Tear Best Friends Apart

Exactly thirty minutes later Jack yelled down the hall that Alex was back to pick me up. With one last glance in the mirror, running my fingers through my long, straight, dark hair, I exited my room and walked the five-foot-long hallway to where the guys were standing.

Jack was unusually dressed up. Dark jeans covered his chicken legs while his favorite black leather jacket covered a light blue and white button-up shirt. “Well, don’t you look nice,” I teased my brother. He stuck out his tongue and I just smiled before taking notice of the other boy in the small foyer.

My eyes traveled from the black skinny jeans up to the black v-neck that was covered with his signature jean jacket. My eyes lingered on his body a beat longer than they should have, but eventually I met his eyes, receiving a tentative smile as a similar one fell across my face.

“Hi Alex.”

“You uh, ready to go?” He asked, stuffing his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. Quickly, I glanced to Jack who was texting furiously then back to Alex with a nod as affirmation.

We went our separate ways, Jack off to pick up Marla for their date and Alex and I off to the venue. The car ride was somewhat quiet, not at all out of the ordinary for us. Once in the nightclub, known as The Regal, the two of us made our way to the downstairs area where the show would be taking place.

There were only a handful of kids there so far. The bands were moving equipment around onstage as everyone waited around for the show to begin. Alex led us to a spot fairly close to the stage, a spot deemed as ‘ours’ seeing as how we come here quite often. We made small talk about the bands playing tonight and about previous shows we’ve been to while we waited.

Soon enough the lights went off, signaling the start of the show, as the first band came onstage. I recognized a few of the guys from our school and turned to Alex. “I didn’t know Justin and Chris were in a band,” I stated.

Alex nodded as the first song began, pulling my attention away. The band was okay. I’ve heard better, but then again, I’ve heard worse, much worse. After a small intermission the second band came out.

“This is who I really wanted to see,” Alex yelled over the music now blaring through the speakers. They were really good. I smiled at Alex’s taste in music, which almost perfectly matched mine.

Soon I found myself dancing along to the upbeat tempo of the songs, not caring about what those around me thought. I had long ago learned to let loose and forget about anyone else’s opinions-mine was the only one that mattered-something I had learned from both Alex and my dear older brother. I could hear Alex chuckling beside me and turned to glare at him.

‘What?’ I mouthed, knowing he most likely wouldn’t hear it verbally.

He just shook his head as I faintly heard a “nothing,” come from his lips. I just turned back around, allowing myself to get lost in the music once again.

The crowd, which had grown incredibly since we first arrived, became much more active. I could see girls dancing, as I was, and guys thrashing around. This was a normal sight at shows, in fact, if it wasn’t happening I would be shocked. I was lost in my own world, moving to the beat of the current song, when I was pushed sideways, causing me to collide with Alex. His arms instinctively caught me, wrapping around my waist, steadying me where I was now pressed up against him, having nowhere else to go. I turned slightly to face my friend who wore an expression mixed between shock and worry.

“You okay?” he asked, not having to speak as loud due to our new proximity.

“Yeah,” I responded as I looked into his chocolate pools. I didn’t move; liking this new closeness and the feel of his arms wrapped lightly around me, shielding me from any more shoves. As I stared into his eyes, which hadn’t lost their connection with my own, I wondered what it would be like to be standing like this in any other moment. When his arms weren’t around me because he felt he needed to protect me out of loyalty to Jack and our bodies were pressed against one another’s because we wanted them to be, not because there was no space to move.

Alex cleared his throat as he broke eye contact, breaking me from my trance. I looked down, now uncomfortable, knowing that he was uncomfortable. But why wouldn’t he be uncomfortable? I was his best friend’s little sister, and we had never been this close to one another physically.

The music died down and with it the crowd dispersed, allowing Alex and I to take a step away from each other, but his arms never left their place around my waist. Normally I wouldn’t complain, and I’m not exactly doing it now, but it felt too weird to be standing like this, like how you would with your boyfriend. Not a friend, or worse yet, your brother’s friend. I shrugged out of his grasp as I led us up the stairs that would bring us to the exit.