[December 21st, 1990]
Jasey Rae sat in Rian Dawson's tee shirt on the lap of Alex Gaskarth in Jack Barakat's guest bedroom.
Alex thumbed over Jasey's lips just like he had a million times since October thirty first. His legs had far grown used to the small frame of the girl atop of them, but he still somehow always found himself with a stomach of butterflies. Jasey's eyes were closed but Alex still gazed over her face, counting every freckle dashing across her nose as he had millions of times before. Alexander William Gaskarth would never tire of this girl's lips or freckles or eyelashes or personality; he was utterly and completely in love with every inch of her.
They sat in the bed, which was pressed up against the wall across from the door, with an open window. The cool breeze drifted in and around them. The snow outside fell softly onto the already snow-covered ground.
"Lex," Jasey whispered to him softly with her eyes still shut. He hummed back in response, still playing with her lips and taking in her captivating beauty. "D-d-do you remember?" She asked him as she fumbled nervously with the hem of his shirt.
He knew exactly what she was talking about from the tone of her voice as she said the words alone. The couple hadn't talked of their experience yet, despite being together since that night and despite growing nearly closer than Jasey and Rian had in their years of friendship.
Jasey never liked to get close with people. It was too scary; too much of a gamble and not black and white enough for her. Rian had been the exception since the first grade, since he managed to be around before the fear of risk played a factor in Jasey's life choices. But Alex was good. He was good people. Jasey Rae found herself falling in love with him a day after she kissed him for the very first time and here they were, not even a full two months later and he was like her other half. Alex had erase every single fear or shadow of a doubt from Jasey's mind. He was her protector. But she had saved his very life.
Alex finally left her lips alone and pressed his cold palm to her warm cheek. She shivered at his touch but smiled into his hand. He smiled back, before remembering her question.
"How could I forget, my love?"
"Alrighty, pizza's here. I thought you said you'd come down in five minutes? It's been like eight." A voice called from the other side of the door. Jasey sighed and leaned her cheek on Alex's shoulder. She pouted as she looked away from Alex. He kissed the top of her head. On the other hand, it was true. They had escaped to the guest bedroom so Jasey could change her tee-shirt since Jack spilt soda all over her other one. Alex only crept up the stairs with her because she started crying at the spill. Jack felt terrible, but he also knew the tears were probably not actually from the soda spill but something else. Girls, am I right?
"I promise we'll talk tonight. We're bound to get snowed in again anyway. I mean, look." He was right. The two kids had slept at Jack's the night before just for fun, but with the amount of snow on the ground combined with the fact that it was still snowing, there was no way Jasey would be sleeping in her own bed. That was okay though. She liked sleeping in Jack's basement. She didn't like the uncomfortable air mattress, but she did love being able to curl up next to Alex and escape the nightmares for at least a couple of hours. Though she wasn't sure her dad would like it if he knew.
Jasey Rae picked her head up as Alex plucked her from his lap and placed her as gently as possible onto the floor. He slid her arm over his and they began to make their way down the stairs.
Jasey still had barely made a dent in the recovery of her leg. Alex's stab wound had healed almost entirely; nothing was left but a cool scar that Jasey liked to look at and sometimes run her fingers over. Zack's cut had left a nasty infection for a few weeks, but also eventually closed up. He was very lucky that it wasn't all that deep of a slice. Rian's forehead gash was now simply a small, red scab that only served to further his popularity at school. Though he paid no attention to that sort of thing anymore.
None of them did. Jack no longer enjoyed drinking the way he had before, Jasey could no longer stand loud noises or even TV shows with loud noises anymore, Rian couldn't go within a five-mile radius of the house, and Zack no longer could fathom the sight of flashlights. None of them could forget the smell. None of them could sleep through a night unless they were together.
None of them talked about the experience with anyone else anymore, let alone each other.
And the arcade was no longer their designated hangout spot. Too many people, too many loud noises, too many things that only served to remind them. No. No, now their designated hangout spot was Jack's basement. Quiet. Warm. Small. Comfortable. A reminder as well, but a reminder of the time that Jasey Rae woke up. After saving them all. And waking up laughing, nonetheless.
Alex set Jasey down into a chair at the dining room table. Usually, they just sat and ate their pizza in the basement, so she was going to ask Alex why he had set her down at the table, but her mind began to wander before she could ask. She wondered what kind of boss would force a delivery boy out in this sort of snowstorm in the first place.
Jack handed her a plate and Alex handed her a cup of soda. She sighed. Though she didn't really like putting too much pressure on her foot, she definitely hated being waited on hand and foot like this.
She looked up as both boys sat down with her; Jack next to her and Alex across. Both with their own cups and plates. Neither with napkins. Jasey rolled eyes. Yet another example of why she hated it when they waited on her.
Jasey Rae liked Jack's house. It was nice. It was warm. It perpetually smelt like lavender. It was handsomely decorated for Christmas and Mrs. Barkat seemed to have an endless supply of candy canes and hot chocolate. His whole family was kind, they treated her like an honorary Barakat. She enjoyed going there almost as much as she enjoyed her own house whenever her dad was around. It was true, he was never around much anymore, but there was a time when he was. Just like there was a time before the abandoned house, before Alex, before her mom passed, before Rian, before she could walk and talk and dance; before she found her love for Halloween. But she couldn't remember those things. All Jasey Rae knew now was Alex and Rian and Jack and Zack and fear.
"So, what's the update on Rian and Zack?" Alex asked between mouthfuls.
"Coming, I guess." Jack swallowed and offered up a shrug. "Not sure. I don't know."
Jasey watched Jack chew. She scrunched her nose in disgust. "C-c-close your fucking mouth."
"Hey, Jae!" Jack cried. "Language, missy!"
"O-oh, please. Cl-close." She made a closing motion with her hand as Alex giggled from across the table.
The doorbell rang and Jack sprang up to get it, leaving Jasey and Alex alone. She beamed at him. Alex shuddered as the flashbacks started; her face, her hair, her clothes; absolutely covered with blood- someone else's blood- as she laid out, helpless, pale and cold. Dehydrated and hungry. Scared. A hero. Alex leaned over and kissed Jasey Rae softly. She smiled as he pulled back and took a big bite of his crust.
"Look who's here," Zack announced. "And we come bearing gifts." He held out a small, brown package to Jasey.
Rian walked in with a fistful of balloons and a teddy bear. Alex laughed. Rian felt stupid.
Jasey ignored the gifts and held out her arms for hugs. Rian leaned in, dragging Zack by the neck into the embrace as well. Jasey messed up both of their hair before she let them go.
"For moi?" Jack asked as he took the package away from Jasey. He shook it vigorously in front of his face as Rian shoved off his snow boots and gloves. Zack threw his winter hat at Alex.
"H-hey." Jasey grabbed at the box as Jack moved it away from her reach, hysterically laughing.
"Wait, guys." Zack began. Flashbacks. From everyone. The room went dead silent. The energy changed entirely. Just based off the tone in Zack's voice.
"Turn that up," Alex demanded.
Jack walked over to the TV facing them and pushed the knob forward, increasing the volume substantially. The channel 8 news logo flashed the screen before the next story began.
"Tonight, the 17-year-old set of twins, Joey and Leena Hutchinson, were tragically killed and left to die in their house here on Maple Street. Eyewitnesses described the attacker as an old and frail man. They say he looked almost homeless. They had described him to a sketch artist here." The drawing danced across the screen and all the kids turned away. "If you know anyone who may fit this description at all... please, we urge you to call the number on the screen."
"They threw that party, remember?" Rian asked the room as Jack turned off the television. He sat back down and placed his head in his hands.
Nobody said anything else.
All Jasey Rae knew now was Alex and Rian and Jack and Zack and fear.
"Hey," Jack's mom looked fearful as she walked into her dining room to find her son and his best friends in shambles. "What's the matter with you boys?" She asked. "And you Jasey Rae, you okay, honey?" The kind women place her fingertips underneath the girl's chin and brought their eyes to meet. Jasey did her best to smile.
"We're okay, Mrs. Barakat." Zack smiled. "We're just...exhausted."
"Oh alright, well I expect you guys to rest up tonight. You've got to shovel our driveway again tomorrow, bright and early." She winked and smiled as they did their best to laugh. Jack's mom looked down at Jasey. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."
THE SPINS- MAC MILLER
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