Alex

Okay, my mom didn't need me back early, so I lied yet again, but I couldn't just stand there and watch Brendon and Jack kiss right in front of me. I practically ran home, ignoring the strange feeling in my gut and didn't stop once to look back.
I know Jack and I had only just started talking again, but this was just weird, I mean, he... well, he's gay? No, he likes girls too, I remember he told me about past 'hookups'. If the smoking/motorbike/truency wasn't enough of a reason to keep him away from my parents, this definately was. And compared to them, I'm a lot more open minded, but homosexuality was still a pretty big deal, even to me, but I wasn't going to hold this against Jack, he was still my friend.

When I got home, I was about to go upstairs to do my homework when my parents called me into the living room, wanting me to watch some news story about a terrorist attack, so I joined them on the couch, watching intently as my mom and dad made a few comments here and there. As it finished, I stood up about to leave, when the next story came on.

"...has just married his partner Andrew Miller, making them the first legally married gay couple in Maryland..."

I froze on the spot, awaiting my parents reactions, and as I had expected, they weren't good.

"Oh for crying out loud," my dad started, already raising his voice, "can you believe this, Isobel?"

"Absolutely vile," she answered, equally as repulsed.

My mind instantly went to Jack and I gulped nervously, yeah, they had to be kept away from Jack at all costs, they would probably think he's Lucifer. I slowly made my way out of the door, but was stopped by my father asking, "Disgusting, isn't it Alexander?"

"I, uh, have homework to do." I said as I bolted from the room, making my way upstairs. I flopped down on my bed, staring at the white ceiling, thinking about how difficult everything had to be.

I reached for my phone on my bedside table, about to text Jack as he always cheered me up, but then I remembered... Brendon. I couldn't call any of my old friends about it because they would just judge me, so I phoned the only other person I could think of.

After five or six rings, he finally picked up, and man was I happy to hear his voice as he breathed out into the phone, "Alexander?"

"Hey, Patrick. How are you?"

"I've been better," he laughed, "sorry I wasn't in today, I feel like I'm dying."

"Oh, sorry to hear that, you should get some rest, I-"

"Nonsense! I'm as bored as anything right now and I haven't had any human interaction in a while."

I giggled a little at that, "well, if you're sure."

"I am," he confirmed, "so, what's up?"

"Oh boy," I sighed, "where do I begin?"

I could practically hear the smile in Patricks voice as he said, "well, the start would be an idea."

"Okay, bassically, I spent the whole weeked with Jack-"

"Barakat?"

"Uh, yeah..."

"I didn't know that you two were that close," he admitted, "but carry on."

"Well, Saturday was great, we watched movies, had pizza, he taught me how to style my hair and stuff.. But then Sunday came and he introduced me to someone called Zack-"

"Merrick? The really buff guy?" Patrick asked, interrupting again.

"I think so... So yeah, we all went to like, the woods or something, and he tried to make me do drugs Patrick... Drugs."

"Please tell me you didn't." He said, monotone.

"No, of course not. Do you really think I'm that stupid? Anyway, then today we kinda ignored eachother, right up until last period wihh was music, and Mr Armstrong made us perform a song, and Jack did a song called I Miss You, and he just looked at me all sad as he played it, and I don't know why, but I feel like he was playing it just for me."

Patrick made a small "mmm" noise to tell me to carry on, so I did.

"And so we both appologised after class and we hugged and he kissed the top of my head, and everything was fine..."

"I still don't see the problem?" Patrick added.

"Well, we were walking out of school, and check this out, right... that Brendon kid literally came out of nowhere and kissed Jack!"

There was a brief pause, I didn't know what more there was to say, or why I was even calling in the first place, but then he spoke.

"What did you do then?" he asked.

I flinched slightly at the memory and hung my head, "I kinda... ran away."

Another pause, "Why?"

"I don't know.. I just, didn't want to watch that, I freaked out."

"So what you're saying is, you spent the whole weekend with him, you fell out, you guys made up, then you see him with someone else and run away... I hate to break it to you, but you're jealous."

"W-what are you on about? Don't be so ridiculous!" I said defensively.

"You know what else I think?"

"After that, I don't think I do. But I know you're going to tell me anyway..."

"I think you like him."

"He's my friend, of course I like him." I said, confused.

"No, Alex, I think you like him." he sighed.

"Patrick don't-" I was cut off by nnother call coming in, "one second." I pressed the button on my phone, not checking the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Alex?" an unfamiliar voice asked on the other end.

"Yeah, who is this?" I asked cautiously.

"Oh, sorry," the voice appologised, "it's Rian... Jack's friend."

I rolled my eyes and nearly hung up, Jack was probably getting Rian to appologise on his behalf, and if he couldn't even talk to me himself, then I wasn't going to bother. I sighed into the phone and said a "I'm not in the mood" but then Rian said something that scared me a little bit.

"Jack's gone."

"Gone where?" I asked nervously.

"Not sure really, probably the old park. But dude, I think you should talk to him, I don't know what weird little bromance thing you guys have going on, but he won't talk to me... I'm worried that he'll do something stupid, please Alex, go and talk to him."

Oh great. I always knew Jack was a drama Queen, but I didn't get why he was the one running away, he was the one making out with people right in my face.

"Just call him and tell him to come home?" I asked, now mildly annoyed.

"Uh Alex, I'm using his phone to call you, he left it here..."

"Fine," I groaned, sitting on the edge of my bed, feeling like I was now Jack's parents that had to watch him every second of the day, "I'm leaving now, thanks for letting me know."

"No problem, bye Alex." He said before hanging up.

I slipped on my Converse and changed the formal shirt I was wearing to the 182 tee as it was comfier, and pulled a hoddie on. As I walked downstairs, my parents asked where I was going, and I said Jack asked me to help him with homework, and because they knew him to be a supposedly good kid from the way they had spoken to him on the phone at the weekend, said it was okay. So off I jogged to the park.

It took me a little under ten minutes to get there and it was now getting dark, but as I went through the rusty old gate, I could see his silouette perched on the swing.

"Jack?"

Notes

I just had to google how to spell fifteen because I'm a moron and it just didn't look right good lord what is wrong with me
and omfg this chapter is dedicated to phone calls :))))
guysguysguys im getting another tattoo tomorrow on my neck and im really excited aggggggh
okay byeee <3