Checkmate

Once the crescent moons sits in the sky, I know that it’s time. I sneak towards the top of the stairs and lean over. Just like I thought. My parents are still at that urgent meeting, and I’m pretty sure that they won’t get back till real late. Then, of course, they probably won’t be checking on me when they get back. Knowing this, I make my way back up the stairs and to my room. I’m already dressed, my hair is done, and I’m pretty sure everything is in check. Good enough for me. Climbing out my window isn’t that hard for me. I could have taken the front door, but I figured that seeing how to get out as well as in is going to come in handy in the future. You never know. I might be sneaking out more often to hang with Alex.
It’s hard to decide if this walk feels long or short. The longing makes it seem longer, but the excitement makes it better; maybe even shorter. As I make my way along the sidewalk, I look up at the night sky. The lights make the stars not as visible. It kind of reminds me of my life. I’d have so many friends around me; stars, but the darkness of this curse makes everything harder. The things that are suppose to give you more light just end up taking the true light away. I push thoughts of my family out of my brain. No, I can’t be thinking about them. They’ll only bring me down. Although I can’t help but think that they’re the real darkness. If it wasn’t for them being the way that they are, I’d be able to be who I am. We all would. I completely understand why they’re doing this, but they’ve taken it too far. Maybe I don’t want to be like them or even with them. Did they ever think about that? Maybe some of us see this as a curse. I know that there are others like that out there, but sadly, my parents just don’t see everything like this.
When I get there, Alex lets me up, and I don’t even get to knock because Alex is opening to the door like normal. Normal doesn’t really describe how I feel though. Faint is a lot better word. Alex is wearing a black button-up shirt that looks quite snug. Then his jeans appear to be a bit tighter than normal. Alright, they probably are tighter than normal. Just add that to the fact that he hasn’t shaved and it’s at that perfect level of scruff. God, how did I end up with such a hot boyfriend?
“Shall we?” he smiles.
“Yeah.”
The car ride is on the quiet side. I’m fine with that, but it’s more on the uncomfortable side. I know that Alex didn’t want to go at first, but is this feeling I’m getting really from that? Did he feel obliged to do this for me? God, I really hope that isn’t the case. I mean, yeah, I really want to go to a party for the first time with my boyfriend, but he doesn’t have to do anything that he doesn’t want to do. Almost as if he’s reading my mind, he takes his right hand off of the steering wheel and lays it on top of mine. He glances over at me, and that just makes all of those other thoughts leave my mind.
“Do you want to turn the radio on?”
“Sure.” I go ahead and turn my eyes in Alex’s direction. A smile appears on his face, and I can hear humming.
“You don’t have to worry about me feeling obliged to do something like this for you. I’m happy when you’re happy. It’s a bit more of a win-win. Besides, if I really didn’t want to do something, I wouldn’t.”
Wait. “How did you know that that is what I was thinking?”
“I can just tell sometimes. It’s a gift.”
“Oh.” I brush it off. I was probably making it obvious anyway.
Surprise is what I feel when I see the place that the party is being held. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I was thinking more like a house or something along those lines. We’re in an alley in front of a metal door. Why would Alex get invited to a party here? He knocks on the door which then opens to reveal a guy who looks a bit too scrawny to be a bouncer. Apparently he is though. He looks Alex up and down before allowing up both in. Well, at least the inside is better than I thought it would be. The lighting is a bit on the dark side, but it looks like any other Halloween party... including costumes.
“I thought you said that it wasn’t a costume party?”
“Sorry, I’m not one to dress up, and I didn’t want to be the only one not dressed up.”
“It’s fine.” Feeling thirsty, I take a quick glance around and spot a large clear bowl filled red with cups next to it. “Hey, I see a punch bowl over there. Maybe we should go over and get some.”
“Um, you know what they always say about those. Someone always spikes it. Let’s look around for some water or a can of pop or something.”
Alex takes ahold of my hand and then starts walking. I follow, of course. A couple of tables next to the punch bowl is an ice cooler filled with different bottles and cans in ice. I take out a can of pop while Alex doesn’t take any of it. Instead he just stands there and looks at everyone. I’m not sure if he’s looking for someone or if he’s just taking it all in. I shrug to myself and take a couple sips. That’s better.
“Meow!”
What the- I turn around to find Alex’s two neighbors. The blonde is wearing a black cardigan and skinny jeans. Looks like we weren’t the only ones to not dress up. It’s a different story for the brunette. She has a set of brown cat ears and a tail. What are their names again? Des and Carrie?
“Hey, Demetria. Caelan.” That’s right. “Well, at least I found two people that I know.”
“Rian and Zack couldn’t make it, meow?”
Alex shakes his head. “No, they couldn’t make it. They won’t be coming until my birthday. You know. Work.”
“I see, meow. Well, I’m glad that you came anyway.” She turns to me and gives me a smile. “And it’s nice that you brought your boyfriend, Jack, meow.” At first I think that I’m imagining it, but then I notice her ears move again. How is that possible? I mean- “Do you like my ears, meow? They move based on my emotions. The Japanese always make the coolest stuff, meow.” Oh, so that’s how they’re moving. I think I remember Alex telling me at one point that she liked a bunch of things from Japan.
“So what have the two of you been doing?”
“We’ve just been talking to a couple of Demetria’s co-workers that came,” Caelan answers.
“Yeah, meow. I wish that more of them would show up, but most of them want nothing to do with these kind of things. I mean, can’t they get over their hatred for some of these other families. It’s a party, meow. Ya know?”
“I do, but some people never change and neither do their families.”
“Alex, they might not be like that anymore, meow. I heard that things are better. Why don’t you try talking to them again, meow?”
“Trust me. It’s not worth the effort.”
That’s the last that they talk about Alex’s family. He never brings them up, and if it’s mentioned, he always changes subject. That’s why they are talking about books now. I’m not much of a reader, so I just kind of stand there. The same goes for Caelan. In fact, she even puts headphones on and listens to music on her phone. After a bit, Demetria finally stops the conversation.
“Jack looks a bit bored, meow, and so is Caelan. Why don’t I leave you two to be all cute together while we go and talk to a couple more people I know. I saw some enter while we were talking, meow.”
“Alright. I’ll talk to you later then.” They leave. “Sorry ‘bout that. Sometimes we get a little bit carried away.”
“It’s fine. ‘I’m happy when you’re happy. It’s a win-win’.” I smirk which causes Alex to chuckle lightly.
“What do you want to do next?”
“I don’t know. What do most people do at these kind of parties?”
“It’s mostly just mingling.”
“Oh. What else?”
“We could always dance.” I completely forgot that music has been playing this whole time. Oh well.
“That’s sounds alright.”
“Well then...” He bows and sticks his hand out. “May I have this dance?”
I giggle and place my hand in his. “Of course.”
The dance floor luckily isn’t too crowded. We have just enough room to move. When we find a spot, a thought comes to my attention. I actually have never seen Alex dance. He’s told me that he likes to dance and does sometimes at random, but he hasn’t done it around me. I wonder why, but when Alex puts his hand on my waist and takes ahold of one of my hands, I kind of come to a conclusion. I put my free hand on his shoulder, and although it doesn’t fit the music, we start slow dancing in the tempo.
“Do you always dance like this?”
“Not always, but I like to.”
After twirls and some actual slow songs, we decide to take a break. There’s a chair open, so we sit down. Well, he sits down, and then I sit on his lap. My arm is around his neck, and at times, we steal some kisses. Everything seems to be perfect but after a while, that perfect moment is broken when three guys all dressed in black make their way over to us.
“Alexander Gaskarth, is that you?” the ringleader smirks. “I haven’t seen you in quite a while. It seems like a decade. Don’t you think?”
“Leave us alone, Victor.”
“What? Like how you’ve left us all alone? How you abandoned all of us?” Could this be one of Alex’s family members?
“Maybe I wouldn’t have ‘abandoned’ all of you if you haven’t had ruined my life.” Alex slides out from beneath me and stands up in front of this ‘Victor’.
“Well, it must not be completely ruined. I see you have a new catch. Maybe this one won’t change like the last one.”
“Leave. Now.” I swear that I hear Alex hiss.
“I didn’t think that you swung that way, Alex. Perhaps we actually did you a huge favor.”
Blink. That’s all that I get to do before I see the fist coming in contact with Victor’s face. He’s knocked down to the ground. Devilish eyes lay upon each other. A stare that could cause death upon someone.
“Alex?” It comes out more like a whimper than I thought it would.
Just saying his name seems to snap him out of it though. He looks over at me and then back at Victor. One last powerful glare is the only thing that he does to Victor before he takes my hand and starts to lead me out of the building. I follow behind without asking any questions.
In fact, I don’t even say anything during the ride and even when we enter Alex’s apartment. He goes right over to the couch and sits down. I don’t join him, but I do stand next to him. Silence fills the air which is heavy from all of the emotion. I watch as Alex rubs his face and then ruffles his hair. Anger doesn’t fill his eyes anymore. They look more... sad, sorrowful. The silence is finally broken when I speak.
“Do you... Do you want me to spend the night?”
“No, I don’t want you getting in trouble. I’ll be alright.”
I know that that isn’t true, but I just nod and leave. I know that most people would do whatever it takes to comfort their boyfriend, but I don’t because I understand. He has his own secrets, and I have my own, and maybe that is the biggest thing that we have in common.

Notes

Sorry this is late. I was really lazy during break and was also having a hard time with this chapter, but then... All Time Low's new song (which I can't stop listening to), and I was like, "Writing! I need to write!" Of course I had to go to class first and then watch a show. Here it is though and longer than I thought.
I'm starting to really wonder what their secrets are...
Looks like we'll have to wait for that though.
Anyway, hope you liked it!