Drink Your Medicine (Jalex)

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When I came home, Jack was right behind me. He looked around and I felt him tense up. Is he worried about the fact that my parents might not let him stay? "You stay down here and talk. I've got to go upstairs and do something," He whispered into my ear. I nodded. He ran upstairs and looked back at me once more, looking sad. 

That was weird.

I saw my father sitting on the sofa, looking nowhere in particular. "Dad?" I asked him. 

He snapped out of it and looked at me. "Alex?"

"Are you and Mum ready to meet him? The guy I invited over?" 

"Oh, oh, Yeah. Whenever you are. And he is."

I thought about it for a moment. If Jack doesn't eat, what could he possibly have to do upstairs? I decided to go up after him, but was surprised when I couldn't find him. All that I could find was a quickly written note and my window wide open. The note must have been written when he was outside this morning, because it was way too long otherwise. 

I read it. And it went a like this:

Dear Lex,

Words cannot express the amount of regret I feel for making this decision. I must say that my time has come. I don't know how to go on anymore. I can't live with myself after what I did to that poor girl. I failed her. I don't want to fail you too. As much as you need someone to be there for you in your life, I'm just not the one. I can't save you. I can't even save myself. The only reason why I didn't want anyone else to know about me is because the less people that miss me, the better. If only you remember and miss me, that's okay. I'm justifying it. Please forgive me for doing this. I know that you'll find it in your heart. You must understand. If you can't figure it out, then you weren't paying enough attention.

I'll see you on the other side,

Jack 

The buildings. He was seeing how high they were so that he could see if he would survive the fall or not. And the ladders determined if he could get to the roof or not. He was sad because he didn't want to say goodbye. That's why he didn't have plans after he went out of the mirror. He didn't want to have any. That's why he bought that comic book, because he wanted to have one last moment of joy before he went out. I ran downstairs, freaking everyone out. "I've gotta go!" I shouted, running out the front door. I can't let him jump. I can't let him. I ran down the sidewalk as fast as my legs could carry me. If I don't make it, he won't make it. I've got to get there. Faster, faster. 

I recognized the tallest one almost immediately. I found the ladder on the side and climbed up it as fast as I could, almost falling multiple times. I have to make it up there, I just have to. I was near blackout by the time I got to the top. I'd completely exhausted myself, but it means a lot to me. "Jack!" I cried-wailed-whispered-gasped. He was standing on the very edge of the building, arms out, about to jump off. He looked at me for a second. 

"I can't do it anymore, Lex. I can't."

I stumbled over to him and grabbed his arm. "Don't do this. If you really want to help me, please don't do this. " I pulled him away from the edge. "Don't do this."

Jack looked me in the eyes. 

"Is this what you really want?" I asked, sitting down and pulling him with me. 

"I don't know," He whispered. " I don't. I know that I want to feel better, but I don't know what do to about it. It's my fault that that girl is dead, and I can't forgive myself for it. I don't deserve to live if I couldn't save her."

"But you do. You're saving me. I'm saving you. She's not dead because of you. No one else could save her either. It wasn't just you." I leaned my head against his shoulder, feeling rather dizzy and winded. 

"How could I possibly be saving you?"

"You haven't left yet."

And then there was silence. It felt strange to finally admit it, but it was true. 

"I'm so sorry," Jack finally said. "I want to go home."

"I don't know where-"

"No, home. Where the mirror is. And shower songs. And tee shirts that don't quite fit me but still look okay. And touching through glass. I want to go there."

"Okay, Jack. Let's go home then." I took his hand and we stood up together. He went down the ladder first and we walked home really slowly. We walked in an odd pattern because both of us kept leaning into each other. When we were at my door I took a deep breath. "Even if you can't stay, I'll keep you here. I know you don't want to go back, but you can come out of the mirror at night. "

"That's the way that it'll have to be," He sighed.

When we entered, both my mum and dad were looking at us with concern. "This is Jack. "

"Your son saved me. And I'm not leaving, so please let me stay?" Jack pleaded.

"What on earth do you mean?" My father asked, not understanding.

"He almost jumped," I said quietly. 

There was a long silence that sat over the room heavily. "You should treat him better," Jack said, breaking the silence. "You ignore him and say that he's not normal. It's just rude."

Mum and Dad just blinked at him. "W-what?" 

"You heard me. I know a lot more than you think that I do. By the way, can you get me an air mattress? And maybe register me for school. I'm going to middle school, eight grade. Oh, and by the way," at this point, he'd walked so far into the house as he was speaking that was at the banister where the stairs started, "you're definitely getting Alex that guitar. Good grades or not. He deserves it after all I've put him through." And with that, Jack went upstairs.

I don't think that I've ever seen jaws drop that far before, but I'm definitely glad that I know Jack. Things will be a bit more interesting with him around all the time, outside of the mirror.