Responsible
Help me out (Alex)
Alex
The service went by without any grave disturbance. Alex glanced over to Jack often, already forcing himself not to constantly look at him. When it came to the Holy Communion, Alex gave Jack a little extra smile and Jack smiled back. It was adorable to see Jack smile. And even better because it was of him, Alex.
Finally, everything was said and done and the people started leaving church. Jack remained seated for a bit but then it seemed he couldn’t stay on his butt anymore so he got up and went up to Alex.
“Hey,” he said a little breathlessly.
“Hi Jack,” Alex smiled. He thought about how Jack looked considerably better than before the service, a small smile on his lips. Was this because of him and his words?
“So, this thing?” Jack mumbled, looking at Alex through his eyelashes.
“Wanna come and sit down with me for a coffee so I can tell you? And don’t worry about being late, I cut today’s service a little short so we’d have some time,” Alex replied. It was only 7.40; Alex had ended it almost 20 minutes early.
“Oh… Sure?” Jack said, a little thrown off.
“Just follow me then!” Alex said. He was happy Jack wanted to go with him.
They made their way to Alex’s small house. Alex realized he hadn’t cleaned up and blushed. He hadn’t thought this through too well. He ushered Jack into the kitchen and had him sit down. He quickly made some coffee and gave it to Jack.
“Milk? Sugar?” Alex offered.
“Just black,” Jack answered. He started nipping the dark liquid. Alex sat down.
“So. This thing. I was looking for someone to help me out a bit in church, you know, lighting, readings and all that. I mean I have the altar servers but they’re just kids. I thought about it for a bit and you seem the most suitable for it. Like you are young, come to church regularly and I like you,” Alex explained, his face lit up by a warm smile. He watched Jack closely. He hoped with all his heart that he would say yes. There was a long pause.
“I… I’d love to,” Jack burst out all of a sudden, a huge grin on his face.
“Aw, that’s great!” Alex rejoiced. He was relieved.
“I’m just… a little worried about Matt, my boyfriend,” Jack said, face falling.
“You can tell him you have to do this. And if he doesn’t like it, he’ll have to talk to me,” Alex said fiercely.
“But I’m so scared…” Jack trailed off.
“Of what?”
“Him getting angry,” Jack whispered. He looked very scared now, pale as a ghost and his breathing quickening.
“Hey, shh. It’ll all be okay,” Alex said soothingly.
“No it won’t! He’ll get angry and drunk and he’ll beat me and force me to do things and I-“ Jack was cut off by sobs racking his body. Alex instinctively hugged him, slowly rocking Jack back and forth. He made little soothing sounds and rubbed Jack's back.
“It’ll only be for half an hour early and the same amount of time after service,” Alex said when Jack had calmed down a bit.
“I-I guess I can ask,” Jack hiccupped.
“Do that. And you know what? You can stay with me if things get out of hand,” Alex offered spontaneously. It just broke his heart knowing that this fragile boy had to live in constant fear. He wanted to help as much as he could.
“Thank you so, so much,” Jack said, sitting up again. He was smiling now.
“Nothing to thank me for. I’ll send a formal letter to your address so you have something to show Matt,” Alex explained. “And I’d need your phone number.”
“Sure.” Alex gave Jack his phone and let him put in the number while he did the same with his number to Jack’s phone.
“Thanks! Don’t be afraid to call or text me anytime. I’m here to help,” Alex said after getting his phone back. Jack smiled and nodded.
“Thank you so much.”
“So I’ll see you tomorrow? Maybe make it 6.25 so I can show you all the things since it’s the first time,” Alex said. Jack nodded.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said with a smile. Alex loved it so much to see him smile. He led him to the door.
“Meet me here?”
“Sure thing,” Jack smiled.
“Bye then. Have a good night and all the best,” Alex said. He was sad to have to let Jack go but knowing he’d probably see him the next day made it better.
“Bye and thank you so much for making my day,” Jack said. Before Alex had the chance to reply, Jack was already gone. Alex felt a big smile on his face. Jack was great.
The service went by without any grave disturbance. Alex glanced over to Jack often, already forcing himself not to constantly look at him. When it came to the Holy Communion, Alex gave Jack a little extra smile and Jack smiled back. It was adorable to see Jack smile. And even better because it was of him, Alex.
Finally, everything was said and done and the people started leaving church. Jack remained seated for a bit but then it seemed he couldn’t stay on his butt anymore so he got up and went up to Alex.
“Hey,” he said a little breathlessly.
“Hi Jack,” Alex smiled. He thought about how Jack looked considerably better than before the service, a small smile on his lips. Was this because of him and his words?
“So, this thing?” Jack mumbled, looking at Alex through his eyelashes.
“Wanna come and sit down with me for a coffee so I can tell you? And don’t worry about being late, I cut today’s service a little short so we’d have some time,” Alex replied. It was only 7.40; Alex had ended it almost 20 minutes early.
“Oh… Sure?” Jack said, a little thrown off.
“Just follow me then!” Alex said. He was happy Jack wanted to go with him.
They made their way to Alex’s small house. Alex realized he hadn’t cleaned up and blushed. He hadn’t thought this through too well. He ushered Jack into the kitchen and had him sit down. He quickly made some coffee and gave it to Jack.
“Milk? Sugar?” Alex offered.
“Just black,” Jack answered. He started nipping the dark liquid. Alex sat down.
“So. This thing. I was looking for someone to help me out a bit in church, you know, lighting, readings and all that. I mean I have the altar servers but they’re just kids. I thought about it for a bit and you seem the most suitable for it. Like you are young, come to church regularly and I like you,” Alex explained, his face lit up by a warm smile. He watched Jack closely. He hoped with all his heart that he would say yes. There was a long pause.
“I… I’d love to,” Jack burst out all of a sudden, a huge grin on his face.
“Aw, that’s great!” Alex rejoiced. He was relieved.
“I’m just… a little worried about Matt, my boyfriend,” Jack said, face falling.
“You can tell him you have to do this. And if he doesn’t like it, he’ll have to talk to me,” Alex said fiercely.
“But I’m so scared…” Jack trailed off.
“Of what?”
“Him getting angry,” Jack whispered. He looked very scared now, pale as a ghost and his breathing quickening.
“Hey, shh. It’ll all be okay,” Alex said soothingly.
“No it won’t! He’ll get angry and drunk and he’ll beat me and force me to do things and I-“ Jack was cut off by sobs racking his body. Alex instinctively hugged him, slowly rocking Jack back and forth. He made little soothing sounds and rubbed Jack's back.
“It’ll only be for half an hour early and the same amount of time after service,” Alex said when Jack had calmed down a bit.
“I-I guess I can ask,” Jack hiccupped.
“Do that. And you know what? You can stay with me if things get out of hand,” Alex offered spontaneously. It just broke his heart knowing that this fragile boy had to live in constant fear. He wanted to help as much as he could.
“Thank you so, so much,” Jack said, sitting up again. He was smiling now.
“Nothing to thank me for. I’ll send a formal letter to your address so you have something to show Matt,” Alex explained. “And I’d need your phone number.”
“Sure.” Alex gave Jack his phone and let him put in the number while he did the same with his number to Jack’s phone.
“Thanks! Don’t be afraid to call or text me anytime. I’m here to help,” Alex said after getting his phone back. Jack smiled and nodded.
“Thank you so much.”
“So I’ll see you tomorrow? Maybe make it 6.25 so I can show you all the things since it’s the first time,” Alex said. Jack nodded.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said with a smile. Alex loved it so much to see him smile. He led him to the door.
“Meet me here?”
“Sure thing,” Jack smiled.
“Bye then. Have a good night and all the best,” Alex said. He was sad to have to let Jack go but knowing he’d probably see him the next day made it better.
“Bye and thank you so much for making my day,” Jack said. Before Alex had the chance to reply, Jack was already gone. Alex felt a big smile on his face. Jack was great.
Notes
You go, Alex and Jack! c:
I have decided to try and update every day as normally but I'm not going to do it as strictly as before anymore. :)
Comments make me happy c:
-Laura
@that_band_nerd
Haha aw, no stress, naps are great! Have a nice nap c:
6/20/14