Mr Mysterious [boyxboy]

08.

Jasper does not see Ty for the rest of the school day, and before he knows it they are being dismissed for the weekend. He doesn’t pay too much attention to what is happening around him, if he does, he just hurts. The people who have become his friends in the short time he has been with them at school are all rather preoccupied with each other, and he is spending every other minute looking over his shoulder for the dark brooding, and oh so horrible bruised boy who ran from him.

As he is making a beeline for his car, someone rushes up behind him. Jasper doesn’t turn to see who it is, he knows by the way she leans on him immediately and grasps his hand, forcing her fingers in between his own. Alexis is as attached to him as ever, but after the day he has had, Jasper has no more patience for her. He might feel a little guilty if for a second he thought that her feelings were genuine, but it hadn’t taken long to realise they were not. Alexis likes eyes to be on her at all times. By having a ‘boyfriend’ she becomes untouchable and therefore desirable. Jasper would gladly pass her over to one of the many who stopped to watch her as she walked by on his arm.

“What are you doing this weekend?” She asks, climbing into the car.

Jasper shrugs, “Dunno. I have a bit of homework to get through, and I’m behind on sleep.”

“So you’re not going to take me anywhere?”

Even though Alexis sounds as if she is about ready to tear Jasper to shreds for simply not offering to spend the weekend together, he doesn’t even flinch. “Did you want me to?”

“Not if you don’t won’t to. You know, I don’t feel very appreciated by you.”

Jasper gratefully pulls up in front of Alexis house before he responds to her. “That’s because you’re not.” He tries not to laugh at the way her eyes widen in horror, “We’re not together Alexis, go find someone else to hang off. I’m tired of your little games.”

Jasper reaches across and pushes the door open for her, before looking straight out his windscreen. He’s not leaving the conversation open for discussion. If looks could kill, Jasper would be dead then and there under the glare Alexis gives him as she slams the door. Still, he doesn’t care. As she walks away he feels like a burden has fallen off his shoulders, giving him more space to worry about Ty.

He doesn’t feel like going home, so he drives around aimlessly for a while. By now he has a pretty good idea of the town, so it doesn’t take him long to make his way to the lake he has driven by on occasion. The road runs along the edge of it for a lengthy way, but there is only a small strip, no more than fifteen meters where you can see it through the trees while driving. This time, Jasper drives off the main road onto the smaller one that continues around the lake until it is cut off. He parks his car alongside one of the two others there and sits in silence for a while. There is nothing more peaceful to Jasper than the sound of rippling water, and seeing the way light reflects off it.  In his car he feels claustrophobic, so he gets out, making sure to lock it securely behind him. It’s cooler now than it was when he left school, or maybe he is only noticing it more now because he is alone, and feeling lost. He follows a walking path further around the lake, to areas that cannot be reached by a car. The trees on the waters edge thin, and the open space grows. All Jasper can see is brown, green and blue, and for the first time since he arrived in his new home he feels at ease while he walks.

As he rounds a blind corner, Jasper stops dead. By the edge is a picnic table, and sitting on that table is Ty. The moment he see’s him, the sickness rushes back, Jasper’s mind floods with images of the bruises that covered Ty’s body, and his thoughts echo the words that were spat at him all day. His fists clench as he visualises it all over again. How could anyone hurt someone so beautiful? That’s something Jasper will never understand.