Teenage Dirtbag

Haley’s POV
Alex, Jack and I had walked back to the bar and entered to find Zack, Rian, Cassadee and Tay quite pissed.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Rian asked. “You couldn’t let us know you found her or what? We called all of you like a thousand times.”
“You’re right” Jack agreed immediately. “We were at the cemetery and we just forgot about it. Sorry. My phone was on silent.”
The fact that Jack admitted they should’ve texted them seemed to make them less angry.
“I’m sorry for just running off like that, can we go celebrate your night now?” I asked.
“You’re not celebrating anything woman, you already can’t walk straight,” Alex said.
“But…” I started.
“Yeah it’s kinda late, why don’t we just go home?” Zack interrupted me.
“It’s like 11:30,” Jack said. “And I still haven’t seen Aimee…”
“Yeah well, worrying makes you tired. You’ll see her at another performance” Zack shrugged. “We can just celebrate at Alex’s?”
We all agreed and left the bar, getting in the van and driving to Alex’s house. He had invited us for a stay over since his parents were out of town and of course we couldn’t pass up on that. Alex let us all in.
“So, I turned our basement into a cinema, so if you want to watch a movie or something?” Alex suggested.
“I really expected more of this party” Jack said disappointed.
“Oh shush, a movie is fine, right guys?” I asked.
The rest of them nodded.

Alex led us to his basement. I was actually surprised by how it looked. He set up a beamer that was connected to the television, so that the movie would be shown on the big screen. Mattresses, pillows and blankets were covering the floor. Against the wall was a table with all kinds of sodas and snacks on it.
“Seems like you put quite some work into this” I complimented him.
“Yeah, are you trying to impress someone?” Jack said, giving Alex a meaningful look, which Alex answered by giving him an angry look.
I acted like I didn’t know they were talking about me. At least, I hope I did. Jack gave me a curious look, but I ignored it.
​
​​​​​We all sat down on the pile of pillows and blankets, except for Alex who went back upstairs to get his movie collection. From the corner of my eye I noticed Jack crawling over the pillows, to sit down next to me.
“You totally know, don’t you?” he asked.
I looked at him confused. “Know what?”
“I think you know what I mean” he said with that same meaningful look he gave Alex.
“I really don’t” I replied.
Of course I did, but I wasn’t going to tell Jack that, because he’d probably want me to act on my feelings and I didn’t even know what my feelings towards Alex were exactly. What I did know was that I was gonna keep them to myself.
“That Alex likes you!” Jack exclaimed.
I noticed the rest of the guys look at Jack.
“Dude!” Rian exclaimed.

​​​I decided this was an opportunity. I wouldn’t have to pretend like I didn’t know anymore and I could just blame it on Jack. Though I didn’t think Alex would be too pleased with Jack right now.
“Well, aren’t you a good friend Jack” I mocked. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“Really?” he asked surprised. “It was so obvious though… Shit…”
“You should never say something like that, no matter how obvious it seems” Cassadee said wisely.
Before anyone of us could say something, we heard Alex’s footsteps on the stairs. We all focused on something else, so that it wouldn’t seem like we were talking about him. As Alex reached the floor, he looked at all of us. I could tell from his eyes he was suspecting something.
“What’s going on…?” he asked.
“Nothing” Jack and I both replied way too quickly, causing Alex’s eyebrows to furrow.
“You’re lying” he said, matter of factly.

​​​We were all silent, hoping for someone to come up with an excuse. I wasn’t going to tell on Jack and make Alex angry with him. I guessed no one could come up with an excuse since it was quiet for a while before Jack spoke.
“I sort of told Haley you like her…” he muttered.
“You did what?!” Alex exclaimed, his face turning red.
Jack didn’t reply, figuring Alex did hear what he said.
“Well, that’s really fucking great Jack” he yelled angrily. “I thought you were my friend.”
Alex threw the DVDs our way, turned around and headed back up the stairs.
“Alex, wait!” Jack exclaimed, getting up to follow him.
I decided to follow them; maybe I could make Alex feel better. I followed Jack up the stairs. Above us, we heard footsteps on the upper stairs, so Alex was probably going to his room. I didn’t know where that was, but I figured Jack would. Minutes later Jack was knocking on a bedroom door, which I assumed was Alex’s.

​​​“Alex come on, open up, I’m sorry okay” he exclaimed, but Alex didn’t reply.
“Let me” I whispered to Jack, who stepped out of the way.
“Alex?” I asked, waiting a few seconds to continue. “Can I come in?”
Still no response. I looked at Jack.
“Why don’t you go back downstairs and watch a movie, I’ll handle this” I suggested.
I thought he was gonna resist, but fortunately he didn’t. He turned around and went back downstairs.
“Alex?” I asked again. “Will you please just open up? Don’t blame Jack. I already knew.”
I now heard noise coming from his room and seconds later the door opened and Alex appeared in the doorway. His eyes were slightly red. It looked like he’d been crying.
“Y-you knew?” he stuttered.
I nodded. “Yes. I have known since your performance last week, since you walked me home. Can I come in now?”
“Fine” he said, stepping out of the doorway to let me in.

​​​I looked around his room. The walls were covered with band posters. He had a fair book collection. I didn’t even know Alex liked to read. Alex sat down on his bed. For a moment I doubted if I should sit next to him, and then I just did.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Alex asked.
“Honestly? Because I didn’t know what to say… I don’t usually… do feelings… It’s something I tend to avoid. I don’t know how I feel about you Alex and I know that’s not what you want to hear. That’s why I didn’t tell you” I replied. “And I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. We’ve been having so much fun lately and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.”
“Me neither, that’s why I didn’t say anything. And now it’s ruined anyway” Alex said bitterly.
“It doesn’t have to be” I replied. “Look, I really wish I could say I felt the same way about you, because you’re great, but I can’t. I’d be lying and I don’t want to lie to you, so I’m just being honest with you and saying that I just don’t know how I feel about you right now. I’m not saying I’ll never feel that way about you. I just might, but I can’t promise that. What I do know is that I don’t want to loose my best friend.”

​​​I laid my hand on one of his crossed legs.
“I don’t know Hales…” he muttered.
“Please? Look at it this way. At least now everything is out in the open and we can get past that awkwardness. Can we at least try?” I asked.
A weak smile appeared on Alex’s face. “Okay” he agreed. “I don’t really want to loose my best friend either.”
“That’s the spirit” I winked. “Come here you dork.” I pulled him in for a hug.
“That wasn’t so awkward” Alex said when I let go.
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “It’s gonna be fine. Now let’s go back downstairs. And be nice to Jack please. He figured out I knew you liked me and confronted me and then I pretended I didn’t know and he really thought he spilled your secret and feels really bad.”
“Fine” Alex said, getting up from his bed.
​
​​​​​I followed his lead and we went downstairs, to the basement, to find the rest watching Home Alone.
“Let me guess, Jack picked this” I said.
They all turned around. Apparently they hadn’t noticed us before. Jack had a slightly scared look on his face.
“I did” Jack answered. “Look Alex, I’m…”
“It’s okay, turns out Haley did know” Alex replied.
Jack looked at me. “You little shit” he said faking an angry face.
“I love you too” I replied. “Now let’s watch the movie.”
I looked at Alex, who had been looking at me too, and gave him a small smile. He returned it, smiling cuter than ever. Was I slowly falling for him?