The Boy by the Window.

It had been three days after their last encounter when Alex decided to message Jack. The younger didn't dare contant the other because he knew how big of an asshole Alex could be, and he was all too familiar with rejection already. So, needless to say, he was surprised when Alex sent him a message saying 'I have the afternoon off, wanna hang out?'.

He thought it might have been a joke for a second but he replied with 'sure, I've got nothing to do' only a few moments later to make it seem like he was busy. He literally had nothing else to do, but he didn't want Alex to think he was only agreeing to do so because he was the only one he could hang out with.

He had handed his half-empty, experienceless CV at an information spot in a huge mall downtown where they automatically sent it through shop after shop, but there was no luck. So, between not having a job and wanting to get out of the house because his parents were a pain in the ass over him not getting a part-time job, Jack wanted nothing else but to stay away from them for the longest time possible.

Zack had gotten a full-time job at a skate shop and Rian had gone on vacation with his girlfriend, so he was left alone — with Alex. He didn't mind it all that much though because he was planning on going abroad at the end of the summer with Zack, Rian and Cass, just before they all started university.

'Meet me at my workplace in 10' Jack almost choked on his lemonade. Alex wanted him to know where he worked at. After all this time telling him to fuck off, smirking and leaving whenever he politely asked him where he worked at, simply ignoring his questions, threatening him.

'Idk where you work, smartass' He replied, over-thinking if he should have said 'smartass'.
'Hold on I'll call you'

'Why am I so fucking nervous all for the sudden' hethought.

'Jack?'

'Yeah'

'Do you know where S. Peter's street is?'

'Nope, I don't know the name of the streets'

'Fucking dumbass' He whispered. 'Okay um, Family Pizza?'

'Yeah'

'Well that's where I work'

'You said you worked in a fancy restaurant?'

'I have more than one job'

'Alright, alright. So should I walk there?'

'Yeah, or take the bus. I don't have all day' He hung up.

Fucking asshole.

Jack took the bus and got there in about 15 minutes. Alex was standing outside the pizzeria, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He was texting someone. He looked up and saw Jack walking towards him and put his phone in his jeans' pocket. He looked around and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Just checking there's no one I know around here" He said in the most serious voice.

"You're incredible" Jack said, almost sad.

"I'm just kidding, dude. I don't care if they see me with you" He cracked a smile and they started walking downtown.

"You don't?"

"No, why would I?"

"Well, you did care a few weeks ago"

"Well, a few weeks ago, I thought I had genuine friends but I only just realised that I don't"

They took a corner and walked into a supermarket. Alex was leading the way and he decided he was hungry — even if he had just had lunch.

"What happened?" Jack asked after staying silent for a second. Alex was checking the ingredients of some crackers. Picking one up and putting it back down until he found some of his favourites.

"Nothing really. I started hanging out with other people and realised they only wanted to hang out with me for the weed I provided them. Sucks. I wish I'd known that earlier. I would have stopped hanging out with them immediately" He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and asked Jack if he wanted anything for himself. 'I'm good' he replied.

"But you'd have no one to hang out with other than them, right?" Jack was unsure of Alex's group of friends and who completed it. He had no idea if he had more friends other than those people.

"I'll always have someone to hang out with" Alex said, not looking back at Jack. The younger predicted the answer, but he wasn't sure if he should believe Alex or not.

"Who are these people anyway? The ones you've been hanging out with lately?" Jack asked once they were out of the supermarket. He kind of wished Alex was talking about him, but he didn't quite fit in the pluralisation of the company Alex was referring to.

"A few of my co-workers. They're nice" Jack felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He tried to play it off by smiling and mumbling 'nice'. It was just Alex Gaskarth, someone he barely knew, he shouldn't feel like this over his rejection.

"I'm joking, again. You're a fool. I was talking about you" He laughed. That laugh that could drive any sane person crazy. Jack wanted to punch him in the face.

"You're, once again, impossible" But he thought he was more than that.

"Anyway, what are we doing?"

"No, no. I want to know what made you change your mind. I'm nothing special, I know that. And I bet your friends are 99.99% nicer than me and you have lots of things in common. We barely know each other" Jack had stopped Alex on his tracks, making him face him.

"Why do you have to make such a big deal out of everything? Like I said, they are assholes who only want me for free weed. Yeah we have lots of things in common but that doesn't mean I like to hang out with them. I only just realised that, after all these years spent hanging out with them, they're nothing but a waste of time and money. Yeah we barely know each other but being with you is different. A nice kind of different, you know?" Alex blushes slightly, cursing himself under his breath and turning away from Jack to get in the car, so the younger wouldn't see the oink shade covering his cheeks — it was too late though, Jack had already started feeling warm inside thanks to Alex's words.

"Yeah, I know" And damn well he knew what Alex meant.

-

They ended up sitting on a bench by the river, something Alex always wanted to do but was afraid to suggest doing because he knew his friends would tell him that's something girls do. Jack agreed, now having a bag of sunflower seeds in his hands.

They watched people -mostly couples- walk past them. It was 6PM by then, it was still sunny and bright outside, and Jack was still wondering why Alex wanted him to know where he worked at, so he just asked him.

"Why did you allow me to know where you work at now?"

"Well, I thought it was only fair for you to know where I work now that I don't care what people think about when I'm seen with you"

"You know, that's kinda humiliating. That you are, or were, embarrassed to be seen with me" Jack confessed, now that they were being open with each other.

"I know, and I'm sorry. That's just how I am though. You have no idea what kind of person I am"

"I think you want to be someone you are not. That badass faceut you put on every time someone tries to be nice to you needs to disappear"

"Yeah, maybe some day"

"Some day soon, I hope"

"You don't know me Jack. You know nothing about me"

"I know enough. You are being nice now. Be like this all the time"

"I guess. It's not that easy though" He sighed and looked away.

"Why? Because you got used to it?"

"Kind of. I can't just go back to being super nice and super friendly with everyone all of the sudden. That'd be awkward as hell"

"Step by step" Jack reassured him.

"Yeah. Thanks" He smiled and Jack smiled in return. He had accomplished something.

-

They ended up in Alex's house once again, mainly because he wanted to get high and Jack wanted to watch him. Jack's parents were still at work and they could have gone to Jack's, but Alex didn't want its smell to give away the fact that he was smoking with their innocent and unexperienced child.

"Is your room always this messy?" Jack wondered out loud, taking a look around his room. Wrappers of sweets were everywhere. Papers scattered in a corner and clothes covered the floor.

"Yep. I'm pretty organised when I want but too lazy to actually get things done" Alex explained and laid on his bed. Jack nodded and followed suit.

"I bet you'll end up being one of those guys who make their girlfriend or wife tidy everything" Jack chuckled and watched as Alex ignored him and took out everything he needed to roll a joint - tobbaco, weed, paper, a filter and a lighter.

Alex was so concentrated on perfectly rolling the joint that he hadn't spoken a word the whole time. Jack glanced at him as he sealed it tight with a flick of his tongue and held it between his fingers with a loud, triumphant 'voila!'.

Jack's phone started buzzing right the second Alex took the first drag and blew the smoke carefully, tilting his head up towards the ceiling, relaxation washing over him.

'Hello?'

'Jack, where are you?'

'At Alex's, why?'

'We called home and no one replied. Where's May?'

'I don't know? She wasn't home when I left'

'I tried calling her but she isn't replying'

'She might be at the cinema, I don't know mum'

'Call me when she gets home, okay?
'
'Mum, I'm not at home'

'Well go home and tell me when she gets back'

'Why do you need to know where she is?'

'I need to talk to her, okay?'

'What about?'

'Women bussiness'

'I don't want to know about that, but I'm not going home yet'

'Jack-'

'Mum! You said you didn't want me in the house doing nothing 24/7 so let me be'

'Fine. Goodbye'

'Eh, bye'

Jack rolled his eyes and switched his phone off in case she were to call again. He didn't need anyone ruining his day. Alex raised an eyebrow as in asking him what was going on, blowing off more smoke.

"Family stuff" Jack said and shrugged.

"Something you want to forget about?" Alex suggested, offering him the joint from the other side of the king sized bed. The younger was hesitant at first but took it anyway. He put it between his lips and took a small drag off it, memories of the first time and last time he had smoked weed with Alex coming to his mind. He procceeded to blow out the smoke, and Alex looked at him in disbelief as if saying 'what a pussy'. So he took a longer drag and forcefully blew the smoke off in Alex's face.

"Well done, asshole" He smirked lazily. "Tell me about youself, Barakat" Alex let Jack smoke the rest of it seeing as he had already smoked the other half and was already high.

"What do you want to know?" God, he loved getting high next to the town's badass, it made him feel powerful, as if he were to level up his reputation by spending time with him — even though no one knew they were spending time together, no one even knew who Jack was. Alex thought for a second, his mind all over the place, thinking of innocent and drity stuff he could ask Jack about.

"Fuck, I'm not good at making questions. How about we play a game I have on my phone? It's like.. one of those never have I ever type of games" Alex opened the app - unintentionaly- in slow motion, ignoring Jack's grunts and complaints. "Come on, it'll be fun" He reassured him.

"Sure"

"Okay, I'll read them. I have never wished to be in a relationship with one of my best friend's partner. Oh, I have" Alex said, matter of factly, even proudly, as if that were something he should be proud of.

"I've fancied one of Zack's girlfriends before but I've never wished to be with her. That'd be so unfair for both of them" Jack noted his mouth was very dry so he grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside table.

"We can't discuss every one of these, there are lots" So they went on and on until they got to the more serious ones.

Jack was already blushing and passing questions as they got more and more embarrassing to answer, but Alex kept rolling his eyes at Jack's shyness and complained of him not playing the game properly if he kept passing every question.

"Oh interesting, this one. I would never kiss the ones I am playing this game with" Alex stopped at that particular one and looked up at Jack with a lazy smirk on his face. Jack raised an eyebrow and asked "What are you looking at me like that for?".

"Just answer the damn question" Alex demanded rolling his eyes.

"You answer first" He said quietly.

"Come on, don't be childish!" Alex shouted and got himself up into a sitting position.

"You're the one being childish!" And so did Jack.

"Oh my god. Why do you want me to answer first this one time? Is your answer going to change depending on mine or what?" He asked, now angrily looking into his eyes. He wasn't really angry, just annoyed that Jack wasn't answering the damn question. Jack only laughed and Alex squeezed his eyes.

"I'm not replying because I know what your answer will be whether I say yes or no" He smirked, as if he knew all the answers for all the questions in the world.

"Well I think you don't know shit" Alex frowned, still looking at him, confronting him in a battle he knew he'd win.

"Let me guess how this goes" Jack started. "I tell you I'm gay to avoid the awkward conversation if I were to say yes -I would kiss the person I'm playing this game with- and you call me a fag or queer or something along those lines. I ask you why the hell you even asked the damn question in the first place and you say it was just to verify that I'm indeed gay so you can leave and never talk to me again because I'm a weirdo who automatically wants to be with any guy I'm friends with, because you know, that's what most people think of homosexuals" Jack was out of breath by then and had to stop for a second to have a breather. He felt like his head was in the clouds, kind of relieved, kind of scared of heights. He wondered whether smoking caused that sensation or not. Alex stood there nonchallantly, an eyebrow as high as Jack's clouds and his eyes fixated on Jack.

"Will you shut up for a second?" He simply asked.

"I'm done" Jack answered, still catching his breath. He was afraid of what Alex was going to say about him - about him wanting to kiss him - and kind of hoped he would get over with it soon so they could forget about it.

"Catch your breath, it looks like you're going to freaking die" Alex smiled at him simpathetically, reaching for his forearm. Jack looked at his hand, soft and slightly smaller than his, then up at him and nooded. Alex, once again, raised an eyebrow, expecting more than a physical response from him.

"I'm fine. Just needed to catch my breath for a second. I'm fine now" Jack exclaimed with little enthusiasm, but thanking the small gesture.

"I'm glad you still have some air left in your shitty-ass lungs" Jack didn't get what he meant and frowned, but right the second he was going to ask what the hell he was talking about, Alex's lips were on his.

His eyes widened in shock, his breath caught up in the moment and he felt like he couldn't breathe again. As if Alex had read his mind, he pulled away slightly to see if Jack even wanted to kiss him or if he was disgusted by it, Jack took a second to catch his breath again and look at the other in the eyes.

Jack had never seen Alex's eyes shine so bright, he thought they screamed desire and lust. Both of them stayed in silence, both wondering whether this was a good idea or not, whether they even wanted it or not, trying to figure out if the other wanted it just by looking at each other in the eyes.

After a minute of heavy breathing, Jack slowly reached his hand up to cup Alex's face and proceedded to rest it at the back of his neck. Alex closed his eyes the way someone who's in pain would do and reached up to touch Jack's hand on his own neck.

After a second, Jack leaned in, with Alex still having his eyes closed, and kissed him hard. So hard that he fell on top of him and onto the bed. They were still both high, their mouths tasted like weed and a hint of tobacco and mint. Jack, with his forearms in either side of Alex's body, wondered if Alex would have reacted this way if he wasn 't under the influence of cannabis.

He pulled away ever so slightly and looked at him, eyeing him from forehead to chin, trying to figure it out. His lips were swollen and pink, he didn't move. Jack figured he would over-think about it later when he wasn't at the Gaskarth's anymore, and he decided Alex wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss Alex.

Just as he started leaning in again, thinking "fuck it", he saw Alex pull a smirk and grab him by his wrists. He didn't even have time to react before he was forcefully being turned around and thrown onto Alex's bed. He looked up at him, wondering what the hell was that for, but Alex spoke first.

"You're thinking too much. And keep in mind, I'm the dominant one here" That fucking smirk though.

Alex leaned down and kissed him, running his tongue along his bottom lip and biting a little. Jack tried to control himself but ended up moaning anyway. It'd been so long since he last had been kissed that he almost forgot how it felt like to do so.

They made out for what seemed like forever, touching and feeling and moaning and everything in between, but it had only really been around fifteen minutes. They pulled away when they heard the front door slam shut and voices come from downstairs. They went back into sitting position after straightening their shirts a bit.

"Well, this is a bit awkward now" Jack said while playing with his hands. His mind was racing with unanswered questions he would later have to voice out to Alex or keep them to himself. He decided on the second choice since he knew Alex wouldn't be up to talk about what just happened. He was just too proud.

"Is it? I think it was-" Someone knocked on the door. It opened and Alex's mum popped her head inside.

"Oh, hi Jack, I didn't know you were here" She said and opened the door a little wider. "Are you staying for dinner?" Jack looked at Alex expectantly, unsure of whether he should accept the invitation or not, he was unsure of so many things. Alex cleared his throat.

"I'm actually working the night shift and I'm going to invite Jack out for pizza" Jack nodded along, but he was panicking inside. "We'll get going now" He stood up, Jack following suit, and kissed his mum's cheek. "Bye ma"

"Bye Alex. Bye Jack!"

Once outside the house, Jack asked Alex if he was really taking him out for dinner and that in that case, he'd have to give his parents a call and let them know that he was going to get home later than usual.

"I have the day off, I sometimes tell them I have to work the night shift so I can hang around in town and go to bars. We can go to dinner if you want though, I get free food there but you'll have to pay for yours" Alex was already off to his car. Jack rolled his eyes, thinking Alex should have used other words instead of 'inviting Jack to dinner'. "Are you coming or?" He asked from the car.

Jack rushed inside, fasting his seatbelt and looking over at Alex, who simply nodded and took off.

The atmosphere in the car was rather awkward after their makeout session, neither of the two knew what to say or even to say anything about it. Jack thought he would have to deal with it later and called his mum.

"Hello? Mum?"

"Where are you, Jack? I told you to call me when May got home"

"I'm still with Alex. I'm calling to say that I'm not coming for dinner. Alex and I are going to his pizza place for dinner"

"Jack, next time I tell you to do something, you just do it, understood?" Jack took the phone away from his ear and rolled his eyes at Alex, mocking his mum. Alex smiled and kept driving.

"Okay mum, sorry, yell at me tomorrow but I'm going to hang out, okay? Byebye"

Alex chuckled, shook his head and asked what was that about.

"My mum likes to be a bitch sometimes. Told her I'll be going home late so I don't know what I'll do after dinner to make up for the time left" He kind of wished Alex would ask him to hang out.

"Sucks. You can always call your friends" His heart dropped. "We're almost there" Jack nodded, thinking he would bring up a more serious conversation once they had sat down.

Family Pizza was crowded - no wonder Alex could afford to buy so much weed - but they had immediately recognised Alex and guided him to an empty table at the end of the restaurant. Jack coughed awkwardly when he saw they sat then down in the romantic side of the diner, with candles and pink silverware decorating the table. He figured it was one of the only empty tables they had left.

They sat down and Alex let Jack read through the menu, him having already thought of what he would have, he had memorised the menu throughout the past months and was familiar with everything in it. One of the waiters, Jeff, walked towards them and asked if they were ready to order. Alex told him he would get the usual and Jack settled on a simple margherita pizza.

"So" Jack started.

"So" Alex repeated.

"Erm. Are you like, gay, or something?" Jack whispered, as if it was a tabu topic. Other people at tables surrounded them but they were busy talking too. Who knew they would be talking about this kind of things.

"Does it matter?" He asked calmly looking at him straight in the eyes. Jack felt intimidated by his brown eyes. At that, Jack felt like asking the other boy that was a stupid idea.

"Well, I guess not. I was only asking because, well, I don't know, I didn't expect that at all" Jack explained, leaning over the table, still whispering.

"I don't like labels. I like chicks and dudes" He shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. For Jack, instead, it was a big deal, at least his sexuality was.

"Oh, alright. Why did you kiss me though?" Jack bit his lip in anticipation.

"I'm not sure" Alex shrugged. "You were there and I haven't made out with anyone in a while" Alex smirked trying to fool Jack, but the younger knew better than that, he knew Alex was full of lies.

"Come on" Jack insisted, wanting a real answer.

"I don't want to talk about that now"

"But I do" Jack whined.

"But I do not"

Their food arrived and they chatted for a while as they ate. Jack had cheesecake for dessert and Alex had some coffee and two beers. Jack later learned that Alex had an excessive obsession with coffee but the elder would never admit it.

"Should we go pay?" Jack asked once his belly was full of cheesecake.

Alex's co-workers ended up inviting both of them - because Alex could get free food whenever he wanted, and so did his friends - so when Jeff saw that Alex was having dinner with someone else he automatically swatted his hand in the air when Jack took out his wallet. He put away his wallet and thanked Jeff for the food.

"I'm making you pay next time" Alex growled when Jack got in the car.

"So there's gonna be a next time, eh?" He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked.

"Not if I crash the car tonight, something you're making me wanna do right now" Alex took off

"You're an asshole" Jack rolled his eyes, watching the street lights one by one.

"Well, this asshole got you free food"

"And I love you for that" Jack chuckled and grabbed Alex's face as ge drove.

"NO!" Alex tried to back away from Jack's puckered lips, trying and trying to get away from him. He was driving though, and Jack had grabbed his face so he couldn't do much about it.

"Lemme peck ya" Jack said, but one of Alex's hand moved from the steering wheel to Jack's face — his palm grabbing the whole of his face, trying to move him into his seat again.

"Jack I'll crash the car if you kiss me" He threatened, but Jack shrugged. He bit Alex's hand and once he retrieved it from his face, he kissed his on the cheek.

"There" Jack said and sat back straight.

"I'm going to fucking kill you once we get out of the car" Alex growled and tightened his hands around the steering wheel.

"You loved it" Jack laughed.

-

Once they arrived home, Alex was fast to get out of the car once he was done parking, just so could grab Jack by his collar and threaten not to do anything like that again - mainly because they could have had an accident, and because he thought he was the one who decided when and if he wanted to be kissed or kiss Jack.

Before he even had the chance to go around the other side of the car, Jack was already running towards his doorstep. Alex rolled his eyes and flicked him off.

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss by the doorstep?" Jack acted like a teenage girl, swinging his hips side to side.

"No, because it wasn't a date, and if I were to go near you right now, it'd be to punch you in the face" Alex leaned against his car and raised an eyebrow at the other, waiting for his answer.

"You could never punch me" Jack smiled, 100% confident of what he said.

"Want me to prove you wrong?" Alex threatened from the car, a victorious smirk on his face.

"Yes"

Alex, surprised, raised an eyebrow and nodded his head. He pulled himself away from his car and walked towards Jack. The younger stared into his eyes as he took every step until he reached his doorstep and positioned himself in front of him — so close that he could touch his arm if he lifted his up.

They stared at each other for a few moments, Alex's fisted hands tightening. Jack sensed Alex was tensing up, but he didn't dare look away from him. Alex clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth, thinking what a dumbass Jack was to threaten him like that when he didn't know what Alex was capable of doing.

Alex sighed ever so slightly and surrendered. He leaned in and pecked Jack on the lips, who returned the kiss, smiling like a fool. He pulled away and stared down at Jack's smiling lips, which he pecked once more before backing himself away from Jack.

"Goodnight" Alex whispered and waited for Jack to say it back before walking away and getting home, a small smile tugging at his lips.