I had no real set up for the character flash backs except that jim's first flash back is just after Judai went into a coma, syrus's comes next where they go back to school and are swamped with work as well followed up with Syrus and Blair visiting the first time, Chazz's flash back is next with Johan nearly commiting suicide then Jim's second flash back is at the same time Alexis's second flash back while her first flash back happens immediately after Chazz's. That's the time line I have set up so far while the present day happens pretty much in order of each characters perspective until this one where it takes place along side Syrus's where he calls Blair about the doctor visit.
Alexis pov
2 weeks ago
Walking the halls with my two best friends Mindy and Jasmine, we talk endlessly over anything. Football schedules. The newest shops in town. The best places to get a bite to eat. Even the hottest guys on campus. Ironically everyone was thinking how hot Jim Johan and Hassleberry were. And apparently Jim's the favorite considering how approachable he is.
"What do you mean he's approachable?" I asked questioningly. It puzzled me by what they meant. I was pretty positive that Johan and Hasslberry were really lax guys to the point you could sit down and have a conversation with them.
"Nobody wants to even try talking to Johan. Apparently he was very close to Judai Yuki so when Judai had his camping accident he grew recluse." Jasmine responds. I figured that was the case. I just didn't think the other students could tell his out of place behavior. The so called camping accident was the story we spread and gave to the school when Judai fell into his coma, it made sense to give a false story.
Mindy gapped her mouth let out a shocked noise. "Yea I heard from Jackson that Johan apparently tried to jump off the roof. Chazz and Aster were looking everywhere for him from what he said."
My blood and body ran cold hearing their words at it brought me to a stop. 'No way… Johan what's going through your mind these days… if that was Jim-' I made my thoughts end there as I felt a blush run on my face and burning tears in my eyes.
Mindy and Jasmine look at me with worry. "Lexie?? Are you okay?" "Do you need to see the nurse??" I shook my head and took off running. Tears stung my eyes so bad that when I rounded the corner I ran full force into a tall figure who caught me from nearly falling to the ground.
"Oof I'm so sorry! Are- Alexis?" I looked up at the tall figure to see Jim gazing down at me, I realize my hands were on his shirt covered chest as the tears finally fell out of my eyes and down my face. "Are you hurt..??" Jim said urgently noticing the tears falling down my face.
"I-i'm fine.. Is Johan okay..?" I squeeze my hands into fists against his shirt worry stressing across my face which he genuinely pull me closer to hug me.
"Don't worry darlin'. Chazz and Aster found him and are keeping him company." I let out a shakey breath at his words as I kept tightly in his arms. My broke voice shook as I spoke. "Are you okay…? I know he's your best friend." I pull away from him to look up at him.
The look on his face took my breath away. He smiles at me with pure genuine.. is that content or joy..? But for what reason..? I couldn't think of one as I felt him press his face into my hair my eyes going wide and my face burning red.
"Thank you for being so caring.." I hear him whisper as my face went red. What was this feeling? My heart was pounding in my chest at him being this close to me so still it felt like we were frozen in time.
"Yo." I heard someone speak up as I jerked out of Jim's weird embrace of sorts to see a hoodie wearing Johan, the usual black jacket wearing Chazz and always decked out in his silver attire Aster.
Both Chazz and Aster have their arms wrapped around Johan in a specific way. Chazz has his arm around his shoulders while Aster has his arm entwine with Johans. They basically have the European male trap between the two of them.
My eyes widen heavily as tears well in my eyes again. "Johan…!!" I pull away from Jim and dash to the trio tackling the bluenette in the middle my arms going around his neck as I hug him tightly.
Johan must've been unsure of my sudden burst of emotion but quickly return the hug as I could smell his winter musk. I could feel like I did the wrong move but it was more of a subconscious feeling rather than something I thought of as I quickly pull away from him.
It's like something shifted in Johan's eyes as he wasn't looking at me but over my head at Jim who approached us. "I'm doing alright… sorry to worry you so much." Johan finally speaks after several minutes of quietness, Aster and Chazz exchanging looks.
Chazz starts tugging on the two of them going towards the school doors the two boys in tow as I wave bye to them chuckling at the awkward looks that Aster and Chazz shared.
I wasn't surprised to feel Jim close by, more like I had some strange awareness of where he was. I couldn't explain it either. I turned to look at him from over my shoulder, his hands now tucked in his pockets as a smile rose across his face at my glance.
"Got something on your mind, Sweetheart?" I pouted slightly at his teasing pet names. I couldn't even recall when he started doing them. "Yes I do actually." I walked back over to him to the pile of my things on the floor which I had dropped but never picked up when I bumped into him.
I bend down to gather my things as he also reach down to gather my stuff. He didn't have to bend as much as he just had to kneel slightly. I took my stuff from him and straighten up my stance looking at him with curiosity and hope.
"Are you…?" Jim's eyebrow rose to my starting words. But almost as if he could read my mind he smiles at me with a wink. "Still free to go to the dance? For you love, of course I am." I broke into a wide smile nodding my head once at his words. He walked me to the school doors and pushed it open. "I'll make sure to pick you up." He smirks at me as i looked away my nerves getting to me and making me get flustered.
"S-sounds great!" I grinned before walking away waving bye to him as I do.
{One Week Later}
My eyes widen heavily seeing Jim on the stage as his fingers glided on the piano as a semi familiar tune came from the instrument. Normally the song was played with a guitar and drums but knowing Jim and his tune with the piano he manage to play the song as my feet carried me to the stage as I sat next to him listening to him play as the song slowly formed on my lips.
"I''d be smart to walk away, but your quicksand…This Slope is treacherous.. this path is reckless…This Slope is Treacherous and I..I..I like it." Jim looked back at me his blue navy eye gleaming with delight as my voice picked up to sing a little louder for the patrons to hear me as a fat grin spread across his face. Just…being here, being in this moment with him made everything I had gone through earlier worth it.
{Two hours earlier}
"Your going out?? With a boy??" My mother exclaimed while Atticus was cheering and whooping for joy. "My baby sister is growing up! I'm so proooud!" Atticus cheered then procceded to burst into tears of joy as he hugged me tightly.
"Your not allowed out of this house." My father comdemed, shocking both of us siblings but from our mother expression it was like she already knew it was going to happen. "I'm 16 you can't tell me I can't go out on a date! You let me go to the dance just last week!" I raised my hands in definace.
"Going out with your friends to a dance in a public space is different than going on a date with an individual." He retorted casually. It made no sense for my father to reject my request considering I never asked for anything. He looked back at his book before mumbling out. "Besides i need you for a business related relationship."
Both me and my brother look disgused at him. "Your joking!" "Father you can't expect Lexi to go through with that!" my brother interjected pointing at him. My father got to his feet and leered at the both of us. "As long as you live in my house, You will do whatever I say when I say it. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" Atticus stood boldly in front of dad and stared him down. I was nearly in tears, but I wouldn't give my father the satisfaction that he broke my spirits.
"Atty…" I hissed out looking to my brother. He turned and looked down at me a tight expression on his face. "Pack my stuff while I'm on my date." The surprise that spread through the room was like ice in a hot bath. "YOUR NOT SERIOUS-!" "Yes I am! I've met the most wonderful man of my life and I'm not gonna let some business proposition of yours keep me from living my life the way I want to. And If you can't accept it, then good riddance, I'm gone!" I marched towards the stairs to my room with Atticus following quickly behind me.
"Sissy are you sure?" I look back at him and smiled proudly. "I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life. I know exactly who I can move in with who wouldn't mind my pressence." He nodded as he went to the closets to get the suitcases while I went and got ready for my date. I wasn't going to call Jim and tell him where we were going to have our dinner now. I was going to throw it in my fathers face and still have my date at the family restaraunt, that was for certain.
Later after the date ended Jim drove me back to my house. it was a nice drive the two of us chatting about nothing specifically and just enjoying the pleasant company. He pulled up next to my house and smiled at me before getting out of his truck to come to my side opening the door for me.
"Thanks Jim. I had such a wonderful time." Jim looking a little flustered smiled warmly through lightly tinted cheeks. "I'm glad…It was really…really nice." A man of few words, he seemed almost speechless at how flustered he looked standing there ruffling the back of his hair.
I giggled before walking up towards my porch which he went along with too, holding my hand gingerly in his. "Alexis…" I turn to him, my eyes wide as to wonder why his voice dropped to a whisper. "Whats wrong..?" I blink in surprise looking at him when i noticed he was one step lower than me. My eyes go from his position on the stairs to the look on his face. He was in contemplation and very deep thought. His eyes met mine and I could tell a descison had been made in that navy blue eye of his.
He grasped my hand tighter and with a small tug of his hand, I was against his chest, his slightly chapped and cold dusted lips on my own. My face light up like a street light at the contact, and before I could react, the front door slammed open.
I felt Jim ripped away from me as my father gripped my arm and hauled my ass into the entry way of the door. "DAD!" I screamed in pain. I couldn't help the rush of pain that went up and down my arm from where my father yanked me away from Jim. I could see the reaction on Jim's face. "Mr Rhodes…I demand you unhand your daughter like that." His voice was controlled but irritated, almost like my Dad's interruption didn't suddenly piss him off.
"So this is the boy you been seeing?" Dad retorted still gripping my arm. Atticus must've ran down stairs because i could hear the pounding of feet just behind me and him yelling in surprise. "What are you-? Dad! Let got of Lexie!" He interrupted his own sentence to yell at dad before he manually removed his hand from my arm, which started to bruise. "Ahh!" Icried out finally being free from my fathers thick and strong grip.
"Alexis??" I could hear Jim's concern voice reach my ears as I look up at Atticus. I took a glance at the stairs and saw the suitcases had fallen from his grasp when he saw the commotion dad was doing in the entry way. "Atty… Put the suitcases in Jim's truck." My brother saw my expression and just nodded as he went to grab the bags, handing one to Jim who looked confused.
I stood up and brush pass both my parents as the two males got my bags in the car with Atticus hopping in the truck bed and Jim hesitantly looking between me and my folks who pour out onto the porch. "YOU'LL REGRET THIS, ALEXIS!" I bit my lip and held back any tears I wanted to shed in that moment and continued to walk to Jim's truck hoping back into the open door he had left from just before.
I climb in and slam the door looking everywhere but not at my parents as Jim climbed into the truck and pulled out of the driveway. I leaned into Jim's side trying to push away all the feelings pounding away inside of me begging for me to either scream or cry to let them out. Atticus and Jim had a semi conversation but I didn't pay attention to them, nor did I look up to see where we were going.
All I could feel was the steady heart beat belonging to Jim which helped sooth my stressed out nerves but not the urge of wanting to break apart at the scene. I felt the truck under us pull to a stop with Atticus saying something along the lines of checking to see if someone was home before hopping out of the back of the truck.
"Alexis..?" Jim's soft voice rang in my ears. My gaze rose to meet his soft gaze as I felt his hand ruffle and run through my hair. "Are you alright?" The words he said we're far from what I was feeling as I shook my head looking away from him as I felt tears prick my eyes. "Let me be here for you…" I felt his lips press against my forehead in a soft spoken kiss, had I not been looking at him I wouldn't have realized what he did.
The warmth that spread through me, made my nerves lax to the point tears started to run down my cheeks and a choked noise escape my throat.
Jim did nothing but gather me into his arms my legs resting in between his as he held me to his chest as I sobbed into his chest arms like vice around his neck.
{Now}
"And he did all that for you before you wound up on Stella's door step?" Blair poked with curiosity at my memory of last week. I looked slightly flustered seeing Blair and Aki basically poke fun at me. "Y-yes why do you say it like that?" My stutter accidentally slipped out making the two giggle with glee. Thankfully Stella wasn't in the room at the moment otherwise she'd tease me worse.
Aki let down her pine green hair from their usual braids winking her purplish blue eyes at me. She could've passed for Fujiwara's twin if it wasn't for the fact her brother was 3 years older than her and was finally an almost graduate at our school. Blair copied Aki's actions.
Thankfully the phone rang that belonged to Aki as she ran to pick it up from her charger. "Eh? Yusuke? Why are you calling me?" There was a pause in between her brother talking to her on the phone. "Ehhhh?? What do you mean they're over there?! I thought it was just date night for you and Atticus??" Me and Blair exchanged a look of confusion as Aki looked even more flushed out of surprise.
"H-hang on I-i'm on my way…!" She hung up the phone grabbed her bag that she had brought over for a would've been sleepover that night and looked at us sadly. "Sorry ladies… Don't have too much fun without me!" Before we could even question her further she raced out the door, bumping into Stella who yelled out. "Where's the fire, Aki??" As a far away sound of the front door slamming shut was heard before Stella looked inside her room at us.
"The duck was that about?" We shook our heads unsure of what the rush was. It almost sounded like Fujiwara got dropped with a second visitor. I could feel Aki's pain with having to deal with such a thing out of nowhere.
Blair reached for her cellphone which started ringing as she answered. "Hello? Oh hey Syrus." She looked at me and Stella as the brown haired lavender eyed girl sat down next to me on the loveseat.
"Yea of course I don't think she would mind at all… Why? Is something wrong?" Blair looked at the two of us with worry on her face. Stella and I shared a look of confusion as we glanced back at the navy blue haired girl who jumped up from her spot on Stella's bed a sharp gasp escaping her, nearly dropping the phone.
"J-j-Judai-kun's awake..??" Stella and I jumped up and nearly tackled Blair listening in on the phone call as Syrus explained what had happened and what was wrong.
We listened to them go back and forth a bit before Blair ended the conversation with a nod of her head and a small blush on her face. "S-sure… I can't wait." She smiled ending the call looking at the both of us.
"Poor Johan… We gotta be there for him as much as we can." Stella urged with confidence. Both girls watched as I got my coat on and grabbed my purse. "Where are you going?!" I looked back at them deep concern on my face.
"I'm getting my ass over to their house and gonna wait on them to show up. I'm calling Aster as well, he needs to be there for this as well." I pulled my hair out of my coat and threw my purse over my shoulder. Both girls followed me down the stairs as I walked out of the door.
"Come back safely!" Stella called out as I closed the door behind me.