He Doesn't Look A Thing Like Jesus; But He Talks Like A Gentleman

Alex entered one of the smaller gyms knowing that cheer practice had already started, and Chase wouldn’t interrupt her practice to tell him to leave, and that way she wouldn’t be able to sneak off away from him when practice was over, not if he had her cornered. He was very sweaty and dirty from his football practice but used that as part of his charm to woo the girls on the cheer squad.
Not very subtly, Alex threw the door open with great force making a loud BANG! Noise just as the song playing transitioned into a new one. The sound alarmed everyone who turned to face him. Most of the girls got devilish looks and gave him a naughty girl smile and a wave. A few other girls called out, “Heyyyy Alex,” attempting a sultry, sexy voice.
The only people who didn’t greet him were: the new cheerleader Tara, who was pointedly staring away from everyone, and Chase who was giving him a death glare.
He smiled back and set his hand in a wave, “Hey ladies.”
“Alex,” Chase said in a fake cheerful voice, “Don’t you have some place to be?”
“Actually,” Alex said throwing his backpack down on the bleacher step behind him, and placing his feet up on the bleacher step in front of him. “No, I don’t.”
“Well,” Chase said with a fake smile and a sugary sweet tone that he seemed to be the only one to read into, “Sorry Al,” she said drawing out the Al knowing he hated to be called that, “but this is a closed practice.”
“Well Chay,” he said mimicking her tone exactly and also using a nickname that she disliked, “That is too bad. I guess I’ll just have to leave…” he said sadly getting up and the some of the girls, “awhed”.
“That is,” Alex said looking up, “If that’s what everyone wants.”
“It is,” Chase started to promise him but then all the protesting started.
“No!”
“Come on Chase!”
“Stay Alex!”
Voices rung out everywhere and Alex sat back down, a huge smile on his face. Chase’s eyes narrowed and she continued practice with an irritated attitude.
Chase’s practice was tense, to say the least. After the outburst in the cafeteria all the girls on the squad spent any free moment gawking and speaking in hushed tones about Tara. Unlike Chase, not many other girls on the squad had a problem with Jasyn Barakat and this was quite a scandal.
Alex watched as Chase was taking her irritation at Alex and the ruder girls out on the whole squad.
“No! No!” She called out stopping the music after she’d asked the girls to repeat the moves she’d demonstrated back to her. “You’re doing it wrong! WATCH ME! Ok?! WATCH!”
Alex could not remember the last time he’d seen Chase so upset and taking it out on someone other then herself or him.
Half way through the practice Tara had broke down and started to cry running out of the gym. Some of the bitchier girls even jeered at her as she left. When Chase tried to reprimand the girls they had practically laughed in her face, walking out of the gym as well. Alex tried to contain his laughs as Chase got extremely flustered but instantly felt bad when he saw her turn to where she thought no one could see her face, looking like she was about to start crying.
When Kelli and Kerri ran up to her and began to pester her, he could see she was visibly upset, and trying to get away. However whenever she started inching away the two twin girls seemed to follow her, and by fifteen steps they seemed to have her cornered.
Alex quickly grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder and with speed made his way over to the huddled three girls. The closer he got, the more clearly he could hear Kelli and Kerri babble.
“So seriously, where were you?”
“We totally caught you sneak in during that fight in lunch. Were you skipping…with a boy?”
Chase must have flushed a bit; Alex couldn’t be sure because she was hidden by the two taller, obnoxious girls; but he assumed it because the other girl cut in with:
“It totally was with a boy! Look at that face, total give away!”
Alex took that moment to swoop in-between the girls, and wrapped an arm around Chase’s shoulders.
“Caught her,” He said with a smile. “I got her to skip with me,” Alex delivered his line with a smile.
Kelli and Kerri cackled trying to look cute, and “Ooh-ed and Aah-ed,” in approval.
Alex shuffled passed the girls with his arm staying wrapped about Chase’s shoulder. As soon as they left the gym, Chase pulled from his embrace, yet walked in speed with him, and gave him a seemingly grateful “Thank you.”
Alex smiled a small smile at his cousin, a person that he cared for greatly, and felt it was his job to protect; and projected a completely harmless demeanor.
“You can repay me by giving me a ride home,” he replied in good sport. His plan, get her in the car and then start the interrogation.
“Ok,” Chase shrugged as the two of started for her car.
“It’s getting pretty pathetic.” Chase said out of the blue.
“What is…?” Alex asked confused.
“You. Having your cousin driving your butt around all the time.” She smiled sticking her tongue out at the tall shaggy haired boy walking beside her as they reached her car and the two of them got into it.
“Oh hush. It’s me getting back for the year and a half I drove your ass everywhere.” Alex joked.
“You know,” Chase said turning to Alex after putting on her seat belt and adjusting her rear view mirror, “I’m starting to believe that your car isn’t even in the shop. I haven’t seen it in weeks. I think it’s because you’re too cheap to pay the gas. What’s the truth Gaskarth?”
“Definitely the gas thing,” Alex agreed. “No but, really I’m starting to believe that they stole my money and my car!” he laughed. “No really though, I should be getting it back in the next couple days. Or so they have been telling me.” He continued with an eye roll.
As Chase started the car, and they pulled out of the school parking lot towards Alex’s house, neither of the Gaskarth teenagers said a word. Alex could feel the awkwardness start to set in, and he wondered if Chase could too. He struggled with the choices of having the conversation he wanted to have, and turning on the radio and avoiding the whole thing in the end. Ultimately, 90 seconds of silence later, he opted for the conversation.
“Hey listen,” he started slumped down in the seat, “I’m sorry about before…this morning. I didn’t mean to come off like a dick, it’s just I worry about you. And I can tell there is something wrong.”
Alex paused, biting the inside of his lower lip. Waiting. Waiting for a response from her as he stared.
Chase got a look on her face that was he’d never received from her before, yet he had seen her give to others before. A look like she was contemplating on telling him something. The look was only on her face for a split second, before a smile appeared on her face.
“Wow, an apology from Alex Gaskarth,” she nodded her head appreciatively. “Rare occurrence.”
“Chase, come on!” Alex yelled startling her as she nearly swerved.
“WHAT WAS THAT? YOU ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT! YOU DO NOT YELL AT ME IN MY CAR!” She screamed back ten decibels louder, causing Alex to cover his ears under his beanie hat.
“Ok, ok no yelling! I get it! Now stop screaming! And while you’re at it stop lying too!” he exclaimed.
“Lying? Lying about what?” Chase asked her mouth in forming into a perfectly straight line.
“About something being wrong,” he pushed.
“Ok. Something is wrong,” she admitted.
“Finally! Now tell me what is it?” he pressed again.
“Ok. Dad thinks I switched out of my chemistry class, he forbade me to work with Jasyn Barakat. And I told him I did. But truth is I desperately need that credit, so I didn’t...”
“Are you sure that’s all…?”
“Yes!”
“So this has nothing to do with Jack Barakat?” Alex asked point blank.
Alex watched as Chase’s face remained perfectly the same, almost unnaturally.
“Jack Barakat?” she asked carefully.
“Are you like talking to him, or seeing him or something?!”
“No.” Chase asserted in what Alex took for genuine surprise.
“Why is Jasyn telling me to tell you to stay away from your brother?” Alex had a cloud of confusion forming over his head.
As Chase pulled up to the red-light she turned to face her cousin, “Alex, have I ever lied to you before?” She asked him looking into his eyes.
“No.” Alex replied confidently.
“Jasyn Barakat is a lying bitch. We both know that,” Chase’s tone darkened.
Alex nodded. “Wait, what are you doing talking to her?” his cousin cocked an eyebrow.
“Health,” he sighed slumping down further into his seat in the car.
Thinking about his project with Jasyn he wanted to completely ignore it. How did Mrs. Desmond expect him to work with her? “Co-Parent” with her? Work on a presentation and present it to the whole class, once again, with her.
“You had to talk to her in health?” Chase asked popping his thought bubble and bringing him back to the conversation.
“Yeah. We had a class assignment today, and we got paired up.” Alex shrugged opting to go for the condensed story. Leaving out the potential time spent with Jasyn he may or may not have to have.
Chase pulled into Alex’s driveway before he knew it, and he was surprised when she turned the car off and took her seatbelt off, and gave her a confused look.
“I’m coming in to say hi,” Chase said in a ‘duh’ voice.
Alex nervously made a path from his mother’s car to his father’s car with his eyes. They were both home. And it was more then likely they were arguing inside. A side of his immediate family that no one, not even his own sister a part of his immediate family, but he knew.
“Bad idea,” Alex sighed furrowing his brow.
“Why?” Chase asked also furrowing her brow, but in confusion.
“Because,” he stalled thinking of an excuse.
Chase folded her arms across her chest raising her brow and tilting her head, “yes?”
“Because…I don’t want you to,” he quickly raced out of the car and up the driveway, into the garage shutting it swiftly behind him.
Peeking out of the garage window he could see Chase in the driveway. Her face had a range of emotions. Shocked, hurt, angry. Then over again. Finally about a minute later, he heard her car start up and speed out of the driveway.