CHAPTER 15

ZANDER’s POV

“Dude, that looks insane.” The class still buzzing because of the sketches we did. It wasn’t as though Jayden didn’t deserve the praise—he definitely did.

His sketch was beautiful. Every curve and outline had been drawn with precision. Every detail carried some sort of patience and emotion that made me wonder how Jayden knew how to sketch this well.

The Professor hadn’t been exaggerating about his work at all. It’s not like my sketch was any less impressive though, it’s just that there’s something different about Jayden’s work. I couldn’t bring my self to say anything. It wasn’t like my compliment would any difference to him.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag.

“Hey, Zander….”

“Yeah?” I looked up.

Liam stood beside me with an amused smile.

“You leaving already?”

“Yeah?” I answered. “Is there something else happening?” I asked.

Liam glanced toward the crowd gathered around Jayden before looking back at him. “You’re not going to say anything to him about his work?”

“No thank you. He definitely looks like he’s already got enough people doing that.” I shrugged

The crowd slowly began to fade as everyone returned back to their seats to pack their stuffs. I slipped my sketchbook into my back, ignoring the never ending conversation about Jayden’s work, and from what I peeked at, Jayden didn’t look like he gave a shit about the people complimenting his work at all.

I looked up before I could stop myself. Jayden was already looking in my direction and for what felt like eternity, neither of us moved.

The corners of lips had slightly moved up like he was waiting for something?

“Was he waiting for some sort of acknowledgment from me?” I thought in my head.

My jaw tightened.

I broke eye contact first. Without saying a word, I looked back down and continued packing the rest of my things, pretending the zipper on my bag was stuck.

A few seconds later, his footsteps crossed across the room and the classroom door slammed shut. Only after the silence settled in the room did I glance towards where he was standing to see that he was gone.

I scoffed and left, feeling even more irritated by him.  

     The time was already 10:12PM when I woke up and Jayden wasn’t back. I decided to read a novel. My eyes skimmed the same paragraph for what had to be the fifth time, but not a single word registered. With an irritated sigh, I snapped the book shut.

“Why do I even care about his whereabouts?” I muttered under his breath.

“Jayden was a grown man and if he wants to stay out all night partying and avoiding confrontations, that was his business.” I said, heading for the shower.

“If he wanted to disappear for days—" The sound of clattering keys cut my thoughts short.

“Seriously….?” I frowned.

The lock clicked open on the third attempt, and lo and behold, Jayden stumbled inside.

He looked annoyingly good. His black Henley shirt hugged him, the sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, and his dark hair sat exactly as it had that morning. The only thing out of place was the lazy gaza in his colored eyes, and the expensive looking alcohol on his hand that followed him into the room that made me realize he was actually drunk.

He leaned against it for support, blinking lazily.

“Am I home again?” He asked with a voice laced with despair.

I stared at him before asking, “Are you drunk?”

He then looked up as though he’d finally realized where he was. “Zander….”

“What?” I asked.

Jayden only chuckled.

“No idea.”

“You don’t know why you got drunk and appeared in the room looking like some Greek god?”

“I know…” Jayden pointed at me with unsteady fingers before nearly losing his balance. “that there are two of you of here.”

“There aren’t.”

“Shame.” He said.

Before I could process what he just said, He took a step forward and his foot caught on absolutely nothing.

“Oh, for—” I lunged just in time, catching him before he fell face-first into the floor and he had the audacity to let out a sleepy hum while he was crushing me?

“Get off me,” I grumbled, adjusting my grip around him, making sure he actually doesn’t slip again.

“You’re warm.”

“I am not.”

“Mhm…”

Jayden rested more of his weight against him without permission and I sighed already knowing he wouldn’t remember anything tomorrow morning.

Somehow, I managed to drag Jayden toward his bed.

“Sit.” I said and he obeyed with surprising ease, flopping onto the mattress like his bones became jelly.

“Stay there.”

“As you command.”

I rolled his eyes.

I reached for the blanket lying at the foot of the bed, ready to toss it to him and get to my own bed, when I heard him mumble something

“…Too hot.”

Before I could react, Jayden tugged his hoodie over his head in one clumsy motion and tossed it onto the floor causing his T-shirt to raise with the movement.

I froze.

Just above Jayden’s left hip, black ink peeked out beneath the fabric and I the remaining tattoo he’d be trying to hide.

For a moment, all I could do was stare. It was just a few words written in cursive, etched neatly into his skin.

“Built by ruin.”

My eyes lingered on the words far longer than they should have.

“Jayden….”

No response, just the slow rise and fall of his breathing.

I crouched slightly, still trying to process and get a closer look at the ink tatted on his skin.

“When did you…?”

“Sorry….” He cuts me off.

The whisper was so quiet I almost missed it.

My brows knitted together.

“What?”

Jayden’s lips twitched.

“I’m…” His voice cracked. “…I’m sorry…”

Everything inside me stilled.

I had never heard Jayden apologize..

Not once. Not after the party. Not after the fight. Not after everything.

“So why now?” I thought.

He just whispered the words I had waited so long to hear, so what else?

“Is he just saying this because he’s drunk?” I couldn’t help wonder if it’s because he’s drunk. I felt my stomach sink at the thought of it.

“I…”

He reached out clumsily, his fingers reaching for my sleeve before curling weakly around the fabric.

“I’m… s-sorry…”

Before Zander I respond, his body tipped forward causing his forehead to land against my shoulder.

I instinctively caught him. “Jayden….?” No answer.

He’d fallen asleep.

I remained perfectly still, one hand hovering awkwardly over Jayden’s back, my mind caught between the apology, the tattoo, and the impossible weight of the man sleeping against him.

“Seriously…what kind of senior year is this?” I groaned