Nameless ≫ Jarchie

_29_

9 hours.

There was no word of Jay for 9 hours.

Not one phone call, not one text, and Nameless was internally frantic. The minute he got up the next morning he checked his phone.

No word.

Then he checked Jay's room.

Empty.

He called Archie.

He hadn't heard anything, but he said he'd be on his way.

Nameless felt as if it was his fault. Sure, hazing rituals happened at the school all the time but it was his job to care about Jay. He knew it was. He knew he shouldn't have let him go. Still, he managed to act like everything was fine. He took a shower, got dressed, did his hair, packed up his things, and made his way down the stairs towards the kitchen where David, Sabrina, Mike, and Carry sat.

"Good Morning." Sabrina greeted, gesturing towards the box of lucky charms by her arm. Nameless smiled in response, taking the box and taking a seat next to her. He had made a promise not to tell their parents about Jay unless they asked where he was. Nameless found the promise ridiculous. Of course they'd ask where he was.

But they didn't.

Jay knew they wouldn't.

The chatter at the table continued, innocent in nature, as Nameless felt sick to his stomach. He came to an important realization that day.

Jay already felt invisible before he disappeared.

Soon enough Archie came to pick him up earlier than he usually did, greeting him with a kiss and practically dragging him out of the front door and into his truck. It was only 6:47. "We're not going to school today. Do you have a problem with that?" Archie asked as if it were an every day question.

"No. Jay is more important."

"That's what I'd thought you'd say." Archie grinned, getting into the driver's side of the truck and starting the engine. "We're going to check Chad's house first."

"Wait. Maybe we should split up. I want to check the school."

"That's smart. We'll do that. Call me if you find him." Archie smiled, closing the door to his truck. "This is so cool. It's our first adventure as a couple. We're like Bonnie and Clyde."

"That is a stretch, Archie. But I get what you are getting at. I will call you." Nameless shook his head, backing away from the truck. "Do not listen to music."

"You sound like my dad." Archie rolled his eyes before waving and heading down the street.

———

Jay was screwed. He was utterly screwed because he was naked and taped to the gym walls with duct tape.

So much for them not finding his phone, huh?

None of the other newbies got the same special treatment Jay was awarded with that night. None of them were stripped naked, or were forced to dribble a basketball in their hands for three hours straight. None of them had been forced to chug two beers or recite the pledge of allegiance in Chad's sister's dress. And sure as hell, none of them were duct taped to a gym wall naked at 1 am.

He could hear that people were starting to come into the school, but no one had bothered to open the gym doors yet. He was scared out of his mind and wanted nothing more than to lock himself in his room and cry as Britney Spear's Toxic played on his radio, but he realized that tears weren't going to get him anywhere. He decided that he'd rather be found duct taped to a wall naked than to be found duct taped to a wall naked as he was weeping.

It was only a matter of time before the laughing and the name-calling would start. He already knew his pictures were going to be around everywhere, and that there would be so many jokes about how "Little Jay isn't so little where it counts". He had already heard all of that from the basketball team but he still was not prepared. Even if he somehow made it out of this alive, the whole entire basketball team had pictures of him that he'd never be able to live down.

Jay squinted his eyes shut, preparing for his doom, as he heard the squeak of the gym doors and footsteps come running towards him.

"I should not have let you go out." The voice said, and Jay opened his eyes quickly, relief washing over him as he viewed his older brother inspecting the duct tape around him and giving a few pulls.

"Not to be dramatic, but I love you." Jay sighed, his voice cracking as tears threatened his eyes.

"I would not say that just yet. I do not know how quickly I can get you out of this." He sighed before taking his book bag off his shoulder and digging around for something sharp. After a few seconds of searching, he decided on his house key and decided to give it a shot.

It worked.

It was hard work, but it was working and Nameless worked diligently to cut the pieces of tape on either side of his brother that bounded him to the wall. After ten minutes, he seemed to have done it.

"Okay. I am going to pull you out now." Nameless warned, coming over to grip his shoulders which were the only parts of his. Body that were left exposed besides his...

Nameless was not touching that.

Jay nodded feebly as Nameless counted to three. On go, he pulled as hard as he could. The boy landed on his backpack with a grunt and Jay landed on top of him just as the gym door opened again. Nameless got up with lightning speed, picked up his bag, and practically dragged Jay to a different corner of the gym where the storage closet was. Someone had left the keys in the lock and Nameless had to snort.

Dumbass jocks

In another second he was pulling Jay inside and closing the door behind them.

"After I get the tape off, you are taking my clothes." Nameless told him, and took out of his phone.

"Thank you so much." Jay mumbled.

"What is family for?" Nameless offered before dialing up Archie and getting to work again.

"Did you find him?" Archie picked up frantically.

"Yeah. He is with me. I am in the storage closet in the gym."

"What happened?"

"It is a long story. Can you bring some clothes?"

"Oh my gosh, it was that bad?" Archie sighed sadly.

"We will talk about it when you get here." Nameless said as he pulled a few strips of tape off of Jay's skin. It definitely wasn't painless, but Jay just wanted it off of him so he let his brother go as fast as he could.

In twenty more minutes, the bell for first period rang and Nameless was peeling the last strip of tape off of Jay who hadn't said anything since sharing his gratitude. No Name took off his hoodie, handing it to Jay who took it gratefully and slid it over his own head. Next, he was taking off his jeans and Jay slid those on as well. The clothes were big on him but everything was big on him. He always felt so small, whether that be physically, mentally, socially, or academically. He was always forgotten, always taken advantage of, and he just really hated being so small.

"No one asked about me, did they?" Jay asked quietly, but he already knew the answer.

"You are not going to attend class today. Where do you want to go? I will take you anywhere." Nameless responded, changing the subject.

"Just tell me." He whispered.

"No. No one asked about you." Nameless admitted.

Jay collapsed onto the floor.

Then he cried.

♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛

Oof. Jay becomes a larger character as time goes on sorry I know a lot of you fake for strictly Jarchie but like Jarchie is in every chapter. Well... TBH IDK WHAT TO CALL THEM cuz obviously it's Jarchie but rn he's Nameless. Idk it's confusing. Narchie??? Lmfao ew