Head on Collision

Alex’s POV

I slowly opened my eyes; yawning. I glanced around at my surroundings; squinting into the glare of the rising sun as my eyes adjusted. They were unfamiliar. I glanced around; finding a Blink 182 poster to my right. I then remembered. I’m at Jack’s house. I tried sitting up; something was holding me down, a dead weight over my waist. I glanced down; and smiled slightly at the sight before me. Jack lay on his side; his head on a pillow that was tucked into my side and his arm lay across my waist. his eyes were still closed; his breathing regular. I felt his chest rise and fall against my side. He looked cute. He looked absolutely adorable. Almost too adorable.

I glanced over at Jack’s alarm clock; the red display reading 7.13. I knew I had to wake him up, despite my want not too because of how adorable he really was. I sighed.

“Jack?” I whispered; rubbing his arm with my hand. “Jack. Wake up sleepy head.”

He stirred a little; squirming and tightening his grip around my waist. I sighed again; determined not to emit a squeal at how cute he looked. He exhaled heavily through his nose and snuggled into my side more; his cheek resting on my chest.

“Jack honey,” I said louder this time; rubbing his back this time. ‘You need to wake up.”

Jack groaned and opened one eye; screwing his face up as the sunlight hit him. He rubbed his eye; finally moving his arm from around my waist.

“It’s too bright,” he whined; grumpily closing his eyes again. “Turn the sun off.”

“I would if I could,” I told him. “But, we have to get ready for school. It’s quarter past seven. What time does the bus come?”

“But, I don’t want to go to school,” he frowned; draping his arm back across me. “And you’re not going either.”

“Jack. We have to,” I told him. “Come on. Now wake up! Up, up, up up!”

Jack opened his eyes again; scowling at me.

"Fine! Yes mum!” Jack frowned; rolling away onto his back. He rolled too far; going crashing onto the floor on the side of the bed.

I moved quickly; rolling onto my stomach so I could see over the edge.

“You alright?” I asked him; trying not to laugh at him.

He lay like a dead cockroach on the floor, knees bent up and hands on his chest. He sat up; frowning at me. I bit my lip; the laugh desperate to escape. I couldn’t help myself. I let out a small laugh; covering my mouth with my hand.

“You’re a jerk,” Jack glared; pulling himself up off the floor.

“I know,” I laughed; sitting up myself; feet on the floor.

“You can stop laughing at me now,” Jack said; walking to his wardrobe. “Or you can go to school naked!”

I stopped laughing abruptly; remembering in that moment that I only had my clothing from yesterday with me; and that was board shorts and only board shorts.

“Alright, alright,” I gave in. “I’ve stopped.”

I stood up and padded over to Jack wardrobe; hooking my head over his shoulder.

“So, what outfit for today?” I asked Jack.

“I honestly don’t know,” Jack replied. “I usually just chuck on anything. But you. You’re always dressed nice.”

“It’s not like you dress like a hobo or something Jack,” I told him; stepping beside him now. “I’ll choose something for both of us alright? Now sit down while I scan your clothes.”

Jack shrugged; walking away and plonking down on his bed. For a guy, Jack had a nice assortment of clothes; from button downs, to band t-shirts. From plaid shirts to sweaters. He had long shorts and jeans; of both the regular and skinny variety.

I looked over his t-shirts; a simple black vneck grabbing my attention. I pulled it out; chucking it onto the bed beside Jack. I moved to the plaid shirts; plucking out one with a variety of blues in the checks and adding it to my growing pile. I then started on the jeans; pulling out black skinnies for Jack. An obvious choice and for me; a pair of the same. I turned to Jack and smiled.

“There we go,” I told him,

“Which are mine?” Jack asked; picking up a pair of jeans. “Obviously a pair of these are; unless you’re wearing both.”

“No,” I smiled; walking towards the bed. “One’s mine. the plaid shirts for me and the black v-neck? That’s yours.”

“Alright,” Jack stood up. “And a jacket or something?”

“Leather jacket for you,” I smiled; and wandered back to the wardrobe; loosening it from its hanger and holding it out.

He approached taking it from me with a smile.

“What about you?” he asked again; the sweetest smile on his face.

“I’ll find a cardigan or something,” I shrugged. “Now. Get dressed. We don’t want to be late.”

“I’ll get dressed in the bathroom,” Jack told me. “You get dressed here. I got to piss something severe”

“Alright,” I laughed.

Jack left the room and I followed him to the door; closing it when he left.

I went back to the bed; pulling the t-shirt I was wearing over my head and dropping it onto Jack’s bed. I slid the plaid shirt onto my arms; fastening the buttons down my front. I dropped the pajama pants to the floor and picked them up; putting them on the bed with my discarded shirt. I pulled the jeans on one leg at a time. They were a bit snug around my legs. Obviously Jack’s a little smaller then me. They were still comfortable though. I walked back to the wardrobe and slid all of Jack’s t-shirts across, searching for a a jacket or cardigan that wasn’t band related. I came across a simple gray cardigan and slid it off the hanger; pulling my arms into it and rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. Shoes. I thought for a bit before leaving Jacks bedroom, knocking on the door.

“Yeah?” Jacks voice called.

“I’m going to wear your vans alright?” I told him.

“That’s fine,” Jack replied. “Can you bring me my converses?”

“Yep, sure,” I called back and walked back to his room; picking up his converses and dropping them outside the bathroom door.

I walked back to Jack’s bedroom, and plopped down onto his bed. I reached for his bedside table draw; assuming there would be socks in there. I found a heap of black balls of socks and picked one out; unrolling them and I sat back up. Sitting at the end of the bed; I pulled on the socks and the vans. I bent down to straighten the bottom of the jeans and a pair of converses joined my field of view.

I slowly panned up; skinny legs, looking smashing in those black skinny jeans, a slim waist almost completely flat under a black t-shirt. A leather jacket hung loosely on his frame. I looked at his face; a crooked smile rested on his lips. His hair was done; the skunk hair style tamed and straightened.

“Um,” Jack laughed nervously; pulling his fringe across his face. “Do, I look alright? I feel sorta, strange.”

“You,” I breathed. “You look amazing.”

I smiled; standing up and walking over to him. He really did look amazing. Different and tidier than how he would usually dress.

“Thanks,” Jack blushed. “You look great too. But then again; you always do.”

“Thanks Jack,” I smiled.

The bus ride to school was uneventful. Jack and I sat talking about the beach yesterday and debated on whether or not anyone got sunburned. Getting to school; Jack and I walked together; up the steps and through the doors, smiling when we found Rian and Zack by their lockers. We walked up to them; I noticed Rian was looking closely at Zack’s shoulder.

“Ha!” I said to Jack. “You owe me five bucks!”

“What? Why?” he argued.

“You said, I bet you five bucks no one’s sunburned,” I smirked.

“And?” he asked.

“Look at Zack,” I said; poking Zack’s arm.

“Ow! Dude! What the fuck was for?” Zack yelled; his hand flying to the spot immediately.

“Zacks a lobster,” I grinned. “Now, pay up.”

“Fine,” Jack grumbled; pulling out his wallet form his back pocket and thumbing through for a five. He pulled one out and handed it to me. “Here.”

“Thank you,” I snatched it; grinning smugly and shoving it in my pocket.

“Hey man,” Rian addressed Jack. “You look different. Almost, good.”

“Thanks dude,” Jack answered sarcastically. “Alex picked it out.”

“Nice going man,” Rian congratulated me; holding up his hand for a high five. I obliged. “Jack looks human.”

“Hey!” Jack whined. “I always look human. I just happen to look like a nicer dressed human that’s all.”

“Whatever,” Rain laughed as the bell rang through the halls; a frown forming at the sound. “Alright. I got biology. See you guys later.”

“Yeah, see you,” I smiled.

“We got maths, Jack,” Zack told him; carefully placing his backpack on his sunburned shoulder.

“Yeah,” Jack smiled at him before turning to me. “I’ll see you at recess yeah?”

“Yeah,” I smiled. “Have fun in maths.”

“I’ll try,” Jack shrugged. “It’ll be hard with you not being there though.”

Jack smiled sadly before turning around; half jogging to catch up to Zack who was already half way down the hall. I watched him go; regret forming for not hugging him or something. But also a relief; a relief that he hadn’t brought up all the failed kissing attempts or the kiss on the cheek last night. I don’t know what I want with Jack. I’m scared he expects too much, even though he said he’s wait for me. He wants me; he wants all of me, my head, my body and my heart. I can see it in the way he looks at me, the way he was snuggled into me this morning. But, do I want that? Do I want to give him all of me?

I’m scared. I’m scared that if I was to fall for Jack that something would go wrong; that he’d get hurt or I’d get hurt. I didn’t want to risk losing him.

“Um,” I female voice behind me said and I turned around. “Hi.”

She smiled at me shyly. She looked familiar. Holly? Holly I think her name is. She’s in my chemistry class.

“Hi Holly,” I greeted her; opening my locker quickly and looking inside; hoping I had something to keep me occupied through my free. I did; chemistry homework.

“Oh! You know my name?” she blushed.

“Yeah," I nodded closing my locker and holding my text book against my chest. “We have chem together right?”

“Yep,” she nodded. “Look Alex. I’m just going to cut to the chase.”

“Shoot,” I said to her; her nerves starting to make me nervous.

“Look, I’ve thought you were cute since I saw you in chemistry first day and you seem like a really nice guy. You hang out with Rian and them and they’re nice guys,” she rambled. “So, I was just wondering, if you’d like to go out sometime; maybe for coffee or something? It’s totally cool if you don’t, I just think we’d have fun.”

I looked at her like she was ridiculous, but the small smile on her face and the hope in her eyes told me she was completely serious in her question. I thought about it. Maybe this was what I needed; some sort of distraction from whatever it is that Jack and I have; whatever it is that I am feeling for him. Maybe Holly could be that distraction. Would Jack be mad? I don’t think so. He shouldn’t be. It’s not like we’re officially a couple or anything; we’re not really anything really.

“So?” she pushed.

“That’d be nice,” I smiled; falsely. “I’d like to.”

Holly grinned at me; suddenly looking overly happy and excited.

“Alright,” she beamed. “This afternoon? Coffee?”

“Sounds good,” I nodded.

“Good,” she smiled and blushed again. “Alright. I’ll see you then”

“See you then,” I smiled again as she walked away.

I took a deep breath and slowly walked in the direction of the library. I wonder how long I can keep this from Jack.

Jack’s POV

I sat at our usual lunch table; Rian sitting beside me. I frowned as I pulled the crust off my ham sandwich; throwing them back into the plastic mum had wrapped them in.

“Seriously,” I complained. “Whoever invented crust should be shot.”

“No one invented crust, Jack,” Rian laughed at me. “It’s part of the bread.”

I chucked the sandwich down; not wanting the small piece of bread that discarding the crust had left.

“Whatever,” I said; rolling the crust and little bit of sandwich into the plastic; making it a ball in my hands. ‘It’s still lame.”

I was in a bit of a bad mood. Alex had been acting sort of strange all day; talking to me a lot more then he usually does, paying attention to the things I was saying and even offering to let me copy his answers in English. I didn’t get it. It’s not like anything had changed had it? We hadn’t done anything major; I only kissed him on the cheek. I frowned again; slamming my palm down onto the ball I had made; squishing it into a pancake.

Rian jumped beside me; punching me in the arm afterward.

“Dude. Don’t do that,” Rian frowned. “You scared shit out of me.”

“Sorry,” I muttered.

Zack walked up; putting his skateboard down on the seat beside him and sitting down. He pulled out a banana from his bag and pulled back the skin. He took a bite and I watched as the banana rolled around Zack’s half open mouth. I felt suddenly nauseous.

I picked up my water bottle and drank slowly.

“So, did you hear about Alex and Holly?” Zack asked randomly.

“What about them?” Rian asked.

“They’re going out,” Zack shrugged.

I choked on my water; coughing and spluttering; half the water ending up down the front of my t-shirt. Rian pounded me on the back.

“You alright man?’ Zack asked.

“Did you say Holly and Alex are going out? As in my, I mean, our Alex?” I stuttered out.

“uh, yeah,” Zack nodded slowly. “He’s the only Alex in our grade. Apparently; well according to the cheerleaders in my Phys-Ed theory class anyway, they’re going for coffee this afternoon.”

“Oh,” I screwed the cap back on my bottle.

Zack looked at me; an apologetic smile on his face. He knew; he had caught us almost kissing on the beach yesterday. I shrugged in response to his smile and Zack changed the subject to skating. I zoned out; my thoughts focused on Alex. Why would he do this? Why would he date Holly when he knew... wait Jack. Take a step back for a second. You and Alex aren’t a couple. You didn’t ask him. You haven’t kissed. There’s nothing stopping Alex from dating. I frowned to myself; suddenly annoyed for not making a move sooner.

But at least it was only one date right? Nothing could possibly go wrong.