Jack is staring," Tim across from me warns.

I snapped my head around, and Tim was right. It's a blank expression I can't read. I raise my eyebrow and he turns back around. I shake my head.

"What was that about?" Tim asks when I turn around.

"Beats me," I say and stab my food with my spork. "It doesn't matter."

"He's looking again. He's been doing this for the past 10 minutes."

I glance over and he's looking at me again. This time he doesn't look away, so I stand and stride over with my arms crossed.

"Can we help you with something?" I lean on the table, he keeps gazing at my table and then back at me. "Let me rephrase that. Do we have a problem?"

"Nope," he pops the P.

His thick lips curl slightly into a smile, a small dimple appears on his left side. Gorgeous.

"Good, then stop staring or we will," I stand back up straight and go to my table.

"That was fuckin' gutsy!" Rain smiles.

"That was dumb," Emilia shakes her head.

"What's he gonna do? Punch me? It's 2018; jock fights are so over with."

"Still, you shouldn't have gone over. That was dumb."

I shrug.

—

*Jack🖕🏼is typing*

"What the fuck?" I mumble under my breath.

"Mac," my mother says in her Spanish warning tone.

"Sorry momma," I give a sheepish smile.

She nods and goes back into the conversation with my father. I look back at my phone.

*1 new message from Jack🖕🏼*

I half-swipe it to see what the message is without him seeing my icon at the bottom.

"Sup"

I want to laugh. All that typing for a simple "sup". He's a dumbass. I open the message then exit it and go back to the game I was just playing.

*Jack🖕🏼 is typing*

I groan and press on it.

"What's your name again?"

"Why would I tell you that? You're smart figure it out."

I leave the chat but keep watch as he's typing.

"Oh yeah it's Mac right"

"I have a proposition"

I fully click on the message.

"What type? You're taking my time so this better be good."

"You're gay right?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Just give me a simple yes or no."

I pause, "No, I'm not gay. I'm bisexual."

He pauses, then "Wtf is that?"

I literally facepalm as I start laughing. My parents look at me with confusion, so I stand and excuse myself for a drink.

"I like girls AND guys," I grab a glass and start filling it with water from the fancy fridge.

"So gay, got it. I need you to date me."

I nearly dropped my glass.

"The hell? Why?"

"I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend. Chicks love gay guys, the moment we start "dating" they'll come right back."

"You literally- no. No. Grow the fuck up. You can't just wave your finger and get your way. No girls are going to you because they learned you are a self-entitled dickhead!"

He pauses for a good 4 minutes.

"So you'll think about it?"

I grunt and slam my phone down. My mother comes in with my pen. I shake my head.

"It's not the pain. I'm fine right now. A person at school is just being a di- being stupid."

"Okay, but if you do need it," she hands it over. "I don't want you to have pains and it not be there."

I take it and hug her side briefly, then continue getting my fancy fridge water. I pick up my phone, and it still being on his message.

"No, I won't," I send and leave the conversation. I question why I even added him back on Snapchat in the first place.

——

I lean against the wall of the school's bathroom, breathing in the vapor from my pen. I hold for a few seconds and breathe out. The bathroom door comes open, so I pull out my phone and pretend to be interested in something on it. Really I'm watching the clock, and after a minute I take another breath. One of the guys that came in noticed.

"Can I have a hit? I left mine at home," he asked and pointed towards my pen.

"This isn't a vape pen, sorry. I don't do that."

He just laughs and puts his hand up, "Could've just said no. I got ya," he winks, his friends seem irritated about it though.

I text Tim. "Hey, I'm excused in the normal bathroom with my pen, wanna keep me company? Can't go to class."

He texts back a sure. I take another puff. My third, that's what I'm limited to on school property unless I have to. I gently slide down the wall, and close my eyes. I hug the pen and my phone close to me. When Tim gets here he sits beside me, laying his head against my shoulder.

"You okay?" He asks. I nod, laying my head on top of his. "How many are left?"

"Used them all, I just need a few minutes."

He hums while placing his hand on my knee, then gives it a small pat.

I'm glad Tim is here. Tim has been my friend through this shit life since my shit life started basically. I consider him my brother. He's always been there for me, and I've always been there for him. He knows why I have medical marijuana. That's why I don't let anyone "hit" my "vape". It's not a vape, it's medical marijuana.

"You want to just stay in here? How bad is it right now? Should I call your parents for you?"

I shook my head, "I'll be okay in a few minutes," the guy from before stared, but left us alone which I'm grateful for.

—

"We're home, and I brought Tim," I yell into the house.

Tim puts his car keys on the hook, and pushes his shoes and bags against the wall, I copy. My mother comes around the corner and brings Tim into a hug, then kisses my cheek.

"I'll call your parents and we'll have dinner here. How about that?" My mom suggest

"That sounds wonderful," Tim grins ear to ear. I smile.

"Alright, you boys scurry off. Remember to refill your pen Mac," she nods to me then walks to the kitchen.

I grab Tim's arm and drag him upstairs with me. I plop on my bed, pulling him with me.

"So, what do you want to do?" He asks, now on his elbow looking at me.

"Whatever you want to play on the Xbox," I slowly blink, "I'm still pretty tired after earlier."

He lays back down, "resting sounds just as good," he nudged his shoulder with my right bicep as he moved slightly closer. "Sleeping everything off sounds great."