Conventional

“Are you sure this going to work?”

“No, I’m not. But honestly – I wouldn’t take you back if I were him.”

I scowl at Jack as he shoves his textbook into his locker. He shrugs in response. He’s no help to me – at all. I lean up against his locker and look down the hallway. I’m waiting for Zack. He should be showing up any minute now, if he’s showing up to school at all. I keep my eyes on the school doors, just waiting. Him showing up is the main part of my plan – without him here, it’s not going to have as great of an effect.

“You need to just chill out – if he shows, then he shows.”

Jack slams his locker shut, and at the same time I see Zack walking down the hallway. His head is down and he just looks small – as if he’s trying to disappear.

“Jack-”

“Go talk to him.”

I nod and take a deep breath as he stops at his locker. Jack gently pushes me forwards and I start the first few steps towards him. I’m halfway there when everything sort of starts to go wrong. Matt and Oliver get to him before I can. I speed up a bit as they push him into his locker. His lips are moving, telling them to stop, but they refuse and continue their torment.

“What are you guys doing?” I ask, finding my voice by the time I reach them. They stop laughing and turn to me.

“Hey, Alex. Just talking to your stalker,” Oliver tells me. He leans on Zack, acting as if they’re best friends. Zack looks like he wants to do a number of things, but he’s too afraid to do them one being cry.

“He’s not my stalker, Oli.”

I hold my hand out to Zack. He stares at it, as do Oliver and Matt. For a second, I think he’s going to reject me and tell me he hates me and doesn’t want me talking to him anymore. But then, his eyes lock with mine and he nods slightly, lacing our hands together.

“What the fuck? Alex, what are you doing?”

I ignore Matt’s questions as I pull Zack towards me. My arm slips around his waist and I ask him, “Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine.” His eyes dart from Matt to Oliver – he’s terrified of what they’re going to do, I know he is.

“Alex, seriously – what the fuck is happening here?”

“Matt, I’m going to ask you once to leave him alone from now on, okay? He doesn’t deserve all the shit you put him through – nobody does."

Oliver and Matt stare at me, clearly confused. But then, as if it suddenly dawns on them, their confused looks are replaced by glares. “Are you saying that you’re gay, Alex? That this fag is your ‘boyfriend’?” Matt spits, shoving Zack slightly.

“Yeah…that’s pretty much what I’m saying. I’d appreciate if you didn’t touch him.”

I close Zack’s locker for him and pull him with me back towards Jack who’s leaning against his locker with a small smile on his face. I hear Matt and Oliver behind us, yelling something about beating me up, but whatever. I’m pretty sure I could take them – okay, I definitely couldn’t take them both, but I could get a good punch in, probably.

“Hey,” Jack says to Zack when we get closer.

Zack nods in response, leaning into me slightly. I can feel everyone’s eyes on us, but I ignore them. They don’t mean anything to me.

“Jack, can I talk to Zack really quick?”

He nods, “Sure. I’ll see you in homeroom, Zack.”

The second he’s gone, Zack drops my hand and crosses his arms over his chest, looking at me expectantly.

“Zack… I… I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am about everything I did… I was such an asshole, and I-”

“Yeah, you were,” he says, “But I forgive you. ‘Cause you know… I sort of love you, and all… I probably shouldn’t after what you put me through, but I can’t help it.”

“I thought you would hate me… I didn’t think you’d come to school today.”

“I wasn’t going to. My mom made me, actually.”

“Well, I was planning on telling everyone at lunch about us…Do you mind if I do that?”

“That…That’s kind of what I’ve been waiting for, Alex, not gonna lie.”

I nod. The hallways have cleared up a little bit, everyone running off to their homerooms to talk to their friends before the warning bell rings. I push Zack gently up against Jack’s locker and lean my forehead on his. “We probably won’t be able to avoid the wrath of Matt and Oli, though.”

“Actually… I think we might. My brother mentioned maybe paying them a visit when he picks me up from school today…” He gives me a knowing smile and laces our fingers together again just as the warning bell rings. “James can be pretty convincing.”

“He probably hates me even more now after what I did.”

“Pretty much. But it’s not his opinion that matters – it’s mine. And I love you.”