Head on Collision

Jack’s POV

“Well, that was boring,” I sighed as I followed Alex down the stairs of the school bus.

He stopped in front of me and waited as I slid each of my bag straps over my shoulders. It felt weird getting off the bus at a stop that wasn’t right near my house. He smiled at me and held out his hand. I slid mine into it and he laced his fingers through mine.

“I don’t know,” Alex shrugged as he tugged on my hand in the direction of his house. “I didn’t mind it. I thought he was pretty good.”

“Oh come on,” I whined. “His poems were about dead possums or chickens or something. Oh, dead poultry. Where for art thou?”

“Jack, don’t be ridiculous,” Alex laughed. “I admit, his poetry as a bit out there.”

“A bit?” I gaped at him. “What exactly where we supposed to learn from him? the art of possum pies or something? He freaked me out.”

Alex laughed at me again and I cocked an eyebrow at him.

“excuse me, Alexander. I don’t understand what is so funny,” I tried on a serious face.

Alex turned to face me and he broke into laughter again; loudly and long. He let go of my hand and clutched his stomach. I stopped in my tracks and put my hands on my hips; cocking my head to the side. His face was bright and jubilant; his laughter contagious. I remained composed.

“In fact, I am being quite serious right now,” I finished and watched Alex double over in laughter again.
I tried my best to keep a straight face. Alex looked up at me; his eyes filled with tears and he laughed again. He clutched my shoulder. I cracked; a grin spreading across my face followed by laughter of my own. We stood in the middle of the footpath only three houses away form Alex’s, laughing until our stomachs hurt and tears were in our eyes. I heard Alex take a deep breath and he stood up straight again; laughing lightly as it died off. He wiped his eyes and shook his head at me. I smiled innocently and he smacked me lightly on the arm. I draped my arm across his shoulders as we started walking again. He smiled up at me and reached up, holding the hand that sat on his chest in a hand of his own.

“I’m glad I amuse you so much,” I told him.

“I am too,” he agreed. “Laughter is of course, the best medicine.”

“What do you need a cure for?” I asked.

“My nerves,” he confessed. “I’m kind of having second thoughts about telling my parents. But, honestly, I feel better now. Thank you.”

“Well, you’re welcome,” I smiled. “I guess, I’m kind of your own personal joker.”

“You are,” he nodded and squeezed my hand. we crossed the lawn of his house. “One of the many things I love about you Jack.”

“Oh really?” I said. “What else do you love about me?”

He loosened his grip on my hand and turned the knob of his front door.

“That can wait until later,” he told me. “There’s way too much for me to say.”

I smiled shyly as he opened the door. I didn’t really know what to expect from the inside of Alex’s house. If it was anything like the outside, it was going to be amazing. Alex stepped through the door first and I followed; looking up immediately over the house. The door opened up into a foyer, with a tall ceiling. I instantly smelt something cooking; perhaps a roast. I slipped my bag off my shoulders and clutched it in front of me.

“Here,” Alex held his hands out for my stuff. I shrugged out of my hoodie and handed it to him. “Wait here. I’ll just take these up to my room.”

“Alright,” I smiled as he walked away; making his way quickly up the stairs.

I was suddenly glad that I had worn a plain button down today. I really wanted to make a good impression on Alex’s mum and dad. I put my hands in my back pockets and rocked on my heels. I peered around the corners into the rooms on either side of me. One, I guessed was the dining room, by the large wooden table in the center and the chairs lining either side. The other was the living room. Letting my curiosity get the better of me, I pulled my hands from my pockets and stepped into the living room. The room was huge; about double the size of mine. There was a huge brick fireplace against the far wall and two leather couches; one across from the fireplace and the other adjacent to it. Against the outside wall was their television; which, like everything in this room, huge. I smiled; impressed but also threatened. I walked closer to the fireplace; past the couches and stopped n front of it. I noticed a door leading off this room that was closed.

I carefully studied the photo graphs on the mantel. Right in the center was a wedding photo. Mr and Mrs Gaskarth smiling brightly from inside the frame. To the left was a photo of Alex. His hair was a lot shorter then it was now and a really light brown. On the other side was a photo of an older woman; I guessed was a grandparent. On either end of the mantel were photos that looked the most recent in black frames. One of the parents and one of Alex with another boy. I picked it up. the boy looked older than Alex. I took a wild guess and assumed it was Daniel. I smiled at the photo; unsure of how to feel looking at a photo of a boy that's been away from this earth for so long.

“Excuse me?” a gruff English accent greeted me. I jumped about a mile high and put the photo ack on the mantel. I turned in the direction of the voice. A man stood there; the door at the end of the room now open. “Can I help you?”

“Oh. Sorry. I’m Jack,” I took a step forward and held my hand out. He took it slowly and we shook briefly. “I’m a, friend of Alex's.”

“Oh, right,” he nodded slowly. “And where is he exactly?”

“He went to put out school things in his bedroom,” I answered politely.

I kept a soft smile on my face.

“Right,” he nodded again.

“Oh! There you are Jack!”

I had never been so glad to here Alex’s voice.

“Dad, this is Jack, Jack. Dad,” Alex smiled as he introduced us.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr Gaskarth,” I smiled again.

Mr Gaskarth looked at me seriously then smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you too Jack,” he told me and I relaxed. “Are you joining us fir dinner?”

“Um,” I looked to Alex.

“If that's alright Dad,” he smiled hopefully at his father.

“Of course,” Mr Gaskarth nodded. “You know your mother always makes too much.”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded.

“Why don’t you show Jack around before dinner?” Mr Gaskarth suggested. “So he won’t get lost again. Dinner will be about an hour, according to your mother.”

Mr Gaskarth smiled at me once more before leaving the room.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Alex wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me softly.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I won’t leave you alone again.”

“It’s alright,” I whispered back. “I’m just, really nervous right now. I want to make a good impression on your parents Lex.”

“You do?” he asked; smiling warmly.

“Well, yeah,” I nodded. “I want them to like me, so, they’re alright with you liking me. You know?”

“You’re sweet,” Alex told me and kissed me briefly on the lips. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”

Alex took my hand gently as he pulled me back to the fireplace.

“If you didn’t gather, that’s Daniel,” he picked up the photo I was admiring before.” “That photo was taken only a few days prior. We completely forgot getting them taken. We were quite, upset, when we got them in the mail.”

“I can only imagine,” I said; rubbing his hand with my thumb.

“Yeah. Well, this is the living room,” Alex put the photo back and turned to the room. “and through there’s my dad’s office. I don’t really go in there very often.”

He lead the way through to the dining room. The table had been set now; four perfect white plates and shiny silver cutlery had been set out and placed on the table. I guess Mr Gaskarth had informed his wife of my presence.

“The laundry's down there,” Alex told me; pointing past the stairs in the foyer. “and that door leads to the back garden, which is really just a patch of grass with one big tree and a clothes line.”

“Our backyards have that in common,” I smiled.

“Upstairs?” Alex said; taking my hand again.

I nodded as he lead the way; climbing the carpeted staircase slowly. I watched my feet, not wanting to fall back down the stairs. When we reached the top Alex started pointing out rooms again.

“That’s just a spare bedroom,” he explained; pointing to a closed door right at the top of the stairs. “and that's the main bathroom. Well the one I use anyway.”

“What do you mean, main bathroom?” I asked him.

“Well sort of in that area,” Alex gestured to a piece of wall that met the end of the hallway. “Is my parents en-suite.”

“Oh. Fancy,” I laughed.

“It’s pretty nice,” he nodded. “Anyway, the room at the end of the hall with the big brown doors, thats my parents room.”

“wow,” I chewed my lip. This house was absolutely huge. Way bigger then mine.

“And around here,” Alex turned me around and lead my back passed the stairs on the other side of the banister. “Is my room.”

We stopped in front of the door. I expected his room to be big. This meant that the balcony on the front of the house came off his room. I swallowed.besides the size, I didn’t know what to expect. A bed, a wardrobe and a desk, sure. But what else?

“Are you ready?” Alex asked me.

He clearly got the look of apprehensiveness on my face. I nodded and he slowly opened the door.