t w o : closets

Jack's POV:

Solemnly, I approach the front door, and I feel my hand shake as I struggle to get the key into the hole. Am I nervous about entering my own house? I shrug off the thought. I just hate making Kara mad, and my whole body shivers at the thought that she might figure out why our relationship has not gone to the next level.

I open the door to see my father beaming. "Son, you're missing the game!", he boomed.

"Dad, I think I'm just gonna sleep the day off and watch the recording tomorrow", I reply.

Defeated, he settled with, "Okay, I'll turn it off, and we'll watch it together".

I almost felt heartbroken for letting him down, but my eyes could barely stay open. He's a good dad; he's always around, has a steady job, and after my mom died, he comforted me by taking over both roles. My mother was one of the scientists who reconstructed the New World, and sadly she died during the last trials of the experiment. I miss her everyday.

Entering my room, I hear a ding and feel buzzing in my pocket.

One new Text Message from Jaden.

Instinctively, the corners of my mouth rise into a big, goofy grin.

Are you home yet?

Yeah, Kara just dropped me off.

Dot, dot, dot, and then nothing. I wonder what he's thinking.

I thought you were breaking up with her.

I can't. We have been through so much, I-

You what?! How can you lie to her after all this time?!

I'm not lying, I'm confused.

Confused? You weren't confused during Spring Break.

Spring Break was unforgettable. And no, I wasn't confused then. Kara was out of town with family; one thing led to another, and... I-it was a mistake... kinda.

Yeah, sure... Are you lying to your dad, too?

I leave him on read. My dad has been there for me my entire life. He signed me up for basketball camp, he spent time with me, and although the love of his life died for the New World, he accepts our new way of life and raised me accordingly. I owe it to him to stay in the closet, and be the grateful son he raised. The person I'm hurting the most is Kara. I loved her once, but not in the way she wants; I have to be honest with her, but she will hate me... I just know it.

Kara's POV:

As I approach the door, I hear an indistinguishable chanting. There has to be about one hundred people inside, men and women, chanting at the top of their lungs... in an abandoned apartment, hmm.

The lights suddenly go off, and I take the opportunity to sprint in, closing the door ever so silently behind me. What the hell is this? The uniformed crowd forms a large circle that resembles our monthly assemblies at school. I follow suit in the outermost ring.

"Attention!", suddenly all eyes focus on the center, where a blue-masked man stands in front of a microphone.

"All believers, attention!", it becomes so silent that a pin wouldn't dare drop to interrupt it.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the Counterrevolution! In unity, we will reverse the New World!", he beamed, "Chant with me, my fellow believers, chant!", and with that I gasped so loud that if the blue-uniformed crowd had not been chanting, I would have been outed. Re-reverse the New World? Wh-what?!

"REVERSE, REVERSE", they all screamed at the top of their lungs. If someone had glanced to the back of the room, they would have seen a girl, frozen in fear, with eyes so wide she could have seen a ghost. I am that girl, and I could be described as anything from horrified to mortified to terrified... pick one, or pick all. A secret faction that wants to reverse the New World?

I have to get the hell out of here. Before slowly creeping out the door I came in, I noticed a familiar set of gloomy hazel eyes. And he noticed me...

May 26th, Morning

I jumped up out of my sleep. Still shaking, I checked my phone: 8:30 am. Shit, my shift at Coldstone starts in an hour. No time to review last night's strange events. I still can't fully comprehend what the hell happened. After a quick shower and dressing, I run out of the house; it's now nine!!

Like a bolt of lightning, I speed to work and clock in. I can hardly focus on scooping ice cream with so much shit on my mind; Jack's standoffishness, whatever the hell I witnessed in that apartment... It's all too much. Buzzzzzz. I look down:

One new Text Message from Kaylynn; One new Text Message from Lisa.

Kaylynn

Hey, girl. Did you and Jack do it??--I cringed at that.

Nope.

Lisa

Hey, do NOT entertain Kaylynn. You can tell us what happened (or did not happen) last night whenever you feel comfortable... but just between us, did you two... you know?

I slammed my phone down after that. Rolling my eyes, and letting out a stressed groan, I shoved it in my pocket, only to see a customer waiting in front of me. Ugh, did he see my childish outburst?

"Sorry about that, bad day", I shrugged, "What would you like to order today?".

"Two scoops of chocolate chunk on a cone, please", he says. I get to work on his order, perfecting the tower of brown sprinkles on top of the cone.

"That will be $3.89, and how will you be paying today?", I look up and almost drop his cone. I know those eyes; they met mine last night. He slides me four dollars, and mumbles, "Keep the change", calmly walking toward the back of the ice cream shop. D-did he just? What in the-? At two times his speed, I untie my apron and follow him to his seat. The shop has been dead for the last thirty minutes; I have time to spare.

I plop myself down across from him, and accordingly, my braids slap against my head. Ouch.

"Shawn!".