The Leather Jacket (Jalex)

Sick Little Games

By the next morning the picture of them kissing was splashed across the papers and the internet. Jack had tried to avoid it, refusing to look at his picture printed on every magazine as he passed through hospital corridors. Alex had officially been discharged, he was free to go home and as much as Alex disliked being in Baltimore the idea of his own bed sounded like heaven. Expect before Jack drove them back they’d stopped by Jack’s mum’s room. He’d felt bad about not being in as much over the past week and wanted to see her before they left again.

Jack sat in the chair by her bed why Alex perched on the arm. He felt slightly awkward being there, like he invading something personal between Jack and his mum. Plus it was his fault Jack had been absent recently and he felt guilty.  

Mrs Barakat was lying in her bed, her chest raising and falling in sleep as the machines beeped quietly beside her. Alex couldn’t help but notice the lack of change since he’d last been in the room.

“Is she going to...? Wake up?” he asked.

“When she’s better, they’re keeping her under until her body can reaper it’s self enough”

Alex didn’t reply, he didn’t know much about illness and treatment. He just hoped she’d wake soon, he wanted Jack to be happy and it was hard to be truly happy when your mum’s lying on a hospital bed.

They sat there for some time, Jack talked to his mum about Alex and why he hadn’t been to visit it her as much. Alex didn’t say a word, just sat quietly and listened to Jack talk. Somehow for Jack just sitting next to his mum made him feel better, as long as she kept fighting Jack could continue fighting his battles too.

“Jack...”

Alex was staring out the window and that’s when he saw them, the people lining the ground below with cameras. The reporters were back in force.

“Fuck” Jack muttered, joining Alex to stare at the sea of people beneath them.

“What are we going to be?” Alex asked.

“Well there’s got to be a back door to this place, we’ll just go outta that”

Alex nodded and took Jack’s hand, he knew Jack felt uncomfortable with the paparazzi thing but it wouldn’t last for long. Alex had been through things before and they always blew over.

“I guess we should go” Jack said.

“You sure? I don’t want to drag you away from your mum...”

“No, it’s okay”

Jack went over and kissed his mum’s forehead, promising to be back again soon. Alex bid his goodbye to the still sleeping Mrs Barakat before they both left.

The hospital was like a fucking maze, the corridors never ending as they tried to find an alternative way out. After getting lost and somehow ending up in the maternity ward they finally found a door that lead out past the bins and through the parking lot. Luckily no one else was around, Alex figured no one wanted to hang around by bins filled with dirty dippers.

“Come on”

They both walked out the door, Alex pushing his sunglasses further up his nose in an attempt to hide. He knew with Jack beside him they didn’t have much of a chance of hiding if anyone saw them but it couldn’t hurt. Jack fingers dug into Alex’s hand as they walked out into the open, trying to not draw attention to themselves.

“It’ll be okay” Alex whispered.

Jack just squeezed his hand tighter and pulled him along to the car. The boys made it to Jack’s car without being seen, by the time the car was out of the hospital Jack’s breathing was shallow and his heart was pounding.