Remember when... | Jachary

Chapter 1

Jack

I'm home for New Years and couldn't be happier. I am with my family and I'll see the boys again a week after. We'll start working on our very first album when we get back to LA, life is good.

My phone rings and when I pick it up, I see it's Zach trying to FaceTime. I answer and immediately feel all fuzzy inside when I see his face.

"Hey Zach, what's up?"

"The sky." I laugh.

"No but for real though, how are you doing?"

"Good, I was just wondering, is it bad that I have no idea how to snowboard?"

"No, I'll teach you. It's not to difficult, it's like skateboarding on snow."

"I can't do that either."

"As I said, I'll teach you."

"Okay thanks, that was all."

"Okay, have fun with Brandon."

"Thanks. Wait, how did you know I'm going to Brandon's?"

"It's called listening, you should try it sometime." He chuckles. I automatically smile at him.

"I do listen, just not as good as you."

"Okay, anyway I have to go. We're about to eat dinner."

"Okay, see you."

"See you." I hang up. God, how this boy makes me feel. He doesn't know I'm gay, let alone like him. My family doesn't even know I'm gay.

"Jack, dinner's ready." My mom says. I get up from my comfortable spot on the couch and walk to the table. We're eating Mac n cheese because Isla has been bugging my mom to make it for almost half a week. While Sydnie starts to talk boys, I zone out. I think back to the time where I told Zach I was in love with him during an interview and everyone thought it was a joke. I cried myself to sleep that night. It wasn't a joke to me. When we get back after snowboarding we're moving into a new house and we're also finally getting our own rooms. Except we do have to share bathrooms. Since Zach has always slept on an air mattress, he got to pick first. He picked me. I like it but it also has some cons. I make a short list of pros and cons in my head seeing as everyone is talking with each other. The pros are that we'll spend more time together and then maybe he'll start feeling something for me too. Cons are that it's not a movie and things don't just magically happen and boners. I mean, we've seen each other naked before but it just started feeling different with Zach. He's just really hot and that gives me a problem every time. I blush at the thought of what might happen.

"Jack? Why are you blushing?" My mom asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"No reason." I hear Sydnie still talking about boys which kinda pisses me off. She's been talking boys forever, since the beginning of dinner and I already finished my meal in the meantime. It just sucks that I can't talk about boys that way, no matter how much I want to.

"Hey Jack, you might be able to help me with this. So I want to get this boys' attention-" I cut her off.

"Can you shut up about the boys! You're not the only one with boy problems! Get over the fact that you shouldn't talk about boys cause no one cares! I know that's hard for you but it's not impossible trust me, I've done it!" I realise what I just said so I stand up and leave. I go outside and just start running. I run to the park and sit under a tree. Tears are rolling down my face. I decide to call the one person that can always cheer me up. Zach. He picks up after a few rings.

"Jack, now is really not a good time, my parents are pissed at me."

"Oh, okay." I sniffle.

"Jack, why are you crying, what's wrong?" He immediately sounds concerned.

"It's okay, you have to please your parents."

"No, I don't care. What's wrong? You can tell me."

"I said something really stupid Zach. And then I ran out of the house to the park and I don't know what to do." I now start full on sobbing. I hear him go up the stairs and his parents start yelling at him.

"What did you say?"

"Promise you won't yet mad?"

"Of course I won't get mad."

"I yelled at Sydnie, in front of the entire family, and I quote: can you shut up about the boys. You're not the only one with boy problems. Get over the fact that you shouldn't talk about boys cause no one cares. I know that's hard for you but it's not impossible trust me, I've done it." There's a silence on the other side on the line.

"I think you should call one of your friends to see if you can stay there. That way you can think about what you're gonna say a little while longer. You can text your parents that you're staying at a friends house, don't specify which friend cause then they can track you down." I smile at how quickly he has a plan ready.

"Yeah, I might do that. So, you don't mind me being gay?"

"No, why would I mind? It's not like it's your decision and it's not just gonna change you. No matter what people say."

"Thank you."

"You welcome. Now go to your friends house, I don't want you freezing outside." I chuckle.

"Okay. Bye Zach."

"Bye." He hangs up.

"I love you." I whisper into the cold night. I lock my phone and think about what to do next. I should follow Zach's advice and go to one of my friends house.  I stand up, tears still running down my face. I hear my phone ring. I look down to see it was my mom. I wipe away the tears and try to make them stop coming before answering the phone.

"Hey mom."

"Oh thank God. Are you're okay. Where are you? We're worried about you so much."

"Mom calm down, I'm okay."

"Well obviously not, you sound like you're crying and you ran out with no reason or explanation." She sounds mostly just worried. She rambles on about how worried she is and how I shouldn't run away while I try to detect any sign of disgust about me in her voice. She says nothing about it. Did she not realize what I said?

"Mom, I'm coming home right now so stop worrying." She mumbles a response and hangs up. I put my phone back in my pocket and start heading home. I haven't ran that far because my stamina isn't that good. I text Zach saying I don't think my mom understood what I said and that I'm going home, hoping for the best. I take a deep breath before opening the front door. No one is there so I decide to just head up to my room. I fall onto my bed and close my eyes. Sydnie must have gotten the message. She knows. Unless she's dumb, which she really isn't. Mom doesn't know, or at least I don't think so. Isla is to young to understand. I sigh and stand up. I walk out of my bedroom and cross the hall to Isla's. I look through the ajar door to see everyone in there.

"He said he'd come back." It's my mom.