I Don't Even Know His Name...

It has been around four days since Alex was discharged from hospital. Each day we had hung out like we did when we were kids and it never felt better. Sometimes we would just sit around doing pretty much nothing maybe watch TV for awhile. Others we would go see Rian and Zack and venture out. But it would always turn into something a little closer between me and Alex. Like he would sit nearer to me and say he was cold. Or when there was a thunder storm outside he slid into my bed without me knowing till the following morning. Not that I minded of course, wait, what am I saying? Maybe I’m in denial about him but right now Alex healing is what I’m focused on. I shouldn’t be confusing him about our relationship, he has enough to worry about.

Right now both of us are up in my room it’s getting late but he insisted me to play him one of our band’s songs.

“I don’t know which one to play,” I laughed looking up at him currently sat cross legged watching me intently. The sound of my aimless plucking at random chords seemed to relax us both.

“Well... which song of ours meant the most to you?” Hmm which song did mean the most to me? At that moment it hit me, a smile forming brightly on my lips. It was a long shot but the song always held memories that I closely guarded, perhaps this was the time to finally share them. Settling the worn looking acoustic in my lap I brushed my fringe away from my eyes.

“Okay, I got it, just don’t laugh I suck at singing” smirking slightly he scooted closer across the bed, the moonlight from outside shone onto him perfectly.

“I might remember it so maybe you won’t be the only one singing” God I missed hearing him sing, since the accident he hasn’t sung once. His parents were worried he wouldn’t be able to anymore but unlike most people I don’t give up hope in him that easily.

“That would be helpful, but no pressure or anything” With a small chuckle my fingers strummed lightly at the strings and my eyes fixated on the guitar. The lyrics slowly flowed over the melody.

“Time to lay claim to the evidence
Fingerprints sell me out but our footprint’s wash away,
From the docks downtown
It’s been getting late for days
And I feel myself deserving of a little time off

We can kick it here for hours
And just mouth about the world
And how we know it’s going to straight to hell”

Alex’s frown told me everything, one of his new habits. Whenever he was trying to remember something even if it was small his eyebrows would knit together in deep concentration. The way his pupils seemed to skip frequently over my fingers then back up to my face intrigued me. I swear I could hear him hum the tune faintly under his breath.

“Meet me on Thames Street
I’ll take you out though I’m hardly worth your time
In the cold you look so fierce but I’m warming up
Because the tension’s like a fire

We’ll hit South Broadway in a matter of minutes
And like a bad movie I’ll drop a line
Fall in the grave I’ve been digging myself
But there’s room for two
Six feet under the stars”

His eyes closed gradually before he cut me off the next line, interjecting with his own voice. It was slow but it didn’t stop my heart from missing a few beats.

“I should’ve known better then to call you out
On a night like this, night like this”

Alex was singing. Right in front of me. The liquid perfection of his voice out shone my feeble attempt at this song easily. Immediately I continued, urging him on.

“If not for you, I’d know I’d tear this place to the ground
But I’m alright like this, alright like this”

He waited for me to finish before singing the next lines along with me, our voices mixing together and reverberating of the walls.

“I’m gunna roll the dice before you sober up and get gone
I’m always in over my head”

We carried on the next chorus and verse only slowing down occasionally. I could tell he was hitting his stride with each word his confidence grew. Even daring to harmonise over the top of me every so often. It was surreal to say the least.

“Overdressed and underage, (What a lifetime)
Do you really need to see an ID?
This is embarrassing as hell (What a lifetime)
But I can cover for it so well
When we’re six feet under the stars”

Both of our voices started to quiet down as we sang the last lines of the song finishing with a shared look of astonishment between us.

“Alex, wow, that was amazing” the small tint of red danced across his cheekbones as he smiled.

“I don’t even know how it came to me, but it did.” Before I could put my guitar by the side of my bed I felt something press on top of my hand, hard. My breath hitched as I saw Alex’s hand gently gripping my own, his eyes stopping me dead in my tracks with a single look.

“Wait, Jack,” He breathed; the feeling of electricity seemed to jump between our skin.

“Teach me.”