Disclaimer: The following story contains activity that would be considered of homosexual nature between consenting college students. While none of it crosses into a gratuitous nature, if such material is offensive to you or you are not of the legal age to read such material in your area, please do not. Other than that, please enjoy the story!
The Living Years
Chapter 21 "Journey Into Unknown Darkness"
Two weeks had passed since everyone had decided on the spur of a moment to forgo going home for the holidays in favor of spending their winter break at school. While that had come as a bit of a shock to their respective families, they all realized that their children were adults and could make their own decisions.
With their families more or less out of the way, all that remained was learning to co exist with each other. Admittedly, things had started out a bit rough but the thing that had united them all had been what kept them going in the days following what could have been their biggest crisis.
It had left everyone feeling like they wanted to do more with their life and with the new year coming up in less than 48 hours, everyone felt like doing something away from the place they'd been calling home the past few months and especially the past couple of weeks.
"How did you get tickets to a concert that's been sold out for almost a month?" Sierra asked Jesse as he brushed his teeth in the sink of the room he'd been sharing with Trey, Noah and Shawn.
"Simple," he replied, after spitting into the sink. "Let cash say the words people otherwise wouldn't want to hear."
Sierra shook her head in approval as Grace and Zoey walked through the front door of the room holding bags of hot McDonald's breakfast food.
"Finally all that snow is gone," Grace said. "I was starting to think we'd be stuck in here all damn break."
"God, just the thought brings sheer pangs of horror to my very soul," Jesse protested. "You people are tolerable but not exactly my first choice of acquaintances."
"Sooner or later you're gonna realize how much you love us, boy," Grace spoke, smiling.
"Yes and will that be the day before or after I die?"
"So what's the concert?" Trey asked, who was lying on top of his bed with Noah's arms draped firmly around him.
"The All American Rejects," Sierra replied. "Only the greatest band ever. Tyson, the lead singer, is my very own MILF."
"What's the `m' stand for?" Noah asked.
"Musician," Sierra replied.
Noah mumbled a low `oh' before Amber, who looked confused, spoke up.
"Well, what's the rest of it stand for?"
"Anyway," Zoey started, deciding to ignore Amber's first stupid comment of the day. "We probably should think about heading out before noon if we wanna get to the hotel in Tampa on time."
"Sunny, sunny Florida," Amber spoke, sighing with wonder as she spoke the words. "I can't wait to get down there. Hey you think afterwards we could make a stop at Disneyworld or something? I've always wanted see all that magic for myself."
"Girl, who we look like to you?" Grace asked incredulously. "Yo ass got some damn Disneyworld money?"
Amber just rolled her eyes at Grace as Jesse turned from the sink to face everyone with what he deemed an important announcement.
"I believe I'm almost quite finished getting ready."
Everyone looked around at each other, not really sure what to say to that.
"Um, okay," Sierra responded. "So?"
"Don't pay him and his pencil dick any attention," Amber replied. "He did that kind of stupid stuff all the time back when we were living together."
"As much opposed to the stupid things you do and say on an hourly basis?" Jesse retorted. "Besides, I don't understand why I must keep reiterating that there isn't a thing about me that's little, including the most important member of my superbly kept body. I run everyday, you know?"
"No you don't," Amber replied.
"I do now," Jesse replied. "You drove me to that."
Trey accidently caught himself looking over at Shawn who seemed to disapprove of Noah having his arms around him and yet again separated from him. He'd been trying to keep from thinking that he was doing something wrong when it came to his relationship with Noah but it hadn't been as easy as he thought it'd be, trying not to think about Shawn. Especially when he was always around.
It was probably the reason he forced himself away from Noah in and stood up trying to look like he was about to be more productive.
Noah placed his back against the wall as he looked over at his boyfriend curiously.
"And you're doing what?" he asked.
Trey forced a playful grin as he responded.
"Getting breakfast."
"I probably should have sprung for breakfast this morning," Jesse started, opening a bottle of Shawn's mouthwash. "Subpar fast food doesn't exactly make for a good beginning to a half dozen hour road trip."
"I was thinking more along the lines of the company," Amber spoke up. "If we just leave you behind."
"I'm sorry, am I not financing this little impromptu vay-cay?" Jesse asked. "If anyone should be left behind it should be you. I know better than anyone what happens when people get into the same car as you."
Amber shot Jesse a look that would kill him if it had that kind of power before Jesse lost interest in Amber entirely and went back to his mouthwash.
Noah smiled at Trey as he bit playfully into his hash brown. Trey couldn't help but to smile back at him as Noah started towards him slowly.
"You gonna give me a bite of that?"
"No. You get to starve," Trey replied as Noah lunged at the hash brown.
"Oh really?" Noah spoke.
"Noah!"
"No, no you wanna starve me. I can't be all skin and bones. I'm your boyfriend. I gotta look sexy."
"Oh god," Jesse mumbled, spitting into the sink
"They're so cute," Sierra spoke as Noah and Trey playfully teased each other seemingly lost to the world.
Shawn, who was busy packing a few things was trying not to pay attention to them but couldn't help seeing Noah do things with Trey that he wished he could do. He was trying to let them be happy and to do that, he'd tried to embrace the two of them as a couple. But now he was starting to resent Noah even more than he did before. He'd never felt like he disliked someone more in his life. And the worst part was knowing there was nothing he could about it.
"Okay, okay okay," Noah spoke, handing Trey the hash brown. "I gotta take a shower anyway. Am I the only one that isn't ready yet?"
"Yes boy," Grace replied. "You play too damn much, that's why. I'm not missing my Rejects for you. The lead is FINE."
"Isn't he though?" Sierra sighed as if she were in a dream world.
"Okay Tweedle and Dumb," Jesse spoke. "If you'd just let the bloke get showered we can finally get around to making some plans to get out of here. I'll take anything I can not to stay holed up with you lot 24/7."
"Oh Jesse, so negative yet so loveable," Grace spoke, putting her arm around Jesse.
"Where do you get loveable from, love?" Jesse asked.
Noah kissed Trey tenderly on the lips before grabbing a pair of jeans, a shirt and a towel and heading into the bathroom.
"Okay so we have tickets, the cars are all gased up. Everyone's here and getting ready. What's missing?" Zoey asked looking around.
Everyone exchanged glances.
"Uh, I guess I get to be the smart one here," Amber spoke up.
"For once, right?" Sierra interjected.
Amber ignored her comment.
"How are we gonna have a road trip without food?"
No one said anything.
"Isn't this brilliant," Jesse decided to speak up. "The one bright-less bulb in the lot is only one with the working switch."
"Yeah, being the first to bring up food while eating food...screams fat whore to me." Sierra spoke.
"You're the fat whore, whore!" Amber shouted.
"Ladies please, be delicate. It's the only way you'll ever...oh what am I saying, what bloke in his right mind would ever want you two?"
"Let's just go get some food," Zoey said to Grace sitting next to her on Trey's bed.
"Wait," Trey said, jumping up. "I'm coming."
Trey, Grace and Zoey each started out of the dorm room, stopping short when Jesse called after them.
"Wait! For the love of God, take one of them with you. I can't take all of this bloody insanity."
"Let's go before-"
"Fine then!" Amber shouted, cutting Zoey's statement short. "I'm going with them!"
"Yeah you do that. And make sure you do something about those highlights while you're out. You act like a blonde but those brown roots don't lie."
Amber stormed out of the room in a huff, following after Trey, Grace and Zoey.
"Ugh...I'm driving," Amber spoke. "I need to vent."
"Ooh, naw girl. You ain't killing us behind that girl."
"My car, my rules. I'm a good driver. I'll play wheelman while you guys shop."
Grace and Zoey exchanged glances while Trey secretly thanked God he wasn't a woman. ****************************************************************************
Shawn wasn't really sure why he'd agreed to stay at the school with everyone for his entire 31 day long winter break but he was starting to regret his decision.
Knowing Trey had picked Noah over him was bad enough but to have to see them together every five minutes was beyond sickening. He didn't know how to feel about Trey being gone while Noah was stuck here with him in the shower. At least they were separated, was the last he could think.
"So what's your story?" Sierra suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had dominated the room in the ten minutes since Trey and the girls had left.
"Excuse me?" Shawn asked, folding the exact same shirt he'd folded and unfolded for ten minutes without realizing it.
"Well something's gotta be wrong with you if you keep folding that shirt like that," Sierra pointed out.
Shawn looked down briefly at the shirt before setting it down.
"You're the one in love with Trey right?"
"What?"
"I know these things. Plus I'm a girl, girls talk."
"I'm not...I'm not in-"
"Yes you are. I can see it all over your face."
Shawn didn't try to deny anything after that. Realizing she was right, Sierra smiled and shifted around on top of Trey's bed.
"You really hate Noah don't you?"
Shawn didn't respond but from the shift of tone on his face, Sierra could tell she was right again.
"I gotta say, I'm not a big fan of his either. BUT, I AM a fan of true love and I can tell exactly who's supposed to be with whom. It's another one of those things us girls know."
Shawn stared at Sierra for a few seconds before responding.
"Right, I'm supposed to buy that you have me all figured out? I barely know you and you DON'T know me."
"But I'm right, right?"
Shawn didn't respond.
"I am. And I'm gonna help you."
"What? Why?"
"Let's just say I'd rather hate a happy person than a person that feels like shit."
Shawn pretended he understood Sierra's little saying before going back to folding more clothes just as Jesse came walking into the room.
"This place is quieter than my home in London during the holidays," Jesse replied. "Not a very comforting feeling, let me tell you."
"I could always murder you and let you go straight to hell," Sierra commented. "They could use another one of you down there."
"What? A fantastically ingenious millionaire with better than movie star looks?"
Sierra and Shawn exchanged glances.
"Um, okay...I'll let you have that one," Sierra spoke, choosing not to take their banter any father.
Jesse decided against trying to decipher the true meaning of Sierra's statement and looked around, a little unsure of what to do with himself.
"Ten minutes later and the Lennon sisters are still out and Freddie Prinze Jr. Jr. is still in the shower. Why do I bother to try?"
"You're like `this' far away from being declared legally insane, aren't you?"
"Right behind you, unloved one," Jesse replied.
Realizing none of them really had anything in common, everyone let a silence fall over them as they sat around pretty much doing nothing. *****************************************************************************************
"You're probably the pickiest eater on Earth," Zoey spoke as she watched Grace try to decide between two brands of potato chips.
"Is it still being picky when she puts everything in the store in the basket?" Trey giggled.
"Ya'll gon be thanking my ass when we hit Mississippi and ain't no Burger King's around," Grace replied.
"What makes you think there won't be any Burger King's in Mississippi?" Zoey asked, as the three of them started walking down the aisle.
"Girl that entire state is the country," Grace replied. "Ain't nothing in Mississippi. Ooh! Cheese Puffs!"
Zoey waited until Grace was out of earshot before looking over at Trey.
"She'd probably feel right at home."
Trey chuckled to himself before grabbing a can of Pringles and carrying them with him as he and Zoey started slowly trying to catch up to Grace.
"So how does it feel?" Zoey asked as innocently as she could muster.
"What?" Trey asked.
"Having two guys helplessly and completely in love with you."
Trey frowned.
"I told you-"
"Yeah, I know what you told me. But this isn't some weird paranoid reality where everyone but you can see the two hot guys in the corner are craving your good stuff. Even you know what you do to them."
"Um...my good stuff?"
"You know what I mean. Do you really think it's a good idea for you to have Noah sleeping in the same bed as you a few feet away from Shawn?"
"Shawn isn't twelve years old, Zoey," Trey started while thinking that he did act like he was, especially lately. "He'll get over it."
"Yeah but is it really fair to him? You know you'd be upset if he weren't into you anymore and all of a sudden had some hot Nelly lookalike, not unlike yourself, sleeping in with him all time. And don't say you wouldn't because we both know you would."
Trey thought about it as the two of them turned into another aisle.
"Why am I supposed to make things easier for Shawn when he acts like such an asshole when he doesn't get his way? I'm not his dad."
"I like Shawn," Zoey replied. "He's a bit moody but I like him. I'd be saying the same things to him if the situation were different."
Trey knew Zoey was right. Part of him had been allowing himself to indulge in everything that came with being Noah's boyfriend in front of Shawn on purpose. He knew it was wrong but it was almost like he enjoyed rubbing it in his face given the way he acted otherwise.
"How much ya'll think all this stuff is gonna cost?" Grace asked, looking over the basket full of junk a bit scatter brained.
Zoey and Trey exchanged glances as the three of them started towards the front check out counter.
"Maybe you guys just need time away from each other," Zoey started again. "It probably isn't the best thing were all holed up in the dorms seeing each other every day. Even the closest people need breaks from each other."
"Yeah but it's not you guys I need the break from," Trey replied, actually starting to feel bad for some of his own behavior towards Shawn.
Zoey and Trey each helped Grace put all of their junk food onto the slider in line as Trey thought about his behavior and Grace was busy adding up everything in her head.
"Ya'll, I might need to go over budget a little bit," she said, trying to sound innocent to soften her words.
"How much is a little bit? Zoey asked, placing a king sized bag of pork rinds onto the slider.
"I don't know like, eighty bucks."
"Grace!"
"Mississippi, girl. Mississippi!"
While the three of them were inside debating the cost of the large amount of food Grace had picked out, Amber was sitting in the car still fuming over her current situation.
She didn't like Zoey. She didn't like Sierra. She didn't like Jesse. And everyone else she didn't even really know. Yet for some reason, still unknown to her, she'd forgone her entire winter break, or at least two weeks worth, to stay with all the people she didn't know or like.
She knew she was smart when it got right down to it but sometimes she even scared herself with how little she thought about things before she did them.
She was just contemplating returning home for what little of her break was left before she felt her cell phone vibrating in her pocket. Pulling it out revealed her loud ringtone which she actually started to bob her head to for a moment before looking at who was calling.
She muttered a curse word under her breath as she answered.
"I knew I shouldn't have given any of you my number," she answered regretting agreeing to let everyone put their number in her phone in case something happened to any of them. It had also just suddenly dawned on her that no one cared enough to ask her to do the same to their phones.
"I wanted to remind you to get low fat stuff. Some of us don't want thunder thighs and a fat ass all winter," Sierra spoke from the other end.
"You're such a bitch Sierra Mist!" Amber hollered.
"Oh, yeah, that's cute. Really original too. I've never, EVER, heard that before. God, you're smart. Smarter than I thought you were."
"No, no you don't get to mock me."
"Oh but Amber, it's so really, really easy to do. You want me to do it some more?"
"I don't have to listen to you. I'm gonna hang up."
"Fine. I'll just practice on you some more during the ride down there. I can use what I use on you on Jesse. It'll be like a twofer deal."
"How about a no-fer deal you skanky skeeze!" Amber shouted before promptly hanging up on Sierra and shrieking loudly afterwards.
There was no way she wanted to endure being trapped anywhere with Sierra. It was bad enough she had to endure Jesse, but the thought of both of them was beyond anything she could take. At least when they pissed her off back at school she could actually just get away from them. If she had to be in the same car with either one of, or worse yet, BOTH of them, she'd lose her mind.
She couldn't let that happen.
She needed to vent as it was.
As she sat, hands on the steering wheel, back arched straight up, fuming about her phone call she could hear Zoey, Grace and Trey approaching the car.
She didn't even bother to help load anything into the car. She didn't bother to acknowledge them when they returned. She didn't bother to even look their way.
She was still fuming once all three of them were properly situated in the car and ready to head back to the school.
"Um, Amber girl...everything okay?" Grace asked from the passenger seat next to her.
Amber just barely looked over at her.
"Don't tell you me you forgot that fast how to get back to the dorm hall within walking distance we call home?" Zoey sarcastically asked.
"Zoey..." Trey semi scolded.
Amber fumed for a few seconds before making up her mind and starting up the car.
"No, no I didn't forget," she replied. "I think I remember the way just fine."
"Good," Grace replied, reaching for her seatbelt. "Buckle up back there. Ya'll know she kinda crazy behind the wheel right? *****************************************************************************************
"Who was that?" Shawn asked as Sierra put away her phone.
"Huh? Oh just the reinforcement I promised you," was all she said before a minute later Noah came out of the restroom finally, fully dressed rubbing a towel through his wet hair.
"If you wanted another go in there I'm sure there's still hot water left in China," Jesse mumbled as he looked away from the window and over at Noah.
Noah looked over at him.
"So I take long showers. I was dirty. Sue me."
"I can only imagine why," Sierra spoke dreamily with a goofy grin on her face.
Noah glanced briefly at Shawn before looking around.
"They still aren't back?" he asked.
"They're your friends. I'm sure if you found a dog whistle lying around and gave it a try..."
"Yeah, okay," Noah mumbled, sitting on top of Trey's bed next to Sierra as he reached under it to pull out his sneakers.
"Seriously," Jesse started, moving away from the window. "It was you all that wanted to be out of here at a certain time. I personally could care less about the America's Rejected."
"All American Rejects," Sierra corrected Jesse.
"Really, not the name you want to be correcting me on, believe me," Jesse replied.
Noah stood up and walked over to the desk in the middle of the room to pick up his cell phone.
"What are you doing?" Sierra asked, semi panicked.
"I'm gonna call Trey. See what's going on."
"Why? You know what's going on. They're getting snacks. That could take awhile."
"Albertson's is like two minutes from here. They could have walked there and still been back before I got out."
"Care to bet on that? I for one would absolutely LOVE to waste another half hour waiting for you to shower up," Jesse mumbled, sounding bored.
Noah ignored both of them as he looked for Trey's number.
Shawn, noticing how panicked Sierra looked stood up and walked over to her, pulling her aside.
"What did you do?" he asked.
Sierra didn't respond but looked worried.
Noah waited a few seconds for Trey to pick up before realizing that the ringtone he was hearing all of sudden sounded familiar and that it was because Trey had neglected to take his cell phone with him and it was sitting no less than three feet away from where Noah was standing.
"Dammit," Noah mumbled.
"Don't you think you're worrying a little too much?" Sierra asked. "I don't know about you but I can't stand a guy who smothers me. I cut em loose."
"What, all five of them, including the imaginary one's that come out to play during a thunderstorm?" Jesse asked sarcastically.
"The point is, the store is two minutes away. Exactly what could possibly happen to him when he's that close? Just let them be. They'll be back soon.
Noah sighed.
He didn't want to worry. He just had this feeling ever since he started dating Trey that he was the `man' of the relationship and that he had to protect Trey from everything. He loved Trey too much to let anything happen to him.
"Anyone have a U.S. map? I'm terrible with states here," Jesse spoke, breaking the silence in the room. *****************************************************************************************
"Girl, you lost huh?" Grace asked.
"Ever heard of taking the long way back?" Amber asked, sounded just a tad as though she'd lost her mind.
"That depends," Zoey started. "Does the long way include travelling the back roads of Nowheresville, U.S.A?"
"Would you people relax?" Amber asked. "You said you wanted a road trip, so I'm giving you one."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zoey asked.
"It means it's my car, my rules so just sit back and shut the hell up, bitch!"
"Okay...maybe we should just calm down and think about-"
"Boy don't start," Grace cut Trey off. "Girl, have you lost yo damn mind? Where the hell are you taking us?"
"To New York, duh," Amber replied.
"What?" Zoey asked, shocked.
"My car, my rules remember?"
No one really knew how to immediately respond to that revelation. They were all definitely thinking different things at that moment, though.
"Girl, if you don't pull this damn car over and let us out-"
"My car, my-"
"Say that again, I dare yo ass!" Grace exclaimed.
"Grace, don't!" Zoey exclaimed, realizing her friend was ready to snatch the hair off of Amber's head any second now.
"I need to visit a friend before I have a meltdown and you three are just along for the ride. There's plenty of food and gas. I think maybe you should just get comfortable. New York's a lot further away than Florida."
Grace seemed to be so shocked she couldn't speak. Zoey seemed mildly shocked but surprisingly okay with the idea of travelling to New York for some reason while Trey was mostly just worried about Noah. He'd left his cell phone back in the room because he had figured he wouldn't be gone long. In fact, both Zoey and Grace had also left their cell phones back in the room as well, which meant there was no way for him to tell Noah what was going on. And that was what worried him the most. *****************************************************************************************
"Alright, that's twenty minutes. I'm tired of waiting," Noah said, getting up and starting towards the door. "I'm gonna go down to Alberts-"
"Wait, wait, wait don't you think if something-"
"Sierra, they've been gone almost an hour. And since they didn't bring their phones, if something is wrong we wouldn't know."
Sierra, who looked worried, turned slightly, looking at nothing in particular as Noah got ready to head outside into the cold behind her.
"Sierra..." Shawn started, wondering exactly what she was planning to do.
"I'll call if anything goes wrong. I don't know why they couldn't just take their phones with them-"
"Okay, okay they called...well Amber called-"
"Wait, what?" Noah asked, turning around.
"Yeah, what?" Shawn asked, standing up.
Sierra suddenly felt like the plan she had seen going so well in her head was unraveling right in front of her. The thing she didn't know she had in common with Jesse had to do with their shared ability to think quickly in tight situations. She'd get out of this.
"She said not to worry, that everything was fine and that they'd decided to hit the road early so they wouldn't miss anything. She asked if we could bring all their stuff with us."
"I'd be careful with that one if I were you," Jesse spoke up. "She isn't right in the head."
"Why did she tell you all that? Why not one of us?" Noah asked.
"Why not me? As Jesse put it, you were the guy hogging all the water in the shower and Shawn's just a little too down on love to be anyone's first choice in calling."
"Hey!" Shawn objected.
"The point is, they're obviously all on their way so I suggest we hit the road too before we end up too far behind them," Sierra spoke as cooly and confidently as she could.
She looked over at Shawn briefly before looking over at Noah who seemed to be thinking about it before he finally responded.
"Whatever," he mumbled, obviously upset. "Let's just get there already."
Sierra breathed a sigh of relief as Noah started to gather a few things before heading over to the other side of the room.
"Whatever you think you're up to I really hope you have a good contingency plan because if this all goes wrong-"
"You'll what? Run into a corner and cry about it? Please, Shawn. I'm doing you a favor."
Shawn breathed upset and worried as Sierra headed off, Jesse taking her place as they both looked after her.
"You be careful with that one," Jesse said. "She's a bit off her tits if she thinks she's calling herself planning something."
Shawn wasn't quite sure what that meant but understood enough of the gist to agree. *************************************************************************************
"Ah, no touching, my car my rules. Just remember that and we'll get along just fine," Amber spoke as if she were an angel sent from heaven.
"Oh I'm sorry, is my half near freezing to death up here because for some reason you have the A/C on bothering you?" Grace asked, exercising every piece of strength she had in herself not to knock Amber out.
"I'm wearing layers. And it's not that cold. I barely feel the air," Amber replied.
"I didn't think when you kidnapped us things would be smooth sailing but I at least half expected to make it to New York still ALIVE!" Grace exclaimed.
"God, would you just shut up! Besides I didn't kidnap any of you. You can easily get out anytime you like."
"Right, get out of a moving car?" Grace asked, crossing her arms. "I guess I get to see close up what a brain on crack will do to you."
"You know what, I really think-"
Trey tuned Grace and Amber out as he looked over at Zoey who seemed to be at peace with the entire situation as she just looked out the window.
"You look comfortable," he said, with a slight smile.
Zoey looked over at him.
"To tell you the truth I didn't really want to see the concert," Zoey replied. "My tastes are just a bit better than that."
Trey chuckled.
"Still, this is crazy right? I mean, Noah must be going out of his mind worrying about me."
"Yeah, well let him. Time apart is exactly the kind of thing you two need right now. Gives you both a chance to appreciate each other more and finally see what it's like to go more than ten minutes without the other."
"I've been more than ten-"
"You know what I mean. We're fine, Noah's fine. Everything's fine. I've never been to New York. This should be fun."
Trey raised an eyebrow at how excited Zoey sounded. The thought of actually visiting New York had been the furthest thing from his mind as he'd been too busy worrying about Noah worrying about him and their of course their current kidnapped state of affairs.
"I still wanna call him though," Trey replied, sincerely but at the same time realizing that Zoey was right.
"I just wanna call ANYONE before nobody hears from our asses again!" Grace spoke aloud. *************************************************************************************
"Can I just say that it's been too long since I've gone on a road trip?" Sierra spoke, as she crossed her legs in her seat. "I've only been on one before. It didn't go so well."
"Ah, imagine that," Jesse commented, crossing his arms.
"You know, I'm actually really good company when I'm not trapped in a classroom, dorm room or car with Satan's child!" Sierra exclaimed.
"Satan's child? Really? Please don't tell me you consider yourself sane," Jesse replied. "A right laugh, that is!"
"Alright, all that needs to stop!" Noah shouted from the front drivers seat. He looked into the rearview mirror. "I'm pissed off and don't even really like anyone in this car all that much so just shut up."
Everyone complied, too shocked to retort.
After what seemed like too long to Sierra, Shawn finally spoke up, ending the silence.
"It's my car," Shawn mumbled so that it was really only audible to Noah.
Noah, keeping his eyes on the road for a few seconds, turned to look at Shawn slightly.
"What?"
"You can't kick me out. It's my car."
Noah knew that when he said what he said and that still didn't change things. If it came down to it, he really would force everyone to vacate the car any way that he could. He didn't have a good feeling about what had happened with his boyfriend and was determined to figure out what was going on no matter what it was going to take to get there.
"I'm worried about him too, you know," Shawn spoke again, still sounding more like he was thinking aloud than anything.
Noah just looked over, not responding.
"He may be your boyfriend, but I..." Shawn paused. "I'm worried about him too."
As much as Noah disliked Shawn, he wasn't going to deny that he didn't care about Trey and his well being. That much he knew was true or else he'd have no other reason to dislike him. But at the core of things, there was no way that he was going to get caught up in sympathizing with Shawn just because he knew he was right.
"I'm hungry. You guys wanna stop to get something to eat?" Sierra asked.
"No," Noah replied, shortly.
"Close that fat gob of yours and let the bloke drive. Can't you tell he's concerned for his male lover?"
"You have got to be one of the absolute worst people I've ever met in my entire life, you know that right?" Sierra asked.
Jesse just crossed his arms.
"I don't believe you were saying that when I wrote you that big check for Christmas."
"A girl likes the money, not the man."
"Right, gold digging whores giving some poor bloke the come on like the cheapest rag on the shelf? I completely agree with your analysis. I'm glad were on good terms."
"We are not on good terms Jesse Yorkshire. I'll push you out of this...oh..."
"What, finally realized that you've always been the inferior one in this relationship?"
Jesse had asked without looking over at Sierra but when she didn't respond, he looked over to see why and realized that she looked a bit aloof, clutching her stomach as if she'd just been brutally knocked in it.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah...I just...I really think I need to eat something," Sierra replied.
Realizing that he wasn't being egged on, Jesse decided to sympathize with Sierra for the time being.
"You heard the lass, she needs sustenance and you my good man are the only one that can provide that for her," he spoke up. "So, stop the car. Please."
"Look, I told you people-"
"Just stop the car Noah," Shawn sighed.
Not wanting to get into any huge arguments, Noah decided to comply, against every bit of will he had left to constrain himself. He was worried because if something were to happen to push him further, he wouldn't be able to control himself. And that thought scared him more than anything. *****************************************************************************************
"Amber!"
"Jenn!"
"Oh my god!"
"Yay!"
This was the exchange that occurred between Amber and New York friend Jennifer, who happened to be attending Columbia University and was home for the winter break.
"God, you sounded so stressed when you called earlier. What the hell's up, bitch?"
"Come on, we need to chat," Amber replied, pulling Jenn inside her own apartment leaving Zoey, Grace and Trey standing at the doorway.
"Oh no this bitch didn't," Grace spoke as Amber nearly shut the door in Grace's face. "No introductions or no kind of shit. She act like she ain't got no common sense."
"That's because she lacks a working brain," Zoey replied. "I think Oscar the Trashcan Muppet would probably get a higher score on an I.Q. test."
"Isn't he a doll?" Trey asked as the three of them showed themselves into Jenn's apartment, Trey shutting the door behind himself.
"That's my point," Zoey replied.
Trey nodded in understanding before looking around the apartment.
"Damn. Is this shit for real?" Grace asked, saying exactly what Trey and Zoey were thinking.
Jenn's apartment just from what they all could tell looked to be the size of at least the entire top floor of the Ark Hall dorms at their school. The entire floor was covered in a light white and brown marble with gold specs in it. The walls were splashed with different patterns that made up an entire picturesque landscape using what looked like tiles and glass. The ceiling was covered in mirrors. There was a piano in the living room and a butler in the foyer. Basically, the apartment looked to be every poor persons fantasy.
"I feel like I'ma break something if I walk too hard," Grace spoke as she Trey and Zoey walked along in awe.
"Is that the president?" Zoey asked pointing to a portrait of the current president. "How does a friend of Amber's know the president?"
"Un uh," Grace frowned. "See, I've heard about this shit. They take these pretty people and stick em in pretty apartments but they really be some psycho ass lunatics that kill people for money."
"Grace, where did you hear that?" Zoey asked, stopping.
Grace shrugged.
"I made that up," Grace replied. "I'm jealous."
"Yeah well, just remember that this is one of Amber's friends we're talking about here so it can't all be good."
Trey wasn't sure what to say. He missed Noah but he was trying to just forget about him for the day so he could learn to get used to having to spend time apart from him. He knew it would be the healthiest thing for the relationship, even if it didn't feel like it was at the moment. It probably didn't help matter that in order for this all to be happening he had to agree to more or less let himself be kidnapped by a girl he barely knew.
Not really sure what to do with themselves, the three of them just decided to congregate in what seemed to be some sort of training room.
"Un huh," Grace started up again. "See? Assassin."
"Is it okay if I feel weird about this?" Trey asked.
"It'd be weird if you didn't feel weird about this," Grace replied, with a cautious frown on her face.
"No, Trey is getting advice from someone who's experienced the ups and downs of being in a relationship," Zoey started. "He needs to learn how to be happy being on his own while in one."
"Are you saying that because you never see your own man?" Grace asked.
"I see him a lot," Zoey defended herself.
"We don't," Grace replied, suspiciously.
Before Zoey and Grace could get into some kind of argument, Trey decided to put the breaks on the entire sub conversation.
"Exactly when do I know?" he asked, aloud, not to anyone in particular.
Zoey and Grace stared at him.
"Know what?" Zoey asked.
"When I'm in love with him? I mean, I know he loves me, I think."
"Has he told you that he loves you?" Zoey asked.
"No, but I can tell. And he's probably gonna say it. Soon. And I don't know if I should say it back."
"But, you do love him right?" Grace asked, both girls completely engrossed with discussing a gay man's love life.
"I...I don't know," Trey replied. "I just feel like I'm supposed to love him because I can feel that he loves me but...I don't know, it's hard to know when you've never been through this kinda thing before."
"Don't worry, that's what I'm here for," Zoey replied, with a warm smile. "I can take you through it. And once you know, you know."
"Yeah," Grace replied. "My love life is fucked up right now, but a girl just naturally knows these things."
Trey still felt a bunch of different things just pouring through his head but it made him feel really good to know that he had his two best friends at his side to help him through the most confusing part of his otherwise boring life up until college.
After a few moments of chit chat between the three, a silence fell over them, prompting Grace to speak up.
"Where the hell is that girl?" Grace asked, looking around. "I don't wanna be here all damn night, as long as it took to get here."
"Not even to bask in the rich richness of this apartment?" Zoey asked, sighing as she lay back comfortably on the couch behind her.
"Hey, that bitch don't get to kidnap people AND waste my time too," Grace replied.
"No, actually this bitch is gonna be the one that gets us to Times Square for New Years," Jenn spoke surprising everyone with Amber at her side.
Amber looked over everyone with a coy grin on her face.
"What?" Zoey asked.
"It was my plan all along actually," Amber replied. "We needed to get away and there are so many more people at Times Square than The All American Rejects."
"Come again?" Grace spoke up.
"Ugh, does she really need to spell it out to you?" Jenn asked. "We're all going to Time's Square to watch the ball drop at midnight."
Zoey, Trey and Grace all exchanged glances before Grace spoke up.
"Yo ass is crazy," she said. "I like it. Let's go."
"I call shotgun," Jenn spoke, putting her coat on.
Everyone started towards the door, Trey falling in line with Zoey.
"What about Noah and everyone else?" he asked so that only Zoey could hear.
Zoey looked worried but tried not to show it.
"Don't worry, everything's gonna work out," she replied, attempting a smile.
Trey far from believed that everything was going to work out.
"He's up to something isn't he?" Jesse asked, looking over at Noah who was pacing about nervously.
Shawn looked over at him briefly before sighing with disinterest and looking back at the ground as he stretched.
"What makes you say that?" he asked.
"I don't have to be from here to know that it doesn't exactly take this long to get to Florida," Jesse replied. "I wouldn't be surprised to find myself on the S.S. Trey charter boat soon after here."
Shawn looked over at Noah again.
He knew that Jesse was right. No one really talked about the trip. They all just kind of got into the car and let Noah do all the driving. Shawn himself had no earthly idea where they were exactly other than in a gas station waiting for Noah to finish filling up their tank and Sierra to come from out of the restroom.
"I'm going to go ask someone where on God's earth we are," Jesse spoke, before letting himself out of the left side of the car.
"Good, tell Sierra it's almost time to go," Noah said as he watched the gallons of gas go up on the meter.
"Will do, mate," Jesse replied before heading inside the gas station.
Shawn was left alone with his thoughts by now and all he knew was that for some reason, he trusted Noah now more than he ever had, which was saying a lot. He may not have known exactly where they were or exactly where they were headed but he knew that wherever they ended up, Trey was going to be there. That much he was sure of.
Jesse looked back towards the restroom area of the inside of the station and realized that Sierra must still have been occupying a restroom and decided to ask the clerk at the front counter about where he was before he did anything else.
"You look bored enough," he started. "Tell me something, where am I exactly."
"Don't you read?"
Jesse turned around to face where the clerk was pointing to a t-shirt behind him which distinctly read `Welcome to Pennsylvania."
"Are you serious? Pennsylvania? What the sodding hell is going on?"
"I don't know," the clerk replied, smacking his gum loudly. "But are you gonna buy anything?"
"Oh I don't think so," Jesse replied. "I'm on a strictly no grunge diet. Excuse me."
Agitated and pissed off, Jesse made his way back towards the ladies restroom.
Normally Jesse respected women and their boundaries. But considering the fact that he didn't view Sierra worthy of such a distinguishable title and his current state of mind, he decided to head straight into the restroom, not caring who else was around to see him do it.
"I know women have to sit down to execrate and everything but any longer and the blood and puke stains on the toilet seat will assuredly fuse to your-"
"Oh my god Jesse! What are you doing here?"
Jesse was a little too stunned to immediately comment because his eyes were too transfixed on the little device in Sierra's left hand.
"Is that a-"
"Women. Restroom. Man. Penis. WHAT are you doing in here Jesse?"
"Are you pregnant love?" Jesse asked, skipping all the other comments.
Sierra stared at Jesse for a few moments before letting out a worried sigh and walking over towards one of the mirrors on the side of the restroom.
"I don't know. That's what the test is for."
"Well I don't know who'd ever think having sex with you is a sane thing to do but a baby? Seriously? There is such a thing as a contraceptive shit saver."
"You don't think I know that, Jesse?" Sierra replied. "I thought I was just a little sick. Or something. But if...oh god I have NO CLUE what I'm gonna do if this thing turns that evil evil color."
"Well the nicest thing you could do for us all would be to protect us from your spawn," Jesse replied. "Of course, I'm not such a cruel bastard that I'd condone abortion. As long as you don't start letting the little thing call me uncle."
"With your influence my kid would probably have everyone hating him before he started preschool."
Both Sierra and Jesse had a laugh at that comment, feeling just a little more at ease.
"How much longer?" Jesse asked.
Sierra was about to respond just as a trio of ladies was entering the restroom.
Jesse turned around.
"Unless you want to see the two of us shagging like little animals I suggest you three move along," he replied, rather harshly much to the horror of the three women who quickly did an about face and exited as Jesse grabbed the trashcan next to the door to block it.
"Here's to hoping you get to spend the next three and half years of your life being a student and not a mother," Jesse spoke, sincerely.
Sierra closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them, a wide smile beginning to form on her face.
"Thank god," she replied. "Because I'd make such a shitty mom."
"We know that and your future kids will know that," Jesse replied. "The key word there being future."
"Believe me, I'm glad I don't have to worry about any of it now too."
Both Jesse and Sierra stood there, a feeling coming over that them told them there were temporarily at ease with each other before Jesse decided they should move along.
"So," he started as they exited the restroom. "We're not in Florida."
"Really," Sierra spoke as they started back to the car. *****************************************************************************************
Trey was trying to stay positive and remain confident with himself but the more he thought about Noah, the more he missed him.
He knew that he'd be able to go a day without Noah eventually. But they had just gotten together. Noah was his first real relationship. His first relationship with another guy. He loved every minute he spent with Noah and so far, they'd nearly spent every minute together too.
But now that he was being forced to just act as though he didn't miss him even though it was obvious that he did, he didn't feel much like anything at all.
The worst about what he was feeling was knowing that it'd be New Year's in less than three hours and that not only would he not get to spend time with Noah for New Years but he wouldn't get to kiss him at midnight either, which he'd seen plenty enough people worry about in countless films.
He was ready to admit defeat and give in. He just missed Noah too much to try being without him right now. It was too soon for him.
"First thing you should know about Time's Square tonight is that practically every police officer in the city is out tonight," Jenn started from up front. "So don't try anything stupid."
"You hear that girl?" Grace asked, referring to Amber. "Maybe we should just leave her ass in the car."
"No, I'd be the pretty one you'd need to flirt with the cop to get you out of trouble," Amber spoke proudly.
"You mean the whore who gives the ugliest cop a blowjob? Got ya," Zoey clarified.
"Second thing you need to know about," Jenn started, speaking over Amber who'd started a rebuttal in her defense. "Just because there'll be celebrities there, doesn't mean you need to go meet all of them. We're nobodies to them and the last thing I want is to get stuck on stage with a goddamn camera in my face when I'm not supposed to be here right now."
Grace looked over at Zoey with a look that flashed back to her theory of Jenn being a psycho killer.
"I told my boyfriend I was staying with the fam in Cali so I could make out with cute guys at midnight," Jenn replied. "He doesn't need to see that."
"No, of course not," Zoey mumbled.
"And when we get there, try to stay together," Jenn continued. "Time's Square is a pretty big place. Children get lost and none of us are children so please try to keep up."
"Girl you about a hop and a skip away from getting my foot shoved up your-"
"Oh look, we're here!" Amber cheered, skidding into a parking spot before someone else, who'd been there first, could get to it. "Sorry assholes! You snooze you lose!"
"What in the hell...I'ma kill this bitch," Grace spoke through gritted teeth. "I'ma really kill this bitch."
"Okay, just calm down," Zoey said, somewhat holding Grace back from jumping Amber.
As Trey looked down at his watch and saw that it was nearly two hours to midnight, all he could think about was how worse and worse he was starting to feel. He was far past trying to remain positive and now just completely wanted to turn around and go back to the dorms. At least there he knew Noah would end up, if not at least immediately, and this whole nightmare of being kidnapped and enduring a 22 hour drive to New York would end.
"You okay?" Zoey asked, as she and Trey each shifted out the backseat of Amber's car.
"No," Trey replied. "This day was a nightmare and now I'm about to go downtown and act like I'm happy to be capping off the year with the memory of tonight."
"Look, Trey-"
"No, let's just go. I'll try not to bring you all down with me."
Zoey looked on as they all started towards the center of downtown. *****************************************************************************************
"Don't get any ideas, I said," Jesse mumbled. "What ideas, he said. And it's all one big bloody ball of shit!"
"Jesus Christ, Jesse, would you calm down please?" Sierra spoke. "We're going to New York. Haven't you ever wanted to travel to New York?"
"I've never considered any of the destinations here in this country full of gringos worth my time," Jesse replied with distaste. "Not when there's so much more in the world."
"You mean so many more places people will actually worship you because they think you're some kind of celebrity?" Sierra asked.
"Come to London sometime, love," Jesse retorted, turning to face Sierra. "I guarantee you my reputation is on the up and up."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone'll be able to verify for me how much of a jackass you are," Sierra replied.
Jesse frowned at Sierra before deciding to ignore her and turn his attention to Noah.
"So, Captain O Captain, is this detoured excursion to the ends of the world going to be coming to an end in the immediate future or am I going to need to see about getting myself a makeshift excretion bag?"
"Look, I told you-"
"We're going to find Trey," Shawn cut in. "Noah knows where he is and were going to him."
Shawn wasn't actually completely certain that that was the case. He just felt it to be as such. The entire past day and a half had just felt so weird to him that he didn't really know how he felt about anything. But he knew he was right about this. They were going to find Trey. They were going to bring him home.
"Don't see why that particular piece of information couldn't be shared with the rest of the welcoming wagon," Jesse mumbled, crossing his arms and frowning as he sat back like a child that had just gotten his favorite toy taken from him.
"I think it's a great idea," Sierra spoke. "True love is so romantic and sexy."
"And what would know about either of those things?" Jesse asked.
"A lot more than you and your two timing older brother," Sierra spoke, bitterly.
"I have nothing to do with that particular piece of offspring I just so happen to be related to," Jesse replied, returning the bitter tone. "Changing to a slightly less tiring subject, how exactly do you plan on finding this boyfriend of yours if you have absolutely no idea where in New York he is?"
"I know where he is," Noah replied shortly.
Jesse and Sierra exchanged glances before realizing they were in good hands and decided to sit back and just enjoy the ride. *****************************************************************************************
"It's so crowded, huh?" Zoey shouted.
"Huh?" Grace asked.
Crowded indeed was all Trey could think. Shortly upon arriving in Time's Square he'd heard several announcements stating that if they'd come with someone to stay near them at all times during the night as there were more than one million people crammed into the entire area, with more and more arriving by the minute.
"Come on, let's go flirt with the cops and get em in trouble," Amber spoke excitedly, grabbing Jenn by the hand and pulling her away from everyone else, directly going against what the announcements had been proclaiming.
Before she jetted off Grace made sure to pull the keys dangling from her right hand away from her as she did.
"At 12:01 we leaving her ass!" Grace exclaimed, swinging the keys in front of her face.
Even though Trey was with his friends he felt lost and confused. He was out of his element and he knew as much. It had taken him long enough just getting used to being comfortable around his own set of friends and the world they happened to live in. Now he was being taken completely away from that, away from his boyfriend, and being thrown into a larger, more uncertain one. It was a scary place for him, even though he knew it was the real world. The world he'd be facing once college was over.
But college wasn't over and this was something he didn't have to do. It was something he was being forced to do because he was here and had no choice in the matter. He almost would rather spend an evening trapped in a closet somewhere with Dro than have to be where he was right now.
"Do we really have to be here for this?" Trey shouted.
"What?" Zoey asked.
"Can't we just watch it on tv from a hotel somewhere?" Trey asked.
"And miss all this? Come on," Zoey spoke, pulling Trey along.
On the bright side, at least he knew that he could look forward to the fact that New Year's would be occurring any minute now and he wouldn't have to stay for hours on end. *****************************************************************************************
"Now, how on Earth would you assume he'd be here of all places?" Jesse asked, looking around. "This place is chaotic."
"It's not chaotic, it's Time's Square on New Year's eve," Sierra replied. "Get over yourself and just enjoy it."
"I'll enjoy the new year much more when I get my new classes and find you nowhere in them," Jesse replied.
"Don't worry, I'm hoping for the same thing," Sierra replied bitterly.
Noah looked down at his watch. All he knew was that he didn't have a lot of time to find Trey.
"Will you help me look for him?" he asked, turning to Shawn.
All he wanted to do was find Trey and he was willing to help Noah if that was what the end result would be, even though he knew exactly why Noah wanted to find him.
"Fine," Shawn replied.
"You guys go that way," Noah replied.
"I'm perfectly capable of locating your missing other half myself, thank you," Jesse spoke matter-of-factly.
"Come on," Sierra groaned, pulling Jesse along. *****************************************************************************************
Trey looked down at his watch.
The new year was about to ring in and he wouldn't even be able to celebrate that moment with his boyfriend. The fact that he was being left alone with his thoughts wasn't making things any better for him.
Zoey looked over at Trey, noticing how despondent he looked.
"You're gonna see him again, Trey," Zoey replied. "I promise."
"I know," Trey replied. "I just...nevermind. I don't care anymore."
And he didn't. He was tired of caring that his boyfriend wasn't here and he had no idea when he'd see him again. He had to just stop thinking about it or it would literally drive him crazy. Besides, it wasn't like there weren't other problems in his life he could be thinking about.
"Trey."
He knew he heard it and he knew who it sounded like, but turning around to face him only confirmed it.
"Shawn...what-"
"Are you okay? What happened to you guys?"
"What happened? Where's...where's Noah?" Trey asked.
"He's..." Shawn looked over at Zoey.
"Hi Shawn," she greeted sincerely. "Everything okay?"
"Detouring to New York aside, I guess we're all here fine," Shawn replied. "Noah too."
Trey wasn't sure what to say to that as too many emotions were going through him at the moment. It was strange to him. This entire time he'd been hoping to just see Noah again and the moment he comes face to face with Shawn it was like he felt the relief he would feel if it were Noah. He knew Noah was who he wanted, or at least he was pretty sure of that. What he was feeling now was confusing him.
"Are you okay though?" Shawn asked, staring into Trey's eyes.
Trey stared back, almost transfixed.
"Yeah," he replied, earnestly. "I am. Thanks."
"Yeah," Shawn replied, completely wrapped up in their shared moment for a little while longer before noticing Noah off to the side in the corner of his eye. And it was then that he realized what he had to do.
He left Trey, unwillingly and walked over to Noah, pointing him in Trey's direction as he heard the countdown to midnight start.
Noah and Trey locked eyes staring at each other from a few feet away before Noah approached him standing before him as the countdown continued.
"Found you," was all Noah said before wrapping his arms around Trey and kissing him more passionately and deeply than he had before.
If he didn't realize it before, he did now. He was completely in love with Trey Jackson. This was the moment that told him so.
"Happy new year," Noah spoke so that only Trey could hear once he ended their kiss.
Trey smiled back at him.
"Happy new year."
"Next time you lot want to play follow the leader you might wanna let us know where you're headed first," Jesse spoke as he and Sierra joined the group.
"Happy new year boy," Grace said, kissing Jesse on the cheek.
"Yeah, happy new year," Sierra said, kissing Jesse as well on his other cheek.
"Well," Jesse spoke, feeling a bit taken aback. "Traditionally it's on the lips but I suppose a kiss is still a kiss."
"God, we would get the one gay cop in all of New York," Amber complained as she and Jenn joined the group as well. "What kind of gay guy actually wants to be a cop anyway?"
"Nice to see you too then," Sierra said.
"We putting her ass in the looney house when we get back," Grace said. "Cuz I aint wakin up with her ass standing over me with a kitchen knife. I don't play that shit."
"Ugh, can't we all just enjoy the moment for one second? Please?" Zoey pleaded. "We're all here, safely. Happy new year!"
Everyone looked around at each other as Noah put his arm around Trey and held him closely.
"Fine," Amber groaned. "Happy new year everyone."
"Happy new year!"
A/N: I'm not too sure what is causing the words at the ends of the sentences to be mashed into each other here on Nifty but in case it's too much of a problem, definitely check out my Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JoJoPresents-GayFiction/
Personal email: crossingboi2004@yahoo.com Feedback always welcome.
Copyright 2007