Drive Fast Until We Crash

Today was the day I’d been dreading – the first day back at school after winter break. I’d spent the night at Jack’s house (his parents don’t know about us) so I’m getting a ride to school with him, Paul, Martin and William right now. Of course, I’d said yes to Jack’s question – how could I not? All of our friends were ecstatic, even though Mike said something about the ‘straight ratio’ being dramatically lowered, like him, Rian and Paul were the only straight guys left in our group. I don’t understand that kid sometimes.

“Lex, we’re here,” William prompted as he got out of his limo after Paul.

I swallowed heavily, Martin winking at me in encouragement. Slowly I laced my fingers with Jack’s, looking up into his eyes.

“Here goes nothing,” he murmured, smiling slightly.

I chewed my bottom lip as we got out of the limo hand-in-hand, fighting to hold my head high as people slowly started to stare at us. Jack squeezed my hand gently as the two of us followed Paul, Martin and William over to the rest of our friends. Rian was just grinning at me while Mike and Zack were just smirking. I knew what they were smirking at – everyone out the front of this stupid school was looking our way.

“So...is Jalex Barakarth ready for confrontation?” Mike said with a grin.

“What did you call us?” I giggled, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s like Brangelina, or Bennifer...a combination of your names as a couple,” Mike shrugged.

We all looked at him for a second, before bursting into laughter. I really don’t understand him sometimes!

“Come on, let’s get to homeroom before we’re late,” Martin suggested.

I nodded, as did the others, so we walked into school. The crowds parted as Jack and I walked through, making me cringe. Today is going to be horrible and I just know it.

“Just fucking kiss already,” Zack muttered, glaring at people that were staring at us.

I looked up at Jack , biting my lip as he smiled. When we reached homeroom, Jack pulled me to a stop just outside the door, the rest of our friends waiting in the doorway. One of Jack’s hands cupped my cheek lightly, before he leant down and pressed his lips to mine. I breathed in deeply, clutching onto his shirt as I heard whispers all around us, Jack just moving his lips slowly against mine. After a few seconds he pulled away, linking his hand back with mine. With a final peck to my lips and a small smile, Jack pulled me into homeroom in silence, the two of us taking our seats with all our friends around us. I can’t believe how calm he’s being. I wish I had Jack’s confidence, I really do. I don’t want him to get bullied because of me.

“Stop worrying, Lex. Everything’s going to be fine,” Jack murmured in my ear.

I blushed lightly, turning my head to face him. It’s scary how easily he can read me.

“I hope so,” I whispered.

“I know so,” Jack grinned.

I rolled my eyes but chuckled, smiling a bit wider as Jack pecked my lips one last time as our homeroom teacher walked in. I hope for both our sakes that Jack is right.

*

“So the faggot has a faggot boyfriend now, huh?”

I closed my eyes briefly as I cursed under my breath. Jesse fucking Ames. I was waiting outside the bathroom for Jack at the end of lunch on my own, so I knew I had no-one to help me out. Unlike Jesse, who has 3 of his fellow football players to back him up.

“I’m bisexual, moron, as is Jack. And so what?” I muttered, raising an eyebrow at him.

“How many times do I have to tell you – we don’t like faggots here. Especially not poor faggots,” Jesse sneered.

“And how many times do I have to tell you that I don’t give a shit what you think,” I snorted, rolling my eyes.

Shit. I inhaled sharply as Jesse growled and grabbed my shirt, slamming me against the wall. I fought not to wince at the pain along my spine, determined not to let him know he’d hurt me.

“It’s about time that you learnt your place around here, Gaskarth. Once and for all,” Jesse scowled.

I felt a flash of hope as the bathroom door opened, Jack stepping out. But all it took was one glare from one of Jesse’s friends for Jack to cower away a few metres. No! I-I thought he cared about me! Jesse just smirked, his eyes glinting dangerously.

“Even your stupid boyfriend doesn’t give a shit about you,” Jesse laughed.

I grunted as his fist slammed into my stomach, the wind leaving my body. I heard Jack whimper, but he didn’t do anything else. Jesse pushed me upright, before punching me square in the face, an explosion of pain erupting across my nose. This time I cried out in pain, knowing the cold liquid trickling from my nose was blood. But then Jesse dropped me to the floor as I heard footsteps running.

“I warned you about laying a fucking finger on him,” Zack shouted.

I looked up from the ground in time to see my tattooed friend sharply headbutt the Quarterback on the forehead. Jesse fell to the floor with a groan, his friends freezing. Zack and Martin glared at the four football stars until they ran off down the corridor, leaving the 8 of us alone.

“What the fuck, Jack?” Martin frowned.

I felt a hand wipe away the blood underneath my nose. Rian.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Rian said warmly

Him and Mike lifted me gently from the floor, slowly walking me out of the building. I didn’t give Jack another look.

But Zack, Martin, Paul and William did.

“What the fuck were you doing, just standing there watching?” Zack spat, grabbing Jack by his collar and slamming him up against the wall.

“I didn’t know what to do!” Jack protested, tugging at Zack’s hands.

“Bullshit,” Paul scoffed, folding his arms over his chest.

“It’s the truth! I didn’t expect anyone to physically attack either of us, especially not Alex,” Jack insisted

“Total ass move not to stop Jesse though! Alex is your boyfriend – you should’ve defended him no matter what!” Martin said angrily, stepping up next to Zack.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Jack said miserably, looking down, “I just panicked,”

Zack growled and shoved Jack against the wall again, a whimper escaping the lanky boy’s lips.

“Enough, Zack,” William ordered.

“Bilvyyy!” Zack and Martin whined in unison.

A stony look from William made Zack let Jack go. Jack breathed a sigh of relief and smiled his thanks at William, only to receive a sharp glare back. Jack’s smile dropped.

“It’s not us you should be saying sorry to,” William said seriously

Jack just looked at the lanky brunette in confusion.

“You should be apologising to Alex. He trusted you to protect him, and you didn’t. He probably won’t want to talk to you right now, and I’ll be surprised if Mike and Rian even let you, but go to Rian’s house – that’s where they’ll have taken him. You’d better apologise good, Barakat, or you’ll be sorry. It’s one thing for assholes like Ames to mess with Lex, but someone he cares about? Big fucking no. So go and make this right,” William said firmly.

“Or we’ll make you regret ever moving here,” Zack added in a growl.

All Jack could do was nod and run out the door.

*

It didn’t take Mike long to drive me, him and Rian to Rian’s house, and Mike immediately went to cleaning my nose.

“It’s not broken, you lucky bastard, but your stomach will have a nasty bruise,” Mike told me.

“Wonderful,” I muttered.

“It could’ve been worse, Lex,” Rian reminded me.

“How? My boyfriend could’ve been standing there and watching without intervening? Oh wait...he was doing just that!” I exasperated.

“I’m not saying what Jack did wasn’t a dick move, but he was probably shocked,” Rian reassured.

“He’s just a pussy,” Mike scoffed.

“Hey! Don’t call him that!” I protested.

Mike and Rian just sighed and shook their heads. Well to be fair they have a right to – I did just defend Jack after bitching about him myself.

“Whatever you believe, he betrayed you so he’s gonna need to fight for your trust again,” Rian sighed.

“You’re actually going to talk to him after he didn’t stop you getting beaten up?!” Mike yelped, stopping what he was doing to my nose.

I hesitated. What was I meant to say? He is my boyfriend after all, even if he was an ass today.

“I don’t know. I guess I should,” I mumbled.

As if by magic, the doorbell rang. I whimpered.

“I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind,” Mike growled, standing up.

“Don’t hurt him!” I pleaded.

Mike scowled.

“Fine, I’ll open the door,” Rian chuckled.

Mike threw the bloody-tissue in his hand into the nearby trash bin, before handing me a new one. Luckily the bleeding has pretty much stopped now.

“I’ll go get you an ice-pack for your stomach,” he muttered.

As Mike left the room, Rian and Jack walked in.

“Make it quick,” Rian hissed, before winking at me.

Jack nodded and walked over to where I was lying on the sofa, and knelt down beside me. Even when Rian left the room, Jack stayed silent, his fingertips pushing up my shirt to reveal my already-bruising stomach.

“I’m so sorry,” he finally whispered.

“Why, Jack? Why did you just stand there?” I whimpered, looking up into his eyes.

Jack’s eyes filled with shame, and he lowered his head.

“I panicked. I’ve never seen anyone that I care about being beaten up because of me, and I froze,” Jack admitted.

“That’s bullshit,” I sniffed.

“It’s the truth,” Jack replied, lifting his head and looking into my eyes.

I hesitated, not really sure what to say, and moving my gaze away from his.

“It wasn’t just because of you,” I said weakly, after a few seconds.

“Yes it was! If you weren’t dating me, Ames probably would’ve left you with just verbal abuse!” Jack exasperated.

A lump rose in my throat. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? Does he not want to be with me anymore? When my eyes started watering, Jack’s eyes filled with panic.

“Woah, no, Lex, calm down!” Jack begged.

“You don’t want to be with me, do you?” I choked.

Jack’s hands cupped my face, his forehead resting against mine as he moved as close to my body as he could without hurting me.

“Of course I do. Don’t you dare fucking think that I don’t. I made the choice to be with you and I’m standing by it with everything that I am. Today was a big massive mistake, and I promise I will make it up to you. I don’t want to be with anyone but you,” Jack murmured.

His words made my heart swell with joy. He really does want to be with me, doesn’t he? No-one’s ever said anything like that to me before, female or male, so the only thing I could think of doing was kissing him. With a wince I leant my head up and pressed my lips firmly to his, clutching at his shirt with my hands. Jack whimpered and replied eagerly, desperately almost, a familiar fire building between us. It just felt so right to have his lips moulded to mine, it really did. In that brief few seconds where I thought Jack didn’t want to be with me anymore, my heart felt like it was ripping in two. So now that I knew I was just being stupid with assumptions, I wasn’t going to let him go easily.

“HEY! Lex is injured, get the fuck off him,” Mike ordered.

I jumped, startled, but giggled as Jack quickly broke away from me, looking up at Mike with fear.

“Mike, be nice,” I pouted.

Mike just rolled his eyes, handing me an ice-pack before leaving the room again. Jack took the pack from my hands and pulled off my tie, before slowly unbuttoning my school shirt, winking as he pressed a few soft kisses to my pale chest. I couldn’t help but blush lightly, making him chuckle. I love his laugh. With a final peck to my bellybutton, Jack placed the ice-pack onto my stomach, and I sighed happily, already feeling it soothing me.

“I will never let anyone hurt you ever again,” Jack said softly.

“That’s all I can ask,” I whispered.