Happy Anniversary.

29. Kick Me.

Wow, I'm on a role with updating. This is probably my favorite chapter so far.

Pls comment guys and tell me what a shitty writer I am

Jack's POV

When I woke up the next day, the sheets were cold beside me and the shower was turning off. I went to roll out of bed, greeted by cold morning air kissing my skin. My instant reaction was to jump back into bed and get under the covers as fast as possible. In this process, the newest cuts on my leg tore open and I winced. Red already beading off the wound, I had to face the freezing room once again, waddling to my bag to find a pair of shorts. I'd hoped Alex would stay in the bathroom at least until I got my shorts on, but as soon as they were in my hands the door open and his eyes fixed on me. "Are you bleeding?" He asked, no feeling in his voice. His face was void of disappointment, anger, or any other emotion.

"Um...yeah." I admitted begrudgingly.

His sigh was tired as if we hadn't just slept eleven hours. "Come on," he gestured, turning around and reentering the bathroom. He pulled out a first aid kit from under the sink and looted through it for bandages and rubbing alcohol. "Sit on the sink, here." He said distractedly.

"You know, I can do this on my own." I snapped. His cold shoulder treatment was making me uncomfortable.

He scoffed and shook his head. "I didn't say you couldn't, but something tells me I have more experience with this than you do." That shut me up.

Neither of us spoke again until I was properly bandaged and the bathroom was cleaned. As I was putting the first aid kit back in its place under the sink, Alex came up behind me and attached himself to me, laying his head on my back and resting his arms around my waist. "Jack, what's going on?" 

I hung my head and lead us back to the bed. We laid facing each other, and Alex was holding my hands in between us. "My parents...they are...." I couldn't get any words to come out. My mouth was drying and my mind was trying to focus anywhere except where it needed to be.

"I thought your parents were okay." Alex said hesitantly.

"They were." I emphasized. "I guess it started a little while after we got home from Thanksgiving break."

"What's 'it', Jack?

I couldn't utter the words in anything louder than a whisper, but it was enough for Alex to cut off all blood flow to my fingers while simultaneously turning whiter than the sheets we laid on. He was only frozen for a minute before his hands left mine and started tracing the discolorations on my skin. I watched his finger while he watched my face. I was unsure of what he expected to find. Did I look different to him now than I did five minutes ago? Was a no longer a boyfriend, but a victim? Or worse, was I a science fair project that couldn't be explained? A puzzle that couldn't be put together? That was the last thing I wanted, and if I had ever looked at him like he was at me now I would never be able to apologize enough.

Without warning, he curled himself into me and pulled us together, using his hands and feet as glue to bond us. He forced us together - not that I objected - and made me wish that home was here, where I was cared about, not just by Alex, but by friends who, even when knowing next to nothing about me, treated me better than my family ever did. At the Barakat household, even before the past months, I was only tolerated. I thought that was how families worked, and that there was nothing to do but accept it. But this, this is what a family should be. This was love. It made me forget about the uncomfortability of only moments before and pulled me into the now, where everything mattered.