Expect The Unexpected

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| E X P E C T  T H E 
U N E X P E C T E D |
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     Brooks chewed softly at the dinner he and Jackson had been sharing, barely any words corresponding between the two. Jackson eyed Brooks quietly, as his nerves found themselves going into overdrive, overworking themselves completely.

Since Brooks had knocked at Jackson's front door, he hadn't said any other words, only keeping his secrets and sorrows to himself as he swallowed his dinner carefully, and quietly.

     Jackson leaned forward, stealing Brooks' fork from his fingertips, as he watched Brooks' eyes widen in surprise. Since when had he been so hellbent on keeping conversation at a complete and utter zero?

     "Brooks," Jackson began, "talk to me. I'm worried about you, okay? And I know that Blake must have put ideas about me into your head, but you've gotta know—that was my parents, okay? You know what James would do if he found out that I opened my mouth about something like that. We were all terrified."

     Brooks tried his best to give Jackson the benefit of the doubt as he spoke, sending him a small smile, as he reached out for his fork, but failing miserably.

     "Jackson, you're my best friend. Always have been, and always will be. No matter what happened or happens, okay? And like tonight, with you taking me in when my family left me out onto the streets, that shows just how there for me you actually are."

     Brooks words tore large streaks into Jackson's heart, as he once again, swore under his breath at those same heartfelt, yet disappointing words. Best friend. He'd been crying himself to sleep for years, hating himself for the fact that he'd fallen in love with his best friend, who was a boy.

     But that didn't hurt as much as the fact that he wasn't anywhere near blind to the fact that Brooks had been spending every waking second with Blake Warner. That same guy who'd made Brooks cry millions of times, when it came to teasing.

     Only God knew what he would do to his heart.

     Jackson's heart clenched once more, as his mind went back to those familiar thoughts. Of kissing Brooks senseless, and telling him just how in love he'd fallen with him, since they were thirteen years old, and Brooks had first began to give Jackson those goosebumps that couldn't be described.

     Jackson reached out for Brooks' cheeks, his lips finding Brooks' rather tumbling ones.

     Brooks couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe nor speak, or ever look at Jackson the same way ever again. And while being attacked by a kiss like this, with Jackson, of all people, he couldn't help but feel as though he was being unfaithful to Blake.

     Brooks jumped back, head hitting one of Jackson's homes, burly bricks, his hand instantly reaching out to caress the assaulted area. "Crap, Jackson, what the hell?"

     Jackson could feel his eyes brimming with tears, as he rushed backward, hand coming out forward to clamp at his lips left ajar. What had he been thinking? That Brooks would kiss him back? That maybe, just maybe that that same happily ever after would be his?

     What a stupid, stupid thought.

     Then, without any warning, Jackson blood heated, as he took a step toward Brooks, tears not hiding their fateful fall. "What do you mean, what the hell? You're trying to tell me, that after all these years of friendship, and all those sleepovers, every time you'd kiss my cheek whenever you were excited—t-that you were just being friendly?"

     Brooks shook his head profusely, not at all having enough mental capacity for a conversation—or rather argument, that Jackson was obviously trying his best to start. Or maybe he just enjoyed making Brooks cry.

     Brooks stood from his seat at Jackson's dining room table. "Stop it, Jackson. It was never like that, and you know it. I never, ever showed you any sort of affection, other than what we were both used to."

     Jackson shook his head, hardheaded tears still falling. "Why, B? Why can't you like me?" The words broke Brooks' heart, as he in that moment, wished that he could maybe feel the same way. Just so that he wouldn't hurt anybody.

     But even then, Blake's heart would be at the end of that inevitable stick, and that was something that Brooks couldn't handle, at all.

     "Jackson, you are my best friend, and I am yours, okay? Please don't do this, please don't make me admit to you what I've been trying to avoid admitting to myself—"

     "What? That you're just never going to give us a chance—"

     "No, Jackson—I like Blake!"