All Again For You

Chapter 2- Hey Jude Don't Be Afraid

Alex was surprised with Art class. It was larger than he expected, and a lot more rowdy. The teacher had put out art supplies and went to her desk with no further instruction. Alex sat at a table with Kellin, Zack, and a boy who'd introduced himself as Gerard Way. Gerard was probably the most artistic kid Alex had ever seen. He had immediately grabbed the supplies and started creating something. Eventually Kellin, Zack, and Alex had given up trying to work on their own projects and focused solely on what Gerard was drawing. It was an angular sketch which he went over with markers. It was dark, messy, and a little bit discomforting. Alex loved it. He knew Art class would be his sanctuary.

Jack wondered all the way through math how Alex was doing. Kellin was in that class. So was Gerard and Zack. He'd be fine. Unless he was sitting alone. 'Dude. You haven't done one problem yet. Seriously. C'mon.' Math was the last thing Jack wanted to do, and thankfully the bell rang. First day of school, therefore no homework. He grabbed his backpack and went to Guitar, his favorite class. He almost bowled Alex over in the hallway. "Hey! Dude, great!" Jack smiled. Alex looked lost. "How was Art?" Jack asked. 'Wow, his eyes are a really nice shade of brown.' Jack noticed. "Um, it was great. Kellin and Gerard are great guys." Alex smiled. "Ah, good." Jack had known Gerard to be on the strange side. Not, dangerous, but... a little disturbed. Which was fine. Jack held the door open for Alex. They went in and sat in seats near each other. There weren't any desks, just chairs in some excuse for a semicircle. The teacher passed out some tabs to a few songs and let the students at it. "Huh." Alex said, grabbing a guitar. "What?" Jack asked, inspecting a Fender. "The right-brained teachers are really... loose." He said. "I know, right? It's pretty great." Jack smiled, picking up an ESP Eclipse II. "This one's really cool." He admired it. "I'm partial to the Gibson Les Paul." Alex shrugged, picking one up. "Pretty expensive for a high school." Alex murmured. Jack laughed. "Yeah, I think these are from the teacher's collection?"

Alex began picking something out mindlessly before realizing it was Hey Jude. His mom used to sing it to him to replace regular lullibies. "Dude, you're really awesome." Jack said, looking at Alex with a rather impressed look on his face. Alex felt his face get warm and prayed his cheeks weren't red. "I'm not that good, but thanks." He stared intensely at his hands resting on the guitar. "No, dude, you're like, amazing. Hey! We should start a band!" Jack smiled. Alex's head shot up. "Whoa, what?" Alex was incredulous. Jack had heard him play one song and wanted to start a band. "Yeah, man! You, me, Zack, Rian. It's perfect!" Jack grinned and started playing Dammit on his guitar. Alex momentarily forgot about the band. "Dude! You like Blink!?" He was incredibly blissful at the moment. The guy who'd saved his ass and been nicer to him than anyone he'd met (besides, yknow, his parents) was also into the same music as he was. 'He's not that bad looking either.' Alex thought before he mentally kicked himself. 'Shut up. Shut up right now, freak.' He thought to himself. "Hell yeah." Jack sacrificed the guitar riff for a high five, which Alex gladly returned. "Okay, now teach me how to play Hey Jude." Jack gestured to the guitar.