Jealous - Lander

1 - Turn of Events

TW⚠️⚠️⚠️: MENTIONS IF SELF HARM
Self harm will not be super prevalent in this book but it is a heavy topic in this chapter. If this bothers you I would recommend skipping this chapter.

——

Zander was having a horrible day. The entire day he had been extremely overstimulated and sensitive to everything.

His scalp was hot, he could feel his bones touching, his tongue wouldn't settle on the roof of his mouth, and his scars were itchy.

He, for the most part, was just your average Joe. But when he was younger he didn't know how to cope with the emotional baggage that was his trauma, so he took it out on his wrists and thighs.

When he was fifteen, Luke saw a freshly opened wound on his lower wrist. So fresh there was still dried blood on it.

And as Zander would've suspected, he freaked out, balled his eyes out to the pianist, and made him promise he would never hurt himself again.

To this day, Zander hadn't laid a finger on himself. He was gentle with his skin, appreciating its youth.

But sometimes when he was super overwhelmed, his skin would get hot and damp and the scars would itch like crazy.

He kept itching until he accidentally broke skin, causing a rush of blood to flow out of his wrist.

"Shit.." he mumbled, watching as a drop of blood fell onto his calculus test.

He pressed his sleeve into the wound, concealing more blood from dripping all over his desk.

He quietly stood up from his desk, approaching the teacher, anxiously awaiting to leave the quiet, cold classroom.

"Ms. Hollis?" He mumbled, leaning his hand on the corner of her desk. "Can I use the bathroom?"

She nodded. "You may go quickly. Take a hall pass"

He grabbed the hall pass— which was just a white piece of laminated paper attached to a blue lanyard— draping it over his neck, and finally escaping that damned classroom.

He took the longest route to the least used bathroom he could possibly think of, taking a paper towel to absorb the blood.

He entered quietly, listening for signs of anyone else in the bathroom. He could hear the faint sounds of people in the big stall, but he couldn't quite make out what it was they were saying. Or rather, doing.

Kissing. They were kissing!

He was praying he was quiet enough that they didn't heard him come in, and shortly enough came out Henry and Liam, giddy and red faced, until they recognized another person.

"Fuck." Liam said, looking the pianist straight in the eyes.

"We're you two just.." Zander started, shocked as he moved his eyes between the two boys.

Liam and Henry exchanged glances. Henry swallowed hard. "Would you believe me if I said no?"

Zander slowly shook his head.

"Fuck.. you need to understand that no one can know about this." Liam said, taking a step closer to Zander.

Zander nodded understandingly. "I understand, Liam. I wasn't planning on telling anyone."

Liam pulled the boy into a tight bear hug. "Thank you!! You were always my favorite freak- I mean, uhm-"

"I know what you mean." Zander said, pushing the tall brunette off of him. "On one condition. Leave Luke alone. Pick on anyone else. Me, for all I care. Just not Luke."