Replace My Heart

Hours after arriving at Howard Academy for Boys, Alex sighed, rolling onto his back. He stared at the other bunk across the room from his, where his new roommate, Jack Barakat, snored softly. Thinking back to earlier, he smirked. Jack had a great body, and a gorgeous face to go along with it. There was definitely something off with him, though. Shrugging it off, he reached next to him, grabbing and flipping on his Ipod, switching the song from "Swim" by Jack's Mannequin to Blink 182's "I Miss You".

Alex felt a tugging at his heart. The song reminded him of his girlfriend, who went to Antoinette Academy for Girls, just across the lake. Quietly, he started to sing along, perfectly in tune to Tom Delonge's voice. Rolling out of bed, Alex began to sway his body to the music.

He twirled around the room, his thoughts racing. Slamming back into something hard, he winced. Alex grasped his head, and glanced over, seeing a very startled, and pissed-off looking Jack. Coughing softly, Alex glanced up and shrugged, "Sorry, got caught up in my tunes, mate."

Grinning, he grabbed Jack's wrist and yanked him down to the floor. Spinning him around, he pulled him close and started crooning in his ear, "Will you come home and stop this pain, tonight? Stop this pain toniiight! Don't waste your time on me, you're already the voice inside my head. I miss you, I miss you."

Jack jumped back, and glared at him, "What's your deal? We have classes tomorrow. Stop screwing around and just leave me alone!" Alex blushed, his heart racing, "S-sorry..I was just trying to have a little fun.."

Jack climbed back into his bunk, turning away from Alex. A crumpled piece of paper fell to the floor. Picking it up, Alex read the short, sweet yet sad poem about Jack's 'love'..Aaryn something. Walking to Jack's bed, Alex leaned his head against it.

"Jack..talk to me man. What happened? Is it stuff at home? Come on, say something," Alex whispered, touching Jack's shoulder gently. Jack's response was to scoot closer to the wall, and merely grunt.

Sighing in defeat, Alex stumbled to his own bunk and climbed up, glancing over once more, his voice barely audible, "Hey. We're stuck together for the next few months. You have to know..you can trust me. Look, I can tell.. Kid, you've got a lot of potential.." Punching his pillow, he rolled away from Jack.

Blinking hard, he cleared his throat, whispering, "I uh, I lost my brother. Daniel. When I was just a kid. It..gets better. I promise. He was my entire world, my best friend. We kind of..come from a broken family. I-I'm..eighteen now. And I lost him over five years ago. I don't know who you lost, or if you even did. Just know. I'm here for you. I can understand."

Alex closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep, his final thoughts on Jack, and how he was dying to get to know him. Even though it was so wrong, it felt so right.