A/N: For anyone who might not know: Jack Daniels is a type of whiskey, and Dylan is Paige's older brother/Marco's boyfriend (but of course you probably already know that...). And thanks for the reviews, comments are always appreciated.
3 –The Gay Kid (Alex's POV)
"So, could you tell me why exactly we're at the mall on a Saturday night?" Jay asks before taking another bite of the Milky Way Bar he just stole.
"It's fun," I say –trying my best not to sound sarcastic.
He swallows his bite and gives me a look. "Fun?"
I roll my eyes. "It's not like we have anything better to do," I say. It's the best line I can think of. I mean, it's not like I'm actually going to tell him –or anyone, ever- the real reason we're here… Paige. That's why we're here… There's a sale on at one of the stupid stores she likes and she's bound to be here and… I guess I just want to talk to her… Maybe make-up even? I know it's stupid but… I don't know…
I sigh.
Jay finishes his candy bar and throws the wrapper away. When he walks back over to the bench I'm sitting on, he sits as close as humanly possible to me and puts his arm around my shoulder. "Penny for your thoughts, babe?" I can't tell if he's being sincere or just the cocky dick that he usually is, but it doesn't really make a difference either way.
I brush his arm away and scoot down a little. I glare at him. "Okay, A: never call me 'babe' ever again and B: when was the last time you took a shower?"
He smirks. "Well, you're sure in a good mood today."
I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest.
He sighs. "Oh, come on, Lexi. We've been having a good time these last few nights. Don't be like this."
I smile a little. "We have beenhaving a pretty good time. A damn good time." In fact, I've spent the last few days pretty much just hanging out with Jay, my good friend Jack Daniels and some very lovely strippers I've gotten to, um… "know"… a little better.
Jay stands up. "Exactly. So how about we get going then. Have some actual fun tonight"
I sigh. "I can't leave yet." We can't leave before I get a chance to talk to Paige. "You can go if you want, though." I mean, it's not like I even forced him to come with me here in the first place…
He shakes his head. "Nah, I'll stay." We sit in silence for a while because I have a lot on my mind… and Jay? Well, he never has anything on his mind, but I guess maybe he just doesn't feel like talking at the moment… I'm trying to think of something I could say to Paige that wouldn't make me look completely pathetic when I spot someone I recognize…
"Alex?" Marco comes over to the bench me and Jay are sitting on. "Alex!" he squeals when he reaches us –giving me a hug while he's at it. "Alex, it's been so long!"
I roll my eyes at him. "It's been, like, a week."
"Well, I guess it just feels like it's been forever, then." He glances over at Jay for a second before continuing. "So, how's my former vice-president been doing?"
"Alright, I guess." I look past Marco –I'm thinking he's probably here with Dylan meaning Paige might be here, too…
"Looking for someone?" Marco asks.
"Um, I was just…" Oh what the hell… "Is Paige here with you?"
He looks at me –puzzled for a second, before a grin forms on his face. "You still like Paige!" he squeals.
I roll my eyes at him. "No, I don't." He gives me a look. "Okay, fine. I do, but-"
"But nothing. You two are perfect together. Oh my God, and I thought you guys wouldn't ever be together again after she told me she slept with Spinner and…" Marco keeps talking but I'm not paying attention anymore.
She slept with Spinner? This… I can't… I mean… No… This can't…
"Are you okay?" Marco asks –concerned. He puts one hand on my shoulder…
But Jay immediately gets up and moves it away. "Of course she's not okay!" he says getting right in Marco's face, "You just told her that her ex-girlfriend fucked some moron the second after they broke up!"
"She… she didn't know?"
Marco looks like he's going to piss himself.
"Jay, it's okay. Just calm down," I say grabbing his arm –trying to get him to back off Marco a little.
Jay turns around to face me –still as pissed off as ever. "Calm down? Fuck. Maybe I'd be a little more calm if your stupid little faggot friend here wasn't such an inconsiderate jackass!"
Okay, now I'm pissed off, too. I get up from the bench I was sitting on and give Jay a hard shove. "What the hell's your problem?"
"I think the real question is what the hell's your problem, Alex," he says getting in my face now.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
He looks down angrily at the floor for a second before practically screaming at me. "It means, why the fuck do you hang out with this fruity, preppy, no-it-all, little… little…"
"Homo?" Jay turns around to find himself face to face with Dylan.
Jay smirks. "Yeah, thanks, Homochuk. That's just the word I was looking for."
Dylan lunges at Jay and Marco immediately grabs Dylan to hold him back and I do the same with Jay. They both look ready to kill each other. Jay keeps talking shit and Dylan's face is getting so red it looks like it might explode. This is insane. A crowd is starting to gather around us and how the hell did this even start in the first place? "Calm the fuck down," I whisper into Jay's ear. I just know we're going to get kicked out soon.
"You want me to calm down?" he asks –still glaring at Dylan, "Because, you know, I think Homochuk might need to calm down a little, too." He makes sure Dylan hears every word of what he says. Seriously, every time Marco manages to calm Dylan down a bit, Jay has some other stupid thing to say that pisses Dylan right back off… And I can't fucking stand this anymore. So, I end it once and for all.
I knee Jay right in the balls.
That shut him up.
---------------------------------------------
We're at my place now. Amazingly, we managed to leave the mall without even being thrown out. Some stupid infomercial's on TV and Jay's focused completely on it –one hand covering his crotch protectively. He hasn't talked to me at all since the fight. I'd apologize to the guy, but, for God's sake, it's not like he didn't have it coming.
"Do you want, like, some ice or something for that?" I ask. It's the least I can do.
He shakes his head 'no' and doesn't look away from the TV at all.
I roll my eyes and sigh. "Look, all I did was kick you in the balls so you wouldn't kill or get killed by Dylan –I don't see why you have to get all pissy about it."
"I… I'm…" he sighs and turns to look at me, "I'm not pissed off about that."
"Um, okay… then what's with the silent treatment? Usually I can't get you to shut up."
"I… don't know," he says quietly before turning to face the TV again.
Whatever.
We end up watching several ridiculously boring infomercials without saying one word to each other. One for some dumb exercise program called "Tae-bo". One for some hair growth supplement. And one for 'Girls Gone Wild'… Okay, so that last one wasn't boring, but still…
"Why did you want to go to the mall?" Jay asks randomly. I don't know if I'm more surprised that he asked the question, or at the question itself.
"So, you're talking to me again?"
"Lexi, could you just… answer the question?" he asks. He looks over at me, "Please?"
Okay, since when does Jay ask so many questions? Since when does he care? And since when does he say 'please'? I don't really know how to answer him… I guess I could always just tell the truth… "I- I wanted to see if Paige would be there… I wanted to… maybe… work things out between us…" I can't fucking believe it, but I'm actually starting to get all emotional again.
And even harder to believe? Jay scoots towards me, wraps his arms around me and whispers something in my ear.
"I'm sorry."
