In Love With a Mute

Chapter 15: For Me

ZACH
The boys must have ended up not coming because when I shot awake, it was 2:00 in the morning. Jacks arms were still loosely around me so I lied back down. He grips tighter around me and I nuzzle my head into his chest, falling asleep once more.

<><><><><><>MORNING<><><><><><>

Jack was still asleep when I woke up so I had to shake him awake. He groans and pulls me back down. Not this time. I wiggle out of his grip and pull him up. "Do we have to go to school?" He whines. I roll my eyes and nod, heading over to my closet. He groans again and sits up on the bed, only for me to throw a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt at him. He glares at me and I softly chuckle only to cover my mouth again. "Hey it's okay. You sure you want to go to school?" He asks. I shake my head no and plop back down on the bed. He smiles and lays down with me. "Should we lie and say we're sick?" He asks again. I nod my head and sneeze. "Bless you! Maybe you are sick." He laughs. I playfully punch him in the arm and sit up. "How about we go to the mall and get something." He says. I nod and go to the bathroom. "Ugh now I have to get dressed." He groans. I kept walking into the bathroom, a wide grin on my face. As soon as I walk into the bathroom, I break down. I silently cry to myself and think. What if I see him there? What if he says something? I bury my head deeper into my knees and let my tears stain my pants. I don't care anymore. After about five minutes of silently crying, I pull myself together and look at the mirror. My eyes puffy and red and my cheeks stained with dry tears. Jack knocked on the door and asked if I was okay. We had come up with a system a while back when he first stayed at my house. If he knocked on my door and asked what I was doing or if I was okay I would knock once for yes and twice for no. I knocked once on the door and went back over to the sink, turning on the water. I stared at myself in the mirror. Why does anyone like me? Why do I have friends? Why am I so fat? "You sure?" He asks. I locked once on the door again and splashed my face with water. "Okay. Be out in five cause I wanna get there early." He chuckles. I smile and open the door. His grin soon drops into a faint frown. "Were, were you crying?" He questions. My eyes filled with glossy tears as I shake my head no. "Don't lie to me Zachy. Please." He says just above a whisper. I nod my head and bury it into his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay." He reassures. He rubs his hand around my back in circles and cups his hands around my face. "It's going to be okay, okay?" He says. I nod and he takes his hands off my face. I shudder from the loss of touch and walk to my door. He chuckles and trails behind me. We walk downstairs and my mom eyes both of us. "Why aren't you boys at school." She questions, raising an eyebrow. "He doesn't feel good and something happened." Jack responds. She gives me a questioning look and I rub my arm. "Okay then. You boys do whatever. I'll call you both in sick." She says with a smile. I nod and we put on our shoes, waking out of the small-ish house. I stopped in front of the blue convertible and bought back to the moment where he called me a cry baby.

Flash Back
"Cry baby boy! Nobody does it like you"

I take a deep breath and push the memory aside.

The car was awkwardly silent until Jack just had to break it by turning on the radio. Shawn Mendes came on and he started dancing to it. I rolled my eyes and smiled. He playfully smirked at me a kept dancing.

Once we got to the mall we just explored. We went to the arcade and played a couple of games, mostly claw machines. While walking to the food court I saw someone, familiar. My eyes widened once I found out who it was.

Your ex is here. What're the odds.

I start walking backwards and turning around only to bump into someone. They repeatedly apologize and walk off. Jack stares at me confused and brings me over to a bench. "You okay?" He wondered. I shook my head no and grabbed my phone.

I saw my ex.

"That's bad?"

Yeah. I never told you this but when we were in a relationship he cheated on me and called me worthless and fat. He said that I should never be loved aN he never loved me. He said that guy he cheated on was better than me and he left me. In the streets. On my knees, bawling my eyes out. Even when we were in a relationship it wasn't healthy. He abused me and called me worthless. I know I should've left him but I couldn't. He was my everything and I didn't want to give him up. So I didn't until he broke me.

"Oh." Jack responds, a blank expression on his face. "Well, lets make him jealous." He says. I raise an eyebrow and he grabs my hand, interlacing our fingers together. I stare at our hands for a couple of seconds and smile. We walk over to the food court and stand in line, only to see my ex coming up behind us. I smile and Jack smiles back. "Zach?" He says. I ignore him and grip Jacks hand tighter. "It's okay. Just ignore him for now." He whispers. I nod and keep looking forward. "I know you can hear me." He says, raising his voice. Jack kisses my cheek and my cheeks turn a bright red. "Stop ignoring me!" He shouts, making heads turn. Jack clenches his free hand and turns around. "Leave my boyfriend alone you attention seeking rat." Jack spats. "I'll leave him "alone when he answers me." He responds with a smirk. "He can't, if you forgot. Which you probably did since you never really cared anyways. He's happier without you in his life." Jack responds, copying that same smile he did. "Well I wouldn't hang out with someone as worthless and trashy as him, nor would I ever take him back." He scoffs. Jack let's go of my hand a punches him right in the jaw. He tries to take a swing but Jack dodges and twists his arm, earning a scream from him. I grab Jacks arm and pull him away. He roughly pulls his arm away and tackles him to the ground, punching him repeatedly. I stand there in utter shock. I can't believe he did that, for me. The mall security guards pull Jack out of the mall and I quickly follow behind them. Once they throw him outside I engulf him into a hug. He rests his chin on my head and rocks me back and fourth while I cry silently into his shoulder. He grabs my face again and cups it with his hands. "It's okay, I promise." He says, smiling weakly. I bury my head into the crook of his neck, having to go onto my toes to reach his neck. He rests his head on mine and we stand there for a couple of minutes, embracing one another.

I think it's safe to say that I like him. I like like him.

A/N: Long af chapter. Oh well. It was worth it. I didn't want you guys killing me for leaving off on a cliffhanger so yeah. Extra long today. Good night! Also quick shoutout to my girl iwritegaywdw for giving me the suggestion for Zach's ex to come back. Love her so much! Okay bye for real lmao.