Brains Against Blue Walls

That night Jack, Zack, and their other friend, Matt, went around their neighbourhood for Jack to spray paint "RIP AWG" on fences, walls, and any other big, flat, easy to see surface. Matt had a few buckets of purple wall paint that he poured out of the car window as the drove. Jack hopped out of Zack's car, quickly scribbled the small tribute, got back in, and drove off to find another spot. They did this all night until they ran out of supplies.

None of them had slept for days, and if they did, it was in class until some smart ass student told the teacher and woke them up. Their parents had gotten worried, but they were nothing compared to Alex's parents.

There was a funeral three days later. It was a teary eyed, solemn, depressing event. Alex's parents were sobbing, a few of the boy's close friends made speeches (this included Zack, Matt, and another very close friend, Rian), other family members had made last minute flights to make it to the service. So many wonderful people cared about the wonderful boy. Jack sat through the whole service silently while tears slowly rolled down his face. When he went up to Alex's body he choked up. You know that ugly, hot, hiccupy, messy cry? Yeah, that. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop.

After that, he seemed to have forgotten how to have many feelings.

People noticed his lack of sociality, but all that crap you hear about 'opening up', or 'speaking up'? All bullshit. No one really cares a whole lot. They don't really listen. They can't feel your pain. You can't make them feel it.

*~*~*

Jack let himself into his dad's quiet apartment. No one will be home for about another two hours, a perfect time to relax, because when his dad's around, there's no peacefulness. It's all 'Hey, sport! How'd your day go?' or 'Want to watch a movie?' He decided to eat cereal and watch reruns of Boy Meets World until his creepily cheery father came home.

*~*~*

That Friday, Matt asked him if he wanted to hang out at the park. Jack used to go to that park a lot when he was a kid. but stopped around middle school when he decided he was 'too cool' for it, but really he was afraid of the high schoolers who go there on Friday afternoons.

That park was where Jack had first met Alex. Also where he was introduced to Matt and Rian by Zack. It was the place he had gotten high with those four boys, thank you Matt's 'connections' for providing them with all the necessary stuff for that activity. Jack remembered when he was in about first grade collecting rolly pollies with Zack then throwing them off the big hill into a parking lot down below.

*~*~*

Jack and his friends hopped off the bus at the stop closest to their destination, and made their way to the picnic tables hidden by trees behind the community baseball park. Zack took out his phone and put Jimmy Eat World songs on shuffle.

"So, school's out in a couple weeks." Rian spoke up.

"Yeah, thank the lord. I'm am 684% done with that place." Joked Jack.

"Oh really? I've been done with this year since the first week." Rian responded.

Zack joined in, "We should do something."

"How about we all run away and live deep in these woods?" Mused Jack.

"Yeah, and risk getting eaten by killer wild birds? No way, Jose." Matt added to the conversation.

"Um, I was thinking something more like a summer camp." Zack shared.

All the other boys let out a lack-of-interest groan.

"We don't need your hippy-dippy sun shine ideas, Zack." Said Rian.

Zack flicked the side of Rian's head. "You're the one who basically brought it up!"

"Well I'll be damned!" Argued the other boy.