new things (jalex short story)

4

Did that really happen? I thought as I woke and instantly sat up. I flung the blanket off and pulled my pants down just enough to see the damage. Sure enough, there was somewhere from five to fifteen little cuts on my leg. I pulled my pants back up and laid back down, with a cynical smile on my face. I checked the time on my phone and saw it was about 11am.

I got up and walked around the house to see if my mother was home, she was already at work. I had to find something to do on this extremely boring day. Weekends were nice and everything but it meant having to find something for myself to do which was a difficult task. I pulled my phone out of my pocket as I fell backward onto the couch, my head hanging off the front and my legs over the back. I had no messages which mean Rian and Zack were together instead of asking me to hang out.

I considered messaging Alex but I hadn't really talked to him much and I felt it'd be weird to ask him over. I rolled off the couch, somehow without injuring my head, and made my way to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and stepped in after tugging off my sweatpants and boxers. I leaned against the wall for a few minutes while I let the water reach every part of my body before sliding down he wall to sit.

And just as I did so, I heard my phone go off, signaling that someone had just messaged me. I ignored it and just thought when I get out. I propped my feet on the wall opposite to me and crossed my arms over my stomach, taking in the damage on my leg. I was sickingly proud of the fact that I could do that, and I knew I shouldn't be. After realizing how happy it made me, I started seriously questioning myself. The fact that I managed to slit my skin with a piece of metal , on purpose, isn't particularly a good thing. And the fact that I calmed me down instantly was even less of a good thing. I knew it definitely was not a one time thing. I knew it as soon as I made the first incision.

After realizing I'd been sitting there for the better part of thirty minutes I got up and out. I dried myself before checking my phone.

You busy today? It was Alex. I considered how to answer this question. I didn't know what we could possibly do together. But I felt the need to see him today.

Nah, why? I sent back then made my way to my room to get dressed. I put my sweatpants back on and harshly considered putting on a shirt before going against the idea.

Wanna hang out for a bit? I read it and smiled. I usually had to be the one to ask and the fact that I didn't made me quite happy. I replied and invited him over, sending my address.

He arrived within ten minutes and I had forgotten to put on a shirt before answering the door, leading to an awkward kick off.

"You're half naked," he said after I opened the door.

"Thanks, you too," I replied with, instantly realizing that wasn't an appropriate reply. Me smiled and cocked his head to the side. I stepped aside and he walked in, me closing the door behind him, "you can sit, I'll go out a shirt on,"

"Hey, I wasn't complaining!" He said in protest. I shrugged then plopped down on the couch beside him.

"Is that your way of saying let's fuck?" I asked jokingly.

"Sure thing," he said with a wink. We continued talking then moved on to deciding what movie we wanted to watch. Which we found unbelievably hard to do, purely because I owned so many and that he didn't want to watch Home Alone. Disgraceful.

We ended up setting on some Disney movie that we both somehow found enjoyable. We even sang the songs, in which I found out his voice was almost as beautiful as him. I also found out that he got annoyed by me staring st him while he sang, so he just closed his eyes. So when he sang some notes it just looked like he was moaning.

After the movie we made some food and started talking about how obvious it was that he totally had crush on me. So in short we discussed his sexuality, in which I found that he didn't really know. But he told me I was attractive and would 'totally bone' me. I ignored how he worded it and took it completely at a compliment.

"Okay but how do you not know? Haven't oh had a girlfriend? Boyfriend? Most people know by this age," I asked

"No, everyone at my old school hated me ever since I can remember. I only moved because I was sick of not having friends. That's why I'm trying to make them as soon as I can while here," he told me, shoving his food around on the plate with his fork. I then realized I had made him uncomfortable.

"Sorry. If you don't want to talk about it..." I trailed off as he looked up and smiled at me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games until my mother got home, when we migrated to my bedroom. Me assuring him he didn't want to have a conversation with her unless he wanted to be very uncomfortable. Nobody wants that so he willingly followed me down the hall. He walked in after me and I closed the door as he plopped down on to my bed. I walked over to the curtains and closed them enough so they didn't irritate me when trying to sleep in the early afternoon and morning. He looked around my room and smiled at the posters, obviously pleased with what he saw.

"Nice music taste you've got there," he said, causing me to smile at him. We just fucked around listening to music until he received a message from his mum saying he had to go home. We said our goodbyes as I led him to the door. After he left I headed back to my room and went straight to sleep.

As I walked through the halls of our school that Monday, saying hello to people I briefly recognized, I hummed along to whatever song I happened to be listening to. Someone's hands were on my shoulders as they ran up behind me and jumped around my body so we were face to face.

"Hey Barakat," Alex said, smile plastered onto his face. I gave him a curious look, confused as to how someone could possibly be this happy on a Monday morning, waiting for school to officially commence for the day.

"We don't question it, kiddo," he answered my mental questions with a finger in the air in front of my face. I made conversation with him as we fell into step with one another. Looking for more people to talk to, our mission was unsuccessful.

"What's first period?" I asked myself out loud as we reached my locker, allowed me to look at my timetable, "I've got art, what have you got?"

He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and scanned it before realizing it was upside down, "I have not art. I don't know, what does that even mean?" He asked pointing to the two letters.

"You actually do have art, VA- visual arts. Do you know what you picked? There's design and actual art. I'm in art," I explained to him.

"Ohh, that makes sense. I thought I didn't get out into art, I think I'm the same. Looks like your tour isn't over yet!" He exclaimed, thrusting a finger into the air. I was seriously staring to question either what he had for breakfast or how much cocaine he had ingested before arriving to school. I decided against asking, just to be on the safe side of his possible illegal activities.

After attending home group, Alex and I made our way to the art studio, taking our seats after introducing him to the teacher. When everyone had arrived, the teacher instructed us to continue on our landscape works. Then explained the task to Alex before moving on to start the design kids on their new task.

Part way through the lesson, we ended up painting both our pages and each others arms. He had a lovely, yet deformed horse on his left arm and I had a few dozen happy faces. To which I painted a sad face on the horse. By the end of the lesson we had been told to clean off the paint and put away all of our materials and works.

Alex smiled as he ruffled his hair in the cutest way which had me extremely confused in what was going on in my head. Maybe I may get to know the answer after all.