present

OLIVER.

"Jack?" I knew he couldn't hear me because it was barely over a whisper, but it still felt surreal to say his name out loud again. It just felt weird to be near him again...and he was making out and grinding with Billy Redford.

I turned away before I did something that I'd most likely regret. Hell, to be honest, I don't really know what I would do. Introduce myself? See if he even recognizes me? I looked a little different since we graduated; my hair is dyed white now, whereas in high school it was my natural shade of dark brown; I am slightly taller since graduation- slightly; I'm definitely a shade or two paler since high school. Hell, at least my personality hasn't changed. He'd most definitely recognize me from that.

But Jack...Jack has changed tremendously. His skin has cleared up an ungodly amount; his hair is styled almost exactly like mine except his stands up and sweeps over a little more dramatically (but his hair is still the light brown shade it's always been, unlike my dyed hair); he isn't wearing glasses anymore, then again during junior year I advised him to switch to contacts so people could see all of his face more clearly (he had those black, big, adorable glasses, y'know?); he's gotten tanner; he's a little more built since high school, but he's still a skinny little thing; and his style has tremendously improved. Like, God...he's a completely different person...sort of. In high school, he'd always wear either a t-shirt with bands or movies or something on it, until I started to lend him some of my outfits to wear (which he'd always fight me on but I always won the fights). Now he's wearing an outfit you would expect to see on a mannequin or a model for Abercombie or some shit; he's wearing a burgundy plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, unbuttoned, with a light grey/faded white t-shirt underneath and accompanying the look with faded grey skinny jeans. Like, what the fuck happened to him? Did he magically hit a second phase of puberty or something? I remember when we were just teenagers, him being in all the advanced placement classes while I was in the honors and regular classes. The only time I ever saw the guy was in the hallways, lunch, and gym, aside from outside of school. Jack was better at me than everything school-related- the kid was even on the cross country and track teams. Sports, well...they weren't exactly my forte. I was into other physical activities...

flashback.

"Are we going to race today, finally?" Jack asked as the two of walked outside, along with the rest of our gym class, into the ungodly heat. For some unknown reason, our gym instructors had us run the mile every once in a while to see where we were at physically, and they even fucking timed us. This was the second time they were having us run the mile- and it was still first semester. Not to mention that our gym hour is during third period and the sun's hottest at this fucking hour.

I rolled my eyes as we continued our walk towards the track. Jack always got an A during his mile, just like the class and every other class he was taking. I, on the other hand, still had an A in gym, but the mile always brought me down a few percentage points because I have to walk half of it due to being out of breath the entire time. "Fine," I sighed while casting a glance at him.

"Yes!" Jack cheered while pumping his fists in the air. "You're going down, Olly!"

Jack was the only person throughout our entire school who called me Olly, and it was because he was the only person I allowed to. Hell, I'm not a jock, obviously, but the whole school was at my feet. If anyone fucked with me, I had the toughest guys on the football team going after them. And if my opponent was a girl, well, I had the bitches of the school ruining her life socially. Basically, don't fuck with me.

I sighed out a laugh while shaking my head. "You're lucky I like you," I murmured back with a soft smile, earning a quiet laugh from Jack. He had no idea that I liked him as more than a friend, but I didn't care. I liked us as the two of us were, even if it meant my eternal torture. Everyone already knew I was bisexual, and somehow that made me "stronger" that I came out so easily. I just didn't care; my dad had the money and I had the personality and looks to get me safely through high school, so I never felt threatened. Jack was out, too, but not on his own terms. Jack was and is completely and utterly gay, I had kind of guessed that when he moved here. When he originally came to Petersen High, he got involved with the, um, other popular kids that weren't all too great to him. After they kind of exposed him and made the poor guy feel like shit, well, I "rescued" him. Basically, I took the guy under my wing and, in the process, ruined everyone's lives who wronged him. I mean, I got all their secrets unveiled, exposed some dirty shit that I can't un-see and unread- I fucking ruined them. Jamie and her possy aren't too popular anymore... And everyone knows not to fuck with my best friend now, and that's reassuring, both for him and for me.

The two of us bantered back and forth for a while during our walk to the dreaded track. I kept making jokes that I would somehow win because I had amazing stamina from my...other forms of physical activity, although I knew there was no way in hell I was going to win this. Jack was midseason in track and field right now, and three days a week when there wasn't any meets, the kid had fucking conditioning for three hours. And if that's not enough, immediately after the track season is over, conditioning for cross country starts. And somehow he's juggling perfect grades and a somewhat decent social life, along with all the smart people clubs like math club, science club, National Honors Society, AP Clubs, study groups, book club, tutoring me because I'm fucking dumb. I honestly feel honored that my British friend makes time to hang out with me at all.

When our glass reached the track, our gym coach, Mr. Chrysler, (yes, his last name is the fucking name of the car brand) announced that all the boys were running it first. While all the girls were walking towards the bleachers, Jack raised his eyebrows at me with a cocky grin on his face as we stood by the starting line. "Try to keep up with me," Jack murmured with a wink as he pulled his heel up to his ass with his hand while stretching, and then doing the exact same thing with the other leg.

I responded with a smirk as I murmured, "I've heard that a few times before."

Jack rolled his eyes at me while laughing. "Even a sex robot can't keep himself going long enough to beat his virgin friend in a race."

"Shut up," I responded. I raised an eyebrow while saying, "And you're not even a virgin."

"I've only had sex with one girl and I hated it," Jack countered. "And I'm not counting it, either."

I rolled my eyes as the rest of the guys finished stretching and began moving in waves towards the starting line. "Whatever you say."

All of us looked at Mr. Chrysler expectantly, and he was looking at his flip phone while munching on a donut.

"Bloody hypocrite," Jack murmured, causing me to snap my gaze to meet his immediately while a cocky smile formed upon my face.

"Coming to the dark side now, are we?" I mumbled with an evil smirk.

Jack flipped me off, prompting me to chuckle as he prepared himself on the starting line. "You're getting your ass beat, Olly," he murmured darkly with an evil grin.

I shrugged while responding, "Unlike you, I don't care."

Jack offered me a look of defeat. "You told me that we'd race today," he whined.

"Go!" Mr. Chrysler's voice boomed, and I somehow got ahead of Jack. But it didn't last long.

"I'm winning," Jack sang as he passed me before turning around and facing me while somehow still being ahead of me as he ran. "You're a bloody snail compared to me!"

"Fuck off," I called back as I sped up my pace, earning a laugh from Jack as he turned back around and started running at half speed, which to me was still fucking fast. His half speed was, like, my full speed, and he could somehow keep that pace going throughout an entire cross country meet or a whole track event.

I watched Jack from a distance as he ran along with the other track and cross country kids that were way ahead of the rest of us. Hell, the football players and soccer kids had no problem running it either, except they were still behind Jack and his other friends. I, on the other hand, had given up on the race entirely because I was already out of breath, so now I was hanging back with the other "average" runners.

Soon enough, during my very light jog, Jack lapped me and jogged beside me for a few moments.

"You're doing so well," Jack sarcastically said to me as he jogged along with me. He didn't look tired at all, and he wasn't even sweating even though it was, like, eighty five degrees outside.

"Fuck you," I breathed out as I cast a glance at him. Jack only laughed in response.

"At least you're almost done with your first lap," he murmured reassuringly.

"Meaning you'll be leaving me shortly," I responded.

Jack cast an apologetic glance at me. "I'll be cheering you on from the bleachers for your entire second lap."

I rolled my eyes before glaring at him. "If you even start clapping for me when I finish, I will have you brutally murdered by the entire football team."

Jack shrugged before speeding up a little. "I'm frightened," Jack called back. I watched him round the curve, his legs moving gracefully without any sense of tiredness. When he crossed the finish line, he immediately turned to me and waited for me to cross it, looking at me expectantly as I neared the start of my second lap. I saw Jack mumble something to Mr. Chrysler, to which Mr. Chrysler nodded his head and shooed him off.

When I crossed the start/finish line, Jack joined me in my jog.

"What are you doing?" I asked breathlessly as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I figured you would want a friend as you finished the mile," he responded. "You're not really associating yourself with them," he murmured while motioning his hand to the people behind me; said people were finishing the mile by walking it.

I cast him a sideways smile in response. "You didn't have to run with me, y'know."

"I know," he responded immediately. "But I also don't want to sit alone in the bleachers while I wait for your slow ass to finish."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't you have your sports friends? Or your smart people friends?"

Jack laughed while tilting his head back. "They're alright, but they're not you, Olly."

Swoon.

"And what's so special about me?" I countered with a cocky grin.

Jack looked me up and down with a bewildered look on his face. "You're Oliver bloody Blackheart. Everything's special about you."

The moment's gone.

I sighed while running a hand through my hair, deciding to walk the final curve instead of jogging it. Jack slowed down beside me and walked along with me for a few moments in silence as I regained my breath. "So," I murmured, "you're secretly just like everyone else, then?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at me with a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"You said I'm," I began before holding up air quotes, "Oliver Blackheart."

"That's your name, isn't it? Or do I have you confused with someone else?" he responded jokingly.

I sighed a laugh. "I mean that you only think I'm anything because of my father and the way I look and act," I murmured.

Jack immediately pushed me on the shoulder, sending me staggering into the fence. "Fuck you," Jack responded as I took a deep breath while walking the short distance back to him. "Don't ever accuse me of that bullshit again, Oliver."

"It's true," I responded while waving my hands out in front of me. "Everyone only likes me because of the money and my face."

"Those people don't actually like you, Oliver," Jack murmured, snapping my gaze to his. "They're either afraid of you or want to fuck you. Or they just feel an ungodly need to be your bitch."

"Oh," I called back even though he was walking right beside me. "As if you would know what people actually liking you is."

"I have plenty of real friends, for your information," Jack countered.

"Oh, please," I laughed as I tilted my head back. "Those people are the exact same as the people you're associating me with, meaning they're only friends with you because they're afraid of me or want to fuck me, Jack."

"You can't tell the difference, so how would you know?"

"I can tell when someone wants to fuck me," I murmured while glaring at him. "I can tell when someone wants to be my bitch, Jack."

"Please," Jack laughed while raising his eyebrows. "You clearly don't know the difference between someone wanting to be your bitch and someone genuinely loathing your existence!"

"I know which category you fall in to," I responded, and as soon as I said it I immediately wanted to slap myself in the face with a lawn chair. Jack raised his eyebrows at me in a disappointed way, and he looked like he did the day Jamie and her group outed and ruined him. Hurt was written all over his face as he just stared back at me while we walked the track, and I genuinely wished in that moment I could keep my mouth shut for once in my life. "Jack," I murmured as a saddened expression took form on my face, as well. "I didn't mean-"

"Shut up," Jack murmured while shaking his head and casting his gaze to the ground. "At least now I know what I really mean to you, Blackheart."

Jack also never, ever called me by my last name, unlike the majority of the school. Hell, him calling me Oliver in a joking manner was one thing, but this feels like that moment when your mom calls you by your full name when you're in trouble. Then again, I don't exactly have my mom anymore, but I remembered those moments. Some were even engraved into my brain.

"Listen to me," I whined as he walked ahead of me, prompting me to jog to where he was currently walking. "I didn't mean it, Jack."

"No," Jack responded, stopping in the middle of the track and facing me. "You never really do mean it, do you, Oliver?"

I raised an eyebrow at him as I stopped my walk a few feet in front of him. "What exactly does that mean?"

Jack laughed as he waved his arm around at the school's campus. "You never mean it when you tell someone you like them only to fuck them and leave. You never mean it when you cast someone a snarky glance in the hallway, completely ruining their day for no actual reason. You never mean it when you spread rumors about people simply because they cut you off in the hallway on accident. You never mean it when you have your friends ruin people's lives because of your stupid shit. Everything always comes down to your ego, and it's only because that's what you want happening. You get off on owning the school and having everyone at your feet, doing whatever you ask. You complain about people only loving you for the money or for your social status or your looks, but in reality, that's the exact brand you give off. You portray yourself to be this egotistical, rich kid and that's exactly how everyone treats you, except you complain about it! I'm the only person in this school who treats you like an actual human being, and yet I get called your bitch. It'd be different if someone else called me it, but no- it was you, Oliver." Jack walked a few feet closer to me, and I just stood there stiff as a board. Slight fear wafted through me as his glare continued to be transfixed on me, but I couldn't move or even open my mouth to respond. I just stood there and listened. "Let me get one thing straight, Oliver Brandon Blackheart: I am not your bitch, and I will not stand to be called your bitch by you, alright?"

I gulped as I nodded my head frantically, desperately trying to portray my feelings of regret and apologies within my gesture. "Yes," I murmured, although it didn't quite make sense. I wasn't thinking clearly, but then again I never did. Today was a perfect example. "I'm sorry, Jack."

Jack softly smiled at me before running a hand over his face. "I'm sorry, too, Olly," he mumbled with an apologetic smile. "I kind of went off on a rant there, didn't I?"

I offered him an apologetic but understanding smile as we continued our slow walk down the track. "It was deserved," I responded. "If anyone's a bitch here, it's me."

Jack chuckled in response. "Maybe a little," he joked.

I cast him a look of disbelief as I nudged his shoulder. "Fuck you and fuck your British shit," I responded airily.

And just like that we were friends again.

present

"Nope," I mumbled to myself while shaking my head. "I don't like him anymore; he's completely and entirely Billy's." I cast another glance at the pair over my shoulder, which was an honest mistake. "Fuck." I turned my head back to face the bar, and ordered myself a round of shots. "God, help me."

AUSTIN.

"Court's in four days," Annie murmured while throwing a pile of papers at me. "Your lawyer better be the best in the goddamn country."

I laughed while shuffling through the papers. "I don't need a lawyer to ruin people," I laughed. "I've proven myself enough, haven't I?"

Annie laughed while sitting on top of the desk. I was seated in the chair facing the desk with the papers in my hands. "You can't ruin your friends from a prison cell."

"Please," I responded while waving my hand at her. "I can just ruin them in court."

Annie raised an eyebrow. "How?"

I smirked at her as I took a pause for suspense. Dramatic appeal has always been in my forte, but everyone already knows that. "I got everything I need," I began. I held up my phone while motioning to hers, as well. "Right in here."

Annie kept her eyebrow raised, clearly still confused. "I'm still lost."

I sighed while running a hand over my face, chuckling quietly when my land landed in my lap. "I've already ruined Alice and Billy..." I began while looking at her expectantly. "And there's only one other person who fucked me over and backed out during the climax of all of this."

Annie responded slowly, "Oliver?" I nodded my head, earning a small smile from her. "How are you gonna ruin Oliver? His dad's the best lawyer in the world."

I chuckled while shaking my head slowly. I held up my phone and motioned to hers once again. "All I have to do is tell the police and my lawyer to go through my phone and yours," I murmured darkly. I took an elongated pause, relishing in the feeling of suspense I was producing. Amy looked at me expectantly as I simply smirked up at her. "Oliver's an accessory to a crime."

wow i published this and it was finished but then it wasn't