Colder Than My Heart

Sarah bounced the eraser on the end of her pencil against the edge of the table in time to the slight bobbing of her head as she sung.

“So take your first class ticket and your beggar’s heart, you’ll strip her of everything, say ‘you’ll go far’,” she sung whilst glancing over the writing neatly scrawled along the faint lines between her slender fingers. She sighed and dropped the paper, chewing fiercely on the yellow coated wood.

“I can work with that,” Jersey nodded from where he was sat on the bench next to her. His body was turned directly towards her and at a right angle from the table. His leg was bent and resting on the seat between him and the girl, his arm supporting his weight against the table. Sarah turned to him with a sigh as she dropped the pencil.

“Really?” She asked pushing her mouth to the side of her face in annoyance and fighting the urge to tear up the page before her. Jersey merely nodded and sat upright in his seat, extending his two index fingers and looking at her expectantly. Sarah sighed once more, picking the paper back up as she shifted towards him slightly. As she began to sing jersey drummed his fingers against the surface in a pattern. Sarah found herself smiling as she reached the final lines of her incomplete song again. She felt more at ease knowing Jersey was willing to help her. As the two turned to each other once again she kept her smile prominent.

“Was that fine?” Jersey asked, seeking opinion as her expression was unreadable. Sarah laughed light-heartedly before nodding gently. She was feeling more secure now that she knew her piece wasn’t worthless, but work in progress. She sat her hands in her lap, staring past the pencil marks on the sheets and let her mind go blank. Jersey looked at her with uncertain eyes before turning back to his original position. As he did this she leaned forward, pressing her fist to her cheek and leaning her forearm to the table causing her hand to hand limply. Jersey frowned.

“Sarah?” He asked carefully. When he got no response he realised she was deep in thought over something. “Hey,” he tried again, reaching out and lightly taking a hold on her hand. At the contact her head lifted, snapping her concentration and causing her to meet his eyes. A slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and she dropped her eyes to his hand. He pushed the bright white sleeves of her shirt off her skin with his free hand and encased her long fingers in his hand. “What’s up?” He asked her.

“It’s not a big deal,” she shrugged pretty nonchalantly. Jersey raised an eyebrow questioningly though Sarah had turned away from him.

“You can tell me,” he replied with an edge to his voice. Sarah rolled her eyes and tightened her jaw, slightly frustrated at how everyone would push her over tiny details.

“I just don’t know whether it’ll be something I can finish,” she assured him. “I’ve not been able to finish anything lately,” she groaned in exasperation. She flicked his hand away, leaning both her elbows against the table and running her fingers through her hair, fuck manners. Jersey looked at her in little shock, he leaned in closer to her, tying his arm around her shoulder and pushing his forehead to her hair hoping she’d turn to him.

“Sorry,” he muttered quietly before continuing. “Are you mad at me?” He asked. Sarah grunted under her breath.

“Yes,” she mumbled quickly before remaining motionless. Jersey laughed to himself before pulling her into his chest and making her arms collapse in a heap against her lap. Sarah couldn’t help but chuckle a little as all the frustration left her veins. She pulled away from him and shoved his shoulder lightly. Alex watched from his spot in the lunch line. He couldn’t deny, this kind of thing brought him back to his high school days, however in high school he wasn’t stood on some grass as people dripping in sweat and others freshly woken walked around with towels and food in search of their food.

Alex kept his eyes glued on every movement Jersey and Sarah made. The two were very friendly with each other and it made him grow surprisingly suspicious. Alex ignored the fact he had no business in Sarah’s affairs but he couldn’t help but grow curious. Not that he thought Sarah was in incapable of getting a boyfriend, he thought exactly the opposite, she was downright gorgeous and probably had boys kissing the ground she walked on but why of all people would she choose to have a boyfriend in the same band as her? And why would no one have mentioned it before?

He grumbled a little under his breath, too quiet for the chattering voice surrounding him to hear as he shifted his body in their direction; however his eyes stayed glued on the couple. He began to fidget and crossed one of his arms across his chest, gripping his bicep. He tore his gaze away from the two and looked towards jack who was stood in deep nonsense conversation with their merch man, Vinnie.

“Jack?” He asked not caring that he was interrupting the conversation no matter how ridiculous it may have been. Jack stopped talking mid-sentence and both he and Vinnie turned their attention to Alex. He looked uncomfortable, slightly agitated. Vinnie cautiously sent Alex a questioning look he turned to look at Jack but saw he was still looking at Alex. Jack continued to look at Alex expectantly but saw he didn’t get any reply. He fought the subconscious urge to frown and decided to talk first.

“Yeah Al?” He asked carefully. Alex sighed in what seemed to be frustration. Both Vinnie and Jack frowned, acknowledging him was the wrong thing to do?

“What are the plans for the rest of the day?” Alex asked beginning to chew on his fingernails as he combed his free hand through his hair.

“Well The Maine have a late show today. John said he’d come and sit with us and we could chill with him after and watch their set,” Jack nodded using hand gestures in explanation. Dammit.

Alex nodded.

“Sure,” he muttered. “Is anyone else coming along?” He asked hopefully with an edge to his voice he was half hoping Jack wouldn’t pick up on. Although he was half hoping he would. Jack raised his eyebrow as Alex stared back at him. He heard laughter chiming throughout the marquee and turned his attention in the direction it was coming from. Most of the people in the food line did the same and watched as a familiar brown haired guy grinned and walked over to the couple at the table. Alex straightened up, flattening out the edges of his shirt as he watched the scene before him. Jack noticed this and couldn’t help but frown before turning back to the three. John clapped hands with the drummer and Alex thought about how John had promised to meet them.

“John!” He hollered acting casual as everyone at the table turned their attention to him. Alex smirked to himself as he thought he’d gotten away with it although Jack looked at Alex in suspicion. Alex simply beckoned the brunette over who smiled at him before turning to the others and telling them something the others couldn’t hear. Alex smiled subconsciously, biting down on his bottom lip from stopping the excited grin take over his face. Jack was frowning shamelessly at him, he’d never seen his friend behave in such a manner and it confused him.

As John approached Alex stole a glance at Sarah. Both she and Jersey were watching although their eyes weren’t on John, instead they were on Alex. Sarah was smiling brightly at him and as their eyes met she tilted her head slightly. Alex simply returned the smile and sent her a small wave. As Alex’s eyes lingered on hers for nothing more than a split second longer than he thought was acceptable he dropped his eyes to the floor. Jack could swear a small blush had crept onto the older boy’s face but he decided not to think too much of it.

“Hey guys!” John greeted with open arms as he approached the group. Jack decided not to dwell on the subject any longer and turned his eyes to the guy before him with a smile.