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

When the gym class was over, Chase quickly discarded her sweaty shorts and tee-shirt, slipped on some deodorant and her clothes following Jasyn out of the locker rooms. Jasyn was a little too quiet for Chase’s taste for some reason, not that she was exactly the chattiest person to begin with. However Chase didn’t want to press the issue not wanting to ruin and unwritten truce. The girls stayed in step with one another comfortably, Chase sweetly texting Jack who was still in class and Jasyn just walked with the same blank expression she usually carried on her face.
“Well, well, well. I never thought I’d see the day,” the voice brought shivers down Chase’s spine and she fully intended to keep walking until Tommy took a sharp right directly in front of her. He stopped them and obstructed their path.
“Go away,” Jasyn groaned coolly trying to walk around him but he held out an arm stopping her.
“Wait, whoa, wait a minute I just want to chat] that’s all.”
Jasyn sighed resigned taking her original spot next to Chase. “What?” she asked rolling her eyes.
Chase was rendered speechless. Part of her was afraid of the boy, and the other part had nothing to say to him. He wasn’t worth her time.
“When did,” Tommy grew a giant grin that was condescending, “When did this-,” he took a finger and motioned it back and forth between the two girls, “happen.”
“When did what happen?” Jasyn was doing all the talking and her tone was just plain uninterested.
“You two, together,”
Jasyn scoffed, “We’re not together,. Dumbass.”
“Aw friends. Bonding over getting all of this,” Tommy asked running his hands over his body in a mocking way, and Chase felt goose bumps run through her arms, in a way that rubbed her the wrong way and made her want to vomit as she thought of his rough callused hands on her skin.
Before any of the three of them opened up their mouths to say another word the bell rang signaling time to switch classes, and kids began to pour out of classrooms all around them. Hundreds of teenagers going nowhere fast.
“This conversation is over. C’mon Chase,” Jasyn grabbed Chase’s wrist and lead her around the arrogant boy that made her shiver.
The further they got from the boy, the better Chase felt and finally she had regained the use of her vocal chords, but she was sort of embarrassed at that point.
“I-I didn’t you know,” her voice was soft and Jasyn looked to her in confusion.
“You didn’t what?”
“I didn’t y’know..with Tommy…” She felt her face flush at the topic, especially since the only boy she’d ever been with in the sense was her companion’s brother.
“Oh! Yeah, me either,” Jasyn shrugged .
“Really?!” Chase couldn’t contain her surprise and instantly blushed when she heard how she’d sounded aloud.
“Oh god, I’m-that didn’t come out like-uhm,” Chase fumbled for words.
“Well I didn’t,” Jasyn shrugged and Chase wondered what her thoughts were.
++++
When Alex entered the cafeteria he had to do a double take. The usually absurdly and obnoxiously loud room was filled with a dull, low arrangements of whispers and hushed tones. Everyone’s eyes-whether they were blatant about it, or attempting to be a little less obvious- were on the same thing. Following the glances, he was a little taken aback as well.
He and Chase’s usual lunch table was dispersed throughout different tables. His jock friends were now sitting on a table opposite him, and the cheerleaders beside them.
Sitting in their usual spot was his dear cousin Chase, and his best friend Rian along with him was Zack Merrick, which was fine. But also sitting there, in the seat he frequently occupied was a beautiful pale girl with piercing blue eyes and raven colored hair. Jasyn.
Alex didn’t mind Jasyn, in fact his heart fluttered a bit when he looked at her. He was shocked however to see her carrying on a civil conversation with Chase, and if he wasn’t mistaken she looked like she might even have been happily carrying on.
And Chase was laughing!
Ok, Zack and Jasyn, no big deal. Alex actually liked the two of them. It was the boy sitting at the end of the table, beside Chase that he made him grit his teeth. The boy who was leaning in towards Chase talking with Jasyn as well, that made him clench his fist. The one with skinny jeans and band t-shirt adorning his lanky, over six-foot tall body. Jack Barakat.

Alex still unnoticed observed the boy whom he knew he’d still dislike even if he wasn’t programmed too. His record of using and abusing girls rivaled Alex’s former record that he’d seemed to slow down lately. He didn’t play any sport, which didn’t concern Alex at all, however what did irritate Alex was that instead he focused all his energy on partying; and he wasn’t even sure why that bothered him.
However, the thing that he realized was the most irritating thing that was angering Alex as he glared across the cafeteria was the way Jack was looking at Chase. It was definitely laced with lust, which made him uneasy, but the part that scared Alex was the feelings he read between the lines that were clear as day in the way he sat, and smiled, and laughed with her. The way they were playing footsies with one another under the table, surprisingly unbeknownst to everyone else around them.

It was love. Alex literally had to bite his tongue to keep from screaming “WHAT THE FUCK!” aloud.
Alex turned to leave just as Rian had spotted him and began to wave in his direction. Everyone at the table, along with everyone else in the large room turned to face Alex who in turn scowled at the onlookers, who averted their gaze; and attempted a weak smile at his friend. Trying to make his feet push forward, he slowly made his way to the table sitting as far from Jack as he could be without sitting at another table or moving someone out of their seat, which ended him up between Jasyn and Rian.
“Hey band mate,” Rian teased, and Alex shook his head rolling his eyes yet he had a smile plastered on his face.
“Band mate?” Chase asked excitedly, “You guys started a band?!? Who else is in it!”
“Me.” Zack shrugged also smiling.
“That’s so cool!” Chase encouraged, happy for Alex and softly hitting him on the arm.
“Yeah well-,” Alex liked being talked up and temporarily forgot who he was seated near. Jack was still smiling at Chase, and occasionally leaning over to whisper in her ear and she’d laugh. Jasyn had shut down since Alex had seated himself, and he wondered if it was because of him. She had her ear buds in, and Alex gently leaned towards her, flirtatiously tapping her with the edge of his shoulder blade, Jasyn weakly smiled back at him and took one of the ear pieces out.
“Did I kill your fun?” he asked her and she shook her head in protest.
“No, no. Just an…awkward day. Too many revelations for my own good. And this- I mean I like you guys but it’s kind of weird right?”
“Most definitely,” Alex agreed readily, “Plus they’re a bit cozy huh?” he nodded towards Jack and Chase who were now completely oblivious to everyone and everything around them.
“Well you know. Young and in love,” Jasyn’s voice almost sounded bitter.
“You got that from it too huh?”
“Well if I didn’t catch it from their actions, seeing Chase-,” Jasyn stopped her sentence as her eyes went wide.
“Seeing Chase what?” Alex asked not sure if he wanted to know, or how he would react once he found out.
“Nothing. Nothing. I’m just pretty sure that they’re together. And I’ve come to terms with it. I mean whatever. As long as Jack’s happy, I’m happy for him. Plus he’s the one who’ll have to deal if the family finds out.”
Alex wasn’t sure when and if he’d be able to get to the point that Jasyn was at, but he knew he did want Chase to be happy, and maybe it’d be better if she was happy with Jack rather then Tommy.
Meanwhile across the table, Chase was trying to resist Jack. She was so happy, and she could never remember getting such butterflies with a boy.
“I think that our secret’s out,” Jack whispered as they both peeked at Jasyn and Alex out of the corner of their eyes. The looks on their faces said it all and the fact that they were secretly peeking at Jack and Chase as well, didn’t hurt their suspicions either.
“I think you’re right,” Chase agreed, “And since there has been no outbursts yet today, I don’t think they totally disapprove.”
“Does that mean I can take you out for real?” his lips brushed against her ear and she giggled, “Maybe.”
“And take you home.” Jack continued.
“Maybe,” Chase replied again.
“And then-,” Jack was stopped mid sentence when Alex called Chase’s name, “hmm?” she said sitting upright and pulling back from Jack a bit. “Can we talk to you two?” he motioned to her and Jack although he didn’t address Jack completely, or at all, Chase did notice he referred to himself and Jasyn as a ‘we’. It wasn’t that big of a deal but Chase thought of how the two of them were talking before, and wondered if she and Jack weren’t the only rebellious couple.
“Ok,” she agreed and she got up as did Jack followed by Alex and Jasyn until the four of them awkwardly shuffled into the hallway.
“Ok, what the hell is going on with you two?” Jasyn demanded with her hands on her hips looking between Chase and Jack.
“The truth,” Alex added.
“No judgment,” Jasyn promised.
Chase looked to Jack and they shared a smile, although neither knew what exactly to say.
“We’re-,”
“dating?” Jack tried and Chase shrugged in agreement.
Jack and Chase waited for a response, although Alex and Jasyn weren’t exactly sure what to say.
“Ok?” Jasyn tried and Jack replied with, “Great,“ indicating he was pleased with his sister’s response, or lack of one.
“Alex you ok?” Chase asked with a small smile in response to her cousin‘s silence. Though she’d never lead on to how much his opinion or approval really mattered to her, she was nervous.
“Fine,” he promised her with a smile, and although it was as indirect as possible, she got the message. Jasyn and Alex went back to the table first, with the other two following close behind.
As they entered the cafeteria, eyes still boring into them, the small girl tried to contain a laugh at how ridiculous she found it that they were being so closely examined. Deciding to take a risk, Chase publicly and openly grabbed Jack’s hand and he was surprised but intertwined her fingers with his own as he looked down at the girl who was almost a foot shorter then he with the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen.
Everything was ok, at least for now.