Keep Your Friends Close And Your Enemies Closer

2.

Jack's p.o.v

I step off the bus with one of my best friends; Rian Dawson, walking beside me into school as always. Pushing our way through the sweaty hormonal teens rushing to whatever, we make it to our assigned lockers.

Me Zack and Rian all have lockers next to each other interestingly enough. That's actually how we became friends. The three of us started making small talk whenever we were at our lockers at the same time, and I guess we just became friends. Neither of us are sure how it happened, it just kind of... Did.

Everyone in school has one of those combination locks while I have a key lock because my dumb ass doesn't know how to unlock the other kind. No matter how many people have tried to teach me, I just can't seem to get it.

"You wanna come over and game with me and Zack after school?" Rian asks me, focusing on his stupid combination lock that my simple mind can't figure out how to work.

"Sure, I'll text my mom later and ask" I tell him, sending a small smile. I reach into my pocket fishing out my locker key.

Ignoring the overly faded word "fag" that had been written on my locker in Alex's messy hand writing, I open the metal door revealing my many textbooks and random unorganized pieces of paper stuffed inside.

Taking out the few books I need for the first half of the day, I accidentally drop one in the progress. But before it can hit the ground a muscley hand catches it, which I quickly recognize belongs to none other than Zack Merrick.

I turn around taking the book from his hands and shoving it back into my cluttered locker

"Thanks Zack!"

He nods with a small smile on his face. "Are you coming over to game with us?"

"I haven't asked my mom yet. I should do that now before I forget" I pull out my phone getting ready to type a message, but before my thumb can make contact with the screen, it's ripped out of my hands.

I quickly look around wondering what the fuck just happened. It didn't take long before I was meet with the smirking face of Alex fucking Gaskarth.

"Oh, I'm sorry did you need this?" He asks smugly, his little group of friends snickering behind him. Except Vic who just looks away in what appears to be guilt.

"Alex, I swear to fucking god. Give me back my phone" I blurt out in annoyance.

"Damn. Little baracrap's got a temper today" he shoves my phone in the back pocket of his faded blue ripped jeans.

"So help me god, I will reach into your pants and grab my phone myself" I warn, slowly moving my hand towards him.

I knew that would make him give it back because Alex "no homo" Gaskarth will avoid anything even remotely gay if he can.

It's quite ridiculously really.

One time I saw some tall guy bump into his chest and Alex yelled 'I'm not gay' at the guy. I felt bad, but at the same time it was kinda funny, in a dark comedy kind of way I guess.

He quickly snatches it out of his pocket throwing it to me, which I surprisingly caught.

"What ever fag, bells about to go anyway" and with that he walks away, his little minions following after him.

After they're out of sight Zack and Rian immediately rush to my side like they always do after Alex or someone in his group bothers me.

"I wanna punch him right in his stupid face" Rian announces through gritted teeth, Zack nodding in agreement.

"We've been over this, if you guys try to help it will only make things worse" I sigh, quickly sending my mom a text now that I have my phone back.

"We just feel useless watching you get pushed around like that" Zack tells me sadly, the usual sound of remorse in his voice that makes me cringe.

"It's alright" I shrug.

And that's the truth. If they try to help me they would get picked on too, and no way am I going to let that happen. It fucking sucks, and I don't want my friends to go through what I do every day.

"Are you sure? becau-" Rian gets cut off by the school bell, signaling it's time for class.

"It's fine really. I'll see you guys at lunch, bye" I wave quickly and rush off to my class.

I have a perfect record in school and I don't intend to break it.

____________

All my classes went by brain numbingly slowly, so I was glad when the bell finally rang for lunch, but of course I didn't have time to celebrate before I was called to the front of the class by my English teacher Mrs.Day.

Mrs.Day is one of those teachers who keeps an apple on her desk and always has a cheery voice, even if they're mad. You know, the kind of teacher who smiles with too much gums and always smells like perfume.

"Jack, Alex could you both come here for a second?" Mrs. Day asks sweetly.

Me and Alex share a confused glance from across the room before slowly heading to her desk.

"You're probably wondering why I called you both up here." We both nod "how do I put this...Alex you're failing my class"

I bit my lip to hold back a laugh. Of course Alex is failing, he's a fucking idiot who doesn't give a fuck about school.

Alex gives me a warning look before turning his attention back to Mrs. Day. "and?" He asks with a bored tone.

"So you're going to get tutored...by Jack" she finishes hesitantly. Everyone in school knows that me and Alex don't get along, so of course she is going to have some doubts about this idea.

I choke on air "what?!" Me and Alex exclaim at the same time.

"Jack has the best grades in my class, so it only makes sense that he helps you" she explains.

"I don't want to work with him!" Alex points at me.

"Well I don't wanna work with you either" I snap back.

"I'm sorry, that's just how it is. You can work in the library tomorrow and Thursday but after that you'll have to work at each others houses"

"But I-" Alex starts.

"No buts. You have so much potential in this class Alex, please don't waste it. Now off to lunch" she waves her hands dismissively, a happy smile on her face.

The shorter boy sighs loudly stomping out of the class in a hurry, mumbling angrily to himself.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Day" I wave and send her a small smile before walking out of the classroom.

Mrs. Day is one of the very few teachers that are actually nice in this god forsaken hell hole, so I always make sure I be nice back to her, like the gentleman I am.

As soon as I closed the door behind me I was pinned against the wall forcefully, my head hitting the thick wall of the schools hallway with a thunk.

"Ow! ALEX WHAT THE FUCK?!" I shout angrily at him.

"Shut up and listen to me" Alex says, his face very close to my own. "We're gonna meet up at the library as planned, then after that we will study at my house. Always my house. Then after all this tutoring is over we will pretend like nothing happened" he presses himself closer to me. "Got it?" He asks through gritted teeth.

I nod my head up and down hurriedly.

"Good"

And with that he backs away from me and walks away like he didn't just do something incredibly gay.

...Is it bad that I'm a little turned on right now?