A romeo and Juliet

How could Alyson's eyes linger on Jack so long? He wasn't attractive and certainly didn't fufill the requirments for her. Yet, as his fingers got caught in his curly red locks, Alyson couldn't take her eyes off.
The snow on the ground was piling up and the air was below freezing. Yet, Alyson stayed put as Jack walked by. Jack was nothing like the chacter from Alyson's favorite book, Pride and Predjudice. Mr. Darcy was handsome and lonely. Jack wasn't and was always surronded by his idiotic brothers and annoying best friend, Paul.
Why him, Alyson wondered as she turned around to head back inside. Why Jack Ribson?

It was much later, around eight pm when a knock came from The Harel's front door. Alyson jumped up and looked out the window. It was Jack!
"Jack?" she wondered aloud as she opened the door.
"Yeah," he answered. "Um, I was uh, you know, wondering if Jesse was home?"
Alyson could tell the reason Jack came was for her, not her sixteen-year-old brother. But, she didn't say anything, she usually didn't.
"Jesse's upstairs. Why don't I go up with you?" Alyson offered. Alyson was small for fourteen, but very forceful and strong-minded. Jack was scrawny for a fifteen-year-old boy, but had little muscles growing.
"Okay," Jack answered knowing not to refuse.
Alyson led the way up the stairs. Her plan was working. She opened Jesse's door and turned on the light, Jack went in. Alyson followed.
"Uh, Jesse's not in here," Jack annouced dumbly.
"I know, but we are."
"Aly?"
"Jack, I can't do this. Wait, any longer. I can't." With those words, Aly flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. Jack's eyes widened and his hands shot up.
But slowly, began kissing back. They held it for a few seconds, then Aly broke away.
"Wow," he whispered. She nodded.
"So, we're, going..out," he whispered leaning in again.
"Yes, I suppose."
"Aly, look, I'm sorry. I can't." Jack turned out the door and ran down the stairs. He ran out the door and all the way home.

"Mom?" Jesse asked at dinner the next night.
"Would you love me if I was gay?" The question caught everyone off guard. Alyson, their mom and certainly their dad.
"Jess, of course we'd love you."
"Are you?" Alyson asked setting down her fork.
"Alyson Harel!" Her mother cried.
"He's my brother, I should know."
"Yeah. She should know, I am." The other three Harel's swiveled their heads.
"So. You, have a boyfriend?" Mark Harel, their father asked slowly.
"Yes. Jack Ribson." The words stung. Like hard knives into Alyson's stomach. Jack Ribson. Jack Ribson. Jack Ribson.
"Excuse me," Alyson stood up and ran into her room.

Apparently, Alyson cried herself to sleep that night, but woke up shortly after the first ring at eleven pm.
"Hello?"
"Is Alyson there?" Alyson considered hanging up, then slid the idea over, they should talk.
"Jack?"
"Aly?"
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you stop me. You didn't do anything. You let me, on you!" Alyson's sobs were louder than anything and her heart felt broken.
"I'm so sorry, Aly. I couldn't help it. I liked you, but then I met Jesse at school and, I don't know, we clicked. He showed me a different world. A better one."
"What are you talking about." Loud sob, "You made him gay."
"Aly, I didn't make him anything. He's already had over three boyfriends. I"m his fourth or fifth, I don't know, it doesn't matter. He likes me more than the previous ones and he decided it was finally time to come clean."
"Have you..." Aly couldn't say it.
"Yeah, we've kissed before."
Aly's heat was coming up her throat, soon she'd spit it out and die. She wished. She slowly hung up the phone and cried herself to sleep.

"Aly! You're going to be late for school!" Her mom called up the stairs. Alyson flipped over in the bed.
"I don't feel good," Alyson replied.
"Is it about what Jesse said?" She asked stepping into the room.
"No! I just have a splitting headache," Alyson lied.
"Okay, Aly. I'll call the school." Her mom leaned down and kissed Alyson's forhead.

Certainly her family didn't expect that to be their last goodbye. Certainly Jack and Jesse didn't mean to hurt her that much. Certainly Jack loved them both, but Jesse was everything to him. He couldn't help it. But the most certain thing was that, Alyson Margaret Harel's splitting headache was more like a splitting heartache, but neither of them required the whole bottle of Advil.