A/N
Now that I'm on holiday, I'm soooo lazy. I thought I was going to spew out chapters and get shit done but brain was like, 'Fucka you' and I'm like, 'I'll just be in this corner then.' However, since I've managed to steal my thoughts back, I've been piecing more of Jackie's past together and it's so juicy! And depressing because I create only the finest of ruined characters. I feel like being ominous ... The time before Jackie was funny and was called Jack. Boom! Shock-Horror!

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"Well, I don't actually know since I've never met another invisible person," Beau only clarifies now after my embarrassing outburst.

"All my hopes and dreams were just crushed." I pout, truly depressed now.

"Your thoughts are your own downfall," Landon says.

"Is that a quote?"

"Don't remember. My power isn't having a super brain."

"But why does someone with powers want to know about others only now? What is your purpose!" Beau screams into Mikhail's ear.

"It doesn't matter, Beau, let's go." Landon gives Kage a glance before dragging Beau away.

"Hold up," Kage suddenly stops them, "You guys aren't from this school. Why are you here?"

Landon turns and squares his shoulders to face the ever intimidating Kage. "This library has the books I was looking f-"

"Cut the bullshit. You heard about Jackie and you're here to check him out." Kage's grip on my shoulders tightens.

Why the fuck am I in the middle of their staaaring contest? Must I join? I shall! I staaaare right into Landon's eyes. I shall be the champion today! Oh god, I'm such an idiot.

"So you knew from the start." Landon just ignores my challenge and takes Kage's instead.

Dammit! I thought I was mean enough! I look up at Kage behind me and try to copy his facial expression.

"What are you doing, cutie?" Kage grins.

"Tryna be mean. Also defuse the situation ... Is it working?"

"Yup." He gives my forehead a peck.

"You guys are so adorbs! My heart can't take it!" Beau squeals like a fanboy.

"Think about my heart and how it feels," I mutter.

"Oh, I do, Jackie. Every second I think of it fluttering from just my smallest touch," Kage flirts.

Tomatoes! Tomatoes everywhere! You get a tomato and you get a tomato! Everyone gets tomatoes! I feel like I have one of those wind-up toy monkeys clanging his symbols together to my mechanical movements. Clang clang clang. Error: Space_Man.exe has stopped functioning. Please try again later.

"I think you broke him again," Mikhail observes.

"I'm not even going to get angry anymore, oh wait, STOP HARRASSING JACKIE! If my sister finds out then she'll blame everything on me!" Dave rages.

"Dude, are you really trying to put the fault on your sister? Low blow. Just admit it," Beau snaps at Dave.

"Admit what?"

"Don't play dumb. I read minds, remember? You're squealing like a lost girl in your mind right now about how 'they knew'." Landon rolls his eyes.

"Am not! And get the fuck out my he-ad!" Dave's voice cracks at the end.

Everyone stares at him with wide unblinking eyes.

"Yeah, but I saw it first! So I'm smart!" I declare, trying to make up for my previous meltdown.

Space_Man.exe is back online. Welcome back to the world of the functioning.

"Took you a good six years," Dave mutters under his breath sourly.

Wide eyes stare at him again. Wider this time, I think.

"... Nah, there's no way," I refuse his confession as another one of those weird dreams you get when you're constantly high. Am I high? To get you off my mind? Uwu uwu?

"Harsh," Landon comments.

"I feel like we're off topic," I try steering them back to the previous conversation that is a little less tense than 'feelings' and such. "What's this about hearing about me?"

"We are so not going to brush off that rejecti-" Landon stops Beau from continuing Dave's obvious pain that can be seen from the dark shadow cast over his features.

"... So about the videos," Mikhail starts.

"Video?"

"Remember the time you fought me in front of a bunch of teenagers with smartphones and being in the age of social media?" Kage gives me a hint.

"No way."

"You're a viral star on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and many other video sharing platforms. You've also had some film maker YouTubers trying to recreate the video. Even TikTok is using your voice for views." Mikhail opens up a video on YouTube on his phone and shows me.

"I was a bit happy until you mentioned the cancer."

So I'm ... famous? ... Fuck to the yes! I need to copyright claim that shit! It's my money, bitches!

"Jackie, I don't need to read your mind to see the money signs in your eyes."

"I'm famous."

"And in danger," Kage reminds me of the other part of being famous.

"I'm in danger," I copy, my mind not processing anything but the being famous part.

"Is he broken again?" Beau asks curiously.

"No, it's called selective hearing. It's mostly how he copes with things," Kage explains.

"I think I need to dig a hole and end myself," I announce.

"Oh, he processed it."

"Nope, wait for it."

"I don't want to become a druggie and be stalked by millions of people."

"Eh, close enough," Mikhail concludes.

"Mikhail needs to become famous too."

"Wait what?"

"He plays so many instruments, so talented."

"And he's gone."

"Come on, Jackie, let's get you home for now." Kage goes to lead me out the library but Dave stops him.

"Take every offense, but I'm not going to let someone like you take Jackie anywhere."

"Even after that blunt rejection?" Kage smirks.

"Even if he wants me dead," Dave says with determination set deep within his hazel eyes.

"... Just for now I'll back down for Jackie."

"Don't try to be the good guy for Jackie. We all know how black your heart is," Dave spits.

"Guys, if you really cared about him then you wouldn't be fighting for him, you'd be letting him go." Beau takes off one of his cute cupcake pins and attaches it to my army jacket.

What the hell is going on? Is something more serious going on? What have I been ... Never mind. Just go with it, Jackie ...