The Only Exception // (GOT7 Markson)

4

"Tyler... I need you to understand. I'm not like most guys. I'm fucked up, okay." I said, trying to make it more about me than him. "I can't deal with commitment and I don't fall in love. I sleep with people because it feels good and I like to fill some sort of emotional and physical void inside of me, but that's it. As soon as morning comes I'm gone, and so is all of my ties to that person. I rarely ever spend the night too, just so you know."

"Oh, lucky me... I got to spend a night with The Great Jackson." Tyler said with an even more sarcastic tone. "You're horrible, you know that?"

"I know." I said under my breath.

"You can't go around promising the world to boys and using them for your own selfish sexual pleasures, then cast them away and pretend that they don't exist. Don't you see how that's a problem?" he said, continuing his onslaught.

"Yeah, you're right dude. Look, I get it. It's wrong. I'm a bad person for that. But don't act like you were so innocent, coming up to me and sitting on my lap like that, you wanted it just as much as me." I said, now remembering bits and parts of that night. "What were you even doing at the bar, you're so young!"

"I got a fake I.D. okay, I'm turning 21 next year. It's not a big deal. And I didn't sit on your lap at the bar, I'm pretty sure you asked me to!" he argued.

"Even still, you're young and don't know any better so I'm going to teach you right now: The bar is no place for you to meet someone and become attached to them. The bar is full of people like me, people that will see you as a hot piece of ass, then leave you. It's an unwritten law okay, the cruising game, you'll get the hang of it." I explained.

"So you're saying I'm going to be alone forever?" Tyler said back, his voice going low.

"No. God, you're so immature." I said, getting annoyed. "You're so young, you've got the world in your hands. You've got your entire life to find a partner, don't waste your time pining for the attention of random boys at the bar. Your prince charming will come in time, it's just not me."

Tyler sat down next to me, clearly upset. I put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently.

"I guess I got a bit hung up on you. It's just that you're so handsome, heh. And it was my first time, I wanted it to be so much more than it actually was. God, I'm so stupid." the boy said, laughing half heartedly.

I nudged Tyler on the leg playfully. "No, don't say that. You did exactly what I did when I was younger too. The problem is that you're expecting too much, when you need to let things happen naturally. One day you're going to meet a boy who will knock you sideways and flip your world upside down, making you question all of your morals and life decisions. They'll be beautiful and charming, yet mysterious and inviting. They'll warm your heart just by saying hello, and you'll crave their attention, their time, their touch. Willing to do anything to make sure they're safe..."

"Uhhh..?" Tyler said with a blank expression.

Shit. I trailed off.

"There's someone in your life, isn't there..." Tyler said, his voice growing in suspicion. "Oh my god, there is!"

"No, it's not like that."

"Jackson Wang is in love? THE Jackson Wang?!" he laughed.

"I'm not in love, there's nobody. Let's get back to you." I said, deflecting.

"What's his name?" Tyler bugged.

"I'm not answering your questions." I snapped, standing up and dusting my pants off. "I'm leaving now. I just wanted to make sure you weren't in your room crying your eyes out over a picture of me and listening to Adele."

"You're not that hot, Jackson." Tyler said, sneering.

"Yes I am." I answered quickly, putting my shades back on and heading for the door.

Monica came down the stairs with another basket of laundry and called into the living room, "Hey boys. I'm going to cook dinner soon. Will you be staying Jackson?"

"No thank you! I'm fine, I was just leaving anyway. I have work to do." I answered.

"Have fun man-whoring around. Talk to you later. You can let yourself out." Tyler whispered as he joined his mother in the kitchen.

As I was about to walk out, I took another look around, noticing the cute bathtub picture again. The boys looked so cute laughing together as their mom lathered shampoo into their hair. I picked the photo up and examined it closer, turning it over to read the description. I almost dropped the photo to the ground, and the hairs on my neck raised as I read the back: Markie and Tyler - Bathtime, August 1995.

I grabbed my leather jacket from the armchair nervously and slung it over my shoulder. I stood there, stunned as I looked toward the kitchen where the two others were. I overheard Tyler and his mother talking in the next room.

"He's gotta go, mom! He's a big time investor or something at this firm downtown. He's always busy. He can't stay." Tyler moaned to her.

"Well, I'm sure even big time investors get hungry. And my duck soup is better than anything his money can buy anyway. You know what I always say, Tyler: Money isn't everything. All the money in the world won't be able to buy you back the time you didn't spend doing what you love or hanging with people that you care about." she whispered back to the boy.