We'll Carry On

The walk back to Alex's house was silent and awkward. Jack didn't even try to start a conversation, he just wore a scowl on his face. Alex thought about saying something several times, but each time he opened his mouth to speak, he suddenly became too nervous to. He'd seen Jack around his friends. He smiled. He laughed. He told jokes. He was happy. Alex wished he was like that with him.

'Why do you even care? Jack doesn't like me at all, I just have to accept that'

"Hey Gaskarth!" he heard someone call. The brown haired boy turned round to find the person who called his name. To his dismay, the popular boy's "friends" were on the other side of the street, waving at him. He flashed a fake smile back.

"Hey guys!"

"Yo Alex, what are you doing with that emo fag?" one of the girls from the group yelled. Out of the corner of his eye, Alex saw Jack hang his head even lower and walk considerably faster. The brown haired boy's mind raced to think of a suitable answer to this question. If he argued that Jack was not an emo fag, he might gain Jack's trust again. But that wouldn't be socially acceptable. If he didn't argue that Jack was not an emo fag, that would secure his place in the popular clique. But it would make Jack hate him more.

"Oh um Jack's coming over to work on some drama project shit!" Alex hoped that was a good answer. His "friends" eventually turned round a corner and left. Phew.

Jack felt really upset, and he wasn't sure why. He got called things like that all the time and didn't normally care. Why did it hurt so much this time? Was it because Alex didn't deny that he was in fact an "emo fag"? But Alex was one of them. Why would he stand up for him?

'Stupid Jack' the dark haired boy mentally scolded himself. 'You don't even like Alex! You're not friends!'

-x-

It wasn't long until the boys reached the Gaskarth house. It was a while since Jack had been here. His mind was suddenly flooded with memories from when him and Alex were friends. The way Alex would grab his wrist and drag him excitedly to the front door. Or when Jack would randomly show up at the house asking to go and play.

The dark haired boy reluctantly followed Alex inside and took off his shoes and placed them under the stairs. Jack remembered that Mrs Gaskarth liked to have a neat and tidy house.

"So, um, do you want a drink or something to eat?" Alex offered

"A drink please" Jack answered as Alex made his way to the kitchen. The dark haired boy stood by the kitchen door awkwardly; he hadn't been to Alex's house for about 2 or 3 years, so he wasn't sure where to sit.

"You can sit in the living room if you want" Alex smiled at him. Jack didn't return it. The brown haired boy frowned slightly and showed Jack to the living room, sitting next to him on the couch and putting their drinks down on the table. Silence filled the room, which made his ears hurt. Whenever it's dead silent, Alex can hear ringing. Strange, I know.

"So, um, should we start?" Jack asked, not making eye contact.

"I guess"

Neither of them moved.

Alex looked up at the dark haired boy, only to find that Jack was already looking at him. Moments of this awkward silence crawled by, neither boy breaking the staring contest they seemed to be having.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Alex was slowly losing himself in the hazel eyes he loved so much. Without noticing, he started leaning toward Jack, getting closer, and closer, and closer...

"♪DON'T WANNA BE AN AMERICAN IDIOT!♪" Jack's ringtone caused them to quickly fly apart in shock.

"..Sorry, I have to, um, take this" he stuttered, still flustered from the eye contact with Alex and the sudden shock. Jack stepped out into the hallway.

'Shitshitshitshit' Alex cursed mentally. He almost kissed Jack. He almost kissed....a guy. Just imagine how bad it would have been if he did. Jack would hate Alex more than he already did, and would tell the whole school. That would be tragic.

Jack quickly returned from his phone call, his cheeks still painted pink from earlier. It turns out it was just Jack's mom asking where he was.

Eventually, Alex grabbed some pens and paper from upstairs and spread them across the table. Picking up a red marker, the brown haired boy scrawled ROMEO AND JULIET MODERNIZATION PLAY on the top line of one of the sheets.

"Let's do this shit!"

"Ok" Jack shrugged. Once again, the dark haired boy's unenthusiam earned a sad frown from Alex. They spent the next hour or so coming up with a plotline and some scene settings, only speaking when necessary.

-x-

"How was your date with Alex?" Jack's older sister, May, teased as the boy entered the house. May knew that Alex and Jack were not on friendship terms anymore, but that didn't cause the 19 year old to refrain from winding up her younger brother. He shot her a death stare, before yelling hello to his mom and rushing up to his room. Immediately after stepping inside Jack blasted some music from his iPod. He tried so hard to focus on Billie Joe's voice, but the only thing on his mind were a gorgeous pair of dark chocolate eyes. Alex's eyes. Jack might hate Alex, but even he can't deny that Alex was very cute. Perhaps one of the cutest people Jack had ever seen

"Such a shame he's a dick" the dark haired boy groaned to himself. Jack didn't do much except lie on his bed and listening to pop punk, before eventually falling asleep.