JUST PRESS SEND (On Hold)

SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BRANDON HYNES

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"Zach! I got pizza," I announced. It might have sounded like I was okay but once I left Angelica and stepped into the building of my apartment, I cried. I felt stupid for crying but I felt good after I did it. I just told myself that I was done with dating because I wasn't good enough for anyone it seemed. "Zach?"

I sat the pizza down on the kitchen table and then I took my coat and shoes off and placed them by the door. I was curious to where Zach was and why he wasn't answering me.

"Zach?" I checked in our room, but he wasn't there. Then I knocked on the bathroom door that was closed. "Zach?" He didn't answer so I tried to open the door but it was locked. He was in the bathroom. "Bro, you shitting in there?"

He said nothing. I pressed my ear up against the door and knocked again. "I brought some pizza home?" He still wasn't answering me. I was starting to get irritated. "Zach, what the hell are you doing in there? Beating your meat?"

"Dude, leave me alone. I'm not in the mood." I heard sniffling.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?"

"Just please leave me be."

"Zach, no. I can't do that."

"Brandon, just listen to me! Leave me alone! I don't want to speak to you or anyone right now!"

"Okay," I said as I sat down with my back up against the door. I said okay because I understood. When I was sad, I said something similar to Zach and being the good friend that he was, he allowed me to have my time to myself. However, one thing he didn't do was leave my side. Therefore, I wasn't leaving that bathroom door until he came out and spoke to me. I wanted him to know that I was there for him like he had always been there for me.

It was hard, though. Listening to him cry while I was on the other side. I wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be alright because things were. Even if he didn't believe so.

My phone vibrated and I checked it. It was from Angelica who said that she hoped that I was okay. I smiled but I wasn't okay. I just told her that I was because I was gonna be okay, eventually. I went through a heart break far worse than Tobias. I was gonna be okay.

"I can't believe it," Zach said after ten minutes of being quiet. "Brandon, are you still there?"

"Yeah."

"Bro."

"What's up?"

"Gabi broke up with me, and I don't know how to feel."

"It's okay to be sad about it. You two have been together for almost two years now."

"I know, but I don't know man."

It got a quiet for a moment. Hearing that Gabi broke up with Zach just made me think of the situation I was in. "You know, if it makes you feel better, Tobias pretty much dumped me too."

He didn't say anything but then I heard the door unlock and squeak open. "What?"

I stood up, so we could be face to face. "Yup."

"Aw, Brandon. Damn it, man." He opened his arms. "Come give me a hug."

I chuckled. "You need the hug more than me."

He just nodded and hugged me tightly. Of course, I hugged him back. The hug was good. It really made me feel a lot better. The tighter I hugged the better I felt. Zach always gave the best hugs. There was something about his strong arms, his hard body, and his smell that made his hugs magical. I found myself getting lost in his hold as I relaxed my head on him.