Better Off Without Me

Chapter Two

Have you ever been around someone who just made you feel so good? Like just hanging out with that person makes you forget all of your problems and feel, well, alive? That is exactly how Alex was feeling at this very moment. 

The boys had exchanged small talk for a few minutes before Jack asked Alex to sleep over at his house. Alex accepted, how could he pass up a warm bed to sleep in? They walked down the trail to Jack's house, continuing thier conversation.

"Wow, what a house!" Alex cheered as they walked up Jack's driveway. Jack lived in a typical Baltimore mansion, with white brick siding and large white pillars. The stone path leading to the house was lined with small lights, and the porch was glossy and still smelled of wet paint. "Don't walk over on that side," Jack gestured to the left, "we just finished painting."

Pushing through the double doors on the front of the house, Jack led Alex into a huge open space filled with plain furniture and moving boxes. Jack rushed up a large spiral staircase, seemingly in a hurry, and Alex followed closely behind. He was still taking in the extravagance of Jack's home.

Jack led Alex down one of many hallways upstairs, to the last room on the left, and opened the door. His room was the only room that seemed to be mostly unpacked. His king sized bed was pushed into the corner against a wall that was lined with posters of Alex's favorite bands, such as Blink-182 and New Found Glory. More posters were stacked in a pile on the floor, next to a cup full of thumbtacks, and Alex invited himself to look through Jack's poster collection.

"Jack, this is awesome!" Alex said cheerfully as Jack joined him on the floor. "You like these bands too?" Jack grinned. Alex nodded before turning his attention to the five guitars that stood against the opposite wall. "Oh my..." he walked over with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, gently touching the strings of each guitar. 

"Do you play?" Jack asked. Alex looked at him with sad eyes. "I did, before my dad took away my guitar last month." "Well why did he do that?" Jack couldn't imagine losing his guitars. He was nothing without music.

Alex shrugged as he carefully picked up a shiny acoustic guitar. "May I?" he smiled at Jack. Nodding happily, Jack sat on the nearest box and watched as Alex tuned the guitar. 

Alex began strumming the guitar, thinking of what song to play. He decided to play a song that he had written himself. "I wrote this, it's called Remembering Sunday. I, um, might not be so great, so don't laugh at me, okay?" Jack giggled and nodded.

Alex played the song perfectly, he even had Jack singing along to the chorus at the end. "Alex, that was beautiful! Your voice is beautiful! You're... beautiful," Jack said as he began to blush. This made Alex blush too, and he was suddenly very shy. "Thanks," he replied before handing the guitar to Jack. "Your turn."

Jack shook his head. "I suck compared to you," he said, which made Alex laugh. "I'm not even that good. Now play something!" Alex's pleading face made Jack almost melt into a puddle on the floor. How could he resist? He let out a sigh before strumming the guitar to the tune of Adam's Song by Blink-182. He began singing and Alex immediately joined in.

Two hours passed as the boys got to know eachother a little more, blasting music at full volume and drinking cans of soda from Jack's mini fridge. They decided to get some sleep, so they were now laying on either side of Jack's bed. "Hey Jack," Alex said before shutting his eyes, "thank you." "For what, Alex?" Jack turned to look at his new best friend. Alex placed his hand on top of Jack's and answered his question quietly.

"For saving me."