I'm Not The Same Boy You Knew Back Then

Alex couldn't have thanked Mark more for introducing that boy to him a 2 years ago, that boy now being known as Jack Barakat, Alex's best friend.

The pair did everything together - Alex taught Jack to play his new guitar, they'd play tag in the local park. They even slept together. Not literally, of course, but under the same blanket, snuggled up away from everyone else. Alex's head would rest on Jack's chest as they'd tell each other wild stories to keep their minds entertained. Sometimes they'd hold hands, or maybe peck each other's cheek. To some it was strange. To them, it was friendship.

The two fourteen year olds were sat indian style opposite each other on the soft grass of the field opposite the shelter, Jack throwing a small ball he had found up in to the air before catching it. "What do you miss most about life before this?" He blurted out, though his eyes never left the ball.

Alex scrunched his face up in thought before answering. "School I guess. Don't look at me like that! I miss being around friends, and actually doing something that'll help me in life."

"You've got me though. I'm your friend."

"But it's not the same Jack, is it. You're my best friend, yeah, but we can't live like this forever. I just want a normal life. I want my parents, Jack."

Jack sighed. He knew about Alex's parents' death - for one the shorter boy had told him about them, but Alex would sometimes have nightmares about the accident, which Jack had to hold him through. "I know, Alex."

"What about you? What do you miss?"

Jack bit his lip, staring at the ground. "It doesn't matter."

Alex sighed. "I'm sick of this." He muttered.

"Sick of what?"

"You!" Alex shouted, standing up quickly, face red with anger. "I tell you everything, Jack. Everything I've been through, everything that's happened to me. But you, you never tell me anything. At first I thought it was just because you were so upset about your past, but I'm meant to be your friend Jack! You can trust me with this stuff. It's not like it hasn't already happened to me."

Jack's bottom lip started to quiver, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Alex ran his hands over his face, silently cursing at himself for his actions, and knelt beside his friend, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. What he didn't expect is for Jack to practically jump on him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, his face buried in Alex's neck. "I'm sorry!" He wailed. "It's just whenever I t-think about it, it hurts s-so much."

Alex was quick to return the hug after hearing this. Jack was his best friend, no matter what. "Shh, c'mon."

"I ran away from so much stuff, 'Lex. I-I did so many things I shouldn't have done. And I was so young. Please, I can't tell you yet. O-One day," he sniffled, wiping his nose on his arm.

"Okay," Alex replied softly. "Right, come on." He stood up and held his hand out at Jack, looking at him expectantly. "Well, we need money if we want to get out of here. How about we grab the guitar and go busking?"

Jack smiled. He wouldn't ever have anyone like Alex.

~*~

"How did we even get that much?!" Jack whispered into the night, slight laugh in his voice.

"I taught you well, my young one," Alex replied, smirking even though Jack couldn't see it as his face was pressed against his back. "Can't believe you dropped the guitar in the road. I swear if anything had happened to it-"

"I know how much it means to you, Lex." Jack paused thoughtfully, looking up at the crumbling ceiling. "Imagine if we got that much every time we played, though. We'd be out of here in no time."

Alex's arms tightened around Jack's waist. The night air was crisp, and a thin blanket doesn't provide much warmth on its own. "We won't be here forever Jack, I promise. We can do this."

"Alex, you'll always be my best friend, no matter what happens."

"Night, Jack."

"Night, Alex."

~*~

Alex slowly peeled his eyes open, the huge room now almost empty apart from a few still sleeping souls. He sat up, and stretched. Him and Jack were going to go busking again. Speaking of the lanky boy, he wasn't beside Alex like usual. Alex slowly stood, getting used to the sunlight shining in through the one window in the room. He padded out through the doorway, and straight into the dining room. Again, Jack was nowhere to be found. Alex sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets when he felt a rustle in the left one. He pulled out a small piece of paper. It was a note on the back of a pizza leaflet. The handwriting was scruffy, with lots of crossings out, like the person who had written it was not used to writing. He slowly read the text, as his reading skills weren't as good as most people's.

Dear Alex,

You're going to hate me, I know you are. I just can't stay here anymore. Like I said, I've fucked up too many times. I need to sort everything out. I'll be back, one day, I promise.

Love, Jack.

P.S. Check Mark's office - something's missing. Please don't hate me.

Alex just stared at the note, trying to take it all in. Jack was gone. His best friend, the boy that kept him sane. He didn't realise he was crying until a tear drop splashed onto the paper, smudging part of the writing.

It was only then the the last part of the note registered in his mind. Mark's office. Something missing. He dashed out of the canteen heading straight for the room, bursting through the door, ignoring the questioning glances he got from others. He stopped abruptly, eyes immediately fixed on the spot where the missing object should be.

Jack had taken the guitar.