Write It Down

As Alex entered into his house after dinner with his parents, he was crying with happiness. For weeks now he has been lost in a hopeless circle of Jack, and now his parents were shining light into their dark world and things seemed to be getting okay again.

He couldn’t wait to tell Jack about the great news. All the news that could save their relationship; save his life.

He went to his computer so he could print out a few informational pages from the CTCA’s website, but stopped when he saw he had a new email.
As he saw that it was from the Ledger he immediately got a sick feeling in his stomach. He was so excited to leave that place, but the fact that he still had to tell his editor of his plans terrified him. He quickly opened the email, and silently gasped at its contents.

To: alex.gaskarth@thebaltimoreledger.com
From: john.ocallaghan@thebaltimoreledger.com
Subject: Jack Story
Alex-
Hey man, I got assigned the Jack story after you dropped it, and I found a few notes in your desk so I just wanted to know if you’d do a fact check on what I wrote?

I attached a copy of my completed story. McDaniel said I should have you edit it after him, so I am. Thanks man! Much appreciated.

-John O.
Staff Writer

Alex wanted to cry. If this story gets published, there is no way Jack will believe that he didn’t give the information to John. How would he even explain it to him? This was so fucked. He drops the story and this thing is still biting him in the ass.

He knew the only way to possibly avoid the slap in the face he was more than likely going to get from Jack’s weak arms was to tell him. To tell him everything. It would probably ruin everything but at least he wouldn’t have to hear about the story Alex almost wrote about him in the Sunday issue.

He was so ready to be done with The Baltimore Ledger. He wanted to be done with it completely.

He picked up his phone immediately, texting Jack. There was so much he needed to tell him, and he might as well get it over with now.

---

Jack wondered why Alex was so short with his message. It was so simple. I’m coming over. Now. Usually Alex would call and inform Jack of his planned arrival, but not this time. This time he was in too much of a hurry, Jack assumed.

He laid his head back on the pillows in his bed, and waited for his boyfriend to arrive. Since Alex now had a key, Jack didn’t have to get up every time Alex decided it was time to come over. Which was quite often.

Jack had almost dozed off when he heard the door slam shut and, “Jack?!” come through the house.

“In here, baby!” He shouted back.

Alex entered the room with a worried face and a shaky voice as he looked at Jack and said, “We need to talk.” Now, in a normal relationship, that would worry Jack. But, he knew Alex and knew the way he thought and knew that he wasn’t thinking about anything that could potentially hurt Jack any more than the physical pain he endured daily.

Jack just nodded, letting his boyfriend know that it was okay for him to proceed and Alex closed his eyes as he started his overdue explanation.

“Jack, I need to talk to you about my job.” He started. Jack gave a questioning look as Alex proceeded. “Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?” He decided letting Jack choose would cushion the blow.

“Good news!” Jack smiled.

“Well, alright. I got a new job offer that will guarantee me one article every week.” He paused as he tried to get the rest of the news out. “It’s in Atlanta..”

“GEORGIA?!” Jack gulped immediately, not even letting Alex finish stating the name of the city. “Alex, I said give me the good news..” He said shakily. Alex was supposed to be there for him. Not leave him to run off and make himself a Georgia Peach. No.

“Let me finish, Jack.” Alex giggled a little. It was cute that Jack was so afraid of losing him. He pulled out the printed off sheets of information he got from the CTCA’s website and handed them to Jack. “They’ve got a great treatment center about an hour away from Atlanta..”

He thought Jack would be excited about the news; the news that could possibly save his life. “Alex, don’t you think I’ve looked at this place? It’s perfect, but fuck my insurance wouldn’t cover that if I paid them…”

Alex smiled again. He really was excited to give Jack the good news. “Once again, Jacko, let me finish.” Jack couldn’t help but smile at the nickname Alex had given them when they first met. “My parents have offered to pay for your treatment if I take the job in Atlanta.”
Jack started to say something to object but then reevaluated what Alex had just told him. His parents, two people he had never met in his life, offered to pay for his treatment that could possibly save his life.

“What?” Was all Jack could offer as a reply.

“You heard me, Jack.” Alex smiled. “All your treatment at CTCA will be taken care of if you just come with me. Please..” Alex was so excited for his answer that he had almost forgotten it would be retracted the moment he found out about the article..

“YES!” Jack said, the words seemed to be at a loss at this moment as tears began to well in his eyes. No wonder Alex was so wonderful, he thought. His parents.

Alex almost felt like an asshole for bringing up the bad news, but it was necessary. “Jack, I need to tell you something first.. Before you agree..”
Jack nodded, still at a loss for words as his eyes were still producing salt water. Alex continued. “When we first met, you know how I always told you I thought you would make the perfect story?” Alex asked him. He smiled and nodded in response. “Well, my editor found our letters and he told me I had to write a story on you. Undercover, revealing all of your personal facts and shit.” Alex felt his eyes begin to well with tears as well.
Jack didn’t say a word, just squeezed Alex’s hand for him to continue. Alex was so scared. He had that feeling in his stomach like this was it. This was the end.

“So, I started taking notes every time we were together, gathering every bit of information I could about you. And, just when I finally decided I had enough to write a proper profile on Jack Bassam Barakat, I couldn’t do it. It was my first chance to prove myself as an actual writer and I couldn’t do it, Jack..” His eyes were spewing tears, now.

And, as he looked over at his boyfriend, through the tears he expected to see an angry, disappointed Jack. But, that’s not what he saw at all. He was smiling. “Alexander Gaskarth, I honestly don’t give a shit,” He laughed. “You’ve been with me this whole time, from the moment I told you about my impending doom.” He smiled and pulled his boyfriend down closer to him. “And besides, you didn’t write it, and we’re here. So it’s fine.”

“They’ve gotten someone else to run it.” Alex said. “John. He found my notes in my desk and he wrote the fucking story, but they’re going to run it and I’m not even the one writing it so its going to be so screwed up..”

Jack just smiled again. “Shh, sweetie, I don’t care! How can you honestly think that I’m really going to care that a small town paper is writing about me when my boyfriend and his family could be saving my life. Just hush, I love you.” Jack pulled Alex down and kissed him heavily. It was their first strong kiss in a while, and it did not go unnoticed.

Alex raised himself so he was leaning carefully over his boyfriend, not wanting to touch any blisters that could still be there.
He wanted to take Jack, right there, but he knew that wasn’t wise.

He took a breath from their passionate kiss and looked into the sea of brown that were Jack’s eyes. “I love you too, Jacko.”

Jack almost didn’t hear him.
He replied in a needy tone, “My blisters are gone…”