This Is What Happens When Love Meets Destruction

I walked into the auto shop and did a quick search of the room, checking to see if Alex was already there. Letting out a nervous sigh when I didn't see him any where, I sat down in my usual seat before pulling out my physics homework and began to work on it, seeing as how it was due after lunch.

After zipping through the first two problems, I heard the chair next to me creak slightly, indicating that Alex had arrived. Glancing up from my paper, I looked over at him and found him to be watching me with an unreadable look. Raising an eyebrow at him, I frowned slightly.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

Tilting his head to the side slightly, he gave me a surprised look and then shook his head.

"You're being moody with me today." He said simply before looking away. "What did I do this time?"

Sighing quietly, I thought back to the night before. "Nothing." I mumbled.

At least my answer was true; Alex had done absolutely nothing last night after he kissed me, with the exception of commenting about some stupid car that drove by us. He didn't mention a single thing about why he kissed me, he didn't clarify anything. He just shrugged it off as a no big deal sort of thing. If he didn't see the problem with that, then I was going to resort to being moody with him for the day.

Muttering a few incoherent words under his breath, Alex lowered his gaze to his bag and reached inside, pulling out a pencil. "Anyway," he sighed, "what are you doing for lunch today?"

"I don't know." I said quietly. "Why? Do you want me and Lauren to sneak you and Jack off campus for lunch?"

Alex looked back to me, a cute smile pulling around his lips. "It would mean the world to us." He grinned, nodding his head. "Plus, I want you to try out that new restaurant down there by Arby's, it's fucking amazing."

"Well," I paused for a moment or two, thinking to myself, "I suppose I can do that."

"Thank you, babe." He smiled. "I'll even buy you lunch, I swear. You're gonna love it."

Whatever grudge I was holding against Alex at the moment, I couldn't help but laugh slightly at how excited he was getting, over some restaurant. Alex's eyes lingered on mine a few seconds more before he looked back to his pencil in his hands, suddenly finding it interesting.

Sometimes I would give anything to know what went through the boys mind. I wondered if he was thinking about when we kissed, or has he already forgotten about it? I mean, you don't just kiss someone for no reason, do you? There has to be a reason why he kissed me, a reason why he wanted to be that close to me.

Maybe it was all just hopeful thinking, seeing as how I've liked Alex for a while now. Or maybe, Alex did feel the same way about me, but he wasn't mature enough to admit it. Sure, you can defend him and say that he's only a junior, and not quite ready to admit to something like this, but in all reality, Alex is just a couple of months younger than me. He should have enough wits about him to step it up relationship wise, right?

Shaking my head, I pushed the rest of my thoughts of Alex out of my head and looked back to my physics work. The class started shortly afterward, but we were still going over the welding shop rules and guidelines. I've heard the speech numerous times before, so I put my full attention back on my homework, and by the time the class ended for lunch, I was finished with everything.

As Mr. Loncar dismissed our class, I put my physics book and homework back into my bag before slinging it over my shoulder. Taking my pencil, I tucked it neatly into my bun and then turned to Alex.

"You ready to go?" I asked, watching him as he slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

Straightening himself out, he nodded his head and reached over, linking his arm with mine, "Yeah, I gotta go and stop by my locker real fast to put my things away," he said, leading me from the classroom and out into the bright sunlight. "How about Jack and I meet you and Lauren at your car?"

"Sounds good." I agreed.

With that, Alex unlinked his arm from mine, grabbed my hand, squeezed it tightly, and then took off toward the side of the school that had the junior class lockers. I headed in the opposite direction, toward the parking lot. On the way there, I stopped by the drama classroom, finding Lauren to be lingering around outside the entrance.

Upon seeing me, her hazel eyes lit up and she rushed toward me, linking her arm with mine just like Alex had done a few moments prior.

"Vinnie, you're never gonna guess what." She chatted excitedly as we made our way through the hallways and toward the parking lot.

"What's up?"

"They're going to let us do a production of Sweeney Todd for the fall play." She said. "It's going to be amazing."

"Wow," I grinned, "Sweeney Todd, eh? That's pretty ballsy of them."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so excited I'm going to fucking pass out."

"Shut the fuck up." I laughed. "Do you have your off campus pass?"

"Yeah, why, what are we doing for lunch?" She asked, releasing my arm as we emerged in the parking lot.

"Me, you, Alex, and Jack are going to some sort of new restaurant." I said. "Alex has been hassling me about trying it, so we're going to go there today for lunch."

At the mention of Alex's name, a shy smile pulled across Lauren's lips. "You might think me strange for saying this, but," she paused momentarily, giggling to herself, "you and Alex would make a cute couple."

Feeling my cheeks start to burn at her statement, I shrugged my shoulders and pulled my keys out of my pocket. "I don't know." I mumbled.

Lauren flipped her naturally straight auburn hair over her shoulder. "You guys would though." She insisted.

Choosing not to answer her, we rounded the back of a big 4x4 truck and caught sight of Jack already propped against the passenger side of my car. Seeing me, he smiled softly before straightening himself up.

"Hey Vinnie, hey Lauren." He greeted us. "How are you two today?"

"Good." I replied.

"Great." Lauren laughed happily. "We're -"

I put my hand over her mouth, cutting her short. "She's got a boner because the school is letting the drama class do a production of Sweeney Todd this year." I explained.

Jack laughed softly and nodded his head. "Right on." He said, most likely unsure as to what else to say.

I popped open my trunk and threw my bag in and then waited for Lauren to do the same before I shut it. Looking around, I saw that most of the parking lot was empty by now, and there was still no sign of Alex. By that time, Jack cleared his throat a little, gaining my attention once again.

"Alex said to tell you that he won't be able to go with us today." He said quietly.

"What? But, this whole idea was his." I frowned. "What's he doing?"

Jack frowned slightly, mumbling a few words to himself before he answered my question. "When I was talking to him at our lockers," he paused momentarily, his frown deepening, "Amy came by and invited him out to lunch with her." He finished his sentence rather quickly, as if he were forcing it out. After that, his frown turned apologetic in a heartbeat, suggesting to me that he knew all about last night.

"Oh, well, I see." I said offhandedly.

"You don't have to go through the trouble of 'sneaking' me off campus if you don't want to, Vinnie." Jack said quietly. "I mean, I know that this whole thing was Alex's idea, not mine. I just came over here to let you know that Alex wasn't going to show up."

"No, no, it's fine Jack." I said. "Come on, let's just go grab something to eat at In 'n Out or something."

With that, we all climbed into my car, Jack and I both silent while Lauren started chattering about their play. The ride to In 'n Out seemed slow, and most of the time Lauren did the talking; Jack and I only spoke up whenever we needed to. I couldn't help but notice that every time I glanced up in my rearview mirror, I saw Jack watching me. He never even bothered to look away, or pretend that he was looking at something else. He just sat there, watching me with an unreadable look on his face.

Finally, we arrived at In 'n Out, and we went inside to order our food. As we waited for our orders to get done, Jack and I grabbed a table, while Lauren went off to the bathroom. As soon as she was out of earshot, I felt Jack's brown eyes on me once again, so I turned to look at him.

"You've been watching me the entire ride over here, Jack." I said. "What's up?"

He bit his lip slightly, looking as if he were having a hard time deciding whether or not he should tell me what he was about to say. "What do you think of Amy?"

Caught off guard by his question, it took me a few seconds to answer. "She's a bitch." I mumbled. "I don't know what Alex is doing running around with her ... okay, well maybe I do, but, he should know better." I said quietly. "She's one of the fakest, cruelest people I know. I don't understand why people aren't able to see right through her."

Frowning to himself, Jack nodded his head in agreement. "I tried to tell Alex that too, but, he didn't listen to me."

Hesitating for a few seconds, I lowered my eyes to the table and sighed softly. "Why do you ask?" I said quietly. "Has he been talking about her lately or something?"

"Well, they were getting pretty friendly this morning in our first two classes." He mumbled. "It's funny, because just last night he was swooning to me about a girl who was the complete opposite of Amy."

Hearing this, I quickly turned my eyes back in Jack's direction. He sat there, watching me intently, his stare burning into me.

"Alex likes you, Vinnie, and I can tell that you like him too." Jack said softly. "He was going to tell you last night, he was supposed to tell you, but he chickened out."

"So why is he suddenly all about Amy?" I mumbled.

"I don't know." Jack frowned. "I'm wondering that too."

"If Alex starts messing around with Amy, she's only going to break his heart." I whispered. "It's what she does, it's the only thing she's good at."

At that moment, Lauren came walking back over to us, signaling the end of me and Jack's conversation. Tearing my eyes from Jack, I looked up to Lauren and forced a smile, not wanting her to know that inside my emotions were starting to reek havoc with me.

Of all the people in this town that I could have fallen for, of all the guys in the school I knew I could have, I had to fall for the one boy that would rather turn in his heel and make a run for it than flat out tell me the truth. As if high school wasn't complicated enough.