The Essex Affect

When we strummed the last chords and Alex sang the last lines, I got up from my chair and was about to walk back to my seat till I heard Alex sing a couple more line. The words that came out of his mouth shocked me and the whole class, even Mr. Biersack! I had the look of surprise on my face, and everyone could tell, but as soon as I turned back around and looked at the boy with the guitar, I couldn’t help but put a goofy grin on my face. I chuckled and shook my head before I walked back over to him, placing a hand on his cheek and giving him a quick kiss on the lips before taking one of his hands in mine and pulling him with me back to our seats. You could hear all the girls in the class say little ‘awes’ and it just made my smile even bigger.

Once we were back in our seats with our guitars to our sides, I looked over at Alex and gave him a wink. I leaned over to whisper in his ear so that I wouldn’t interrupt Mr. Biersack talking and whispered to him. “In case you didn’t understand what that little kiss meant. The answer is yes.” I placed another kiss on his cheek and moved away from him so I was sitting properly in my chair. I felt someone tap my shoulder and I turned around and looked at the person. It was Jenna, I have known her since first grade I smiled at her and spoke. “Yeah, Jenna?”

“That was the cutest thing I have ever seen. Please tell me those last couple of lines weren’t planned.” She asked so excitedly. I shook my head with a slight laugh.

“Nope. Those last two lines were not planned. It was all Alex.” I said fondly of the boy. Jenna was about to speak again but the bell rang and everyone started leaving the room. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, Jenna.” I got up from my seat, grabbing my backpack and looking down at the boy was seated in his seat, putting his stuff in his bag. “Hurry up slowpoke.” I teased him.

“I would go faster if you told me what class we are going to next.” He spoke back to me, giving me a little grin as he stood up.

“It’s lunch time.” I winked at him, knowing that he wanted food just as badly as I did, maybe even a little bit more. When the words left my mouth he grabbed my hand and we zoomed out of the class with our bags over our shoulders.

It didn’t take long for the news about Alex and I to spread now that class was out, and everyone was looking at us in the hallways. Not in a judging way though, in a way that is kinda like ‘I wish I could be open with things like the way that you are’ kinda way. We went upstairs and went to Alex’s locker, where he put his backpack away and took two books out for his next two classes after lunch. Him also grabbing out his bagged lunch, and handing mine to me as well since I put it in there this morning because I didn’t feel like walking to my own locker. “Thanks cutie.” I said taking the brown bag from him and placing a small kiss on his cheek, watching as they lit up a light shade of pink.

“Jack Bassam Barakat!” I groaned at the voice, knowing exactly who is belonged to. Alex shut his locker and I turned around and watched as the short blonde haired girl stormed down the hallway and over to us, crossing her arms. “What do you think you are doing?” She shot at me.

“Well, I’m just enjoying life and living it to the fullest.” I said with a sweet voice, that was way to sweet to be real. “Until you came along and ruined it again.” I muttered under my breath.

“Is this that British boy everyone is talking about?” She shot out, still speaking to me but looking at Alex. “How could you?” She looked back over to me.

“How could I what?” I asked calmly.

“Fuck me over like that! I thought what we had was special!” She was basically throwing a huge fit in the middle of the hallway, catching the eyes and ears of many students that were around. I kept my calm and spoke again.

“Taylor, stop with all of this. We never had anything. I’m gay. I forever will be gay. Nothing you say will or can change the way I am. Now if you don’t mind, MY boyfriend and I are going to lunch.” I put my arm around Alex’s shoulders and we started walking the hall to reach the steps, going down them and reaching the lunch room about three minutes later.

“So, care to explain who that was?” Alex asked confused.

“Taylor Momsen. Ever since she found out I was gay back in ninth grade, she has been trying to get with me, not that she likes me or anything. She just thinks she can have anyone she wants. She continues to try and get me, only so she can try and prove that she rules this school. But in all honesty, not to act like I’m top notch shit or something, I think I’m the one who really runs the school.”

“And how is that?” He questioned as we sat at my normal lunch table with Austin and Alan right across from us, but not interrupting our conversation as they continued to eat.

“Well, y’know how most schools rules are kinda like the popular kids that always bully people?” He nodded his head. “Well at this school, there really is not any bullies, and the reason for that is, whenever new kids enter the high school, that like picking on others, I normally shut it all down. Everyone respects me, and are not scared to come up to me and ask for her on anything, or just come up and have a nice little pleasant conversation.” I smiled when I finished my exploration. Glad that I was able to do some good in this world. He seemed to enjoy my response as he smiled back at me, and I could see a spark in his eye.

“So how’s gay-ville?” Alan asked, breaking Alex and I out of our own minds. “Word travels fast. Who asked who?” He smiled at us. Yes, Alan likes teasing me, but he will always be genuinely happy for everyone.

“Alex and I had to write and perform a song for Mr. Biersack’s class. At the end of the song Alex threw in a few words that no one, not even me expected to hear. But I’m sure you guys will see a video on Facebook or something some time soon, knowing how many kids in the class there are, I’m sure someone was recording the whole thing.”

“Congrats guys.” Austin said with a smile of his own as he took another bite of his sandwich. I was about to speak again till my phone started going off in pocket, I took it out and looked at the caller ID. I was happy at the name that popped up so I quickly pressed the green button and answered it.

“Mom! How are you?” I asked with excitement.

“I’m doing very well, sweetheart! I wanted to let you know that Dad and I will both be home tonight. We don’t have a long stay as we have another trip we have to make, but we will be home for a total of two days, then we have to leave Saturday morning. Which I’m glad you work at the waterpark that day because you will be awake to say goodbye to us!” I smiled at my Mom’s words. They have been gone for almost two months and I was so glad to hear that they were coming home, even if it was for just a couple of days.

“That’s great news! I’ll be home right after school today to wait on you guys!”

“Alright Jacky, I can’t wait to see my babyboy! Oh, has anything new happened while we were gone? I want to know the most important thing that happened right now so I don’t have to wait!” My Mom was always so interested in my life and I couldn’t help but smile again as I looked over to the teal haired boy next to me as I spoke again.

“I think the most interesting thing that happened while you guys were gone happened in the past two days.”

“Ooo! Tell me more!” She was like a teenage girl when it came to talking to me and I loved it. She was so nice and easy to get along with, and she supported me in everything I did, same with my Dad.

“Well, at school we got this new student.” I paused and looked back at Alex, who stopped eating and looked at me, knowing that I was speaking about him. “And I showed him around the school the first day, he’s really cool, Mom. He has this awesome hair color as well, it’s like a teal-ish.”

“He sounds like the type of guy you would hang out with.” Mom chuckled.

“Oh, but that’s not all, Mom.” I winked at Alex and continued speaking into my phone. “So Mr. Biersack paired Alex, that’s his name, and I up for a song project. Well today we performed it for the class and Alex decided to add a couple lines at the end of the, basically asking me to be his boyfriend.” When the word boyfriend left my mouth she started screaming at the top of her lungs, and I could just see her jumping around with excitement. It wouldn’t be the first time she has acted like this after I got a new boyfriend. “Haha, calm down Mom!”

“I want to meet him! Tonight! Ooo! Invite him and his family over for dinner! Dad and I want to meet all of them!” I looked over to Alex and questioned him.

“Do you and your family want to come over to my place for dinner tonight?”

“We have to get Tom from the airport right after school. But I’m sure my parents would love to come over.” He smiled back to me.

“Alright, I’ll drop you off at home after school and you can tell them the way to my house.” He nodded his head in agreement and I put the phone back to my ear to continue my conversation with my Mom. “Alex and his parents have to go to the airport to pick up his brother who is flying in from England right after school, but they will be over after that.”

“Alright! Can’t wait to meet the boy my son is speaking so adorably about! Well, I got to go. Dad just got us a cab and we are on our way back home from the airport right now. Love you sweetie.”

“Love you too, Mom. See ya soon.” I hung up the phone and smiled. “Looks like you are meeting my parents tonight.”

“Wait, your parents are back? Can we come over too?! Your Mom is the best cook ever!” Alan praised.

“No. No you may not come over tonight. You can come over tomorrow night. Tonight is about Alex and his family.”

“Well, I guess this works out perfectly. I meet your parents, and you meet my brother.” The boy smiled at me again and I put my arm around his shoulder, letting him lean into my side as we finished up our lunch.

Notes

Yayy! Jalex is alive!
Alex gets to meet the parents in the next chapter!
Jack gets to meet Tom in the next chapter!
Woo!
Yay for the supportive parents that they both have!

~Jagk.