Head on Collision

Alex’s POV

I followed Jack into the change room after gym. He sat down on the bench with our bags and pulled off his sneakers. I sat down beside him, copying his actions. He was still quiet after that fall we took on the court. I'm not going to lie to you, it was awkward as heck when he landed on top of me. Having a guy that close to me is bad enough, but a guy that I hardly even know, lying on top of me in front of like 40 other guys? Now that's awkward. I'm surprised I didn’t blush like a lunatic at the contact.

The way Jack stared at me; it was like he was studying my face. Searching my eyes for some sort of hidden secret. Critiquing my features and finding all those imperfections. I didn’t really know what to say. I managed his name; but the smart ass remark might have offended him. I didn’t want to offend him. He was the only friend I have at this damn school so far. He’s the only one that has been nice enough to actually talk to me, take me under his wing. He’s walked me to my classes so I wouldn’t get lost, sat with me at lunch when he clearly didn’t have to etc. He could have easily sat with Zack and Rian but he chose to sit with me. I didn’t want to lose him when I hardly even have him to begin with. I watched as he pulled his polo over his head and replaced it with his t-shirt.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered as I pulled my own shirt over my head and pulled on my sweater.

“What for?” he snapped his head round to look at me.

“I don’t know,” I bit my lip. “Whatever I've done to make you annoyed at me again. Was it what I said?"

“I’m not annoyed with you, Alex,” he stood and pulled off his shorts and manoeuvred himself into his skinny jeans. “Really. I'm not.”

He buttoned his jeans and I stood up with him; pulling off my own shorts and pulling on my jeans. He sat down as I was buttoning mine. I felt his eyes on me again. The change room cleared out quickly when the final bell rang; leaving both Jack and I alone. I sat down beside him again and pulled on my shoes.

“I, um, didn’t hurt you did i?” Jack asked; pulling his backpack onto his lap.

“No!” I shook my head quickly. “Definitely not. I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

He stood up and pulled his hoodie on; zipping it up in the front. He slipped his backpack on over his shoulders and stuffed his feet into his unlaced converses.

“Positive,” I nodded to him and smiled.

“I’m glad,” he smiled as well.

I stood up and followed Jack as he lead the way to the door leading outside. Thunder cracked and rain was pouring down heavily.

“Fuck,” Jack scowled and kicked the concrete. “And I bet I’ve missed the bus too.”

“It’s just rain Jack,” I shrugged and pulled my umbrella from my bag. “It should cover both of us.”

“Where do you live anyway?” Jack asked me.,

“Beaton Street,” I answered.

“Oh, hey!” Jack smiled. “That’s not far from my house. Are we walking?”

“If you want to,” I shrugged and put up my umbrella; holding it above our heads. I was thankful Jack wasn’t that much taller then me.

“I'm up for it,” Jack shrugged in reply. “It’s only a few miles.”

“Let’s go then,” I said and stepped away from the building; the rain immediately hitting the umbrella hard and the wind making me shiver.

We walked in silence for a short while; my thoughts drifting to small talk topics that wouldn’t make me feel or sound stupid. Jack and I were walking really close to each other in any attempt to not get that wet by the rain. I was already feeling the rain soaking through shoes. I stole a glance at Jack. He was watching the sidewalk as he walked; his hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie. His elbow grazed mine casually and I felt a sudden welcomed warmth radiate from the contact through my body.

I turned my head slightly and caught Jack looking at me. He looked back to the sidewalk when I met his eyes; a slight smile playing on his face. I chewed my lip out of habit. So he felt it too? He felt that warmth that I felt?

“So, Lex?” Jack started; talking loudly over the sound of the rain. “We should talk or something, because this silence is bugging me.”

“What do you want to talk about Jack?” I asked him

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “What’s your middle name?”

“Um,” I half laughed at the randomness of the question. “It’s William. What’s yours?”

“Alexander William Gaskarth,” Jack said in a posh accent. “It screams ‘Sup? I'm English.’ Mine’s Bassam.”

“Interesting,” I smiled. “Jack Bassam Barakat. JB. Like Jim Beam, the bourbon company.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he laughed. “Never thought of that actually.”

“Favorite color?” I asked.

“Red,” Jack replied. “Yours?

“Blue,” I smiled. “Um.”

We continued walking; harmless banter making us laugh and smile the whole way home. I discovered that Jack’s favorite band was Blink 182. I didn’t listen to them; I hadn’t even given them I chance. But I couldn’t exactly say no when Jack stuffed one of his ear phones in my ear and made me listen to their early demos or what he called their “best shit.” I liked them and he made me swear I would download them when I got home. Jack told me he loved hamburgers and I told him I really liked pasta. He asked me if I'd cook for him one day. The big grin and puppy dog eyes had me agreeing in a heartbeat. We were approaching my house, it was only a few houses away.

“What’s your family like?” Jack asked me. “Brothers, sisters?”

“Um,” I looked down. “It’s just me and my parents at the moment.”

“Cool. You're lucky,” Jack smiled; obliviously. “It’s me, my mum and dad, my brother and my sisters. I have two. It’s hell.”

“I bet,” I mumbled. “Alright. Well this is me.”

We stopped outside my two storey white house.

“Wow,” Jack exclaimed looking up at it behind me.

“Yeah,” I looked down at my feet. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Jack smiled. “I’ll catch you tomorrow. Do you catch the bus?”

“Um, yeah,” I answered avoiding his eyes. “I’ll see you then.”

I walked away quickly with my umbrella. I stopped on the doorstep and looked back at Jack; standing alone on the sidewalk in the rain. He was already completely drenched. I bit my tongue and kept my want to invite him in at bay; waving to him instead. He pulled his hood up over his head and waved back at me. I watched him walk away and opened my front door. I stepped over the horizon and closed the door behind me; leaning against it and dropping my bag on the floor. I closed my umbrella and let it fall into the rack by the door. Why was my heart beating so fast?

“Alex. Is that you sweetheart?” my mum’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Yes, mum,” I sighed. “It’s me.”

“How was your first day?” she asked me.

“Fine,” I smiled to myself. “Just fine.”

Jacks POV

I trudged along the sidewalk; past the last few houses separating Alex’s house and my own. The rain was pelting me hard and I was freezing but my thoughts weren’t on that. I couldn’t stop thinking about Alex. I couldn’t get over his house. It had a porch that wrapped around the bottom level and two smaller balconies leading into two rooms upstairs. The house was all white, except the shutters and window frames were a light blue. The house was nice; really nice. The lawns were so perfectly mowed and there was a massive tree standing beside the house. There was a black car in the perfectly tiled drive way. Everything was perfect about that house.

I walked up the footpath to my front door and let myself in. I peeled my soaking wet hood off my head and dumped my bag on the floor by the door.

“Afternoon Jack,” my mum greeted me as I walked in. “Oh! You’re drenched!”

“Yeah,” I replied rubbing the back off my neck. “Gym ran late and I missed the bus.”

“You walked all the way home, alone, in the rain?” my mum asked; her voice laced with concern.

“Well, I walked home, in the rain but I wasn’t alone,” I told her.

“Who’d you walk with?” she asked. “I thought Zack and Rian lived in the opposite direction.”

“They do,” I nodded. “There’s this new kid. He lives a few houses up from us. You know that big white, two storey place? Yeah. Him and his family live there.”

“Oh,” mum smiled. “So, you made a new friend? That’s lovely.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Very lovely. Now, can I shower? I'm freezing.”

"Oh yes,” Mum moved out of my way. “Of course. Dinner will be about an hour.”

"Alright, alright,” I nodded and waved my hand.

I walked down the hall way to the last room on the left; my room. I opened the door and immediately made my way over to the open window; stepping over the piles of clothes on the floor as I went. I slammed the window closed and stared out it at the dark gray, almost black sky. I shook my head and moved to my chest of draws; pulling out a pair of plaid pajama pants, boxers and a dry t-shirt. I made my way to the bathroom and peeled off my soaking wet clothing; choosing to not dump them in the hamper with everything else. I turned on the shower; testing it with my hands before jumping in under the stream. I stood with my forearm resting on the wall beside the faucet; my forehead resting on my arm; letting the hot water run down my bare back.

I didn’t know what we were having for dinner, I didn’t know if I had any homework, I didn’t know what tomorrow was going to bring but I knew one thing for absolute sure; I couldn’t get Alex out of my head.