Just Crash, Fall Down

Every day, Alex would go to the hospital despite hunger or fatigue, and wait for Jack to wake up from his coma. The brunette still remembers the day like it was yesterday.

Flashback:

“Jaaaaaack I’m hungry,” The older whined, and Jack looked up from his place on the couch to the boy standing in front of the tv, grin immediately spreading across his cheeks.

“Why don’t I go down to the Chinese place and pick us up something to eat?” Jack suggested, and Alex jumped on the spot in delight, reaching into his back pocket and handing Jack a twenty.

It was when Jack was out for half an hour that Alex started to know something was wrong. He tried Jacks phone but it went straight to voicemail, and he groaned, desperately hoping Jack would walk through the door at that moment.

Little did Alex know, Jack wouldn’t be walking anywhere anytime soon.

A frantic voice drifted through the apartment and the brunettes head snapped up to the tv, and he dived off the couch for the remote, and turned it up.

“...The driver of the car is being removed from his car, and is in critical condition. It’s been reported that his airbag didn’t deploy, and his head collided with the steering wheel. More updates later at 7.”

Yet Alex wasn’t watching the blonde lady, his gaze was fixed on the black car in the background, its entire front smashed into a pole, the car front seeming to wrap around it. He stood and tripped over to the tv, clutching the sides where it hang on the wall and put his face right up to the screen. He saw the victim being loaded onto a gurney, and frantic people all around him.

Alex hoped and prayed that it wasn’t Jack, but of course, the camera man got a close up of his face.

Blonde and black hair covered in blood flashed across the screen, and Alex stumbled back, the backs of his knees hitting the couch and he fell, head hitting the back of the soft plush couch.

In seconds he was on the phone to Rian, and didn’t realise he was crying until he heard Rian shouting at Alex asking if he was okay.

“Can you come pick me up?” Alex hiccupped, and Rian agreed, of course, and hung up to drive the short distance to Alex’s.

When Rian arrived, Alex had turned to tv off and had a mask of shock on his face, tears dried on his cheeks. The normally smiling boy was obviously distraught over something, and Rian still didn’t know what.

“Alex... What’s wrong buddy? Where’s Jack? Didn’t you organise for him to come over..?” At the mention of Jack, a sob erupted from deep in Alex’s chest.

“Car crash.. Hospital... Serious condition” Was all Alex could choke out, desperate wails erupting from his body as the seriousness of what happened struck him.

Rian tried to hide his emotions, but the way his jaw clenched told Alex he was upset too.

“Let’s go down to the hospital” Rian whispered, and headed to the hospital that Alex remembered the News reporter saying.

That was the night Alex would regret for the rest of his life.

End Flashback.

He passed the reception desk, and the nurse behind it nodded at him, as she did every morning since Alex became a regular visitor. Every day from 8am to 7pm, Alex was sitting in the plastic chair by Jacks bed, talking to the younger despite his inability to hear him. Alex sometimes brings a guitar and sings to Jack, or his sister and mum are there, and that’s when the elder grabs a coffee from the little cafe and gives them some time alone.

He opened the door, and was greeted with the same sight every day. Jack was propped up slightly, his hair clean from when he was brought to the hospital, and occasionally brushed by his mum when she visits.

Alex places himself into the same chair as always, and rubs his face, the roughness underneath his fingertips evidence that he needs to shave. And soon. He watched the rhythmic rise and fall of Jacks chest, and was thankful that Jack doesn’t need a machine to breathe or keep his heart pumping for him.

Alex let his gaze roam over Jacks face, and clenched his eyes shut. It was a secret to everyone except Rian that Alex may have stronger feelings for the Lebanese boy, and the elder can’t help but feel it’s his fault that Jack was in the hospital.

The day passed with no signs of Jacks condition improving, and, as always, Alex whispered a goodbye to Jack and dragged himself out of the hospital and to his apartment.

*

Jacks mum had assured Alex that she would stay with Jack all day, and there was no need for him to go down there the next day. So when Alex woke from another restless sleep, he sighed and loped into the bathroom and took a much needed shower. Afterwards, he shaved his face and changed into sweats and an old t-shirt, not feeling like eating anything.

Feeling at a loss for things to do, he set to cleaning the apartment thoroughly, which he hadn’t done for three and a half weeks. Since the accident.

It was only midday by the time he was done, and decided to call Rian. Just as he grabbed his phone, a shrill noise filled the air, and Alex jumped, nearly dropping the vibrating phone in his hand.

He saw the caller ID was Jacks mum, and Alex’s stomach dropped, and hastily pressed the answer button.

“Hello?” Alex tried to remain calm, but different reasons as to why his mum was calling were floating around his head, and he leaned his back against the wall, knees threatening to give way.

“Alex, come down here right now. He’s going to wake up soon.” Those words caused Alex to slide down the wall and drop his phone to the floor with a clatter. He didn’t care about that as he ran, barefoot, out the door, nearly forgetting to lock it behind him and he ran to his car.

In minutes he was running to Jacks room, and slid on the lino as he stopped in front of the door.

He saw his mum waiting for him, standing next to the bed, holding his hand. Alex went to the other side and held his other hand, and for once felt a slight pressure in his own, and his head whipped up to meet Jacks mums happy gaze.

“He’s been muttering in his sleep, too. I can’t be sure he will wake up, but if he does, I wanted you to be there.”

Alex gave a grateful smile and looked down at Jacks sleeping face. His mouth parted and Jack frowned, and Alex couldn’t help the smile erupting on his face.

“Al.... Alex..Lex..” Jack groaned, and Alex felt hot tears stream down his face, and he clutched Jacks hand between both of his own, and grinned.

“I’m here Jacky, I won’t leave, I promise. Please, wake up, for me.” Alex whispered, and he turned to the heart rate monitor as the beeping became more insistent. Jacks mum dashed from the room, saying something about getting a nurse. He watched her leave, and nearly jumped out of his skin at what he saw.

Jack had his eyes open, and they were fixed on Alex.

Alex couldn’t help the loud sobs that shook his body, and nearly fell onto the floor.

“Jack... Oh Jack, I’m so happy you’re awake.” Alex cried, and the younger boy’s eyes widened, finally taking in his surroundings.

“Alex... I... What happened? Don’t cry, please.” His voice was hoarse, and Jack longed for a drink of water.

“Jack, you were in a car accident.. You were in a coma for about a month.” Alex explained, and it all came back to Jack, all his memories of that night.

At that moment, nurses bustled into the room, and Alex would have been pushed out the way if it wasn’t for Jacks desperate cry.

A million questions later, the nurses left and the two best friends were alone again, and Jack noticed that Alex couldn’t keep the grin off his face.

The elder yawned, and Jack grinned, and moved his arm – with a little difficulty – and pat the space next to him. He moved over a bit as Alex slowly lay next to his best friend, and they looked down at their hands intertwined.

“Jack... I have to tell you something.” Alex gulped and he looked nervous, but Jacks smile helped him continue. “I-I really like you Jack, like more than a friend. I don’t know why, but –“ He was cut off by soft lips against his own, and the two boys stared at each other as they pulled back.

“I have two things to tell you too, Alex” Jack grinned, and Alex’s heart fluttered. “One, I like you more than a friend too, and two, I really want Chinese food.”