Never Too Soon

They end up going to some coffee shop that Alex loves, the half-library type that smells of the old books it sells along with brewing coffee. Alex tells Jack that he used to come here all the time because you can never find these types of books in a library, and Jack tells him he's never seen the place in his life.

It's going pretty much as well as Jack could have hoped, until they reach the register. "Hi, Alex, haven't seen you in a while," says the tiny, very female cashier, looking up at Alex with big brown eyes and what is certainly a very friendly smile.

Jack's stomach flips with jealousy, and he sort of hates himself for being such a twelve year old girl sometimes- getting jealous over nothing, like Alex is his first boyfriend or something. The next thing he knows, he'll be writing 'Mr Jack Gaskarth' on all of his World History notes in purple glitter gel pen.

Needless to say, he needs to be more careful. Or something. Lest he die a glittery death by pure, unadulterated self-pity. And also embarrassment.

Alex smiles back at the girl- Though Jack takes note that it doesn't quite reach his eyes, because apparently Jack is the type of person to notice that kind of thing now. "Hey, Lisa." Alex says, putting his hand on the small of Jack's back, which is kind of strange, not that Jack is complaining. It's just that Alex doesn't usually initiate contact. If anything, he avoids it, sending his eyes anywhere but Jack for a good fifteen seconds or so every time Jack tries to put his hands on him (which is admittedly a lot).

Lisa's smile falters a bit, but she keeps on. "Your usual?" She asks.

Alex worries at his bottom lip a bit before nodding. "Yeah, that'd be great, thank you so much," He says. Jack thinks he is maybe too polite.

Lisa smiles back. Her teeth are so perfect, it's a little blinding.

Alex's 'usual' turns out to be some sort of green tea with mint and about fifty other accoutrements, and Jack feels a little lame just getting a coffee and dumping around seven packets of sugar in it.

---

Alex apologizes the moment they step away from the register. "I didn't realize she still worked here," He says, doing something strange with his hands that involves a lot of flailing that's usually left to Jack to do. "I sort of, just, I mean- I haven't seen her since the breakup and-"

"The breakup?" Jack interrupts, and he doesn't mean to, hates it when people do that, interrupt others, he means, but... He's curious (and jealous).

Alex sighs, taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah, I dated her for about six months. Um, things got kind of ugly, though. She wasn't what I wanted," He says cryptically, and Jack nods, pretending like he understands.

"So you left her, then?" He asks, and he's not meaning to pry, either, but he sort of is.

Alex looks down. "Um, yeah. Kind of. It was really shitty of me, but, I. I kind of, uh, just completely ignored her for a week until she broke up with me herself."

"That's not very nice," Jack blurts, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"I'm not always very nice," Alex says innocently, brushing his lips by the shell of Jack's ear, stepping back after a beat and taking a sip of his ridiculously fancy drink like nothing even happened.

Jack pretends like his phone is the most interesting thing in the world, and doesn't take his eyes off of it.

---

When Jack tells Rachel the details of the date (after she threatens to go through his internet history and send questionable links to their mother if he doesn't) she listens intently at first. Then she notices Jack is leaving something out, and he's forced to tell her all about his Lisa-jealousy and Alex touching him and, most importantly, Alex's little change in character/possible lapse in judgement. She bursts into laughter. Jack doesn't find it nearly as funny as she does.

"Oh my god, this is rich," She gushes, her shoulders shaking a little from the force of her laughter. "You are the biggest pussy on the face of the planet. That is the most obvious hint I have ever heard, oh my god."

Jack shoots her the best death glare he can manage, but it is apparently not very effective, because Rachel just laughs harder.

"Your life," She says seriously, "It sucks."

"Shut up, you're terrible," Jack says, trying to glare at her some more. He just looks like he needs glasses because there's a lot of squinting involved but no real heat.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Terrible? That's a little intense, Jack, you should remember that fifteen is an emotionally delicate age. That could have been wildly damaging to my self-esteem."

"You have plenty of self-esteem," Jack says. "Maybe instead you should invest in a soul."

---

"So buy him some chocolates or something," Rian says, giggling into his hands after a few beers (or more than a few, but what the fuck ever, nobody's counting).

"What should he label them, though? 'I'm sorry I missed the biggest hint ever given to a person ever and I actually would like to fuck you' chocolates?" Zack adds. He is much meaner when he's been drinking.

Rian lights up like he's just thought of something brilliant. "Or you could send him a bubble machine, everyone likes bubbles, right?" He says, and Jack thinks he's joking at first but then there's no laughing.

Jack frowns. "Any logical ideas?" He only gives them a few seconds. The silence speaks for itself. "Oh, no, of course not, that would be much too convenient for me," He says to no one, and Zack claps him on the shoulder. It would be friendly if it were anyone but Zack, but since it is it just kind of hurts and makes him feel even more lame than usual.