His Bright Eyes (Septiplier)

The Phone Call

-Jack's POV-

My thumb paused at the tenth digit.

3-1-0-5-5-5-8-8-2

Press 4. Just press 4 and then hit the phone key. You can do it. Just two more buttons.

I shook my head slowly and put the phone back on my desk. This wasn't a good idea. No, not a good idea at all. I'll keep dealing with it on my own.

Deep breaths, and then back to working on videos. Throw myself into work, until it's dark outside and then head back up to bed. Work until you drop.

Fuck, that sounds so unhealthy.

Closing my eyes tightly, I lowered my head into my hands. What time is it? It's probably too late to be calling anyway. Let's see...if it's 9:45am here in England then that would make it around 12:45am or so in Los Angeles. I think that's right.

He may still be awake, right? It's possible. He uploaded a video just an hour ago. Plus he said that I could call him anytime. Day or night. Then again, maybe he was just saying that to try to say something nice. I kind of startled him when he called me the last time.

-Three weeks ago-

It had been a video call, and I had been crying for the past half an hour. I pressed "accept" and there was Mark's smiling face on the screen.

"H-hello?"

"Hey Jack! Wade, Bob and I were going to do a collaboration next week playing Cards Against Humanity. We were wondering if you —"

Mark paused, and looked at me intently. His dark brown eyes looking first at my eyes and cheeks, and then to my mouth.

Why the fuck did I answer a video call when I looked like this? Was it just out of habit?

"Jack, are you...ok?

"I'm fine," I said, trying and failing to smile. "Just having a rough day."

There was a very long pause. For a moment Mark just looked at me, his large brow line furrowed and dark eyes watching me as I forced my face to be unreadable. There was only so long that I could look at him without blinking, and if I blinked then the hot tears would fall again.

Eyes burning, I blinked and large and angry tears fell. Mark's face softened and he leaned in.

Damn it.

"Sean, you don't have to tell me what's wrong. You have right to your privacy. Just know that you have friends, like me, who are here for you, ok?"

The warmth in his voice surrounded me like a giant hug. I don't recall exactly what I said after that but by the end of the conversation he knew Singe was gone and that my heart was broken into at least a thousand pieces.

***

I looked back at my phone. That conversation was really three weeks ago. That long ago. I bet Mark was resting comfortably in his house. Just relaxing, and completely clueless to the fact that thousands of miles away, here I was. Sitting here for the past hour, apparently terrified of the number "4" on my phone.

Come on Jackaboy. When he went through his break up last year you were there for him. Talked to him for hours. Telling him that it would get better. That it was great that Amy and he were able to stay friends. You are able to reach out and fucking ask for support as well.

I picked up the phone again. It seemed lighter in my hand this time.

3-1-0-5-5-5-8-8-2-4

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

Ri—

"Hello?"

Shit. He sounds sleepy. This was a mistake.

"Um..Hello?"

I hit "End" on the phone.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why would I think that he would still be up? Just because I don't like sleeping doesn't mean others are the same way.

I hear a buzzing noise. My phone is ringing. On the caller ID displays a picture of a Mark. I took the picture a year ago when I had visited the states. His hair was still bright red and by his side was Chica, panting happily.

Shit.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey."

"I'm sorry that I called so late. I should have waited until —"

"Jack," Mark said gently, "I told you that you can call me anytime. Just next time, say "hello" back, ok? You know that I have rejection issues. "

I chuckled softly. My face felt funny smiling. It had been a while since the last time that I had.

"Yeah. You and me both."

We talked for so long that day. He kept asking me how I was doing, seeming to know that my responses were mechanical. Each time he asked my answer of "doing a bit better" became more honest. Until by the end of our talk, I actually meant that I was doing a bit better.

"So," he said brightly,  "I was thinking that a change of scenery would do you some good."

"Well it wasn't that long ago that I moved to England from Ireland, Mark. I kind of already did that. "

"No, no, not like that," he said chuckling. "You should come out to LA for a while. If you are anything like me you have been sitting in your house just repeating the  last conversations with her in your mind. Wondering "what if's" and "if only's" in your head until you feel like you're—"

"Half past crazy?"

There was silence, and then he sighed.

"I was going to say "bat shit crazy", but close enough."

"It's very sweet for you to want me to visit, Mark. I just don't know if I can right now. My YouTube schedule is so exact and work does help me."

"You are able to post videos from here just as easily as in your home, and honestly Sean, do you think that the best way to really move forward is just burying yourself in work?"

A pain somewhere near where my heart used to be twisted in my chest. New tears moved down my cheeks and I began to sob.

"I will take care of all of the arrangements on my end. You have friends and support here, a house to stay in, and besides, Chica needs someone to pounce on. Well, other than me, that is."

I wiped my face, and smiled.

"Ok. Ok. You've convinced me."