Chapter 20

Alex’s POV

“Come on Lex, please? For me?” Jack begged me.

“Come on Alex!” The class began to chant. “Alex! Alex! Alex! Alex!”

“No!” I whined.

“Please baby?” Jack gave me the puppy dog eyes.

“No!”

“I’ll love you forever and ever if you do!” Jack begged.

“Bitch, you already will!”

“You’re right... I’ll give you sex tonight!”

“Deal.” I grinned. They were trying to get me to try out for the school’s program for musicians who want to do something having to do with music with their lives. I always thought I wasn’t good enough.

“Yay!” Jack cheered and hugged me tightly.

“This had better be some fucking awesome sex.”

“It will be, I promise.” He grinned and kissed me.

Within the past two days, I had gotten over the Jasey thing by having sex with Jack. Also within the last two days, I became fucking pissed with Cass and Tom, more than I already was. They were dating now. So I had to see Cassadee almost every day after Tom got home. And every time I saw her, the piece in my heart that was reserved for her and I’s friendship broke a little more than it already was.

“If it’s not, I’m going to be super fucking mad at you.” I warned.

“It’ll be amazing Lex, when is it not?”

I shrugged. “You’ve got a point.”

“Can you guys STOP talking about sex now?” Zack asked.

“No.” Jack laughed. “Alright, sorry.”

“Thank you.” Zack sighed.

Jack leant in close to my ear. “By the end of the night, you won’t remember anyone’s name but mine.” He growled before pulling back and smiling innocently at me while I gaped at him, his words already traveling down south. I leaned in near his ear as well.

“Bitch, no teasing while we’re in school.” I growled, snaking my hand down and palming him for a second before backing away and smiling innocently at him as he had done to me.

I lay my hand on his chest and felt his heart racing. I grinned, knowing what I had done to him, and kissed him quickly.

It was actually Valentine’s Day and Jack said he had a surprise for me and not to bring anything. I was a little skeptical, definitely, but I trusted him enough.

We were being extra cuddly and sweet today, simply because it was Valentine’s Day. Everyone was being sweet and cuddly. Jack had given us a free period is spirit of the holiday and surprised me with a wake up handjob this morning, which was certainly the best way to wake up. Too bad it hadn’t been a blowjob.

Currently, we were standing in the middle of the classroom with everyone involved in their own little conversation. My hands still rested on his chest and his were on my lower back as we shared our little moment there. We just sort of stood there, smiling at one another and staring into each other’s eyes.

“Alex? Aleeeeex?” I heard Rian saying. I tore my gaze away from Jack to look at him.

“Hm?”

“Are you going to sing anything?”

“Maybe in a minute or so.” I said, looking back at Jack and smiling again. He smiled back at me and kissed me, much longer than we usually do in class.

Long as in, we stood there kissing for at least five minutes.

Until I finally couldn’t get enough air through my nose to satisfy my lungs, so I had to break apart. “Well that was nice.” I grinned.

“Yes it was.” Jack laughed, kissing me again quickly. “Sing!”

I chuckled and went to get my guitar and sat on my desk with the instrument on my lap. “What should I sing?”

“First a love song, then a hate song.” Zack said.

“Alright.” I chose Wait for You by AVP. Zack joined in for backup vocals; I didn’t know he knew AVP. By the end of the song, I had the entire class singing along to the chorus with me. It was exciting, thrilling. Made me want more.

As for my hate song, I chose the best hate song in the world. Thanks for Nothing by The Downtown Fiction.

“I know the sun still shines when you're not around
I'm taking it easy in the worst part of town
And now I find that it wasn't meant to last
I got one thing to say and that's
Thanks for nothing kiss my ass

I want some money
I want some fame
Want everybody
To know my name
Want you to see me
In shining lights
Think about me when your with him that night

I know the sun still shines when you're not around
I'm taking it easy in the worst part of town
And now I find that it wasn't meant to last
I got one thing to say and that's
Thanks for nothing kiss my ass
Thanks for nothing kiss my ass
Yeah...”

I couldn’t help but grin as I sang this, having people clap along to the beat and Zack sing backups was just... I don’t know. It was just fun. I wanted to do this for my entire life. I wanted to bring people together in the form of music.

“Hey Lexi, sing Time-Bomb.” Jack suggested.

“How did you know I wrote a song called Time-Bomb?”

“YouTube.” He grinned.

“Stalker.” I laughed but sang it. I didn’t sing anymore after that, instead opting to sit next to Jack (next to meaning on his lap).

“Aw, I love you baby.” Jack cooed, his arms wrapping around me and linking our fingers together, resting them on my stomach. I was leaning back against his chest. He kissed my neck and I shivered, enjoying the feel.

“I love you too darlin.” I said, kissing the underneath of his jaw.

“I seriously want a relationship like they have.” I heard Zack say to Rian. I just ignored it.

“Don’t we all? They’re the perfect couple. I’m actually jealous of them.” Rian replied.

Jack chuckled. I figured he was eavesdropping as well. Again, he just kissed my neck and gave me a little squeeze, burying his face in the crook of my neck. “You’re cute.” He muttered against my skin.

“You are too, babe.”

“Hmm.” He hummed, pressing feather light kisses from the base of my neck all the way up to my lips, where he gave me a series of small pecks, ending with a slightly longer one.

“See? Why can’t we have that?” Zack complained, gesturing towards us. Rian laughed.

“Because that’s Jack and Alex. They’re just naturally cute together.”

Jack chuckled again. "Are you listening to them too?"

I laughed. "Yeah."

He grinned and pressed his lips to my cheek. Like I said, we were being very touchy feely and sweet today.

"By the way, I forgot to thank you for the little surprise this morning." I grinned.

He laughed. "I thought you'd like that."

"A hand job from a wild Barakat? Who'd refuse?" I chuckled and kissed him.

"Just wait until tonight babe, you'll be begging on your knees for me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yep." He said, popping the p as the bell rang. I got off his lap and bent down to capture his lips with mine, one hand cupping his jaw to tilt his head up since he was sitting and I was standing. It was a sweet kiss and I broke away grinning, like I often did. I got my things and hurriedly went to my locker to get my history textbook. A note fell out when I opened it.

I miss you. –C

I flipped it over and wrote a reply to Cass.

This was your choice. Stop fucking bothering me, you're just making it harder for me to get over you. Harder for me to forget about it. –A

I slipped it in her locker and went to history, not even looking at Cass. I knew I was being harsh, but I didn't want to get hurt by her again.

The end of the day came and I went to Jack’s room, finding a note taped to the door.

Lex, go to the auditorium and look on the piano. –J

I furrowed my brow in confusion, but headed there anyway and found another note.

Alright babe, now go outside to your car. –J

I smiled a little and went to my car, reading the note taped to the steering wheel.

Now drive to Livingston Park and look in the hole of the tree with the big... Well, the tree with the big hole. –J

I drove over there and found the tree with the big hole and looked inside to find a note in a tiny bottle. I took it out and scanned it over.

Look up. –J

I looked up and saw a small box in the air. It was strung up to a branch with fishing line. I reached up and took it down, opening it to find a ring with another little note. My heart was racing as I read it.

Be mine? –J

"Well?" I heard a voice say behind me. I turned to see Jack leaning up against the closest tree.

I grinned and ran over to him, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Of course."

He pulled back. "Just so you know, I'm not asking you to marry me. It's a promise ring."

"I figured." I grinned widely and pressed my lips to his for a long time.

He was really fucking cheesy sometimes because during that kiss, Blink 182's Always came on from somewhere and I burst out laughing against his lips and looked up to see Vinny in a tree with a radio in his lap.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you made him do that." I laughed.

"He was not very happy about getting up there, but it was totally worth forcing him." Jack grinned and wrapped his arm around my waist as I moved to stand next to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I really love you." I said.

"I really love you too." He grinned and kissed my hair. "Come on, I have more surprises for you."

I was pulled to his car and blindfolded. "Jaaaack you know I hate blindfolds!" I whined.

"Too damn bad. It's part of the surprise."

"Are you taking me to the woods to rape me?"

"Lexi, it's not rape of you enjoy it. And we both know you would." He laughed.

"Shit."

We drove for about an hour, me bitching about the blindfold, before we finally came to a stop and jack helped me out of the car, leading a blind me in some direction. Then he stopped and took the blindfold off.

In front of me was a huge cabin. At least two stories with shiny reddish brown wood walls and a gigantic bay window looking out on the lake right next to the house.

"You like it?" Jack asked.

"I love it." I breathed, taking his hand and pulling him inside with me, taking in the entire place. "Oh my god."

I was actually breathless. This had to be insanely expensive, even if someone was to just rent it. There was a big glass chandelier in the main entryway and the living room with the huge bay window was very spacious, three couches and a large fireplace with a big flat screen TV. "Oh my GOD." I repeated. "How- who's is this?" I managed to ask.

"It was my moms, but she gave it to me in her will. So now it's mine." Jack replied, coming up next to me and putting his arm around my waist.

"Oh my god." I whispered, going to find the kitchen. It too had a big bay window looking out on a gorgeous forest instead of the lake. The whole house was gorgeous. "I love you so fucking much."

"You love me or you love the house?"

"Both, but I love you more." I said, not looking at him and instead walking down the wide hallway and looking in various rooms, finding a couple bedrooms and some bathrooms. "What's upstairs?"

Jack smiled. "You'll see later."

I raised an eyebrow. "So you're going to rape me up there where no one can hear my screams of protest?"

Jack laughed. "Maybe. No, I'm going to rape you down here. You'll see upstairs later."

"Okay... Seriously Jay, this is amazing." I was still in awe over the whole thing.

"I know." Jack chuckled and we went into the enormous living room, sitting on the couch together and cuddling.

"Can we just live here?"

He laughed. "No, sorry baby. As much as I'd love to, we can't."

"Damn." I pouted, then smiled softly again as Jack pressed a button on the coffee table and the fireplace burst alive with flames overcoming the wood. "Wow, fancy."

"That's what happens when you have a rich family."

"If your family is so rich, why did you choose to have such a low paying job?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"I wanted to be a teacher. I've never liked being the most popular person, the center of attention. It just makes the pressure to be perfect a lot stronger."

I sighed. "I know the feeling."

"And I'm pretty damn glad I'm a teacher, otherwise I probably wouldn't have met you." He smiled down at me.

I smiled up at him in return, but didn't say anything. "You have the best smile ever." Jack commented.

I grinned. "Aww, thanks babe."

"You're welcome. Want a candy cane?"

I laughed and nodded. He grinned and got up, coming back with two candy canes. He handed one to me and I unwrapped it, putting it in my mouth. He did the same.

It was a little strange to have candy canes on Valentines Day, but whatever. It was fine with me. Jack finished his before I finished mine and kissed my cheek. His breath smelled like peppermint and I chuckled.

"Your peppermint breath on my cheek is the only mint I need." I sang softly. "And I'm excited to try it. And I'm waiting, so impatiently... For the sweet taste of your kiss from your candy cane lips..." I trailed off.

"You're so cute." Jack smiled.

"Thank you, but you're cuter."

"I'm only agreeing to that to make you happy."

I grinned. "Glad we're on the same page."

"Do you want to put on some pajamas?"

I nodded. Skinny jeans weren't exactly the most comfortable thing to cuddle in. We got up and he led me into one of the bedrooms, opening a drawer and tossing me a loose t-shirt and some sweatpants.

As he change his clothes, I noticed the forming scar on his hip. There was only one. He caught me staring at it and sighed, walking over to me and placing his hands on my hips. "Alex baby, I'm fine. It wasn't a deep cut. I haven't cut since and I don't plan to. I promised you I wouldn't and I won't. Okay?"

I hesitates before nodding slowly. "O-okay. I just don't want you getting hurt."

"I won't. I swear." He placed a little kiss to my nose and proceeded to get dressed. I did the same and we went back to cuddling on the couch in the living room.

Around 6:30pm, after a long time of cuddling, jack spoke up. "Are you hungry?"

Now that I thought about it, I realized I was. "Yeah, actually I am."

"Come on." He stood up and stood my hand, again blindfolding me.

"Jaaaack I fucking hate blindfolds!"

"It was worth it last time, wasn't it?"

I sighed. "Yeah..."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then deal with the fucking blindfold." He led me around a couple corners before telling me to get on his back so he could carry me up the stairs. I hopped on so he was giving me a piggy back ride. He carried me all the way up the long flight of stairs. I didn’t know he was that strong. I wasn’t a five year old anymore, so I couldn’t have been very light.

We got to the top and he took the blindfold off, revealing a cute little room looking pretty similar to the living room downstairs. I looked at Jack, confused. He laughed. “This isn’t it.”

He took my hand and led me towards yet another small flight of stairs, leading me onto the roof. “Jack, how the hell do you pay for this place?” I asked.

“Are you seriously worrying about money right now?”

“Apparently, but you have to answer me later.”

“Exactly. Later.” He grinned and I looked around the roof. A little round table with a few candles on it was set up in the middle with dinner set out.

“Okay, you’ve been with me all freaking day, how did you get the food up here?” I asked.

“With a little help from a friend.”

“Which friend?”

“The one who thought we were fucking before we were.”

I grinned at the thought of Matt and sat down. “You seriously spoil me.”

“I know. You love it.”

“I really do.” I smiled and began to eat the classic romantic dinner of spaghetti. Jack did the same.

After we ate, Jack took my hand again and led me back downstairs, all the way down. We sat in the living room and talked for the rest of the night.

Well, most of the rest of the night. We did have sex, and Jack was right, I was basically begging on my knees for him.

We spent the night there, going to bed earlier since we still had school tomorrow. We fell asleep in the living room on the couch, Jack spooning me. I felt like such a girl, but I really didn’t care.

~~~

“Alex, did you like your little surprise yesterday?” Vinny asked me in English. I was wearing my promise ring, as was Jack.

I smiled. “Yeah, I did. Thanks for helping Jack out, that was nice of you.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t fall out of that tree, otherwise I would have sued.”

“You didn’t fall.”

“And you’re damn lucky.” He laughed.

I laughed too as people starting asking Jack questions about what we did for Valentine’s Day. He told them everything, sparing the details of the sex and just saying we slept together.

“Lex, you have the best boyfriend ever.” A girl named Kylee said. I smiled.

“I know.”

Jack grinned at me and I got up and went to sit next to him on the edge of the desk, facing the class, who was involved in their own little conversation. “You know I love you, right?” I asked Jack, leaning my head on his shoulder as his arm went around my waist.

“I know. I love you too.” He smiled and kissed me, long and sweet. His hand went up to cup my cheek and one of mine rested on the back of his neck, the other on his chest, the fabric of his shirt tangled in my fingers.

“Alex, Jack, break it up!” Danny called. I grinned against Jack’s lips and gave him one last kiss before breaking away.

“Fuck you Danny, we were having a moment!” Jack complained.

“Have your moment at home.”

“No.”

Danny just groaned in frustration and I laughed, kissing Jack once more before going back to my seat and getting my guitar out.

“Alright guys, how many of you know my secret?” I asked the class.

“Which secret?” Rian asked.

I tapped my wrist and a few people raised their hand. “Okay. Here’s for the people who don’t know. You know the stupid cocky bastard I was in the past few years?”

Everyone nodded. “Yeah, I was never actually that guy. This is the person I really am, the one I’ve been all this year. But things catch up to you and you can’t do anything about it, so you try to ease the pain.” I held up my wrist for people to see the scars. “And that second day of school, when I was in the hospital?” I pulled up the corner of my shirt to show the cluster of raised white lines. “I cut myself. I attempted suicide because I opened up to the very man I love with all my heart. I thought he would use all that information I told him against me to tear me down. But instead, he used it to help me. He made me remember that there’s always a way other than self harm or suicide. So yesterday, Artist vs Poet came out with a song called Stay Strong. This goes out to all those people like me, who didn’t know any other way to deal with pain than a sliver of metal deep in their skin. Stay Strong, everyone.” I smiled and started to play.

I cried while I sang, just because of how amazingly it was written and how well it described my world. Jack just smiled sadly the whole time and once I finished, everyone clapped and yeah, a few people were crying. Jack came over to me and tilted my chin up with one finger, placing a long lingering on my lips. “You are the strongest person I know.” He muttered against my lips.

“I’m not, but thank you.” I murmured back, giving him another kiss.

He pulled back and looked me right in the eyes. “Alex, you are the strongest person I know. You’ve kept yourself going through more bad moments than I can even think of. The scars on you only make you more gorgeous than you already are. They show that you conquered a bad time of your life and that makes you so worthy of being alive. Just remember, if you continued to cut, you and I might have never happened.”

“You deserve someone so much better than me, you’re so sweet.”

“No I don’t. You’re the best anyone could have.” He smiled and kissed me while someone awwed, cueing the entire class to awww.

“Jack, can I date you?” Kylee said.

He laughed. “No. I’m dating the most perfect boy in the universe, sorry.”

“Damn!” She whined and I chuckled.

“Seriously, I want their relationship.” Zack said to Rian. “Only with a girl.”

“Same, I want it with Cass.” Rian replied.

I looked at him. “She’s dating my brother.” I said coldly.

“Really?”

“Unfortunately.”

“I take it you don’t support that relationship?”

“Not one fucking bit.” I hated their relationship. I would rather Tom date a drug addict than Cass.

“Well, that sucks. Sorry man.”

“Yeah.” I said flatly before turning back to Jack. “Do you want to come over after school?”

“Sure. Anything I should bring?”

“A condom!” Jasey called.

“We’re not going to have sex!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in frustration. “Bring your guitars. Both of them.”

“Alright, why?”

“I have to make a video for the music program and I need another guitarist.”

“Hm, okay, I think I can handle that.” He grinned and kissed my nose.

“Good. I wasn’t exactly taking no for an answer.”

My phone buzzed and I saw a text from Tom.

Cass is coming over after school, hope that okay.

My heart sunk as I replied.It’s not.

It never is. She’s coming over anyway, we won’t bother you.

I sighed and turned my phone off. “What’s the matter?” Jack asked, rubbing my back.

“She’s coming over after school too.” I said. We almost never used Cass’s name anymore. If I say ‘she’ it’s Cass. Automatically.

“We’ll just stay away from her, okay?”

“Our house isn’t that big, Jay. We’re bound to run into her.”

“We’ll try our hardest then.” He smiled and the bell rang. “I’ll see you after school.” He gave me a quick kiss before I got my things and went to my locker to get my textbook. A note in my locker, again.

I’m sorry. –C

I tore it up into a billion little pieces and shoved them all in her locker, then went to history and sat next to Rian like I always did now.

“Why are you so upset about Tom and Cass’s relationship? I thought you and Cass were best friends.” He said as soon as I sat down.

“Well, not anymore. She ended the friendship. I really don’t want to talk about her or Tom right now, so can we just talk about something else? Because I really fucking hate their relationship.”

“Sure. What are you going to do for the music program video?”

“Something by The Downtown Fiction. I’m thinking either I Just Wanna Run, Losing My Mind, Alibi, Thanks for Nothing, or She Knows.”

“Oh, cool! You’re good at TDF.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“Would you like to share you conversation, Mr. Gaskarth?” The teacher said.

I rolled my eyes. “We were talking about what song I’m going to do for the music program, that’s all. Geez.”

“Excuse me?” She raised her eyebrows at my tone.

“Fine! Teach already.”

“Mr. Gaskarth, you wouldn’t like to have to go to the principal’s office, would you? Or would you like to tell me why you have such an attitude today?”

I sighed. “I don’t want to do either.”

“It’s one or the other.”

“Fine, god. My brother’s girlfriend is coming over after school and we have bad history. Is that good enough for you?”

“Well, deal with it and shape up.” She said unhappily, giving me no sympathy. I rolled my eyes and just waited for lunch to come.

Once it did, Rian and I sat together, with Zack, Vinny, and Danny. “So Lex, we heard about your little conversation with the history teacher today.” Vinny said, amused.

I groaned. “She didn’t need to know why I was so pissy!”

“What is the history with you and Cass?” Danny asked.

“We were best friends since seventh grade and last week she texted me saying that she couldn’t be my friend anymore, so now I have a broken heart from her. And I want to cry every time I see her. Now she’s dating my brother, so I have to see her a lot. And no, I’m not over it.”

“Wow, that sucks, sorry man.” Rian said, patting my back sympathetically. I just rolled my eyes.

“Whatever. What really sucks is that she keeps leaving notes in my locker about how she misses me and she’s sorry. I just rip them up and put them back in her locker. Or sometimes tell her to stop fucking leaving me notes because she’s not making it any easier for me to get over her.”

“You make it sound like you guys dated.”

“We didn’t. But we acted like a couple. Sorta. We only kissed for real once, and that never happened again.”

“Well, sorry she hurt you. She doesn’t seem like the type to do that.”

“I didn’t think she was. Apparently I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did.” I hadn’t even touched my food. I just poked at the rubbery pasta with the crappy spork. What the hell is the point of a spork? They don’t even work. The fork prongs just bend. I sighed and my phone buzzed. It was from Jack.

Hey babe, you alright? You look upset.

I frowned and looked up to see Jack across the room, leaning against the wall on his phone. He glanced up at me and smiled. I smiled back and replied. We were just talking about her, that’s all.

Why aren’t you eating?

Not feeling great. Not very hungry.

Aw, do you think you’re sick?

No, thinking/talking about her always makes me feel weird.

My poor baby. We still on for after school?

Yeah. I have to get this thing done. Which TDF song should I do?

We’ll figure it out later. I’ll see you after school, I’ve got to go prep for my next class. Love you <3

I looked up to see him smiling at me. I gave him a little wave and a half smile as he left. “Who’re you waving at?” Danny asked.

“Jack.”

“I have to say, I’m surprised you guys have gotten this far.”

I watched Jack exit as I replied. “Me too.”

Notes

Here ya go! Sorry, it's been a while. I've been hella busy and couldn't find a good time to get it up! But thank you for all the comments and other such things, they make me happy! <3