, Link!” Alex laughed.

The rest of the group dispersed into the party, obviously seeing people they recognised, or drinks. Matt pulled Alex to the side and held him by the shoulder, a slightly more serious look coming across his face. “Now, Alex, my boy...” he said, waking a finger in Alex's face, making the boy laugh, “You know, a few weeks ago, I mentioned my brother?”

Alex could just about recall it. It had been the same day Zack had thrown a hissy fit in town. “Er, yeah... I think so.”

“Right, well I still really want to set you two up! You’d be, like, perfect!”

Alex couldn’t. He was, technically, with Jay. But he didn’t want to hurt Matt's feelings, or disappoint Matt's brother. “Look, Matt, I’m not really looking fo-“

“Oh, please?” Matt begged, hanging on Alex's shoulders now, “I swear you two are, like, a perfect match. Jack really wants to meet you!”

“Matt, I can’t-“

“Just talk to him, yeah? You’re made for each other.”

“Does.. erm, what’s his name again?”

“Jack.”

“Okay, does he want to meet me?” Alex didn’t want to bother if this guy wasn’t interested, even if they just became friends.

“Oh, yeah! Definitely!” Matt's voice went very high for a moment, probably due to the alcohol. “Like, seriously. He’s interested, I swear.”

Alex didn’t want to disappoint this guy, Jack. He’d meet him, and that was it. And he wouldn’t be drinking either. Not after what happened last time, and what he promised Jay. “Oh alright, I’ll meet him...” Matt squealed, grabbing Alex's hand and dragging him through the through of people dancing lamely to the music. “BUT, I’m just going to talk to him, okay. Nothing else.”

Matt just looked back at him and laughed. “Yeah, yeah... they all say that! I swear, Alex, I am a fucking matchmaker!”

Alex just sighed and smiled. Just meet Jack, chat, make friends and nothing more. He loved Jay, and Jay loved him. He wasn’t going to ruin that. Matt dragged him right through the house and out of the back doors into the cool winter air air. There were a few people in the garden, smoking, drinking, chatting and, again, making out. There were more people here than he realised, but that didn’t matter. What did matter was the fact that Matt was pulling him towards an expectant, single older brother. They reached the end of the garden, where Alex could just about make out the slightly disfigured silhouette of a man leaning against the frame of the garden gate. His figure was, his hand held up a cigarette, the smoke twisting and dancing in the amber glow of the street lamp. His back was turned towards them, his face turned away.

“Jack! Here’s the guy I was telling you about!” Matt chirped, pushing Alex forwards.

Alex stood there awkwardly as the man stubbed out the cigarette against the fence and sighed. He straightened up and just stood there for a moment, the lights from the back patio illuminating his outfit. He was wearing tight, black, leather-looking trousers, a pink and black lace corset and a black feather boa around his neck. “I told you, Micky...” He turned around, “I don’t want to meet him!”

Alex looked at Jack's face and gasped. The man stood in front of him was gorgeous, if slightly pissed-off, and oh so familiar. He was indeed wearing a corset, and his face was done up with makeup up. He wore think eyeliner and blood red lipstick, his high cheekbones coloured rouge with blusher. His dark messy hair was teased slightly and he wore black silk gloves, running up his slim arms up to his elbows. He rolled his eyes at his younger brother, and his gaze flitted to Alex.

Without missing a beat, his perfectly made up eyes widened, glossy red lips parted in shock. “Oh my god. Lex?”

“Jay... Holy shit!”

“Oh,” Matt piped up from behind Alex, “do you two know each other?”

“Yeah,” Jay said breathlessly, “something like that.”

Notes