Seven

Zack genuinely wanted to laugh. He had just been turning the corner when he had to stop because of a boy about to bump into him. When he looked down it was Jess.

He let a small chuckle bubble out of his throat as Jess was looking up at him. "You've got a habit of almost hitting me, don't you?"

Jess looked slightly confused for half a second before a small smile hit his face as well. It was tiny but it was there. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"That's alright."

"Where are you going? The cafeteria is that way." Jess stated the obvious and pointed to the direction he had been going, indirectly pointing at Isaac's abdomen.

"Yeah, I gotta turn in a paper to Mr Logger." He paused for a moment. "Do you wanna tag along?"

Jess looked confused. As if he couldn't fathom why Isaac would want him to come along. Zack didn't understand his confusion. Was it weird to invite someone to walk with you?

"I guess." Jess decided Isaac would probably be more interesting than Alice talking about her favorite video game for the tenth thousandth time.

Jess walked next to Isaac and the two stuck near the wall so there was less of a chance of being trampled. Jess every now and then again would press closer to Isaac because of a kid bumping into him. Zack didn't mind.

They made it to Mr. Logger's classroom and found the man sitting at his desk eating. The old man looked up and smiled. His face held years of age but you could tell just by looking at him that he was a nice guy.

"Oh, Zack, have you got that assignment?"

"Yes sir. I found it halfdone in my book. Guess I forgot to do it as homework and didn't realize I never finished it."

Isaac sat his backpack done and pulled out a piece of notebook paper. He handed it to the man who accepted it with a smile.

"I knew something like that must've happened. You always turn in your work." The man's eyes flashed over to the raven haired boy and his grin seemed to brighten. "Jess, it's good to see you two together. You're too friendly to only have friends from the football team."

Isaac chuckled. If only you knew.

After some small conversation about how Isaac needed to keep up with his work and his grades wouldn't slip. Zack was grateful for the advice. The two made it out of the class not too long after but the hallways were empty by now.

"He's kind of right, y'know." Jess speaking made Isaac look over. "About you being too friendly to just hangout with people from football. Why do you just surround yourself with those jerks anyway?"

"Those aren't the only people I surround myself with, and they're not all jerks." Isaac defended his friends but it didn't feel all true. He really was only friends with other athletes and most of them could come off as jerks sometimes.

"Name other friends you have that don't play a sport." There was a small second of a pause. "Not counting me."

Isaac grinned wide. Jess considered him a friend. Then he frowned when the bubbly feeling wore off and he realized the question at hand. A few names popped up but really thinking about it he wasn't sure if they would count. They might not consider him a friend but rather just an acquaintance. There was only a moment of silence before Jess stopped walking and turned to look at him in the middle of the corridor.

"See? You can't even deny it. You only have sporty friends, but you seem pretty outgoing. Why?"

"Well it's not because I don't want to be friends with anyone else. I just... I never know how to approach other people. I don't know what to talk about with them, it's really just a bunch of guessing and then I feel awkward. With these guys I've known them for awhile and I know I always have a topic to fall back on, it's an added bonus that usually they do all the talking."

Jess smirked. "Well, Mister Popular over here has bad social skills? I never would've guessed."

"I'm not Mister Popular." Isaac replied back and Jess just gave him a bewildered look.

Why would Jess think he was Mister Popular? He was probably considered in the in-crowd or whatever but he wouldn't say he was popular. He really only hung out with Ki, Jace, and Andrew. The rest of them he got along with fine but they didn't hang out all that much.

"You've got tons of friends." Jess said after seeming to realize Isaac really didn't think of himself as popular.

"I mean I guess, that's what it looks like at least. But I mean, I'm not very close with really any of them. I've got about three guys I'm close with and the rest of them I just chill with at school. They're all cool, I just don't really hang out with them that much."

Jess looked confused. "That's weird. You always seemed so tight with everyone."

Zack shrugged. "I guess I'm friendly or whatever so it could come off that way."

"You're just full of surprises aren't you?" Jess said and a small smile fell on his face. Isaac was intriguing.

"I guess." It was then Zack realized they were just standing there, in the middle of the hallway, doing nothing. He also realized he liked that better than lunch in the cafeteria with all the loud noises and people talking over each other. "Hey, where do you eat lunch when you're not in the cafeteria?"

Jess seamed caught off guard and Zack realized how that sounded. They didn't become friends too long ago but Isaac had noticed him for a long time before they started talking. He just exposed himself of all the time he spent noticing Jess. Yeah, he tried to notice everyone but he always found himself noticing Jess more than others.

Jess didn't say anything about it though. "I eat in the library sometimes. Er well, I don't usually eat I just sit in there and read or look around or do my homework if I have any."

Isaac thought about it for a moment and then checked the time on his phone. There was about 30 minutes until the lunch bell rang. He then looked back up at Jess. "You don't have to, I understand if you want to eat with your friends, but maybe wanna keep me company in the library for the rest of lunch?"

Jess looked a little surprised and raised a brow. "Sure, I don't mind. Can I ask why though? Don't you wanna sit with the football team and them?"

Isaac shook his head ever so softly. "Not today. They get kind of overwhelming, y'know?"

Jess nodded. "Loud kids usually do."

Isaac led the way to to the library and Jess followed behind. Zack just wanted to be in quiet for the rest of lunch but he didn't like being alone. He had enough alone time at home. Jess was quiet company but also not boring. He was fun to talk to and hadn't been overwhelming so far, so he was the best person to ask to join.

They made it to the library and the woman with curly brown hair seemed surprised when she looked up to see Zack. Her eyes wondered behind him as the shorter, darker haired boy walked in and then the surprise lessened and when her and Jess met eyes she smiled.

"Hello, Jess."

"Hey, Miss Kelly." Jess's face lit up with one of those rare, big smiles he had and Isaac found himself smiling too. Jess really had a pretty smile, it was a shame it didn't come out more. His small smiles were nice too but they were nothing in comparison. "Mind if we sit it here for lunch?"

"Not at all, just so long as your friend is as quiet as you." Jess nodded in reply and went over to the table in the corner of the room. Isaac went after him and sat in the seat across from him.

It was quiet while Isaac just studied Jess and tried to think of something to talk about. He couldn't think of much though and his thoughts would get distracted anytime Jess moved. He had a problem about that, people moving around him in his line of sight would pull him off target of whatever he was doing. He just always noticed it and that was distracting.

"You're staring. Am I that pretty?" Jess spoke with a small smirk playing on his face but his cheeks were very lightly pink. Like he wouldn't normally say such a thing but was taking the risk.

"You could be." Zack was always told to be honest and so he was being. "If you smiled more you'd probably be real popular with the ladies."

Jess was surprised with the answer and he just stared at Zack confused for beats of time. Finally a chuckle bubbled up from his throat and he giggled a little. Isaac felt a large smile tug at his lips while Jess laughed.

"You always surprise me." Jess said as his laughter began to slow. "I swear, I think I've got you figured out and then you go and say or do something like that and it just seems out of character."

"Out of character? Does everybody have to be in-character all the time?" Zack asked, now genuinely curious as to how Jess's brain works.

"Well usually they are." The pale boy shrugged. "Most people work a certain way and once you get that down they become kinda predictable in ways. You're not like that though, it's weird."

"What am I like then?"

The other boy paused, not expecting that question. He sobered up quick enough though and seemed to be in thought. It was quiet for a bit. Jess didn't seem to eager to answer, or maybe he didn't know the answer just yet.

"You're like... someone who looks one way but acts another. Sorta anyway, sorry that explanation doesn't even begin to give your personality justice." He paused to think some more and Isaac sat quietly. "Oh I know, it's like an onion. You have layers. The first layer is your appearance, the second would be your little Mister Popular act, and then as you keep peeling more bits of personality come into light."

Zack nodded in understanding as he thought about it. An onion? He never considered that comparison. "Wow. That sounds confusing."

"It is. You confuse the hell out of me." Jess said right back and it caused Zack to snort with a little bit of a chuckle. Jess seemed unfazed but he did bare a small smile. "But at least you're intriguing."

"I'm going to assume you mean that as a compliment."

Jess blinked at him before shrugging. "I suppose I do."

"Thank you then."

Then Jess was chuckling again and Zack joined him even though he had no clue what they were laughing about. When Jess stopped laughing Zack still was and that triggered the younger boy into another laughing fit.

When Isaac stopped laughing he found himself melting into happy silence as he gazed at the boy in front of him. From across the hall or a classroom he always seemed mad, neutral, or unfocused. Now though, he seemed relaxed as he sat in the chair and laughed with his eyes closed and his pretty smile.

When Jess quit laughing he caught the boy's eye. "Admiring my beauty again?"

It sounded like a joke, it was a joke. He was messing around with Zack and after many years of being on the in crowd Zack had learned that the best way to reply to a joke was with another joke. Although, as the word left his mouth, to him, it didn't feel like he was totally kidding. "Yes."

Jess's wide, drunk from laughter smile had stayed on his face up until Isaac had answered and even for a second after that. It didn't fade until he really saw the half serious look in Zack's eyes. The smile then faded down to the little genuine ones he wears all the time. Zack didn't stop looking though. The boy in front of him really was attractive.

"You shouldn't admit to checking someone out so easily. Might get you in trouble one day." Jess spoke with a sideways smile and Isaac laughed back.

He laughed because it was funny. It was funny because they were joking. Yes, that's all this was. He was just messing around with Jess. Kidding with his friend. He did this all the time. So why did it feel different now?

Zack tried telling himself it was just the air around him. It's just the aura. After all, his friends weren't like Jess and they never jokes around in a library. Yes, that must be it.

Because why else would he feel different? It's not like what they were saying was making him feel any different ways. No, they couldn't be, because they were just that: jokes. Nothing more to it.

That's what he told himself at least. However, deep down he wasn't sure he totally believed it and the way his stomach felt a little flutter every time Jess laughed didn't make his disbelief any better.

○●○●○

Football practice ran on long today, it usually did on Mondays. Coach Faulon yelled and blew his whistle as they went through drills. By the end of it they were all coated in sweat.

Isaac took his time in the showers, soaking in the cold water as much as he could. When he stepped out his whole body had officially cooled down and he felt much better. He got dressed, not in a huge rush.

He finished packing his duffel, ready to leave, when someone ruffled his hair. He looked over to see Ki, the boy obviously just got out of the shower himself as he only had boxers on and had a towel hanging off his shoulder. Isaac laughed and gripped the towel, yanking it off his shoulder and throwing it on his head instead.

"Dry your hair, you look like a sick puppy." Zack laughed and turned back to zip up his bag.

Ki joined in on Zack's laughter as he pulled the towel off. "Man, fuck you."

"They're having gay sex back here!" Jace walked over with a towel wrapped around his waist. The three laughed and Isaac picked up his bag.

"Alright, I'm heading out."

"Okay, I'll fuck your boo for you." Jace winked and reached forward to rest his palm on Ki's head.

Ki scrunched his face up and swatted at Jace's hand. "Gross." The two then laughed again before Ki sobered up and looked at Zack as he started to leave. "See you, man."

"See you." Zack threw a wave over his shoulder and continued walking out of the locker room.

He walked away from the school and towards the student parking lot. When his car came into sight he remembered the morning and Jess tapping at his window. He smiled at the memory. He hadn't wanted to go in right away so he didn't and instead clicked on his phone. He hadn't been paying attention to the time.

Thinking of Jess also made him remember lunch. Avoiding the loud crowd with the quieter boy and laughing at stupid jokes. Stupid jokes that felt more real than they should've, but of course Zack wasn't focusing on that part.

He was focusing on remembering Jess's big smile and the fluttery feeling in his stomach. He realized how wide he was smiling and chuckled to himself as he got into the car. What's wrong with me today?

He started up the car and left, heading home. Music filled the quiet air around him. Home was constantly quiet, he didn't like it very much anywhere else.

His house came into sight and he moved to park in the driveway. Dave wasn't home, of course. Zack got out and went straight to his room. The rest of the house always gave off the lonely feeling too much when his dad wasn't around so he usually tucked himself away.

He hated the quiet too much to go around so he put Spotify on his a Bluetooth speaker connected to his phone. He tapped on an Instagram notification, furrowing his eyebrows.

'@roma.jess started following you'

He quickly pressed on the account. There weren't many posts but it was clearly Jess. He smiled as he followed the boy back.

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I sense a colorful future ahead of us.

I hope you're liking the story so far. :)

Love you ♡

- Z