I Swear, I'm Not Stalking You.

Alex of course agreed to getting food. He said a quick goodbye to Austin and Jenna, and Jack lead him outside. It was cold, and Alex was so glad he remembered to wear a jacket. He knew it was going to get cold, he just didn't think it would get this cold.

Jack on the other hand, was freezing his balls off. The instant he stepped outside, the chill wrapped around his body; giving him instant goosebumps. He half-ran, half-jogged to his car, Alex following close behind. They both quickly got into the car, Alex asking if they could put the heater on.

"Not yet," Jack simply answered, not looking at him. He put the keys in ignition and brought the car to life.

"Why not? It's so cold in here." The younger whined.

Jack looked at him now, "well, unless you want freezing cold air blasted into your face, go ahead." He laughed. Alex simple sat back in his chair. "That's what I thought." Jack muttered, slightly smiling. He backed out of the Fuentes' drive way, before Alex asked another question.

"Are you even safe to drive right now?"

Jack scoffed, "I had like half a beer. I'm fine."

An awkward silence filled the car after that. They didn't know what to say to each other, this was the first time they had been alone with out anyone else. Sure they had class alone together, but there was a whole class with them. This was different. This was just the two of them. Alone. In a car. Going to get food.

Alex pulled out his phone, intending to text Zack and tell him that he had gotten a ride home. Well, at least as far as he knew. But the moment the light of his phone turned on, Jack looked over. "Am I that boring that you wanted to text someone?" He said, using a tone that Alex couldn't quite name. It was like a mixture between sadness and being annoyed.

Jack, he just didn't know what to say. Sure the two were friends, but they hadn't really spoken like Alex and Zack had, or Rian. He never really hung out with Alex without any of their other friends.

This time it was Alex's turn to scoff. "I was just texting Zack to tell him that I got another ride home."

Jack just nodded, before asking, "So what do you want to eat? It's on me. But you gotta pay me back."

After Alex had sent the text, he thought for a moment. "Wanna get some taco bell?"

"Now you're speaking my language." Jack smiled.

Alex smiled, glad to get the other to smile. Jack turned his gaze to the road, and Alex couldn't help but stare at the older. He took in his features, his stupidly large, but strangely adorable big nose, the exact shade of brown his eyes were, and the upturn of his lips. They all made a mildly attractive face, and Alex thought he would never be able to get bored of it. Maybe he did like the boy. They may have not spent a lot of time together, but Alex knew enough to develop a crush on the lanky boy.

He thought about what it would be lip to kiss those soft, plush lips. To tangle his hands in the skunk coloured hair. To wrap his arms around his unusually skinny frame. To-

" -I have something on my face?" Jack questioned, putting a hand to check for something on his cheek.

"What? No, uh, don't worry." Alex tried to change the subject, "So, uh, how did you meet Zack?" He asked, unsure of where the question came from.

Jack raised an eyebrow, but answered anyway. "We grew up together, he lives just down the street from me. Why?"

"Uh, no reason." He turned his gaze out the window, watching other cars pass. But he heard Jack gasp over-dramatically, making Alex look back at him. "What?"

"Alex Gaskarth. Do you have a crush on Zackary Merrick?" He was stopped at a red light, and looking at Alex with wide eyes.

"And what made you think that, Jackary Barakat?" Alex shot back, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Wait, you don't?"

"No, you moron. I don't." Alex laughed.

"Thank God. Because Zack doesn't even roll our way." His closed his mouth as soon as the words left his mouth.

Alex's eye brow lifted. "You're gay?" He asked, wide eyed.

"I prefer the term hetroflexible. I'm straight, but shit happens." He said, then pressed the gas pedal as the light turned green.

--

The two reached taco bell and ordered and ate inside because it was too cold to sit in a car without the heater on. So, the retrieved their tacos and sat in silence whilst they ate. When they finished, Jack was the first to talk. "So, because it's almost midnight and I'm lonely, would you like to come chill at my house? My parents are out this weekend." He looked over at Alex, crumpling his waste into a ball at the same time.

Alex thought for a moment, before remembering his curfew. "Man, I would love to, but I have curfew in like half an hour." He sighed.

"Just tell your parents that your staying at my house for the night, and we're studying or something." Jack hadn't meant to invite Alex to sleep over, but hey, what's done is done. Alex looked at him for a moment, contemplating whether he should stay at the boys house or not.

Why shouldn't he? They were just friends and they were hanging out, what was wrong with that? "Alright, I'll text my mum." He stated, pulling out his phone. Jack nodded and took both their rubbish and put it in the bin. Alex pulled up his mum's contact and sent her a text.

'Sleeping at a friend's house tonight. I'm fine and didn't have much to drink, just hanging out with him. Love you xx'

Jack got back and asked, "All good?"

"All good."

They then left, the next stop being Jack's house.

--

Jack's house was large. It was bigger than your average two story house, but it wasn't giant. It was hard to explain, but it was just a big house. They made their way inside, Alex stumbling just a tiny bit because he had a little bit of alcohol in his system. Like, five or six beers. That were light. Alex wasn't that great at holding his alcohol. Jack caught him a few times, before giving up and just holding up the boys weight whilst he walked up his stairs and into his room. Alex flopped down on Jack's bed, but sat up to look around the room when the older turned on the lights.

One wall was covered roof to floor in posters. Movie posters and band posters, and the odd drawing. There were so many things that caught Alex's eye, like the Blink poster, or the American Idiot album blown up to a larger scale. One the opposite wall, it was filled with pictures. Picture of people, some who Alex recognised and some that Alex didn't. He saw Rian and Zack, along with the others like Jenna and Tay, and Austin and Alan, and so many more people. Alex was in awe.

"Woah. Your room is amazing." Alex managed to get out.

"Thanks, do you want some pyjamas?" Jack asked, distracting Alex from the walls of pictures.

"Oh, uh, yes please. He was handed a pair of black sweat pants and an old looking t shirt. Jack had his own pair and went off to the bathroom to get changed.

Alex quickly removed his skinny jeans, almost falling in the process. He pulled on the sweat pants, the ends bunching up from being many inches too long. When he took off his shirt, that was when Jack decided to return into the room without knocking. Alex hadn't noticed Jack's re-enter, and Jack just stood there.

All jack could do was gaze at the younger boy in his room. The way his back moved, his back dimples and Jack loved back dimples. The look of his biceps when they moved, and oh boy. "Uh, oh, um, sorry." He mumbled, not knowing whether he should leave or not. Alex turned and looked over at Jack, and Jack got a glance at Alex's stomach and saw his little v-lines and Jack really needed to calm down or something was going to happen that he shouldn't even be thinking about.

Wow, and he had known this boy only for a few weeks.

"Hey man. What's wrong?" Alex asked, fixing the end of the shirt onto his body.

Jack looked down to hide the blush that was ever so lightly tainting his cheeks. "Uh, nothing. Don't worry." He said, walking over and putting his clothes into his laundry bucket.

"So, I'll take the lounge. Just give me a blanket, yeah?" Alex stated, pointing at the small lounge in the corner of the room, already figuring out who was sleeping where.

"Dude, no. That lounge is so uncomfortable. I'll make a pillow barrier and we can sleep in my bed."

"Uh, are you sure?" Alex asked, he may have alcohol in his system, but he wasn't sure if sharing a bed with the older was such a great idea. He was a snuggler when it came to sleeping with people.

"Yeah man, just don't breach the barrier."

And with that said, they made a barrier out of pillows and fell asleep.