No Pads… No Helmets… Just Memories!

"PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA!" Jack continued to chant as we all spilled into the Gaskarth's entry way and kicked our wet sneakers off at the door. After arriving home to a note telling Rian and I that our parents had a business dinner for our father's work and wouldn't be home till late that night, we decided to take it into our own hands and call up the gang for our weekly movie night at Alex's. Since we had been grounded a full gang gathering had yet to be held and everyone was eager to jump at the chance.


"Can we watch Scary Movie 3?" Andrea questioned loudly following the bulk into the kitchen as their voices disappeared I decided to mangle my mop of wet hair into a messy bun before I stood back to my full height. A small smile forming on my lips at the distant banter of my friends as I shuffled to kick the front door shut and turn down the hall.


"OOOOH!" They all yelled as I entered kitchen, my head snapping up to see every set of wide eyes set on me, my friends all standing with wide smiles to match with a single digit all pressed to their noses, my eyebrows raising as I looked around the room with a nervous laugh.


"What the?"


"JASEY'S IT!" Marc shouted with a laugh as I looked around the room for answers. The gang bursting into a fit of laughter as I searched their faces for answers, surprisingly, coming up empty.


"It for what?" I asked laughing lightly trying to put on the slight front that I knew what the hell was going on that was blatantly see through as Rian patted my shoulder.


"You're stuck getting snacks together and ordering the pizza with Alex while we go start the movie!" He laughed as if on cue the kitchen began to empty. I let out my own soft groan as I watched everyone leave till it was just Alex and I, my soft blue eyes locking on his sly smirk as I giggled and made my was over to the cabinet I knew they stored the popcorn in.


"Was that a groan I heard coming from you?" He chuckled lowly as he pushed off the counter he'd been perched against as I struggled to reach for the box of popcorn packs. I felt his chest ripple against my shoulder blades as he pressed himself against my back, a single arm wrapping around my waist as the second reached over my head to swipe the box with ease causing my frown to deepen.


"Maybe..." I grumbled as Alex laughed again and wrapped his second arm around my stomach before he led us both to wobble over to the microwave, small girly giggles pressing passed my lips as I kept my head down to hide my growing blush.


"Why?" He mumbled softly as his lips pressed against the bare skin of my neck and I bit back a grin. My shoulders rolling to rid him of the area as he placed the box onto the counter, keeping his arms around me as he wedged me between the counter allowing him to open the box and pull out a pack of microwavable popcorn and popping it in before letting the door swing shut.


"Because you haven’t told Jack and we can't get caught..." I whispered letting my head hang low at the reminder that he had yet to tell his best-friend about us that had begun to grow into a pang of annoyance sitting in the back of my mind, even when Alex dipped his head to press a light kiss behind my ear before reaching up and pressing the popcorn button.


"Hey..." He whispered taking hold of my hips and spinning me around so we were chest to chest. His large hand coming up to cup my jaw while his calloused thumb drew circles on my cheek as if he could sense my growing doubt, "I'm gonna tell him" he hushed as I bit back my lip, "I wanna tell him trust me, I just can't find the right time, or the right words..."


"It’s okay..." I whispered looking down at our touching toes as he sighed and rested his forehead onto mine.


"No, it’s not, I was planning on telling him when you and Ri called but I guess seeing you seemed more important and I'm sorry..." He whispered in defeat as I wrapped my arms around the base of his back to show him that I'd be okay as he spoke up again saying, "It's like trying to tell your mom you got your period for the first time, I know he won’t be mad and he'll be happy I just don't know how to say it!" He explained as I nodded my head and began to laugh.


"Uh Lex how would you know what that’s like?" I giggled as he pulled his head from mine with a shrug.


"I don't, I just feel like that’s what it would be like, and I'm sorry you had to go through that!" He said as I began to laugh and push on his shoulders. "I mean it, I'll tell him as soon as I can!" He hushed holding my face in both his hands to bring my eyes to his, "kay?" He asked softly as I nodded my head before he pulled my lips to his. Our lips molding perfectly in the sweet and tender kiss as he moved his lips seamlessly against mine. My hands slipping up his torso to rest on his shoulders as I felt him smile into the kiss before it broke. His warm eyes meeting mine once more before he quickly pecked my lips and pulled away to order the pizza.


"You’re so sappy..." I rolled my eyes turning to walk over to his pantry.


"Shut up, I'm trying to be a cute boyfriend, be happy!" He laughed picking the phone up off the wall and dialing what I would assume to be the pizzeria's number.


"Well don't!" I laughed pulling the pantry open, "it's freaky!"


"Oh hush!" He laughed as I looked up to see Marc stroll into the kitchen with a goofy grin as he knocked his hip against mine.


"What's up bubble butt?" He chuckled stepping behind me to snag a bag of Goldfish of a shelf.


"Nothing really..." I shrugged laughing as he reached into the bag, "Is everyone calling me bubble butt now 'cause of Jack?" I laughed as I saw Alex begin to order the pizza and slip out of the room.


"Please!" He scoffed strolling over to the island before leaning forward onto his elbows as I followed in step, "there is always something going on in your life, I swear, do you guys ever even breathe?"


"Yes..." I laughed before taking an exaggerated sigh as I climbed onto an island stool. "It's just - I don't know, everything's kind of working itself out at this point!"


"So you and Alex close again?" He muffled with a full mouth motioning his hand that still clutched the bag of Goldfish towards the doorway Alex had just disappeared through as my eyes blew wide.


"Uh, what? No - why would you ask that?" I stuttered before mentally cursing myself. Good job Jase, way to play it cool! *Mental self-high-five to the face*


"Well I mean you've both made it through Monday, now Tuesday without any heads being ripped off so it's progress!" He laughed popping another handful into his mouth.


Yeah, I thought, heads - cloths, same difference, but still nothing has been ripped off. "I guess..." I muttered looking down at the granite counter top as I began to draw small circles on the surface with my finger.


"Well at least now Rian can't say he feels like he's being put in the middle..." Marc shrugged as I nodded my head.


"Well that’s true..." I agreed, Marc already knew about the talk I had with Rian, well the talk Rian gave to me, but in the end he knew. He actually knew most of everything that happened to our little group even though he was never always there... Ever since the beginning of the year Marc and I had been really close. As odd as it may sound he was kind of like my therapist, he was a third party person I went too constantly and just unloaded all the bullshit onto, he had truly become one of my best friends even though not everyone always saw it.


I had gone to that water tower many of times, in the snow, the dead of night, and ironically, the pouring rain, and he was always there. My shoulder to lean on when nothing else made sense. Even though I didn't always acknowledge our bond, I knew it was there, and it was one of my friendships I cherished most, a completely unbiased relationship built on honest advice and good intentions. He was like my little guardian angel sent to guide me through this mess of a year.


"Especially with their little show at lunch and Friday coming up!" He laughed holding the bag out for me as I smiled and shoved my hand into the white and orange bag just as Alex re-entered the room and hung up the phone.


"I'm gonna go downstairs and make sure they don't break anything, you guys mind staying up here till the pizza comes?" Alex questioned making his way over to my side. "I left money on the small table by the door for when he comes..."


"I'm cool with it..." I shrugged as I looked up at Marc to see him nod as Alex repeated his action.


"Kay, I'll have you a seat..." Alex smiled before leaning down to peck my cheek before turning for the basement door.


Well fuck...


I kept my eyes trained on the counter as silence filled the room, I could almost physically feel Marc's gaze as I heard the light click of the basement door. "THE HELL WAS THAT?" He asked loudly as my wide eyes snapped to his. My body basically being thrown over the counter at the elder boy as I slapped my hand over his mouth to stop any further words from filling the air.


"WILL YOU SHUT UP!" I whisper yelled looking him in the eye as he started back at me before I pointed a close finger to his face, "you didn't see anything..." I spoke slowly as I pulled my hand away from him and crawled back from the counter top. His confused eyes watching me as I slipped back onto the stool before slowly shifting to the floor. I could feel my heart pound against my chest as I sat under the slim overhang of the island's counter top and pulled my knees into my chest.


Marc's eyes placed on where I just sat as he scrunched his nose. "What the... Jasey?" He laughed in confusion as he stepped around the island and pulled back the stools, his eyes falling on me as I looked up at him from my place on the floor. "The hell are you doing?" He chuckled softly as I panicked. I stretched my legs out beside me as I rolled to my hip and propped my head up with a single arm as he laugh.


"I- I have no idea what y- you're talking about!" I shook my head as I awkwardly placed my second hand to my hip in my awkward mermaid pose.


"What are you doing?" He asked again as I puffed my lower lip and shrugged the hand on my hip.


"Oh, you know..." I started looking around the kitchen from my point of view before meeting his gaze, "just chilling"


"On the floor?" He asked slowly as I nodded my head.


"You never just you know..." I nodded watching him furrow his brows, "lie on your kitchen floor, its comfy... You should try it sometime!"


"Jasey what’s going on?" He pressed a laugh as I sat up, "and what was that with Alex?"


"I don't know what you’re talking about?" I told him slowly getting to my feet before stepping around him.


"That thing with Alex, the hell was that?" He asked blatantly dumbfounded as I walked around the island and snatched the bag of Goldfish off the counter before glancing over at my friend.


"What thing?" I questioned popping a few of the crackers into my mouth.


"That- that THING!" He exclaimed clearly not trying to yell again as I fought the urge to laugh at his frustration.


"There was no... Thing..." I said shrugging my shoulders as I tossed another small handful into my mouth. Marc let out a distressed groan as I hopped up onto the counter and continued to chew, "Can you grab me a Coke from the fridge?" I asked as he looked up at me.


"Sure..." He said smiling but failed to make a move towards the fridge as I furrowed my brows and held my hands out at my sides, "when you tell me what’s going on with you and Alex..."


"Fine then..." I laughed hopping off the counter, "It's just a soda I'll grab it myself-"


"No, no, no little missy!" He laughed sliding over the counter and taking a soft hold on my arm. "Tell me!"


"There’s nothing to tell!" I lied looking at him.


"OH MY GOD WHAT IS IT!" He laughed happily as I rolled my eyes and slowly pulled my arm from his as the doorbell rang.


"ITS NOTHING!" I told him slipping into the hall and snatched the money Alex had left as I wandered to the door. I was begging to wonder what was taking the pizza so long seeing as we were no more than five minutes from the actual parlor but decided not to try my luck with an attitude seeing as it arrived in the nick of time.


"Hey Jasey..." I glanced up to see a boy I recognized from my math class when I pulled the door open. I smiled up at him realizing I had no name to match his face as he slid the pizzas over to me.


"Hey, come on in so you don't get drenched!" I said stupidly as I mentally cringed realizing he was standing on a covered porch. Feeling Marc tap my shoulder and I turned to hand him to hot white boxes before turning back to the nameless pizza boy as he stepped through the door anyway. "What's up?"


"Nothing much, I didn't know you and Alex were friends again!" He smiled sweetly at me as I handed him the few bills Alex had left and nodded my head none the less knowing Marc was at my side listening in thinking I'd be dumb like Lex and let our secret slip.


"I didn't know you and Alex were close either..." I laughed as he pulled a wad of bills from his back pocket and began to count off my change.


"Oh we aren't!" He chuckled rolling up the rest of the wad, "other than him sitting next to me in math we never really speak anymore..." He told me shoving the extra money back in his back pocket as I scrunched my brow.


"Then how did you-"


"People talk," he told me as I nodded, "I mean it's mostly all good, and mostly because of the band but word gets around, and that whole thing with you and Tammy in the cafeteria! WOOH! Who couldn't tell something was up!" He let out an excited breath as he shook his head, "I mean kudos to you girl, that was- that was rad as hell!" He laughed before thumbing my change and holding it out to me. "Well thanks anyway!" He waved pulling Alex's front door open and stepping out onto the porch, "see ya 'round!"


"See ya, THANK YOU!" I hollered as I watched the boy skip down the steps before I shut the front door and turned back to smiling Marc. "What?" I quipped brushing past him as I turned back into the kitchen.


"TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME!" Marc whined hopping up and down as he followed me into the kitchen.


"There’s nothing to tell!" I lied again with a light laugh as I pulled the boxes from his hands and lined the tree pizzas up side by side and turned to grab paper plates from the party when Marc grabbed me and put me quickly into a head lock.


"JASEY TELL ME!" He whined pressing his knuckles to my already disheveled hair.


"MARCY STOP!" I laughed smacking his arm as he began to twist his fist on top of my head as I whined, "I'LL BITE YOU!" I warned as he let out a laugh.


"No you won’t..." He chuckled as I shrugged my shoulders.


"Fine, suit yourself!" I said calmly before twisting my neck so I could get at his arm before nipping him lightly causing him to yelp and drop his hold.


"EW JASEY!" He whined as I let out a laugh and grabbed the stack of plates before grabbing one for myself and dropping two steamy slices of pizza onto the thin white plate. "You’re so gross!" He grumbled as I shrugged and made my way towards the basement door and yanked it open.


"Pizzas upstairs help yourselves!" I called as I stumbled down the basement stairs, my single plate of pizza steadied in both hands as I hurried to beat the mob.


"PIZZA!" The boys all screamed as my queue to jump out of the way as they all stormed the stairs. I stumbled one foot over the other as I tripped out into the open room. A small smile forming on my lips when I realized Alex sat in the corner of the sectional. His soft brown eyes watching me as I made my way over to him. It wasn’t till then I realized how much ass being grounded truly sucked now that Alex got to once again host our weekly movie night, and getting to set up refuge from the endless rain in his basement like before.


"You're not eating?" I questioned sitting down beside him as I tucked my knees under myself.


"Oh I am!" He chucked reaching over and swiping a slice off my plate as I whined in protest and watched him take a bite. The cheese refusing to split as it stretched from his teeth as he tried to look, "sexy" and failed miserably.


"Mmmm" he hummed in satisfaction as I whined his name looking over at him. "So good!"


"You're such an ass!" I murmured as I looked down at my plate with a frown. Keeping my head down as I felt him chuckle and drape an arm across my back to pull me closer. Even if I was mad at him for eating my food I should have known something was up when he wasn't in the front of that herd. I let out a sigh gave in to the boy as I snuggled into his side.


"You want a bite?" He smiled nudging my shoulder with his, the movement bringing my eyes up to his to see the slice held out in front of me. I scrunched my nose as I looked up at the pizza grease on his chin.


"You're legit a child..." I sighed reaching up to swipe my thumb against his chin as he grinned at me.


"Wait you have a little something to..." He told me as I glanced down at my unbitten slice as I scrunched my brows in confusion.


"What are you talking about I haven’t even eaten-"


"Here, just let me get it..." He said softly pinching my chin and bringing my gaze to his. The heat practically seeping from his hand as my heart began to beat faster with our closeness. It no longer mattered if Alex and I were dating or not, being around him still made my heart flutter; even if I knew what we were his touch gave my adrenaline a run for its money. And the twinkle in his smiling eyes was not helping as he grinned wider. "It’s just a little bit..." He said softly bringing his face closer to mine as my breath caught in my throat, "right..." He whispered as his hot breath fanned my lips sending my mind a whirl, "here-"


"MOVIE TIME BITCHES!" Jack bellowed ripping the door open as Alex and I jumped apart. My eyes meeting his as I sat two couch cushions over. His eyes watching mine as they widened and his head dropped.


"God dammit Jack..." I heard him mutter lightly as they all appeared at the base of the stairs. Jack quickly coming over to the couch and shoving my closer to Alex. As the crowd filed in I slowly got pushed closer and closer till I was damn well nearly sitting in lap. His hand easily finding mine in the darkness when they killed the lights. I could only hope his frustration towards Jack would push him closer to telling him so we could stop being cautious seeing as it wasn't something Alex coped well with. But all through the movie I couldn't help but catch Marc's knowing smirk from across the room, the look that told me he knew, and that he wasn't planning on letting it go. The thought making my chest tighten as I glanced up at Alex to see his amused smile trained on the film. Sighing I rested my head into his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart flutter when I pressed into him, a small smile playing on my lips as I prayed he would tell Jack soon.

Notes