Okay, this chapter was a challenge for me. Don't know why, but I haven't felt like writing lately. Then...well, the inspiration exploded and now I'm writing on both the stories I have up, From One Closet and this one. Um, if Zach sounds pissy and depressed and shit, well I identify the most with Zach out of everyone in this story, and I haven't been all that cheery either lately. Feels weird being single again.

ANYWAY, I'm working on the next chapter already. I'm on a roll. 3

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My Fake Heart; Disastrous!
Chapter Four; The Boys, The Insinuation, The Joke
Zachary Jonathon Burkefield

I really wish Natalie would get off my case. I know I was an asshole and all, but her stupid little pity party gets old really quick. She kept glaring at me the whole five minutes it takes to walk to her house from the school. Leonard noticed too, apologizing for her as soon as we got into his car. A junker, honestly, but hey, he paid for it himself. More than I can say.

"I'm really sorry about Natalie. She holds grudges forever sometimes," he sighed as he started the car.

I couldn't fight the smile that spread across my face. "You don't have to apologize for her. She's not sorry, so why should you be?"

He spluttered. So cute. "I-I just, y'know don't think she's being fair. I mean, Amanda doesn't seem to hate you anymore, maybe Natalie needs to get the clue." I laughed. He was just too nice. This was part of the reason why we couldn't date. He was too good to me. I wasn't used to that.

"Nah, don't worry. I'll just have to impress her or something," I said offhandedly. We passed the rest of the short drive to the mall indulging in stupid conversation about what I could do to impress her. When we arrived at the mall, I almost laughed when I noticed a girl behind a jewellery shop counter checking Leonard out. If she only knew. "Check it out, Leonard," I whispered. "You're being observed."

"What?" he asked nervously. I nodded towards the girl in question, and following my direction, he found the predator. Honest to God, he blushed and nearly tripped over his own two feet. I grabbed his shoulder steadying him with a laugh. He lightly punched me in the shoulder-he couldn't hurt me even if he tried, the little weakling-grumbling, "That wasn't funny Zach."

"Maybe not to you," I answered, chuckling. He rolled his eyes with a begrudging grin. After a bit of wandering, we settled on the F.Y.E., making fun of each others tastes in music. Glancing up, I noticed some guys come in, two of them holding hands. I jerked my gaze away, heading in some direction that landed me in front of the posters. I flipped through them, noticing serious hotties scattered in there. Seeing girls dressed and positioned so fucking sexily didn't help the rush of nervous tension flooding my mind. So I turned back toward where I had left Leonard, to find no one in his place. I searched the place, and low and behold, he was talking to the guys that had turned a nice evening into a personal crisis. Motherfuck.

Laughing. Leonard was fucking laughing. At something that this short guy with red fucking streaks in his stupid fucking hair was saying. Could the fucker be anymore goddamn obvious? Leonard noticed me walking towards him-probably without the cheeriest expression on my face-and stepped towards me. "This is my friend. Zach, this is Jason," he waved towards the flaming one, "Ezra," the skinny black guy, "and James," the guy holding Ezra's hand, now more possessively with my arrival. They greeted me with generic friendly salutations. I returned the sentiments, at least verbally, and stood beside Leonard as he continued whatever conversation he had been having. Meanwhile, I directed all my not so happy feelings towards Jason. It was like he didn't even know how to be discreet. Laying on compliments thick and fast, hands reaching to shove Leonard playfully or to just rest on his arm. What. The. Fuck.

Even worse, Leonard was enjoying the fucking attention. He didn't stop Jason, he thanked him for all his kind words, and-the fuck?!-returned the look that Jason was giving him. Silently, I stepped away, not even caring if Leonard noticed. Okay, maybe I did care, but fuck it. I was way too goddamn angry to deal with this. I walked out of F.Y.E. and just went in some direction. I didn't care where I was going at the time.

"Zach!" I heard someone call out. I looked behind me, and saw Alex, one of the soccer team's managers. He had an obvious limp in his left leg, which prevented him from playing. He was one of the better managers, he actually knew what he was doing and what we needed. Blond hair buzzed close to his scalp, a dirty hoodie pulled over a clean tee shirt and holey jeans. He was a good kid, a little annoying sometimes though.

I stopped, dropping my pleasant expression in place automatically. "What's up, Alex?" I heard that usual, devil-may-care tone in my voice, the tone that only went away when Leonard was around.

"Nothing much," he shrugged as he came to a stop a few feet away from me, intense blue eyes boring into mine. It honestly made me a little uncomfortable, having him stare at me like that, like he was looking for something hidden. Fuck if he would find anything. I was like a fucking ninja when it came to hiding shit from curious people. "What's up? I saw you bolt out of F.Y.E. a second ago. You not like those guys in there?"

I shrugged noncommittally. "You know how it is. Friends of a friend don't make 'em my friends," I answered half-truthfully.

"Huh," he stated dumbly. "If I didn't know better," his voice lowered, "I'd think you were jealous of that one guy. You looked like you wanted to shoot him or something."

I snorted, a well trained reaction to when people asked or insinuated I was gay. "Look, just 'cause I got a gay friend doesn't mean I'm gay, got it?"

He lifted his hands in a surrendering expression, wheedling, "Hey man, don't get pissed. I'm just saying what it looked like." I definitely did not like that smug look on his pimply little face. "You should watch yourself," he stepped back and away, "Somebody might get the wrong idea." I was about to go show him where he could stick his ideas when Leonard walked up, passing Alex without a second look.

"Hey, you disappeared," he said with almost enough guilt for me to not be angry at him. Almost.

"Yeah, got bored," I explained bluntly. He nodded once, seemingly accepting my shitty excuse.

"Oh. Okay. You ready to leave then? There isn't much else to do." I let him lead us toward the exit, too busy trying not to think to even bother argue. He stopped suddenly, looking sidelong at me. "Um, we could see a movie, if you want."

I thought about it. Sitting in the dark, cold theater, Leonard sitting right beside me, my head full of thoughts I'm trying to ignore. I shook my head, partly in answer and partly to clear it. "Nah. I really need to get that study guide done for Calculus."

He nodded, smiling encouragingly. Leonard was such a nerd, he was happy to hear I wanted to study. "Okay, that's cool. Do you need any help? I mean, I can't come over tonight," he rambled. "Mom wants me home soon. She freaks out during the winter worrying about ice patches. It's not even cold enough yet, y'know?"

I laughed as he continued whining about his mom while we walked out into the cold winter air. It was definitely December. I didn't mind, I liked the cold. But Leonard was different. He shivered all the way to his car, his teeth chattered as he hurriedly started the motor, revving the engine to get it warmer. I laughed again. "Pansy."

"F-f-f-f-freak," he chattered noisily. I only laughed louder, crossing my arms to keep from hugging him to warm him up. "D-d-d-don't know how you can stand it," he said, his voice breathy.

I shrugged in answer. I was starting to think too hard again. It was gnawing at me. This niggling little question in the back of my mind. Leonard finally moved the car out of the parking space, carefully joining the flow of traffic. At a stoplight my curiosity suddenly broke through my outward apathy. "Do you like him? Jason?" The words tumbled out of my mouth quickly before I could stop them.

"Um," he said loudly, embarrassed. I didn't look at him. I couldn't. "I...I don't know. It's...I've only known him a couple of days." He was being partially honest. He didn't say no.

"He seems a little bit girly for your tastes, y'know?" I said snidely while grinning at him. I looked and saw that my joke had actually hurt him. I backtracked, trying to cover up any jealousy with humor. "I mean, as huge of a pansy as you are, you don't need to date another pansy, y'know? It wouldn't work out. You'd fight about who got to wear the skirt. and who had to wear the pants." Leonard sighed at long last, a little chuckle at the end of it.

"Jackass," he swore under his breath. I shot him my best shit-eating grin. For the remainder of the drive, I stared out of the window, watching the grey scenery pass by. Grocery stores, fast food joints, gas stations flew by, ink washed by the thick clouds blotting out the light of the setting sun like a cottony sponge.

Fuck. I need to get new friends. This isn't working.