Under a Paper Moon

Alex looked up from the piece of paper in his hand to the large house in front of him. He let out a sigh as he shoved the torn note into his pocket. He had walked the short fifteen minutes to Jack’s house from his own home, trying to delay facing Jack. He walked up the pathway to the porch steps begrudgingly and knocked lightly on the door. He was so positive that he was going to win the bet, he did he lose? God, he did not want to be Jack’s “bitch” for a whole week.
The door swung open, and Alex involuntarily bit his lip, a nervous habit of his.
“Alex, my main man! Welcome to casa de Jack.” Jack greeted Alex at the door, an innocent smile on his lips.
“Actually, it’s casa de Barakat.” A girl behind Jack pushed him away. “I’m May, and you are?” The girl, May, stuck her hand out.
“I’m Alex Gaskarth.” Alex tried a friendly smile, shaking May’s hand.
“Oh, you’re the Alex Gaskarth?” May smirked, wiggling her manicured eyebrows.
Alex felt his face flush a bright red, matching Jack’s now reddening face. Alex bit his lip harder, awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot.
“Okay, May, you can leave now.” Jack coughed, pushing May away, “Come in, come in. You want anything to drink?” Jack ushered Alex in, closing the door behind him.
“Um, no thank you.” Alex declined, slipping his shoes off.
“Oh, straight to business I see.” Jack winked, gaining his usual confidence back.
“I guess you can say that.” Alex muttered, his eyes shifting to Jack’s mismatch socks.
“Alright, it’s off to my room then.” Jack laughed an over exaggerated evil laugh, leading Alex up the stairs.

Once inside Jack’s room, Alex was sitting on Jack’s unkempt bed, his eyes sweeping over every detail. To put it bluntly, Jack’s room was a complete mess. He had clothing laying all over the floor, loosely hanging outside his drawers, and to Alex’s astonishment, even draped over his curtain rods. His bed wasn't made, the blanket was crumpled and smushed over different parts of the bed, the sheet was halfway off, revealing the white mattress underneath, and he had a random plate of crumbs in the middle. The walls were painted a dark purple, with some random black paint splatters, adding to the whole disheveled look.The only thing that seemed remotely neat in his room, were the posters. They had already covered a whole wall, and they looked like they were hung with care, all nice and neat.
Alex fondly rolled his eyes, and looked at Jack. “Okay, remind me how you won a cleaning contest.” Alex motioned his hand around Jack’s room.
“Luck I guess.” Jack joined Alex on the bed, tossing the plate to the carpeted floor, sending crumbs everywhere, “You think my room is messy? Please, like yours is any better.” Jack kicked his feet up.,
“It’s a little better.” Alex scrunched up his nose in disgust, “I actually put my clothes in a hamper, unlike you.”
Jack snorted, waving a dismissive hand. “Yeah, sure, okay. Whatever you say, princess. I’m obviously cleaner than you, you know, since I won.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. About that, what do you want me to do?” Alex quirked an eyebrow, eyes scanning over Jack’s face.
“I’m so glad you asked.” Jack clapped his hands together, a wicked grin crossing his face, “For your first day. I’ll start you off easy.” He paused for effect, “Clean my room.”
“You’re kidding me, right? No way, man.” Alex shook his head, “I could get, like, a disease.” Alex shot back right away. There was no way he was cleaning this.
“Remember Alex,” Jack said, an authoritative tone rising in his voice, “I’m starting you off easy.”

Alex picked up a stained, smelly t-shirt, throwing it in the growing “dirty” pile next to Jack’s bed, his lip curling up in disgust.
“So, tell me about yourself.” Jack laid back in his bed, hands folded behind his head.
“Well, what do you want to know?” Alex countered back, picking up more clothes, throwing them in the ever growing pile. Jack snickered, slightly shaking his head.
“Hm, okay, who was your first kiss? Mine was Tay Jardine, such a hot piece of ass.” Jack bit his lip, over exaggerating the movement even though Alex had his back turned. Which Alex was thankful for, considering his face was flushed a bright crimson, and his cheeks were on fire.
“I never had my first kiss.” He mumbled, almost inaudible.
“You never had your first kiss?” Jack repeated much louder, showing his shock, “You’re a sophomore, almost a junior, and you’ve never kissed anybody!” Jack tutted his disapproval.
Alex shook his head, embarrassment washing over him like waves crashing on the beach. Yeah, it was disappointing, and maybe even shameful that he hadn’t had his first kiss yet, but plenty of other people hadn't either. That's what Alex liked to say to reassure himself, ‘I’m not the onl-

Alex’s eyes blew wide, only to be met my Jack’s own surprised gaze staring back at him. Even though it was Jack who initiated the kiss, it was Jack who spun Alex around and firmly planted his lips on Alex’s , It was all Jack. Despite each boy being shell shocked, neither pulled away from their awkward lip lock, eyes staring into each others, not daring to be the first to pull away. Jack’s thumbs that were on Alex, drew tentative circles on his hips, and his fingers grasped him tighter. His eyes dropped close, and he started to slowly move his lips. Alex was still frozen, eyes still peeled open, when Jack’s door burst open, making the two fly apart.