It's All In Your Head (Jalex)

1- The Nightmares Never End

I shot out of bed in a cold sweat again. I rubbed the back of my neck, pulling away my now wet hand after a few seconds. Gross. "Just go away, " I whispered to no one in particular as I fell back onto my pillow. I just want to be able to sleep for one night without having a nightmare, is that too much to ask for? 

I guess so, because people keep trying to tell me that I need therapy for all of the things that go on in my head. I don't want therapy, I just want sleep. But apparently that's a crazy idea. I can't tell you how many people have run away from me after I tell them that I haven't slept in days. They ask why, I tell them about my last nightmare, and then they run away, telling everyone that I'm a crazy person who dreams about serial killers. And suicide. And cutting. And razor blades. And guns. And knives. And drug dealers on the corners of streets with guns and knives. And alcoholics. And the devil. 

It's not my fault that I have a fucked up brain, I was just born this way. 

But no one likes Alex Gaskarth, because he's just the weird kid with too many nightmares about demonic things and violence. That's me. 

Well, curse them all to hell. Who needs friends anyway? 

Since I knew that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, I decided to just take a shower to wash all of the nightmare off of me before getting ready for school. Another hellish day at high school filled with people avoiding me. 

After I was dressed in clothes, skinny jeans, plain tee, a few bracelets, canvas sneakers, I skipped breakfast. Maybe if I was too tired to think, I'd fall asleep in class, and I wouldn't be able to have a nightmare. And food gave a person energy, so no food? 

I didn't bother taking the bus, no one wanted to sit near me, so I basically just took up too much space. I just walked, I didn't want to make skateboarding lame for any of the 'cool kids.' I already learned that one when I accidentally wore a Blink-182 shirt to school. Apparently, I gave the band a bad rap. With a tee shirt. 

When I was walking down the street, a guy bumped into me. "I'm sorry, wasn't paying attention, " He said. He looked young, but I'd never seen him before. Why didn't  he look scared of me? 

"Are you new around here? " I asked, rather rudely. 

"I am, you wouldn't happen to know where the high school is, would you? " 

"I do. I'm going there right now in fact. Do you want me to show you? " 

He nodded. "I'm Jack, by the way. Jack Barakat." 

"Alex. Alex Gaskarth, " I said. "You're not afraid of me? Or pulling a prank? " 

"Why would I be? " Jack asked, genuinely confused. 

"Because-" Wait, this guy didn't know anything about me. Why would I try to scare him away from me? "No reason. Just some people are lame like that. " 

"I get it. I used to know people like that, " He said. 

And we walked to school in silence. It was a comfortable silence, but it felt so weird to have someone actually want to be within proximity to me. It was a good kind of weird though. I didn't want Jack to go away. 

Since the first class didn't start for a few minutes, I took the time to show Jack to all of his classes. We had a few together, which would be nice. To have someone maybe sit near me in class? Just as long as he wasn't scared away by rumors or anything. 

When first period began, I just endured all of the being avoided with hopes of seeing Jack. The possibility of making a friend was filling me with joy. I had second period with him, which was arithmetic. I hated arithmetic, mostly because I never understood it. When the bell rang, I was the last one out of the room, but the first one to the other classroom. I really hoped that Jack didn't get lost on his way. 

Speak of the devil, he showed up right next to me. "Thanks for showing me around, never would've found this place without you, " He said, grinning a little. But a girl came up, determined to burst my bubble. 

"Uh, you're the new kid, right? Well you might not wanna hang out with that one, " She pointed to me. "He's into demons and Satan and weapons and stuff. Even dreams about them. " 

I could feel my face burning. I could talk for myself. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Now my one shot at having a friend was ruined. 

"And what makes you think I'm going to be so afraid of someone who has nightmares? " Jack asked. 

My jaw dropped. "W-w-wait. What?!" 

"Is this what you were afraid of me finding out? " He asked. 

I nodded. 

"I can see why, but I'm not going to be afraid of someone with a little imagination." He turned to everyone who was also staring at him with confusion. "Honestly guys, grow up! " He shouted. 

This was different. I never had anyone stand up for me before. Jack even sat in the back of the classroom with me, helping me to understand why the teacher was doing. And for once in my life, I actually got a problem right on my first try. Having  friend was nice, I liked it. It almost seemed too good to be true. I kept waiting for myself to wake up. Because this was definitely the best dream I'd ever had. But I didn't. I didn't wake up when Jack sat next to me in art, or when he sat down with me at the lunch table near the trash cans, or when he saved me from falling down the stairs, or when he took a few hundred dodgeballs to the chest to keep me from losing, or when he'd told off more people trying to get him away. 

I think high school might be kind of okay now.