Audible Perfection

Jack looks down at his hands, his lip quivering.

“Heyyy, it’s okay, John’s just on his man-period or something. He’s not usually like this.” I say softly to Jack, wrapping my arm around his middle. I kiss his cheek.

He gives me a small smile. “I-I was just kidding… W-why’d he get so worked up?” he sniffles.

“I don’t know. Do you want me to talk to him?”

Jack’s eyes widen. “N-no! Don’t! It’ll just give him more reason to hate me.” He mumbles. I hug him tighter.

“No one has a reason to hate you. You’re a good person, okay?”

He bites his lower lip and nods slowly. “O-okay.”

“So you can’t stop crying, because you’re not very cute with blotchy eyes and a runny nose.”

Jack rolls his eyes and shoves me playfully, wiping his face with the back of his hand. I grin and gently push him onto the chair beside me. “You stay here, I’m going to talk to John, and no protesting, he was being a complete ass, and it was completely uncalled for, and he barely knows you. You were just being you, and he has to get fucking used to it, or else… or else… I’ll punch him.”

Jack giggles. “Go on then Garrett, good luck.”

I grin and run off to the direction where John went.

I find him sitting on one of the benches at the middle of the mall (yeah, the ones put there for old people to sleep on when they get bored). He has this nasty scowl on his face, and I plunk down next to him.

“Okay O’Callaghan. What’s up? You’re acting like everyone’s pissing you off.”

I distinctly hear him mumble “No, just Jack.” Before, “It’s nothing.”

“Yeah, right. Look, you have no right to say those things to Jack, he was just being Jack. You’re going to have to get used to him, he’s my friend.”

“Yeah, well, he had no right to make fun of me.”

“That’s just who he is. He’s really playful, and it was all in good fun. You just had to get super pissed off with him and make him feel like shit. He’s actually a really good person and he makes fun of people all the time. If he makes fun of you, that means he likes you as a person. If he ignores you and acts like you don’t exist, he doesn’t like you.”

John shrugs. “I don’t care. He was annoying me, next time, he should just piss off.”

I glare. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” John mumbles, shifting when he catches my eyes.

I scowl at him.

“Fine, be a shit-eating bitch, but you’re just killing everyone’s mood, I hope you know that. Why don’t you make yourself useful and go find Jared and Kenny instead of yelling at people.” I growl, standing up.

“I-”

“Just go, John.”

He frowns and stands up, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He starts walking, but then stops and turns to me, “I-I’m sorry.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be saying that to me.” I mutter, crossing my arms.

He sighs and rubs his face, before walking back over to the food court. When he approaches Jack, Jack shifts uncomfortably and looks down at his soda.

“Jack… erm, I’m sorry. I uh, didn’t mean to make you feel bad and whatnot. Sorry, sorry. Uhm, I have to go find Kennedy and Jared now.”

Jack looks up, his face full of smiles again. “It’s okay. I’m sorry too for making you mad by making fun of you.”

John smiles slightly, nods, then walks away.

Jack looks over at me and grins. I laugh and hug him.