Small Cities Feel Smaller

It was lunch. Zack and Jack took their usual seats, outside the cafeteria, Jack looking down at his salad in disgust. Why did the school insist on adding croutons and cheese to everything? He took bites of lettuce, avoiding everything else, laughing and pissing around with Zack between gulps of water.

"Is that really all you're going to eat, Jack? You should have more," Alex chimed in, causing the other two to jump in surprise.

Zack calmly answered for him, "He hates cafeteria food."
Alex smirked, "Good thing I brought cookies, huh, Jack?"
Jack rubbed the nape of his neck, "I'm uh gluten free?" it was more of a question.
"Dude, no you're not!" Zack laughed, taking the bag Alex held out.

Alex slid into a seat and watch Jack intently, waiting for the next excuse. He didn't particularly care that Zack was more comfortable with him today, he was distracted by Jack's body language. He felt as though Jack had forgotten what he had told him yesterday, he had lived through this and knew most of the excuses about to flow from the other boy's mouth.

Taking a cookie, Jack muttered a thank you before taking the smallest bite you can manage. Zack kind of just humiliated him, caught him out in a lie. He didn't have the energy to try again, he didn't have the energy for much anymore. Fucking Alex. It was strange how Alex could change, last night he had been so relaxed, care-free, with the aid of weed. But this Alex was the same controlling, serious boy from the bathroom yesterday. Demanding Jack fixed himself. Now he was forcing sugary, fattening food on him, in front of Zack even.

"Alex is right, Jack, you should eat more," Zack crammed cookie into his mouth, turning to Alex, "He doesn't eat much here, his mom makes him eat a lot at home."

Jack sunk low into his seat hoping Alex believed what he feed Zack. Daring to peek across to look at Alex, it was apparent he didn't.

Sighing, Jack finished his cookie, "I gotta go piss," he tried to sound calm, failing miserably.
Alex stood up quickly, "And I could use a smoke to get me through the last period of torture this afternoon."

The carefully made their way into the school building, Jack moved as fast as possible to get away from Alex. He didn't stop until he reached the bathroom, listening for the bell that summoned students to their classes. It was perfectly on time- he was perfectly on time. Alex, however, was just a few steps behind him.

"You don't have to do this, Jack," Alex said after the last of the boys left the bathroom.
"How could you do that in front of Zack?" Jack kept a cap on his anger. He had to make this fast, he was behind schedule.
"How could you fed him all those lies?" Alex retorted.
"I... Couldn't have him asking questions..."
"Oh, he was questioning it, Jack. Especially when you tried the gluten thing. He's not stupid- a fun-prude maybe, but not stupid. Just like I'm not stupid and you are not going to toss that cookie. I spent hours trying to get that right last night, stoned might I add."
This stumped Jack, tears sprung to his eyes, "You can't make me keep this down, all the sugar and fat..."
"It did you some good, you needed that. You deserved that. You deserve something nice."
"Nice would be you leaving me to do my business," he shoved Alex.
Alex's response was to light a cigarette, passing it to Jack, "Settle down," he rolled his eyes, "We should go play hooky, find some beer. You have to relax and I don't think being here is good for you."

Jack took one last glance at the toilet stall and allowed Alex to pull him away.

The pair meandered to Alex's house. Alex didn't even think twice about walking out the front gate, while Jack panicked. It was a Tuesday afternoon and this strange boy was taking him to get beer instead of attending class. He had fleeting thoughts of his mom's reaction, what would the teachers say? But Alex continue tugging him along and Jack refused to voice his concerns. He didn't want to look like a fool.

When they got inside, Jack's breath came back to him, "What if the school calls to find out where we are?"
Alex reached under the counter and pulled out a six pack, "Who cares?" he laughed.

Alex's confidence rubbed off on Jack. He grabbed a bottle, unwilling to admit this was the first time he had alcohol other than a few sips of wine with his parents. He watched as Alex threw back a huge gulp like it was water before trying his own. He wrinkled his nose a little, only having a sip.

Alex laughed again, "It's cheap and disgusting, you just throw it back."

He demonstrated for Jack again. Jack copied, trying to get as much down in one go as he could.

"There you go," Alex encouraged, leading the way to the living room.

A few rounds of Tekken later and Alex's living room was littered with empty bottles. Jack threw his PlayStation controller down and rolled on to his stomach, he was drunk and bored of games he couldn't concentrate on anymore.

Alex did most of the talking, he was a loud drunk. He complained about his parents and how often he moved (five different states and a sort stint in England, if Jack remembered correctly from the last afternoons conversation). Alex was angry about a lot of things. Alex expressed his anger at those things. Jack nodded along, unable to think of what to say. He mostly thought that Alex was cool and rebellious for hating so much, even though in years to come he would come to see that as sad.

At three, Alex decided they should go out and have do something fun. He dashed upstairs and returned quickly with a small bag of weed, grinning at Jack.

"We could go to the park and smoke this! It's my favourite thing to do," Alex slurred a little, "Parks are same every where."

Jack wasn't sure if hear was meant to hear that last part, it was lower and muttered. Jack was too busy fighting with himself on the inside to acknowledge it anyway. He had never even seen weed up close before yesterday and even then he had thought it was a cigarette so he decided that didn't count. He didn't know what to do, appear cool and comfortable to Alex or just go home.

The decision was made for him as he took a step towards Alex and stumbled. He was already drunk, what difference would getting high make? He couldn't go home in that state anyway.