Head on Collision

Jack’s POV

“So, we’re blowing off English,” I told Alex; walking down the center of the room and grabbing my bag from the chair I left it in. I walked back to Alex and chucked my bag up onto the stage.

“Alright,” he agreed.

“The egg head Alex Gaskarth doesn’t mind not going to class?” I asked in mock shock. I slapped myself lightly on the cheek for emphasis. “We could get in trouble you know.”

“I know,” Alex shrugged. He looked so worn out. “I don’t care.”

“Wow, breaking the rules on your second day,” I smirked. “I'm impressed.”

“Well, I’m not just an egg head Jack,” he told me. “What are we going to do instead?”

I thought for a moment. We could leave the school grounds, but if its still raining, the getaway would be difficult. Library? No. The librarian cant keep anything to herself. We’d be on detention for ditching almost immediately. Then the thought hit me; I turned my gaze upwards.

“I have an idea,” I smirked.

“I don’t think I like this idea and I don’t even now what it is yet,” Alex pulled a face at me.

I pulled myself back up onto the stage and turned around; holding my hands out to Alex. He took my outstretched hands in his and I pulled him up onto the stage with me. He smiled shyly and I grinned.

“Grab your bag,” I said; slinging mine over my shoulder.

“Where are we going?” Alex asked me as he walked over and picked up his bag; stuffing the lyrics to Lullabies inside.

“You’ll see,” I replied; mischievously and took Alex by the wrist; pulling him backstage and behind the curtains.

I pulled my other bag strap over my other shoulder and moved to stand beside a ladder leading up into the eaves of the roof; where the lighting and sound engineers stood and did their work during assemblies and performances.

“Up there?” Alex asked.

“Yeah,” I smiled. “They won't find us. We’ll come down at recess.”

“Are you sure about this?” he queried.

I looked him in the eye and watched him bite his lip. I adjusted my beanie on my head and stepped closer to him. He rubbed his eye with the heel of his palm. When did this guy get so fucking cute?

“I’m never sure about anything,” I answered with a smile. “I’ll lead the way. Just do what I do.”

“Okay,” he nodded.

I stepped back to the ladder and lifted my foot to the first rung. I climbed slowly; alternating my hands and feet on the rungs until I reached the top. I took off my bag and slid it carefully along the floorboards that ran along the landing. I grabbed hold of the railing and pulled myself up the final step; turning on my knees to lean over.

“Come on up,” I called down to Alex.

He looked up at me; unsure. I chewed my lip and turned back around climbing down a few rungs. I turned as far as I could and looked at Alex.

“Do you trust me?” I asked him.

“Of course,” he replied immediately.

“Then follow me,” I instructed.

I climbed up to the top again and repeated my action from earlier; leaning over the side and watching Alex make his way up the ladder. He smiled when he reached the top; those perfect teeth shining and the smile lighting up his whole face. I shifted onto my butt and slid over next to my bag. I turned my head and watched Alex clamber up and slide over next to me.

“See that wasn’t that hard was it?” I asked him; the smile permanently plastered on my face.

“Not at all,” he shook his head and smiled at me.

“So, when you said you weren’t just an egg head,” I started. “What’d you mean?”

I was determined to get him talking. I wanted to know more about him. Scratch that. I needed to know.

“Well, I’m not,” he half laughed. “I play piano, obviously and I play a little guitar; basic chords and stuff. I like painting; a few of my artworks are hung up in the hallway at my house and I write; poems and songs.”

“Wow,” I breathed; impressed. “I play guitar too. My mum says I'm pretty good. But I guess she’s just being biased.”

“I bet you’re good,” he smiled at me. “I mean, look at the length of your fingers. I bet I could teach you how to play piano too.”

“No thanks,” I held one of my hands up. “I’ll stick with.... hey. My fingers are long.”

“You also have a short attention span,” Alex laughed at me.

“Shut up,” I huffed and grabbed one of his hands and compared his fingers to mine. “You’re right. Mine are so long. I've never noticed it before.”

“Or, you’ve just never had someone as observant as me as a friend,” Alex smiled.

“True,” I agreed. “What else don’t I know about you?”

“I don't know. Probably a lot,” he shrugged. “What do you want to know?”

“Love life?” I asked. “Any past flings I should know about?”

“Well, I don’t know about flings, but I've had one proper girlfriend before,” he told me; fidgeting and playing with the sleeve of the green and gray striped sweater he was wearing.

I took time to notice what he was wearing. Light blue jeans that cuffed at the ends; similar to the ones he was wearing yesterday. The sweater was teamed with his leather jacket from yesterday; his shoes the same. He wasn’t wearing a beanie today; his hair was, instead, messily parted on the right side of his head and his fringe fell lazily over his face.

“What happened with her?” I asked; once my admiration was met with a confused stare.

“We had been going out for a year and a half before things went wrong with Daniel,” his face grew sad and I scooted a little closer to him. “When Daniel died, she dumped me.”

“What a bitch?” I said loudly; before slapping my hand over my mouth. I blinked. “Why’d she do that? You needed someone then.”

“I know,” he shrugged. “She saw me as emotionally unstable. A ticking time bomb, she had put it.”

“Dude, that's messed up,” I shook my head. “I mean, if we were dating when that happened I would’ve stuck by you.”

My eyes grew wide at my realization of what I just said. ‘if we were dating.?’ Jack! Get your shit together man. I slowly turned my gaze to Alex. He seemed unfazed by what I had said. He smiled a little and leaned over; resting his head on my shoulder. I smiled at the action.

“You know, I know that about you Jack,” he said softly. “it’s hard to believe we only met yesterday. So far, you’re like, the best friend I’ve ever had.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded slightly. “So what about you and your love life?”

“The wells been dry since ninth grade, I’m afraid,” I admitted. “my girlfriend at the time went around and told a lot of people that I had cheated on her. But i hadn't. Since then, i guess I just haven’t found anyone I’ve clicked with. You know.”

“Yeah, I understand,” Alex nodded again. “There’s someone out there for you Jack. You just have to find them.”

“Yeah. I guess,” I sighed. “you could say I have this wall up. It stops people from getting close to me. Which is probably why I don’t have a girlfriend or many friends.”

“Except Rian and Zack,” Alex said.

“And, now you,” I smiled slightly.

“So, you just have to find someone who can come at that wall with a sledge hammer and bring it crashing down,” he told me.

I thought I felt him nuzzle his head into my shoulder more.

“If only it was that simple,” I sighed and studied my hands.

“It can be. I like to believe there's someone out there for everyone. They may come in the form of a previous ex-girlfriend, your friends little sister or even your best friend themselves. You never know. But, you've got to stop looking and wait until they find you,” Alex assured me; his logic actually making sense.

i stayed quiet. I didn't know what to say make to that, but he was right.

“Anyway, back to the subject of friends," Alex continued when i didn't say anything. "You may find this hard to believe, but, I had friends up until the day the thing with Daniel got out. Then everyone sort of abandoned me.”

“That’s fucked,” I frowned.

“It is fucked,” he agreed. “But, you’re different aren’t you?”

Alex sat up and turned my face to look at him with his hand. His eyes were soft but serious. I swallowed. His face was far too close to mine for my liking.

“You won’t abandon me,” he told me in a strong voice.

“How can you be so sure?” I whispered.

“I can see it in your eyes,” he smiled and dropped his hand to his lap. He turned back and rested his head on my shoulder again.

We sat quietly; only our breathing and the distant shouting from the gym could be heard.

“Oh, and you’re right you know?” I said after minutes of silence.

“Right about what?” Alex asked.

I settled my head on top of Alex’s.

“I’m not going to abandon you,” I told him.