Mark and Jackson spent the evening exchanging lewd texts in their private conversation. Between two voice messages discussing their history homework or casual small-talk, Mark would send the occasional picture. Inevitably, thirsty emojis would appear right underneath, followed by jokingly appalled comments regarding his lack of clothing, or the boundaries of their friendship. More reserved, self-conscious about his body and overall cautious, Jackson didn’t respond with similar imagery, which was driving the athlete crazy. He let out a frustrated sigh as Jack wished him good night. “See you tomorrow, babe. x” The stud answered with a vocal, and switched the lights off.
The jock was growing impatient of waiting near the east end of the park. It was the closest point for them to meet up, and every morning Jackson had Mark wait for him. Sometimes Mark wondered if the smaller teenager was doing it purposefully, but as the yawning kid turned the corner, he let go of his inner accusations. Jack was not a morning person, and his tired and phased looks were so cute to the hunk.
“Sup, nerd?” he greeted him.
“Shut up” was the only answer he got, as Jackson grabbed Mark’s arm to rise himself up for a kiss. “You ready for miss Johnson’s test?”
Mark grunted an answer. He did spend quite a bit of time on this chapter of the math class.
The boyfriends reached the school grounds in a relative silence, hand in hand, to be greeted by Amelia, Jackson’s forever friend.
“Morning, lovers! Jack, do you mind helping me at break with my arts project? I need your good eye to give me some perspective.”
Mark nodded, and they walked in together. Amelia was awkwardly silent for once, until she blurted out in a fast and ushered tone:
“Did you guys meet each other’s parents now?”
That again… Jackson sighed, in no rush to have to sit his parents to present his best friend to them. They already knew Mark, why the masquerade?
“Nope. Jack’s still in the closet, Amy.”
That again. Mark’s annoyed tone was evidence that the two boys did not appreciate the conversation.
“I am not. My parents know, and for once that I don’t want to make a show of something.”
“I’m just saying you should clear the air instead of keepin’ up a charade, bro. Not for you, but for them.”
“Your mom is pretty chill and I’m sure she’s aware of your situation”, Amelia pipped in.
“Mr. DuPointe, too. Otherwise, why would you dad send me your present, Jack?”
Jackson felt cornered. He definitely did not want to discuss the blue jockstrap in front of Amelia. Last night, he made sure to save the pictures safely, and delete them from the conversation thread with Mark. But it was true that the underwear seemed like a very very very odd way to wrap Mark as a present to him. Or, more likely, a symbol of Donovan’s benediction upon their relationship.
“Can we just not..?” Jackson tried to defuse the situation, looking above his shoulder as if he was scared someone could hear them. His fingers where nonetheless furiously typing a message to his parents -I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, can I invite him over tonight?- Although that was arguably an horrible way to come out, it served Jackson’s point : he didn’t need to. Moments later, he showed his parents’ answers to his friends.
-Of course, sweetheart
-Sure thing, son!
“Your dad is typing, Jack.”
-Is there anything Mark and you would like to eat for dinner?
“See!” Jackson emphasized, as the bell rang the beginning of classes.
At lunchbreak, Amelia excused herself to take a call from her father. When she sat back at the table with her friends, she let out and angry grumble.
“Everything is fine?” Jackson asked.
“It’s my stupid parents. They think because I am young, I know what my stupid cousins would like for their birthdays. Their 27, how should I know. They’re their godsons and every. Frigging. Year, I have to find them presents on their behalf.”
“When’s their birthday”, Mark asked.
“Three days before mine”, Jackson answered for his friend, well aware of the ins and outs of this situation.
“Yah, it’s like super soon. I don’t know why my frigging parents had to wait so late before asking me. I totes forgot them, too.”
“You should try Mr. DuPointe’s site. It’s super fast, and got a great exchange policy. Satisfaction guaranteed.”
Even though he didn’t look at him, Jackson was pretty sure that the hunk cocked a self-sufficient smile at him. Amelia was already on her phone, begging for the website. It took a moment for Mark to find it and transfer the link to Amelia, before he excused himself.
“I gotta go. See you at practice, Jack?” He kissed him goodbye and headed for the bathrooms.
Jackson followed his silhouette until he disappeared behind a corner, and scooched over to look at his friend’s phone.
“There’s so much stuff.”
“I know, rite! It’s like insane. I don’t even know what category to look at.”
“Have you tried the filters?”
Sure enough, they could filter by type of product, brand, gender, size, age group, colours and even some more particular -even weird- stuff, like hobby, silhouette type, favorite foods, even degree of kinship appeared when she clicked the gift option. Amelia hesitated before selecting cousin.
“Do you still have their address?” Jackson remembered that they lived practically on the other side of the country, and that Amelia’s parents would ship directly to them out of convenience. They would also have a cake sent on their actual birthday. Amelia had to dig through her phone, but found their address. She copied it in the delivery section.