Alex opened one eye to look at the clock on his nightstand. 3pm. Still a little early for him, but he figured he might as well get up if he wasn't going to be able to fall back to sleep anyway. Slowly he dragged himself out of bed and down the stairs into the kitchen, not even bothering to put on pants, his boxers would do. Yawning, he stumbled over to the fridge to take a peak at the goods. His mom had left him some sort of a sandwich with a sticky note attached to the plate.
Alex,
At the soup kitchen, 5230 Guelph st. east. Meet me there before 5 or the concert tickets are going on e-bay. You're 18, you need to learn the meaning of responsibility.
Love, Mom
Oh piss off. Like she wold really sell the tickets. No way he was spending his Saturday feeding poor people. They can always just find some grub in a trash bin.
"Oh great, a stupid back to the stupid note. I wonder if the sequel will be better than the original." He groaned sarcastically.
P.s. Don't think I won't sell them. Nickelback won't stop playing just because Alex Gaskarth's not there. Get dressed it's probably already pretty late. SEE YOU SOON ALEX.
Fuck. She meant business. No way he could miss the concert. No way. He glanced at the stove clock.
"Shit it's all ready 3:32. The kitchens on the other side of town and she took the fucking car. Better leave now if I'm gonna make it. Oh Chad Kroeger, if only you knew the torture I'm about to endure for you." He whined, taking a quick bite of the sandwich and tossing it back in the fridge.
It took him about an hour before he made it onto the street near the soup kitchen. It was a shabby run down little shack filled with smelly homeless people. Alex shuddered just thinking about it. The last time he'd been there he was 12 years old and it was for the Christmas holidays. Everyone was so cheery and happy, but just... disgusting. Alex came from a fairly high class family. They had money. He didn't want to be around people so below him. And it was ridiculous for his mom to expect him to. Just because she loved hanging around beggars didn't mean he had to.
After a good ten minute walk down the street, Alex finally made it to the place of his nightmares. It was bigger than he remembered, but just as awful. He creaked the door open and a wall of sound hit him as he stepped inside. Clinking plates, people laughing, children crying. Ugh, it was all too much for him already.
"Alex!" His mom yelled "Meet Ms. Kassen. Ms. Kassen, this is my son I told you about, Alex."
A large woman with gray hair like wire stuck out her hand towards him.
"Oh it's wonderful to finally see you here Alex. We actually have a boy about your age with us today. It would be wonderful if you could chat with him for a bit? Become sort of a 'special friend'. Someone he can count on. His parents passed away a few months ago, and he's been on the streets ever since. No foster home can take him now that he's almost 18. I know it would mean a lot to him to have someone to talk to." Ms. Kassen knew her big smile couldn't be denied. Not by Alex, or anyone else for that matter.
"Yeah, I guess." Alex muttered taking back his hand.
"That's wonderful! I'll go find him, one moment." She sang, quickly turning on her heel and leaving Alex with his mother.
"Glad to see you came dear. What a kind heart you must have." Alex's mom teased, taking her unimpressed son into a big bear hug in front of everyone.
"Yeah 'cus I really had a choice." He shot back angrily.
"Of course you had a choice. Nickelback or no Nickelback." She laugh, smiling from ear to ear. Alex's mom wasn't old, but she looked like it. Well, not old, just worn down. That'll happen though, when you've been through as much as she had.
"Alex, this is Jack. Jack Barakat. I know you two will enjoy each other's company." Ms. Kassen said, dragging an obviously reluctant, shy boy behind her. "I'll see you two soon."
"We're leaving at 8 Alex. It's 5 now. So have fun, and I'll meet you outside at 7:50" His mom said quickly, turning to follow Ms. Kassen into the kitchen.
"Hi.. I'm uh Jack."
"Yeah retard, she just fucking said that." Alex's words pierced through the shy boy like bullets.
"Oh uh sorry." Jack muttered.
"What ever. So.. when'd your parents kick the bucket?" Alex really didn't care, Jack could tell, but he didn't want to get yelled at again.
"Last may.." Jack said emotionlessly, trying not to cry. The Alex kid already hated him, he couldn't imagine the abuse he'd get for crying in front of him.
"And it's October now so... 5 months eh? Must be rough." Alex said, trying to stop being such an asshole to the boy who had clearly been through enough trauma lately.
"Yeah.."
"Sucks bro. They fuck and have any more kids before they started rotting in the ground?" Alex asked, abandoning his attempt at empathy and instead taking the train all the way to douche bag central.
"What? Um uh no..." Jack answered, a bit stunned at the harsh tone in the other males voice.
"Oh" Was the last thing Alex said to the younger boy all night. They sat in silence, even as their food was brought to them by his mom.
Alex couldn't have been more relieved to finally get away from that emo faggot. He needed to get home and watch what ever episode of Degrassi or Jersey Shore he could find and just forget about the depressing kid with the weird hair (Seriously, it stuck up in all places like it had a mind of it's own).
"So, Alex, how'd you get along with Jack?" His mom cooed to him in the car.
"Alright I guess." He mumbled, staring at his phone, begging it to ring.
"Good, we'll be back next week. You should invite him over next time."
"I'm not going back next week." Alex said bluntly, looking her straight in the eye as the pulled into their driveway.
"Yes. Yes you are actually. I bought those tickets, which means until the concert, I can do whatever I want with them." She said sternly.
"Bitch." Alex muttered, slamming the car door behind him.
