Eyes Open ✰ Jalex

15 // Perfect Little Secret

So. It's October 13th, 8:21 pm, and I'm listening to Tidal Wave by Taking Back Sunday (who would have known???) Real Friends is an amazing band and this is the last chapter. I'm gonna have a really emotional author's note as the last chapter (not a chapter but yeah) to this but thank you so much to anyone reading this right now who's made it through this story. I am so emotional, not really sad but just aah. Enjoy this long-ass chapter. Oh my god this is the last real author's note I'm ever going to write for this story end my life. Go read now I'm rambling. (My airbag light's been on for weeks)

Anyways, I wrote this while listening to Cavalier Youth by You Me At Six and oh my god it's such a pretty nice good album it's so good it made this chapter good it really did I love You Me At Six so much it's scary I've been listening to them since I got all emo they're a good good band. I also wrote the second half of this to a playlist my mom made me of her music and oh god The National and The Red Hot Chili Peppers are really good. Wow.

Also WHOA 4 lyrics instead of 2 I really am giving this chapter special treatment. 

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// i love you my own way

// i love you better

// i love you inside all this

// i love you forever

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Loneliness was something that Jack Barakat hadn't felt for a while.

And he didn't think he would in the near future, because he had Rian and Alex and at least one pretty decent parent and the realization in his mind that no one was out to get him for once, not even Zack. That morning, Jack had properly gotten back into the swing of things. He had put on his usual skinny jeans and t-shirt (today was a New Found Glory one because Jack still had to thank Chad Gilbert) and had spiked his hair like he usually did. May had driven him to school, and he had told her to tell their parents that he was sleeping over at Rian's that night.

And he walked into school. A sort of nervous feeling hung over him, and he wasn't sure why it was there but it was whether he liked it or not so he dealt with it. And there he was, standing at his locker, just like he had the first day they had met. Wearing the same clothes, the same beautiful hair falling around his face, Alex Gaskarth hadn't changed at all since that day back in September. Yet he had, because everything had changed, but Alex was facing Jack today.

Maybe that was it. It was the first thing that made Jack smile, how Alex was standing. One of his legs was bent back against his locker, the other one on the ground. His back was against the locker, that one locker that he had waited by every single day. A smile was growing on Alex's face as Jack walked closer, and it grew into a full on grin when Jack finally reached the locker.

"Hello there," Jack began, his voice as strong and bright as it had sounded on the first day of school. "I'm Jack." Alex didn't reply, his grin growing so big that Jack began smiling too.

"What's your name?" Alex gave the tiniest shake of his head, his tongue pressed between his teeth. "First class?" Alex was really laughing now, and he stepped forward to rise the tiniest amount up on his tiptoes to kiss Jack. He took a step back, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

"I'm Alex Gaskarth. Nice to meet you."

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It was their last lunchtime. They had switched lunch tables to be closer to the doors that lead to the back stairs on the right side of the school nearest the easily accessible parking lot because Rian and Cass had expertly planned their escape. Thankfully, no one had so much as looked at their regular table so no one had to feel jealous about not sitting at the regular table. None of them ate either, as it was a short day and they had lunch at around 11 in the morning, which was too early for anything, really. Most of the other juniors were either not at school or in the junior courtyard, so the trio was sitting in a semi-empty cafeteria full of freshman and sophomores who had been forced to go to school that day. The usual guy who hung around the cafeteria and screamed-