Slightly Bruised and Broken From Our Head on Collision

I plonk myself down onto an empty seat and wave to Rian who is sat further back, he nods and him and his girlfriend – Katie... Karan... Kara? I can’t remember- smile at me before carrying on talking. I smile and turn to Jack who sits heavily beside me and ask him.

“So when is Alex meeting Kyle today?” Jack grimaces and mutters something before saying.
“Straight after school. But I’m making him text me when he gets to the park they’re gonna meet at, if he remembers.”

Jack looks kind of worried, so I let it slide without asking anymore of the questions buzzing in my head. I brush his fringe out of his face and give him what I hope is a reassuring smile. He just nudges my nose with his and looks out the window, and I hope like hell that Alex will be okay. I look across to where Alex is sitting with Zack and see them talking about some kind of chord progression and I’m glad to see them both look so happy. It’s weird seeing someone with that much muscle, who is that shy and that willing to try to fix someone so broken. But Zack spots me watching them and smiles nervously; I smile back and wave at them. Alex rolls his eyes and waves back and Jack just carries on staring out the window.

When we pull up at school Jack still hasn’t looked away from the window and Alex is still talking to Zack about chord progressions, so when Rian and his girlfriend walk past I catch up and start making a conversation. I can’t cope with being alone, so they politely talk to me for about 10 minutes, with Rian’s girlfriend –Kara I find out her name is- laughing way too loudly way too often, and Rian running his hand over his buzz cut way too many times. Kara starts talking about a party at some friend of hers house and I start zoning out slightly

“... but Kyle says he wants to invite you to it anyway, because he understands why you shouted at him. I think he kinda wants to make things better between you guys now that he and Alex are trying it over again. He says he really wants you to come-.” I interrupt her rudely,

“Kyle wants me to come to a party at his house?!” But she doesn’t seem to mind, and giggles.

“It’s at 27 Thames Street, Thursday. So err... that’s the...” Rian grins stupidly and jumps in.

“The day after tomorrow babe the 29th, we can give you and Jack a lift if you’d like, I think Alex is helping Kyle set up...?” I smile at him and agree, before remembering that Jack isn’t up for talking or being sociable at the moment. But by the time I’m about to tell them this they’ve smiled and walked away, holding hands and just being all-round sickeningly cute. I turn around and see people walking past me, pushing into my shoulders and bashing into me, and I try to find Jack in an ever-growing crowd. I look around before remembering I have English with Alex in 5 minutes, and that is the only chance I’m gonna get to talk to him without Jack looking disapproving, or Alex looking all ashamed because he’s letting Jack down. So I turn in the middle of the crushed corridor and leave behind any hope of finding Jack.

Jack’s POV.

I watch her turn and search for me but I make no effort to show myself. I mean, why should I? Why should I bother trying to talk to her when she thinks that Alex getting hurt again is the best option here? She looks kind of sad before turning around and walking away from me, and I hold back the urge to chase after her and apologise and tell her how beautiful she is. I walk towards my science lesson, silently hating everyone who walks past me and hope to god that we can all get past this. All three of us, together. I wait outside the class with Zack as people queue up behind us when he asks me.

“So, are you going to Kyle’s party on the 29th?” I look at him without really seeing him and shake my head but it takes a while for me to realise what he says.

“What?” I say way too angrily for 9 o’clock in the morning, he looks kind of nervous and starts to reply.

“Are you going to go t-“

“No I heard you the first time I’m not retarded. I mean as in what does he think he’s playing at?” I interrupt, Zack just looks even more nervous and people behind me are starting to back away. The teacher opens the door and everyone piles in but I stay outside. Zack looks scared and itches the back of his head.

“He doesn’t actually think we’re going to go does he? Does he honestly believe that we would go just for him to hurt Alex again?” The look on Zack’s face tells me that Kyle does believe that we’d go. The whole weight of this morning falls on my shoulders and my anger increases.

“For fuck’s sake. Who does he think he is? Alex is going as well isn’t he? He’s willing to go and get hurt again isn’t he?” Zack looks back and says.

“I think Alex is helping him set up and Rian said he was gonna give you and your girlfriend a lift, I just kind of assumed you were all good with it an-“ I turn and walk away, leaving Zack wringing his hands and looking annoyed at himself and the people around him looking scared.

I need to find out what’s happening here, because I can’t get my head around this and it’s starting to make my brain thud.

Normal POV.

I sit next to Alex and smile at him, he grins back and signals he has something to tell me once the teacher stops talking. I didn’t find Jack and it’s starting to grate that he’s so determined to ruin this for Alex. I nod and try to focus on what the teachers saying and fail miserably; I can’t even remember his name. So I doodle on a blank piece of paper I find in the back of my book, and hope to god he shuts up soon so Alex can tell me what he wants to say. The teacher hits the board and people around us start chatting so I turn to Alex for him to start talking at about 100 miles per hour.

I only catch a couple of words per sentence.

“Me...Kyle... party... 29th...Set up...Rian volunteered... Jack if he’s fine... no fighting...happy again...”

I smile and raise an eyebrow, he giggles and says.

“You can come set up before if you want, but Jack might not want to... He may not even want to come at all to be honest...” He smile suddenly drops a bit, and he looks a little unfocused, and I’m about to ask what’s wrong when I hear a door being flung open.

“Jackary Bassum Barakat, please can you no-“

“Sorry sir.” I hear an angry voice I recognise interrupt, and I turn to see Jack staring at both of us eyes flashing. “I need to talk to Alex and his friend.”

Ouch.

“Fine Jack, but any longer than 5 minutes and you’re going to have the head of year to answer to.” Alex stands up looking nervous, and as I push my chair back he looks on the verge of tears. Jack just walks back out into the corridor and we follow, with his head down and tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. We get outside and I softly close the door, hoping like hell he isn’t as angry as he sounded/looked.

He is.

“WHAT THE HELL? YOU’RE HAVING A PARTY THAT ONE, YOU DIDN’T TELL ME ABOUT AND TWO, IS WITH KYLE? YOU HAVEN’T EVEN MET HIM AGAIN YET. WHY DO YOU EVEN TRUST HIM, WHAT IF YOU DON’T GET ALONG? WHAT IF HE’S THAT SAME ABUSIVE LITTLE BITCH HE WAS LAST TIME? WHAT THEN” he turns, his eyes shining onto me. His voice drops and he just sounds tired as he says.

“You should have told me, you should have told me about this whole thing before it got this far. You knew all along didn’t you? You knew and you just left me guessing, and again you trust Alex over me. That hurts you know, that really fucking hurts.” He just shakes his head and starts to turn away.

“I only found out this morning babe” I go to grab his hand and he doesn’t pull away. Alex just looks on awkwardly. “And honestly, if this is what they want to do I’d let them. I mean we have a lift and free alcohol, why not go and get smashed and have a good time? You might enjoy it.” I smile hopefully at him, but he just looks sad and looks to Alex for some kind of explanation.

Alex looks to the floor and almost whispers.

“I just really, really want this to work out for us. I know I haven’t met up with him again yet, but if he’s that bad, I can cancel.” He looks up at us together, and tries for a smile. Jack sort of half smiles and opens an arm. Alex falls into it and Jack hugs us both. I knew he wouldn’t be that mad at us for long. And as he sort of awkwardly kisses the top of my head, he smiles.