Too Much of Anything

This was the first time in my life that I've ever felt superior over Alex, maybe I shouldn't feel this way but I do. There have been so many times when Alex has had the upper hand, but this time I felt like I was actually winning this bet and Alex was going to lose for once. 

I felt proud of this because Alex had been impossible to beat and now I was only a step away from proving that wrong. I didn't realize though exactly what was going on with Alex. 

When Alex was supposed to pick me up in his car and take the both of us to school, he never showed. I had to catch the bus which was an extremely long walk away from my house and was absolutely disgusting to be on. I thought for a second that he may have just forgotten so at that point I shrugged it off, seeing it as nothing. 

I finally arrived at school, seeing my best friend beside his locker as he chatted to Rian and Zack. I walked over to them, a huge grin across my face as I waved. Alex took one look a me, his smile fading and turning into a look that I had never seen on his face before - he looked scared.

"I've got to go, I'm going to be late for my first class," he told Rian and Zack, not even giving me the satisfaction of knowing that I was there too.

This was the weirdest thing of all, Alex never cared about whether he was late or not for classes. Besides, he never arrived on time before either. So why had his attitude suddenly changed?

"Hey Jack," Rian greeted me.

I had completely blanked out Rian and Zack as I stared after Alex in dismay. I felt like they knew something I didn't, like I was the one out of their secret circle looking in. 

"What's up with Alex?" I asked.

Rian shrugged, his eyes wondering in the direction that Alex had just left. "I don't know, you tell me."

He was acting like I knew every little thing that goes on inside Alex's brain, but I don't. I never did. Alex never told me everything about his life, he kept things to himself. Just because we were best friends didn't mean I knew him inside out, even if I wanted to know everything that made Alex tick. He would never let me in. 

Zack finally spoke up, his eyes seeming to tell more than he was letting on. "He's obviously avoiding you like the plague. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" I paused, my mind trailing back to the previous night, "I don't think I did."

Was there something I had forgotten? Did I say something that hurt Alex's feelings without realising? I had to apologise - for whatever I had done. I had to find out why Alex was avoiding me. 

I thanked Rian and Zack for helping me as I walked hastily to the first class that Alex should be walking to. I pushed in front of people, saying sorry to those who I managed to bump into clumsily. 

My eyes raked the sea of students, looking for that particular one out of all of them. My eyes caught him standing alone, his back pressed up to the wall and his eyes staring vacantly into space. I made my way over to him as quickly as possible.

"Alex." My voice made him jump as he tried to make another escaping act once again. I grabbed him by the arm, stopping him from moving any further. He struggled out of my grip but it was to no avail. I sighed,  as Alex turned his head away from me.

"Why are you avoiding me?" I questioned. 

All I received was the torturing sound of silence. Alex was killing me here, I wanted his undivided attention but he was doing this. How was I supposed to apologise for what I had done if he wouldn't talk to me? I couldn't take it anymore, only a few minutes of Alex ignoring me and acting like I didn't exist felt like I was being dragged through hell.

I grabbed onto his shoulders, forcing the slightly shorter boy to look at me. "What have I done, Alex? How am I supposed to fix this if you won't even tell me what I did wrong?" 

He finally properly gave me his attention, but it felt like his gaze was practically burning me. I stared at his eyes, feeling my self sink into them without any control. I blinked as Alex actually finally spoke for the first time that day.

"Stay away from me," he ordered stepping away as my hands fell from his shoulders. "Just do that one little thing for me Jack and leave me alone." 

He began to turn around and leave me standing there gaping ridiculously. But I couldn't let him go, I needed answers. 

"Wait, Alex." I grabbed for Alex's hand, brushing his only slightly as he flinched away like the contact had burned him.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted at me before his voice went quiet and he repeated it again, "Don't touch me." 

He exited the hallway leaving me staring after him, the words I really wanted to say shoved back down my throat.