You Deserve Better

"So which movie do you want to see?" Jack asked his boyfriend while they were standing in the cinema. Jack had asked Zack for a date because it was their 4 months anniversary. 
"Uh... I don't know," the smaller boy answered. "A romantic one." 
Jack smiled, looking at the movie titles as Zack lanced his fingers with his. 
"Uh... What about 'Pride & Prejudice'," Jack said, pointing at the movie poster. 
Zack read the little description on the poster: "'Sometimes the last person on earth you want to be with is the one person you can't be without.' Sounds interesting enough for me." 
"Then we'll go and see that one," Jack said before buying two tickets for 'Pride & Prejudice' and ordering two large cokes and a large popcorn. 

Together they walked into the auditorium, searching two seats somewhere in the middle. 
Zack snuggled close to Jack as the younger boy wrapped his arms around his muscular shoulders. 
An older couple who was sitting next to the boys, was eyeing them weirdly. 
Zack felt a bit uncomfortable as he heard the woman whisper something in her husband's ear. 
Jack looked in the pair's direction, locking eyes with the woman while kissing Zack's head. 
Jack put his hand under Zack's chin, turning his look away from the pair as be lifting his boyfriend's chin up and pressed his lips to the smaller boy's, kissing him softly. 
Zack smiled and bushed as they parted, reaching for some popcorn that was standing between them, his eyes fixed on the screen because the movie was about to start. 

Half way through the movie Jack started shifting in his seat. 
"What's wrong?" Zack whispered, leaning in close to the younger boy's ear. 
"I need to pee," Jack whispered back. 
"Okay, I'll come with you and get some more popcorn," Zack said, pointing at the empty popcorn basket.
Awkwardly both boys stood up and made their way through the narrow space between the seats in the theater. 
A lot of people shot them annoyed looks and some of them even cursed at the pair. 
Eventually they made their way out off the auditorium, Jack searching for a toilet as Zack went to order more popcorn. 

"One large popcorn," Zack said to the guy behind the popcorn stand, avoiding eye contact because he was a lot more awkward when Jack was not around. 
Zack paid as the man handed him the popcorn, about to turn around he heard someone shout. 
"Zachary Merrick?!" 
Zack froze, he knew that voice, he turned around, keeping his eyes to the ground. 
"It's been so long since I last saw you," a buff guy, even taller as Jack, said, approaching Zack. 
"Hey Martin, yeah... It's been a while," Zack awkwardly said, avoiding eye contact with his ex boyfriend. 
"How are you doing? Watching a movie right now?" Martin said, giving Zack a light slap on his back. 
"I-I'm fine, and I was watching a-a movie," the younger boy shyly explained, tripping over his words. 
"That's great," Martin said, looking directly at the other boy and continuing his waterfall of questions. "Which movie are you seeing? With a special someone perhaps? Ow, and what about that guy you left me for?" 
The last question made Zack tense, he bit his lip growing anxious at the venomous tone in the older man's voice. 
"I... Uh," Zack tried to form a sentence but Martin's eyes were burning on him. 
"You're still with him, aren't you? I bet you regret leaving me. I gave you everything, Merrick, but you ran away," the tone in the taller man's voice made Zack panic slightly, hoping Jack would return soon. 
"Say something!" Martin spat at him. "I know you're hiding something from me. Who is this other guy?" 
"He... I-I..." Zack tried to remain calm, not showing his fear, but his voice came out as a high squeak.
"Tell me, Merrick," Martin stepped closer to the smaller boy, making Zack tense up even more, almost close to tears. 
"What's happening here?" Zack heard a familiar voice say, which sounded like music to his ears. 
"Who are you?" Jack asked looking at Martin. 
"I could ask you the same question," the taller man responded, looking down at Jack.
"I'm Jack Barakat, and why are you bothering my boyfriend?" Zack froze at the term boyfriend, stepping closer to Jack and away from Martin, scared the taller man would hurt him. 
"Your 'boyfriend'?" Martin responded, faked surprise and venom clearly audible in his voice. 
"How long has he been your boyfriend, Merrick? Since before you left me?!" 
Zack pressed himself closer to Jack, letting out a small whimper. 
"Zack, who is he?" Jack asked him as he wrapped his arm around the smaller boy. 
"I, am Martin Curry," Martin said, introducing himself. "I'm Merrick's ex-boyfriend. He apparently left me for you."
"That's not true," Zack quietly spoke up, feeling more confident with Jack's arms wrapped around him. 
"Shut up!" Martin spat in the younger boy's face. "I know it's true. And I told you I'd make you regret leaving me. I'm clearly a whole load more worth than this skinny, skunkhaired scumbag." Martin shoved Jack hard in his chest, making the smaller boy stumble backwards. 
Zack gave a scared yelp, taking a few steps backwards himself. 
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jack spat back. "We've only been together for 4 months."
Martin raised an eyebrow. "Then there have been more before this Jack person," the tall man spoke, looking at Zack, who had tears prickling behind his eyes. "But I bet this wimp isn't gonna last long either." 
Martin took a few steps towards Jack, a filthy smile on his face, before raising his fist. 
Jack was just fast enough to avoid a blow from Martin directed to his face, almost falling over as he duck away from the punch. 
Zack felt anger bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. "No one tries to hurt my Jack," he said, his eyes directed to the ground but his voice sounded quite confident. 
"Oh, no one?" Martin asked in a mocking tone. "And what do you think you're gonna do about that, Merrick? Cry?" The taller boy started laughing, one moment not watching Zack. 
Zack went to lean slightly on one foot, and when the older man wasn't watching him he kicked Martin hard in his balls. 
The taller man groaned in pain as he sunk to his knees. "You little fucking..." Martin started, cluttering his groin. 
Zack hid behind Jack once more as Martin stood up again. "Merrick! I'm gonna fucking kill you!" The tallest man screamed. 
Zack squeaked, tears springing in his eyes. Jack grabbed the younger boy's shoulders and moved him away from his furious ex-boyfriend. 
Jack raised his own fist too, hitting Martin in his left yaw. It wasn't particularly hard but it was enough to distract the older man for a few moments. 
Jack quickly grabbed Zack's hand and together they fled the cinema. 

Once outside the building and back into the car, Zack was crying hysterically. 
Jack wrapped his arms tight around the smaller boy, placing gentle kisses into his hair. 
"Sssssh, it's okay now he can't hurt you anymore," he tried to calm his boyfriend. 
"H-he can," Zack sobbed. "H-he'll come b-back for m-me."
"No he won't," Jack said, his voice soothing. "I'll protect you don't worry." 
Zack quietly sobbed into the younger boy's chest, trying to calm his breathing. 
"Shall I drive us to a restaurant so we can get some drinks?" Jack asked as he noticed that the smaller boy had calmed down a bit. 
Zack nodded, going to sit upright in his own seat as Jack's arms left his body. 

By the time Zack and Jack reached a restaurant, the smaller boy had fully calmed down and stopped crying. 
Jack took Zack's hand in his and led him into the old building. 
The inside of the restaurant looked very warm and romantic, the atmosphere brought a smile to Jack's lips. 
A young waitress with blond hair and glasses approached the boys. "Hello, welcome gentlemen, do you have a reservation?" 
"Uh... No," Jack responded, inwardly giggling at the term 'gentlemen' the young waitress used. 
"Okay, we still have some free tables don't worry," the waitress said before guiding them to a table. 
Jack grabbed Zack's hand again, seeing the younger boy was standing rather awkward and shifting a bit nervous on his feet. 
Jack and Zack sat down at the table the waitress led them to. 
"Would you like to see the menu?" the blond girl asked them. 
"No thank you," Jack said. "We'd just like something to drink." 
The waitress took their orders for drinks, Jack ordering a coke for the both of them. 

"So, Zack, tell me a bit more about that Martin," Jack said as the young waitress had brought them their cokes. 
"Well... Uh, he's my ex," Zack responded, not making eye contact with the younger boy. 
"But what happened between the both of you?" Jack asked, reaching for the smaller boy's hand across the table. 
"Well, I met him at the gym," Zack spoke again, lightly squeezing Jack's hand. 
"He used to be really nice, he even brought me flowers a few times. But after the first time we slept together..." Zack stopped talking for a second, swallowing hard before continuing. "H-he changed..."
Jack saw the smaller boy holding back tears. He shifted his chair so he could sit next to Zack and hug him. The smaller boy let out a shaky breath, also blushing a bit because they were cuddling in a public place. 
"What changed, Zack? Did he hurt you?" Jack asked. 
Zack nodded, this made Jack feel angry, he didn't show Zack he was angry though, just cuddling the smaller boy tighter to his chest.
"H-he..." Zack let out a quiet sob. "He started cursing at me, commanding me. It felt like I was his dog. And a f-few weeks before I-I left he started p-physically hurting me."
Zack started crying again, burying his head into Jack's shoulder. 
"Sssssh, it's okay," Jack tried to shush the smaller boy, feeling extremely angry. "He can't hurt you anymore, I promise. And if he ever will..." 
Jack stopped mid-sentence, cupping Zack's chin and looking him directly into his eyes. "I'll fucking kill him." 
Zack grinned before leaning in and softly connecting their lips. 
Jack smiled into the kiss, pulling away after a few moments. 
"But, how did you escape that dickhead?" he asked. 
"I told him I found someone else," Zack said, not making eye contact with his boyfriend. 
"Although I hadn't, but of course I couldn't tell Martin I was afraid of him. That's why he said he'd make me regret leaving him."
Jack nodded. "So that's why he started talking down on me..." 
"Yeah, probably," Zack spoke, still avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry we couldn't finish watching the movie." 
Jack giggle lightly, kissing the smaller boy's cheek. "Doesn't matter, I wasn't watching anyway. I was to busy watching you." 
Zack looked up at the younger boy, his cheeks flaming red. 
"I love you," Jack said, leaning his forehead against his boyfriend's. "I won't let that asshole of a Martin hurt you ever again, okay?"
"Okay," Zack responded. "I love you too. And thank you for saving me." 
"No problem," Jack spoke. 
"Shall I pay and take you home so you can get your real anniversary present?" he asked after drinking the last bit of his coke. 
Zack blushed once more, already knowing what the present would be. 

Jack paid for them both and drove them home. At home Jack's present made Zack completely forget about the horrible encounter with his ex-boyfriend.