Breaking the silence

CHAPTER 6

So there I was, slouched on my bed like a dead man, phone propped up against a pile of laundry I had no intention of folding, and staring at the screen as Jackson's face popped up on FaceTime. It had been way too long since we'd last done this—stupid time zones, school, and, well, life.

"Hey, you," I said, giving him a lazy grin.

Jackson smiled back, but it wasn't his usual, confident, heart-melting smile. Nah, this one was... weird. Kinda forced, like he was trying too hard to act normal. I chalked it up to the whole long-distance thing and brushed it off. It was probably just one of those "I miss you so much I don't even know how to act like a human anymore" moments.

"I miss you," he said, leaning closer to the screen like he could somehow close the miles between us through sheer force of will.

"I miss you more," I shot back because we had to be cheesy like that. It was, like, written in the LDR handbook. Rule number one: Out-cheese your partner at all costs.

"You look... tired," Jackson said, squinting at me.

No shit, genius. "Yeah, well, pulling all-nighters trying to avoid looking like a zombie during the first week of school takes a toll."

Jackson chuckled, but again, it didn't reach his eyes. His usual spark, the one that always made me feel like everything was gonna be okay, just wasn't there. It was like looking at a Jackson-shaped shell, and I couldn't figure out why.

"So, how's the new school?" he asked, changing the subject way too quickly.

"New school's... fine. Except for the part where I'm too tired to function and have somehow managed to piss off the most mysterious guy ever. Seriously, Zayne Martinez is a fucking puzzle I'm about to solve, whether he likes it or not."

"Zayne?" Jackson's eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah, dude's got this whole 'I'm too cool to talk to you' vibe, and I've made it my personal mission to annoy him until he gives in."

Jackson tried to laugh again, but it sounded more like a cough. I frowned. Something was definitely off, and I didn't like it.

"What about you?" I asked, trying to get a read on him. "What've you been up to?"

Jackson shrugged, which wasn't exactly the grand response I was expecting. "Not much. Just, y'know, school. Same old, same old."

I raised an eyebrow. "Same old, same old? That's it? Come on, man, there's gotta be something more exciting than that. Spill."

He hesitated, and for a second, I thought he was gonna change the subject again, but then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's just... I dunno, I've been feeling kinda weird lately."

Weird? What the hell did that mean? My stomach dropped. "Weird how?"

Jackson opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it again, like he was trying to find the right words. The seconds dragged on, and my brain started spiraling, filling in the blanks with every possible worst-case scenario.

Oh god, is he gonna break up with me?

"I just... I don't know how to explain it," he finally said, looking anywhere but the camera.

Okay, great, super fucking helpful. "Well, try. Because you're starting to freak me out here."

Jackson laughed, but it was that same strained, awkward laugh. "It's nothing bad, I promise. I just feel... off. Like something's missing."

That did nothing to ease my anxiety. "Something like... me?"

He looked at me then, and I could see the guilt flash across his face. "No, it's not that. It's just—ugh, I don't know. It's stupid."

"Well, now you have to tell me. I mean, you can't just drop a 'something's missing' bomb and leave me hanging."

Jackson sighed again, this time louder, more dramatic. "It's just... everything feels so boring without you here, y'know? Like, the routine, the school, the same people... it all feels empty."

That should've made me feel better, right? Knowing that he missed me so much that life just sucked without me. But it didn't. Not really. Because something still felt off. Like he wasn't telling me the whole story.

"I get that," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I mean, I feel the same way. But we're making it work, right? We're still us."

Jackson's eyes flickered again, and there it was—that weird hesitation. I wanted to reach through the screen and shake him. Spit it out, damn it.

"Yeah, of course," he said, but it lacked any real conviction. "We're still us."

"Okay, then what's the problem?"

"There's no problem."

Liar.

But I didn't push it. Not yet. Instead, I forced myself to keep it light, throwing in a grin to cover up the growing pit in my stomach. "Well, as long as you're not gonna ditch me for someone else, I guess I'll let you off the hook."

Jackson's eyes widened slightly, and he gave me the most unconvincing laugh I've ever heard. "Of course not. Don't be stupid."

Stupid? Me? Never.

"Hey, I'm just saying," I teased, trying to diffuse the tension. "You never know. Someone with better hair than me could come along and sweep you off your feet."

"Yeah, right. Like that's possible."

His smile was there, but again, it was off. Forced. Like he was playing a part in a shitty high school drama production, and I was the clueless audience member.

I couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't telling me something. And that "something" was gnawing at me, whispering in the back of my head like a little asshole gremlin.

But what could I do? I wasn't about to turn this FaceTime call into an interrogation. So, I plastered on another grin and changed the subject.

"So, anyway, I've officially decided to make Zayne my new hobby."

Jackson blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"You heard me. The guy is, like, a walking mystery, and I'm gonna figure him out."

Jackson raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Why not?" I shrugged. "I'm bored. Plus, he's the only guy at this school who's more of an asshole than me. It's fascinating."

Jackson didn't laugh. He just stared at me, his face unreadable.

I opened my mouth to say something else, but then his screen glitched, the video lagging for a second before freezing completely.

"Great," I muttered, tapping my phone like that would magically fix the connection. "Jackson? Hello? You there?"

Nothing. Just frozen Jackson, staring at me with that same weird, distant look on his face.

Fucking perfect.

I sighed, flopping back onto my bed. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe I didn't want to hear whatever else he wasn't telling me. Because deep down, I had a feeling that once he finally said it, things were gonna change.

And I wasn't ready for that yet. Not even close.