Words Only Count If You Mean Them

Chapter 10

Okay, I stopped freaking out over an hour ago. I talked to Alex’s mom. She informed me that Alex went to get coffee with a red head. Now in a twenty mile radius there is only two red heads. Travis Clark and Caleb Turman. And last I checked Travis worked this time of day.

I spend a good half an hour trying to find which Starbucks they went to and finally I do. My eyes widen as they land on Alex and Caleb laughing away. I couldn’t believe Alex never called me and the fact that he was acting as if nothing happened.

I take a deep breath, a knot forming in my chest. I flip out my phone and call him.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

I swear if he doesn’t fucking pick up, I think before he answers his phone. “Um, hey, Jack,” His voice is fast… and nervous, really nervous.

“Hi, Alex, hey were are you?” I ask. This was a normal question, which to him translated to ‘I think I may come over to spend time with you.’

“I’m actually out with my mom,” He lies.

I stare at him in disbelief through the window. H-he never lied to me. Not once, he’d- what was happening to us?

“N-no, no you’re not.” I whisper into my phone. My eyes burn and I shake my head back and forth. “You’re lying, I talked to you’re mom earlier. S-she said you went to get coffee… with a red head.”

The other line goes mute. Alex is silent. This is how I know, he’s thinking hard.

“A-and,” I start, going on; “I can see you from here.”

He turns, fear lines his face. His mouth is open in shock.

I shake my head in disgust, turn and start walking home. I had to get away. I had to get somewhere, anywhere.

Some one grabs my hand and attempts to pull me into a hug. I snatch my arm away and keep walking.

“Jack, stop! Let me speak!” He shouts, I ignore him and continue on my way. He grabs my hand.

“Leave me the fuck alone, Alex!” I growl, pulling my hand out of his.

“But-”

“Don’t ‘but’ me Alex, you lied to me. You fucking lied to me! How the hell could you do that to me?”

“You lied to me to! You asked where I was, when you knew exactly where I was.”

I shake my head, “That’s because; I wanted to see if you’d give me the truth. Why, why’d you lie to me, Lex, why?” My eyes burned. Don’t cry, don’t cry, fuck, don’t cry, I chant in my head. My eyes don’t listen and tears stream down my face.

“I didn’t want you to be mad at him, Jack. I don’t want you to be angry at Caleb. I can hang out with other people, besides you, Zack and Rian.”

“I never said you couldn’t. I’m not angry at Caleb either, I’m angry you lied to me. Why couldn’t you at least call me? I thought you were freaking out about earlier? You left so… so quickly. I was afraid I’d hurt you.”

He looks at me sad. “You could never hurt me, Jack. I love you, you know that.”

I look down at the ground, “I thought that, too, but lying to me. I-I, Alex, you hurt me. I think we should take a-a break from each other.”

Alex’s jaw drops, “W-what? Are you, are you breaking up with me?”

“No, I just- yeah, I guess I am.” I can’t believe I just said those words and to Alex. The only person I ever loved. I loved him since he moved here, from the Essex. I can feel my own heart break as I say those words. I can’t stand to see the hurt look on his face, so I do what my body tells me to do.
Runaway.