𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act XV

Slight Trigger Warning for Blood! Everyone is fine, don't worry, but there are a few minor injuries involved.

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The rest of Sunday had gone by pretty slowly, though it was Monday before Jimmy even realized it. Classes went by like a flash a lightning, and soon enough, he was on the theater stage.

They'd begun to work on Act II, and Jimmy almost regretted auditioning for Romeo then. Sausage had gotten the part of Mercutio, and it wasn't that Jimmy didn't like Sausage, but working with him had been a bit more than difficult. It was relief when Ms. Gold and Mr. Harding had moved on to something else.

Jimmy had been going backstage - for what, he'd forgotten - when he overheard a conversation between Zach and Scott.

"What are you doing?" Zach demanded, and Jimmy peeked out from behind the curtain to see Zach hovering over Scott, who was looking down at the phone in his hand.

Scott rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Nothing," he answered, earning a glare from his boyfriend.

"That doesn't look like nothing to me."

The cyanette sighed before looking up at Zach. "Mind your beeswax, asshole," Scott snapped. "It's none of your- mmph!" Scott squirmed in Zach's hold as the latter clamped a hand over Scott's mouth, though Zach let go no more than a few seconds later when Scott bit him. "What is wrong with y-"

"Watch your tone with me," Zach warned coldly.

Scott huffed. "What does it matter what I'm- Hey!" Zach reached over and snatched the phone out of Scott's hands. Scott reached up in response, bouncing on his toes to try and get his phone back from Zach. "Give it ba-" A choked gasp forced its way out of Scott's throat when Zach shoved him against the wall, hard. Scott's back and shoulders took the brunt of the hit, followed by the back of his head slamming against the wall.

Jimmy was about to step in when his phone buzzed against his leg in the pocket of his jeans, and he pulled it out to see a text from... Scott?

hey, jimmy. wanna hapjxw00 ofa

Uh... what? Jimmy looked up from his phone, gaze switching between Zach and Scott. Zach had Scott's phone in his hand, so... Zach must've accidentally sent that, then.

"God, why are you so fucking rude?" Scott said, rubbing the back of his head.

Zach didn't seem to be listening as he glared down at Scott's phone. "Who the hell is Jimmy?" he sneered.

Scott groaned and reached for his phone again, though it was futile as Zach only held it up again.

"Who is Jimmy?"

"No one!"

Zach scoffed. "No one, huh?" He brought Scott's phone down again, holding Scott back with one arm while he read off some of Jimmy's and Scott's texts. "On Friday you texted, 'Hey, Jimmy. Wanna meet at the Moonshine Diner down the street from the school tomorrow?'" Zach glared down at Scott, who had already been scowling back. "Yeah, he's definitely nobody."

"Am I not allowed to have friends?" Scott deadpanned, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall. "He's the guy that plays Romeo."

"Of fucking course it is," Zach grumbled. He shoved the phone at Scott, who gladly took it. "What's with your little infatuation with him, anyway? I'm supposed to be your boyfriend."

Scott sighed. "I dunno," he said. "He's funny. 'Kinda cute." He looked up at Zach with a sarcastic smile. "Oh, and he's not a jerk."

"So, I'm a jerk now?"