𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏 | 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲

2. Table

Zach

"Hooooooooooooly shit you will never guess what just happened" I blurted out as I sat down at mine and Daniel's lunch table. Daniel, like the gossip whore he is, was all ears. "Spill" he commanded.

"So I went to throw away your stupid disgusting drink and on my way back I frikkin bumped into JACK AVERY AND HE LANDED ON TOP OF ME!!" I yelled at him. His eyes widened in disbelief. "HOW THE HELL ARE YOU NOT BEATEN UP OR SOME SHIT RIGHT NOW?!" Daniel yelled back at me, meeting my level of shock.

"That's the craziest part. He literally helped me up and he was asking if I was ok and wouldn't let go of my hand till he cleaned off all the food he dropped on my jacket and I was fuckin creeped out cause that's nothing like him at all!" I exclaimed.

"That's literally almost impossible, what the hell!!" Daniel placed a hand on his forehead, trying to process what I was telling him. "Ugh why did I make you throw my drink away? That should've been me!" Daniel dramatically complained. "That's what you get for being lazy" I retorted with a patronising smile on my face. Daniel ignored my insult. "Then what happened?!" He pushed. I finished telling him about the experience. "Well I asked for my hand back and then I..."

I suddenly trailed off, my face turning pale. "Oh no.." I trailed, remembering what I had said to him. "What is it?" Daniel questioned eagerly.

"Oh my god I'm so fucking dead. I literally called him weird. I called Jack motherfucking Avery a weirdo!! I'M A DEAD MAN!" I loudly hyperventilated, my eyes widening in fear.

"Ok well firstly calm the fuck down cause you're scaring my salad, and secondly, if he was gonna get mad at you he would've already done something in the moment. With his three combined brain cells he forgets an argument 5 minutes after it's happened." Daniel reassured.

I nodded along to his words, calming my breathing. "No, you're right. That makes a lot of sense. But what doesn't make sense is why he was nice to me. Like, genuinely nice. He literally wouldn't let me leave until he cleaned me off and make sure I was 'ok', which is nothing like him..."

I drifted off into thought, until an unsettling one came to mind. "Oh my god what if he could, like, sense that I'm totally in to him and he was just trying to be nice because I'm so pathetic. What if he pities me?!"

Daniel slapped a hand to his forehead. "You know, sometimes I really just can't with you. There are genuinely times where you make me want to yeet myself off of a cliff. I'm currently resisting the urge to just call it a day and find a nice window to forcibly throw myself out of."

I made a humorously awkward face. "Point taken" I mumbled. Daniel folded his arms. "We have to get to the bottom of this. Boy likes boy who nobody likes. Boy who likes nobody is nice to boy who likes him but boy does not know boy likes him. Does boy like boy even though boy likes no one?!" Daniel questioned as if hitting a revelation.

"Ok firstly that makes no sense, you lost me at "boy". Secondly, there's no way in hell Jack likes me. He probably doesn't even remember me even though we've gone to the same school as each other our whole lives" I argued. Daniel rolled his eyes at me.

"Fine, let's start over. You like Jack, and wether that's a "lifelong crush" type of deal or just a yeah I guess you're hella hot" type of deal, you cannot deny that deep down you want to rip his shirt off and-"

"Woah woah, ok, we get it Dani" I interrupted, thankfully not allowing him to talk on. "So what are you gonna do about it?" He asked. "....nothing?" I questioned. "I guess everything's the same as before. I'll still see him, I'll still like him, but I do nothing about it. Same as it's always been" I replied.

"I don't know, Zach. Something about this feels different. It feels like Jack's almost handed you an opportunity to introduce yourself into his life. Now he's always gonna remember you as "that one cafeteria guy" , but you could use that to become so much more. I mean, what are you so afraid of?" Daniel asked.

I bit down on my bottom lip, holding back the truth. Daniel looked at me expectantly, and so I finally sighed and gave in. "Everyone's the main character to their own story, and I don't want to be that weak one that melts under the popular guy's charms" I admitted. "And I know that what happened today with Jack is really gonna mess me up. All it's gonna do is make it harder for me to get him out of my head."

"But that's just who you are. You're the guy who falls for the ones you shouldn't, and you're going to let his stupid smile control you" Daniel pointed out. "I knowww, that's the annoying part. The very thing that I don't want to happen is exactly the thing that I know will." I placed my forehead on the table, groaning.

"You're a sappy emotional bitch that puts to much faith and trust into others, just own who you are" Daniel comforted. "Sometimes I hate that you know me so well" I mumbled, lifting my head to smile at Daniel.

"No time for smiles, we need to plan out yours and Jack's future. Oh my god, what are you gonna wear tomorrow?! We need to make an impression so he remembers you. We can't let the positive interaction you two just had to go waste!" Daniel vented, getting worked up.

"Wow, love how Jack Avery literally just bumped in to me and you're already creating a love story. You'd think we made out or something with the way you're going on about it" I snorted. "Jack still doesn't even know who I am. Nothing about that encounter was special."

Daniel took in a big breath. "This is the first time Jack Avery's been mildly decent to anyone. Bitch, I'm already picking out a wedding dress!" Daniel exclaimed. I laughed, giving him a light shove.

"I'd love to see what'd happen if you ever breathed the same oxygen as someone like Corbyn Besson, you'd start coming up with names for your guys' kids" I remarked, raising an eyebrow at Daniel.

"Ugh, stop! You know how much I like him! I wish he would just acknowledge my existence already. C'mon, I'm hot as fuck. Who wouldn't want a piece of this?" Daniel smirked, wiggling his eyebrows like a creep.

"Ugh stop you weirdo" I groaned, kicking him under the table. "Oh my god, VISION! IT'S COME TO ME! Our honeymoon will be in the Bahamas!" He breathed out, stretching out his hand for dramatic effect. "I SAID STOP IT OR I'LL KICK YOU OFF THIS DAMN TABLE!" I complained. Daniel sighed, giving in.

"I can't wait for you to get laid so you'll stop being such a whiny little shit" Daniel mumbled as he grabbed his hydro flask. "Excuse me? Sorry, did you say something?" I rudely questioned, squinting my eyes at him. Daniel snorted. "Oh Zachy, how I cannot wait until that day arrives."

"Oh yeah? Well fuck you. I actually can't make it to your non-existent wedding with Corbyn cause I have a business thing that weekend."

"Well it's actually on a Thursday, so..."

"Yep. I have a thing on that day too. It's a thing with a thingy thing."

"Then we'll just have to bring the Bahamas to you. I'm sure we cou- AAHH ZACH WHAT THE FUCK!"

"I guess I wasn't lying when I said I would kick you off the table."