Holding On To Keep This Strong
Happy Together
Jack reached for his ringing phone barely looking away from his biology text book, tapping on the answer icon. It was a Saturday night and Alex was out with Oli again, giving Jack a chance to catch up on the homework he'd blown off the night before to study...other things with his boyfriend.
"Hello?"
"Hey Jacky...How're you?"
"Mom?"
"Yeah it's me sweetie."
Jack frowned and pulled his phone from his ear to look at the screen. Sure enough it was his mother, but right now he really couldn't believe it. He'd gone nearly six weeks not hearing a thing from her, why would she be calling now? "Uhm...what's up?"
"I...I know I messed up. I wasn't a good mom, I'm not a good mom...but I don't want it to be too late to fix things with you."
"Its never too late as long as you're trying your best."
"So you don't hate me?"
"No Mom. I love you...I'm still upset with you, yeah. But I don't hate you."
"Okay baby...I-I've got to go..." She paused, her voice cracking telling Jack that she was in fact in tears. "I love you."
"Wait...don't rush back home for me okay? I know you guys didn't get a proper honeymoon and you wouldn't have left if you didn't need time to yourself...just take your time, but remember to call me okay? I'm still your kid."
"Alright sweetie. If that's what you want."
"It is, bye Mom...I love you."
"Bye Jacky."
The teen hung up his phone and pushed his text book to the side. His notes were nearly finished and they were the only assignment he hadn't finished for the weekend, so he just settled on doing them during his study period on Monday. Well that was assuming he and Alex were having a 'cuddle day' as they'd started doing on Sundays. They'd spend the entire day- for the most part- cuddling and doing daily stuff together. It wasn't much but Jack really enjoyed just spending time with Alex.
Jack looked up at the sound of the front door opening to see Alex walking into the apartment a smile on his face.
"Hey you." Alex greeted the younger boy, walking further into the living room.
"Hey. How was it with Oli?"
"Good...I don't know if I should bother being friends with him...but I just wanna test the waters a little more, y'know?" Alex said as he sat down on the floor next to his boyfriend.
"Yeah, I get it. Hey, maybe one day the three of us can hang out and he'll be my friend too."
"Maybe...I'd actually like that a lot. Anyways what're you up to?"
"Not much. I've given up on Bio for the night and my mom just called." Jack stated in his best nonchalant tone.
"Wait...your mom called?"
"Yeah, she wants to fix things. I told her not to rush home though."
"Why would you tell her that?"
"Cause, she never got a honeymoon with my step dad, even if he is a dick, and I know she wants more alone time with him. Besides she spent seventeen years taking care of me, even if she hasn't been the greatest parent the past few months she deserves it." He paused and smiled up at his teacher. "I'm also really liking playing house with you."
"I wasn't aware that we were playing house." Alex teased as he nudged the younger boy.
"Well I'm staying with you and we're doing stuff I see a married couple doing. All we're missing is a dog and a couple kids." Jack laughed. But if he was being honest it wasn't all bright sides living with Alex. They fought a lot more now that he was staying at the elder's place. But those fights were unavoidable and often on the subject of Oli, not problems they had amongst themselves.
"I hope you're not thinking of getting any of those things too soon...although getting a dog isn't a half bad idea."
"But when I have to go back home it won't be the best idea anymore. It would miss me and even though I come here all the time I'd miss him or her too."
"Whatever...after the road trip, we'll get a pet yeah?"
Jack shrugged, he really didn't think a pet in general was a good idea. Especially with him going to school after the summer, even if he was going to the school down state, that happened to be the same school Alex graduated from. "Maybe we should hold off on that, after I finish college maybe?"
"We'll talk about it when we get to it. Anyways I was wondering if you minded me going out tomorrow night? I know it's cuddle day but-"
"But what? It's our day tomorrow, not yours and Oli's."
"I know, m'sorry for asking...I was just hoping that I could get a break."
"That you could get a break? A break from what? From me?" Jack snapped, now sitting up on his own and glaring at his boyfriend.
"No, Jay that's not what I meant at all. Oli has this dinner thing with people at work and he wanted me to come. I don't have to go, it's just that he doesn't have any friends here yet."
The younger sighed and brought his knees to his chest. "I'm sorry...I just, I guess I'm jealous. You've spent so much time with him lately, even on week nights you've been going out with him...I dunno I just feel like you don't care as much as you used to."
"I do care. I guess I have sucked at showing it lately haven't I?" Alex mumbled bringing an arm up to wrap around Jack's shoulders.
"Little bit...I guess it's okay if you go tomorrow night though. I'll just go out with my friends."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I miss Zack anyway, I'm always busy when he wants to hang out and he's always busy when I want to. Tomorrow night we're both free."
"Why's he always so busy?"
"Well he's got a boyfriend now and he's started doing photography for small time skaters and local gigs here, weekends are pretty booked for him." Jack paused and bit his lower lip, mulling over what he wanted to talk to his boyfriend about but opting on dismissing it. Maybe it was important but he guessed it could wait for a day or two."What are we doing tonight babe?"
"I dunno? Hey maybe we could write a song together, I've got both of my guitars in the spare room."
"Let's do it!" Jack said with feigned excitement. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with his boyfriend, no, it was just that he wished the could go back three weeks ago before everything felt like it was falling apart. Well not falling apart really...but more of drifting, which in his mind was just as bad.
-
The pair were each getting ready to leave for their nights with their friends. Jack wriggling on a pair of skinny jeans and Alex buttoning up a dress shirt.
"Do I look okay?" Jack asked, as he looked at himself in the mirror standing behind Alex's dresser.
"You look great." Alex said as he walked over to the teen, wrapping his arms around his small waist.
"Orange is a good color on you." He smiled, noting the tee shirt that Jack was wearing.
"I'm changing the shirt." The younger stated, an attitude underlying in his tone.
"Why? It looks good on you...are you upset with me?"
"No...I'm not upset. I don't know I'm just agitated, okay?" Jack muttered as he pushed Alex back lightly before pulling his shirt over his head. "I'd much rather be cooking dinner with you while we're both in our underwear instead of getting ready to go out. Sorry, I should have just told you no for tonight yesterday."
"I can't argue with that, it's too late for me to cancel now."
"I didn't say that you had to cancel. I just said I'm not happy about tonight." Jack frowned at his boyfriend, now sifting through his drawer for a shirt, his words Mich sharper than before.
"Fucking hell, what is your problem? If you don't want to go out then stay here, cook dinner by yourself. No ones forcing you to do anything."
"Alex...can you just shut up? I don't want to do this right now."
"Fine." The elder muttered turning away from Jack.
They stayed in silence for a few moments, each of them finishing off their outfits, giving each other cold looks all the while.
"Jay..." Alex asked, biting his lip and looking at the younger boy almost in a pleading way.
"What?"
"Do you really think we can make this work with Oli? We're just not the same since he got back in town." He said, sincere worry creeping through his words and assaulting Jack's thoughts.
"You're right, we haven't been the same. But I really don't know if this will work, I'm not going to tell you who you can and can't be friends with though. It's not my place."
"But you don't like me being friends with him, do you?"
"No, it's not that I don't like you guys being friends.. it's just that even without meeting him I feel like you guys aren't just friends...not like you're cheating on me but I just feel like he has feelings for you...and with the way you talk about him...I dunno-"
"Jack stop it. Oli was special to me, but I don't see him that way anymore. He's just a friend and maybe I do get excited talking about him but I swear it's not because of any feelings."
Jack sighed and cleared the space between himself and Alex to hook his arms around the older boy.
"I'm sorry for being a dick...I just keep thinking of losing you to someone else a-and it hurts..." Jack admitted, feeling himself choke up, knowing that the lump in his throat would soon turn to tears.
"Baby, don't cry...I promise you'll never lose me to someone else. I'm all yours. A-" Alex was cut off by his phone ringing on the dresser. He gave Jack an apologetic look and reached for it with the arm that wasn't wrapped around Jack's waist. "Hello?"
Jack sighed at the sound of the British accent on the other line. Of course it was Oli, here to pick up his boyfriend.
Alex hung up his phone, looking at Jack with the same apologetic expression. "Oli's out front...I'll be back though, when do you think you'll be home?"
"I dunno, around midnight." Jack said as he wiped away his tears.
"Alright, love you." Alex leaned forward pecking is boyfriend on the lips.
"Love you too...be good?"
"You know you don't have to tell me that. I want to be able to see your face in the mornings, I'm not going to go out and fuck it up."
"Whatever, I'll see you later."
"Bye." Alex mumbled as he stole another quick kiss before leaving the room and leaving Jack alone.
For some odd reason Jack had a feeling this would be a long night...and that gut feeling would soon prove itself to be right.
"Hello?"
"Hey Jacky...How're you?"
"Mom?"
"Yeah it's me sweetie."
Jack frowned and pulled his phone from his ear to look at the screen. Sure enough it was his mother, but right now he really couldn't believe it. He'd gone nearly six weeks not hearing a thing from her, why would she be calling now? "Uhm...what's up?"
"I...I know I messed up. I wasn't a good mom, I'm not a good mom...but I don't want it to be too late to fix things with you."
"Its never too late as long as you're trying your best."
"So you don't hate me?"
"No Mom. I love you...I'm still upset with you, yeah. But I don't hate you."
"Okay baby...I-I've got to go..." She paused, her voice cracking telling Jack that she was in fact in tears. "I love you."
"Wait...don't rush back home for me okay? I know you guys didn't get a proper honeymoon and you wouldn't have left if you didn't need time to yourself...just take your time, but remember to call me okay? I'm still your kid."
"Alright sweetie. If that's what you want."
"It is, bye Mom...I love you."
"Bye Jacky."
The teen hung up his phone and pushed his text book to the side. His notes were nearly finished and they were the only assignment he hadn't finished for the weekend, so he just settled on doing them during his study period on Monday. Well that was assuming he and Alex were having a 'cuddle day' as they'd started doing on Sundays. They'd spend the entire day- for the most part- cuddling and doing daily stuff together. It wasn't much but Jack really enjoyed just spending time with Alex.
Jack looked up at the sound of the front door opening to see Alex walking into the apartment a smile on his face.
"Hey you." Alex greeted the younger boy, walking further into the living room.
"Hey. How was it with Oli?"
"Good...I don't know if I should bother being friends with him...but I just wanna test the waters a little more, y'know?" Alex said as he sat down on the floor next to his boyfriend.
"Yeah, I get it. Hey, maybe one day the three of us can hang out and he'll be my friend too."
"Maybe...I'd actually like that a lot. Anyways what're you up to?"
"Not much. I've given up on Bio for the night and my mom just called." Jack stated in his best nonchalant tone.
"Wait...your mom called?"
"Yeah, she wants to fix things. I told her not to rush home though."
"Why would you tell her that?"
"Cause, she never got a honeymoon with my step dad, even if he is a dick, and I know she wants more alone time with him. Besides she spent seventeen years taking care of me, even if she hasn't been the greatest parent the past few months she deserves it." He paused and smiled up at his teacher. "I'm also really liking playing house with you."
"I wasn't aware that we were playing house." Alex teased as he nudged the younger boy.
"Well I'm staying with you and we're doing stuff I see a married couple doing. All we're missing is a dog and a couple kids." Jack laughed. But if he was being honest it wasn't all bright sides living with Alex. They fought a lot more now that he was staying at the elder's place. But those fights were unavoidable and often on the subject of Oli, not problems they had amongst themselves.
"I hope you're not thinking of getting any of those things too soon...although getting a dog isn't a half bad idea."
"But when I have to go back home it won't be the best idea anymore. It would miss me and even though I come here all the time I'd miss him or her too."
"Whatever...after the road trip, we'll get a pet yeah?"
Jack shrugged, he really didn't think a pet in general was a good idea. Especially with him going to school after the summer, even if he was going to the school down state, that happened to be the same school Alex graduated from. "Maybe we should hold off on that, after I finish college maybe?"
"We'll talk about it when we get to it. Anyways I was wondering if you minded me going out tomorrow night? I know it's cuddle day but-"
"But what? It's our day tomorrow, not yours and Oli's."
"I know, m'sorry for asking...I was just hoping that I could get a break."
"That you could get a break? A break from what? From me?" Jack snapped, now sitting up on his own and glaring at his boyfriend.
"No, Jay that's not what I meant at all. Oli has this dinner thing with people at work and he wanted me to come. I don't have to go, it's just that he doesn't have any friends here yet."
The younger sighed and brought his knees to his chest. "I'm sorry...I just, I guess I'm jealous. You've spent so much time with him lately, even on week nights you've been going out with him...I dunno I just feel like you don't care as much as you used to."
"I do care. I guess I have sucked at showing it lately haven't I?" Alex mumbled bringing an arm up to wrap around Jack's shoulders.
"Little bit...I guess it's okay if you go tomorrow night though. I'll just go out with my friends."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I miss Zack anyway, I'm always busy when he wants to hang out and he's always busy when I want to. Tomorrow night we're both free."
"Why's he always so busy?"
"Well he's got a boyfriend now and he's started doing photography for small time skaters and local gigs here, weekends are pretty booked for him." Jack paused and bit his lower lip, mulling over what he wanted to talk to his boyfriend about but opting on dismissing it. Maybe it was important but he guessed it could wait for a day or two."What are we doing tonight babe?"
"I dunno? Hey maybe we could write a song together, I've got both of my guitars in the spare room."
"Let's do it!" Jack said with feigned excitement. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with his boyfriend, no, it was just that he wished the could go back three weeks ago before everything felt like it was falling apart. Well not falling apart really...but more of drifting, which in his mind was just as bad.
-
The pair were each getting ready to leave for their nights with their friends. Jack wriggling on a pair of skinny jeans and Alex buttoning up a dress shirt.
"Do I look okay?" Jack asked, as he looked at himself in the mirror standing behind Alex's dresser.
"You look great." Alex said as he walked over to the teen, wrapping his arms around his small waist.
"Orange is a good color on you." He smiled, noting the tee shirt that Jack was wearing.
"I'm changing the shirt." The younger stated, an attitude underlying in his tone.
"Why? It looks good on you...are you upset with me?"
"No...I'm not upset. I don't know I'm just agitated, okay?" Jack muttered as he pushed Alex back lightly before pulling his shirt over his head. "I'd much rather be cooking dinner with you while we're both in our underwear instead of getting ready to go out. Sorry, I should have just told you no for tonight yesterday."
"I can't argue with that, it's too late for me to cancel now."
"I didn't say that you had to cancel. I just said I'm not happy about tonight." Jack frowned at his boyfriend, now sifting through his drawer for a shirt, his words Mich sharper than before.
"Fucking hell, what is your problem? If you don't want to go out then stay here, cook dinner by yourself. No ones forcing you to do anything."
"Alex...can you just shut up? I don't want to do this right now."
"Fine." The elder muttered turning away from Jack.
They stayed in silence for a few moments, each of them finishing off their outfits, giving each other cold looks all the while.
"Jay..." Alex asked, biting his lip and looking at the younger boy almost in a pleading way.
"What?"
"Do you really think we can make this work with Oli? We're just not the same since he got back in town." He said, sincere worry creeping through his words and assaulting Jack's thoughts.
"You're right, we haven't been the same. But I really don't know if this will work, I'm not going to tell you who you can and can't be friends with though. It's not my place."
"But you don't like me being friends with him, do you?"
"No, it's not that I don't like you guys being friends.. it's just that even without meeting him I feel like you guys aren't just friends...not like you're cheating on me but I just feel like he has feelings for you...and with the way you talk about him...I dunno-"
"Jack stop it. Oli was special to me, but I don't see him that way anymore. He's just a friend and maybe I do get excited talking about him but I swear it's not because of any feelings."
Jack sighed and cleared the space between himself and Alex to hook his arms around the older boy.
"I'm sorry for being a dick...I just keep thinking of losing you to someone else a-and it hurts..." Jack admitted, feeling himself choke up, knowing that the lump in his throat would soon turn to tears.
"Baby, don't cry...I promise you'll never lose me to someone else. I'm all yours. A-" Alex was cut off by his phone ringing on the dresser. He gave Jack an apologetic look and reached for it with the arm that wasn't wrapped around Jack's waist. "Hello?"
Jack sighed at the sound of the British accent on the other line. Of course it was Oli, here to pick up his boyfriend.
Alex hung up his phone, looking at Jack with the same apologetic expression. "Oli's out front...I'll be back though, when do you think you'll be home?"
"I dunno, around midnight." Jack said as he wiped away his tears.
"Alright, love you." Alex leaned forward pecking is boyfriend on the lips.
"Love you too...be good?"
"You know you don't have to tell me that. I want to be able to see your face in the mornings, I'm not going to go out and fuck it up."
"Whatever, I'll see you later."
"Bye." Alex mumbled as he stole another quick kiss before leaving the room and leaving Jack alone.
For some odd reason Jack had a feeling this would be a long night...and that gut feeling would soon prove itself to be right.
Okay I normally cringe at student/teacher fics, but cuz it's a 6 year age difference, I gave it a shot. This story is so great! The ending is beautiful. My eyes are watering. Not even kidding.
2/28/16