'The Music Freaks' Oneshots

right person, wrong time. </3

Ship(s): Jander (Jake x Zander)

Genre: Angst

{ a/n: before you read, just be warned that the characters are ooc to the point where it hurts :') }

Zander walked up the stairs to the rooftop, thinking... about his crush. 'Crush', what a small word for such a big feeling. It was no mere crush, it was love, he was sure of it.

All that he could think about was Jake. He'd see something and wonder, would Jake like this? How would Jake react to this? It was infuriating, really, but at the same time it was a feeling he lived for.

As he reached the rooftop, he saw the boy he was thinking of- Jake himself.

Clearly hearing the footsteps from behind him, the peach-haired boy turned around and their eyes met. "Hi, Zander." Jake greeted him, sounding somewhat tired. "I was just thinking about you... can I ask you something?"

"Sure?" Zander responded, curious and confused.

"Do- how do you feel about me?"

"What do you mean?" Did he find out about my feelings for him?

Jake took a deep breath in, clearly wondering how to phrase his question. "It's been about year since I joined the music club, and you still seem at unease around me. How can I fix it? I swear I'm not the same anymore."

"Well... I just- I wish you never joined the band club!" He burst out, realizing how messed up his words had come out. Yes, he wished Jake hadn't joined, but only because then he wouldn't have caught feelings.

Something changed in Jake's expression, and he glared at Zander. "It's been a year. If you can't get over it- fine. I'll leave."

He turned to go back down the stairs, but Zander grabbed his wrist to stop him. "No, Jake, that isn't what I meant." He hesitated before continuing. Am I really going to confess? "I trust you, it's just... I wish you'd never joined, because then I wouldn't have fell for you."

Jake turned back to him, clearly shocked. "You what?"

"You heard me right... I fell for you. It's stupid, isn't it? You probably still like Daisy."

"No, I actually- Zander, you're joking. Right?"

"I wish I was."

Jake paused, taking a moment to think. "I... I fell for you too, but, no."

Hearing Jake's first words, Zander felt excitement, but got confused towards the end. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no. We both have to get over our crushes, it'd never work out. I would've tried harder to get rid of my feelings if I knew you felt the same way..."

He felt crushed. "That's stupid. If we both feel the same way, why would we get rid of our feelings?"

"Like I said, Zander. We'd never work out. You and I... we don't fit well, at all."

"But Jake-" He protested. "I love you, I swear, I'll do everything right."

It was silent for a few moments, and then out of the blue, Jake started laughing. "You made me think you hated me, for so, so, long, just to say this? Do you know how much it hurt?" He asked, digging his nails into his skin aggressively.

"I know, I'm sorry—"

"Sorry? Every day I've had to come to school and see you hate me, not trust me, flirt with Luke— and now you have the audacity to say this?"

Tired of apologizing, Zander bit back. "You know, it wasn't exactly easy being me either. You bullied me for years, how was I supposed to suspect you felt the same way as me?"

Jake opened his mouth to talk, but paused and shook his head. "See. Arguing already. We aren't meant to be, Zander. I'm- I'm sorry. I want you so badly, but we have to look at the bigger picture. It'll only hurt more if we started dating and it kept on like this."

"Can I... just one time, can I hug you? As more than friends. Just this once."

Jake nodded silently, embracing Zander emotionlessly, trying to keep his expression neutral. Zander, on the other hand, could be felt shaking, and soon enough, Jake realized he was crying. And then both of them were.

After a few endlessly long but cruelly short minutes, Jake pushed Zander away.

"Goodbye, Zander." He said awkwardly, neither of them wanting to acknowledge anything that had just happened. He turned away and left, leaving Zander alone atop the rooftop.

Maybe in another reality they would end up together, but it certainly wasn't in this one.