Array
(
[text] =>

I hate school. I spaced out through most of my lessons, Jasper haunting my mind. Maybe he is a ghost...well my ghost because he won't stop haunting me. I think my curiosity went a bit too far because now I want to know even more about the mysterious boy.

I was like a zombie, wondering through school grounds in my own world. I didn't even notice when some jock pushed into me, well that was until I hit the locker, then I snapped out of it. I turned around to see my attacker and watched on as a bunch of jocks laughed and walked on. Idiots.

I grabbed my lunch from my locker and made my way outside, I tend to avoid the cafeteria. I'm not wanted in there and it's not like I have anyone to sit with anyway. So instead I made my way to my usual spot near the tree at the top of the field. There I was hidden away from everyone. It was peaceful because nobody ever came up here, here I could be alone with my thoughts. Except there was someone haunting my thoughts and it was slowly driving me crazy. I pulled out a book from my backpack and started reading while eating my lunch, hoping I could distract myself. This is how I spend my lunch.

The last classes of the day were boring and I found myself spacing out again, I really need to clear my mind, if I keep this up my grades could fall but I can afford to slack off just a bit. After all my grades were pretty good.

When the bell rang I jumped up from my seat, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. To tell you the truth I just couldn't wait to see Jasper again. Wait. What is wrong with me? What is it about that kid that has me so excited to see him? I've been preoccupied all day because of him. Something has to be wrong with me. What makes me think he'd even wants to see me? Sigh. The thought of him not wanted to see me was honestly depressing. Was I just that desperate for a friend? Probably, I get really lonely sometimes. But I pretend it doesn't bother me, I don't want my mother to worry.

Screw this! I'm going round there, whether he wants me to or not. I want to know more about him, I want to know why he's living in that dump and more importantly I want someone to talk to....I want a friend.

*****

"I'm going out!"

"You are?" The surprise in her voice was expected but either way it hurt. See what I mean? I'm a loner...I don't want to be, not anymore.

"Yeah, I'll be back later"

"Okay sweetie, have fun!" She said, giving me a hug.

I stepped out of the door and headed around the neighborhood, I didn't want her to see where I was going. That would be bad, really bad. So after circling the neighborhood I made my way up the hill, stopping at the top to catch my breath. Stupid hill!

I went around back of the house and opened the back door stepping inside and making my way up the creaky stairs. I know I should knock but I also know he won't answer so this is the only other way.

Coming to the door to the left of the hallway, I knocked.

Silence....

"Jasper?"

Silence....

I reached for door handle and to my surprise it opened. I really shouldn't enter without his permission. I wavered in the doorway contemplating my options. I really didn't want to go home but then again I don't want to make Jasper angry. I felt nervous all of a sudden. Am I doing wrong? I just want a friend and Jasper lives in this old, rusted, abandoned house all on his own. Maybe he wanted a friend too? Maybe he has friends. Maybe that's why he's not here right now, he could be at a friend's house having fun. Sigh. I should just leave.

"What are you doing here?" Hearing his voice from down the hallway made me jump, I didn't scream this time though so that's progress.

"I wanted t-to see you" Why must I stutter?

"Why?"

"I don't know really, I just wanted to see you"

"You can't be here"

"Why not?"

"Y-you just can't" Did he just stutter?

"Please? I won't bother you"

"Why don't you go hang out with your friends?"

"I...well I don't have f-friends" My eyes fell to the floor, saying that made me feel ashamed, I think that's the first time I've ever said it out loud. How depressing.

"Fine, you can stay. B-but not for too long"

I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face at his words and he gestured for me to enter the room I still stood in front of, the room which I'm guessing was his. I pushed the door open further and stepped inside, my eyes widening in shock. What I expected was for this room to look the same as the other rooms in the house but I was mistakenly wrong. In fact the room looked like you'd expect any teenage boys room to, if you were in a normal house, not one this old and deserted. Standing in this room you would almost forget that the rest of the house was a mess, old, dusty and abandoned as if nobody had lived here for years. The floor was carpeted, a nice dark blue that blended well with the light blue walls. A single bed sat against the wall, the sheets black with blue stripes. A brown oak wardrobe against a different wall, pictures hung around the place of beautiful experiences around the world. 2 doors were connected to the room, I could only assume one was a bathroom and the other was a closet but I couldn't be sure. That just seemed the most reasonable conclusion.

The room was nice but it felt like it was made for a child, not for a teenager but then again I don't know how old Jasper is but if I had to guess I'd say 16, maybe 17. But I hadn't seen his around school, does he even go to school? There were so many questions I wanted to ask him but I've only just gotten him to allow me to stay in his house and I don't know how long that will last so the last thing I want to do is anger him or worse, scare him off.

My attention fell back on Jasper, he was sat cross legged on his bed staring at me, an intrigued look on his face. This was the first time I got to see him properly as the lights actually work in this room. Strange really, considering no power seemed to reach the rest of the house but this room was different, it didn't feel like it was part of the house.

Jasper had bleach blonde hair that looked extremely soft, I wonder if it feels as soft as it looks. Lucas stop being weird! Geez, what has gotten into me lately? His bright hazel eyes burned holes in me as he stared my way. Beside him on the bed was an old, brown teddy bear leaning against his pillow. Heh, cute.

I suddenly felt awkward, his full attention was directed at me and I didn't know what to say, how do I start up a conversation with him?

"So what do you do in here?" I asked, noticing that he didn't have a TV or any form of game console in this room. Nor did he seem to have anything really...but maybe I just couldn't see them.

He shrugged, not taking his eyes off me. He didn't seem to trust me which was completely understandable, to him I'm just a stranger who barged into his house and demanded I stayed but I plan to fix that real soon.

"Read mainly"

"What do you read?" I didn't notice any books besides one sitting on the nightstand beside his bed but maybe they were all carefully tucked away in the closet.

"Everything"

I really didn't think this through, I want to start a proper conversation but I generally have no idea how. Sigh, I really need to work on my social skills.

"You can read if you want" I offered.

"What will you do?"

"Uh, I have homework I probably should get done"

He nodded and took hold of the book that was sitting on the nightstand, opening it up to the page he was last on and started to read.

He's such a strange person but he's interesting, I like that. Nothing interesting even happens to me so this makes a nice change and hey, I may even gain a proper friend out of this.

There was a desk next to the wall near the door, seemed like a good place to do my homework so I pulled my homework out of bag before setting it down on the floor. With the homework in front of me and a pen in my hand I stared down at the questions on the sheet. Urgh Math.

"Do you go to school?" I found myself asking, finding no interest in my homework and suddenly regretting this being my choice of things to do.

"No" He responded, not looking up from his book.

"How old are you?"

This time he looked up from his book but only for a second before his eyes fell back on the pages in front of him.

"19"

"Oh" So he was one year older than me, meaning he left school last year, right? So does he work? I haven't seen him leave the house but maybe he works school hours. Or maybe he goes to college? Um...maybe not.

Looking back down at my homework I groaned aloud, making Jasper look up from his book, quickly...too quickly.

"I hate Math" He appeared to relax as soon as I said that. Was he worried because I groaned. Okay....note to self, don't groan again.

Jasper didn't respond to my statement but instead went back to reading. Something was telling me this guy was worse than I was at socializing. But then I suppose he is locked up in this house all day...or does he have a job? Urgh there's so much I want to know but I can't just hit him with a 100 questions just because I'm curious, I only just met the guy.

Okay, homework. I got to get this done. So I spend the next half hour completing my Math homework and I really hope Jasper didn't look over during that time because the faces I was pulling were not ones I'd ever want anyone to see, especially a possible friend. I don't want to scare him off.

I put my completed Math homework back into my backpack and looked down at my next lot of homework.....Science.

"I need a break" I announced, standing up from the chair and sitting in front on Jasper on his bed. I probably should have asked for permission before doing so but I'm really ADHD when it comes to doing homework and he didn't seem to mind anyway and if he did he didn't show it.

"You only just started..."

"No, it's been like 30 minutes"

"Do you need help?"

"Know anything about science?"

"So what do you want to do?" He answered, setting the book down on his nightstand again and turning his attention on me.

I shrugged "How about 20 question" I really want to know more about him.

"20 questions?"

"Yeah, you know. You ask a question about me, I ask a question a question about you"

"20 questions each?"

"Well you can ask as many as you want"

"Oh, sure, why not...um you go first" He seemed weary but I plan on going easy on him to start with anyway.

"What's your favourite color?"

"White" Okay....

"Now you ask me a question" I explained.

"Why don't you have any friends?" Wow...and after I decided to go easy on him.

"I don't know....maybe it's because I'm antisocial or because I'm a huge dork or maybe it's because they're afraid I'd flatten them in a game of Mario Kart. Personally I think it's the last one but who knows"

My answer earned a small laugh from Jasper, it was faint but it was there and knowing I succeeded in making Jasper laugh made me really happy for some reason.

"Do you have a job?" I asked deciding to go straight in considering he didn't hold back on me.

"No" Hmm he didn't have a job and he didn't go to school so does he really spend all his time cooped up in here?

"How old are you?" Okay, easy question.

"18"

"Do you have any friends?" I already had a feeling I knew what the answer would be but I wanted to confirm my suspicions.

"No" Just as I thought.

"Why are you here?"

"I want to be your friend" May as well be honest, it was the truth after all. I just want a friend.

"Why?"

"That's two questions. One per turn, I'm afraid" Jasper cursed under his breath at my response. It was cute. No! No, definitely not cute!

"Do you ever leave this house?"

"No" No?

"Why do you want to be my friend?" This was not an easy question as I hadn't even figured that out myself, I guess I just feel drawn to him? Does that make sense?

"Because you're....interesting"

"Interesting?"

"Do you live here alone?"

"Yes, how am I interesting?"

"You keep yourself locked away in a old, condemned house that everybody thinks is abandoned, you never leave, have no friends and spend your days locked in this room reading books. How are you not interesting?"

"That's exactly how I'm not interesting, I don't do anything. I have the least exciting life..."

"But you hold secrets and that's what makes you interesting, there's a reason behind why you do what you do and you've gotten me curios as to what that reason is"

"It's really not as great as you're expecting"

"Try me"

Jasper sighed and looked down at his bed sheets before looking back up and staring directly into my eyes. I felt my heart pick up speed at his intense glare, why is this happening to me?

The theme song from Star Wars snapped me out of my daze, pulling my phone out of my pocket, I checked the caller ID. Great, mother dearest calls. I hit the answer button.

"Hey mum, what's up?" Taking a glance at Jasper he looked confused as he watched me.

"Hey honey, are you coming back for dinner? Your father will be joining us"

"Yeah, I'll be back in about 10 minutes"

"Okay sweetie, see you soon. Love you!"

"Love you too"

I hung up the call, placing my phone back in my pocket before turning to Jasper who seemed to be spacing out.

"I got to head out soon, my mum's cooking dinner" My words snapped Jasper out of his daze and he nodded his head.

"Okay"

"I'll be back though"

"Why?" It came out in a whisper, which caught me off guard. Jasper sat staring down at his bed sheets, his hair covering his eyes. I couldn't see his expression but I just smiled and said; "Because I want to"

He looked up and stared at me with a look of confusion and fascination on his face which kind of made my heart melt. Urgh! Snap out of it Lucas!

"I got to go" I said, turning away. I couldn't look at him anymore, I'm so confused.

"Okay" Was the only response I got before I took off through the hallway and down the stairs being careful as not to trip. Once out of the house I ran home. I really needed to clear my head.

Late that night, I lay in bed unable to sleep. My mind clouded with thoughts of Jasper. He was so interesting and weird, definitely weird. Urgh why can't I stop thinking about him? Do I...like...him? I don't know...maybe? Wait, does that mean I'm gay? This is so confusing, I mean it's possible. I've never really liked anyone before, to be honest I've never even thought about it. Do I like Jasper?

[text_hash] => 98437f62
)