Frustration -SERIES- [Part 1] [boyxboy]

Chapter Fourteen

I finally closed my mouth and nodded.

Jackson smiled and took a deep breath, letting it out in a huff. 'Okay, good. That went a lot better than I thought it would. I am really sorry for the Sally thing, and for fucking with you for so long.'

'When did you figure it out?' I finally managed to ask.

Jackson screwed up his face. 'A bunch of stuff had to come together before I realised. Basically I needled Rachel and it started to become pretty obvious that you weren't as interested in me from the beginning as she had made it seem that you were. And shortly after our second date you seemed to become very detached and mopey, and Rachel finally admitted that you'd had a fight with Conor. And I remembered how you'd said he had "issues". Also, dude, you talk about him constantly. Honestly it wasn't anything in particular, it all just sort of clicked eventually and once I thought of it I couldn't convince myself I was wrong. And don't be upset with Rachel for any of this by the way, she was just trying to do the right thing for both of us.'

I shook my head vehemently. 'I'm not mad at her. I know she really just wanted us to work out. And, shit, I'm really sorry too. I fucked up so bad. I've been a complete mess for weeks. I really shouldn't have dragged you into my nightmare, it wasn't fair.'

'No, but I get the feeling Rachel didn't give you much of a choice in the beginning.'

'Maybe not, but it's still my fault. I'm sorry I was such a terrible boyfriend.'

'Let's just agree to try and be more honest with each other going forward,' Jackson suggested, smiling. 'There was altogether too much lying in our relationship.'

'And cheating,' I added, wondering if it was too soon, but Jackson groaned and laughed.

'Ugh. Stop,' he said. 'I have no idea how I'm going to fix this thing with Sally.'

'What is your thing with Sally? Am I allowed to ask that?'

Jackson shrugged one shoulder. 'We've been texting pretty much constantly ever since I sent her my play. She's, just... I don't even know. She's kind of amazing, right? It got kind of flirtatious and she didn't seem to have any problem with flirting with her friend's boyfriend, which I obviously know now is because she knew about you and Conor. She seems to feel more guilty about not telling me what was going on with you and him than about not shutting down whatever is happening with her and me. But I really fucked up with her last night as well. She's completely stopped replying to my messages and I think she thinks I was using her to get back at you or something. So she's next on my list, after you.'

I shifted guiltily. 'I'm not gonna be able to forgive myself if I fucked that up for you too,' I admitted.

Jackson shook his head. 'Don't say that. I fucked this one up all on my own. That's what I get for playing games.'

'For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure she's into you. She kind of hinted at it a couple of times.'

Jackson grinned. 'Hopefully it can be salvaged then. I was hoping to run into her here but it doesn't look like that's going to happen so I'm just gonna go to the gig tonight and see if she'll talk to me.'

'Tonight? They're doing a show tonight?'

'Yeah, they were crazy popular in Liquid Lounge the last time they played there so they were asked back this weekend. I thought Conor would have told you?'

'No. But then he's not the most communicative.'

Jackson frowned and jokingly said, 'Yeah, I sensed that,' and I elbowed him.

We sat in silence for a little while, listening to the water lapping at the bank of the stream, until I turned to look at him sharply.

'Oh my god,' I said, accusatory. 'TyTy.'