The Boy by the Window.

got a call from Erik the next morning, which he ignored - as well as his three text messages asking if he was alright. May was waiting for him once he walked down the stairs. She was sipping on her coffee by the island table in the kitchen. The scene reminded him of the previous day in the Gaskarth household and he got the same stomach twist when he walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"I know you got here yesterday afternoon" She said between sips, never taking her eyes off Jack's back.

"Yeah? Do mum and dad know?" He asked over his shoulder.

"No- I covered you. You're welcome" She rolled her eyes and finished her piece of toast.

"Thank you" He said and sat down across from her.

"Where did you go anyway?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I went out. Alex's boss invited him out for a drink and he invited me" He shrugged, no big deal.

"And what happened? Where did you even sleep?"

"At Alex's. I don't want to talk about it"

"Wait. Did anything happen between you two?" She gaped at him dramatically.

"No! May, I don't like guys" He rolled his eyes, but deep down he knew he couldn't fool his sister.

"Jack, come on, don't lie to me" She insisted, moaning.

"I'm not lying" He looked at her shocked.

"Jack. We've grown up together. I've known you my whole life. Don't lie to me please. She chuckled.

"Since when have you known?" He asked calmly. Her sister's response didn't shock him at all. They had grown up together, they know everything about each other.

"I don't know. You used to want to play with dolls when you were two so I mean.." She chuckled.

"You were seven when I was two, I don't think you could have had figured that out. Plus, are you saying dolls are only for girls?"

"I guess there have always been signs. I know the way you look at girls; you don't look at them as if there could come a day you might like them"

"They don't disgust me. You don't disgust me"

"I know that, I'm just saying you look at guys the way I look at guys"

"Oh, I get it"

"So since when have you known?" She asked then. Jack was halfway done with his breakfast when his mum came through the door and walked into the kitchen. "We'll continue talking later" She winked at him and put her dishes away. "Hi mum" She said and walked up to her room.

"Good morning, Jack" She said as she walked into the kitchen holding a bag full of groceries in each hand and saw Jack on the kitchen island.

"Morning mum" He said, his mouth full of cereal.

"Did you have fun yesterday?" She asked as she set down the groceries on the kitchen counter and started sorting everything out. Jack nearly choked on his food when his mum looked at him.

"What?" He gulped.

"May said you went out with Alex, to some kind of comic event?" His mum narrowed her eyes, questioning her daughters words. Jack made an effort not to start laughing right that instant.

"Erm, yeah. It was lots of fun" He stuttered.

"Well, I'm glad" She smiled.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" She rose an eyebrow and stopped on her tracks.

"Because I went out late? You usually get mad at me when I do that"

"It's okay as long as we know where you are and who you are with. Tell us next time though, your father and I didn't know where you were and we had to ask May"

"Yeah, sorry about that. He told me there was this event in London last minute and we drove there. I called May on our way" He rubbed the back of his neck.

"You drove all the way to London? Are you crazy?" She raised her voice.

"Alex is a good driver and it was only like two hours, don't worry mum"

"Have you seen his car? I bet he paid 20 pounds for it" She chuckled.

"Have you got on it? He's a good driver" She hummed. "He really is"

"He's good for you" She said calmly. Jack choked on air.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's a good person. He's kind, he works hard for what he wants. He's a fighter"

"Mum, have you been using drugs? Are you okay?"

"Have you?" She asked smirking.

"No?"

"Isobel has told me all about his little plants on the roof, you know? I don't want you to get involved in that. Deal?"

"Sure mum" He rolled his eyes and put his dishes away. Just before he could run up to his room, his mum grabbed his wrist and looked at him in the eyes.

"You are very good for him too" She said sincerely.

"I know" He said smiling.

-

After a long and needed nap, Jack woke up feeling refreshed and as if all his worries had washed off his shoulders. He walked downstairs to check if he was home alone - he was - and went back up to his room to get on with his homework.

He tried to get Alex's words off his mind at all cost but nothing seemed to work, not even the history of America. He decided to leave that for later and tried to do some maths instead. After half an hour of going back and forth on that goddamn stupid exercise, he had the brilliant idea to ask someone to solve it for him. He knew Rian and Zack were busy with their girlfriends -which he did not mind- so the only one he could ask for help was Alex. He didn't know his work schedule, he didn't know if he was home, but he had high hopes for it.

So there he stood in from of his window, looking through it and into the other boy's room. Although the curtain was up, he saw nothing; no one, nothing moved. He thought he could be downstairs, but it wasn't all that probable seeing as he didn't get along with his family all that well. He could be at work, or with his friends for all Jack knew. He realized he didn't really know Alex all that much. Suddenly, he heard a car pulling up and the front door being shut. The Gaskarth's were a very loud family.

After a few seconds, he saw Alex walking across his room. He was wearing a gray beanie, a black flannel and skinnies. Jack felt like a intruder for a second, then he remembered he just wanted to ask him for some help with his maths homework.

He waited until the moment he noticed him and opened his window. He did the same thing, and both of them stood there looking at each other for a second. Alex looked quite serene.

"Hey"Jack said nonchalantly.

"Hey" Alex said in the same manners.

"Do you want to come over?" He asked all of the sudden. The other didn't see any of this coming, but he nodded anyway.