Disclaimer: This is a story about gay people...if you can't read it or don't like gay people, leave. Go...bye. But if you like it, read it and write to me.
Chapter 2: Not The Same
It had been about a week since the shooting and I was stressed and tired from all the interviews and just walking down the street was a hassle. While my parents were away, Laura and Michael had let me stay in their house to keep an eye on me. I found it oddly comforting to be in a house where the parents were always there. Hannah and her parents were at the cafe and Marco and I had decided to stay home. It had been a good day, I needed to go get some things, but Marco ended up going, so I didn't have to get dressed or anything. I sat on the couch eating ice cream in my pajamas with Marco.
" You know, America's Next Top Model is getting good." I said, scooping a spoonful of ice cream. Marco looked at me sideways, then laughed.
" Can we watch something else?" he asked, trying to pry the remote from my hands.
" No!" I screamed, tugging the remote back my way, " One Tree Hill is coming on!" I giggled. Marco pouted and I dangled the remote in front of him. He tried to grab it, but I moved it away, " No, just kidding. Sucks, huh." I smiled.
" Tease." He smirked.
" You have no idea." I said, realizing what I said.
" So...we never really discussed..." he started, but I laughed.
" No, we didn't. I hoped you wouldn't remember." I interrupted. I tried to fake a smile and hide the worry, but I'm a very bad liar.
" I was sorta hoping you were lying." He sighed.
" Why?" I asked, even more scared.
" Because you've been lying to me for how long?" Marco said carefully.
" A while, but I couldn't take a chance in..." but he interrupted me.
" How long has Hannah known?" he asked.
" Since I've known. Only because...she caught me staring at someone." I blushed and turned back to the tv.
" Anyone I know?" he asked.
" No. So why aren't you out with your friends? I mean..." I stopped at the look on his face.
" And who the hell are you? My publicist?! Look, it's not like I avoid you or something, you never talk to me at school and frankly, you talking to Davis brings me no comfort." he said angrily.
" He's your brother, or half brother." I said in an overly confident tone.
" Did you ever..." He asked, trailing off.
" Once." I said not looking at him.
" Once?" He frowned.
" Ok, maybe more, but it doesn't matter anyways." I said quietly, " So are you going to the party?" I asked, watching the tv again.
" I have to now. My little sis and best friend are going. I need to keep an eye on you guys." Marco smiled. We both took notice to the Hannah, who stumbled through the door and sat between us, " OOH! ONE TREE HILL! I thought I was going to miss it." Hannah said, staring fixately at the screen.
" So he just dumped you!" Julie shrieked. She slid her arms around Christina and comforted her best friend. Christina sobbed harder than she had in a while and she felt worse than ever. She never, in a million years, thought that Davis would leave her...she was the head cheerleader and he was the quaterback! This was a match made in heaven, so why was he acting so weird?!
" Dumb-ass! I hate him! He is scum...do you think he'll call me back?" Christina sobbed uncontrollably.
" Yeah, yeah, I'm sure he will." Julie said, but in her mind, she laughed. Call her?! When did guys ever call when they were supposed to and after they were done with you, they were done with you! Why didn't this stupid bimbo know that? It was because they were such good friends that Julie was able to say, with full honesty, that she was a bimbo.
" Why does everything happen to me? I mean, first the roots, then the prom, now this! I'm seriously about to freak out! I mean, I really need this party." Christina panted between sniffs.
Julie nodded, thinking of the party and how she was comforting Christina when her boyfriend had just been murdered. It was so clear in her mind as if it had just happened a few minutes ago. Suddenly Julie's cell phone rang and she jumped to get it. It was Kevin Brode, a senior in Davis' group.
" Hello." Julie asked.
" Hey Julie...hi, I just wanted to see if you were going to the party tonight, I mean it would be a bummer if you didn't go." Kevin said, sounding sincere.
" Maybe. That sounds like a strong possibility." Julie said, annoyed at his forwardness.
" Are you alright after what happened?" He asked.
" How do you think I feel?" Julie spat. It was all she had heard since that day, since she had lost her boyfriend.
" I'm sorry, I'm being irrelevant." He said, meaning insensitive.
" Insensitive. Did you guys get Adaen to come?" Christina asked.
" Yeah, or...I guess." Kevin said, not getting too deep.
" Bye." Julie said, hanging up, " Ach! High school guys...but there is one good, Adaen is going to be there!" Christina smiled, wiping her tears.
" No doubt with Hannah. ACK! But let's go get ready." Julie smirked, getting up and walking to her closet, " Tonight, we are going to start something new. We're going start some trouble." Julie said, tossing a denim mini-skirt on her bed.
Ballard and Davis walked down the street, heading to get stuff for the party. Ballard stopped in front of the liquor store and nodded to Davis.
" What?" Davis asked.
" Let's go in and get some." Ballard smiled.
" One problem genius, we're underage dumbass." Davis chuckled.
Ballard shook his head, " I have a friend. So, what's with Adaen? Is he coming?" Ballard asked in a nonchalant way.
Davis looked at him and laughed, " No doubt he'll be bringing Marco and Hannah. I guess there'll be a whole lot of drama tonight." he said through laughs.
" Yeah, especially with your ex and her devious friends. Maybe she'll want to 'talk'." Ballard joked.
Davis shuttered, " I hope not." He said, following Ballard into the store.
" Am I going to wear the blue shirt, or the green one?" Hannah said, holding up two of the shortest tank tops I'd ever seen.
" Blue. Blue is the best color to go with the jeans. It's hot." I said, wondering how I'd look in her pants.
" Are you thinking about fitting in my pants?" Hannah asked, and I nodded, " So, you were here all day with Marco. What's the deal? Were you trying to get with my brother?" Hannah smirked.
" No. Don't get me wrong, I won't be mad if he asked, but no. We just talked and since I can't exactly move my arm, he helped me out." I said, smiling at her.
" And you've been smiles ever since. I have the worst timing! If I would have stayed out longer, then maybe..." Hannah said, beating her shirt. I grabbed her hand and smiled.
" Nothing would have happened. We just haven't talked in a while and we had things to talk about. Guy things." I said, prompting her throw a pillow at my head.
" You know, if ballard wasn't such a ho, I'd want to date him." Hannah said, with a dreamy look on her face.
" One might think you already do." I said, catching the glint in her eye.
" Nice, but one could think you were in love with that asshole Davis." Hannah smirked.
" Better an asshole than a ho." I said quickly.
We both laughed until Marco stopped at the doorway, " I just caught the last of that...what are we talking about?!" Marco asked quickly. We looked at each other, then at him and both tried to tell our sides of the story before the other could.
" One at a time!" He said, " You first." He said, pointing to Hannah.
" Adaen likes Davis." she said jokingly.
" You're kidding, right?" Marco asked, a bit disappointed.
" She likes Ballard!" I said randomly.
He then looked at her, " You guys are fishing for the wrong type, but hey it's your decisions." He said, walking out angrily.
" Wow, he really doesn't like them." I said, amazed at how far his distrust and dislike of Davis and Davis' friends went. Hannah chuckled, but I just stared at the door, wondering why he'd get so mad about it. I mean it wasn't as if my fantasy was a possibility...either one of them. The one with him, whipped cream, and me was my favorite. It made me wonder exactly what he felt about me.
Hannah and I waited until Marco and his friends Harry, Jason and vincent left before we did. She was so jazzed about this party and I was happy that she was happy because she was awesomely cute, but a bookworm. I was happy to, but it had only been about a week since a guy came to our school and killed some people, then tried to kill me. Mr. Harmon had been fired for his part in the grisly murders, even though it wasn't his fault. The school was closed until next week and the parties were rampant.
" ARe you okay?" Hannah asked
I snapped out of my daze, " What? Yeah, why'd you ask?" I asked as we walked down the street to the party.
" Because you haven't said anything since we left the house? Is it Marco?" she asked.
" No. There is just some 'demons' that I'm dealing with. There is just some heavy things going on." I frowned.
" The shooting?" Hannah grimaced.
I nodded.
Hannah sighed and looked over at me, " What?" she asked.
" people died." I said, " They died and they're not coming back."
" That's obvious." she said.
" IT just feels like we're celebrating it. 'YAY WE DIDN'T DIE!' and in some way we did." I said excitedly.
Hannah stopped, " That's not true. That is not true, we are all trying to deal with it and move on and..." she said.
" It just happened! Move on?! Shouldn't we be in mourning? Shouldn't we be..." I argued.
" SHUT Up!" she shouted, " Shut up! You don't know. You think you're the only one that's dealing with this? Gosh, it's on everybody's minds and we deal with it in different ways." she said, walking on ahead.
I sighed.
" Tough night?" Davis asked behind me, " Lover's spat?"
" No. More like 'My-best-friend-is-a-headcase' spat." I smiled.
" What about?" he asked as we walked to the party. I smirked at him, " Oh, okay, so that's a 'none of your business' type thing, huh." he chuckled.
I chuckled too, " Sorta. Sorry." I said, " So, why're you out here?"
" What?" he asked.
" There's a big party in there, right?" I asked and he nodded, " And you're out here?"
Davis smirked and held up his cup, " I've been in there...same ole same ole." he said, " So, you mean Mr. 'Holier than thou' is at a party?" he asked.
" I don't act like that. And yes. I'm party teen today." I replied, " That and Hannah really wanted to come."
As we got closer, I made out Marco and his friends standing in front of the door and Davis stopped.
" What?" I asked, turning to him.
" What what?" he asked.
I looked from Marco, who was casting Davis a death stare to Davis, " Don't tell me you're scared." I smirked.
" Screw him. I'm just up for a night without the drama." he said, " And walking up to him and saying ' hey brother that dad had and left, how's life' would cause some drama."
I chuckled, " Yeah, it is a little 'One Tree Hill', isn't it?" I smiled, looking back at the party.
" Aren't you going in the actual party?" he asked.
I shook my head, " No. I don't know if I can." I said.
" Kendall's probably doing shots off somebody's stomach." Davis said, taking a sip out of his cup.
" Yeah, that doesn't turn me on." I said looking back at Marco, who seemed fixated on us.
Davis looked to Marco, " It doesn't?" he asked.
I took his cup and drank the rest of the cup, which was more than a third full, " Nah. But now I have a reason to go into the party and so do you." I said, causing him to smile.
" Do you know what that was?" he smirked.
" Don't tell me, just come on." I said, pulling him into the party.
" I mean, he's a total jerk, right?" Hannah said angrily, " He's a total asshole!"
" Yes, yes he is." Ballard Kipton said, rolling his eyes when she looked away, " He's a bad boy, need another drink?"
" No....and yeah." Hannah slurred, " He's just worried and confused. I think it's because he's all...what's in this punch?"
Ballard looked at her, stunned, " He's what?" he asked.
" Who's what?" Hannah asked.
" Adaen, he's what?" Ballard asked eagerly.
" My best friend." Hannah said dreamily, " So, I should go and dance...or find Adaen."
Ballard sighed, " Wait!" he said as she disappeared in the crowd.
Kendall tapped him on the shoulder and chuckled, " Poor little brother. Can't even get it from drunk losers." she smirked.
" Funny, so, where's your necklace?" Ballard asked.
" My necklace?" Kendall asked.
" That nice pearl one." Ballard said, storming away.
" Poor big brother, didn't get any from the poor little drunk girl." Kendall chuckled.
" Hey Kendall!" Larry Bergman, one of Hannah and I's friends, " I was just..."
" Who are you?" Kendall asked.
" Larry...Bergman." Larry said quickly. Larry wasn't ugly, just geeky. Really geeky. If he got contacts and wore clothes his right size and did something with that hair, there'd be hope for him.
" Gunky Gary?" Bradley, one of Davis' friends said, " Trying to hook up out of your league?"
Gary put his head down and left.
" That was mean." Kendall smirked.
" You're welcome." Bradley smirked, walking away.
The party was in full swing and I found myself in the kitchen with Davis. We'd been hiding out in there and it was fun. He was a better person than people gave him credit for.
" So, tell me again why you're hiding in here." I asked, a little tipsy.
" Probably the same thing you are." Davis chuckled, " You're different, aren't you?"
" Whaddya mean?" I asked.
" You're not like most bl...african american guys. Hell, you're not even like most guys." he said.
" I'm unique." I joked, " But no, I'm not. I just can't see myself as a thug. It's not how I am, I don't have anything to prove." I said.
" And they do?" Davis asked.
" No. Not all of them. It's like Paris Hilton, you think it's all hard, but underneath it's just waiting..." I said, taking a sip and sitting on the counter.
" Ok, help me, I'm a jock, so what does that have to do with anything?" Davis asked, standing in front of me.
" Probably nothing...I'm a little tipsy." I giggled, " But if you can find meaning in that, then you're a better man than I am."
Davis laughed, " You're funny." he said.
The door opened and Marco walked through the door. He stopped at the sight of me sitting on the counter and Davis standing in front of me.
" Hey." I slurred, " Marco! I haven't seen you all night."
" Yeah, I've been at the actual party." Marco said, looking from me to Davis, " Hi."
" What up." Davis said.
" Can we talk alone?" Marco asked.
" Sure." Davis said, looking to me, " See ya later."
I nodded as he walked out the door, both guys staring each other down.
I looked at Marco, " Ok, Marco, what's your issue?" I asked.
" Other than you hanging out with the anti-christ?" Marco said sarcastically, " My sister, you know, you're best friend is out there." he said, pointing to the party.
" I kinda figured that." I said, hopping off the counter and nearly falling.
Marco caught me, " Are you okay?" he asked.
I pulled myself away, " I'm good. Now what's wrong with her?" I asked.
" Come on." he said, leading me to the party.
" Oh My god...that is so wrong." Christina said.
" Who would have thought..." Julie said, shocked.
" Holy..." Kendall said.
Marco and I came into the main room and stopped at the sight of Hannah, dancing on a table. I stopped and looked at Marco, who looked at me and I shrugged.
I grabbed Hannah down, " Come on, Hannah, we're going home." I said, pulling her.
She snatched away from me, " STOP! I'm not your...I'm not...your property. If I wanted..." she slurred, " If I wanted to go home, I would."
" Not the time or place, Hannah." I said, looking around.
" STOP IT! STOP talking to me like I'm a little girl! I'm older than you!" she shouted.
" By three months." I said.
" Still. You're always trying to convince me of stuff and make me think I'm wrong! I didn't make you think you were wrong when you told me you were gay." she said, letting it slip before she could pull it back.
Everyone gasped and looked at me. I looked at Marco, who gave me a sympathetic look. I stormed out of the party, leaving them all in shock.
" Guess you can't date him." Julie said in shock.
Christina just chuckled and took a sip.
I ran to Hannah's house to get my stuff. I was a little slow on account of my arm being broken, but I was getting faster every second. I was done and turned to walk away when Hannah appeared. She seemed startled and looked like she had just thrown up.
" Adaen, I'm so sor.." Hannah started.
" I don't wanna hear it Hannah. You told my biggest secret. THE BIGGEST! Why couldn't you have told about the 'Snowball' situation? Or any other of the embarrassing things?" I said, a tear rolling down my eyes.
" I did something bad and I just..." Hannah said.
" I asked you not to go. Then you get mad and disappear, only to dance on a table and spill my biggest secret! GOD! How stupid are you?! Do I EVER spill your secrets? No! Because I'm a good friend. You're best friend...or I was." I said, walking past her.
" I'm sorry." she shouted through tears.
I looked back at her and shook my head, " You just changed my whole life." I said, leaving.
I was at home, curled up in my bed while my cell phone rang. While on the other side of town, Hannah found herself on her bed, throwing up into a trashcan and crying; Marco sat at his computer, his cell phone to his ear; Davis was still at the Kipton house, also on his cell phone; Kendall found herself in bed, beside Larry; And Christina chatted on the internet while Julie sat in the bathroom, with a picture of Darrieus, crying.