Under Pressure - Septiplier

Chapter Twenty Eight

Jack shrugs on a shirt and skinny jeans, slipping out of the apartment after his parents have both left. Simon can handle being the oldest. Alli and Malcolm are both old enough to be good without an adult around, and between the three, they can take care of Susan. They have the emergency landline phone if they absolutely need it. It's not the most responsible attitude from the thirteen-year-old, but his family feels suffocating. After Papa got mad at him for wearing his skinny jeans, his siblings have been undercover spies, eyes wide and mouths silent whenever Jack does anything kind of gay. That is... silent until Papa gets home. Then they tattle, voice prattling on and on about the most meaningless shit he's done. Jack knows he used to be that way, a carbon-copy of his parents' ideals and beliefs. Oh, how things have changed.

He spends most of his time wandering around Austin, backpack with one sandwich and bottle of water, old sunglasses, a jacket, several library books, an old Sudoku book, a notepad, and a pencil. Jack wanders the old historic districts, the main downtown, the fun, "quirky" blocks meant to attract tourists. He'll slip into open restaurants and listen to the live-musicians, order water, and that's that. He always leaves when they ask, polite, and thankful for the water. Typically, it takes about twenty minutes. Then he goes back to roaming, alone and lonely. Jack decides it's similar to how a male lion lives, wandering about and trying things out at different prides, but others generally push him away. His fate is to roam the Serengeti, alone and hungry.

It's late one day, later than he usually stays out, but this bar hasn't bothered him, and the musician is good. Besides, he made himself a homemade lemonade with the sugar packets and the lemon slices that came with the water. The drink was refreshing, and he almost felt like an ordinary patron. He bobbed his head along, humming to the rendition of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" and smiling lightly.

The fan he sits beside whirs softly, ruffling his hair. People chatter away around him. Silverware clinks against plates, ice cubes tinkle as the patrons stir their drinks, chips crunch as they munch down on nachos, or perhaps a spinach-artichoke dip. The barbeque smells delicious, the scent wafting from the kitchen out to the outdoor eating area. Jack's stomach growls.

"Hey Jack!" comes a soft call. The boy tenses up, shoulders drawing in, head ducking. Someone caught him in the act, freeloading. He hurriedly packs up the few things he has out back into his bag, knowing it's time to get out of dodge. Jack freezes as a gentle hand rests on his shoulder. He turns and looks at the person who blew his cover, outing his dastardly plans.

"Oh, hey... Ethan?"

"Yup! It's great to see you! What are the chances, huh?" Ethan asks, grinning.

"Undoubtedly slim. Hey, listen, I was just heading-"

"Wanna hang with us? It's me, Amy, and Mark. We came out to have some fun, and you were a fun guy. A total beneficial addition if you ask me!" Ethan inquires happily.

"Umm... I..."

"It's alright if you don't want to, but Mark's kind of been sneaking glances at you for the past ten minutes, and since he didn't say anything, I decided to speak up!" Ethan reassures that same innocent smile on his lips. Those same gentle eyes, crinkling at the corners, warm and inviting gaze hopefully at him. Those gentle eyes are so sweet and loving as if Jack is the most exciting person he's met. Jack feels a bit like a lion again, staring at a gazelle. Jack isn't much for social interaction. He's often too busy. He's always been the loner. Always the outcast, except with Felix. However, perhaps it wouldn't hurt. They were going to the same high school next year anyway. Hanging with the nerdy kids from other schools was a good plan.

"If it's not a bother," Jack murmurs, gaze flickering to Mark, who is in the corner of the patio, resolutely staring at the table. It must have a fascinating design etched into it. The boy seems as if he's deciphering some ancient code with how hard he is concentrating.

"Not at all!" Ethan effuses, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "Three's fun, but four's a party!" he quips. Jack chokes on his own saliva. Oh goodness, this innocent boy with hazel eyes had no idea what he was saying.

"Ethan, I don't think-"

"Oh, I know," Ethan said, breaking down into devious giggles. Jack flushes, glaring, and shoving Ethan's shoulder gently as he stands.

"Oi, no need for that!" he huffs, smiling with amusement. Jack got a moment of deja vu when Felix did something similar. The situations feel like replicas of each other: mirrors of new beginnings. He makes his way over, drink in hand. Amy smiles and waves, tilting her head to the side. Jack slides into the empty seat across from Mark, Ethan on Jack's right, and Amy on his left. The wood of the table does not have any fascinating designs imparted upon its rough surface. Though Mark still finds it fascinating.

"When the waiter brings out your order, make sure you flag him over here," Ethan reminds Jack. The boy chuckles and shakes his head.

"I didn't order anything yet," he lies as if it was as natural as breathing. Technically, it's true, but keeping the hitch out of his voice, or stopping his body from tensing on the "yet" takes practiced skill. Ethan nods as Amy pipes up.

"That's great! That way, he won't get all confused then. Makes his life a hell of a lot easier," she says happily. Jack smiles and nods, taking a sip of his free lemonade. His throat felt a bit dry. Was the situation tense? Can they tell that he's lying? Jack thinks it's obvious, the way he swallows and his adam's apple bobs so drastically. It's stones, he's swallowing stones with each slight lie, collecting them and hoping they don't pile up in his gut for too long.

He chats with them and informs them that Felix has gone back to Sweden. Ethan and Amy frown, sad for the loss, and commiserate with Jack, giving him sweet apologies. Mark stays quiet.

Jack internally frowns, a bit confused. His friends seem to wholly accept this behavior, but Mark isn't even engaged in the conversation. The black hair curls and drapes over his brow, and he just stares at the table, drawing lines over it and tracing small cracks and scrapes. Neither Amy nor Ethan are perturbed by this behavior.

"Yes, Felix sends Snaps with Mark occasionally, but I don't think he sent anything about moving. Did he, Mark?" Jack asks the kid across from him. Mark frowns and shakes his head, shoulders drawing in a bit more.

"Huh, I wonder why. What did you guys last talk about? I always think it's funny to hear these conversations from other people's perspectives because Felix is such a drama queen. He once whined about one of his friends saying they didn't like chocolate for a whole day," Jack says, eyes still zeroed-in on Mark.

"Just school," Mark shrugs.

"What about school? Like, some test, annoying teachers, annoying kids, what in particular?"

"Particularly, differing flavors of sherbet between our cafeterias. Orange versus strawberry," Mark mutters.

"Oh, I remember that. Fe was whining about a lack of diversity in our options," Jack giggles, smiling a bit now that Mark is talking.

"But it isn't some corporate business?" Mark frowns. Ethan, Amy, and Jack laugh at that.

"Ah yea, just trying to up our sherbet diversity. You know, the liberals these days get outraged if you don't have a strawberry cup on the team!" Ethan pipes up. The group laughs again, and Mark sits thinking for a very long moment before he starts laughing as well. The atmosphere seems to relax a bit after that. No one judges Jack when he says he's not buying anything. The group orders nachos, and Amy forces Jack to eat his fair share. Well, more than his fair-share, because he won't be getting an entree. The same thing happens with dessert. They order a lava cake with ice cream. Ethan asks for three spoons, and Mark frowns.

"Four," the kid mumbles, fidgeting with his watch.

Ethan and Amy glance over at Mark with a smile and nod in agreement.

"Yeah, four," Ethan corrects. Jack blushes and pouts, sinking lower in his seat.

"One fork is going unused y'all," he announces. Amy rolls her eyes and smiles. When the dessert comes, they heckle Jack until he eats some. Good grief, these kids are insane. Jack is stuffed with more calories than he usually eats for an entire day in one sitting. He relaxes back, making jokes with them and trying to keep Mark involved. Jack still notices how the other two don't seem to make much of an effort to include Mark. Jack wonders why as they talk, but either way, he decides it's his permanent mission to cleave Mark from his shell. He isn't like a turtle, Mark isn't attached to the shell. Mark can crawl out at any time. Perhaps he just needs some coaxing.