Drive Fast Until We Crash

A week has passed since anyone has seen Jack. He won’t answer my calls, he’s not calling me, and I’m worried. Really fucking worried. I’m going out of my mind and I don’t know what to do! I mean, should I go to the police? Do I go round there myself? All the guys are worried about me too. Rian, Zack and Mike come round mine every morning to make sure I actually go to school and eat something for breakfast. At least one of them is in all my classes apart from Music Theory, so they make sure they take notes for me too. I just can’t concentrate on anything without knowing that Jack’s alright.And I can’t help but feel like it’s all my fault too.

Now being mid-May, our Senior year is drawing to a close, and to chill out we decided to go to the local park. By ‘we’ I mean the guys. I guess I should thank them for trying to get my mind on something else. Anyway, we were all just sitting around, listening to a hilarious story from Mike, when my phone buzzed. Jack. Oh my fucking God!

Where are you?

Hmm, no kiss. I’m hoping he’s just in a rush.

At the park. Why? xx

I bit my lip as I waited for him to text back, trying not to let anyone else notice and make a big fuss.

Meet me at the South gate

I smiled and put my phone back in my pocket, getting to my feet.

“Where are you going?” Rian frowned, looking up at me.

“Jack wants to meet me at the South gate,” I told him, grinning.

“What does he want?” Zack asked, scowling.

“I don’t know, but I’ve got to go,” I shrugged.

“Call me if anything goes wrong,” Martin said firmly.

“Yeah, yeah,” I laughed, walking away.

It took me about 10 minutes to walk to the south side of the park, and sure enough I saw a familiar lanky figure standing there, dressed in his favorite Blink182 hoodie and a pair of ripped jeans. But as I got closer, tears filled my eyes at what I saw. Jack’s face was purple and yellow with bruises, his lip busted as well as his left eye swollen and black.

“Jack! What the fuck happened to you?! Was this Hugo?!” I shrieked, running up to him.

“That doesn’t matter. We need to talk,” Jack said softly, looking as if speaking hurt.

“W-What about?” I whimpered.

I reached out to touch him but he stepped back slightly, making my throat dry up. Jack, no! No!

“I’ve come to the decision that I can’t be with you anymore. We weren’t right together Lex and I…I shouldn’t be with someone poor,” Jack mumbled, avoiding my eyes.

My world froze as his words crashed down on me like an icy wave. No. No this can’t be happening. This isn’t Jack!

“Y-You don’t mean that. He’s making you say this isn’t he?” I choked, tears starting to fall from my eyes.

“Lex please, don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Just forget about me, okay? Because I’m going to forget about you. It’s over,” Jack whispered.

“I love you,” I pleaded desperately.

Jack just looked at me sadly before turning around. A sob tore from my lips as he walked away, and my knees gave out from underneath me.

He…broke up with me.

I’m not good enough for him.

He’s going to forget about me.

He doesn’t love me anymore.

I couldn’t stop the sobs spilling from my lips as I shakily pulled out my cellphone, calling Martin.

“Lex? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Martin asked frantically.

“H-He broke up with me,” was all I could say.

Within minutes Zack, Martin, Paul, Rian, William and Mike were surrounding me. Zack picked me up in his arms and cradled me like a young child, rocking me lightly to calm me down.

“What happened, Lex?” Rian asked softly.

“I don’t w-want to say,” I whimpered, clutching at Zack’s t-shirt.

“We want to know so we have a legitimate reason for kicking his ass,” Paul said firmly.

“No! You can’t hurt him! H-He’s bad enough as it is,” I protested, shaking my head.

“What?” Mike frowned.

“I think Hu-Hugo’s been beating him, and he’s finally given in. His face was completely busted,” I whispered.

“Oh Lex,” Rian sighed.

“What did he say to you?” William asked sadly.

“He said th-that we can’t be together, th-that we’re not right together and th-that he shouldn’t b-be with someone who’s p-poor. He said that he’s g-going to f-forget about me and he just shook his head when I said that I-I love him. Then he walked away,” I recounted shakily.

“I’m still going to kick his ass,” Paul growled.

“Me too. You don’t deserve to get treated like that,” Zack agreed.

“I’m with you,” Mike added.

“Guys, please, don’t,” I begged.

“But…”

“If Alex doesn’t want us to beat up Jack, then we won’t,” William said firmly, interrupting Zack.

Paul, Mike and Zack all glared at him lightly before giving in.

“So what do we do instead?” Paul frowned.

“Can we just do s-something un-Jack related?” I asked, lifting my head.

“If that’s what you want, then yeah,” Martin smiled supportively.

The others agreed, and soon we were walking back to our original spot in the park. I curled up in Zack’s lap as soon as we sat down, closing my eyes. I just want to sleep. I want to sleep so I can wake up and this can all be a horrible dreamalthough I know that it won’t be.

*

[Jack]

The image of Alex’s heartbreak was firmly replaying in my mind as I walked round the corner, to where Hugo was sitting in his limo. I fixed a blank expression on my face as I got in and slammed the door shut, misery washing over my every nerve as Hugo ordered the car to drive us home. I hate him so much. Hugo, that is. I’ve spent all week being beaten mercilessly, but I didn’t give in until this morning when he threatened to hurt Alex too. That was when I knew I had to do something, because if Alex got hurt then I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. Hurting him the way I did was better than if Hugo’s associates hurt him. I’ll never be able to forgive myself, but at least I can live knowing that he’ll be safe. It didn’t take us long to get back home, and we walked inside in silence. I bet you’re wondering where my mom is? Well, she called a few days ago and said she had to stay a little while longer with her friends, so I’ve got no idea when she’s actually coming back. Fucking wonderful.

“So you broke up with the boy?” Hugo asked casually, walking into the kitchen.

I sighed and followed him, standing in the doorway.

“Yes, I broke up with Alex,” I muttered.

“Did you make him hurt?” Hugo asked, raising an eyebrow.

I scowled at my step-dad. Does he have no shame?

“Does it matter? It’s over, okay? We’re not together so you can go back to hating me in silence,” I snapped.

I swallowed heavily as Hugo’s features darkened. And here we go again.

“You’d better watch how you speak to me, boy. I thought you’d learnt that by now,” Hugo warned, putting down his coffee mug.

I squared my shoulders and stood up taller. I have nothing to lose anymore so I might as well speak my mind.

“I will talk to you however I want, motherfucker. You’ve made my life miserable, and I hope you rot in hell. I hate you,” I said angrily.

I braced myself for Hugo’s backhanded slap, groaning when my head bounced off the kitchen floor when I fell. Ouch. I clenched my stomach as Hugo’s expensive Italian shoes repeatedly booted my stomach, trying desperately not to pass out like my light-headedness wanted me to.

“What the hell is going on here?”

I weakly opened my eyes to see my mom standing in the doorway, eyes wide with shock and anger. Oh my God.