journalism | zorbyn ✓

entry forty-two

my friends were skeptical about us patching things up to say the least. one moment i couldn't stand to be around you and the next i'm kissing you like nothing happened.

you sat with us at lunch and it was definitely awkward. the moment you sat down at our table, it was silent and all eyes were on you.

"um, hi," you mumbled, giving a small wave. "i'm corbyn."

"we know," gabbie countered, popping a baby carrot into her mouth.

"c'mon, let's be chill," i encouraged, scooting my chair closer to you. "we cleared things up. we're good now." i looked over at daniel, who refused to make eye contact with me. he stared down at his spaghetti that he had packed for lunch, poking it with his fork.

"so, corbyn," jack started, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table while interlocking his fingers. "why do you think we should even let you date zach after how you treated him?"

"oh my god, what are you, my mom?" i groaned, sinking into my chair.

"forgive me for not wanting you to get your heart broken. again." jack rolled his eyes. "i don't know about you, but i don't like seeing my best friends crying over guys."

"you're talking like corbyn's not sitting right here," i grumbled, gesturing towards you. i noticed you shift uncomfortably, a pink hue creeping up your neck to your face.

"should- should i leave?" you asked softly. i turned towards you, my eyes soft and sympathetic.

"no."

"yes!"

i glared at daniel across the table. daniel's bright eyes filled with frustration, glancing between me and you before his eyebrows drew together in anger and disappointment. he pushed himself out of his seat, turning on his heel and storming off.

everyone at the table got quiet, watching daniel go. i looked at you and then in the direction daniel walked off in before sighing, lifting myself from my chair. i quickly followed daniel, seeing he left the cafeteria and was storming through the halls.

i ran into a hallway, seeing daniel sitting against the lockers with his head in his hands. i sat next to him on the ground.

"bro, what's the deal?" i asked. "you were staring at corbyn like you were trying to laser his head off." daniel chuckled bitterly.

"ha, wouldn't that be nice," daniel scoffed. i hit daniel softly in the shoulder, scolding him.

"seriously, what's up? at least everyone else is trying to talk to corbyn without being completely and totally hostile. talk to me," i emcouraged. "why are you being like this?"

"because corbyn has it all, okay?" daniel exclaimed–a little loudly i might add–and it startled me, making me jump. "perfect looks, perfect friends, perfect grades. he has it all! and he's gonna get you too."

i sighed, looking at daniel knowingly. he was just scared to lose his best friend. we'd been friends for so long and it was always just the two of us. daniel didn't want you to take me away from him.

"i just-" daniel stuttered before breathing a heavy sigh. "i just can't. i can't lose you. not you."

"daniel, you're not- you're not gonna lose me," i reassured him. i placed a hand on daniel's shoulder and he didn't react, still with his head in his hands. "we've been best friends for how long?"

"eight year-"

"i can't hear you, daniel," i mocked.

"eight years, zach," he said a little louder. "we've been best friends for eight years."

"and how many boys have come between our friendship to the point where we weren't best friends anymore?" i continued. daniel paused, silent. "answer me, dani."

"none," he replied, almost in a whisper.

"so what makes you think corbyn would be the first?" i concluded. daniel was completely quiet and it was a few moments of a tense, unbearable quiet. the only thing to break the silence were daniel's sudden sniffles.

i looked at him curiously, realizing he was crying before wrapping my arms around his shoulders and pulling him in for a hug. daniel immediately hugged back, curling around me and letting himself cry for a bit. it was relieving to see daniel's guard down and i had never been more happy to see my best friend crying.

"i'm sorry for causing all this trouble," daniel mumbled into my shirt. i only squeezed him tighter at that, not wanting him to blame himself.

"don't apologize, you had every right to feel natural emotions. don't apologize for what you can't control," i told him. "i'll always be here for you. i'm gonna be right by your side no matter what."

i rubbed soothing circles into his back as he cried into my shirt, probably staining it with tears but i had a jacket to cover up with anyway.

as daniel calmed down i returned to the lunch table as he went off to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. when he returned to the table, he sat down quietly as the others had some actually very pleasant conversations with you, corbyn.

when you finally realized he was back, you got a little quiet. i rubbed your arm reassuringly and looked over at daniel in anticipation. when daniel and i made eye contact, something clicked in his brain and he immediately turned his attention to you.

"corbyn," daniel said. "i'm- i'm sorry. i've been kind of a douche." you smiled at him, grateful for the apology.

"it's okay, daniel, i get it," you sighed. "no hard feelings, man."

"are we cool?" daniel asked hopefully. you chuckled, nodding with a grin.

"we're cool, dude," you confirmed.

i'm so glad everything is back to normal. we're finally back on track and my life is actually looking up.

when you and daniel became friends it was like the best of both worlds collided.

~ zach :)
2.15.18
friday
4:06 pm

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FUCK man. this only has a
few more chapters before
it's over and none of us are
ready for it to end :(