I'm Crazy But I'm Not Done {Jalex}

Real Life Just Isn't Right

"Are you going to Pete Wentz's thing tonight?"

Rian chucks the football at Jack. They've been throwing it around, or really, Rian's been throwing it in Jack's general direction, because Jack's mom kicked them out of the house. Apparently almost knocking down the television had been enough to get them sent outside.

Jack fumbles to catch the football. Where the hell had it even come from? He isn't athletic in the least, and as far as he knows, nobody in his family is looking for a career in pro football. The ball barely makes it into his hands. "I didn't know you even knew Pete Wentz."

"Everyone knows Pete Wentz." He holds his hands out for the ball and Jack tosses it to him. It makes a sloppy arch. Rian nearly slips trying to catch it, narrowly avoids a fall, and works on steadying himself. "Terrible form," he tsks at Jack.

"What can I say? I'm no Peyton Manning." Jack rolls his eyes. The only time he's ever taken an interest in football was once last year, but even with Alex on the team, Jack couldn't sit through an entire game. Sweaty senior boys aside, the game just wasn't fun to watch.

Rian, being significantly better at casual football than Jack, manages to hit Jack in the head with the ball. He smirks when Jack glares. "I'm just proving your point."

That's enough physical activity for the day, Jack decides. Instead of making a move for the football, he sinks to his knees on the grass and beckons for Rian to join him. The other boy moves to his side and sits cross-legged. "So, Pete Wentz," Jack says, remembering that... something was happening that evening.

"Yeah, his annual beginning of summer thing. One of many excuses to get fall-down drunk."

"We aren't too lame for those this year?" While Pete Wentz hadn't been a dick to them freshman year, the rest of the soccer team certainly had, and it was very clear that freshmen weren't welcome at parties like these. Apparently upcoming sophomores are fair game, though.

"I doubt they'll even notice us." Rian shrugs. "Unless you try to dance again, that might get us kicked out."

Jack leans backwards until he's lying on the grass, feet in Rian's lap. "Shut up, I'm better than you and Zack. Zack's coming, right?"

"Zack wouldn't miss it for the world. That senior girl he liked is going."

"Jenna?" Jack snickers.

"Could be worse. She could be going to college next year."

Jack almost hits Rian, but another thing occurs to him before he can sit up. "You think Alex will be there?"

"Fuck if I know, Jack," Rian groans, ever-helpful. "We don't have to go, though."

But Jack is dead-set on seeing Alex, now. It's been a few days since they've visited him at the gas station (Zack has all but refused to give Jack any more money until he's eaten through the huge pile of drugstore candy that has built up on his bedroom floor) and he's kind of desperate to spend time with Alex anyways. Especially outside the gas station. Like, it's kind of Alex's job to be nice to Jack. He might be a total jerk in real life, and Jack wants to find out.

"We're totally going to Pete Wentz's thing."

***

Jack's friends are dicks. He concludes that when Zack pulls out Jack's expensive hairspray and uses way more than enough. And seriously, why? He doesn't even have that much hair. Jack touches his own skunk-striped mess and sighs. Soon enough, Rian is bounding over to the mirror and trying to grab the hairspray.

"What the fuck, you guys?" Jack plucks the bottle out of both of their hands. "Rian's practically bald, and this cost me seven dollars."

"It's payback, Barakat. I'll lift part of your Snickers debt." Zack has him cornered.