𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚. ✓

eleven

two days, that's all the time daniel had left before he was leaving for good. it felt like the hours couldn't go by any slower as he stood staring at the clock. his house was practically empty now; all of his important possessions were in boxes and the others had been given away. 

it's better this way. he constantly told himself those four words, you'll be ok. it didn't feel that way though, in his mind thousands of thoughts raced by. some were telling him he was making the right decision and others telling him he was being an idiot. 

zach though didn't dare to say anything to the boy, he could see in daniel's eyes how determined he was to get away. the days at the store didn't feel the same without his best friend and zach would never admit it but he felt lonely. 

as he helped the older boy pack away his belonging the away in boxes he blinked away tears. framed photos of the two of them together, all of them being put away, maybe to be never seen again. 

this was all too much. it was zach's first time living without the boy and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to handle it. 

"i'm single. 

daniel turned around immediately at those words. "what happened?" 

zach couldn't hold himself back anymore, he had been bottling up all of his emotions since the news that daniel was leaving but it had become too much. his face grew red and his breathing rapid as he spoke. "he fell in love with some girl who 'treats him better than i can.'"

"oh zach" daniel reached out, pulling the younger boy into a tight hug. "you can do so much better than him." 

"no i can't." his words came out choppy as he struggled to keep himself from crying. "he was the love of my life. 

"when did this happen?" 

silence. the brunet stood sheepishly in his friend's arm as he hid his face. "two weeks ago."

"and you didn't bother to tell me?" daniel sounded angry. 

"i'm sorry it just seemed like you were going through enough stuff on your own and i didn't want to bother you with more."

daniel sighed. "zach, i don't care if my mom just fucking died. my job is to be there for you when bad stuff happens but i can't do that if you don't tell me."

"i know, i know" zach stared at the bright blue eyes that were looking down at his brown ones. "it's just you've always been there for me and i didn't want to force you to come look after me when you were clearing going through your own shit."

daniel pulled the younger boy closer to him. "zachary dean herron, don't you ever belittle your problems because of me. that's not gonna happen, ok?" 

zach nodded weakly.

"and if anything happens while i'm gone, if you start talking to a guy or anything at all you tell me. just because we aren't going to be living in the same state anymore doesn't mean that i'm gonna stop being your best friend."

"daniel" zach's voice came out as a whine "stop being so sappy. "

"i'm sorry." the older retorted sassily. "would you rather i do this instead." he brought his hand, swiping it against zach's forhead and hitting the younger boy. 

"what the hell was that for?" the brunet yelped throwing his hand up to hold his hand. 

"that was for not telling me about your relationbship" daniel hit him again "and that was for making me get all sappy on you."

"daniel, stop it." zach whined once more. 

"now will you help me finish packing." the blue-eyed boy gestured to the stack of stuff they had yet to sort through.

his younger friend nodded, now without a single tear in his eyes. his phone though interrupted the moment, the familar ringtone he had set sounding through the walls of daniel's house. 

"sorry, i have to take this." zach gestured towards his pocket where his phone vibrated.

"go ahead but be back soon."

with those words the younger boy headed to daniel's backyard, making sure the door was closed behind him. only when he knew that the boy couldn't see or here him he pulled the phone out of his pocket.

"hello?" 

zach listened for a minute to whatever the person on the other end was saying before he sighed. "no it's not like that and you know it. give it two weeks and then we'll figure something out. if anything happens sooner he'll know."

the person talked now for quite a long time. zach shook his head a bit as he listened wondering what made him think this was a good idea.

"no you talk to him and i'll make sure that daniel doesn't do anything stupid in the meantime. keep yourselves in town or else you're gonna scare him off."

the voice became louder as they yelled through the phone causing zach to move away from the house in fear that daniel would hear what was going on. 

"no, that's where you're wrong. he's doing this because he's scared not because he's a bitch. he's had his heart broken before and i think he just doesn't want it to happen again."

the two people talked for a little longer as zach increasingly grew more and more frustrated. "i'm sorry that's just not gonna work." 

he sighed pulling the phone away from his ear. zach glanced down at the contact name one last time before bringing it back up to say the final words. "goodbye jonah." he hung up the phone.

after taking a few moments to compose himself zach turned to walk back towards the house. inside daniel stood sealing the tape on the final box. "you could've waited for me." zach said, leaning against the doorway with his phone in his hand. 

"please" daniel scoffed. "z, that call took forever and i appreciate the help, i really do but i kinda knew it was gonna end up like this."

zach laughed. "sorry, i guess i just like to talk. but hey i can make up for it, ice cream? i'll pay."

daniel nodded wiping the tiniest bit of sweat of his forehead. "i'd love that."