Jackson was happier than he had been in a long time that night. Finally, he could help Isaac.
Although Isaac was finally talking to him, he still liked Danny and he didn't want to end his friendship with him.
That summer, Jackson had to carefully plan his schedule between time with Isaac and time with Danny; he had never worked so hard on planning in his life. He made a whole schedule as to not spend too little time with one friend and too much with another.
Isaac was able to come over a lot more often, with it being summer and his dad working.
They frequently played video games, Jackson trying to give Isaac as much of a handicap he could. They also discovered Isaac wasn't such a poor shot at lacrosse.
And, like always, they had to deal with Isaac's father and the new cuts, bruises, and scrapes Isaac would bring over once a week.
Jackson discovered Isaac hated small, tight spaces during a frightful game of hide and seek and learned, unless Isaac was wearing lacrosse pads and a helmet, to never toss an object at him, even if it only weighed a gram.
Jackson would ask frequently if Danny could hang out with Isaac around, but the answer was always a pushy, irritable 'no'.
Jackson knew it was because Isaac didn't want to run the risk of Danny finding out, but Jackson could always sense a twinge of jealousy in Isaac's voice whenever Danny was brought up.
As any thirteen-year-old would be, Jackson was devastated when summer came to a close. No more staying up until two in the morning chugging energy drinks and eating junk, no more sleeping until eleven, no more hanging out with Isaac.
Jackson had trouble differentiating between being wretched because school was starting again or because Isaac would no longer be able to hang out.
Seventh grade started with a bang. Before first bell, Jackson had already joked around with a couple kids, hoping maybe he could have more than two friends before high school started.
Right off the bat, Jackson was given homework. The first day wasn't supposed to involve pre-algebra homework, was it? Jackson didn't have Danny or Isaac in his homeroom this year, which was a bigger let down than the homework.
Jackson met up with Danny in the cafeteria, complaining about his homework before they were even in rage of each other. Danny nodded along to Jackson's complaints, but he seemed out of it.
"You alright?" Jackson lightly elbowed Danny in the ribs. Danny blinked and looked at his best friend. "Wanna sit outside?" Danny shrugged. Okay, something was up.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, Danny picking, rather than eating. Jackson talked, trying to get Danny interested in something.
"Lacrosse try-outs tomorrow!" Jackson looked at Danny, who didn't look up from his pile of mush. "Danny! What is your problem?"
"Nothing, I feel a bit queasy, maybe I'll go to the nurse before fifth period. See you in history?" Jackson raised his eyebrows in suspicion but nodded.
Jackson sat alone after Danny left, wondering what had happened during the twenty-four hour time period they had been apart.
Suddenly, his light was blocked. Jackson looked to the source of the shadow and smiled to see Isaac standing above him.
"Can I?" Isaac motioned to the empty bench across from Jackson.
"Be my guest!" Jackson smiled.
Lunch passed in a blur after Isaac showed up; it was much easier carrying on a conversation with someone who talks back.
Fifth period was science and finally it was history with Danny. Jackson entered the class and looked for his seat. This class slowly filed in the room, all except Danny. The tardy bell rang and still, no Danny. Jackson knew the empty seat was his and it wasn't like his best friend to skip a class. Jackson raised his hand.
"Can I go to the bathroom?" He needed an excuse to find Danny. Unfortunately, his teacher was an anti-bathroom fanatic.
Jackson twitched in his seat for an hour, watching the second hand tick slower than it ever had before.
The bell rang and Jackson shot out of his desk and out the door. He made a beeline straight for the nurse. Jackson almost ran into the door when he approached.
"Danny? Mahealani." The nurse looked at him in confusion. "He came by here earlier? During lunch."
"I'm sorry sweetie, no Danny was here." Jackson turned on his heels and ran in the opposite direction getting a few rude gestures as he bumped into kids in the hallway.
Jackson skipped his next class to search for Danny. After wandering around the halls for a long while, Jackson found him sitting on the bleachers by the sports field.
"What the hell, Danny?" Jackson yelled as he approached. "Why'd you lie to me?" Jackson got to his best friend and climbed to sit down next to him. Danny shrugged. "You're acting like a ten-year-old girl! Get over yourself and just tell me what's up!" Jackson was starting to get fed up with the quiet, shrugging Danny.
Danny looked up; his eyes were red and puffy.
"Jackson, I don't want you to hate me, just go away!"
"Hate you? What are you on, Danny? You couldn't have done anything in a day to make me hate you."
"It's not what I did, it's how you feel." Danny was confusing Jackson to oblivion. Jackson remained silent and Danny took a shaky breath. "This morning, when you were talking to that kid before first bell, at least I know how you feel now." Seriously? Could Danny be less passive?
"Danny, I honestly have no clue what you're going on about! Let's just go back to class, alright?" Jackson tried to grab Danny's arm, but he pulled away. He opened his mouth to order again, but Danny yelled over him.
"I'm gay, Jackson!" Jackson gave him a look of confusion fused with idiocy. He took a second and then the whole conversation clicked into place.
"Jesus Christ, Danny! Is this about the whole queer thing?" Jackson looked at Danny, but he was staring at his shoes.
"I meant queer as in weird, not gay!" He looked back at Danny, who was now looking up at him in curiosity.
"I didn't even know you were listening-I didn't even think I was being that offensive. First day man, I kinda need more friends than you. I get it though, sorry." Danny's face softened and he gave Jackson a weak smile.
"But, I am, Jackson. Gay-I mean." Danny's voice sounded rough, as if he were forcing the words out.
"Yeah, that's not really a surprise, Dan. You wouldn't shut up about Tom Cruise when we went to see Mission: Impossible." Danny loosened up and smiled like he used to. "Hey, and I won't use those words if they like, offend you or something." Jackson held his hand out to Danny and pulled him to his feet.
"That's been on my shoulders for so long, I thought you would hate me- or we wouldn't get to hang out anymore." Danny admitted as they jumped down the bleacher rows. Jackson chuckled and shook his head, lightly pushing his best friend.
"You're my best friend, I don't care if you're attracted to dogs, I'm still gonna wanna play lacrosse with you."
"Ha, you don't have to worry about the dogs, I'm more of a cat person." Jackson smiled, Danny was back.
"Hey, we've only got twenty minutes left," Jackson noticed out loud as he looked at his watch, "Wanna ditch the rest of school and go get something to eat?" Danny hesitated, but agreed, and they raced to the school parking lot.