Jackson.

I listened to my music, swaying my hips and slightly shaking my shoulders as I moved past the sliding doors of the gym, it had become my second home in a very weird sense.

If I wasn't home, I was at the gym molding my body, I hated that I had succumbed to the taunts, to the jeers and the peer pressure from everyone but at the same time, I appreciated it, it gave me the fuel to push even harder, reach for what I wanted.

"Someone is in a good mood." Wyatt pointed out amused by me dancing. "Well I feel good, look at me, I'm healthier than I've ever been, my skin is glowing and the best part is that I don't have a pot belly anymore." I retorted lifting my tee shirt and showing him the outline of my abs and he gave me an impressed look.

"I have to admit, you look fire, you have pushed yourself harder than anyone I know since the day I met you, even I gotta admit, you deserve a medal." He answered and I nodded gratefully.

"Thanks Wyatt, for everything." I say and he waves me off, Wyatt and I had met the day I had gone into the city with Darcy, he was in a que waiting for his lunch and since then we've been inseparable, he and Darcy more so, I suspected they were dating but I couldn't speculate so I just waited for them to tell me in their own time.

Also since that day I hadn't attended school, I had asked my mother to find a way to get me excused from school, but have all the work and lessons sent to me via email, I would do the work at home and Darcy would deliver it to our teachers at school.

Safe to say, I was still top of my class, for three weeks I had done nothing but plan the party with Darcy, do my schoolwork, do my podcast daily, avoid anyone who came looking for me who wasn't Wyatt or Darcy, I had aksed Kat to tell anyone else that I wasn't around.

Darcy had told me that Ryder had asked about me but she told him the same thing, I wasn't around, I was on some student exchange program, I did well to hide myself, I changed my gym and used my mother's car more often, all of it boiled down to where I currently was, my second home.

Where I had fainted twice and sprained my leg three times but I didn't stop, I kept pushing and now my 6'2 self was ready to go back to school, I was ready to face everything.

I didn't know where my confidence came from but it felt good to see myself differently, to know that I wasn't the fat kid anymore, and no one could sneer those words at me ever again, and being away gave me the perspective that I needed, it wasn't just about myself anymore, I wanted to help others as well, be healthier, feel accepted and finally truly stand up to their bullies.

"So what's the agenda today boss." Wyatt teases with a wink as I get on the treadmill next to him. "It's past midday you dingus, actually around four, which means there is nothing, except getting our tuxes, picking up Darcy at school and going to that ridiculous house of hers to see if everything is set up for tonight." I explain and he nods before realization hits him.

"Wait, how long have I been here, I ditched school like three hours ago." Wyatt was frantic, immediately getting off the treadmill to check his phone which was ontop of his gym duffle.

"Shit, Darcy is gonna kill me!" And now he was frightened and frantic, in the time I had known Darcy, I learnt two things about the girl, she was the sweetest as they come and also the scariest if you didn't do what she wanted, how she wanted.

"Come on, you were here in the morning, you've done enough lifts today, we gotta go." He exclaims frantically packing his bag. "No I just got here." I whined in refusal. "Please man, please, I'll do anything." He begged trying to pull me away from the treadmill.

"Shouldn't you be halfway gone?" I pointed to the door and he went on one knee causing everyone to look at us. "Wyatt get up." I hissed lowly whilst chuckling and smiling at everyone so they didn't find this weird.

"No I won't." The blue eyed menace refused. "Jackson Trent, my love, please will you;" Before he finished his statement I turned off the treadmill and jumped to tackle him. "Shut up." I ordered him but our position was the most compromising especially in a gym filled with men and women who were sweaty and heaving. I whipped my hair back and to the side which made someone whistle in admiration.

"Wow, gotta say I see the appeal." Wyatt confessed placing his hands on my hips since I was straddling him. "You have a screw loose." I grumbled getting up from him and pulling him up after. "What can I say I'm a guy with many talents." He quipped back and I groaned but also smiled.

Wyatt wasn't completely book smart but he made up for it with his handsome features and boyish charm, he wasn't a typical blonde, I guess that's why Darcy liked him and why he was my close friend too.

"Come on, can we go now." He exclaimes in a childish whine. "Fine, you owe me four protein bars." I agree, with him pulling me out of the gym, carrying both our bags.

"No problem, ordered a whole three cartons last night, I'll give you one." He responded and I found him sweet. "Thanks Wyatt now get in the car." I tell him and we both get into my mother's Audi, I drove toward the boutique Darcy had insisted we get our tuxes, Wyatt called it the monkey suit shop.

"Stay here, I'll jump in and out quick, knowing you, you'll buy another suit." Wyatt claimed not waiting for me to reply, and honestly I couldn't, he was right, I would probably buy another tux, they had such great quality and did fittings, with how my body was now, I couldn't resist, I looked good in a tux.

"There, drive baby!" Wyatt announced after throwing the two tuxes to the backseat. "I told you to stop calling me that." I sneered toward Wyatt.

"When do I ever listen, Darcy calls you chocolate ice cream, why can't I call you baby " He argued and I wished I could face palm. "She's Darcy, and you calling me anything remotely sweet or romantic sends the most incredibly wrong messages to people, remember that time when you called me sugar bunny in front of that nice couple at Pesco's and they assumed we were a couple and started asking us how we met." I mentioned and he seemed totally uncaring.

"I did tell them how we met, early morning, I got lost." He repeated as if he had heard nothing I said. "Fine sweetie, call me whatever you want." I say knowing it was better to just let him at it. "Okay sugar bunny." He mutters his response with a proud smile and yet I couldn't be mad, he was just Wyatt.

We arrived at Bridgeton High and the nostalgia hit me, I missed the library, and the classes, hanging out with Darcy, soon I'd be back there and I would be okay with finally being normal. "She says she's coming but Amber is nagging her so she's trying to get rid of her." Wyatt tells me as he texts Darcy back. "I thought she and Amber agreed that Amber would get the popular cool kids for her formal and Darcy gets the rest." I mumbled out loudly and Wyatt sighs not knowing too.

"I guess the turn out wasn't great, not many first years, or sophomores are going to the formal and even less from the juniors since Ryder and the jocks said they weren't attending, leaving the seniors but knowing those guys, they want wild and fun not Amber's party supervised by the vice principal." Wyatt explains and I hum in the same thought. "You just might be right, the head cheerleader is a major league bitch." I chortle making Wyatt and myself laugh.

"Oh yeah there she is and why is she running?" I asked Wyatt. "Start the car!" Darcy yelled running as if she weren't wearing five inch Jimmy Choos on pavement. I started the car and drove out just a little so I could get a view of what was happening, behind her was the cheer squad and the jocks. "The fuck." I heard Wyatt curse as we both looked out to the commotion.

"Drive!" Darcy ordered jumping into the car. "I just started an active riot, I made the announcement that tonight anyone was invited to our rebel party, I broke the truce with Amber and she wasn't pleased!" Darcy roared in laughter and her victory over what she had done, I could only drive trying not to speed up too much and also checking if we weren't being followed.

"What is wrong with you, the truce was there for a reason." I asserted my statement looking at Darcy who just shrugged her shoulders. "Her formal was dead anyways and besides I got approval from principal Hammond to make our shin dig legit, so no worries." She explained and I guess it didn't matter if she invited the whole school, what worried me was finally facing all of them again, how would it feel like.

"Thanks for the timely rescue, lets go see if everything is in place." Darcy says calmly and I nod toward her with a smile, we drove a little ways away from the city to the upper north side suburbs, it was where Darcy's father with her stepmother Gina, lived with their other two sons, they didn't attend school at BHS, they were in junior school.

"I am still amazed by this place Darcy, its something, when we first came here I thought you were pranking me or something." I chuckle telling the Korean girl.

"If I were you, I wouldn't believe me either, when my dad first brought me to the manor I thought he was kidding, and then it turns out he wasn't which was really a shock." She answers leading us toward the double doors. "Finally you're here guys, come in!" Gina greeted us by the door, looking like the typical rich white woman who lived in a big house, though with less of a pompous attitude.

"Yeah, we got delayed getting her from school." I tell Gina and she laughs lightly scolding Darcy for always being tardy. "You look amazing Jackson, I cannot wait to see you tonight, I'm absolutely buzzing to see your big reveal, I was talking to your mom earlier and she was just as ecstatic." Gina tells me hooking her arm with mine, that was the other thing.

Gina and my mother had found some sort of kinship, they were glued to the hip, I haven't sorted out my feelings about their relationship but Gina already saw Kat and I like her children, it annoyed Darcy.

"So don't worry about anything, everything is set, see." I finally paid attention to Gina and gasped at the sight of the massive backyard of the manor, it could definitely hold the school populace but more than that, it looked absolutely amazing. "Your design plan was spot on Darcy and Jack, it came together perfectly." Gina praised with a smile and I nodded still awe stricken.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to check on the caterers and the security for tonight, I'll see you three later, you look good too Wyatt." Gina tells us before strutting away. "Thanks Mrs Lang!" Wyatt yells after her, I groan whilst Darcy just laughed turning to face me. "Ready?" She asked me. "As I'll ever be."

Being Jackson.

Saint Jay.