Head on Collision

Jack’s POV

The day dragged on slowly. Alex didn’t do much talking through recess or lunch which was awkward given it was just the two of us. He was silent during Spanish; busily writing down the notes on the blackboard that Senor had written up there. I had simply stared at him in disbelief as his hand flew across the page. He had caught me looking at him.

“What?” he had said. “I like Spanish.”

“Mhm,” I had mumbled in reply.

This kid was smart. I could tell by how he sat silently at our lunch table during lunch break, sipping an apple juice and answering questions in his chemistry book. AP chemistry? Yeah; I didn’t believe it either until I saw him writing out and answering problems so easily. I had watched him with a fleeting interest. The way his hand flew across the page as he wrote out a problem and answered it; the way he chewed the end of his pencil as he thought. Even the way he shrugged out of his leather jacket and rolled up the sleeves on his sweater intrigued me.

There was just something different about this guy. He tucked his pencil behind his right ear and turned to the back of the text book to the answers to the questions. He pulled his pencil back down and scanned through his work; smiling slightly to himself when he, obviously, got them correct. He stuck his pencil back behind his ear and turned back to the next exercise in the book. He looked up and caught me watching him. He cocked his eyebrow and I watched his eyes shift from me, to his book and back again.

“What are you staring at?” he asked me; pulling a face.

“Does all that really make sense to you?” I asked him; pulling his text book across the table to have a look at.

To me, all the chemistry problems were complete gibberish.

“Yes actually, they do,” he replied, abruptly. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” I shook my head quickly. “There’s no problem. You’re just way smarter than me, that's all.”

He smirked and crossed his arms on the table; leaning closer to me.

“Are you threatened by my intelligence, Mr Barakat?” he said in a sly voice.

I was taken aback. I leaned away from him; leaning as far back in my chair as I could.

“Not at all,” I shrugged. “Just stating an observation; is all.”

He leaned back; smiling. He turned the page in his text book and plucked his pencil from behind his ear. He started writing out a new equation at the top of a blank page in his exercise book. I continued to watch him; trying not to laugh when he screwed up his face and erased the answer he came up with for one of the problems and frowning when he actually managed to get it right.

When the bell went at the end of lunch, I snapped his text book shut for him. He looked up at me with a frown on his face.

“We have gym,” I grinned at him.

“I hate gym,” he sighed and pouted.

“You’ll love it with me,” I told him; standing up and stuffing his chemistry stuff in his messenger bag for him. He sat watching me. “I heard we’re combining with the other junior class. That means it’s us plus Ri and Zack.”

“Um, am I supposed to know who they are?” he asked.

“Oh!” I slapped my forehead with his text book before chucking it in his bag. “They’re my best mates. I can’t believe I haven’t introduced them. You would’ve had History with Rian today.”

“I don’t remember the name,” he looked down at the table. “No one is as nice as you are so far. Nobody's spoken to me.”

“That’s just rude,” I pointed out. “They’ll be nice and you’ll have a friend in History tomorrow.”

“That’d be nice,” he frowned.

“I got your back remember?” I smiled at him.

He nodded.

“Do Rian and Zack really make a substantial difference to gym?” he asked me; standing up too.

“Oh yes,” I nodded; holding out his bag for him. “Come on.”

I picked up Alex’s leather jacket and draped it over my arm; pulling him my the sweater sleeve out of the cafeteria and to the hall leading to the gym. He followed me reluctantly; complaining the entire way.

“Jack,” he sighed. “I'm not sure about this. I'm not exactly sporty.”

“Do I look sporty to you?” I asked him.

“Not really,” he shook his head.

“Exactly,” I said to him. “Listen. Gyms a bludge period. You show up; you pass. You may as well have fun while you do it.”

“What exactly is fun about it?” he complained.

“Hanging with your mates and being morons,” I grinned at him.

He pulled a face; disgusted. I stopped grinning; thinking he was frowning at my teeth. They weren’t exactly the most attractive ever. Meanwhile, Alex’s teeth are practically perfect. I frowned and turned my face back in the direction of the gym; trying not to make my annoyance obvious. I let go of his sleeve as we entered the changing room. I dumped my bag on one of the benches and pulled out my shorts and polo that we have to wear for gym. Alex dropped his bag beside mine on the bench. I pulled my hoodie off my the sleeves and dumped it on top of my bag before pulling my t-shirt over my head. I kicked off my shoes and replaced my t-shirt with the polo shirt and started unbuttoning my jeans. I felt Alex’s eyes on me.

“Stop checking me out and get changed,” I told him.

“Have I done something?” he asked. “You seem annoyed.”

I dropped my jeans to the floor and hopped as I pulled each foot free. I pulled on the shorts and sat down in between our bags; pulling on my sneakers. I looked up to him and watched the other guys file in and start to get changed themselves. I looked back to Alex and sighed. He pulled his beanie off and tousled the back of his hair; yanking his sweater over his head and putting on his polo that was crisp white in comparison to my dull nearly gray one.

“It was just the face you pulled when I grinned at you,” I told him; pulling one foot up on the bench in front of me and tying the laces. “I really have some insecurities when it comes to my teeth.”

“That face wasn’t because of your teeth Jack,” he told me and let his jeans fall to the floor.

I averted my eyes back to my sneakers. I didn’t want him thinking I’m some pervert or whatever.

“I just really don’t like gym,” he sighed and pulled on his shorts before plonking down beside me and pulling his own pair of sneakers on. “Your teeth are a lot better then the people’s in England. Trust me. Yours just have character.”

“Character?” I looked at him.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

“If all teeth in England are so awful, why are yours so perfect?” I asked him; expecting an answer along the lines of, ‘I’m just lucky I guess’ or something.

“This is the work of two years of orthodontics my friend,” he answered; grinning to show me his teeth.

“Oh,” I frowned. “I just figured you were one of the lucky ones that are just born with perfect teeth.”

“Nope,” he shook his head. “Mine were horrible. I got bullied for it; which is why my parents paid for them.”

“That’s wrong,” I said.

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I got used to it. Looking the way I do and dressing like this; well I became a target pretty early.”

“Still,” I half smiled. “It’s not right.”

“Alright guys,” the gym teacher; Mr Reynolds came in rubbing his palms together. “Let’s get physical.”

I pulled a face and stood up. Alex followed suit. He grabbed my arm and waited until the room was clear.

“Oh and Jack?” he said to me in a low voice.

“What?” I asked.

“Just for the record, I like your teeth,” he smiled at me and walked out of the room.

I followed him out; smiling to myself. I pulled my shirt up; bunching it up and tucking it through the top of it into a crop top. It was my signature gym attire. I walked across the gym floor behind Alex stopping beside him in the center of the court. I spied Zack and Rian standing with there class. I grabbed Alex’s wrist and pulled him across to them.

I grinned like a moron and high fived Rian and Zack; they were wearing their shirts the same as mine. Zack pulled a pose worthy of playboy and Rian and I laughed at him. Alex stood silently beside me.

“Guys, this is Alex,” I introduced him. “Alex, this is Rian and Zack.”

“Nice to meet you,” Alex nodded.

“Ditto,” Rian grinned. "Hey! You're in my history class!"

I grinned at Rian. Thank god for him honestly.

“So, you conforming Alex?” Zack asked Alex.

I watched Alex pull a face. I know he doesn’t really want to make an ass of himself on the first day of semester and his first day at a new school.

“Merrick, Dawson you’re captains,” Coach Reynolds called to Zack and Rian.

“What are we playing?” Alex whispered to me.

“Volleyball,” I responded and saw Alex frowned.

I draped my arm across Alex’s shoulders.

“Listen Lex. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to, alright?” I offered. “Me and my mates, we just don’t have any shame.”

“Lex?”

“Yeah. Lex. Can I call you that?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

I watched as Alex looked at my extremely flat stomach which I have to admit is fully exposed by my shirt being pulled up and made into a crop top. Alex sighed and shrugged off my arm. I took a step away and Alex mimicked my shirt. He looked up at me, shyly.

“’Atta boy,” I grinned; slapped him on the back as I got called to be on Zack's team.

Rian called the name of some random from his class. I grinned again when Zack picked Alex. The guys called out names until there was no one left and we started to play. Serves were thrown back and forward; the ball being lobbed pretty strongly by Zack and hitting Rian on the back of the head. Zack doubled over in laughter. It was Rian’s turn to serve; Zack pretended to be really scared; hiding behind some big jock looking guy. Rian threw the ball up and smacked it hard with his fist and the ball came flying over the net.

“Mine!” Alex and I called in unison.

I ran for it my arm getting ready to swing for it. I collided hard with Alex; both of us toppling over and him hitting the court hard. I had him pinned underneath me. I slowly rose up off of him with my hands on either side of his head. I stared in his eyes; his filled with bewilderment and shock of what had just happened. I felt his chest rising beneath me. He swallowed and I saw his Adam's apple bob slightly in my peripheral. His hair had fallen back off his face. I noticed his eyes were a chocolate brown. I didn’t know if it was the fall or his appearance that was leaving me breathless.

“Jack?” Alex’s voice broke me from my thoughts.

I felt eyes on me from every direction. I inhaled and jumped up off him; holding out my hand. He grabbed mine and I pulled him up to his feet. After a few moments, the classes stopped staring at us. We left the court; standing at the end of the serving line again. I stood there quietly; my hands stuffed in my pockets. I studied the lines on the court.

Alex nudged me in the side with his elbow and I turned to see him smiling at me. I felt relieved; relieved that I didn’t hurt him when I knocked him down and that the staring hadn’t freaked him out.

“What?” I whispered.

“You better not be making a habit of knocking me down Barakat.” Alex threatened with a smirk on his face.