the anatomy of love [BxB] COMPLETED

16

It reads: Answer you asshole!!

Another follows: You know what just forget it.

Jackson wants to reply, but he can't come up with anything to say. At this point, the only thing he can say is sorry, but he can't let go of his pride quite yet.

After finishing a short writing assignment, Jackson takes a nap. He's awoken by his ringtone, but goes back to sleep when he sees it's Robin calling. The shades drawn over his window give that odd effect of artificial night, and reminds Jackson of jetlag and red eye flights. His eyes become accustomed to the greyish dark. Loneliness seeps into his bones, and Jackson wraps the covers around him tighter.

He thinks he hears a knock at the door.

"Jackson?" It's Caleb. He doesn't answer. "There's some leftover food you can heat up if you want dinner."

Caleb sounds like he'd much rather let Jackson starve. The politeness of it all annoys Jackson so much he doesn't respond. He hears Caleb huff an irritated sigh and leave, his footsteps disappearing down the hall.

When he wakes up, it's almost nine o'clock. He walks drearily to the kitchen, heats up some rice and chicken, then takes the plate to his room. Every step weighs more and more, until all his strength is used up in lying back down in bed.

Jackson wonders if he's depressed. Like his dad. And now his mom. Does this run in the family? This loneliness? This abandonment?

He goes back to sleep, not wanting to think anymore.

☆★☆

Hunter is livid, more so than Jackson had expected. Usually they sit next to each other in their Econ class, but today Hunter finds a seat near the front, and Jackson makes his way to the back. Even from such a distance, Jackson can sense the anger in the tense set of Hunter's slim shoulders.

After class, Jackson tries to make a quick getaway, but somehow Hunter corners him with a look of pure, concentrated rage. Jackson thinks that the emotion blends nicely with his catty makeup, but quickly brushes the thought away as irrelevant.

"I called you three times. And texted. I know you ignored them."

"Hunter..." Jackson looks around, not wanting to cause a scene. Hunter notices and smirks like he knew Jackson would react this way.

"Worried everyone will find out we fucked? Worried people will know I care about you? Still worried about your reputation? God, people never change." Hunter shakes his head, that awful smirk still on his face. "Well, guess what. Everyone knows. And everyone knows you're hooking up with that poor kid Eliot. And screwing Robin over. Word gets around. You already have a reputation. This is how it has always worked."

Jackson briefly tenses up at the thought of everyone finding out about Mr. Sawyer. He pushes that away. No one will find out. Ever. But even as he says this with complete confidence, his stomach turns.

"Hunter, what do you want? An apology? I didn't know you were that sensitive. I thought you didn't care what I thought."

"I don't need a fucking apology, but it would do you good to shrink your ego, that's for sure," Hunter says, cocking a hip and crossing his arms.

Jackson rolls his eyes. "I'm gonna go." He turns and starts to leave.

"And if you think people won't find out about your boss, you're wrong!" Hunter calls out, and Jackson freezes. His heart starts to pound and his head feels nauseatingly light. Jackson turns back around.

"What did you say?"

Hunter smirks again. "See? So predictable."

Then Hunter turns and leaves Jackson staring after him with his mouth parted in disbelief. When he finally walks away, he can't get his hands to stop shaking.