The Mixtape of Hatred

Alex squeezed the car into the parking spot with just enough space to get out the door. Considering the fact that his own car has over a dozen scratches, he was pretty proud of himself. Tanner was usually the one who drove and had the crazy parking skills. Alex deserved a hella good Macchioto after this.

He followed Tanner into the café, who stood at the cashier, with his back turned towards him. He snuck up to Tanner and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his chin on Tanner’s shoulder and turning his head sideways to kiss his cheek.

“Babe, you should’ve seen how I parked the car.” Alex announced. “Did you get me that large double soy Macchioto? I totally deserve it, y’know.”

Alex heard a loud splash coming from behind the counter, where the staff made the drinks, and glanced over curiously. They better not have dropped his large double soy Macchioto.

Well, fuck. He groaned. A café guy was bending over to pick up a now-empty large plastic cup, and the contents were spilled all over the floor, which appeared to be – what else? – a large double soy Macchioto.

“Shit.” The café guy muttered. He said it quietly, but Alex recognized that voice. It was a voice that practically haunted his thoughts each time he saw a guitar.

Café guy glanced up at him, and quickly looked back down. Alex only saw his face for a half a millisecond, but he recognized that face. It was the face that he saw in the crowd every time he played a show.

Jack hastily attempted to clean up the ruined drink with a cloth. As Alex tried to form words in my mouth, Jack clenched the cloth up in his fist and stood up. He nearly slipped as he ran towards a door that said, “STAFF ONLY”. His body rammed into the door, forcing it open, and he disappeared behind it.

“Hey, can we get our order now? Your clumsy friend spilled it and my boyfriend deserves a reward for his lame-ass parking.” Tanner casually called out to another café guy, as if we hadn’t just encountered Jack Barakat. Then again, Alex had no doubts that Tanner hated Jack’s guts.

After Jack disappeared off the face of the Earth, Tanner and Alex got back together. Granted, it took Alex hours of apologizing, half a million promises, a few dozen boxes of chocolate, and a lot of kissing, but they got back together and they were happy together. As much as Alex’s feelings for Jack raged inside him, he wasn’t willing to give up what he had with Tanner, for a small chance of fixing things with Jack.

“Yeah, one large doubt soy Macchioto, coming up.” Café guy 2 replied, though he glanced over in Jack’s direction, concerned about his friend, or, boyfriend…?

“What’s up with that guy?” Alex asked, nodding towards the door, using the same casual tone as Tanner.

Café guy 2 stepped past the spilled drink and began to remake it. He shrugged. “I don’t know. Jack’s never been like that.”

“How is he usually?” Alex was sure that Tanner wouldn’t mind him asking about Jack’s well being. After all, Tanner was a good guy. He was just a little overprotective sometimes.

“He’s good. Real upbeat, cheerful, swears quite a bit, insanely loud, very sweet at times, clumsy, but he’s absolutely hilarious.” Café guy 2 rambled on.

Alex frowned, and observed Café guy 2. He felt like Café guy 2 was awfully fond of Jack, but maybe he was just overthinking.

Alex nodded, feeling Tanner’s stare and pretending to be disinterested.

Tanner pulled Alex back from the counter and leaned forward to whisper.

“We get the drinks, then we get out of here. Good?” He whispered in a demanding tone.

Alex nodded eagerly, not wanting to upset his boyfriend.

“Anyways, I’m Brent. What’s your name? I got yours, Tanner.” Brent nodded at Tanner, and then looked at me.

“Um, Alex.” I said quietly. I didn’t like to announce my full name to strangers, fearing that they’ll recognize my name and start acting weirdly or anything.

Brent’s eyes narrowed. “Tanner and Alex.” He said slowly. “Tanner and Alex. Alex Gaskarth?”

Alex nodded, feeling his heartbeat speed up. Perhaps he knew Alex from music, but Alex had a feeling that this wasn’t the case.

“You fucking asshole.” Brent snarled, throwing a half-filled cup of Macchioto at me.

The cup hit a bulls-eye, crashing into the middle of his chest and exploding all over him and Tanner.

Brent had instantly set Tanner off, who leaped up and crawled over the counter, knocking over the tip jar. The glass jar smashed into the floor, causing sharp shards of broken glass and coins to litter the floor. Tanner lunged at Brent, causing them both to crash into the cold, dirty floor spotted with puddles of Mocchioto.
Tanner landing on top of Brent and grabbed the collar of his shirt, screaming, “You take that back!” He lifted one hand up and formed it into a fist. Brent kicked his legs, attempting to get Tanner off of him.

“Tanner, don’t!” Alex yelled out, climbing over the counter just as Jack appeared. They made eye contact briefly, but turned their attention to the two grown men fighting on the floor of a café. Neither Jack nor Alex made a move, and were simply frozen in shock and uncertainty.

“You’re the one who took Alex away from Jack!” Brent screamed, spitting in Tanner’s face.

Tanner’s fist came down on Brent’s face – hard and fast. “Yeah? Well Jack’s the one who was too pussy to make a move on Alex and went around fucking sluts. Alex got what he deserved, someone who loves him fully and doesn’t fuck a different whore every night.”

“Jack loved Alex! You and Alex ran off together then, and poor Jack was left alone.”

“I loved Alex! And guess what, I still do!”

“And Alex loved him back, but you just interfered and both of you ended up fucking him over, so fuck you both! Jerks!”

“Well you’re a fucking liar. Alex never loved Jack.” Tanner snarled, his hands clenching so tight that it looked like his bones would break through his skin.

“Yeah, they loved each other.” Brent insisted. “But Alex was just a jerk who went around messing around with both of you. Alex took so much care of Jack when he got hurt. He still loves Jack, so sucks for you.”

“They did not! Alex loves me, and only me.”

“Ask him. Alex, do you love Jack? Did you ever love Jack?” Brent’s gaze focused on Alex, and Tanner turned around too anticipating what I had to say. Three sets of eyes stared into him, awaiting what he had to say.

Alex was dumbfounded; speechless. If he were to be honest, then of course he loved Jack. Of course he loves Jack.

“No.”

No.

Such a simple, single-syllable word, and everything was over.

Tanner got off Brent and smiled proudly.

Brent sat up and smiled smugly; probably satisfied that he could make a clean move on Jack now.

And Jack?

Oh, Jack.

Jack broke down in tears.