Zack would be lying if he said he wasn't absolutely petrified for today. He woke up to his alarm and the sick feeling was in his stomach immediately. His run didn't get rid of it and his shower couldn't wash it off.
He sighed and decided to call Jess. Based on the groan the boy let out as soon as he answered, Isaac had woken him up. It made him smile.
"I'm sorry, were you asleep?"
"Yes." Then there was a little yawn. "Are you okay?"
"I'm... a little nervous." Isaac admitted.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you're not ready to come out you don't have to."
"I want to." Isaac said honestly. He did want to. He didn't want to keep Jess a secret, he wanted his friends to know.
"Okay. Just don't feel pressured by thinking you have to."
"I don't." Isaac paused for a minute. "Can I pick you up today?"
"I can walk. I only live like 10 minutes from the school."
"I know." Zack spoke softly. "I'd still like to pick you up if it's okay."
Jess laughed softly. It was evident he was still tired. "Yes, you can pick me up."
"Okay." Zack's smile was wide. "I'll see you soon."
"Okay."
Isaac hung up the phone and went back to getting ready. Once he had ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, and ran his hands through his hair ten times more than usual to make sure he looked good, he left.
When he pulled up to the curb he didn't even have to get out because immediately, Jess's door opened and he was walking out. Isaac let his eyes roam over the boy as he made his way to the car. The door opened and Jess slid into the seat.
Pale hands reached over and turned the heater on. Isaac chuckled. "Didn't you once say you liked to keep your room freezing? That doesn't seem to match the way you always turn the heat up in my car."
Jess cracked a smile. "I like keeping it cold in my room so I can layer up all my blankets and stay warm. Here, I don't have five blankets to layer on one another so the heater is getting turned on."
Isaac laughed quietly. "Okay, Baby."
Jess's eyes widened and his face slowly turned pink. He turned to look down at his lap as a tiny smile played on his lips. Isaac smiled to himself.
He had been meaning to test out the name and with Jess's reaction he took it as it was okay. He started driving and reached his hand over to grab Jess's. The boy gripped his hand back and they stayed like that during the drive.
They parked in the school parking lot and Isaac looked around. No one was really around and the few that were were walking away from them. He reached over and planted a quick kiss to Jess's lips.
The other boy beamed as they pulled away and Isaac smiled at him. They both then got out of the car and started walking towards the school together. They were next to each other but not touching, neither would cross that boundary just yet.
After getting in the door Jess gave Isaac a small smile. "I'll see you later."
"Yeah, bye."
"Bye."
Then they split up. Jess went one way and Zack went the other, going towards Jace's locker. Just as he had suspected, Ki and Jace were both there.
"Hey." He smiled at them as he approached.
"Hey, guys." Ki smiled.
Andrew walked up right after Zack and smiled at the group. Where he had come from, Isaac had no idea.
"Zack, who was that boy you were walking with?" Andrew asked, peeking Ki and Jace's interest.
"Oh." Isaac took note of the fact that Andrew didn't seem at all bothered so he hadn't seen them kiss in his car. He didn't know yet. "That was Jess."
"Wait... Jess? Like, pale with dark hair Jess?" Ki looked interested. "He's in my geometry class."
"Yeah." Isaac confirmed.
"Since when are you friends with him?" Jace looked confused.
"Um, I don't know. Awhile?" He wasn't sure how long it had been exactly. He did know it felt like they've known each other for ages but in reality it had only been a few weeks.
"He's like silent in class all the time." Ki started speaking. "And I don't know, I always got those weird gay vibes from him."
Zack felt his heart slow down. Okay, this was it. He had an opening into the conversation, he had to take it.
The bell rang and people around them started moving but they didn't. Zack stayed still and the other three were watching him since it was clear he had something to say. "Yeah, well I like him."
Ki shrugged. "That's cool, maybe I was wrong about him. If he's chill, then I could probably be friends with him. I mean, you're friends with him so he can't be all bad."
Zack let out a little huff of air before speaking slowly. "I- I'm not just friends with him."
Everyone looked confused now. Andrew tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I like him." Zack said and gave it a few seconds for his words to set in. "I'm going out with him. He's my boyfriend."
The shock on their faces was undeniable. Jace fixed him with a confused look and spoke first, "Are you joking right now?"
"I'm serious." Isaac responded immediately.
"What the fuck?" Ki's eyes were wide. His sentence could've been hostile but it was filled more with shock.
"Zack. Be fucking serious right now. That's not funny." Jace's voice was different than Ki's. It was hostile.
"I'm not joking, Jace." Zack felt himself growing uneasy.
"Yes, you have to be. There's no fucking way you're actually a fucking faggot." Jace spat. "I didn't become friends with a faggot, you've never liked boys before. What's wrong with you?!"
"Nothing." Zack felt himself get agitated. The tardy bell rang but still, none of then moved. "What's wrong with you?!"
"I'm normal! Don't turn this on me!"
"Normal?! What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I like girls!" Isaac could see him getting more and more mad. "That's normal!"
"There's nothing abnormal about having feelings for someone. It doesn't matter if he's a boy."
"Of course it fucking matters! It's wrong. He has a dick!"
"Maybe I prefer it that way." Isaac snapped back. Of course, he didn't. He found that he didn't really care.
Jace's face twisted up. It was undeniable that he looked disgusted and enraged. Zack didn't care at the moment, the only thing he could care about was the fact that someone he thought was his friend was acting like this.
"That's disgusting."
"That's who I am." Zack said back. He wasn't screaming like Jace but he didn't allow his voice to be soft.
"You're disgusting then."
"Maybe I am." Isaac didn't let any hurt show on his face or in his voice.
He looked between his friends. Andrew was staring down at the floor with a blank expression. He didn't like confrontation but if he disagreed with anything Jace said he would've either spoke up quietly or walked off. His eyes then moved to Ki. Ki was staring at him, still a little shocked, but the main emotion he was displaying was confusion. Under that though, Zack could see anger. Ki was angry.
He scoffed. "Maybe I am disgusting then."
"If you think you can just switch sides like that then yes, you are." Jace said, clearly pissed. "You're gonna burn in hell for that."
He pretended the words didn't hurt. "If that means I can keep shoving my tongue down Jess's throat then so be it."
The way Jace's face twisted up was victory enough. If Jace couldn't get his head out of his ass to see that he was in the wrong then Isaac would just make him as uncomfortable as possible. Fuck him then.
"I hope you get aids."
"Fuck you." Then Isaac spun on his heel and walked away. Jace was screaming a few more insults at him, crude words he shouldn't be saying. Zack chose to ignore him.
He kept walking, even as he passed his first hour class. He'd already missed too much so there was no reason walking in now. Instead he walked straight out of the school and went back to his car.
He didn't leave though. Instead he just sighed and leaned his forehead on the steering wheel. He could hide out in here until second hour and then go to class. He didn't have any morning classes with his Jace, Ki, and Andrew so he didn't have to worry about them. Then at lunch he could tell Jess he was going to skip.
He was worried about how fast word would spread. The guys were sure to tell other people. A sudden thought had his bones chilling. He pulled out his phone and quickly typed out a message to Jess.
Zack:
I told them. They weren't the happiest, if anyone gives you trouble about it tell me.
Jess:
Are you okay?
Isaac let out another slow breath. He just got cursed out by someone he had been friends with for ages and the other two who he had known longer didn't stop him. People he had planned to remain friends with for life had looked disgusted with him.
Zack:
No but I will be.
I'm just worried someone might try something with you.
Jess:
I'll be okay.
Zack:
Even so, if anybody does try anything tell me immediately.
He then realized that might come off a little pushy. He didn't want to seem pushy.
Zack:
Please.
Jess:
Okay.
He let out a sigh of relief. Before he could send anything else his phone buzzed once again.
Jess:
Where are you right now?
Zack:
My car. I needed a breather before second hour and there was no point in going to first hour.
Jess:
Do you want me to meet you out there?
Isaac smiled at the thought. That was exactly what he wanted. At the moment, going home and taking a long nap with Jess seemed like the perfect way to help his mood. He didn't want Jess to feel obligated to make him feel better though.
Zack:
No, it's okay.
The bell's about to ring anyway.
Jess:
If you're sure.
He wasn't.
Zack:
I am.
Jess:
Okay.
Isaac then remained in his car for the rest of first hour. When he saw there was a minute until the bell rang he finally got out. Walking back into the school right as the bell rang felt weird.
He started walking in the direction of his second hour and then Jess appeared at his side. He smiled down at him.
"You can't walk with me, your class is on the other side of the school."
"I'll make it in time." Jess waved off his concerns.
"No you won't."
"I'll be okay." Jess said and Isaac had to smile. He didn't feel like smiling a few moments before but then Jess appeared. Jess, the boy who could always make him smile.
"You're such a liar."
"Only for you." He then gave Zack an over exaggerated wink that made them both chuckle.
Isaac reached down to hold Jess's hand and the other boy seemed surprised at first. He smiled though and moved his gaze down to stare at the floor. That didn't hide the pink at the end of his ears though.
Isaac smiled while watching the boy, he couldn't stare for as long as he'd like though because he had to watch where they were going. When they got closer to his classroom he squeezed Jess's hand.
"Thanks." Jess just hummed in response and then they split up.
Ms Lylic smiled in greeting as Zack walked in and he attempted one back. He found his usual seat and sat down. He didn't want to be here and he was not in the mood to pretend that he did.
The clock ticked by slow, antagonizingly slow. Although finally, the bell rang. He stood up with a sigh and walked out.
It was then he noticed the shift. People were glancing at him more. Of course, many people had clearly heard by now.
Jess walked up to him, followed by Tally. The pair made his eyebrows raise. He'd never even knew the two were acquainted.
"They're telling everyone you're gay now." Jess spoke softly. Zack shrugged, he had expected as much.
"I may have told Jace I proffered it that way when he said you had a dick." Jess couldn't fight back his laugh and Isaac's eyes softened.
Tally glanced between the two. "I feel like I shouldn't be as surprised as I am."
Zack turned his eyes to the boy. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, out of them all I guess you being the one that's into guys makes sense. You kinda just.. seemed like the type to be the most okay with that. Yet, when I heard I'm not going to lie I was really surprised. I had to find Jess to confirm immediately whether it was just a rumor or not."
Isaac moved his eyes to Jess who looked concerned still. "I didn't realize you two were friends."
"We sat next to each other in art freshman year and have talked a little here and there since." Jess explained and Isaac nodded.
"I'm okay, Jess." Isaac said after a beat of silence since his boyfriend still looked worried. "I'll see you at lunch, alright?"
Jess nibbled on his bottom lip and nodded slowly. Isaac reached down and grabbed his hand, bringing it up to kiss the back of it. Jess's face turned a little pink and Zack smiled before they split ways.
Tally followed Isaac since his class was also in the direction. As they walked he bumped their shoulders. "You two are cute."
Isaac smiled a little. "I really like him."
"I can tell." Tally chuckled. "It's good. I mean, that you guys are happy."
Zack nodded. He and Tally had never been close but they were friends. He was just glad one of the athletic kids wasn't going to shun him.
"And for whatever it's worth, Jace is an asshole for what he's saying. People will catch onto the fact that it's all just out of homophobia eventually. You're too nice for anyone to really hate over something stupid like that."
Zack offered him a weak smile. "Thanks."
They then split up to go to their own classes. Isaac was grateful for that talk. It made him feel better.
He still felt like shit. He was still hurt his best friends hadn't accepted him. That wasn't about to go away, but he felt a little better now.
He would be okay eventually.
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A little bit of a shorter chapter here but oh well. Any thoughts on Jace's little outburst?
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!
Love you ♡
- Z