I Dare Not Ask Who's Been Helping You Fall Asleep

It would have been sad if things ended like that between Alex and I, but as Jack put it I just couldn’t stay away. Too bad I didn’t know that staying away would have saved me the heartache…

I avoided Alex for about three days until I couldn’t take it anymore. I eyed him across the gym during physical education our last class of the day. He and Jack were screwing around.

I walked over slowly and caught them talking about bra sizes.

“You guys are lame.” I said standing beside them.

Jack engulfed me in a hug to the point where I was getting lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. I squirmed in his arms.

“Jack get off of me.” My voice came out muffled.

“We’ve missed you! I told Alex you couldn’t stay away for much longer.”

Finally I broke free. I looked at Alex and held my arms open.

He stared at me questioningly, “You aren’t still mad at me?”

“Why else would I be offering you a forgiveness hug?”

He moved closer smiling a small smile, “I thought you said not to answer a question with a question.”

I rolled my eyes, “There’s obviously exceptions.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and his arms went above my hips. I was getting lightheaded again but not for the same reason as Jack’s hug earlier.

Alex pulled away and cleared his throat. I could feel an awkward silence about to settle in to stay, but then Alex’s eyes lit up. “Guess what I got today?”

“A cure for speech impediment?” I teased, but then I stopped laughing. Was it just me or had he stopped stuttering?

He shoved my shoulder lightly, “No, I got this.” He held up a cell phone.

I didn’t get it. “Okay, that’s great.” I said with mock enthusiasm.

“It’s Mary Jane’s cell phone.” Jack said coming to stand next to Alex. Their eyes stared at the phone like it was the guide to all happiness in the world.

“And guess whose number is in it, on speed dial?” Alex added.

I stopped to think about what the hell was so significant about a cell phone, but then it hit me. “Wait, Mary Jane?!?! Jasey’s friend? Why do you have her phone? Or better yet how did you get your hands on it?”

I slid the phone open to reveal a picture of Jasey and Mary Jane blowing kisses at the camera. And sure enough the banner read, it’s mary jane bitch!

“We kind of stole it.” Jack shrugged like it was nothing.

“What do you mean you stole it? That’s stalkerish! That’s like student’s sexing up their teachers creepy! That’s like writing obsessive fan fics creepy! That’s like—”

Jack clamped a hand over my mouth. “Will you calm down? People are starting to stare.”

“Fine. I’ll calm down, but first tell how did you get her phone?”

“I made out with her in the girl’s bathroom, second stall, during fifth period. My hand went to her back pocket and her cell phone just happened to be there.” Alex said clearly pleased with himself. “It was amazing.”

A million of things were racing in my mind. Since when did Alex ‘make out’… in bathroom stalls… with a junior who had to be two years older than him?

“Yeah, and then she offered to give him head.” Jack said excitedly. Almost like he himself was getting “excited.”

I stared back at them in shock. “Pause and rewind. What do you mean you made out with her? I thought you never kissed a girl before and then all of sudden you’re a pro?”

Jack and Alex burst out laughing. “We’re kidding Jazz. Don’t have a cow.”

I stared at them. “Wait, that was all a lie?”

“Yup, we just punk’d your ass.” Jack stated like he was on some reality t.v. show.

I ignored him. “Then how did you get Mary Jane’s phone?”

Alex shrugged. “It fell out of her pocket when she was late for class. Jack and I were ditching when we saw her go past.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. What I was relieved about I wasn’t so sure.

“You’re not actually going to call Jasey right?” I asked.

Alex looked shocked, “Well, I was planning to.”

“But she’s going to think you’re a creep!” I protested. “She’s going to ask how you got her number.”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.”

I brushed some hair out of my eyes, “Clearly.”

“Just face it Alex, you’re not ready to talk to Jasey yet.”

The coach blew his whistle to signal us to go into the locker rooms to change back into our regular close.

I started to leave.

“Wait, Jazz?”

I stopped. “Yeah?”

Alex looked at me nervously. “Do you think that you could come over to my house later?”

I was surprised and happy at the same time. “Um… sure. I’ll be there.”

I turned around and walked to the locker room. When I reached the door I turned around and Alex was still standing there watching me.

His cheeks turned read when he noticed me staring at him. He lifted his hand and waved.

I waved back.

One thing was for sure, this kid was a mystery.