Chapter 3
Alex had been in love with Reggie since he was twelve. It was how he figured out he was gay, if he really thought about it. They would watch movies, and he cringed whenever the lead had to kiss the leading lady, but later when he would think about, he knew he wouldn’t mind if the other person was Reggie. But Reggie only dated girls once they started deciding they were old enough to date. Now they were juniors, and Reggie was straight. At least that’s what he thought until a month after Alex started dating Luke, and Reggie told them he was bisexual and started dating Nick. It didn’t last, because they were better as friends, and Reggie still hung out with Nick and his boyfriend, Dylan. It wasn’t long after that when he and Luke decided to call it quits, because they both knew they weren’t right for each other. Luke wanted Julie, someone who embodied his passion for music and was absolutely beautiful. A girl who fought for what was right, and stood up for what she knew. And Alex still wanted Reggie, the first person he always turned to when his anxiety got to be too much. The guy who always knew exactly what he needed without him needing to say it, and was always there with advice or a joke to help him or lift his spirits.
It was safe to say Alex wasn’t paying attention as he banged away on his drums, he knew their songs by heart, and his transitions from one song to the next during rehearsal were seamless. But suddenly Julie was snapping her fingers in front of his face. He jerked back, dropping his drumsticks and they clattered on the floor. “You okay, Alex?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” He looked around, “Where’d Reggie and Luke go?”
“To get food, they’ve been gone for ten minutes. Reggie said to just let you go until you noticed, but it was starting to freak me out.” Julie sat back down on the piano bench, “So, how long have you had a thing for my brother?”
Alex let out a noise that he wasn’t entirely sure was human, his face flaming as he looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t look so scared, Alex, geez.” She laughed awkwardly, “I just see the way you look at him in practice, or in the hall, when you think he doesn’t see you looking. It’s sweet. Are you gonna tell him how you feel?”
Alex did not feel up to arguing against the truth, “What would be the point? So I can ruin our friendship?” Julie gave him a look, and he knew that she knew it was just an excuse. If he ever told Reggie how he felt, Reggie would never that it ruin their friendship. “Just- please don’t say anything.”
“I promise. But I think you should.” Julie answered as the door opened, Luke tossed Alex his car keys, and the blonde looked at the guitarist confused.
“You weren’t answering us, Reggie literally took them out of your pocket without you noticing.” Luke laughed as Reggie set the pizza boxes on the coffee table.
“Hey!” Reggie exclaimed, “Don’t blame me.”
Alex shook his head, giving his friends an unimpressed stare, “First of all, rude. Second of all, I am sorry that I wasn’t focused. Won’t happen again.”
“What were you all up in your head about anyway?” Reggie asked. His tone was light, but Alex knew how to read him to see that he was genuinely concerned.
“Nothing important,” he shared a glance with Julie. “Just some stuff with my parents.” It wasn’t an outright lie, Reggie knew things were contentious at home for Alex right now, so the black haired boy just hugged his best friend, offering support. Alex pretended he didn’t wish his best friend would kiss him instead.
“Alex! My favorite drummer.” Flynn cheered as she fell into step beside him and Reggie on the way home from school the next day.
“What do you want, Flynn?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. Reggie took Alex’s water bottle while they walked, taking a drink. Alex made a face at him, pretending it bothered him.
“I need you to be my date.” Reggie choked on the drink of water. “Okay, listen, Carrie’s dad thinks I’m just her best friend, so he wants her and Reggie to go to dinner with him this weekend, and he invited me to come. And he can’t know I’m gay, or I won’t be allowed at her house again. Please?”
Reggie raised his own eyebrow, “I’m supposed to have dinner with her dad?” As if on cue, Reggie’s phone went off with a text from Carrie. “Ah, now I see. He wants to interrogate me.” He said as he scanned the message. “That’ll be fun.”
Alex rolled his eyes, not needing to pretend he hated the idea of watching Reggie be couple-y with someone. “So, you want me to go, so two gay kids can pretend their in a straight relationship? Doesn’t that just sound like a fun time.” He deadpanned.
“Listen, king of sass,” Reggie bumped his shoulder to Alex’s, “Please? If I’m going to get questioned, I would appreciate the moral support. This fake relationship is more stressful than the last real one I had.”
“Yeah, but Nick’s dads love everyone!” Alex argued, “And they can hardly get mad at him for dating a guy. They are literally two guys.”
Flynn rolled her eyes, “Please, Alex. I want to be there for my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, fine. I’ll do it.” Alex sighed.
Flynn blinked, “Oh, thank you. Carrie told me that would be harder.”
Alex just shook his head, “You coming to rehearsal tonight?” He changed the subject.
“Obviously. Julie is still my best friend and I know your boy wants to put the moves on her.”
Reggie grimaced, “Don’t remind me.”