A Love Like War (JALEX)

Chapther 15

Photo is what I imagine Jack wearing

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Sitting through breakfast in the Barakat household is awkward. Everything is silent apart from the sound of people eating. I refused to eat, which shocked Jack. He still doesn't know I don't eat, he's never seen me eat. I'm planning on keeping it that way. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat babe?" Jack asks me through his mouthful of eggs. It looks disgusting so I focus on my hands which are sitting in my lap.

"No thank you, I don't normally eat breakfast." I say in an almost whisper. I can feel Jack's parents' eyes on me and I don't like it.

"So how did you two meet?" Mr Barakat questions.

"We're in like five classes together." Jack answers. The Barakat's are loaded, their house is huge. It makes my house seem tiny. You can't tell from just Jack's room because it is just darkness. This house is like three stories and has so many fucking windows. "Why are you home? Where is Joe?"

"It's only 10:30, he won't be up for a few more hours yet. And I told you, we're hosting a family gathering tonight." Mom answers. "So Alex, how older are you?"

My eyes widen as I look up at her. She has the same eyes as Jack's, but hers don't hold any pain like his. "He's seventeen Mom."

"Let the boy answer for himself." She scolds.

"He can't, he hasn't spoken to anyone but me in months, not even his own parents. He has selective mutism, itmeanshewon'tspeakincertainsituations. Andthisisoneofthem." Jacklies, I'vetalkedtoMom. I'vespokentoZachandRianonlyonce.I'veaddressedmywholeclassbutneverjustonepersoninit. HowthefuckamImeanttoperform this song in front of everyone in our class? I start freaking out on the inside but don't let Jack see. I should never have started talking, never shouted at the voices in my head. Never agreed to singing. I should never have said what I did to Daniel. I feel guilty for not tell Jack the whole story but he can never know I was the last thing that pushed Daniel. The things I said, I should never have. I'm a horrible person. My chest starts tightening, breathing becomes hard and I start gasping for air. But it's not coming, the air won't enter my body. I start coughing and choking, my vision going blurry.

I wake up hours later to a hand brushing through my hair, I know it's Jack. Of course it's Jack. I sigh and open my eyes. The darkness of his room surrounding me. I have the feeling that it's always dark in here. The walls are painted black. As is the ceiling and the door. The curtains covering his windows are also black and they look as if they have never been opened. Nearly everything in here is black, the sheets, the comforter, the pillows, all the furniture and even the electric guitar that sits in a glass case in the corner of his room. His connecting bathroom is probably the same. "What's the time?" I groan, my hand reaching up to touch his face.

"Nearly three. My family will start arriving in about an hour so we should probably start getting ready." I'm shocked that he hasn't asked about my panic attack yet. "Here you go babe." He says handing me a maroon coloured long sleeved button down shirt. I pull on a pair of black skinny jeans before buttoning the top on. Thank god it covers my arms. That could be hard to explain. Jack pulls on a pair of black skinny jeans and a blue plaid button down. Fuck he looks hot, like I swear I'm drooling. "Take a picture babe, it lasts longer." Jack smirks, encasing me within his arms. I place a chaste kiss on his cheek and snuggle into his chest. He places light kisses on my head. "We should get downstairs." He sighs letting me go but grabbing my hand.

People started beginning to arrive about 3.45, most ignoring Jack's presence. Not even glancing in our direction. That was until a short girl with very dark brown hair came parading in and straight up us. "You must be Alex, it's nice to meet you." The girl extends her hand to me, "I'm May, Jack's older sister." As I reach out for her hand she pulls me into an unsuspecting hug. "Thank you for saving my brother." She whispers in my ear before pulling away. I send her a confused look but she just waves it off before pulling Jack into a bone crushing hug. Jack laughs loudly making some of his relatives glare in disapproval.

"Let's go outside." Jack pulls me along behind him, not even giving me a chance to protest. We exit the house through a large glass sliding door into a large back yard. It's got so many trees and bushes that it looks like some tropical paradise or something like that. I can hear children's' laughter coming from an opening in the trees. The loud splashing of water diving away that they had a pool. I thought we'd be going that way but we don't, Jack pulls me down a different path away from the noises.

We stumble into a small clearing full of long grass. Jack instantly lays down pulling me with him, which of course I somehow land on him. I wish I could say it was graceful but it wasn't in the slightest. I look around us slowly, these trees seem oddly familiar. "I um, I didn't tell you everything." He gulps slowly, his eyes focused on the sky above us. "The first day I talked to you, it was meant to be a good byte even though you didn't know me. I didn't think you'd even acknowledge me. But you did and it shocked me. I was going to kill myself that day after school but I had to go to band practise so I promised myself I would do it later. Then you talked to me, you actually fucking talked to me. And you kissed back when I kissed you. I shocked me too, I was certain you were straight. I went to a tree just over there." He points in the opposite direction to the house. "I was going to do it there but something stopped me, it was like I wasn't alone. I could feel another presence there and I took it as I sign. I just sat there thinking for quite a while and the presence never left me."

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Heyyyy i know i'm a few weeks early............ but yea hehehe

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