Painting Flowers

Chapter 8

  Alex didn't remember a thing about being all over me when he woke up from his sleep, so I just found it right not to tell him. I mean, that would freak both of us out, and it would just make everything really awkward, so I just tried to forget about it and push matters to the back of my head.

  Once I went upstairs to his room again after having some food with his mom, I found him reading a book and I interrupted his silent thinking by inviting him to come over and stay at mine. Alex blinked at me from just above the pages of his book and narrowed his eyebrows together, giving me a confused and slightly pissed off look. 

  "Can you not see I'm sick?" he questioned, putting the hardback down on his duvet covers and folding his arms tightly across his chest. 

  I rolled my eyes and sighed with a smirk, stepping over the carpet towards his mattress and sitting down on it. "You can be sick over at my house, if you feel the need. C'mon, 'Lex, celebrate your birthday with me. Who else would you rather be with? Your dog?"

  "Baz would make a better companion than you," he pondered aloud, sniggering at the hurt expression I gave. "But Jack, I don't feel well. 'M gonna throw up. It feels like someone's punching me in the gut and kneeing my chest."

  "Too bad," I shrugged, standing up and hearing Alex sigh and grumble loudly. "Hey, fuck you, man, you normally love staying at mine. I've got food."

  Alex whined, closing his eyes and letting some air out through his nose as he said, "I've got food, too. Now, can you please shut the fuck up, 'cause I've got a headache now 'cause of your loud voice."

  "Your voice is all nasally and annoying, too, it isn't just mine," I said. "I've got constant headaches from hearing you talk, but I never complain, do I? No. The answer is no."

  "Okay," said Alex. He lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and wrapping the covers around his body tighter. 

  I rolled my eyes again. "'Lex, you're not going back to bed."

  His gaze flickered towards mine for a minute, and I noticed a small smile on his lips. Ah. Playing hard to get. "I know I'm not going back to bed. Well done. I'm just not going to your house."

  "Yes, you are," I said, reaching forwards and grasping Alex's wrist in my hand. I ignored his groan. "Come on. Get up."

  He shook his head. "No. Leave me beeeeeeeee. I just wanna throw up and sleep and read forever, I don't wanna be forced to spend time with an asshole like you. 

  "Rude," I said, smirking. I pulled him back up into a sitting position, and gave a grin at the glare he sent in my direction. "Okay, get up, before I drag you back to mine."

  Alex shook his head. "Don't rape me."

  "Don't flatter yourself, dude," I said, and Alex stuck his bottom lip out at me. "Seriously. I don't have time for your bullshit. Just come over. We can watch one if your dumb movies or some shit, if you really want to, too...?"

  This had Alex widening his eyes and sitting up a little straighter. "What one? The Fifth Element?"

  "I honestly don't care," I laughed. "If you've got the VHS, then I've got the video player for it, y'know?"

  Alex grinned up at me. "Okay. Can you get it from the shelf? 'Cause, y'know, I'm doing you a favour by just agreeing here."

  "Sure," I said. Letting go of his hand and turning around, I stepped forwards a few times until I was in front of his bookcase and studying the large amounts of CDs, books and video tapes that had been placed on top of each other. Since Alex was neat and separated all of his things into order on the shelves, I was easily able to squat a little and file through his video section, pulling out the VHS box that was labeled "The Fifth Element (15)" on it and standing up, walking back over to his bed and examining the cover. It looked really weird, almost as if someone had gotten high and just drawn what they'd seen when they were looking into a kaleidoscope.