Jackson 'jake' Trent.

"Nice form, keep going, almost got it, just one more push, I'll even give you incentive." Wyatt encouraged as I pushed upward, the weighted disks had not been easy to keep pumping since he added more weight on either side, I was going to have to get used to more weight all over again but it was a challenge I appreciated.

"That was not easy." I panted out sitting upright on the bench. "Only you could lift that much weight and say that." Ryder who was next to me smirked and I rolled my eyes. "You're lifting the same amount though." I pointed out. "Yes, but I admitted before I even started that I wouldn't do ten lifts, you did fifteen just to show off." He responded with a cocky smirk.

"Did I?" I asked looking at nothing in particular. "Oh please." He grumbled and it caused Wyatt and I to laugh. "So, I'm gonna hit the cycles for a bit, you can stay here, talk." Wyatt announced before taking off, he hadn't even given me time to respond, sneaky bastard wanted to leave me alone with Ryder.

I was sure Ryder was in on it too, I wouldn't put it past him to try something like that. "You have something to say, clearly you bribed my best friend to do it." I accused Ryder who gave me an aloof stare but smirked in the end.

"You got me, okay, like I wanted to tell you earlier at school, I broke up with Pete, not because he was leaving, but because I thought I loved him, well a version of himself that I didn't completely know." He admitted and I stayed silent to listen.

"Jack, I hurt you, and I realize now that it was the stupidest thing I did back then and recently, I didn't know you very well until recently, and hanging out with you has changed me for the better, so I wanted you to know that, I appreciate you, all of you." He concluded and I found myself warming up to this honest version of Ryder.

"Being nice and honest suits you." I chuckled and he gave me a boyish smile. "Well lets just say you bring out the best in me." He smiled, a genuine connection that I felt with him that I hadn't felt before. "Ryder, things happened, shit got so messed up and you were at the centre of it, I appreciate you trying to make up for it, you're not there yet but a part of me, tiny part;" We both chuckled.

"—Is starting to forgive you, its not gonna be easy but I'm not just working on the outside of me but on the inside too, it wouldn't be so great not acknowledging that you are trying." I openly tell him and he moved to hug me in that instant, I didn't say anything, just held him too with a smile playing at my lips. "Thanks Jake." He whispers in my ear.

"So can I actually call you my friend?" Ryder asks and I just give him a simple nod. "Well that's a start, I promise I won't push for more until you know you can truly trust me." He asserts and I give him a skeptical look. "So a dude has goals." I joke. "Damn right, can't stand not being centre of your attention." He admits and my jaw drops, all the while he's just laughing.

"You're crazy." I tease. "Never argued otherwise mon cheri." That flirtatious tone was back and I immediately looked away so he wouldn't see my blush. "Get back to pumping iron, I've got one kilometer to do on the treadmill and we're out of here." I tell him before leaving and not giving him a chance to reply but I knew he was smirking or smiling, whatever.

I didn't know what I was getting into with Ryder Edwards, I had to admit that it was uncharted territory for me too, I liked him yes but he had dated my ex, well technically my ex left me for him which spoke a lot about the animosity that was supposed to be between us but there wasn't, Pete's destructive ways had actually brought us together.

I liked Ryder, I could admit that he was someone I would obviously allow myself to have more with but was I ready for that, my breakup with Pete hadn't been all that recent but it had left me scarred, emotionally mostly because I had invested a lot of myself in him and that relationship, I guess that was my weakness, letting love sweep me off my feet and setting myself up for failure.

I was thinking about this too much, but with Pete's words hanging at the back of my mind, Ryder's truth and my need to fight for a place for myself, and everyone to feel safe and accepted, it was taking a toll, I needed a breather.

Also trying my best to stay top of my class was a burden on its own, but that was easy, hiding a whole secret identity was more taxing, I guess it would be nice telling someone else, maybe at some point I would tell my friends but for now, I would just focus on getting some rest, reboot and get back in there to carve a large piece of Bridgeton High for everyone to feel safe.

"Hey." Wyatt smiled standing in front of the treadmill I was on. "Hey." I smiled back and all I could see was the happiness radiating off him, so this was what it felt like to have friends who just genuinely wanted to be around you. "So I was thinking, sleepover at your house, have two burgers max and ice cream, just you and me." He suggests and it was as if he read my mind.

"I want more food though, less grease but more." I whined making him laugh. "Fine, we'll cook more food." He accepts just as I slowly come to a stop on the treadmill. "Yes, its a plan." I fist bump the air like a child and he just nudges my side gesturing to Ryder who was packing up.

"How did it go with the jock?" Wyatt asks as we stood there. "There was a lot of progress, sneaky bastard." I tell him whilst nudging him back at the waist. "Great, I'll go get our stuff." He announces before going over to where we first started off and I walk over to Ryder, I didn't say anything, just hugged him.

"Whoa, wait, what's this for?" He questions in surprise. "Nothing, I just wanted to hug you, I'm a big hugger if you didn't know, I just couldn't do it because I was fat and it would make people feel awkward." I clumsily explained making him laugh but he squeezed me harder. "I'm a big hugger too, and an even greater bigger spoon in cuddles." He whispers in my ear and I couldn't help the cheshire cat grin on my face.

"I'll keep that in mind." I say before we separate. "I can drop you off if you like." I offered but he refused. "I've got to meet the guys, they're planning some keg party at Hoovers house tomorrow, you should come." He explains but I wasn't keen on accepting his invitation. "I think I'll pass, jocks, alcohol, equals horny teens, bad combo, but have fun, I'll see you at school." I turn him down but he nodded in understanding, hopefully.

"I'll see you in the morning for our run and I need to get my clothes from your house." He mentions and I had almost forgotten about that. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure my mom had them washed and pressed already." I chortled. "I would actually like that, what fabric softener do you use, your clothes are so soft, I'm sure my mom would love it." He pointed out with a soft smile.

"Right, its actually this really expensive brand, I steal it from his house every time he orders it." Wyatt interjected. "It was you!" I suddenly blurted out accusingly. "Oops I shouldn't have said that out loud, see you at the car baby!" Wyatt immediately takes off. "You better run!" I yell after him as Ryder laughs behind me.

"You have the craziest friends." He exclaimed and I gave him an unimpressed look. "You're one of them." I point out. "I'm glad, I'll see you tomorrow." He asserts before leaving me at my car where Wyatt was inside texting on his phone. "Do you think we can introduce a sport at the school that will get the other kids who aren't into dance interested?" He questioned and I nodded settling down on the driver's seat.

"Any suggestions, ideas?" I ask and he hums in response. "How about wrestling, it could be motivation to exercise more, and teach self defense, oooh or soccer, a lot of running, you would love that." He explains with a chuckle and I glare at him. "Wrestling would be good, lets go with that." I tell him.

"Great, I'll leave the research and stuff to you, you're better at it." Wyatt mutters and my jaw drops. "You're just giving me a lot of work, this was your idea." I whine. "No it was ours, now come on I want a Havana Basket burger." He replies already finding something else to be excited about, I couldn't whine or stay mad at him, I just appreciated Wyatt being next to me.

We got the burgers and extra ingredients for food, since he actually wanted to cook but I knew he was going to drag me into that whole mess, I wasn't complaining, I loved cooking. "Hey mom, Kat, Wyatt is sleeping over!" I yelled standing by the door not wanting a repeat of the Ryder incident.

"Hi Mrs Trent." Wyatt greets my mother as she comes from the hallway in her I've been working like a cool mom outfit. "Hello sweetie, Jack honey, how many times do I have to tell you to stop ordering that foul smelling scented candle." She chided and I furrowed my brows in confusion until Kat showed up by the stairs signalling me to just go with it.

"Sorry mom." I mutter and she just sighs. "You boys get cleaned up, there are snacks in the fridge." She says before leaving. "Kat." Wyatt mumbles. "Panda." Kat teases as usual. "I think mom is pregnant." Kat drops the bomb on us and I'm shaken.

"You can't be serious." I deadpan. "Trust me, the signs are all there but if you don't believe me, we'll find some way to find out!" She whisper yells before leaving me and Wyatt speechless.

Both of us walk up to my room and Wyatt tackles me to the bed, I groan but I was used to his weight already so I just closed my eyes. "You think she's telling the truth?" Wyatt asks. "I have no idea." I muttered in response. "Well I'm gonna be here with you through all of it." He comforts me with a squeeze to my torso.

Thanks Frosty." I sigh into his hair. "Anytime Jakey Bear."

Being Jackson.

I find Jack and Wyatt's relationship really adorable, though we haven't found out how Wyatt identifies its pretty clear he's into girls, but that doesn't define him, he's very comfortable with Jack, and a lot of us fear that  comfortability or rather having our guards down with our certain straight friends but I believe straight guys actually like having mellow conversations too.

Just thoughts.

Saint Jay.