Do You Wanna Run Away Together?

So. Today was finally the day. The day Jack Barakat turned 18. And after endless moths of countdowns and complaining that he was never taken seriously as an ‘adult’, the day had finally arrived. And he was near exploding levels of excitement. I don’t remember being this excited, but then again. This is Jack. And Jack’s not exactly your average eighteen year old. He has the mental age of a seven year old, with added dick jokes and inappropriate innuendoes. But all the while, he was mine. And he brightened up my day with his lunacy. And I wouldn’t change him one bit. I think… No I wouldn’t.

But, you see. He tends to get a bit… I don’t know how you’d explain it, illogical? Irrational? Unreasonable? Stupid? When he’s given the slightest bit of responsibility. For example, when he took his driving test none of our group of friends thought he would pass. Not in a mean way, it’s just, he drives like a lunatic. Like someone’s let out the crazy guy from the special place with the padded walls and nice people with big nets, where they have special jackets so you can always hug yourself and given him a car and said it runs on cherryade and it will take you to Narnia. So when he came back with his little laminated piece of card saying he was able to go out in public, with his driving ‘skills’ we were so impressed we tested his license and let him drive us to the closest fast food place. We were lucky we made it out alive; he drove like 60mph on a 30 road. Regardless of him passing his test, we didn’t wanna die, so we didn’t let Jack drive ever again.

So when he learns that he can now buy scratch cards? Holy tits. He went off the rails. Whining at me to go with him. I mean, what’s the big deal? You never win on those things. And even if you do it’s only like $10. It’s pointless. But Jack being Jack and his childish demure wanted it, it was held from him all these years and now he was legally able to buy it he would have it. And he complained, and complained, and complained, using those puppy dog eyes and pouting his lips ever so slightly at me in desperation for me to drive him to the store in my car. His parent’s hadn’t bought him one yet, and wouldn’t let him borrow theirs. Smart move Mr and Mrs B. He was verging on begging on the floor, and to be honest I’d quite like to see that. I chuckled to myself at the way my brain worked sometimes, and then I heard him whinging from his place on the couch the left side to me, where he was sprawled out across the large expanse of brown leather, his head lolling over the armrest to look at me in my living room. His matted black and blonde hair sticking out in all directions due to his head not being the right way up.

‘Please? Pretty please? Just this once I promise Lex, I promise I won’t make you do it again. Please I just wanna go today, if I don’t go today my birthday luck will run out and I won’t win.’ He pouted looking at me best he could when his head was upside down and his cheeks slowly getting pinker and pinker as the blood rushed to his skull.

‘B-but m’tired. And the car is so far away and I just,’ I said sarcastically with a smile on my face yawning halfway through the sentence, ‘…need some motivation to get me to move.’ I sniggered as I saw Jack’s eyes bulge a little in their sockets with excitement at the prospect of getting me to take him. He was so childish sometimes, but it was adorable. I was thinking of taking away the innocent look in his eye, because he looks so cute when he blushes.

But I didn’t get the chance too, because before I could move sprung himself off the couch, like it had burnt him and he ran over to me throwing his left leg over my body and plonking it down between the gap between my hip and the back rest of the couch. Sinking his body down onto my chest and leaving his right leg still touching the floor, he smiled down at me. I returned the favour and tried to push him off without the use of my hands which were currently nicely squashed underneath Jack’s butt.
‘Jack, get your fat ass off me,’ I laughed, he smiled and shook his head, ‘No.’ oh dear; he was going to be difficult. ‘At least give me my hands back I have an itchy nose.’ I said, pouting and making my eyes deliberately big. My nose was actually starting to cause me pain it was itching. I squirmed around underneath Jacks weight, squeezing my eyes shut to distract myself from my nose. ‘Not until you agree to take me to the store?’ I could tell he was smiling in triumph, I could feel his smile radiating off him, I smiled still with my eyes closed. I liked being the one who could make Jack smile. To be honest I was going to take him to the store anyway I decided after the first time he asked me two hours ago, I just wanted to play it out and see how agitated he would get. It worked though because now I was bored and I just wanted my hands back, oh my god.

‘Okay fine, go and get your coat and put your sho-‘ I was interrupted by a squeal and Jack running away screaming ‘THANKS LEX!’ well then, sometimes it felt like babysitting. I sighed, ‘shoes on.’ I finished, talking to no one in particular considering I could still hear Jack clattering away in his room, knocking things over in attempts to find his wallet, keys, ID and phone. ‘Fuckshitcrapballs.’ I heard as a whole word coming from upstairs, quickly followed by a loud smash of, what I assume to be, the pile of DVD’s he keeps next to his bed on the desk. ‘Well fuck.’ Was the follow-up, and I laughed, that was probably an understatement.

A short while later and I was dressed and reading waiting in the kitchen for Jack to come back, and after the banging around he was doing up there it sounded like someone was breakdancing. Jack finally re-emerged with his coat and converse clad body and bounded down the stairs.
‘Come on! Come on! Come on!’ he shouted at me, shooing me towards the door with his hands. I turned the light off in the kitchen and made my way to the door with Jack practically peeing himself with excitement. We walked towards my car which had been parked in Jacks driveway and opened the door for Jack, being the gentleman that I was. ‘Thank you kind sir,’ Jack grinned at me and plopped himself in, doing his seatbelt and waiting not so patiently for me to walk around and get into the car. I put the keys into the ignition and started up the engine, Jack slowly chanting a string of ‘Yayyayyayyayyay’ next to me slightly bouncing in his seat. It was super cute really, he was so childish and naïve. I pulled away from the house and started the short trip to the closest shop. About a fifteen minute drive. Realistically we could have been there and back about twenty times if we had left after the first time Jack asked me if I could take him.

We pulled into the parking lot, picking a space quite far away from the entrance because it was quite full. Getting out of the car and locking the doors we walked together in a comfortable silence. Well, I say walked, Jack practically bounded over to the automatic doors; I trailed slightly behind the bouncing boy. I watched as Jack confidently strode up behind the counter and jerked his head in my direction, gesturing for me to hurry up. I reached his side and watched proudly as he asked and motioned gaudily for the scratch card he so desperately needed at this time.

The cashier asked for his ID and Jack willingly handed it over, I watched her eyes scan over the details, cogs turning in her brain and she smiled at him, wishing him a happy birthday that he thanked her for. She retrieved his scratch card from the stack next to her and handed it over, in exchange for the money he gave to her.
Jack thanked her excitedly and grabbed my wrist as he darted out of the shop, dragging me behind him. The cold air of the afternoon hit me in the face, taking my breath away, taking in a deep breath getting oxygen into my lungs proved painful given the contrast to the nice warm shop. I looked at Jack, seeing the massive smile plastered on his face made it seem worth it. And as we walked to the side of the building Jack took out a coin and started vigorously rubbing against the dull silver covering the written prize beneath it.

I looked around the car park, watching parents haul their kids into the mall, obviously tired and not happy about bringing them with them. Couples walking hand in hand, talking in hush whispers and not taking any notice of the people around them, only having eyes for each other. At that thought I turned back to Jack, just in time to hear his squeal of joy and for him to jump around shouting at me.
‘Lex! Lex, I won! Oh god, we should get married! Oh! Oh! We can buy a house! We can get a dog? Can we get a dog? Please? We can be happy together! We should run away to Vegas! Oh can we go to Vegas Lex? Can we? Please?’ he practically screamed in my ear in one continuous sentence of jumbled nonsense, his eyes bursting with excitement. I smiled at him as he leaned down to hug me and whispered into my neck, ‘Can we, Alex? Please?’

Pulling away from the hug I held him at arm’s length, nodding my head as my brain clogged with anticipation. ‘How much did you win anyway?’ I asked him. ‘Like $80’ was his reply, appearance shining brightly. I chuckled at his naivety, but humoured him just to keep that pretty smile on his face. He took my hand in his as we intertwined our fingers, he leaned down and pressed a loving kiss to my lips. I licked my lips as he pulled away, he still faintly tasted of haribo and lovehearts from the sweets he’s been eating before.

He tasted like Jack.

And as we made our way back to my car I had a thought.
‘Yes, I’ll marry you. But if that’s the way you’re gunna ask me then I think you should try again properly some other time. I want a fancy proposal dude. Treat me right.’

I turned my head to face him as I said that, and my eyes caught his as I winked at him. He chuckled and he stopped us walking capturing me in a longer embrace, kissing me softly. Pulling away he looked into my eyes and whispered,

‘Maybe I will, just you wait and see.’