Being Jackson.

07.

Jackson.

I listened to my music, swaying my hips and slightly shaking my shoulders as I moved past the sliding doors of the gym, it had become my second home in a very weird sense.

If I wasn't home, I was at the gym molding my body, I hated that I had succumbed to the taunts, to the jeers and the peer pressure from everyone but at the same time, I appreciated it, it gave me the fuel to push even harder, reach for what I wanted.

"Someone is in a good mood." Wyatt pointed out amused by me dancing. "Well I feel good, look at me, I'm healthier than I've ever been, my skin is glowing and the best part is that I don't have a pot belly anymore." I retorted lifting my tee shirt and showing him the outline of my abs and he gave me an impressed look.

"I have to admit, you look fire, you have pushed yourself harder than anyone I know since the day I met you, even I gotta admit, you deserve a medal." He answered and I nodded gratefully.

"Thanks Wyatt, for everything." I say and he waves me off, Wyatt and I had met the day I had gone into the city with Darcy, he was in a que waiting for his lunch and since then we've been inseparable, he and Darcy more so, I suspected they were dating but I couldn't speculate so I just waited for them to tell me in their own time.

Also since that day I hadn't attended school, I had asked my mother to find a way to get me excused from school, but have all the work and lessons sent to me via email, I would do the work at home and Darcy would deliver it to our teachers at school.

Safe to say, I was still top of my class, for three weeks I had done nothing but plan the party with Darcy, do my schoolwork, do my podcast daily, avoid anyone who came looking for me who wasn't Wyatt or Darcy, I had aksed Kat to tell anyone else that I wasn't around.

Darcy had told me that Ryder had asked about me but she told him the same thing, I wasn't around, I was on some student exchange program, I did well to hide myself, I changed my gym and used my mother's car more often, all of it boiled down to where I currently was, my second home.

Where I had fainted twice and sprained my leg three times but I didn't stop, I kept pushing and now my 6'2 self was ready to go back to school, I was ready to face everything.

I didn't know where my confidence came from but it felt good to see myself differently, to know that I wasn't the fat kid anymore, and no one could sneer those words at me ever again, and being away gave me the perspective that I needed, it wasn't just about myself anymore, I wanted to help others as well, be healthier, feel accepted and finally truly stand up to their bullies.

"So what's the agenda today boss." Wyatt teases with a wink as I get on the treadmill next to him. "It's past midday you dingus, actually around four, which means there is nothing, except getting our tuxes, picking up Darcy at school and going to that ridiculous house of hers to see if everything is set up for tonight." I explain and he nods before realization hits him.

"Wait, how long have I been here, I ditched school like three hours ago." Wyatt was frantic, immediately getting off the treadmill to check his phone which was ontop of his gym duffle.

"Shit, Darcy is gonna kill me!" And now he was frightened and frantic, in the time I had known Darcy, I learnt two things about the girl, she was the sweetest as they come and also the scariest if you didn't do what she wanted, how she wanted.

"Come on, you were here in the morning, you've done enough lifts today, we gotta go." He exclaims frantically packing his bag. "No I just got here." I whined in refusal. "Please man, please, I'll do anything." He begged trying to pull me away from the treadmill.