Alex

Ten. Just ten pills lying in the palm of my hand. And that is so not enough. I’ve already decreased my dose. For the past few months I’ve been taking half of what I’m supposed to take and I could feel the effects of that. And I was sure that the rest had noticed that too, they just didn’t know what was the reason for my mood swings. If you’d like to call them like that.

“Alex, get out of there!” Vic’s voice boomed from the other side of the bathroom doors, “you’re not the only one in this house!”

I bit my tongue to not say anything back to him. He didn’t need that. Not now when I had already lost it for too many times in this week. I swallowed one pill, leaving me with only nine. Nine pills, messed up sleeping pattern, twisting feeling inside and shaky hands – not what I need right now.

“God damn it, Alex!” he slammed his fist on the doors.

“Shut it, Vic!” I shouted at him, throwing the doors open and letting them slam against the wall.

Vic took two steps back as I stormed out of the bathroom and down the hall towards my room.

“No need to be so bitchy,” I heard him mutter behind me, but I just clenched my jaw tighter, for a minute there fearing I’ll break my teeth.

“Fuck!” I yelled, slamming the doors shut and throwing the first thing I got my hands on, against the wall. It turned out to be a cup, pieces of glass flying around the room as it shattered.

My breathing was heavy, hands shaking and eyes watering. I knew that if I had something else here to break, I’d feel better, but I had been working on my self-control. And everything seemed to be just fine. While we had enough money and no other causes of stress.

I slid down on the floor, pulling my knees up to my face and letting out a shaky breath. I pressed my forehead against my knees, trying to calm myself down. I needed to think straight. I need that money more than anyone else in this house, but waiting on the Barakats would take too long. I have less than nine days and there’s no way we can get their money in barely two weeks.

“You know, someone once said to me that breathing helps,” a shaky voice said from the corner of my room.

I took a sharp inhale and looked up at Jack’s slouched figure. I had completely forgotten about him being in my room.

“I’m not having a panic attack,” I muttered, studying Jack’s body and face. Or what was visible of his face, the rest of it being hidden behind the blindfold. The guy was skinny and that made me think about Zack’s suggestion to give him some food. After all, he’s been here for three full days.

I had a slight idea to work on a plan’s second part – getting the money. Vic and Jaime were home so they would be able to help me with that too. If Vic still wanted to talk to me. I mean, it was for all of us, so he had to participate in this and the faster we figure out how to word what we want from Jack’s parents, the better for us.

Slowly I got up from the floor, quietly moving around the room and looking for my laptop, yet still keeping an eye on Jack. He seemed to have tensed up once he noticed me moving around. I spotted my laptop hidden in my sheets as well as pieces of glass too close to Jack.

I moved around my bed to pick them up, Jack immediately moving to pull his knees up to his chest.

“I’m not going to hit you,” I calmly said, picking up the glass, “there’s glass and if you move around too much, you’ll cut yourself.”

“Oh, so now you care?” Jack asked, venom in his voice.

I sighed and watched at the glass in my hand. Maybe I should just leave it were it was for the guy to cut himself. Maybe then he’ll learn to shut up and not talk back to me. I shook my head at the thought. As amazing as it was for him to flinch away from me, that wasn’t what I needed him for.

“Don’t need you to bleed to death in my room,” I stated, “just as you don’t want us to poison you,” I said with a smile.

He actually had a good way of thinking and even I hadn’t thought of poisoning him. Even if that wasn’t our intentions, the thought still hadn’t crossed the depths of my mind.

“Whatever,” Jack grumbled, hanging his head low.

I couldn’t understand what his problem with me was. I mean, I can sort of see what, but still. He seemed to be okay with Zack and Vic. I threw a last glance his way before grabbing my laptop and leaving the room.

Vic and Jaime were both sat on the couch, watching something stupid on the television. I just knew because of the fake laughter put in the background of the broadcast.

“Hey,” I started to get their attention, “we need to figure something out about that guy in my room,” I showed them my laptop, “I think it’s best if we print out the letter, or whatever we call it, and…I don’t know…send it to his parents?” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“You already want to ask them for the money? He isn’t even legally missing yet,” Jaime seemed surprised, “I mean, doesn’t it take like…seventy-two hours for a person to count as missing?”

“He definitely has those seventy-two hours…he’s been here for three days, I think,” Vic said, not looking my way.

“Has there been something on the news about him?” I asked, going over to them and sitting down next to Jaime on the couch.

“Haven’t seen anything,” Vic said thoughtfully, “check the internet.”

---
“No, you moron! Nothing is written with a pen! Want to go to jail because they identifies your handwriting?” I rolled my eyes at Vic’s dumbness.

We’ve spent around an hour figuring out the best way to present what we want from the Barakats and so far I like the layouts of our letter. And it seems that Jaime and Vic are pretty interested in writing it too. Probably only to get Jack out of the house, but that works for me. As long as they’re cooperating.

“I’ll go make something to eat,” I said after a while of me typing out the letter, “someone’s gonna have to bring some to Jack too.”

“Why don’t you just do it? He’s in your room,” Jaime laughed, but got a glare in return.

“He thinks that all I want is to have him dead. He’s not going to take anything from me and since his new BFF Zack is not here, one you will have to do that,” I waved my hand at them.

In the kitchen I put on the water to boil and found some pasta in one of the cupboards. Seeing as Jaime had been out just yesterday to buy some food, we really didn’t have much. Or it was just some food he bought.

“Alex, your phone,” Vic called from the living room as I was looking for some clean plates.

“Who is it?” I asked, taking out two plates and putting somehow equal amount of pasta on both of them.

“Your mom,” he answered after a moment it probably took him to reach for my phone.

I rolled my eyes and huffed at that, “I’ll call her back.” Maybe, I added in my mind.

I had two plates of food ready in the next two minutes. That Barakat kid better appreciate this or he’ll have to hear some words from me. It’s not like it’s my duty to feed him or something.

“Okay, who’s going to take this to our prisoner?” I called from the kitchen.

No one answered me, making me grow annoyed, but before I could say something else, Vic emerged in the kitchen, “I guess, I could,” he said in a weak voice, “not like you could do it. You’d probably stab him with a fork if he refuses to eat,” he offered me a smile that was hard to return.

Once Vic left me alone I quickly ate all my food, put the plate in to the sink and walked to the living room to get my phone. I had one missed call from my mother, but I ignored it. Instead going to my messages and typing out – can I come over tonight?

It took less than five minutes for him to answer with a short – yes. As I was about to write him the time I planned to come around, I received another message saying – will be home in fifteen minutes. Feel free to come around whenever.

I smiled at the text and quickly made my way to my room to get changed. As I entered the room Vic was sitting on the floor before Jack, fork in his hand and trying to feed him. From what I saw on the plate – it wasn’t working pretty well. There were almost as much as I had put there.

Vic looked at me questioningly, while Jack tried to move away from him, turning his head away from where Vic was holding the fork.

“I’m going out. Someone’s gotta stay in my room if don’t return for the night,” I quickly said, changing in a clean shirt and jeans that would have to do the magic tonight.

“If?” Vic’s eyebrows shot up.

“Mhm,” I hummed, throwing on black jacket, “if everything goes as I want it to go, then I should be home tonight.”

I looked at Jack to see how interested he was in what I was saying. Didn’t look too interested, but that’s just what I was able to see. There’s no way he didn’t hear what I just said. It’s not like he’s deaf or something. It has been proven that he’s not.

“Tell them what I said, will you?” I asked Vic.

“Yeah, sure,” he simply said, returning his attention to Jack.

I left the house without another word, spending fifteen minutes to get to my destination. I parked my car behind one that was already in the driveway. The house wasn’t the biggest on the block, but it definitely showed that, whoever lived there, had money.

I stepped out of the car, walking up to the front door and hesitantly knocking. I didn’t have to wait long before the doors were opened by a guy with a brown, messy hair and bright blue eyes.

“Hey, you’re fast,” he said, letting me in.

“Yeah, sorry. Had to get away from everything,” I replied quietly, looking down at my feet and stuffing my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

“Hey,” he reached for one of my hands to pull it out of the pocket, “don’t be like that,” he put his other hand on my chin, forcing my head up to look in his eyes, “what’s wrong?”

I shook my head, pulling my hand out of his hold, and leaning down to untie my shoes, being perfectly aware of the sight it gave to the other man standing in the hallway.

“You want something?” he asked, after clearing his throat.

“Wine? You have a good one?” I asked hopefully, letting him guide me in his living room, his hand on my lower back.

“Of course,” he smiled, before leaning in to peck me on the lips, “wait here, I’ll be right back.”

I smiled back and watched him leaving the room. As he left I quickly scanned the room, but there were nothing I was looking for. No jacket, phone, or wallet thrown somewhere carelessly. I sat down on the couch with a huff. Apparently will have to work with plan number two.

“Here you go,” he returned to the room, two wine glasses in his hands.

“Thanks,” I smiled shyly at him, taking one of the glasses from him.

I took a few sips from the glass, before dropping my gaze down at the glass, my finger running circles around the edge of the glass.

“Alex,” he sighed after a moment, “what’s wrong, babe?”

I inwardly cringed at the stupid pet name, but said nothing about that.

“Nothing…I just…I don’t want to talk about that,” I said quietly.

“Alex…” he started.

“Josh, please. Don’t,” I looked up at him with sad eyes.

After a while of just looking at each other I put my glass down on the table, taking his glass out of his hand and putting on the table as well.

“I wanted to get wasted at some shitty bar, but thought that you might be a better distraction,” I mumbled, moving myself closer to Josh and putting my hands around his neck to pull him closer until our lips touched.

I kept it slow, almost sad, but that’s what I was going for. I didn’t need to rush it to get what I wanted. I let him push me down on my back, with one of his hands on my back while other was gently holding onto my hair.

“Stop thinking,” he whispered, moving down to my neck.

I nodded my head and let out a quiet whimper as he licked around my earlobe. I wanted this so bad. Wanted to tear all of our clothes off, wanted to roll us over and ride him. I wanted this to be hot and messy, but that is not what I came here for.

As I felt his hands starting to push my shirt up, I kicked my plan in to an action.

“No,” it was weak, “no, I can’t,” I put my hands on his chest and lightly pushed him, “Josh, I’m…I really am sorry, but…I can’t,” I sat up, pushing my fingers in my hair and tugging lightly.

“What’s wrong?” he sat up on his knees.

“My mom…she’s…she’s getting worse and today I got a call from hospital,” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to make them tear up a bit, “there’s some treatment they want to try out, said that it could help, but…” I shook my head, hiding my face behind my hands.

“Alex, what is it?” he put his hand on my back, running it up and down.

“I don’t have money for that,” I whispered, “I want to, but…she said it’s okay, but it’s not!”

“Why didn’t you say anything to me? I can give you…no! I will give you money,” he got up from the couch and was about to leave the room.

“No, Josh. She is not your mother, you don’t have to do that. I can figure something out…I will,” I looked up at him with watery eyes.

“Alex,” he placed both of his hands on my cheeks, “you know you can ask me for help, sweetie. It’s not a big deal,” he pressed a kiss to my forehead, “how much do they ask?”

“Five hundred,” I mumbled, looking down.

“Really? Only?” he didn’t believe me.

“A thousand,” I whispered, closing my eyes and waiting.

I felt his arms wrap around my body, “Don’t worry,” he whispered in my ear.

Josh moved away, giving me reassuring smile before leaving the room. I smiled to myself, wiping the few tears I had managed to force out. It always works.

Notes

sooo.....what the hell is wrong with alex? didn't he say that he doesn't have a mother?
and now she's suddenly calling him?
and why didn't he answer the call?
and then he's saying that she's getting worse?

what the hell, alex!!!

;D
-ilovetea