He was broken, so tragically, openly broken. Putting on his front didn't matter anymore. In just an instant, the entire world came crashing down around him. It was going to be public by the time he got back to the bus after their show ended. The entire world was going to believe that his ex-boyfriend was madly in love with a bug-eyed girl currently loacted in Baltimore. Surely, he'd call to inform her of this interview, and even his didn't, she was destined to find out.

Jack ran from the venue the moment the show came to a close. He wasn't really sure what happened to the band. They were probably lingering behind to sign autographs and take pictures, while the crew packed everything up to begin their next journey. He threw his lanky body into his bunk, pulling the curtain to a close so he could use his pillow to catch his tears. The worst part of it being, he didn't know if Alex had been honest or not. Was he really fighting to get Jack back, or had he taken the blow to the face as an excuse to call and repair the damage betwen him and Lisa? Either way, Jack hated the thought, hated her and all her kindness. She may have loved Alex, but Jack loved him harder.

"Jack?" Zack's voice sounded through the bus. It was so quiet the his footsteps sounded like stomping. "Come on, Jack. Just talk to me, buddy."

"Leave me alone," Jack sobbed, trying to cling to the curtain so Zack couldn't open it, but he failed. "Go away, Zack."

"Not until you talk to me. I feel like I got you into this mess, what with helping you swoon Gaskarth, but seeing you this hurt, it kills me. You guys are like my family, when something hurts you, it hurts me, too."

"I just want to make it go away," Jack sat up, tears leaking from his eyes. "I just want to stop loving him, to stop giving a shit. If I leave this band for good, Zack, I have nothing. Not a damn thing but some girls to gossip with. I love them, but they can't fix this. And if I see Alex with someone else the way I saw him with Elana," Jack had to stop speaking. The thought alone pained him so much he climbed down from his bunk and fell limply into Zack's strong arms.

"I wish I could fix it, Jack, I really do." Not knowing what else to do, Zack held the broken boy in his arms. He brushed strands of hair away from Jack's sweaty forhead and whispered comforting words in his ear. "Everything eventually gets better, bro. You just have to hang in there. Alex really does love you. I know you need some time, which I totally understand. You need to be angry, that's okay. Just don't let it get over your head."

"What do you mean?" Jack pulled away, staring into Zack's eyes. His teeth were tugging at his bottom lip.

"If you love Alex, don't push him too far. You know how he is, you know he'll get lost and never return to you."

"How am I supposed to continue loving someone who ruined me?"

"That's the thing about love, dude." Zack sighed, pulling Jack back into his arms. His skunk hair was now stuck to his face from all the fluids. "Just because it hurts doesn't mean it goes away. It's like a drug, once you've had it, it never really stops."

Zack simply held his friend, no words left to be said. Every ounce of Jack's body weight was dependent on him for support. Zack was thankful he was strong, physically and emotionally, because he knew it'd be a long road to recovery if Jack and Alex couldn't figure things out on their own.

Jack was bawling his eyes out. The kind of bawling that makes your throat hurt because you can't stop the noises from leaving your mouth. The kind of crying that makes your head throb because your body is shaking so much, because you've squeezed your eyes too tight. The kind of crying that makes you fall asleep because you've become entirely exhausted. It was a painful sob, one that made all of his walls come crashing down.

"I hate him," Jack managed to get out. "I hate him so much for what he's done to me."

"I know, Jack." Zack glanced over his shoulder, having heard the shuffle of feet that Jack hadn't noticed because he was crying so hard. "I'm sorry."

Alex stood there, watching the scene unfold, all color draining from his face. It was true, he'd set out to hurt Jack this morning, but he never meant to cut him open so deeply. He wanted to speak, to run to Jack and kiss his tears away, but he knew it'd only end in another fight. Once again, he'd successfully ruined something he cared about. Zack shook his head to Alex, who had started to step forward. Alex knew this was because Zack wanted to keep him as calm as he could, and honestly, Jack could use a good cry. Just watching his chest rise and fall with the tears made Alex want to cry, too. And he might, when the rest of the world had gone to sleep.

"Make it go away," Jack groaned, his voice dry and hoarse. "Just make everything I ever felt for that asshole disappear. Fix me, Zack."

Jack lifted his face, literally begging to stop the love in his soul for Alex, but there was nothing Zack could do. Nothing, that is, but whisk Jack away from his ex-lover, the one standing across the room with his dark eyes locked on Jack's. The blood-shot orbs with tears dripping from them burned holes into Alex's beautiful face. Zack wrapped his arms around the small boy and pulled him towards the lounge.

The moment the door closed behind the two, Alex let his own tears fall. He knew he and Jack would both be crying themselves to sleep tonight.

Notes

I thought it was about time I gave you all a dose of sadness. Mucho love<3.