Under A Paper Moon (Jalex AU)

Chapter 5

:Jack's p.o.v.: 

The silence on the drive to Vic's house was deafening and the tension in the air was so heavy it could probably be cut with a butterknife. 

"So, do you, uh, finish that book for English?" I ask, trying to make conversation. 

"No," his eyes were focused in the distance, looking at the trees passing us by. His eyes were glazed over, he was probably thinking. 

"How far through are you?" I got the feeling Alex didn't want to talk, but I wanted to know what was going on with him. He clearly wouldn't tell me what was going on last night, so why not make simple conversation? I was curious, to say the last however. Last night, when I was going up to my room to grab my laptop and charger, I heard him crying. He said a few names, "Mom", "Dad" and "Aaron". Who was this Aaron fellow? Why was he so terrified? Something tells me this Aaron guy wasn't that great a person. 

And another thing, he was gay? Like, I mean gay is okay. I'm gay. I'm okay. But.. Alex is a flipping rainbow like me! Whoa Jack your gay is showing.. 

"I've got about a chapter through it." His eyes fix on Vic's house and I pull into the driveway. 

"You should get onto that, mate," I say as Vic runs out of the house, waving at us. 

"I'm not your mate, Barakat." He said coldly, stepping out of the car. 

"Jack! Are you busy? You should totallyjoin us for a round of COD while we wait for Leanne to pick Alex up!" Vic exclaimed, slapping Alexon the back with a bro-hug. 

"If you're offering, Fuentes," I grin, switching off the engine and stepping out of my car. I promised myself I would get to the bottom of this. 

+++++ 

:Time skip: Monday morning - Math class: 

+++++ 

Alex has been avoiding me again. Has hasn't spoken a word to me since Friday morning at my house. Even at Vic's place while we were playing COD he refused to speak to me, talking only to Vic. He even resorted to the childish "Tell Jack to snipe," instead of simply telling me, despite me being literally across the room from him. He was basically acting like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum. Vic noticed something was up, but said nothing until Alex left when he demanded an explanation from me which I simply did not have. 

Now that math has rolled around, he simply cannot avoid me. In theory, anyway. 

Miss Davis arrived and we all started copying notes down off the board. There was total silence, as usual. I would have to wait until we were given problems to solve to talk to Alex. Once our math class is given something other than brain numbingly mindless tasks such as copying notes off the board, the chatter starts. 

Finally, at 11:23 am, twenty three minutes into the lesson, we begin doing actual work. 

"Copy these questions off the board and get started, whatever isn't done by the end of the lesson will be your homework." Miss Davis then sat behind her desk at the back of the classroom and got her phone out. She was a fairly young teacher, fresh out of university, so I'm not surprised she was this chill. Due to the short outbursts of random laughter, I wouldn't be all that surprised if she was on tumblr either. 

This is it. I finished copying down the questions and began working on them. 

"So, Alex. How are you today?" I ask, making slight conversation as I worked. No response. 

"That's good. I'm doing swell, thanks for asking." 

Alex scoffed but said nothing. Still, I smiled slyly, it was a response. Barely. Better than nothing however. 

"So, any particular reason why you moved to Baltimore?" No response. "Wanted to get away from your parents for a year?" Still nothing. "Or maybe Aaron?" 

His head shot up and he glowered at me, his jaw tensed and lips pursed in a thin, straight light. 

"You don't understand, Barakat," he spat, still glowering. 

"Try me." I knew I hit home when I saw the look in his eyes and the mention of Aaron. 

"Just... Don't," his eyes flickered to me one last time before he returned to his work. 

No matter how much I poked and prodded the subject, he refused to tell me anything else about his life. Not even where in England he was from. But it was progress, none the less. And I, Jack Bassam Barakat, am not giving up! He has to crack eventually. 

+++++ 

The bell rang, signalling the end of Math class and the beginning of the next period, study period for me. The perks of being a senior. Alex immediately ran out the door when he heard the bell. I ran after him, following him not to the library for study, but to the boys bathrooms? 

What was he doing in here? Maybe he just really needed to piss, that would explain why he ran out of the room so fast. He slammed the door behind him and I stood outside the bathrooms, waiting. I would catch him after he came out and we would talk. In theory. 

After waiting for five minutes, I decided that if he needed to piss, he should be done by now. Who takes five minutes to piss, I mean really? I decided to check on him. Maybe I pushed him a little too far. I hope he is okay. 

Pushing the swing door open, I am met by the revolting smell of the boy's bathrooms. What is wrong with the boys at this school? Can't the just use a urinal properly? 

Stepping further into the putrid boy's bathrooms, I hear something that sounded like a wounded puppy whipmering. I turn the corner, seeing a line of urinals, and at the end of the bathroom, against the wall, Alex was huddled, his knees pulled up to his chest, head in his hands, whimpering like a hurt puppy. That's what it was. 

"Alex?" He lifted his head out of his hands and wrapped his arms around himself protectively. I walked towards him, knelling beside him. 

"Alex I'm so sorry I didn't know." 

"It's fine, nobody does. Just, leave me alone, please Jack." 

"Lex, let's just start over. Forget everything and start a new. Meet again. I'll tone down the gay and you tone down the asshole. Let's just be friends, please?" 

"Fine." 

"Hi, I'm Jack." He shot me a questioning look breifly, soon remembering the "meet again". 

"Hi, I'm Alex." I reached my hand out and he shook it. Again, the breif touch gave me sparks, sending electricity shooting through my veins. This could be a problem. I couldn't like him after everything. Not now. 

But I didn't notice, I already fell for him. 

Dedicated the TheWalkingDaryl and I know they don't read this story but they are a very important person to me and I want them to see how much they mean to me. 

Also - Do you think you guys could check out @VeilTheAndy (the collab account WalkingDaryl and I made) and maybe read our story Crowds? :) 

I hope you enjoys, sorry if you didn't like it - it's about halfway done now :D Like I said, short fanfic 

I just want to thank you all for your lovely comments, it makes my life reading them <3 I love you guys and I hope you enjoy :) 

Have a great life, dollfaces, and please vote and comment if it's worthy :) xxxx