Dear Jack, Count Me In

Alex’s P.O.V

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I was looking all over my room for my lucky grey beanie. I couldn’t find it anywhere. I was frantically looking through drawers and throwing clothes everywhere. I couldn’t ask my Dad, because he was passed out again. I settle for a black beanie that was sitting on my bad with the piles of clothes, I grab my stuff and head for the door. I listen intently for my Dad. His soft snores drift up from the living room.

I jog down the stairs as quickly as possible. Despite my efforts to be quiet the floor boards still groan under my weight. I freeze when I hear my Dad begin to stir. I slowly glance over my shoulder. He sat up and glares at me.

“What are you doing, boy.” He growls under his breath.

“I’m going to school.” I whisper.

A shoe whizzes past my head and hits the wall in front of me.

“Don’t whisper.” He yells, making his point by throwing the other shoe.

This time it hit me right in the back head. I fall forward slightly, grabbing on to the staircase to steady myself. I hold the back of my head and run out the door before he could inflict anymore injuries.

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I arrive at school fifteen minutes later. I hurry to my first period, music. I walk into the classroom and the teacher wasn’t even here yet. I sigh in relief and sit in the back of the room. A few minutes later the teacher walks in. He was young, probably about mid-twenties. He had jet black hair with blonde streaks going through it. He’s attractive, like really attractive.

He makes some introduction about only calling him Jack and starts taking role. I began making paper airplanes and flying them around to pass the time. Jack stops taking role and clears his throat. I look up at him. He was glaring in my direction.

“What’s your name, kid?” He asks.

For some reason this pissed me off. Who did he think he was, calling me kid.

“Kid, according to you.” I answer, I was usually never like this.

“Stop being a smartass, it’s unbecoming.” He remarks..

The entire class erupts into embarrassing laughter. I could feel anxiety rising in my chest.

I shrug it off and rolled my eyes at him. I was pretending not to care but on the inside I want to cry. What was I doing?

“Alex.” I say loud enough for him to hear.

“Last name, Alex.”

“Gaskarth. The name’s Alex Gaskarth. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom.” I ask, hoping to escape this hell.

The asshole shook his head.

“No.” He replies

I give him a brief look of desperation but he doesn’t see it. Anger wells up inside me again.

“Why the hell not?” I ask.

“You’re not, Gaskarth.” He tells me again.

I can’t believe this. What an asshole.

“Fucking twat.” I curse under my breath, inaudible to the front of the room.

He laughs. “Whispering is so elementary.” He remarks..

This instantly reminds me of this morning. I set my jaw. Hot or not, this guy is a prick.

I tune out to the rest of his lesson. Not wanting to hear a single word this guy had to say. That class couldn’t be over fast enough. I hurry out of the classroom and to my next class, Study hall. I had that class with Rian so it wouldn’t be that bad.

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We were sitting in the bleachers as our P.E teacher, Mr. Merrick, was teaching his introduction. I couldn’t be sure, but I could swear that he kept meeting eyes with Rian. There was some serious eye fucking going on between the two of them. I did my best to ignore it, which was saying a lot. He finally announces that we were going to play a small game of dodge ball. I groan loudly and Mr. Merrick gave me a glare, as he had been the whole class. I had a feeling that he had talked to Jack.

We all stand up and divide ourselves into teams, boys against girls. We all start out holding a ball. He yells to go and we kinda just stand there. A girl with bleach blond hair throws first, and the ball was heading towards Rian. He, of course, doesn’t see it because he’s too busy checking out our teacher. The ball hits him in the gut and he doubles over. I instantly throw the ball at the girl, hitting her in the chest. This starts a full out war. Rian was sitting at the benches, talking to Mr. Merrick. I continue to get people out and dodging the balls that were coming my way. I’d had good practice at dodging inanimate objects thanks to my Dad. I bend over just in time to dodge a ball and it flies over my head.

It ends with me facing off with the last girl. She had red hair and freckles, a lot of them. I narrow my eyes at her and raise my arm to throw, as did she. I went to throw the ball but she was faster. Her ball flies through the air, hitting me square in the face. I fall backwards, hitting my head on the gym floor in the process. Black spots dance across my vision. I hear the girl squeal and say;

“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry!”

“Rian, go get the nurse.” Mr. Merrick demands.

I lay there and close my eyes. My head was pounding. I just want to sleep. Suddenly a light was being flashed in my eyes. I open my eyes slowly. The nurse was standing over me. She motions for me to sit up and I comply. She flashes the light in my eyes a few more times and declares that I didn’t have concussion. She gave me an ice pack for my head.

I was sitting on the bench when the bell dismisses us for lunch. I walk out of the gym with Rian.

“You need to apologize to Mr. Barakat after school.” He says suddenly.

“Why, he was being an ass.” I tell him.

I can’t believe he was sticking up for that prick.

“I heard him talking about you today. You’re gonna get yourself screwed over in that class if you don’t suck up a little.” Rian informs me.

I sigh. He was right and I didn’t really mean what I said earlier. He just pisses me off.

“Fine.” I grumble.

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The bell dismisses me from my last period and for once I wish the class was longer. I was dreading having to apologize to Jack. I met Rian at my locker and he gives me a knowing look. He drags me to his room and opens the door, not even bothering to knock. Jack looks up from his place at his desk. I stand there till Rian pushs me forward whispering;

“Go on, just get it over with.”

“Mr. Barakat, I’m sorry for being annoying in first period. It won’t happen again.” I whisper staring at the floor. He nods.

“Thank you for apologizing.” He says.

Rian and I walk out of the room.

“See it wasn’t that bad.” Rian told me.

“Yeah, I guess. Bye.” I reply and I start my walk home.

I walk into the house and it was empty. My Dad was probably at the bar getting wasted. I walk up to my bedroom and put my stuff on the bed. I was putting the clothes on my bed away when something caught my eye, my lucky grey beanie. I growl. It was there the whole time. I lay down on my bed, my head still hurt from earlier. About twenty minutes later, I hear a car door slam. I sat up in fear, it was my Dad. I bolt out of my bed and lock the door. It never worked, he’d just break the lock. I could hear his heavy footsteps walk up the stairs towards my room. As a last attempt to save myself from him, I hide in the closet.

I could hear him break the door. I shook in fear and closed my eyes, wishing all this would go away.

“Where are you, boy?!” He bellowed.

He threw open the closet door to grab me by my shirt. He threw me against the wall.

“Dad! Please no! Not tonight!” I scream in desperation.

He gave me a swift punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of me. I choke as tears spilled down my face. He punches me again in the face. I scream out in pain.

“Shut the fuck up!” He growled

He let me go and I crumble on the ground. He gave a swift kick to my rib cage and I curled into myself in pain. He left the room, leaving me broken and crying on the floor. After I was sure he wasn’t coming back I crawl into my bed. I lay there for an hour till sleep finally overcomes me.