TEXTING ; wdw

009

zach awaited the curls on his screen, nuzzled nervously to the back corner of the abandoned elevator, knees squeezed tightly to his chest.

the small spinning circle finally came to a stop, jack's face appearing onto zach's phone. a sunny smile glimmered onto zach's rosy red cheeks.

‘hi j,’ zach greeted, watching jack as the boy propped his phone onto something in his room, standing it up.

jack took a seat on the edge of his bed, placing his elbows atop his kneecaps, leaning over slightly. ‘hey zach.’

‘so, uh..’ zach started, not knowing what he should say.

zach was scared. he knew his bullies were stood directly outside the sliding doors of the elevator, they'd chased the poor boy into it. the teens were idiots though, fortunately, as somehow they managed to lock zach inside, keeping them from entering the cramped space. yet, zach was now stuck.

‘well, z, we have to get you out of there.’ jack stated the obvious.

zach's eyes averted to the screen propped onto the entrance wall across from him, which was connected to a camera directly outside the door. he saw the four boys who'd ran after him this afternoon still sat in front of the door.

‘jack, i can't leave. they're out there.’

jack began to bounce his leg up and down rapidly. ‘who is?’

zach's voice was small, shyness ringing throughout it. ‘the bullies.’ he hated that he was telling jack about this. zach hated when others worried about him, he figured no one should be wasting their time on something as pathetic as him.

especially as he's stuck in an elevator, terrified of what's outside. that's damn embarrassing.

‘aw z,’ jack's lips curved down slightly. ‘do they know you're in there?’

zach scoffed. ‘they fucking chased me in here. it's like they're predators and trying to eat me.’

‘you mean the prey?’

zach looked away, chuckling. ‘yeah, that. couldn't remember the word.’ didn't know the word. haven't gone to school in too long.

‘well zachy, we gotta find a way for you to leave,’ jack said impatiently, squinting his eyes and scrunching his nose in attempts to think harder. zach cooed at the gesture, jack looked adorable. he couldn't admit to that though.

‘why do you need me to leave so bad? it's not like i'm having a bad time sitting here cooped up in an elevator. i'm not even using it,’ zach announced smugly, wanting jack to trip over his words, try anything to not have to face his fears of the extremities outside the elevator.

instead, with big eyes he watched jack's entire presence enlighten. zach muffled curses to himself, not wanting to leave. he didn't want to think about it. alternatively, he studied jack's beautiful face, which was over elated. a gorgeous sight in zach's opinion.

but jack's straight. jack's straight, zach, he told himself. straight means boys like girls. if a boy likes a girl.. zach was born with very male features. straight means he can't like you. so stop thinking about him like that.

‘jack, are you okay?’ zach was worried as jack hadn't spoken for a solid minute at this point. 

jack nodded vigorously, smiling his magnificent smile. ‘i'm great, z. i have an idea.. but i'm not sure if you're gonna be up for it.’

‘well, i never really agreed to this in the first place but-’

he was cut off. 'excuse me, it doesn't even matter if you're up for it you're doing it anyways.' jack gives zach an enthusiastic thumbs up, hoping to give the younger at least some energy to leave the enclosed box.