William came outside and pulled out a cigarette. He searched inside his pockets but didn’t find his lighter. He was going to go back inside when one was put in front of him. He took it and looked up surprised. Brian arched a brow and didn’t say anything. “Thank you.” William said and used it. William gave it back and stared at the brunet. Brian nodded and put it in his pocket. “I didn’t know you smoked.” Brian said to William. William shrugged. “When I get stressed, I do.” William said. “I’m about to go take a test.” Brian nodded and took a long drag of his cigarette. “So, why did you take Hayden’s car?” William asked out of the blue. “What makes you think I did?” Brian asked raising a brow. “What makes you think I’m stupid?” William asked smirking. Brian laughed. “What is it to you?” Brian asked. William shrugged. “He’s my friend.” William said. Brian scoffed. “Hayden’s is no one’s friend. He will turn on you.” Brian assured him. “Sooner or later, when you do something he doesn’t like.” “What is it about you two?” William asked. “You know what, Billy.” Brian said William’s nickname sarcastically as he threw his cigarette on the floor. “You are too smart for your own damn good.” William smirked. “It must be pretty bad if he tried to…” William took a quick drag, not sure what to say next. “Yeah, well, keep your mouth shut.” Brian said as he moved towards the door to go back inside. “Whatever it is, it’s none of your fucking business.” William nodded and Brian went back inside. He wondered what had happened between the brunet and his friend. *** Daphne sat down and looked at Justin. She crossed her legs and didn’t say anything. She had come over to invite him to go out, but he didn’t want to. “Weren’t you leaving?” Justin asked. “Don’t think for a minute that THAT bunch of queens will wait for you. They will leave you flat out to go shopping.” Daphne laughed knowing it was true. “I’m leaving. I just want to know what’s wrong with you.” Daphne told him. “What?” Justin asked turning to look at her. “There's nothing wrong with me.” “Well, this past month, you have been acting strange.” Daphne told him. “I barely see you.” Justin laughed. “Well, Principal Kern is apparently reading books on how to torture his students when detention alone won’t seem to work. I think I spend more time at school than I do at home. And I know for sure that I can have a career in maintenance now.” Justin informed her. Daphne frowned. “It must be horrible and then you have to add the fact that Brian is there.” Daphne said. “You must be feeling trapped.” “Yeah, well, what can you do?” Justin told her. “Well, anyway, you have been acting different, regardless of everything.” Daphne informed him. “I know you. I know something is wrong.” Justin rolled his eyes. “Nothing is wrong.” Justin repeated to her. “Why don’t you want to come with us?” Daphne asked. “Look, I just don’t want to go out to shop knowing that everyone else is doing it so they have something new for England. It’s fucking depressing.” Justin complained. “Because you are not going.” Daphne said. Justin nodded. “But you love to shop when you get depressed.” Daphne pointed out. Justin rolled his eyes. “Things change.” Justin muttered as he paced in front of her. “Okay.” Daphne said. “I’m sorry.” “For what?” Justin asked. “That you are not going with us to Europe.” Daphne said. Justin shrugged. “I could do that later on my own time and as long as I want.” Justin told her. “It won’t be the same.” Daphne said and frowned. “Are you trying to cheer me up?” Justin asked. Daphne smirked. “Sorry.” Daphne told him. Justin nodded and sat down across from her. “So what's Brian like?” Daphne asked. “You know him, Daphne. You know what he is like.” Justin said. “I don’t know him that well. I’ve seen him a couple of times and he has said hi.” Daphne pointed out. “I think we had assignment together once but that was pretty much it.” Justin licked his lips as he looked at his friend. “So?” Daphne asked. “What is he like?” “How the fuck should I know?” Justin asked her while he arched a brow. “Don’t you guys talk?” Daphne asked. “Two hours of detention and you don’t say anything at all.” “We are cleaning most of the time and when we talk, it's to insult each other.” Justin lied. “And make that four hours.” “Jesus.” Daphne told him. “That’s a lot of time.” “Yeah.” Justin told her. Justin looked at Daphne and apparently she believed everything he was telling her. He didn’t know why he was saying that, but somehow he didn’t see himself telling her that he had fun when he was with Brian. *** Justin glared as Chris and William talked heatedly. Justin walked up to them and got in front of Chris. “What’s your fucking problem?” Justin asked Chris. Chris smirked. “Hey, Goldie Locks.” Chris mocked. “Stop calling me that.” Justin hissed. “Don’t listen to him, Justin.” William said pulling Justin back. “You are going to get in more trouble.” “What? You guys aren’t so tough when Hayden is not here to protect you?” Chris asked smirking. “You are nothing but a bunch of pathetic fags.” Justin moved forward and punched him. “Justin.” William screamed. “Stop it.” Chris grabbed Justin by the shoulder and held him while he punched him in the stomach. “What the fuck are you guys doing?” Daphne asked when she came into the room. “Stop it.” Two other students came in and tried to stop the fight along with William but only managed getting hurt. One of them ran outside to get the teacher while the other stared. Brian came in with Alex and Adam came running inside after hearing what was going on. Brian quickly ran up to them and with the help of Daphne, William, Adam and Alex managed to get Chris and Justin to stop fighting. “What the hell is going on here?” Brian asked. “He is a homophobic prick!” Justin hissed. “I’m not.” Chris told him. “My gay friends are cool. I said YOU guys were a bunch of PATHETIC fags.” Justin screamed and lunged himself at Chris, but Brian got in the middle and held Justin by the collar. Adam pushed Brian away and glared at him. “Stop it.” Daphne yelled. “Mr. Kinney and Mr. Taylor.” Mr. Bloom said. “Why am I not surprised?” “Oh, god.” Justin said. “We weren’t fighting.” “Oh, no? I had some student run up to me, telling me that two students were killing each other here.” Mr. Bloom said. “Well…” Justin said but didn’t finish. “It wasn’t his fault.” Adam told him. “Don’t get on the middle of things, Mr. Parkinson.” Mr. Bloom told him. Adam frowned. “Were you fighting, Mr. Taylor?” The teacher asked. Justin nodded. “How about you, Mr. Kinney?” Mr. Bloom asked looking at Brian. Brian took a deep breath and looked at Chris before he nodded. “Brian.” Chris said surprised. Brian gave him a look that told him to shut up. “You do know I’m reporting this?” The teacher asked. Brian and Justin nodded. They looked at each other and glared. Justin took a deep breath and went to sit down. The whole time that he was in the class he was pouting but when class was over and they were changing classrooms he realized that he was happy. He and Brian were going to spend more time together and Justin frowned wondering why that made him smile and happy inside. *** Justin opened his locker and put his books inside along with Adam’s. “Thank you, man. I don’t want to go to the fourth floor now. I am so tired.” Adam told him. “Do you want to go eat something?” “I can’t.” Justin told him. “Why not?” Adam asked. “I have detention now.” Justin told him really slowly. “Jesus.” Adam said. “I forgot.” Justin arched his eyebrows and nodded. He wasn’t surprised a bit that Adam forgot something that didn’t have anything to do with him. “Hey.” Hayden said. “Are you coming or what? I don’t have all day to wait for you.” Adam nodded. “You would think it was him giving me a ride home.” Adam whispered to Justin. Justin just smiled. “I’ll see you.” Adam told him. Hayden waved at Justin and left with Adam. “Hey.” Justin said as Brian approached him. Brian just looked at him and ignored him. He opened his locker and put his things in. “I’m sorry I got us into trouble.” Justin whispered. Brian arched a brow and nodded. “Are you mad?” Justin asked. “What do you care?” Brian asked him. Justin shrugged. Brian stared at him and shook his head before he left. Justin just followed him to the room where the Principal was waiting for them. “I heard what happened today.” The principal said. Justin bit his lower lip and wondered if praying would help them. “I have a job for you guys.” Mr. Kern told them. Justin groaned, not liking the way the Principal had sounded. Brian sighed and realized then there was no escaping from the man. *** Justin looked at Brian and licked his lips. They were lying back in the football field after having cut half the grass in the place. The sun had started to set and the day was getting colder. Brian had taken off his blazer, tie and shirt and Justin couldn’t stop staring at the brunet. “Do you lift weights?” Justin asked. Brian laughed. “What the hell for?” Brian asked. Justin shrugged. “You have a nice body.” Justin told him. Brian opened his eyes and looked at the blond. “Stop staring at me, Taylor.” Brian told him. Justin arched a brow. Brian had called him Taylor without sounding like Brian was spiting out the word. Then he realized that they had been calling each other by name. “I’m not gay.” Brian told him. “Don’t make me hurt you.” Justin smirked. “Just because I look at you doesn’t mean that you are going to turn gay.” Justin told him. “It’s not a sickness. Don’t worry; you are not going to catch it.” Brian smiled. “You see, I knew I was hot.” Brian said smirking as he closed his eyes again. Justin rolled his eyes but ended up smirking too. “I think I’m going to let Hayden have his car back.” Brian said changing the subject. Justin sat up as his eyes went wide with shock. “I can’t believe you. You have his car.” Justin yelled. Brian smirked. “You…ugh! You are such a fucking asshole!” Justin hissed. Brian laughed and shrugged. “You are so…fucking frustrating!” Justin screamed. “Don’t yell. I can hear you perfectly fine.” Brian told him. Justin grabbed Brian’s blazer and threw it at Brian’s face. Brian pulled it away and smiled sweetly. Justin took a deep breath and looked away. When he had calmed down enough he looked back at Brian. “Why are you telling me?” Justin asked not sure why the brunet told him. Brian shrugged. “Why does Hayden hate you so much?” Justin asked. “Because we are rich and he’s poor.” Brian said. “So, he’s happy and you are not.” Justin pointed out. Brian opened his eyes and then glared at Justin. “You don’t know shit about me, Sunshine.” Brian told him. “Sunshine?” Justin asked surprised. Brian smiled looking at Justin’s expression. “It’s going to be my nickname for you.” Brian told him. “Great, between you and Chris, I am going to go nuts.” Justin joked. “Brian?” Brian looked at Justin. “I didn’t mean to say that.” Justin whispered. “It doesn’t matter.” Brian muttered. “And yes you did.” “I don’t know anything about you. I just assume things by the little things you have told me so far.” Justin told him. “It’s the truth.” Brian said not sure why. “I don’t have the best parents in the world.” Justin bit his lower lip and lay back thinking about his own parents. “My parents left me in Richard and Susan’s care since I was fifteen.” Justin told him. “Your uncles?” Brian asked. “He is the family lawyer and she’s the nanny.” Justin told him. “He comes whenever and she’s always there because...well, because they are paid to be there. I think I have seen my parents a total of four times since then. They come sometimes out of nowhere and then leave suddenly.” Brian stayed quiet and thought about telling Justin something too. “My dad gets drunk a lot and my mom doesn’t care if he uses me as the punching bag.” Brian said. Both teens stayed quiet after that. Justin kept pulling at the grass and thinking how the hell he ended up lying on his back and telling Brian about his life. Brian looked at Justin and wondered what it was about the blond that he felt he had to tell him things. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Justin told him. Brian shrugged. Justin bit his lower lip and didn’t know what to say. Brian was the one that ended up breaking the silence. “We used to be best friends.” Brian said suddenly. Justin turned around to face Brian. “What?” Justin asked. “Hayden and I used to do everything together.” Brian told him. Justin stayed quiet, trying to process what Brian was telling him. He couldn’t believe it. “We were inseparable.” Brian said while he laughed bitterly. “Wow.” Justin said. “What happen then?” Brian opened his mouth to say something but then closed his mouth and shook his head. Justin turned to look at Brian and thought he was going crazy. Saying that Brian and Hayden were best friends was like saying that hell used to be cold and white with fluffy bunnies jumping around and full of peace. It was saying a lot. “Brian…” Justin said but Brian cut him off. “Forget it.” Brian told him. Justin moved closer to the brunet and looked at him. “What happen?” Justin asked. Brian sat up and glared at Justin. “I said forget it. God, Justin. Don’t you know how to stop?” Brian asked as he got up. “You started it.” Justin told him. “And I am ending it. So just shut up.” Brian told him. “Idiot.” Justin murmured. “Stupid.” Brian whispered. Justin stayed sitting there and glared at Brian’s back. He rolled his eyes and got up so they could go back to school. The next day they were supposed to finish the other half of the field. Justin found that Brian could be so irritating at times. Brian was thinking the same thing about the blond. *** Justin sat down on the bed next to Hayden and smiled. He looked at the dirty-blond hair boy for a few seconds wondering if what Brian had told him was true. “Why do you fight so much with Brian?” Justin asked. Hayden looked up to meet Justin’s gaze. He frowned and looked back at the magazine he was reading. “So?” Justin asked. “It’s a long story.” Hayden told him. “I don’t have anywhere to go.” Justin told him sarcastically. Hayden smiled. “Are you going to tell me or what?” Justin asked him. “He just…he did something awful to me. We fought about it and well…it’s been fight after fight ever since.” Hayden said. “How do you know so much about him?” Justin asked. “Things I’ve heard.” Hayden muttered. Justin sighed. His questions were leading him into a dead end. “Don’t you ever get tired of fighting?” Justin asked. Hayden nodded. “But I am not going to let him win.” Hayden told him. “Were you going to kill him that day?” Justin asked swallowing. Hayden looked at Justin and stared. He didn’t know what he had been thinking that day. He didn’t know if he would have really killed Brian. “Say something.” Justin muttered. “I don’t know.” Hayden told him truthfully. “I just don’t know. He got me so mad, Justin.” “I see.” Justin told him knowing that Hayden had a bad temper but not knowing how far it could go. Justin sighed and lay back on the bed. He frowned, not knowing what else to ask. He just couldn’t straight out ask if they used to be best friends because that would mean Brian had told him. And Brian telling him implied that they talked and he wasn’t going to tell his friend that, knowing that Hayden would go ballistic. “He thinks he has won.” Hayden said angrily. “I know he took my car.” Justin kept quiet. He wanted to say something but found himself caught in the middle. “I’m going to get him for that.” Hayden assured the blond. “What are you going to do?” Justin asked. Hayden shrugged. “I’ll tell you when I think of it.” Hayden said. Justin swallowed and realized he didn’t want anything bad to happen to the brunet. He didn’t want anything bad happening to anyone. He wondered what he could do to make everyone stop fighting. He smiled knowing that first he had to find out what had happened. And he was going to. “Come on.” Hayden said getting up. “Where are we going?” Justin asked. “To find if we can catch Kinney and his friends by surprise.” Hayden said. “I need to come up with something to make them pay.” Justin got up and followed Hayden out of his room. He hoped that he didn’t have to be part of it or that Brian wasn’t going to be the target. Because he just wasn’t going to do it. He really didn’t know why, but he wasn’t going to be part of it.