Sing Me To Sleep

School the next day wasn’t all that great. Zack was still pissed at everyone. Rian and Cassadee were in an argument because Cassadee couldn’t provide Rian with a suitable reason as to why she’d skipped out on coming to watch the practise without letting him know. Alex wasn’t around all that much – and when he was, he wasn’t pleasant to be around. He kept shooting death glares at Jack, which the skunk-haired boy didn’t seem to notice. Jack and Katy were in their own little world. They had talked for a long while last night, until Jack’s mom had called him home, in fact. A new bond had formed between the two – they were closer than ever before. And that did not fare well with a one Alexander William Gaskarth.

“Baby,” Lindsey cooed. Her plucked-to-perfection brows narrowed when dark-haired boy did not respond. “Alex,” she said forcefully, digging her manicured fingernails into his shoulder ever so slightly. Alex looked up due to the numb pain in his shoulder. He cocked an eyebrow, seemingly giving her approval to go on.

“You’re miles away today,” she informed him, grinding her hips down on his. It didn’t matter to her that they were in the middle of the cafeteria with a bunch of Lindsey’s friends. She was a slut and whore and she was shameless – and she was kind of proud of that fact.

Alex sighed and grabbed her waist, stopping her from grinding anymore.

“Not today, babe, alright?” he said quietly, not meeting her eyes. Lindsey glared at her boyfriend, who paid no attention.

“Fine,” she growled, climbing off of Alex’s lap. “I’m going to the toilet.”

Now Alex felt bad. Just because Jack was getting close to Katy didn’t mean he should ignore his own girlfriend.

“Wait up, babe,” he said in a low voice. Lindsey turned around and cocked an eyebrow. Alex smirked seductively at her, and her expression lifted.

“Come on, big boy,” she whispered, tugging on his hand and leading him out of the cafeteria. It amazed Alex at how quickly the girl would forgive him if sex was involved.

Jack followed Katy out of the cafeteria.

“I don’t know if I want to show you, Jack…,” she said warily, her eyes flickering to the older boy. “You know how you reacted yesterday… Seeing my cuts… I mean… I just… what if you hate me?”

Jack grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

“Trust me. I won’t hate you. I just… I need to know how far gone you are, Katy. Me and Cassadee are gonna help you, so help me God.” He flashed a quick grin. “Now, c’mon; you need to check the girls bathroom is empty so I can get in there undetected,” he said quietly, his eyes darting around to make sure no one heard.

“This is so weird, Barakat,” Katy mumbled, leading him to the toilets. “I bet you’re totally just doing this so you can brag that you’ve been in the girl’s toilets!”

Jack shot her a cheeky grin, and she pretended to gag. He laughed and bumped his side against her.

“Right,” she said as they arrived at the girls’ toilets. “Wait here. Do not move.” Jack nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. Katy rolled her eyes and entered the toilets. She stopped. She heard giggling coming from further in – and it wasn’t just a girl’s voice.

‘Shit. There’s a boy in here. Oh crap. Crap, crap, crap,’ Katy thought as she ventured further in, her mind going blank as to what to do.

“Oh!” Katy said as she came face to back with Lindsey. Alex was smirking obnoxiously as he grabbed at his girlfriend’s ass, his lips attached to hers. His eyes shot open at the sound, and he felt his heart plummet into a new dimension when he saw Katy. What would she think of him?!

Lindsey had turned around by this point and was glaring slyly at Katy, so Alex couldn’t see. Her expression screamed ‘Get the fuck out of here, or you’ll pay!’, but Katy was frozen. Her eyes were locked with Alex’s.

Katy and Alex were best friends. Katy thought she knew the boy inside and out - apparently not. She would never have thought he would ever do something like this. She knew full well where it was headed, and it made her sick to her stomach… and a little jealous, admittedly.

“Katy, I can explain-…,” Alex began, but that was when Jack decided to come strolling into the girls’ toilets like he belonged there.

“I got bored waiting-… Oh, hey Alex… Lindsey…” Jack looked at the pair, confused. Then he looked grossed out as realisation spread across his mind and face. “Ew; in a toilet? Seriously? You guys are so gross, did you know that?”

Alex blushed and looked at his feet. If Jack thought that, then what did Katy think? He knew Katy wouldn’t say anything in front of Lindsey. She was always so quiet around Lindsey. She wouldn’t say much to Alex, either, if the topic ever arose. She would probably just tell him she wouldn’t ‘personally’ do something like that and-… Then something clicked in Alex’s head.

“Uh, Jack?” Alex began, glaring at his best friend. Jack nodded for him to go on. “Why are you in the girls’ toilets, with Katy?”

“Oh, uh…” Jack looked thoughtful, and then glanced at Katy. She shrugged, blushing. Alex’s stomach flipped when she blushed. That meant her and Jack were… up to something, surely? He was pretty sure. It made him want to pummel Jack - which wasn’t rational. It wasn’t rational at all – and Alex knew that.

“It’s a secret,” Jack offered, grinning like an idiot. This just made Alex angrier, but Lindsey got there first.

“You’re such a little slut,” Lindsey lashed out, getting up in Katy’s face in less than a second, pointing at the petite girl.

Before Katy could start to respond, or even cry, Jack was in front of her, grabbing Lindsey’s out-stretched wrist.

“Don’t even go there, Lindsey,” Jack warned, his eyes flashing at her with a double meaning. “You need to stop.”

Alex was watching the scene with a confused cloud over his brain. Then it kicked in that he should probably defend Lindsey, or she’d be pissed at him later, even though he really just wanted to scream at her for calling Katy a slut. Katy was not a slut. Not even a little bit. As far as Alex knew, she hadn’t even kissed a boy.

“Whoa, dude,” Alex protested, stepping forward. “Let go of her. Not cool.”

Jack looked like he was about to go off on one at Alex, but Katy put her hand on his elbow from behind.

“Don’t, Jack. Come on. Let’s get back to the table,” she said quietly, tugging on his arm. He looked at her for a moment, and decided not to pursue the argument. Instead, he put his arms around Katy’s shoulders and steered her out of the bathroom.

Alex watched the pair go, jealously and shame rising inside of him. Lindsey’s hand found her way onto his upper arm.

“Alex,” she growled in what she probably thought was a sexy manner. Alex felt sick. How could she still want to do this?! He shrugged her off harshly.

“Just fucking stop, okay?!” he barked as he exited the toilets, passing a petite ninth grader on his way out. Her eyes went wide as they left Alex and landed on Lindsey. Lindsey glared lividly at the small girl, who turned on her heel sharply and scarpered.

Lindsey kicked the bin in the corner of the bathroom before staring at her reflection in the mirror. She was going to teach that stupid fucking ‘I’m-so-perfect’ Katy girl a lesson – and it would not be pretty.