Chapter 6: Lovers and Friends
Roscoe paced around the bed where Jake was laying, either asleep or knocked out as he settled on a spot for a quick second and sighed out in agitation. He flipped his cropped hair and managed a glare at Alex, who was sitting on the side of the bed, trying desperately to get Jake's fever to go down. " You know, if you hadn't have taken him out that night to work" Roscoe trailed off, trying to find words to insult Alex with. He didn't. And then instead walks around again.
"I didn't take him out, Jake wanted to work. Maybe if you had been taking care of him since he is…oh I dunno, you're boyfriend…" Alex squinted as Jake rolled around in his bed and placed a sweaty hand to his arm in an attempt to quite him. Alex ignored Jake's subtle attempt and then continues," If you really care-"
Roscoe looked at him with a coy smile," This isn't about poor little Jake over here" Roscoe held a charming dark look as he bit his lip in a façade of his own," You're just jealous"
"My best friend is sick" Alex murmured, defeated. " That's all"
"But oh, how you wished it was so much more" Roscoe winked, and pointed to his lips," I've kissed him."
"And so have I"
"But was it the same meaning?"
Alex remained quiet, while Jake, who was beyond tired with the whole thing, shifted a little more and raised his head up, sweaty locks covering his eyes, fever matted sweat keeping it there. He looked between the two of them with a longing drawn out glare, a backwards feeling reserved for those two only - he created the look a few months ago, yet to have tested it on Michael-. "Alex…" Jake's eyes watered a little bit," You Don't have to stay, matter of fact, go to class. I'll be okay, Roscoe will watch after me"
"I will?" Roscoe asked.
"You will" Jake said with a demeaning glare that shut him up. Alex, a little flustered, a little everything, simply nodded and got up and walked out the room. As soon as the door closed Jake looked over at Roscoe and sneered out harshly," You didn't have to be so mean to him. I know you despise Alex for reasons unknown to me, but we all live in this house and well…I am too sick to deal with all of this"
Roscoe snorted," Jake, you're always too sick" He pushed a stray hair behind his ear," You're too sick for everything. Always something or another to hold you back from so and so. This and that from keeping you where you want to go. Ups and downs and lefts and rights and nowhere for you in between. What a sad sad story"
"You're the writer" Jake whispered," Capture it"
"Oh I have, I have a new play actually, written it out and everything" He smiled cheekily," It's still coming along though, you make me want to add on a few artistic revisions time to time"
Jake simply smiled cheekily, placed a kiss on his lips and slunk back under the covers. He never seemed to have a normal relationship, could he?
"There is a new student in the class" Tommy said with an unusually upbeat voice. As soon as he said it Marco groaned and slide down in his chair, pulled up his note book and placed it over his eyes . He knew it was Dylan. You know how he knew? He smelt that axe that Dylan wears every day all the way down the hallway before class started. And plus, Marco can never catch a break. He can't have a normal life. First Jake ran away for a year, and then Michael decided that he wanted to go college somewhere far off. He couldn't catch a break. He couldn't wait for Jake or Michael to have children of their own, or Alex or Robert for that matter, then they could leave him the hell alone.
"Dreylan MichaelChick" Tommy squinted as Dylan wandered into the room, expecting the class to burst out in applause. Cause like, come the fuck on, he was a superstar.
The room was silent.
Marco choked on his gum with laughter.
"Dylan Michaelchuck" Dylan corrected, frowning.
"Sorry, this isn't Canada eh?" Tommy said with a drawl as he pointed him to his seat, which just happened to be right next to an overly too giddy Marco. Dylan walked over, cheerfully and sat by Marco, who moved away six inches and proceeded to stick his eyes on Tommy.
"When are we going to talk?" Dylan whispered.
"Never" Macro seethed
"It's not what you think"
"No, actually it is"
'Today I wanted to do a special on quarreling lovers" Tommy addressed to the class," It's quiet entertaining even in their most tragic moments"
"Marco you're being like your-"
"Say my father and I'll kick your ass so hard Dy-"
"I didn't run off of Randy for that reason, he needed help since you know that Remy is a crackhead… now"
"Wasn't he always a crack head?" Marco asked. " And Jake's boyfriend?"
"They dated?"
"Sort of, kind of. I duunnno, Jake is complicated" Marco closed his eyes," We're straying off the subject"
"Randy sent Remy away to go and get some help with his addiction, so I decided to go with him, when I came back they said that you were gone and I called you a million times, you never picked up"
"Lies and excuses, it's too many times and besides I have someone else…"
"I knew you were dating that arty kid!" Dylan pointed an acusing finger at Marco," You man whore!"
Marco glared at him," Shut up Dylan. I am not a man whore. Especially coming from you, mister I liked and probably did every Tom, Dick and Harry in the school"
"Are you calling me a slut?"
"No, a man slut you skuzzy bastard" Marco said darkly as Tommy sat on their table and clapped his hands for the class's attention. " And I bring to you, pair number one. The Long Distance Break Up Aftermath Couple" He smiled widely at Marco, who was beyond agitated and ready to throw Dylan on top of the desk and smack him around a few times.
"Excuse me?" Dylan asked, " Do you-"
"Please Beverhuck-"
"Michaelchuck-"
"Skinnyfuck-"
"Michaelchuck-"
"Whatever" Tommy waved his hand," It's obvious that you two fit this perfectly, for Marco is the girl in the relationship and you, being the typical guy, had to be a jackass."
A few murmurs of agreeing boys and girls scattered throughout the room as Dylan flushed. "It's not that way"
"Oh is it?" Tommy asked, looking at Marco who shrugged. " I'm sure your boyfriend wouldn't like hearing that"
"Ryan is understanding of a lot of things and holy shit---" Marco stopped and ducked as Ryan flew across the table and knocked Dylan off his chair and onto the floor." You look at my boyfriend and you will dieeeeeeee" Ryan cried out, smacking him around on the floor.
Marco snorted, Dylan was getting his ass beat by a 126 pound painter.
That's just sad.
And funny.
"Go Ryan!" Marco cheered as Tommy sighed.
"I mean, get off of him!"
"He was looking at you babe" Ryan murmured, purred like a cat.
"I know, but you don't have to tackle him every time you see him, you only do that for me" Marco pouted and twittled his fingers. Ryan nodded," That's true"
"Promise me you won't kick his ass unless I say so" Marco said dryly.
"Okie" Ryan murmured, looking at the class," Where am I supposed to be anyway?"
"Social Sciences, room 215. Hurry" Ryan nodded as he ran out the room, only to run back, knock Marco on to the table, have a passionate frinky make out session with him and then leave again. Marco fixed up his shirt and pushed the hair out of his face as a few people blinked in confusion.
"Yeah…so about those Yankess" Marco blushed, sitting down in his seat.
As class resumed Dylan decided to stay on the floor.
He couldn't feel his legs back anyway.
Michael snorted, hunched over a few scripts for the new play that Elliot had casted him in the lead role of. He loved the script, it felt so…close to home in a way, so close it hurt. It was the story of two boys, Jude and Matt and how they were everything to each other and no one else. They grew up as best friends but suddenly they both wanted more, and then it occurred to them that there was more. Each other. The stories are dark. The liners are darker and he knew if anyone could pull it off, it would be him. There was a director, co director, the writer of the book, named something Harper, he wouldn't remember the last name.
Michael flipped back a page of the book and looked at the first page of the story. As soon as he read the first line, he gasped in wonderment, because it was so true.
The Love Me Complex
Page 24. Chapter 1: Scene IX
Jude: Don't be so silly, Matt, you know that it's not love if it doesn't hurt Matt: I'm tired of you being cynical Jude: I'm being truthful, you know, it's actually funny now that I think about it
Matt: Think about what
Jude: The fact that people keep telling us that we're obsessed
Matt: We're not you know. I mean, are we?
Jude: No, no not at all. You're my best friend. Things are simple.
Matt Then why can't I help feeling as if things are going to go horribly wrong?
Jude: (Slings an arm around his shoulder) Because you worry too much. Everything will be alright
As Michael, who became entranced with the script in all it's realistic glory, flipped through page after page something stood out in the corner of his eye. One black page in the script with white lettering. Maybe it was a test page. He squinted as he read the words and his face twisted up in horror.
Jude: We'll never be separated for long, Matt, you and me, never for long
Matt: Jude, this is an obsession
Jude: Are you telling me that you don't feel the same way? Because if you don't then I can just-
Matt: No, never. Not at all. I'm just saying that what we're doing is dangerous
Jude: Nothing is dangerous. It's simply just entertainly wild.
Matt: Jude, I often wonder how you corrupted my mind
Jude: It wasn't that hard.
Matt: Can we tell anyone?
Jude: Do you want to see how fast your parents will kick you out of the house?
Matt: No…then what are we supposed to do?
Jude: Obsession is fueled by passion. Passion is fueled by corruption. Corruption is fueled by sin
Matt: What's your point?
Jude: My point is that this is probably the dangerous thing we've ever done.
Matt: This is horrible, we should stop it before-
Jude:
Before what? (Smiles) Tell me, Matt, you know that….(pause) you know
that being us, being exciting and dangerous is half the thrill. The
other half is getting away with it. We'll never be separated. We'll
never be dragged down and we sure as hell won't be critizied by a bunch
of jackasses that have spent their past 20 years withering away on
benches and stools while feeding birds crumbs. If I'm obsessed with my
best friend so be it.
Matt: Stop saying this so loud, someone might hear you
Jude: Fuck them if they do
Matt: J-
Jude:
There's no time for us to dwell on our flaws and passions at the moment
Matt, we have years for that to happen. We've realized something
tonight, something dark, something fantastic, filled with things that
we've never felt before, said before, thought before. And I know you're
thinking the same thing, Matt, we're both thinking the same thing.
Matt: Jude, you'll be the death of me.
Jude: (Smiles) Don't say that. Then who would I have? I have a question though
Matt: (Sigh) What, what is it now?
Jude: Do you want to?
Matt: Want to what?
Jude: Be dangerous with me? (Holds out his hand)
Matt: (Looks shocked; contemplates on taking his hand but finally does) Sure. We have nothing to lose, right?
Jude: Right, and everything to gain
Michel placed the page down. It was as if someone ripped his life out and typed it down on paper. His mind spun at the similarities, it made him wonder of so many things of the past. It would be a cold day in hell that he admitted that he missed and thought and prayed and wondered about someone that he knew that he shouldn't, but you know, Michael was never one to be in control of anything incept for tricks.
He leaned back inside the couch, draping an arm over one of the rests and decided that if he didn't get any sleep now he would never be ready for his classes tomorrow morning. As his eyes fluttered close, however, the only thing that seemed to be swimming through his mind, for whatever odd and complicated reason, was that Jake person who passed out before he suddenly had to go.
Jake leaned against the wall once more, chewing on a bagel and putting up the everyday normal façade that he had. His sun glasses were on his head, his white shirt was tucked into his pants and his hands were hooked in between the belt loops in his jeans. Alex murmured to himself along side him, pissed off about what had happened the day before, as they made their way down the large spots inside the mall, looking at the clothes and many food venues to choose from. " I can't believe that Roscoe said that" Alex sneered out, alburn hair flopping recklessly over his sun glasses, his shirt, this t-shirt he had found at this indie shop sporting the quote "FCK the only thing missing is U" on it.
He was sort of shocked when Jake pulled him up against his chest while walking and wrapped his arms around his abdomen, murmuring rubbish along the lines of "He's just jealous " In to his ear before letting go and instead taking his hand. They often walked hand in hand when they went out, wherever it would be, but not for the reason that people may think.
Simply because Jake had been having suddenly dizzy spouts, in which he'd lose balance and automatically crash to the floor. No warning, just complete shut down. And since Alex was holding his hand, at least he'd notice it before Jake could fully fall out.
"Why are we here anyways?" Jake grumbled, finishing the bagel and frowning.
"We have to go to that play again"
"The one with the Andrew boy?" Jake asked, eyebrows raised.
Alex paused momentarily before nodded," Yeah, the Andrew kid. You seem to have taken a liken to him, haven't you?"
"It's the other way around. He seems to have taken a liken to me." Jake shrugged." He finds me interesting. Especially when I practically blurted out to him never to love again if you wanted to maintain the happiness that he has now"
"Wow" Alex snorted," I think that you like him…"
Jake made a strange face," Ugh, I'm still chained to Roscoe like a motherfucker"
"Why do you constantly date assholes?" Alex asked, confused. "Remy, that Spanish kid…"
"Remy was a sexual banter type thing, Spanish boy was freaky…but…hey, you aren't an asshole"
"You never dated me" Alex's voice dropped down quietly.
"I remember quite occasionally that certain someone would end up in my bed" Jake smiled as he slid his sunglasses over his eyes.
"It was my bed, and you were always too drunk to make it to yours, so you'd end up in mines" Alex drawled out.
"But, I still got a kiss every morning" Jake said with a smile, kissing Alex on the cheek, making him flare up inside.
"You have germs!" Alex yelled, sticking his tongue out at him," I don't want to get sick. I still have to take care of you. Now come on, I just got some money from Marco, we need to get you a new uniform"