Jackson and BamBam spent the weekend together. BamBam insisted that they practice for Jackson's performance on Monday, and so that's what they did. The duo didn't really have places to go on the weekend, so they stayed at Jackson's tiny house.

BamBam's mom knew Jackson well, so she trusted him with taking care of her son. The only thing she didn't like very much was when BamBam would stay over at Jackson's house on a school night. 

Although Jackson didn't make much money, he could afford a couple meals for both him and BamBam on the weekends. Jackson worked a lot on weekdays, but Bam didn't mind that much, he understood because they were both as close as brothers.

...

BamBam POV

I stretched out on the couch, pushing Jackson off in the process. Jackson glared at me and I laughed, holding out a bowl of stale, day old gummy bears. "Want some?"

"Eww, no thanks." Jackson pushed me away from him, reclaiming his spot on the small, worn out couch. 

Laughing, I sat up quickly, "Hey, you have to practice before tomorrow." I stood up to go grab my phone from the kitchen. I heard Jackson yell behind me, "Haven't we practiced enough already? I'm tired and we have to get you home. You have school tomorrow." 

I groaned, remembering it was Sunday already. "Did you even do your homework?" Jackson asked with an amused tone. I shrugged, "There was no time."

"Hey, you should have just told me, I could have helped you with it." Jackson got up and ruffled my hair. He picked up his keys from the coffee table. "We'd better get you home, it's late already." I frowned, I didn't want to go home. 

"Can't I stay here? I'll just text my mom." I picked up my backpack from the floor, and Jackson shook his head quickly. "You know I have work in the morning, and you have school kiddo. Besides, your mom gets angry when you don't go home on Sundays." Jackson was always reminding me of things I didn't want to remember, he was always the fun out of everything. Jackson pushed me out the front door. I whined all the way outside, my shoes were halfway on my feet and I trudged my way to the car. Jackson just laughed at me.

During the car ride, Jackson helped me with my homework, but he wasn't that much help at all. Since I lived far away from Jackson's house, I had plenty of time to do my homework. 

"Ah, your Mom will be mad at me. It's already midnight." Jackson kept glancing at the clock every minute that passed. I shrugged, I didn't care much. I knew she would be sleeping when I got home anyways. "Are you gonna take me to school tomorrow?" I asked, most of the time Jackson would stop by my house on the way to work to take me to school. 

"Uh...I don't know. Do I want to deal with a brat early in the morning or not?" He joked, and I poked him in the leg with my pencil. "Yeah, I'll be there. Don't worry." He answered, smiling at me.

Ten minutes later, we finally arrived at my house. "Were here!" Jackson announced. I quickly hopped out of the car, waving to Jackson. "See you in the morning!" I called out and he waved back. I ran up to my house quickly unlocking the front door, it was cold and late. I turned around one last time and waved to Jackson before shutting the door and walking upstairs as quietly as possible. As suspected, my mom was already in her room with the lights off. I walked into my room, threw my backpack in the corner and changed into my pajamas quickly. 

At times like this I felt a bit bad for Jackson, I always made him go back and forth between our houses. At this rate Jackson would only arrive at his house after one a.m. Not only that but he had to wake up early to take me to school and get to work on time. I really loved Jackson for taking care of me, but I couldn't help but feel like a burden.

I had put myself in a bad mood already, so I climbed into bed and buried myself in the blankets. My phone buzzed and I looked at the screen, squinting at it in the dark room. 

From: Jackson
To: Bam

Goodnight! I'll pick you up at 7:30 :D

I groaned, and texted back telling him not to text while driving.

Still, I felt like a burden. Although Jackson never mentioned it, or complained I knew how he must feel. This week, Jackson had a performance on Monday night, and still he had to pick me up for school and make it to work on Tuesday morning. To me, Jackson was my hero. He had been there for me more than my own mom had. 

It would make more sense for me to just stay at Jackson's house since I practically lived there already, but my mom didn't like that. She would rather me stay at home even though she was hardly there.

With all the worries on my mind, I finally fell asleep.

...

The morning had come more quickly than I had anticipated. I woke up late, and was rushing, my hair was a mess and I had no time to eat breakfast. I groaned when I heard my phone ring. I looked at my phone, Jackson was calling. I answered the phone while slipping on my shoes. 

"Hello?" I asked, tripping on the huge mound of clothes in my room. I huffed, lacing up my shoes quickly, balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"Hey Bam, I'm outside." Jackson said cheerfully. I tried to rush, I didn't want to make Jackson late for work. I answered back quickly, trying to brush my hair down with my hand.

"Okay, I'll be right down." I ended the call before I got a response, then slipped on my backpack and ran downstairs.

My mom had already left for work.

"Why didn't I set an alarm?" I whined to myself, I was still trying to flatten my hair down when I ran out the front door, locking it behind me. Jackson was playfully waving at me from the drivers seat, I rolled my eyes at him. I hated how he always looked awake in the mornings. Maybe it was because he had a lot of time to wake himself up. I hopped in the car quickly and Jackson turned to me.

"Good morning sunshine." He laughed loudly at my hair and I glared at him. "You look cute today." He commented, but I knew he was just making fun of me.

"Oh shut up. I woke up late." I frowned, but Jackson shrugged. "Here, I brought you a donut." He reached in the back seat of the car and handed me a bag. Just like that Jackson brightened up my day. Like he always did. 

I grinned at him. "Thanks." I smiled, and he started to drive off to my school, Jackson rambled on and on about how he couldn't sleep because he was so nervous for tonight's performance, and I knew that I would probably be too nervous to sleep tonight.

"You have to focus on school though, don't worry about me." Jackson told me, I shook my head,

"That's impossible, and why are you talking about me? You should be focusing on your work, not on your performance tonight." I , Jackson chuckled shaking his head. 

"You know for sure that's impossible." Jackson pulled up in front of my school and I was about to get out before Jackson stopped me. "Wait, here let me help you." 

Jackson spent the next five minutes combing my hair and retying my tie twice. I noticed he kept a hairbrush in his car and I for it. Again I felt bad because Jackson would be late, but he didn't seem to care. Tidying my uniform, he told me to have a good day, then sent me on my way. I climbed out of the car, then waved at him. 

"See you later!" I called out to him. I wouldn't be able to hang out with him after school today after all, but I would see him tomorrow morning. Jackson smiled before driving off, I turned around and approached the school building slowly. I wouldn't be able to focus at all today.

...

"Hey! BamBam!" Junhong came running up to me. I looked up at him with a smile on my face, "What's up?" I asked happily. 

"Yongguk told me your friend was really good at rapping. I didn't get to hear him personally but that's what he told me." I listened to Junhong with sparkling eyes and my chest filled with pride. It made me feel warm knowing that Jackson was getting recognition for his skills. 

"Really? I'm excited for him, his first performance is tonight." I mentioned and Junhong nodded. "Yeah are you going to watch him tonight?" Junhong asked, I knew that Junhong and Yongguk always attended the shows, as Jepp and Zelo of course. Him and Jepp were known for always sticking together no matter what. Jepp and Zelo practically owned the best venue in the city. 

I shook my head at Junhong, "No, I can't because I'm underage." I knew that Jepp only made exceptions for Zelo because they were together on everything. Junhong frowned but nodded, "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Yongguk is pretty strict about those kinds of things." 

I sighed but tried to keep an optimistic view on things. "Yeah, you'll have to tell me how it goes." I smiled at Junhong and he nodded. "Yeah, of course! I'm sure Jackson will do great!" 

And with that we parted ways but I couldn't get that worried and sad feeling out of my system.

...

After school I had to walk home, some days when Jackson got off work early he would come and pick me up from school. Those were rare days though, and so I was on my own this afternoon. I was lucky that I didn't live too far from school, but it was still tiring to walk back and forth. My mom never dropped me off at school, or picked me up from school. So I was stuck walking unless Jackson decided to be an angel and drive me around places. 

This arrangement was only like this because my mom went to work early and left work late. I didn't blame her, but I rarely got to see her. I was on my own the whole time, maybe that is part of the reason why I depend so much on Jackson to keep me company. I asked him one day if he was embarrassed to hang out with a kid who was five years younger than him, but he always denied it. He told me that we were like brothers, and he would never be embarrassed of me. I wondered if he was telling the truth those days.

When I finally got home I did homework to keep my mind occupied for a few hours. I was getting too nervous about this whole performance thing, I was hoping that it wouldn't always be like this. Jackson usually texts me something stupid after he finishes his work for the day, but he didn't do that today. 

"Maybe he's too nervous." I whispered to myself. 

Our dreams were finally coming true, and even though it was only Jackson who was getting this opportunity, I still felt happy.

We had dreamt about this day ever since we were younger. 

I went downstairs to make dinner, which consisted of some kind of weird frozen dinner my mom left in the freezer. While I was heating it up I tried to think of an encouraging message I could send Jackson for tonight. I didn't want to distract him too much. I just decided to send him a picture of myself with a short caption

Don't stress Jackson, you'll do great!
 
I sent it, then went to eat my dinner in peace.