Take a Sad Song and Make It Better

Jade's POV

It had been 3 days since my heart-to-heart with Alex. To everyone, things were back to normal, and Alex and I were closer than ever. We were back to joking and laughing and poking fun at everything that moved like old times. But there was always that awkward moment whenever Lisa would approach. She didn't sit with us at lunch; she sat with her other friends, but when she would approach Alex and give him a quick kiss before class, I couldn't help but feel like my stomach was being ferociously grabbed by a body builder. I still hadn't completely gotten over him not telling me about her.

I had finally succumbed to going to math class; I couldn't ditch forever. Well I could, but I don't think it would look to well on college applications. Alex, however, would still text me from the field, prodding me to come join him. It never really worked, but I had asked to go to the bathroom and never returned on Wednesday.

Finally, as the final bell rang for school, I picked my head up off the desk and look around, disoriented. I had fallen asleep, my cell phone underneath my forehead. One New Message was flashing across the screen, Alex's name underneath it. I smiled and opened up the message.

U should prob. wake up now. school's over.

I looked around, half expecting Alex's face to pop up in my line of vision. When it didn't, I furrowed my eyebrows and typed back a response.

How the hell did you no i was asleep?

I gathered my belongings and walked out of math class and down the hall, stopping in front of my locker. As I stuffed books into the small space, a body leaned up against the side of the cold metal on my right, a smirk on his face as he held out his phone, the screen illuminating before me.

“Read the last 4 text messages from you.” Alex said, handing over the piece of heavy plastic as I handed him my history book.

I'm hungry. Make me a sandwich
jhafohqfoihqf
#$73@jhsi!
Have fu6js

I laughed, handing back over Alex's phone as a huge grin fell over his face.“None of those make any sense.” Alex laughed along with me, handing back my book as I closed my locker and together we made our way outside to meet the group. Bailey had done a good job of making herself scarce whenever the group was supposed to hang out. Of course, she couldn't handle not talking to our friends for too long, but things with her and Jack were...awkward to say the least and it was making a slight strain in the group whenever they were around. I just hoped they got over this little bump in their growing friendship soon.

“I know and that's half the fun of it.” I grabbed hold of the strap of my back pack, pulling it higher up onto my shoulder. As I looked towards where Alex's car was parked in the parking, I noticed a semi-familiar head of blond hair leaning against the hood, engaging herself in a full conversation with Kara and Rian. As soon as Rian's eyes drifted to Alex and I walking towards the group, he smiled.

“Hey, mother fuckers! Movie time?” Every time the group got together, we always sat in the Flyziks living room with a movie playing in the background. It had become a tradition, apparently, since Bailey and I moved into town. Tonight was Rian's turn to pick.

“Yeah, Rian, it's fucking movie time!” Alex yelled, dropping his arm from around my shoulder and walking towards his girlfriend, giving her a sweet kiss and a hug when he met up with her. I got that clenched feeling in my stomach again as I continued walking toward the group, a shiver running up my spine at the now change in temperature of where Alex's arm had been resting. I smiled softly towards the group before being wrapped in a bear hug from Jack, my face pressing against his chest.

“Oh, how I've missed you, Jay Bird!” Jack yelled, rocking left and right as I fought for air; his hugs were nice but they suffocated me more with them than he did anything else. I nodded weakly, trying to pull the lanky, Lebanese boy off of me, but to no avail.

“Dude, Jay Bird is my fucking nickname for her! You pick your own nickname, douche!”Alex yelled, before I felt jack being pulled off of me. Next thing I knew, I was being pulled into someone else's chest. “Its okay, Jay Bird, I won't let the mean Lebanese bastard hurt you now.” I laughed and hugged him back, before pulling away and looking into the blue eyes of his blond girlfriend.

“So, um,” I said, taking a couple steps back from Alex and stuffing my hands in my pockets as I stood beside Jack, who's immediate response was to wrap his arm around my shoulders. It's not like I was intimidated by Lisa, I just felt awkward for acting the way I did with him. We always had arms wrapped around the other and sometimes we even looked like a couple, I guess you could say. We were always hugging, but we had intensified these normal things for us a couple notches ever since our heart-to-heart. “Movie?”The group cheered and people piled into different cars.

“Um,” My eyes met Alex's face as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Lisa and I are gonna be late. She has to drop off a couple things at her house, so you might wanna go with Melanie or something.” I nodded and let him pull me into a quick hug before we both separated to different cars.

“Dawn of the Dead? Really, Ri?” Melanie asked as Rian nodded, popping the DVD into the player before scurrying off to sit next to his girlfriend on the love seat.

“I hate scary movies,” I whispered to Jack who was sitting beside me, snuggled up to my side with his arm around my shoulder.

“Me too,” He whispered back as the movie started, “that's why I stick to my Home Alone movies.” I chuckled softly; Jack could be such a little kid.

Dawn of the Dead, though it was a remake of the older version done years ago, was pack full of zombies all while these people are stuck in a shopping mall. Its really a gruesome movie in my opinion, but apparently Rian liked it. Just as another zombie popped up onto the screen, the front door opened, causing Jack and I to scream with fear. The group's eyes all landed on us as we blushed furiously.

“Sorry to scare you guys.” Alex chuckled, leading Lisa in by her hand as they walked into the living room.

“Baby, can you get me a drink?” Lisa asked, putting her purse on the floor next to the recliner. Alex nodded and gave her lips a quick peck before jogging into the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, I couldn't help but look over at Lisa; she seemed to carefree and she was such a sweetheart and I couldn't deny that she wasn't beautiful...So why wasn't she at my throat for being so friendly with her boyfriend? It would make sense for her to be but I guess that maybe she was used to it? I had no idea. Lisa caught my stare and smiled over at me sweetly, giving me a small wave before turning her attention back to the movie.

When Alex walked back into the room, he handed his girlfriend the drink, which she thanked him for, but instead of sitting down with her in the recliner, he remained standing. I watched as he hesitated between looking at his girlfriend and then letting his eyes fall onto the other side of me as I snuggled closer into Jack as another zombie appeared on the screen. We met eyes and I watched as if he was debating with himself whether to sit with me or with Lisa. Finally, he gave up all together, pulling Lisa up out of the recliner and placing her onto his lap as they settled back. But I could feel his eyes on Jack and I every so often as the movie progresses, each time my face becoming more and more hidden in Jack's skinny chest. I could feel his glances boring into my head and I'm sure Jack could feel it too as he turned to look over in Alex's direction.

“He won't stop staring at us.” Jack whispered, hiding behind my hair as zombies and humans battled on the screen. I nodded, explicating a small scream before turning away from the film. I hated zombies and scary movies with a passion. When we both were least expecting it, a zombie popped up once more, causing Jack and I to scream bloody murder, my hands interlocking with his as we did so.

“Jack, you're such a woman.” Zack said, his arm casually draped over my sister's shoulder, Melanie beside them, asleep on Kaylie shoulder as she tried to push her off gently. I laughed softly at the scene before me, but not before glancing at my sister. Bailey looked over at Jack, who met her eyes quickly, before turning away. God, I hated the strain those two were making in their friendship. And too think they had been doing so well.

I turned my attention to Jack, but not before seeing Alex's face from the corner of my eye. His gaze was no longer directed towards our faces, rather, our interlocked hands in Jack's lap.

A part of me wished he had been giving those quick glances at the two of us rather than looking at how Jack's fingers intertwined with my own.

“Thanks for holding my hand tonight, Jay. We can be scary movie buddies from now on!” Jack exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air, causing his brown and bleach streaked hair to fly every which way. “Well, only when Rian decides to pick the movie.” I laughed and let Jack pull me into a hug. Before he ran away, however, he placed a quick kiss to my cheek, emphasizing the 'muah' sound before running off after Kara and Rian down the street.
I smiled, standing in the doorway of the Flyziks as I began walking back to my own house.

“Jay Bird, wait!” I turned around, my smile widening as Alex jogged to catch up to me. Lisa had gone home about an hour ago, her brother picking her up so she could make dinner in time.

“Hey, Alex.” I laughed, watching as he stumbled on a rock in his path. “Watch where you're going, big guy.”

Alex stuck out his bottom lip in an almost irresistible puppy dog pout. “I think I hurt my finger.” Alex said, lifting up his middle finger and sticking it in my face. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

“Alex, did you just flip me o-”

“That's for laughing at me, bitch.” Alex said, shoving me lightly so I stumbled backward as he sprinted towards the house, me following after as we both laughed around the yard.

Finally, we both ran onto the porch, extremely out of breath and, on my part, exhausted.

“I think...I'm going...to sleep for...a thousand years...now.” I panted. Alex laughed whilst trying to catch his breath as well. We definitely were no Bailey and Zack, that was for sure.

“I guess you won't be able to hang out with me and the guys on Halloween then, will you, Jay Bird?” Alex said, running a hand through his hair and roughing it up a bit, a small smirk on his face.

“Halloween?” I asked, a definite sound of excitement and curiosity filling my voice. Alex laughed and nodded his head.

“Yeah. The best holiday, ever!” I nodded vigorously, only causing him to elicit more laughter from his lips. “So, is that a yes?” He asked, knowing full well that I couldn't deny him. During the first week of meeting Alex, I had admitted to him my extreme love for Halloween; my favorite day of the year besides my own birthday.

“So, Saturday? I'll meet you two here? Party's a couple blocks away but we plan on trick-or-treating first.” Alex paused, beginning to take a couple steps toward me, “Sound like a plan?”Alex asked, walking towards me more as I nodded and allowed him to pull me into a hug. When he pulled away, he had a huge smile on his face. Before I was able to ask him why he was smiling to wide, he leaned forward and placed a single kiss on my cheek, sending a round of chills up and down my spine. When he pulled back, he was trying to hide his huge smile by biting his lip. I was completely awestruck.

“Wh-What was that for?” I whispered, looking into his eyes. He smirked, laughing softly.

“I just wanted you to have something better than the Barakat cooties on your cheek.”

“Yeah, because I definitely wanted the Gaskarth STD.” I laughed.

“Hey, its the gift that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving-” I broke him off with my loud laughter, which he joined in on.

“Good night, Alex.”

“Good night, Jay Bird.” Alex said softly before walking off the porch, not turning away from me before he was a good ways away and I had walked inside, closing the door, but I still couldn't the picture of Alex's grin out of my head.