All Again For You

Chapter 3- I've Got Troubled Thoughts

*Author's Note: Self harm references will occur at the end of this chapter. Please don't continue if this triggers you*

Halloween had come and passed, as it seemed, too quickly. It was nearly Thanksgiving Break. Alex had agreed to the band idea, after Zack and Rian got on board. He was reluctant, initially, to the idea of being lead singer. Rian claimed the drums and Zack took up the bass, so Jack and Alex stuck with guitar. After some (lots) of convincing, Alex became the lead singer. They started off covering Green Day and Blink 182 songs. They became very close friends. Jack had heard about other bands forming within the school. "Sleeping With Sirens" and "Before Today". Jack's band still hadn't thought of a name, and wouldn't until they heard New Found Glory's song "Head On Collison". 

"I got it!" Jack practically flew to their lunch table, almost spilling his lunch over the side of his tray. "Dude, slow down, got what?" Alex asked from his spot next to Zack. "All Time Low!" He beamed. Rian looked at him funny. "Band name! Hell-oo! C'mon dude, it's awesome." Jack frowned. Zack looked like he was considering it. "All Time Low." Alex muttered. He liked the feeling of it. "Isn't all time low kind of like, a bad thing?" Rian asked. Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but isn't high school like, our all time low?" Jack posed the question. Rian sighed, grinning. "Alright, sure. How'd you come up with it?" He asked. Jack tapped his nose and pulled New Found Glory's 'Sticks and Stones' album from his backpack. "I got it because Mark does a song on it, and I heard the lyric and thought it was perfect." Jack put it back. "Okay, that's good. At least we have a name now. We just need songs." Alex said thoughtfully, taking a bite from his sandwich. "Hey! Punks!" Alex and Zack swiveled their heads around. Carter. And Desmond. They'd backed off at first when they found that Alex had friends, but Jack guessed they were being extra irritable today. Zack stood up and glared. He wasn't the fighting type at all, but he was muscular and intimidating for a 10th grader. Carter wasn't put off. Desmond, on the other hand, shrunk away. "Not here for you, Merrick. Gayskarth didn't do my homework." Carter growled. Zack cocked his head. "Zack." Alex whispered, touching his arm. "I can handle this." Jack looked between Zack, Alex, and Carter. Rian clenched his teeth. "Aww, wittle baby can stand up for himself now! He doesn't need big boy Jacky-poo to save him!" Carter took on the stupidest mocking voice Jack had ever heard.

"Got that right." Alex's voice cracked, and his face turned pink. He didn't back down, though. Carter cackled. "You're a fag, Gayskarth. A retarded fag." Carter commented. Alex swallowed. Jack stood up. "Your head got fatter, Carter. Is that a side effect of stupidity or is that dust you're collecting up there?" Jack spat. "You got a mouth, Baratwat. You could get herpes with that." Carter made a fist and hit him in the gut. Jack doubled over coughing. Before Alex or Rian could do or say anything, Zack went up and shoved Carter back. "I don't tolerate bullying." That was the first thing Alex heard Zack say.

Alex and Jack walked to the bus together. It was a 10 minute walk, and they generally just talked about music and the band. This time was different. Alex was nervous, but he brought it up anyway. "Jack... Can I- can I say something?" Alex looked to Jack. "Shoot." Jack nodded. "I... Thank you. For being there. For me." He said. "It's no problem, man." Jack shrugged. "No, like, seriously. Thank you." Alex stopped. "Yeah, man, it's no problem." Jack stopped next to Alex. "I... You..." Alex rubbed his arm, which Jack realized had been covered by long sleeves since September. "You kind of, yknow." Alex muttered. "Alex, you don't have to..." Jack understood. "No I... it's okay. It's okay." Alex tugged up his sleeve. Scars. There were a lot of scars. "I just wanted you to know these are healed because of you." Alex avoided eye contact. "Now you've done it, Alex. You fuckin stupid ass." He thought when Jack didn't respond. Jack stared at the boy in front of him. The boy that was now his best friend. His band mate. His fuckin crush. Had stopped cutting because of him. Jack took Alex's face in his hands and kissed him. On the lips. Alex felt his heart stop.