(Jack's P.O.V.)

It's been three days since the shooting and I'm just now coming back to school. Mark said he went back yesterday but... I couldn't. I was still to freaked out. I tried getting ready and stuff but I almost broke down so I just stayed home. I walk through the front doors and halls with my usual threatening, no emotion expression. People look at me weirdly, not used to me being gone for a school day. I shoot them back a look that says "bother me and you're my next target", making them all scatter. 

Behind this facade though, I am scatterbrained and terrified. And not just terrified because of the shooting, though that's a major part, but because I have absolutely no clue what's going on between Mark and I and I'm scared to find out. When he came over two days ago it was fun, but it was also kind of awkward. I don't want it to stay that way, not at all. But I also don't know how to fix it... Wait. Idea! 

I take off my backpack and get a piece of paper from my notebook along with a pencil. I quickly write my note on it and then I walk to a locker. But not just any locker, Mark's locker. I know he isn't here yet, he doesn't get here till 7:45 most days. It's 7:40. I put the note in the locker before walking to my locker, which is only across the hallway. I start sorting through my stuff, just kind of stalling. 

After about seven minutes I hear footsteps, which is weird since most people are out of the halls by now. I turn and see Mark walking to his locker. He opens it and the piece of paper falls to the ground. He looks at it confused before bending down and picking it up. He unfolds it and looks over in my direction. I turn back to my locker, very badly acting like I haven't been watching. I look back again for a split second to see him nodding. I smile, bouncing on my toes a bit. Yay.

***

Astronomy classroom at lunch. That's when and where I told Mark to meet me. I've been here waiting for a couple minutes, and I'm about ready to leave when Mark walks through the door, holding the note. 

"Really? Why didn't you just push me against the lockers and tell me like usual?" He asks, sitting on the desk next to the one I'm sitting on. I shrug. 

"I don't know. I just wanted to do something different." I say. He nods. 

"Fair enough. So what's up?" He asks, staring at me. Staring at me with those gorgeous brown eyes. Dammit Jack, keep it together. Okay. 

"I wanted to talk to you about something. About when you came over on Tuesday." I say. He nods slowly, looking away. He sighs then. 

"You realized the awkwardness too, yeah?" He asks. I nod, whispering a "yeah". He chuckles. "Yeah, it was unintentional. And I really didn't like it." He says. I smile. 

"I didn't either. But why was it so awkward?" I ask, asking myself more then Mark but he gives me an answer anyways. 

"Because of what happened the day before." He says. I look at him. 

"Yeah, a wacko came shooting at the school. That shouldn't effect us when it comes to awkwardness." I say, not getting his point. He chuckles, shaking his head. 

"That's not what I meant." He says. I frown. What did he mean? "I meant, you showed me a different part of you. And, though I don't know you as well as some other people, I know that you don't like showing that side of you to other people. I saw how you got when I dropped you off, you just shut off your emotions as soon as your mom opened that door." I sigh, nodding. I understand what he means now. I broke down, and I wasn't used to that so the next day I was off and he was off and... Yeah... 

"Hey, listen." He says. I look up at him, and he looks at me. "I know you don't like it, I know you probably would've rather not broken down." I nod. He chuckles. "But I'm glad you did." He says. I narrow my eyes, smiling slightly. 

"What do you mean?" I ask. He inhales and exhales slowly, never once breaking eye contact. 

"You broke down and you let me comfort you. And that was really important to me." He says. At this I just stare wide eyed. 

"I... W..." I just start stuttering again. It's what happens when I get surprised, I stutter a lot. Don't judge me. Mark just shrugs. 

"I don't know. Whatever. Let's just promise not to be awkward around each other anymore." He laughs. I nod. 

"Sure." I say shrugging. I sigh, looking around. "Are you hungry?" I ask. Mark shakes his head. 

"Not at all. You?" I shake my head as well. Wait... I jump off the desk I was previously sitting on and I move Mark over a bit, sitting next to him which is a little squished since the desk is kind of small but, eh, who cares. I take out my earbuds from my bag and I plug them into my phone. Then I put one earbud in my ear and I hand Mark the other. 

"I told you I'd recommend some songs to you. Ones without screaming." I say. He nods, remembering the conversation from what seems like so long ago, when it was only about a month. He puts the earbud in and I play one of my favorite Black Veil Brides songs, despite the lack of screaming. "Lost It All" is truly a work of art. As it starts the piano is slow and nice, then the lyrics kick in. I listen to each word, each note, each part. 

"I ruled the world. With these hands I shook the heavens to the ground." I still am the king of the school but last year I felt like it, I actually felt like I ruled the school. Now, not so much. 

"I held the key to the kingdom. Lions guarding castle walls." I made sure not many people could do much without my permission and Bob, Ken and Wade helped enforce that. Now I just regret it, even though to some degree I still do it. 

"Then I lost it all, dead and broken. My back's against the wall. Cut me open." I lost that feeling, the feeling of power though I still have it. I'm stuck in this position between right and wrong, and someone needs to see me for me to help me. 

"I'm just trying to breathe, just trying to figure it out because I built these walls to watch them crumbling down." I just want to know where to go, what to do. I built a persona, a reputation and if I make a wrong move it'll crumble down and the debris could kill me. 

"I said, "Then I lost it all." And who can save me now?" I smile, and I close my eyes. I know who can save me now, I know very damn well who can. I hesitantly grab Mark's hand, but he doesn't hesitate to lace our fingers. Mark can save me, and I know he will. Despite everything that's happened, I know he will save me. He already has.

A/N: Does this make up for the other short chapter? Oh pretty please?

Oh yeah! And thanks to Companion13 for showing me "Lost It All"! It's now one of my favorite songs!