All for You

Alex stared at me with an open mouth, and I tried so hard to stay patient, to stay calm, to keep the tears from pricking behind my eyes. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, struggling to find words. “Jack … you … Baltimore?” He managed, and I sighed.

“I'm going home, Alex.”

The decision to leave hadn't come easy. But with Jack cheating, the confusing moment between Flyzik and I, and my inability to focus on anything but Jack Bassam motherfucking Barakat, I decided that I could be doing something useful, like repairing my relationship with Andy.

“My stuff's all packed, and my flight leaves in two hours. I just need you to drive me to airport,” I say, trying to sound professional and adult, but goddammit, I was a child. Alex pursed his lips, looking so sad.

“I just wish I hadn't happened to you,” He murmured, and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing the lights out of me. I managed a watery smile, before slinging my backpack on my back, walking out towards the front of the bus, where everyone was waiting, Alex trailing me.

Jack and I had had our conversation, which mostly consisted of him sitting in silence and me, surprisingly not crying as I would have thought, instead spelling it out for him. He said nothing to me, and I ended up walking out, not feeling any better.

I began to say my goodbyes, hugging everyone, kissing Flyzik's cheek, ignoring Jack, who stood slightly off the side in comparison to everyone else. At the end of the line was Zack, standing tall and constant. I nodded slightly. “I'm sorry, for everything,” I blurted, and he smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You did what was right, I see that now.” Zack enveloped me into a tight hug, almost crushing my bones and indefinitely knocking the wind out of me. He let me go, still holding my shoulder with one massive palm. “I'm gonna miss you, squirt,” He said, ruffling my hair before chuckling slightly.

I nodded again, looking towards Alex, who held my suitcase in his hand. “I just have one thing to do before we leave,” He murmured in my ear, and walked up to Jack, looking perfectly calm. That is, until he wound up and punched Jack so hard in the face that I could hear the noise of skin on skin, and I'm sure everyone within a four mile radius had too. Jack fell to the pavement, holding his nose.

“What the FUCK, Alex?” He declared, holding his bloody nose in his palms. Alex smirked, shaking his fist out, and bending low to look into Jack's eyes.

“That was for my sister, you dick.”

I approached the cell, where Andy was sitting with her head in her hands. I felt much better, having been home and in my apartment – the only place I could truly and indefinitely call home. “I haven't seen this sad scene in awhile,” I said, and Andy's face shot up, looking angry.

“What are you doing here?” She spat, and I felt what little was left of my heart break inside me. I pursed my lips, breathing in carefully, and tried so hard. I tried so hard to be there for my sister, and yes, I fucked up, and I regret it so much that it physically pains me, but I needed the forgiveness. I needed my sister.

“I came to bail you out. I called Mom and Dad to see if you were home, and they told me you were here.” I nodded slightly, dangling the keys in my hand. “Do you wanna come with me?” I asked weakly, and Andy stood, still looking incredibly angry.

“I meant what are you doing in Baltimore? Don't you have a loving boyfriend who cares about you and who means the world to you?” She spat again, like acid burning my ears and my heart, which was basically mush at this point. I sighed, feeling the tears falling down my face already.

“Jack cheated on me.” I watched as Andy's face fell, and she suddenly looked like the sister I knew, the Andy who cared about me. She managed a half smile.

“Get me out of here,” She said, laughing a little as I unlocked her cell. “I can't believe I was in prison,” She muttered, and I felt the words weighing down on my tongue.

“I'm really fucking sorry, Andy,” I said, and she almost glared at me for a moment before softening a fraction of a degree.

“Let's just not talk about it, okay? Let's just … let's just … let's just go to Lenny's in the city and get burgers and fries and milkshakes and talk about how shitty Mom and Dad are, just like we used to with Alex,” Andy said, and I nodded slightly, chewing my lip.

“But first, you have to tell me something.” She nodded as we walked through the station, returning the keys to the officer at the desk, and out into the sunlight we went. “Why didn't you key Mom and Dad's car?”

Andy laughed so hard she clutched her stomach, and I began to feel myself heal.