Guitars and Love Notes

“So what are you going to do?” Jack asked as Alex sat down on the steps with a sigh.

“I’m not entirely sure,” he said desperately wanting to look in his guitar case looking for a note from Zack, but knowing that he would have to give the other boy time to leave it. “I left him a note that I hope will get him to change his mind, but I don’t know if it will do anything.”

“Stop being so pessimistic,” Jack said while shaking his head at his friend. “I don’t know how he can resist you.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re my friend. I’m sure he could very well resist me if he wanted to,” he said feeling as though he had waited long enough and reached back for his guitar case. Upon opening it he couldn’t help but notice that there were two notes in the case. Reaching in his case he pulled them both out and couldn’t help but feel like crying when he saw the one he left for Zack still sitting there. “And from the look of it he wants to,” he said as he held up the note for Jack to see.

“I guess you’re just going to have to show him what he’s missing out on by saying no,” Jack said with a shrug as the bell rang and he started gathering up his stuff.

“And how in the world do you expect me to do that?” Alex asked as he quickly scrambled to gather his stuff and follow Jack into the school.

“Figure it out,” Jack said turning around to look at the boy. “You have half the school falling at your feet, I’m sure if you really put your mind to it you could think of a way to have Zack fall for you like that,” he said snapping his fingers in Alex’s face to prove his point.

“How can I get him to say yes by tonight?” Alex asked thinking of the perfect date that he had planned in hopes that Zack said yes and gave him a chance.

“Like I said, you’re Alex. I’m sure you’ll be able to think of something and have him falling at your feet by the end of the day,” he said before waving goodbye to his friend and heading off to his first hour while leaving Alex to go to his locker and put his guitar away.

While he was putting his guitar away Alex couldn’t help but think of things to do. Obviously the whole note thing wasn’t working, especially since Zack didn’t even take the note from his case. Thinking of the note Alex quickly pulled the one Zack had left in his case out of his pocket and started reading, not even caring that he was making himself late for his first hour.

I don’t get you Alex. I keep telling you that I don’t want us to meet in person, but you keep pushing it. I don’t think I’m ready for it. Maybe we can try this again later, when I’m not so scared of your rejection. Please stop pushing this. –Z

Slamming a fist into the locker next to him he couldn’t help but feel angered by Zack’s words. Back when the notes first started it was obvious that Zack liked him and wanted to be with him, but now Zack was scared. He couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault that Zack was scared for them to meet, although he wasn’t entirely sure how it was his fault.

Thinking of Jack’s advice to show Zack what he was missing Alex quickly pulled his wallet out of his backpack and ran out of the school doors and hoped into his car. He knew he was going to be in huge trouble tonight once his mom gets the call from his school letting her know he missed first hour, but in all honestly he could care less. Right now the only thing that was important to him was getting Zack to say yes.



Pulling back into the school’s parking lot Alex couldn’t help but smile when he looked at the clock on his dashboard and saw that he still had some time before first period was let out. Grabbing the bags off the seat next to him he walked into the school, grabbed what he’d need for second hour from his locker and headed to the bathroom nearest his second hour classroom.

Once he was in the bathroom he pulled a vase from one of the bags and filled it with water. While the vase was still filling he carefully took out the bouquet of roses he has bought, and put them in the vase once it was filled. He couldn’t but help but smile at the lavender roses filling the vase as he put the one single red rose he had also purchased right in the middle.

After shoving the now empty bags into his backpack, he threw the bag over his shoulder before grabbing the vase and going to stand outside his classroom door. Looking at the clock he couldn’t help but smile just that little bit more when he saw that the bell was just about to ring.

Once the last student had walked out of the classroom Alex quickly made his way inside and carefully set the vase down on the table in front of Zack’s seat.

“Can I ask what you are doing Mr. Gaskarth?” Miss Martinez asked as she watched him mess around with the flower petals making sure they looked perfect.

“I’m trying to get Zack to say yes to a date tonight,” he said looking up at the teacher trying to smile, but knowing he looked nervous.

“I’ve seen the way he’s looked at you since the first day of school,” she said as she walked over to the desk and smelled the flowers before looking up at Alex with a smile. “I’m almost positive he will say yes.”

“You wouldn’t kill me if I interrupted the class today to ask him out would you?” he asked hoping he wouldn’t get a detention for asking out Zack today.

“Under normal circumstances I’d say no, but since you two look so cute together I’ll let it slide,” she said before walking back to the front of them room and started cleaning off the white board from her last hour.

Sitting back in his seat after deciding that the flowers looked perfect, Alex couldn’t help but stare at the door waiting for the second he’d see Zack walk through the door. He wasn’t disappointed when thirty seconds later said boy walked into the door, looking down at his feet.

“What are these?” Zack asked Alex quietly as he took his seat and set his bag on the floor.

“No idea,” he said with a shrug trying to act cool. “They were here when I got here. But there is a note,” he added nodding to said note in the middle of the flowers.

With a blush on his face, realizing that other students were staring at him Zack reached for the note and pulled it out to read.

Lavender roses, which mean love at first sight and enchantment; now I can’t say for sure that it is love, but I can tell you it was something pretty fucking special at first sight. Please go out to dinner with me tonight Zack so we can explore this and see if it will turn into something more. –Love Alex.

“Alex… what’s the meaning of this?” he asked as he turned to face his lab partner as the blush in his cheeks got a little darker with every passing second.

“Well just like the note says I want you to go out to dinner with me tonight. What do you say?” he asked with a smile.

“Alex I don’t think--,” he said before being cut off by Alex.

“Come on Zack, just give me one chance and I promise you won’t ever regret it.”

“How can you be so sure I won’t regret it?”

“Because I won’t give you the chance to regret it,” he said smiling a little brighter.

“Alex--,” he started before being cut off.

“Don’t think I forgot about what you said in the beginning. You said you wished you had a chance with me. I’m trying to have a chance with you, please just let me have that chance.”

“Just give him a chance, please his begging is getting pathetic,” Miss Martinez said, laughing as Alex turned to glare at him.

“Fine, I’ll give you one chance. Screw up and you’re done,” Zack whispered for just Alex to hear while blushing deeply hoping that the whole class would stop staring at him sometime soon.

Noticing how red Zack’s face was Miss Martinez quickly went about getting the attention off of the two boys. “Alright class today I’m going to give you another free day to work on your projects, so please grab your things and make your way down to the library.”

“Come on partner,” Alex said with a smile. “Let’s go finish up our project so we can just have free time to do whatever.”

“Before you ask Zack, you have permission to put the flowers in your locker if you would like,” Miss Martinez said as she walked by their desk with a smile following a few of the stragglers out of the classroom.

“She knew about this didn’t she?” Zack asked still blushing while looking over at Alex.

“Maybe,” he said with a smirk. “Need help getting these to your locker?” he asked nodding towards the vase still on the table in front of Zack.

“I think I can manage them on my own,” he said still blushing while he picked up the vase and made his way towards his locker.

“So I’m thinking I could pick you up at six and we could go get dinner before seeing a movie,” Alex said trailing behind Zack and standing next to the other boys open locker once they got there.

“Alex I’m not too sure--,” he started before once again getting cut off by Alex.

“You already agreed to the date Zack, you can’t back out now,” he said worried that he lost the boy before he actually had him.

“I was just going to say I don’t think it’s a good idea to see a movie. I have to be home at a decent hour to make sure that my brother and his drunk friends don’t burn down our house,” he said with a shrug.

“So I take it he’s having another party.”

“I wish it was a party,” Zack said slamming his locker shut. “Unfortunately it’s just him and five of his closest friends, and I know they’re all idiots so I want to be there to protect our house. At least when he has parties his friends bring their girlfriends and the girls keep them from doing stupid stunts.”

“Okay so how about dinner and then we go back to your place and watch a movie.”

“Fine, but that means you have to be on your best behavior and you can’t start drinking with my brother and his friends.”

“Deal,” Alex said with a bright smile as they walked into the library and found a place to work on their project.



“Where are you going looking so nice?” Mrs. Gaskarth asked as Alex walked down the stairs and into the living room messing up his hair.

“A date,” he said with a nervous smile before turning to the mirror on the wall and making sure that his hair looked presentable, but his hair was messy enough for his liking.

“Oh, and who’s this date with?” she asked hopefully.

“That guy I was telling you about the other night,” he said as he turned to look at her.

“And who is this guy? You never did tell me his name.”

“It’s Zack,” he said looking down at his shoes.

“Zack as in my friend’s son Zack?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Quite possibly,” he said as color started filling his cheeks not daring to look up at his mom.

“Well he’s a very nice boy. I’m sure you two will have lots of fun together tonight,” she said with a smile as she came over and kissed his cheek. “You better go before you’re late, and make sure you’re on your best behavior.”

“Will do, love you mom,” he said before walking out of the house and to his car, where he quickly turned it on and made his way to Zack’s place.



Once his car was in park Alex reached over to unhook his seatbelt and head to the door to get Zack, but before he even fully had his seatbelt off Zack was opening the passenger side door and hooking his seatbelt.

“Well hello, ready for the best night of your life?” Alex asked, knowing he sounded cocky, but was pretty sure it was going to be a great night.

“Yeah, can we just go?” he asked messing with his seatbelt while he was staring at the front door.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, let’s just get moving,” he said turning to smile at Alex to try and convince him it was the truth.

“Well we’ve got a twenty five minute drive to the restaurant, you have plenty of time to tell me what’s up,” he said with a smile as he backed out of the driveway and headed off towards their destination.

“Like I said, it’s nothing Alex.”

“And I honestly don’t believe you, but if it makes you feel better I’ll pretend that I do until you feel comfortable enough to tell me what’s up.”

“My mom wants me to move back in with her,” he said with a sigh looking over at Alex.

“Well isn’t that a good thing; it means she wants to spend more time with you, right?” he asked looking over at Zack while they stopped at a red light.

“She only wants me to move back in because of you.”

“Why because of me?”

“She’s basically been that shoulder you’re moms been crying on since you gave her the cold shoulder, and now that you two are talking again she’s so much happier, so my mom thinks that if we get close again it will be better for her. I just wish she wanted me to move back in because she actually wants me. She just wants me back home to see if she feels happy like your mom, but I know she won’t want me living with her in two months’ time,” he said with yet another sigh as he turned to look at Alex. “I just wish I could have a mom that actually loved me like yours.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better, at least your brother still loves you and wants you.”

“A little bit,” he said with a smile. “I know my brother wishes he didn’t have his little brother living with him so that he could be a normal college guy, but I know he wouldn’t change it for the word. He’s told me that multiple times before when I offered to move out and give him time to be a college senior.”

“I can’t wait to actually meet your brother, he seems like a really great guy,” Alex said with a smile as he pulled into the parking lot.

“Just don’t judge him too much tonight, like I said I want to be home to keep an eye on him and his friends drinking because he’s not always the smartest or nicest drunk.”

“I’ll be sure to save my judgment until I’ve known him for a while,” he smirked as he turned off the car and started to get out.

“Thank you,” he said as Alex walked over to him, grabbed his hand and lead him into the restaurant.



“Remember you promised not to judge him until you know him for a while,” Zack said as he walked backwards up his walkway, leading Alex to his house.

“I know. I’ll save all harsh judgments until we’ve been dating at least one year,” he said with a smile as he caught up with Zack, who had turned around at this point and put his arm around his shoulders.

“Who says we’ll be dating that long?”

“A guy can hope can’t he?”

“I guess since right now hope is all you have, because I’m not sure if there is going to be a second date yet,” he said with a smirk as he turned around and unlocked the front door. “Caleb I’m home,” Zack yelled as he walked into the entry hall and started taking off his shoes and coat with Alex following his lead.

“Did you bring more alcohol?” A guy, who Alex recognized as Zack’s brother from the other night asked with a slight slur as the two walked into the door. “Who’s the dude?” he tacked on having just noticed Alex standing there behind his brother taking off his shoes and coat.

“First off, you don’t need any more alcohol; so no. And this is Alex, remember I told you I was going out with him today,” Zack said turning to face his brother. “Now we’re going to go upstairs and watch a movie. Hopefully you and your friends can behave, but if you need me you know where to find me.”

“Don’t do anything I would do,” his brother yelled up the stairs after them earning himself a glare from Zack.

“Go back to drinking with your friends,” he said before shoving Alex into his room and slamming the door shut, blocking out his brothers laughing.

"Your brother seems like a funny guy,” Alex said hoping that if he laughed at how Zack’s brother was being the boy would be less embarrassed.

“If by funny you mean embarrassing as hell,” Zack said as he grabbed his backpack off his bed and threw it on the floor next to his desk. “Movies are on the shelf next to the TV if you want to pick something out.”

Walking over to the shelf Alex started looking through the movies finding comedy after comedy sitting there. “How about this one?” Alex asked with a smile as he held up the desired movie.

“That’s fine with me,” Zack said taking it from his hands and putting it into the DVD player before turning on the TV. “I’ll run downstairs and get snag some of the beanbag chairs from the living room for us,” he said turning to leave the room.

“We can just sit on the bed, if that’s okay with you,” Alex said catching his wrist. “I promise I won’t try anything,” he added on after seeing the look on Zack’s face.

“You’ll be on your best behavior?”

“My best behavior and then some,” he said with a smile hoping that Zack believed him.

“Fine, but first sign of funny business and you’re going home.”



Ten minutes; that’s how long it took before Alex was trying something. Slowly during the opening scene of Dumb and Dumber Alex was working on moving as close to Zack as he could without alerting the other boy to his plan. Looking over at Zack and seeing the boys eyes light up as he laughed at the movie Alex realized that he was too preoccupied to even know what was going on around him. With that knowledge in mine Alex took that final step to complete his plan. Grabbing Zack’s chin he brought the boys cheek closer to him and placed a kiss on it before laying his head on Zack’s shoulder.

“I thought I said no funny business,” Zack said looking down at Alex who was smiling happily on his shoulder.

“But I’m not doing anything bad. I’m just laying my head on your shoulder,” he said smirking up at the other boy. “But if you really think I’m doing something so bad I guess you better send me home,” he sighed.

“Just shut up and watch the movie,” the younger boy said trying to hid his smile as he put an arm around Alex and pulled him closer so that they could both be a little more comfortable with Alex’s head on his shoulder.

"Can we get under the covers too?”

“Don’t press your luck,” Zack said eyeing the other boy as he reached over and grabbed a small blanket off his desk chair and spread it over his and Alex’s legs. “Now watch the movie and shut up.”

With a smile Alex shut his mouth and continued watching the movie with Zack.



The next morning Alex woke up to the feeling of someone moving under him. Squinting his eyes open while tilting his head up he saw Zack stretching his arms over his head.

“Morning,” Alex said quietly in hopes of not startling Zack too much.

“Morning,” Zack said looking down at him.

“Our first date and I already got to share a bed with you,” Alex laughed making Zack laugh as well.

“You should be so proud of yourself. Now get off me so I can get up,” he said as he shoved at Alex’s shoulder and made him move over slightly so that he could get off the bed and make his way into the bathroom.

Going over to Zack’s closet Alex grabbed out a shirt and swapped it for his own hoping that Zack wouldn’t mind too much.

“Helping yourself to my stuff I see,” Zack said as he walked out of the bathroom to see Alex pulling his shirt over his head.

“I hope you don’t mind. I’d rather not have to do the walk of shame and run into my mom,” he said with a shrug before pulling his sweatshirt on over the new shirt.

“You better get going before she gets worried about you,” Zack said changing the subject as he went over and changed his own shirt.

“Don’t I get breakfast first?” Alex asked trying to look cute and adorable so that Zack would ask him to stay over longer.

“Your parents are probably worried sick about you since you didn’t come home last night, you better go,” he said as he walked down the stairs and opened the front door for Alex to go out.

“Can I at least get a kiss goodbye first since I behaved so nicely last night and didn’t try anything?” he said standing in the threshold of the door facing Zack.

“Goodbye Alex,” Zack said leaning forward and kissing the other boys cheek.

“You call that a kiss?” Alex said with a raised eyebrow before grabbing Zack’s chin and pulling him forward so he could kiss his lips. “Now that, that is a kiss.”

“Goodbye Alex,” Zack said with a smile before pushing Alex out the door and closing it once he saw the boy climb into the driver’s seat of his car.

Twenty minutes later Alex was walking into the front door of his house with a smile on his face. He was so happy that he finally got to go out with Zack, and to top it all off he spent the night with Zack, whether it was intentional or not, plus he even got to kiss Zack without the other boy getting mad and yelling at him.

“So I take it your date went well?” his mother asked form the counter where she had a cup of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other.

“Yes,” he said with a happy sigh as he leaned on the counter across from his mother. “It was the best first date in a long time. It’s weird to think that just a month ago I was with Lisa and thought I was in love with her, but after last night I can’t help but think about how much happier I’ll be with Zack.”

“So I take it you are planning on being with him for a long while then,” she said smiling at how happy her son was. It had been awhile since she had seen him this happy.

"Maybe,” he said with a shrug as he took his mom’s coffee cup out of her hands and took a sip of the beverage. “Like I said I’m happier with him than I was with Lisa and I’ve only gone on one date with him. I think the thing I like most about him is we can actually talk, everything isn’t about him like it always was with Lisa.”

“Well I’m so glad to see that you are happy, that’s all that really matters to me,” she said with a big smile as she grabbed her coffee back from her son and took a sip herself. “Now go get dressed and ready for the day; we have some errands to run.”

Without another word Alex quickly ran up the stairs and got dressed as quickly as he could.



Monday morning as Zack was walking to his locker he couldn’t help but smile as he saw a white piece of paper taped to the door. Picking up his pace he quickly went up to his locker and pulled off the note, smiling brightly as he was reading it.

Tonight at eight o’clock; be ready for another amazing night with yours truly. –A

With the smile still on his face Zack shoved the note into his pocket and started making his way to class before running into another student and sending both of them flying to the ground.

“I am so sorry,” Zack said as he scrambled to grab the books he dropped and help the other student up too.

“I think you should give me a kiss to apologize,” Alex said with a smile as he got to his feet and pulled his backpack back onto his shoulder.

“Really Alex?”

“Really Zack,” he said with a smile. “So are you going to apologize or not.”

“Sorry,” Zack whispered as he leaned in and placed a kiss on Alex’s cheek.

“I thought we talked about this over the weekend; that is not a kiss, this is,” he said once again pulling Zack’s chin towards himself and kissed his lips.

"Keep it G rated, there are children here,” Jack said coming up behind the couple and making Zack blush profusely.

“What children do you see here? I see a bunch of teenagers who do way worse than that on a daily basis.”

"Just keep it G rated,” the younger boy said one more time before leaving the two alone in the hallway.

“Sorry about Jack. I promise he isn’t always that embarrassing,” Alex said turning back to Zack as his friend walked away.

“Alex, I’ve been in the same school with you for years now, trust me when I say I know that Jack is always that embarrassing,” he said earning a laugh out of the older boy.

“Well it was worth a try. Now let’s get going to class,” he said as he reached down and grabbed Zack’s hand before dragging him to class.