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

Alex laughed and yawned as he stretched his limbs out. He was sprawled out on Chase's bed watching as she rapidly ran across her room. Once immaculate and pristine, only about an hour ago the room now had accumulated newly formed piles of clothes everywhere his eyes ran. Out of the corner of his eye, Alex could see Chase sprint by with another new outfit on, her hair was half curled, half straight, unfinished. Her makeup was done, and she had a nervous look on her face.
"Nervous for the date?"
Chase looked to her cousin on the bed, as if she had temporarily forgotten he was there,
"A little," she admitted grabbing a dress draped over the bed off and running back into the bathroom.
"Chase," Alex called out, "That outfit looked fine, it looked good! Why are you changing again?"
He waited yet, Chase gave no response to him. Looking at the clock he saw that it was four oh seven in the afternoon and he wondered where the whole day had gone.

The night prior, he and Rian had decided to go out drinking, and invited Chase. Chase, who decided she wouldn't want to suffer the next day with a hangover, had chosen to be the DD. From that Saturday night, into the wee hours of this Sunday's morning they had driven around, blasting music, while the boys sat in the back sipping on a large Grey Goose bottle Alex had gotten his hands on only a few hours prior at his parent's house. At around three, Chase was starting to doze off and pulled up into her driveway.
"Howm I getting home?" Rian had slurred as each of the Gaskarths cracked up hysterically. Alex because he was drunk, and Chase because Rian was normally the boy who stayed in control.
"You're not," Chase said getting out of the driver's side first, although Alex remained gripping his stomach from laughter, and Rian sat tilting his head in confusion.
"then, wherem I stayin?" Rian had lost his perfect grammar and all inhibition about four shots ago and he stumbled out of the car, Alex following suit but he was a little bit more suave since he had experience maneuvering under the influence.
"Here," Chase didn't turn around, instead she tiptoed quietly around the side of the house. It was a waste being quiet though, because of the two boys she was with and what condition they were in. It was freezing, and had rained all evening leaving her grass wet and slippery, and before she knew it she had heard a thud, then another thud, and extremely hysterical laughter, as she herself started to fall down on top of Rian. Alex had slipped taking Rian down with him, and he Chase with him.
Chase was chuckling with the boys giggling like little girls, "Shhh. Shhh." she pleaded as she tried to bite her lip and quiet herself.
Finally the three of them composed themselves, and Chase let them in through the back of the garage. The boys were still being loud, even though it was unintentional, and Chase wanted to get them upstairs as soon as she could. She had Alex lead the way to her bedroom, and walked between him and Rian, that way she had easy access to both of them, and could hit them or tell them to quiet down.
Chase let out a sigh of relief when the three of them safely entered her room. Alex collapsed on her bed. "Shoes off," she requested. Alex fumbled with his shoes and threw them across the room. Rian took his shoes off too and get onto the opposite side of Chase's bed.
"Uhm guys," she said but each of them had their eyes closed, "Where am I supposed to sleep?" she asked.
Alex made no movements, but Rian moved closer to Alex with his back to him, and raised his arm up, as if to tell Chase to sleep with him. Chase climbed into bed too, and friendlily cuddled under Rian's arm, resting her head on the nook of his neck.
When Alex and Chase had awoken, Rian was already gone and it was twelve noon. They went and get brunch, then had gone back to Chase's room where they had been ever since while she was trying to pick out her outfit, and get ready.
"Chase?" Alex called again when he realized she still hadn't responded to him even after a few minutes of reflection of the night prior.
"I finally picked an outfit!" She exclaimed happily.
"GOOD." Alex called out. "Let me see."
"Finishing my hair," she called back to him again through her shut bathroom door that was conjoined with her bedroom.
With that, Alex was startled by a set of vibrations coming from the bed under the blankets somewhere. It must be my phone, Alex thought standing up and rifling through the blankets and sheets looking for his phone. He found his and Chase's phones at the same time. Seeing her phone with a red blinking light he realized that it was her phone and not his that had been vibrating.
Alex threw his phone in his pocket, and went to place Chase's phone on her nightstand, but he was distracted by the message she'd received. He was curious due to the anonymity of the contact name. Just j. This said J person had texted her and said "good luck with the dick tonight. cant wait to see you".
Alex was interested and feeling nosy. Taking a look at the bathroom door that showed no sign of opening anytime soon, then back to the phone, he gave in and opened Chase's inbox. It was nearly full, and ninety percent of them were from this J character.
Nothing was overly risque, or X-Rated but the person admitted that they liked the way Chase had looked on Friday. And said that they missed her yesterday.
Scrolling down a little more he could hear Chase call out to him over her music that she was playing. "Ready?" she asked, and Alex nearly threw her phone, yet caught himself and put it on the nightstand.
"Yeah," he agreed sitting back down on her bed.
"What do you think?" she asked she walked out. Her hair was slightly waved, and had a metallic dress on.
"You look grown up," Alex agreed not liking it one bit.
"Says my cousin, who is only a year older then me," Chase playfully narrowed her eyes as she slipped into her boots.
"You got a text message," he informed her looking uninterested yet, was analyzing her face expression as she read it.
Chase opened her phone looking for a moment before a wide grin spread across her face, and she began to rapidly text back.
"Who is it?"
"Who's who?" Chase asked adding the finishing touch to her outfit, her bracelets, and then began to pack her clutch with her ID, money, lip gloss and her cellphone.
"Oh, just a friend,"she smiled.
"Anyone I know?" Alex pried.
"No," she said simply, "But," she looked at the clock, "Tommy's bound to be here any moment and I don't want you here, when he arrives."
"I see how it is, push lil' ol' Alex out the door," slowly pulling himself off of the bed, and wrapping his arms around Chase's neck in a hug lightly.
"Be careful. Call if you need anything."
Alex left without a fight but wanted to know who this J character was. Walking outside he noticed it was a little chilly, and pulled the sleeves of his hoodie down past his fingers, and folded his arms over his chest. Deciding to walk to Rian's, which was just down a few streets over.
Getting to the Dawson's he saw Rian's car there, and a red honda he didn't recognize. However neither Mr. or Mrs. Dawson's cars were there. Walking up the porch steps, and ringing the bell, Rian's sister answered the door. She was about fifteen or sixteen, and looked a lot older for her age. Alex looked her over, wondering when the last time he'd seen her was, and when she'd gotten boobs.
"Hey Alex," she said in a monotone voice stepping away from the door in her argyle shorts that were way too short, and a volcom hoodie. "Rian's upstairs with his friend."
"Ok, thanks," Alex said breaking out of his trance and walked upstairs.
"Dude, What happened to your sister," Alex asked opening Rian's bedroom door which was closed.
He was shocked to see Rian sitting in his room, playing his drums, with Zack Merrick who was on Rian's bed playing a bass. Zack was not technically a Barakat, but he was cousins with them. And Rian was Alex's bestfriend. Making this scene a little awkward.
"Hey man," Rian smiled, "what's up."
"Hey," Zack greeted Alex as well, but Alex could tell that he felt the awkwardness too.
"Am I interrupting something? Some homoerotic thing?" Alex joked, and Rian genuinely laughed. "Nah man, Zack and I were just jamming together."
"Playing what?" Alex asked sitting beside Zack, who seemed to look a little surprised. Probably because Alex was always a complete jerk to him and his cousins.
"I don't know, just a little Blink-182, some new found glory..." Rian trailed off.
"Let's hear it," Alex said with a small smile.
+++

"Let's hear it," Chase pressed Tommy, as the two of them sat in their third row middle seats, waiting for blink-182 to come on after the string of warm up bands had come and gone.
"Ok, I'll admit that I knew what you were talking about...because I've seen Glee."
"Aha!" Chase yelled out in good humor.
She and Tommy were having a fun time at the concert. Well, she couldn't speak for him, but she was having a good time. She wasn't feeling completely in love with him or anything, but he was making her laugh and smile. Plus she was super excited to see Tom, Travis, and Mark perform.
The only thing that Chase was bummed about was not seeing Jack yet. She was texting him, and he kept telling her that she would see him before Blink came out. She was anxious now to see him.
"So, are you having a good time?" Tommy asked her breaking her out of her thoughts, "Yeah, definitely." she assured him.
"Well you look hella hot," he nodded his head in a 'hell-yeah' kind of way. Chase gave an uneasy smile, but was internally cringing. He said, hella. And she hated that coming from a boy born and raised on the east-coast.
Just then, she saw the people in front of her stand from their seats. Chase thought the band was on, so her head shot up. However, it was not the band. It was instead a couple trying to get to the seats diagonal from Chase's seat that had been vacant for the first three bands. Chase paid no attention to the people, instead peaking a glance at her phone. Nothing. Looking back at Tommy as he continued talking about himself, which he had started doing twenty minutes ago, and hadn't stopped, she felt her phone vibrate in her hands.
Waiting for a text? Jack had written.
Chase got a confused look on her face, and looked behind her and then she realized he'd been the boy in the couple that had come to sit down only a few minutes before. Jack smiled at her, and gave her a small wave. Chase smiled back getting lost in his eyes for a moment. Then she realized two things. One that Jack was with a girl.
And boy did she look classy.
She was everything that Chase wasn't. Blonde, blue eyed, had way too much eye makeup on, and was dressed in much too short cut off jean shorts, and a tight t-shirt.
The girl gave Chase a bitchy look and turned around scooting way too close to Jack. Chase was admittedly pissed. He'd brought a date!
The second thing that Chase had noticed was that Tommy had stopped talking.
"Hey," Jack called out over to Tommy, "Jay told me to give you something," he threw something and it landed directly on Tommy's lap. Whatever it was it was wrapped in brown paper-bag paper. Jack and his little 'date' were watching as Tommy struggled to open the package, Chase was facing Tommy but her eyes were on Jack.
When Tommy had finally gotten the thing open, he saw his favorite t-shirt, one that he'd never even let Jasyn wear, torn up, and soaked in something with a foul odor.
Tommy was pissed, as he threw both of them back at Jack, who was hysterically laughing, however Jack ducked and they ended up on the floor in front of the row in front of Jack.
"And that's why I'm done," Tommy scowled.
"...I thought it was because you cheated with Tara..." Chase said lightly. It wasn't a secret, she'd been in the cafeteria and in chemistry both incidents Tommy had had with Jasyn.
"Well that too, but Jasyn is just way too immature. Not like you." Tommy said leaning in for a kiss slowly with his eyes closed.
Chase was internally flipping out. She didn't know what to do! She didn't want to kiss Tommy, she barely even could tolerate him. She didn't want Jack to see that either. Did she? Maybe she wanted him too. Make him jealous. Ultimately, Chase just slightly turned her head a bit, giving Tommy her cheek, and he kissed it lightly, with a little look of disappointment.
He started rambling again, and Chase decided to pretend to listen not wanting to make him feel mad that he'd taken her, and not wanting an excuse to look at Jack. He droned on and she prayed that the band would soon go on.
When she felt her phone vibrate again, she knew who it was, and weighing out Jack seeing her overeager, and enduring Tommy, she;d rather Jack see her overeager.
Gave him the cheek huh? Jack obviously observed.
Nice date Chase replied.
Not a full minute later Jack had text her again, Jealous?
Chase began to type, as she heard Tommy scoff, looking up she followed his gaze over to Jack and his date, Jack had his arm around her and she was like snorting because she was laughing so hard at something he'd said.
"Classy people," Tommy sarcastically mumbled.
"Tell me about it," Chase agreed, yet she continued her text back to Jack.
is that what you're trying for?
You shouldn't be. You look beautiful Jack's next text read, and it took everything in Chase not to blush, but her flattery soon turned to irritation.
It's not hard to look beautiful with some nice clothes on. If you're date was wearing any, you'd think the same thing about her.
"You're furiously texting huh," Tommy asked as he stared at her in amazement.
"Yeah," she replied shooting her head up, "It's my cousin. He's totally jealous that I'm here and he isn't."
Just that one comment got Tommy started in on another one of his stories, and Chase was happy he had the distraction as she waited for Jack's response. But one never came. She waited for five minutes, careful not to look at her phone at all, but gripping it in her left hand, hidden from Jack, waiting to feel it vibrate. But it never came, and soon the opening notes of the song, ALWAYS began to play, and Chase jumped up in complete and utter excitement, almost forgetting Jack altogether. Almost.
The band was on fire, and kept going, Chase was entranced, and only let herself peak over at Jack and what's-her-face once a song, and only a quick glance. But she could feel when he was looking at her. She could just feel it, and wouldn't dare to look back at him in the eye.
As a familiar song began to play, Chase began to jump around like crazy. Her favorite, I MISS YOU. Chase slowed down and was gently swaying back and forth, when she felt Tommy place his hand on her hip. She made no objections, and after a minute, he carefully moved her directly in front of him, putting his other hand on the other side of her hip. All by his doing they were lightly grinding as the words started.
She could feel Jack staring, and just simply began to mouth the words along with Mark, as he started in on the second line, and she was anticipating the line she knew was coming. She was almost positive Jack wasnt looking anymore, she couldnt feel it anyway. What would be one peek at a completely planned moment she thought.
"...darkness in the valley we could live like"
Now! Chase told herself and she quickly looked over, surprised to see Jack looking back.
"Jack and Sally if we want"
Neither of them was looking away, and no part of Jack was on the girl next to him, and she bobbed her head and danced in her own spot.
Suddenly, Tommy's hands on her felt dirty and she broke her gaze with Jack trying to think of a way to distance herself without hurting Tommy, but so that Jack was clear that she'd moved from him.
The chorus started, and Chase just kind of made her way away from Tommy drifting back to her original spot. Peaking at Jack again, she looked just as the blonde girl grabbed Jack's face and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
Chase's stomach fell in her feet, and she was alone.
She knew it.
There was no way she would be going back into Tommy's arms at least not at the concert, and Jack was cozy with the girl he was with.
For the rest of the concert, she made a point not to look at Jack or in his general direction at all. A few songs later Jack must have noticed this because Chase's phone, still in her hand, began to vibrate. And turning, so Jack could see, she openly, ignored the text and threw it into her clutch. Her phone didn't vibrate for the rest of the concert. Or the ride home, in the whole ten minutes she sat with Tommy in her driveway.
"Well, I should go in, it's kind of late," Chase said eying the clock.
"Ok," Tommy agreed, and Chase took of her belt and turned to open the door.
"Wait," he stopped her and she faced him once again.
For the second time that night, he leaned in for a kiss but, this time, maybe because she was upset with Jack, or maybe Tommy had been a little bit better at the end of the date, Chase didn't pull away and let him kiss her. The kiss escalated when Tommy's tongue made it's way into her mouth, and Chase gave it three seconds before pulling away.
"Wow," Tommy had said in mesmerism, and Chase nodded her head in agreement although she hadn't felt anything.
"Can I take you out again?" He asked with a smile.
"Definitely," Chase agreed and he promised to call her.
As soon as Chase had gotten herself out of the car, and had just shut the door, Tommy peeled out of the driveway. Walking up her driveway, she saw that the house was empty, and didnt want to go in there, and be alone. Getting in her car, even though it was midnight, and even though it was a Sunday night, and even though practically nothing was open, she decided she was going somewhere.
Taking her phone out for the first time since the show, she dialed a speed dial.
"Hey where are you?" she asked staring out the passenger's window at the big white house next door that had a white Pickett fence, that she'd never took a particular notice to before.
"Home," Alex said obviously chewing something because his mouth seemed to be full and she could hear a slight crunching noise.
"Can I spend the night?" she asked, "I just want to talk."
"What did he do to you?!" Alex asked screaming.
"Nothing, nothing," Chase laughed starting her car and putting it gently into reverse, "I just don't want to be alone."
"Oh uh yeah, sure. Just bring your car," he said with a smirk in his voice.
"You only want me for car!" she called out with a fake hurt in her voice.
"Oh shut up. See you soon," he said hanging up.
It took everything Chase had in her not to look at her phone on the drive to Alex's. She just tried to watch the road with all of her attention, not even turning on the music. She tried to get the thoughts of Jack out of her head. All the good things about him, all the texts he'd sent, no that's not what kept coming up. What kept coming up was the image of him kissing that whore.
Whipping into the other Gaskarth driveway, she noticed that only Alex's mom's car was in the driveway. Wondering where her uncle Jim was, she pulled only her cellphone out of her clutch, and threw her boots off and into the back seat running into the house. Her aunt Elizabeth was peacefully sleeping in the living room with the TV on, and Chase tiptoed to Alex's room. Alex was in bed strumming a guitar lightly.
"Wow," Chase nodded startling him a bit, "I haven't seen you take that out in like two years," she said scooting in the bed next to him under the covers.
"I was inspired tonight. How was your date?" he asked placing his guitar on the floor, and turning the light next to him off and resting his head on the pillow, yet turning his body to face hers.
"Good, we're going out again," Chase said with a little smile feeling her phone burn a hole in her pocket.
"That's good, how was Blink? Amazing?" Alex asked now yawning and Chase could tell he was tired and had just waited up for her to get there.
"Incredible," she concurred. "But I think you need to sleep buddy. We'll talk in the morning," she promised, as she took her phone out to set her alarm.
"Ok," Alex agreed his eyes already closed, and by the time she had set her alarm he was already snoring lightly.
Finally alone, Chase looked at her phone notifications she had one text. The one from Jack. She finally let herself read it.
You can't be upset. You're with Tommy. I already told you how I felt. Ball's in your court.
Chase rolled over away from Alex, closing her phone and her eyes, He was right.