Chapter Text
“Hey Stranger,” Alex says as he walks out of the hospital. Zach looks up from where he’s sitting.
“Hey Lex,” Zach says softly. Alex walks over to Zach and sits next to him.
“I can’t do this Lex. I can’t see Justin like that,” Zach says.
“That’s understandable. You two are best friends. It hurt to see him like that and the two of us aren’t even that close. But, Zach, he wants to see you. You’ve helped him through so much, he’d want you to be there for him now, too,” Alex says, resting his head on Zach’s shoulder.
It felt nice, Zach had to admit, having Alex close to him again.
“I know he wants me there and I want to be there for him, it’s just-it's just so much. This hospital...so much has happened here. My dad, you, my knee, now Justin. It just hurts so bad,” Zach says, wrapping his arms around Alex’s smaller frame. Alex, in return, squeezes Zach tightly. He rubs Zach’s back gently as Zach sobs.
“I could have stopped what happened to my dad. If I hadn’t been so moody and distant that day. I could’ve seen the car. He’d be alive. And then with you...with you, if I had paid more attention-” Alex grabs Zach’s hand. It made Zach feel butterflies in his stomach, but he doesn’t say anything. Alex had Charlie and he wouldn’t be able to change that. He didn’t want to change that. Alex is happy so it doesn’t matter that Zach isn’t.
“Don’t think like that. You couldn’t have stopped what I did. You did help me get better though. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. And with your dad, that’s definitely not your fault. It was the drunk guy that was not paying attention, not you. But Zach,” Alex stops to take a deep, shaking breath, “Zach, if you keep drinking, you might cause that to happen to someone else or-” Alex’s voice breaks. Suddenly, Zach feels so bad for the drinking. He’s hurting Alex, he’s hurting May.
“Or you might hurt yourself. You saw what happened when you and Clay got into that car wreck. I couldn’t live with myself if something bad happened to you.”
And now, Alex was crying.
“So please Zach, stop drinking. I’m not trying to guilt you, but Zach, I love you and I hate when you end up in the hospital just like how you hate being here.”
Alex tries to dry his tears. This wasn’t about him.
“And Zach, if you want me to go in there with you to see Justin, I will,” Alex says.
“I’d like that,” Zach smiles, “And I’m sorry for the drinking. I know that doesn’t mean anything after everything I’ve put you through, but it’s a start, I hope.”
Alex hugs Zach tightly.
“I’ve missed this Zach,” Alex says into Zach’s chest. He smiles through his tears.
“I know and I’m sorry,” Zach says, “I’m not ready to see Justin. Not right now. Can we go drive somewhere and then come back?”
“Of course,” Alex says. They get into Zach’s car. Zach gets in the driver seat and Alex starts to turn on soft music. A song comes on that both boys know very well.
Nothing you say will ever be wrong
Alex blushes, thinking back to that night in his room. Before everything with Tyler, before everything with Jess, when everything was nice.
“Want a reprise of the night of the dance?” Zach asks, “You know, besides all the bad.”
“Are you sure that you want to do that?” Alex asks.
Zach stops the car before even getting out of the parking lot and turns up the music.
“Come on. I need a distraction,” Zach starts to sway to the music by himself, laughing. Alex gets out of Zach’s car and goes to dance.
“Let’s see if you have any new moves, Mr. Prom King,” Zach jokes. He grabs Alex’s hand and spins him. Alex giggles and Zach laughs. Alex puts his arms around Zach’s neck and Zach his hands on Alex’s waist. Alex slowly leans into Zach’s chest. He smiles brightly. This was the most free Alex had felt in a long time. Sure, it was just him and Zach dancing on a grassy patch under some big trees, but there was no judgement, fear or anyone pitying Alex. It was just Zach and his goofy, awkward smile.
There's one thing I'll do
If it ever goes wrong
I'll write you into all of my songs
Zach was completely scared and confused as to why he asked Alex to dance here. He had to be going insane. Or maybe the alcohol from earlier was just giving him the courage to do the things he really wanted to do and was just too scared to when sober. It was honestly probably the second one, but Zach didn’t want to admit that he was a coward.
Zach would admit, however, that the last lyric they just heard hit really close to home. He had seen Charlie hug Alex from behind a few days ago in the student lounge and just couldn’t stand it. He got up and stormed his way to the music room. He furiously scribbled lyrics. He was mad at himself at Charlie, at Alex. Well, that last one was a lie. While Zach didn’t believe he could actually be mad at Alex, the reason Zach was mad at Alex was his own fault. He was mad at Alex for picking Charlie over him when Zach didn’t even make himself an option to Alex. Zach was just so stupid and that was his own fault. But he wrote a whole song for Alex that day and it was beautiful and heartbreaking and angry all at the same time. Zach wasn’t going to think about that now.
Suddenly, Alex’s phone starts ringing. The other boy walks away from Zach, smiling and giddy, takes one look at the phone and his entire mood shifts. Alex goes from being happy and enjoying himself to upset about something. Nonetheless, Alex answers the phone.
“Hey Charlie,” Alex says.
‘Huh, that’s odd,’ Zach thinks, ‘Why is he so upset to talk to his boyfriend?’
“I’m with Zach right now,” Alex says. Alex then winces at whatever Charlie says back.
“He was feeling upset about Justin so we went somewhere to get his mind off of it. He just needed some time to work through things before seeing Justin,” Alex says. Zach walks over and sits on the ground by Alex’s feet. Alex sits next to him.
“Charlie, your mom ended up dying with you and your dad around her at your guys’ house. Zach’s dad died in a car crash and Zach didn’t exactly have that luxury so maybe stop acting like you know things that you don’t,” Alex says, sharply but calmly.
Alex face scrunches up and Zach hears yelling through the phone. His eyes begin to water. It’s at that moment Zach takes Alex’s home and hangs up on Charlie. Alex looks at him, curiously.
“We are not going to worry about him right now. He was making you upset and that’s not gonna stand when I am around,” Zach says, “What was he saying?”
“He was jealous I was with you instead of with him at the hospital.”
“Does he get jealous often?” Zach asks.
“Yeah, all the time. Especially of you, though. I don’t get why he doesn’t trust me. It’s not only that though. He straight up just doesn’t respect anything I say. I ask him to give me space, he doesn’t listen. I’ll ask him to stop making out with me sometimes, if I get overwhelmed and he just won’t. That was one thing about tonight that made me mad at him. He told you to get off of your date, which you should have, but he told you to be better,” Alex says, “By that standard, he needs to be better when I say stop.”
Zach is taken back by this information.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have unloaded all of that on you. It’s just that Charlie is known for being sweet, but ever since we’ve been together, he acts like Bryce and Monty and all those guys,” Alex says.
“No Alex, it’s fine. I just wouldn’t have expected that. Charlie always seems so nice, but I guess it makes sense that sometimes he isn’t as nice as he seems.”
“A lot of the time,” Alex mutters, “I’m convinced he likes Peter and wants to date him more than he likes me. Anytime he’s over when Peter’s home, he always wants to talk to Peter and be around Peter and always get mad when I tell him I’m kind of jealous of it. Like he can be jealous of everyone I talk to, but I can’t be jealous when he is blatantly flirting with my brother. That’s just bullshit.”
Zach gets up and hugs Alex. “It’ll be alright. If you don’t want to be with him, you can break up with him. If you do want to stay with him, you guys need to try and work things out or it is just going to be a toxic situation for the both of you.”
“You’re right Zach. Wait, I haven’t been able to say that one in a long time,” Alex says playfully. He and Zach both laugh.
“I think I’m ready to see Justin. You’ll still come with me right?”
“Of course,” Alex says.