Disclaimer: The usual rules apply here. If you aren't legal in your area to be reading material(non erotic, mind you) about homosexuals and the activities they may or may not participate in, then please don't read. This story has been copyrighted and is not to be used elsewhere in any way without the express permission of the author (that would be me). For everyone else, enjoy!
Wayward People
Chapter Eleven-"Forever Young"
"So, this steak is good mom," Max spoke.
"Well thank you, Maxwell," mom replied. "Too bad you couldn't be bothered to give me a compliment either, even though I started the meal last night."
My dad looked up at my mom when he realized that she was talking to him.
"Oh...it's great honey...nice and tender," he replied.
"It's not the same," my mom sighed.
I guess someone had to talk, because Troy and I sure weren't during our fair share of contributing to any dinner conversation.
What was I supposed to say? I was kind of floored really.
Not more than an hour ago had I gotten the strangest of calls from a woman who claimed to be Troy's mother.
She had the same last name. Hamilton.
But then there were the things she'd said.
She couldn't believe the butler?
Was Troy rich?
Why would he keep something like that a secret? And why would he claim it was a wrong number in the first place?
What was going on?
"So who was on the phone earlier, honey?" my mom asked.
Leave it to her. She was probably just trying to make sure that I wasn't rude to whoever had called.
I looked over at Troy who seemed not to want to look at me this evening.
"Oh, didn't you hear? It was a wrong number," I replied, trying to keep the spite in my voice to a minimum.
I noticed Max look at me a little strangely, but my attention was focused primarily on Troy.
Who the hell was this guy living with me?
Was I the only person at all that found it weird that after nearly two months of living with us that we STILL knew next to nothing about him?
I had used to think that perhaps it was just me that Troy didn't want to talk to and that he talked to Max and Evan about certain things.
But it was clear to see that wasn't the case at all.
I wasn't even aware a person could get away with being as mysterious as Troy seemed to be.
I thought my mom would have asked Troy a few questions by now but apparently she was satisfied with Troy being a polite and decent young man. Or whatever.
I guess she was perfectly okay with having someone she really knew nothing about living under her roof. Hell, as long as she was okay with it....
Truthfully, I wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Troy would tell me something one minute, behave differently the next minute, and change his story entirely the minute after that.
He was like a chameleon with all his different mood and sayings.
And I was sick of no one asking questions anymore.
It was about time I started asking some of my own.
"So Troy," I started, setting my fork down. "Have you talked to you parents at all since you've been here?"
As long as he was trapped here at the diner table, in front of my parents, he'd have no choice but to answer me.
Troy looked over at my mom and dad who were both staring at him thoughtfully before he cleared his throat and removed the napkin around his shirt collar.
"What are you saying Michael? Of course Troy's spoken with his parents," my mom took the liberty of responding for Troy. "What reason would he have not to?"
"Yes Troy, what reason would you have not to talk to your parents?" I asked. "Other than the fact that we just can't trust the butler."
I noticed my family looking a bit perplexed but interested all the same.
"Well she called a few weeks back actually," Troy started.
Oh sure...a few weeks back she called. Yeah right.
"Really? Was I around? I would have loved to speak with her," my mom replied.
"No you were all at church," I replied. "And it wasn't that important. She was just checking up on me."
Really? Because from what I gathered from the lady I talked to on the phone, it kind of seemed like she hadn't talked to Troy in weeks. Like she hadn't even known he was gone, which would make my theory of him being a runaway a lot more plausible.
Of course, it still wouldn't make sense. Why would a rich kid who probably had everything run away from home?
"What about friends?" I asked, deciding not to let up. "You talk to any of them?"
"Mike what's your problem?" Max asked, glaring over at me.
"Maxwell calm down," my mom replied. "But you do seem to be awfully interested in Troy this evening honey."
"It's because I seem to have enough interest for all of us," I replied. "No one else gives a damn-"
"Alright, that's enough...you're excused, now!" my mother spoke sharply.
I flashed Troy one final glare before getting up in a fashion that would suggest I was pissed, which I was, and headed for the stairs.
How was he doing this to me again? Getting ME into trouble without even so much as lifting a finger?
I just figured someone would back me up. After all, I couldn't be the only one with questions.
Somebody else must have wanted to know more about Troy, not just me.
I hadn't even been in my room for two minutes before Max came storming in like he had some kind of right to.
"You know, I do my best to stick up for you, but when you act like this-"
"Like a concerned citizen?" I cut in. "I just like to know a few things about the people I live with so that I can be sure they won't cut me in my sleep!"
"Are you having issues with Evan again?"
I shook my head in a confused manner.
"What?"
"Because if you are, you don't have to take it out on Troy!"
"I don't understand...what exactly is it that you think I'm doing wrong?"
For once I just wanted someone to explain to me how I was the one with the problem. How all of this was supposed to be my fault.
Max let out a sigh before he turned around and took a seat in the chair to my desk.
"I get it...your life is changing," he started. "I mean, first Evan picks on you-"
"For lack of a better word choice."
Because I'd pretty much call his special brand of focused attention, tormenting.
"Then Troy comes along and you don't see eye to eye."
I knew he meant in the past but the `don't' could still be applied now, weeks later.
"And now there's your newfound friendships with Sienna and Pete Reynolds-"
"What do they have to do with this?" I asked.
Max sighed.
"They don't...I don't know...I just was trying to help you cope."
Only, it wasn't my brother I had the problem with. It was Troy. Again.
"I get that you're trying to help, but I really think that I should be talking to Troy-"
"She was my step mom," I heard Troy say from my doorway.
I hadn't even heard him coming.
Max turned around as Troy walked more into the room.
"The lady on the phone...she was my step mom," he replied.
"Wait so...your mom...really was on the phone?" Max asked.
Troy let out a sigh as he sat down on the corner edge of my desk, in the middle of both me and Max.
"We're not exactly on good terms, you know?" he replied.
I guess I could understand that. He still didn't have to lie about it though.
"I'm sorry Mike...I explained what happened to your parents," Troy replied. "They aren't too happy with me right now, but I think they'll go easier on you."
I just stared at Troy, trying to determine if he was actually sincere this time. I never could tell and this time was no different.
I had no choice but to believe him. Again.
"I guess...I guess it's cool," I replied.
Troy smiled. I could tell he was relieved.
Still....
"One question though? Why did she say not to trust the butler?"
Troy looked confused.
"She said that?"
"Yeah, she said that the butler told her you were here...."
Troy crosses his arms and looked down. He certainly looked flustered just then. Probably because he thought he was going to be able to get away without having to explain that part.
"Dude...are you rich?" Max asked.
Troy let out a breath before standing up and walking over to my window.
"I'd rather not talk about that," he replied.
"Troy....it's okay man, we don't care either way-"
"No....I'm not rich," he replied, as simply as that.
Max and I exchanged glances.
I could tell there was more to the story, but I was satisfied with what I did know for now.
We'd burn other bridges later on.
Of course, there was one more thing...
"So who's Alexander?" I asked.
I had tried to ask it in a playful `afterthought' like manner, so that Troy wouldn't shrug the question off.
"She mentioned that name?" Troy asked. "God, I keep telling her not to call me by my middle name you know....but hell, she's not all that bright."
He'd said it with a smile so I just smiled back and chose to believe him.
That was all I really could do for now. Believe him.
I guess that was something I could say about Troy. The fact that he just continued to surprise me.
Of course, they weren't always good surprises.
"Okay then, now that we've all kissed and made up," Max spoke.
"I think I missed the kissing part," Troy smiled.
"Shut up," Max replied, pushing Troy onto my bed as he headed for the door.
I had to accept this for what it was right now. It didn't mean Troy was out of the blue.
But for now, he could be the Troy I liked. The one who didn't seem so secretive even though I knew that he really was.
If I had to put a rating on my high school career so far, I'd pretty much give myself a low score.
Up until a few weeks ago, I considered high school to be the exact opposite of what most teenagers my age thought it to be.
I actually came to school to learn and write whenever I had the chance. Most everyone else came to socialize and get in some leaning whenever they had the chance.
I hadn't gone to the dances.
I hadn't been invited to the parties.
I hadn't done pretty much anything that would make me want to revisit the place for a class reunion years from now.
It was like I just didn't care.
But that was all kind of in the past now.
Because now I had lots of new things to contend with.
While most of them were good-friends, a boyfriend, and a foreign exchange student-there were other problems.
Or should I be saying there was one giant problem that probably bench-pressed more than two of me combined in total weight.
Evan wasn't some huge muscle head. But he was an athlete, which pretty much meant that he had muscle on his body.
I had never really been particularly afraid that Evan would do anything to me. After all, we hadn't even spoken two words to each other pretty much all my life.
But all of a sudden, it was like he had this vendetta against me and I found myself hating him for it.
He was the only person I could say I hated, as I'd never hated anyone before.
When I noticed him notice me as I walked down the hallway to get to my locker, I just felt that wave of hatred I had for him completely wash over me, reminding me of why I hated the social aspect of high school in general.
If there were special schools for smart people like me around, I wouldn't even have to deal with Evan.
You're either smart or you're a bully. You can't be both.
Of course, I thought smart and tried avoiding him, but he was just THAT determined to go out of his way to torment me.
"Didn't you see me waving you over?" were the first words out of his pathetic mouth.
That spastic arm jerk thing he had been doing was him trying to get my attention?
"What do you want?" I asked.
This felt all too familiar by now. Me trying to mind my own business as usual, and Evan not minding his own business, also as usual, as he ambushed me with his ulterior motives.
"You know, I get the feeling you don't like me very much," he started.
God, was he really that idiotic? Of course he was, but god....
Deciding he was standing just a little too close to me, I moved aside a little allowing more space between us.
"I mean, I gave you warning after warning....I think even Troy warned you too, but you just don't wanna listen to me do you?"
"You know, I'm sure in some parts of the world, being vague is normal but here it's just annoying"
All of a sudden Evan stopped and basically forced me to the side of the hall.
Now I was kind of scared. I knew well enough that Evan didn't give a damn either way about me. And he had hit me before, after all.
It was situations like this that had me wishing that someone was here to help.
I rarely saw my brother at school. Troy was talking with one of his teachers about something and Pete was trying to get a class he had with Evan changed in the office.
So I was pretty much alone.
And oddly enough, so was Evan, as I was finally noticing.
Usually, if he wasn't with Sienna, he was with Andrew and a bunch of other idiots from school.
But they were all noticeably absent.
"Do you want people to start talking about you? More..."
I tried to get Evan off of me but he just pushed me back.
"I don't understand why you don't listen to a warning when someone gives it to you," he replied "It's stupid not to, really. Otherwise something bad might happen. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you Carson?"
It was in that moment that I realized something. It didn't sound like Evan knew what he was talking about.
He was feeding me cryptic warnings as if he was concerned with my well being, as if OTHER people might be the ones to start talking or otherwise.
But just listening to Evan talk, I realized that he was probably talking about himself. As in, if I didn't stop hanging around Pete for whatever idiotic reason he had in his head, that HE'D be the one to make sure people started talking or otherwise.
And that scared me a little.
Evan was pretty much, hands down, one of the most popular guys in school. When he talked, people generally listened just because he was so popular.
It wouldn't matter if what he had to say was true or not. People would just be too worried about being un-cool for not believing what everyone else did.
And if something like that happened........
"Hey, get off him!"
I so wasn't expecting what had happened just then.
I hadn't seen him coming, but Troy had pulled Evan off of me and pretty much flung him to the other side of the hallway.
"You okay?" he asked, looking me in the eyes.
I was actually speechless.
Of course, Evan was back over to Troy in heartbeat and was huffing in his face as if he'd been running for a few minutes.
"Are you feeling alright today,Troy?" he asked. "Cuz, I know that did NOT just happen!"
"Why do you always have to mess with him?"
Evan glared over at me before looking back at Troy.
"This doesn't concern you right now Troy-"
"Something wrong, here?" Pete asked, coming up beside me.
God, how did everybody do that? Show up without me noticing them? I need to start paying more attention to my surroundings, sheesh!
"Pete-"
"Speaking of the devil himself!" Evan exclaimed.
By now, people were starting to pay attention to us all.
Fights were rare in the school, mostly because there weren't that many students. Maybe 3 or 4 hundred tops.
In fact, up until that thing with Evan and me a few weeks back, I hadn't even seen a fight let alone been in one.
I guess that was my `first time for everything' day. And the stuff that was going on right now was another first.
Guys fighting over me? ME? It was so weird, yet slightly comforting at the same time.
There was a moment when everyone just kind of stared each other down. I actually didn't get it, but I didn't consider myself anywhere near as testosterone driven as any of them either.
Maybe it was a guys guy thing. I don't know.
"Did he do something to you?" Pete asked looking over at me.
I thought he'd meant Troy but when he looked back at Evan, I realized that for once, Troy and Pete were on the same page.
"Oh isn't this cute....Carson has TWO guys lusting after him-"
Troy grabbed Evan and pushed him against the wall he was standing near.
"So not cool right now!"
"Really...cuz I was kinda thinking the same thing about you!" Evan pushed Troy off of him.
I noticed that he was starting back towards me but Pete got in front of me.
Before Evan took another step though, Troy pulled back and swung his fist, hitting Evan with a surprisingly hard blow that caused Evan to fall to the ground.
I heard several people gasp. Even a few shrieks.
I might have been one of those people, I don't know.
My mind was going at a million miles an hour!
Evan got up slowly and wiped the blood from his mouth.
He was chuckling so low that we all could barely hear him.
"Big mistake dude," he spoke, before looking over at Pete and then me and turning around one corner of the hall.
Troy and Pete were still just standing there.
Everyone else was whispering things. I didn't know what kind of things.
Troy finally turned around and looked over at Pete who just stared at him.
I still didn't know what to say.
I was still trying to get past the whole `two guys fighting over me' deal.
Three if you counted Evan.
It seemed like we all stood there forever.
I guess people realized they had to get to class before the bell rang, which was what stirred up all the on-lookers.
But Troy and Pete still looked like they were frozen in time.
After a few more moments Pete finally spoke up.
"Thanks..." he replied looking over at Troy.
Troy looked a little surprised to be getting a `thanks' from Pete, but we all knew what he was thanking him for.
"I...can't believe you did that," I finally said. "You guys are friends."
"Not anymore," Troy replied, before picking up his backpack and heading down the hallway almost zombie like.
I guess he was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened as well.
Pete turned around to face me.
The halls were pretty much empty.
He looked me deep in the eyes and looking back into his, I could tell he was concerned. And that he really cared about me.
It was at that moment when I realized that I could never hurt Pete again.
He really cared about me. I could see now that Evan's little warnings were just taunts. And Troy's warnings were I guess pangs of jealousy.
Either way, nothing was going to happen.
I could fully allow myself to give into my want to have Pete as a boyfriend.
"Class, remember?"
Right...class...
"Come on then," Pete smiled, trying to nudge me along with him.
I allowed myself to walk beside down the hallway to the one class that we both shared.
I'd see Troy there was well, considering we shared all the same classes.
But at this point, I was just finally happy things were starting to go my way.
Things in my life certainly had changed.
But they just continued to change over the next week.
Before, I'd only see Troy in class, and for the majority of time he'd been staying with us, he pretty much ignored me.
Of course, once we'd made up, he'd made an effort to change things between us.
Now that he wasn't associating with Evan anymore, he'd pretty much self declared himself my new best friend.
He was almost too pleasant in a way.
One time, I found myself wishing that he was still friends with Evan so that I could get a little alone time with Pete.
And speaking of Evan, it didn't really seem like he'd changed much.
He was still a jack ass. The only noticeable difference was the fact that he was no longer associating with Troy.
I say noticeable because everyone certainly noticed that their star jock wasn't hanging around `that new kid' anymore.
The fact that Evan had pretty much self declared his hatred of Pete upon his friends, did a lot for both Troy and Pete's popularity.
Pete had been fairly popular before. Certainly not as popular as Evan, but he did have a lot of friends. Friends he first started to lose when he started hanging out with me.
It only continued after at the fallout between Troy and Evan.
Of course, they obviously weren't really his friends if they stopped talking to him the moment he got a new friend. Albeit, a far less popular one.
Far less as in not at all.
And as for Troy....
Hmmmm.....
Honestly, he really did seem to be the type of person who was fairly popular back at whatever school he'd gone to in Canada.
So it almost seemed weird to see him `down to my level' almost.
I didn't know how else to explain it.
Although, the complete turnaround was a nice change for me.
The only other thing was Sienna.
I guess after that happened she felt like she had to choose sides, Evan being her boyfriend and all.
She was perfectly okay with being around Pete and I, but if Troy was around, which he just so happened to be a lot, she always had some excuse that she had to do something with Evan.
I kinda selfishly wished she'd just dump him. Then I'd be completely `free' of him. But obviously if a girl as intelligent as Sienna was with someone like Evan, she had to have seen something in him. She wasn't stupid and I didn't want to contribute to ruining whatever happiness she felt she had with him.
But I had other things to contend with.
By the end of the week, Pete had fallen ill.
Actually, he started getting sick earlier in the week, but I think he tried to hide it because if he was sick, then he wouldn't be able to spend time with me and I wasn't exactly sure, but I think he also didn't really want me to start spending all my time with Troy.
By Friday though, he was completely sick and had to stay home from school.
I was really worried about him.
I didn't know if he had a cold or what but it was obviously enough to keep him home from school now.
I planned on going to see him after school though.
I just had to get through the day. It all just seemed so pointless without him here though.
But I guess....I could take comfort in the fact that I had Troy.
Day by day I was starting to trust him more and he was actually becoming one of my favorite people. And, dare I say it, a best friend.
He no longer seemed to be weary of Pete.
I guess he trusted him now so I knew that I could talk to him about Pete without having to worry about him getting jealous or anything.
"So....maybe he has the flu," Troy started. "It is starting to get colder outside."
Yeah because it was nearing the end of October.
But Pete didn't really seem like the type of person that got sick all that easily.
Of course, I also hadn't known him too long.
"You think I should skip lunch hour to go check on him?" I asked.
Troy let out a chuckle before turning to face me.
"Glad to see you're both like the bestest of friends now," he replied. "Your concern is touching and all but don't you think that maybe you might be a little too concerned?"
Of course he'd feel that way. He didn't know that Pete and I were a couple.
I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him either.
Truthfully, I wasn't sure there was anyone I could tell.
And it wasn't like I could tell anyone about me without telling them about Pete first.
And I couldn't do that to him.
Especially when he was like this right now.
"It's just....I've never really had any friends before," I replied. "I'm still learning how to do everything right."
Troy smiled at me before turning to his back to look back out into the hallway.
"Whenever I was sick, some of my friends used to come by my house and try and get me to go places with them."
"What?"
"I don't know...I guess they thought it would cheer me up or something," Troy replied. "Of course, I was sick for weeks after that all the time, but I don't think I really cared."
"So what you're saying is that I should give Pete space?"
"I don't know, it depends on him," Troy replied. "I don't think he'd mind if you paid him a visit."
I was surprised at how mature he was being about all of this.
He and I had gone through a lot to get here where we were right now, but I liked this place.
Whatever it was.
"Well...hello,'" Sienna replied.
Always polite, of course by now I knew the ends and outs of her moods.
She obviously wasn't happy about something.
"Hey Sienna," I replied.
I'd said it with a smile, which faded when I realized she was semi glaring over at Troy.
Okay....
"So, I guess you know Pete's sick," she started. "I finally convinced him to stay home today."
"Have you talked to him today?" I asked.
"Well I talked, he did this weird coughing-gargling thing....I talked to his dad though," Sienna replied. "He's taking him to the doctor later today."
Information I wouldn't have known otherwise.
I was glad I had Sienna now.
If only I could get her to stop acting so ice-cold towards Troy.
I felt it all the way over here....
"Uh so, where's Evan?" I found myself asking.
I didn't care but I had to say something.
This actually got Sienna to look a little less mean and a little more...nervous.
We all knew why Evan was a taboo subject around me.
Troy even looked surprised that I'd even brought him up.
"He's....he's busy," she replied, quickly.
From the tone of her voice it was almost like she'd said it in a way that was final. As if we weren't to talk about him anymore.
I was fine with that.
"Um, so what's new?" Troy asked.
There it was. That `look' again.
Sienna looked back at Troy with the same look that only a girl could give to a guy.
"You know, maybe we should get to class," I spoke up.
Anything to end the awkwardness of the here and now.
"Mike-"
"No it's fine...I mean I can't say that I know what's going on exactly, but-"
"It's complicated," Sienna replied. "And I don't wanna lie to you."
I think I kinda knew that. But that still didn't mean that I wasn't the least bit curious to know what was going on.
"If you don't wanna tell me...."
"She thinks I'm poison-"
"What? Oh god, just make this about me. Make it my fault,"
From Evan to Sienna. These people certainly were confrontational.
Of course, there was a major difference.
Not that it really meant anything right now.
"Well you are the one who thinks I'm hiding things," Troy replied.
"Well aren't you?" Sienna asked.
I noticed Troy look over at me and let out a sigh before saying anything else.
"Look, obviously there's things about me that you don't know....its like that with everybody."
Sienna snorted.
"Give me a break."
"But Mike and I talked, okay. Things are different now."
"And yet, here we are."
"Um, you know maybe we should-"
I tried. I tried pulling Troy and Sienna along but neither of them budged.
"I don't understand why you hate me so much-"
"Oh don't be stupid Troy! Not everything's always about you."
This caused Troy to pause and stare at Sienna.
I felt so awkward right then. These were my two friends, yet I felt like an outsider looking in on the situation.
An outsider that had no idea what to do in this situation.
"Pete?"
"Who else, Troy?" Sienna replied.
"But why-"
"He's my friend Troy," Sienna replied. "So is Mike. What, you didn't think he'd tell me about how you wanted him to stay away from Mike for some reason."
"I was trying to protect him-"
"Did you ever stop to think of what you protecting him from? I mean, Pete's never picked on Mike so why would he need protection from him?"
It felt weird standing here listening to them argue about my boyfriend....that felt...strangely good to say.....anyway...it was weird to hear them like this when Pete was home sick.
What would he think if he was here right now?
I had no idea, but I'm sure it wouldn't be much different than what I was thinking right now.
And what I was thinking right now was that this was all pointless.
We'd all made up. There was no reason for this argument to be happening right now.
"Guys look....obviously things are different now," I started.
Where the hell was I going with this?
"I mean....the situations changed."
God Mike, just talk in circles why don't you?
Troy and Sienna even looked mildly confused.
"The point is, Troy and Pete are friends now? Right, Troy?"
Sienna and I looked over at Troy who looked between the both of us before replying.
"Yeah, everything's cool now," he replied.
Sienna raised an eyebrow at him but didn't start shouting again.
That was a good sign.
"Hey, now we can all be friends right?"
Troy and Sienna didn't reply.
"Right?"
Okay...somebody answer me here....
"Right," Sienna replied with a sigh. "Of course."
Troy looked relieved that this was all over but I'm sure he was nowhere near as relieved as me.
I just wanted my life to be relatively normal.
I didn't care about popularity...anymore....or any of that other stuff.
What I had right now was fine enough for me.
"So you know what's wrong with Pete?" I asked, trying to move on.
I knew that Pete was still a touchy subject right now, but I just couldn't stop thinking about how he was at home in bed sick out of his mind wishing he could be with me.
It sounds presumptuous on my part to say that, but considering how much more sick Pete allowed himself to get just because he wouldn't take my advice and get some rest and go to the doctor, it pretty much told me all I needed to know about how Pete felt about me.
"I don't know," Sienna replied, looking visibly more relaxed. "It's weird because Pete doesn't really get sick, you know?"
I figured as much.
"But he has so many different things wrong...I can't even begin to guess what's wrong," Sienna replied.
"You don't sound worried," Troy spoke.
"Well truthfully, I'm not," Sienna replied. "Pete's an athlete....he takes good care of himself and his body. You can't stay sick free forever though."
"So you think he'll bounce back from this all then?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, he'll be completely fine. Back to.....well back to being your friend in no time."
Wait a second. She paused.
You heard her pause, right?
She put to much emphasis on `friend'. Why'd she have to say it like that?
What did she know?
I wonder if Pete told her anything about us.....
"Well I wish I could stand here in the halls talking forever but this isn't Saved By the Bell," Sienna replied. "I actually have classes to go to."
"Okay, I'll see you after school...we can go to Pete's and-"
Sienna had started away from me but turned back around and marched back over to me.
"Let the boy rest, Mike," she replied in a playful tone that was also serious at the same time. "Just give him a couple of days, he'll be fine."
But I just had this weird feeling.
"But-"
"But nothing...he'll be fine," Sienna replied. "I'll see you guys later."
Troy and I watched her go before Troy looked back at me.
"Interesting ten minutes there," he replied. "But she's right you know. We do have class."
"Right...." I replied, starting down the hall with Troy.
Except, how was I supposed to concentrate on class when my boyfriend was at home sick?
"You can put that away, I don't need it, trust me," Pete spoke.
For some reason, it just seemed insanely hot to him, even though he had on three shirts and hadn't taken off his jacket.
Still, anything he could do to not seem as sick as he felt.
He'd never really been fond of doctors anyway.
"You had a fever of 102 young man, we're taking all necessary precautions," the nurse replied.
"Don't you think a shot is a little extreme?"
"We're just running a few tests-"
"What kind of tests?" Pete asked.
When the nurse didn't reply he looked back over at his doctor who was writing some things down on a chart.
"Dr. Bright....what kind of tests?"
Dr. Bright, a man in his early 40's, turned in his swivel chair to face Pete.
To put him more at ease he wore a smile on his face.
"Well, your white blood cell count came back a little low...we're just trying to make sure that isn't as bad as it seems."
"So it's bad then?" Pete asked, as the nurse stuck the needle into his right arm.
"Not necessarily....it could be that you aren't getting enough water, the flu tends to come with dehydration," Dr. Bright replied. "But we're just trying to make sure that without a shadow of a doubt, this is the flu."
Pete was getting worried.
Even though he got sick roughly once a year, the last time he'd gotten sick, which was over the summer, he'd had to get a few tests done then too.
They said he was out of the blue, whatever that was supposed to mean, but now he was starting to have his doubts.
"Doc, these tests you're running....they wouldn't have anything to do with those tests you ran back in July would they?"
Dr. Bright looked over at Pete.
"Well quite honestly, yes, they do. But only because we want to be more thorough this time. We sent you home last time because we didn't think you had anything to worry about."
"And now?"
"Well...now we just want to be sure. That's all, son."
Pete knew that something was going on here, but he figured that it was just doctors wanting to play doctor and decided not to think too hard about it.
"How much longer? I figured I'd go and surprise my friend when he gets out of school-"
"Troy, as your doctor, I think it would be best if you just get all the rest you can."
"It's just a little flu doc, I can handle it," Pete replied with a smile and a cough.
He watched as the nurse left with a vial of his blood, leaving him and Dr. Bright alone.
"Still playing baseball?"
"Yep. Coach has us on this new training schedule. I've had to run a lot more lately."
"Well that's good....being as healthy as you have been has certainly had its advantages for you."
"Yeah well, I just don't wanna get all fat," Pete replied. "Imagine me trying to catch a ball weighing 300 pounds."
Dr. Bright chuckled at Pete's comment as he wrote a few more things down and looked over some x-rays.
Pete did his best to keep up a conversation over the next twenty minutes as he and Dr. Bright waited for the blood work to come back.
He had just finished telling another joke when the nurse came back in.
"Ugh, finally, tell him I have to the flu so I can get out of here, Melinda," Pete smiled.
Melinda did her best to return Pete's smile as she looked over at Dr. Bright.
"Excuse us for just a moment, Pete," Dr. Bright spoke.
He got out of his swivel chair and gave Pete a pat on the shoulder before exiting the room with Melinda.
The place was old. Pete knew that.
He kept telling Dr. Bright he needed to replace the door.
But he knew he hadn't listened once he noticed the door to the room hadn't shut all the way.
He found it odd that they'd left the room just to talk about him having the flu and decided to get up and do a little eavesdropping.
Peeking through the crack of the door, he noticed Melinda and Dr. Bright were on one side of a corner that was hidden from where he was.
He could still hear everything they were saying though.
"And you didn't see this last time?"
"It was dormant then...as long as it stays at a minimum, a lot of times they can fight it-"
"This kid could be worse now-"
"Given how healthy he is otherwise-"
"Healthy? The boy has the early stages of cancer and you wanna call that healthy!"
"Melinda will you lower your voice!?"
All Pete could think was....cancer?
Cancer?
He didn't know how and he didn't want to know how.
Because obviously it wasn't true.
He was in perfect shape. He hardly ever got sick.
He couldn't have cancer.
"Pete...what did-"
"Nothing, I'm fine...let's go," Pete replied, walking past his dad and out to their car.
It had since started to rain and it made it that much more cold outside.
Pete's father followed shortly thereafter.
"Are you sure?" he asked, upon getting into the car.
"Uh huh, absolutely," he replied. "Can we hurry up and go though?"
He was feeling antsy.
He had after all snuck out of Dr. Bright's office without letting him tell him the `good news' first.
He didn't need to hear it though because it wasn't true.
"Um," Pete started as he dad started down the street. "You think you can drop me off at a friend's house?"
"Peter-"
"Dad, I'm fine alright....just drop me off okay?"
"Fine," his dad complied, continuing down the street.
Troy, Sienna and Max practically pushed me inside the house once we got there.
Then again, I couldn't understand why.
It had started to rain by the time we got out of school. We go all day long and it waits until we're just getting out to start raining?
"God, I'm freezing!" Sienna muttered, through chattering teeth.
"At least you weren't the one some freshman got all wet with his car!" Max complained.
"Aww, does the baby want a bottle now," Troy mocked as he shut the front door.
Max didn't have practice today because of the rain. The same went for Sienna, who had decided to pick today of all days to come see the house.
I never had to worry about whether or not the house would be clean when I or someone else had company over.
Mom pretty much kept everything downstairs clean, and Max, Troy and I did a good enough job with upstairs.
We all went straight to the living room.
"Nice house," Sienna replied, taking off her jacket. "Smells like lemon."
"That would be my moms doing," Max replied.
"Wish I could get my mom to clean something," Sienna spoke, taking a seat at one end of the coffee table, sitting on the floor. "I guess she figures she has three other people that can do it for her."
Troy, Max and I also took seats around the coffee table in the floor.
This felt weird, yet at the same time refreshing.
To be sitting around the coffee table in my room while it rained outside.
It almost felt natural.
With it being all rainy outside and daylight savings time almost coming to an end, it was pretty dark out which made it pretty dark in the house.
"Oh, I just got the weirdest craving for some hot cocoa," Max spoke, standing up. "Anybody want some?"
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when everyone else wanted some, myself included.
"Right...I'll go make em them," Max replied. "Be right back."
As soon as he left Sienna turned on the t.v.
"I don't even know what comes on at this time of day," she replied. "I'm always at practice."
"Edgemont...Tribe....Degrassi....although those three shows would probably be considered the end of teenage drama as we know it" Troy replied.
Sienna and I exchanged glances.
"Right, wrong country," he replied. "I gotta remember that.
At least now I knew what kind of shows came on in Canada. Those shows were probably the equivalent to Dawson's Creek, The O.C. and One Tree Hill here, which I had seen upon occasion.
The t.v. hadn't even been on five minutes before the power went out.
"Aww...." Sienna sighed.
"Candle time," I stood up.
"Hey you guys have any board games or anything?" Sienna asked.
"Yeah I think there's some in the closet down the hall there," I replied.
"Off to go retrieve our new form of entertainment," she replied. "Troy, wanna come with?"
"Sure," Troy replied.
I guess things were good between them now. Which meant that they were good for me too.
As I walked into the kitchen, I noticed that Max had managed to get the hot cocoa made before the power went out.
"You made an extra cup?" I asked.
"In case anyone wants seconds," he replied. "Of course."
I just shook my head as I reached into the bottom cabinet for some candles.
After I got a few, I carried them back into the living room and lit them as Max distributed the cups.
I had just lit the last candle when the doorbell rang.
"Don't answer it," Sienna spoke. "Killers do this type of thing during the rain."
I knew she was joking and walked over to answer the door.
I was shocked to see that it was Pete.
"Pete...."
"Hey," he replied with a smile.
I let him inside and shut the door.
"Wow, it's dark," he replied.
"I thought-"
"Who is that...Pete...hey it's Pete," Max called out, turning around from the living room. "Pety's in the house!"
"Pete you know you're sick, what are you doing here? Or in the rain for that matter?" Sienna asked looking up.
"Went to the doctor and he said I was fine," Pete replied with a smile.
"You sure?" I asked.
For a moment, I noticed he looked a little conflicted about something. But he quickly shook off the look.
"Yeah, absolutely," he replied.
I guess I just had to believe him. I mean, he wouldn't lie to me.
Pete and I joined everyone else around the table.
"Candyland....oh boy, prepare to be whooped by Sienna," Pete replied, taking a seat. "It was like her favorite game when we were kids."
"Oh, is it Candyland? I just grabbed a box..."
"Shut up," Pete smiled.
"Have a cup of cocoa," Max spoke, sliding a cup over to Pete. "And be prepared to get beat by ME."
"Oh yeah right, you wish," Sienna replied.
"You wanna a piece of me? Cuz I'll beat you so bad-"
"Little man-"
This was nice.
Albeit, it was raining and the power was out and our only source of light were the candles I'd lit.
But I was with friends.
And Pete.
And there was nothing better than the way I felt in this moment.
"Okay, so I'm first-"
"What? Come on-"
"Girls always go first-"
"What? Aw no way...."
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