Wayward People

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 Fifteen-"What Good Are Questions Without Answers?"

"So, tell me about yourself."

Why was I here?

"What kinds of things do you enjoy doing Michael?"

I wasn't a crazy person.

"Do you.....like to play sports?"

Only crazy people talked to shrinks.

"What about school?"

I wasn't crazy.

I looked up at Dr. Sanchez.

There was an annoying clock ticking in the background.

Why did I hear that so well?

Why was it bothering me?

It was just a clock.

Dr. Sanchez sighed.

"Michael, we're never going to get anywhere if you won't admit to me why you're here."

Why I was here?

Why I was here!?

I sat up a little.

"I'm here because a sick, crazy, psychopath out to ruin my life told my parents where my journal was," I replied.

There.

She wanted honesty, there was some for her.

I still didn't belong here.

Even I didn't know why I was really here.

"Mom, dad....."

My mothers crying got a little louder.

I stopped.

I don't know what I was thinking when I shut the door and decided to start with that phrase but now I was feeling a lot less confident.

What was this situation?

This was me, about to tell my parents something I'm sure they'd never thought they'd hear me admit.

Hell, I had only just admitted it to myself and now I had to do this too.

Of course, I had to wonder why?

Why was this happening?

How had they found my journal? How had they even known where to look?

Most importantly, where was I gonna start this all off?

My dad stood up, now looking a little more pissed off.

I actually backed up a little.

"Uh.."

That was all I could get to come out of my mouth.

I was practically petrified.

I had no idea what was going to happen or what I was supposed to do.

My mother's sniffling caused me to look over at her.

The shower water was still running.

Max was still in his room.

I was trapped.

"Is it true?"

My dad had asked that.

He hadn't even looked at me.

He looked like he was trying to keep from punching a hole in the wall.

I found myself looking over at my mother before I said anything.

"I..."

"I mean....it can't be true Mike," my dad spoke, looking over at me finally. "I mean....you're my son."

He said that like it was supposed to mean something, but I wasn't exactly sure what.

Why did things seem so quiet? Like the walls were closing in?

Were the walls closing in?

I almost couldn't breath.

I must have stood there for at least five minutes, just thinking and looking between the two of them.

"Look, dad...it's just....a story."

Somewhere after feeling like I was going to be crushed to death had I come up with the decision to deny, deny, and deny some more.

That seemed like the smartest thing to do right about now.

I mean, they both knew I loved to write.

Maybe I could pull it off.

"This doesn't look like any story I've ever read, Mike," my dad spoke.

He didn't sound as upset as he looked.

Maybe that was a good thing.

I looked back over at my mother who actually looked like she had finished crying whatever tears she had in her.

Now she looked like she was thinking about something.

With my attention focused on her, I was only snapped back into reality once I realized that the shower water had stopped.

I looked back over at my dad who seemed to be studying me.

It was a gaze that forced me to look down.

"Anyway, you don't need to worry because it's just a story, not real-"

"Don't lie to us Michael!" my mother exclaimed, standing up.

I shut up quickly enough.

Maybe I wasn't going to be able to pull this off after all.

"I thought he just had a little bit too much to drink," my dad started. "I thought he didn't know what he was talking about."

It took me a second to catch on.

"Evan?"

Evan.

That was it.

He was the reason why my parents had found the journal.

He'd found it the first time, so he must have known it'd still be here.

And I was stupid enough to keep it here too.

He found it before, and he'd managed to con my parents into finding it again.

All because why?

He was crazy!

Why else?

"I don't believe this," I mumbled. "That asshole is trying to ruin my life-"

I didn't even get to add to the rest of that sentence because my mother slapped me mighty quick.

"You don't get to use words like that under this roof," she spoke.

Um, could anyone blame me for freaking out a little?

This wasn't an ordinary situation.

"So what, the drunk loser who made a fool out of himself at the dance tells you he thinks I have a journal filled with my most intimate and very private thoughts hidden in my room and you decide to believe him?"

"Don't get smart with us," my mother spoke. "What's done is done and now we want the truth from you. Are you.....a homosexual, Michael?"

It occurred to me that I didn't really have to tell them anything.

Somewhere, possession was nine tenths of the law.

I'm sure I could have used the way this thing had gone down so far in a courtroom somewhere.

People sued any and everyone these days for any and everything.

I could always lie.

I'd perfected that skill to a tee lately.

I heard something outside my door.

That was when I remembered that I wasn't completely alone with my parents.

My brother and Max were within earshot of this entire conversation.

So by the end of this night, everyone in the house would know I was gay.

I guess I couldn't lie.

As long as this was happening, I had to get it out.

Too bad I was scared out of my mind though.

"Answer me Michael! Are you a homosexual?"

I looked between my father and mother before sighing and looking down.

I couldn't look them in the face.

I suddenly felt dirty.

Because of what I had to admit.

"Yes."

I was completely aware that I'd barely said that but I knew they'd heard it.

"Oh my goodness!" my mother shrieked.

I don't know why she was acting like this was news to her.

After snooping through my room and stealing my journal, I'm sure she'd read all about this.

I guess she just wanted to hear it from me.

My mom walked away from me while my dad just stood where he was.

My mom was running her fingers through her hair looking agitated.

"I don't believe this...."

"Can I have my journal back please?"

I don't even know why I was so concerned with getting that damn thing back.

As far as I was concerned it was partly responsible for all this.

My mother turned back to me.

"Can you have your what?"

"My journal," I replied, looking over to where it was on my bed.

My mom eyed me for a while before she stormed over to me and tried slapping me again.

Only this time, I caught her hand, causing my mother to gasp.

When I looked at what I'd done, I let it go and stepped back.

What was wrong with me?

"Alright that's it," she spoke. "I want you out!"

I looked up at her.

"What?"

"You heard me," she replied, walking over to my dresser and beginning to go through it. "This is a house of God. Homosexuals have nothing to do with God."

"Mom..."

She didn't reply, instead started pulling out underwear and other garments.

She was serious about this!

"Mom!"

"Shut up talking to me, Michael," my mom spoke, sounding like she was actually thinking clearly.

Oh my god, she was SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!

I just watched her pack my things.

Why was she doing this?

What.....ugh.....why was all of this happening?

When she was finally finished, she zipped up a bag full of my stuff, and held it out to me.

I just looked at it.

"Well take it!"

"Dad..."

In all this, my dad had been mostly silent.

He was just looking down.

He looked lost and confused.

But the last thing he looked was sympathetic.

I wondered if he actually agreed with my mother right about now.

"Michael, take the bag and go."

I looked back over at her.

"Mom, where am I supposed to go?"

"I don't know Michael," my mother replied. "Why don't you try Las Vegas? It is the city of sin"

Was she serious?

I knew she was serious but...I had to keep asking myself that.

It was like none of this was happening even if I knew very well that it was.

I finally took the bag from my mother, slowly, and just stood there.

I didn't want to go.

"Mom...dad.."

"Michael, I've already asked you to leave."

I don't remember her asking me anything.

And it was clear to see I wasn't about to get anywhere with her.

I had to try my dad.

Maybe he did sympathize with me after all.

"Dad, please..."

My dad just continued staring down.

He was a lot like Troy in the respect that I couldn't read the look on his face.

I didn't know what he was thinking.

So this was happening.

I'd been forced to admit to my parents that I was gay and in turn they were kicking me out.

Fine.

I let out a sigh and turned to open my door.

I hesitated for a moment, half expecting my parents to change their mind.

When they didn't, I felt a little pissed off and stormed down the stairs, past Max and Troy who were both standing at their doors looking confused.

I didn't stop to look back.

Hell if they wanted me gone, then I was going.

My keys were in my pocket.

I walked straight outside and to my car.

Las Vegas, huh?

Maybe....

When I looked back at the house, I could clearly see Troy and Max staring at me from their windows.

They probably were just as confused by all this as I was.

Before, I was pissed.

Now all I felt like doing was crying.

Which, as I started the car up and put it into gear, was just what I started to do.

My life as I'd come to know it was over.

"Tell me about...this psychopath as you call him," Dr. Sanchez spoke.

I looked up at her.

"Why?"

All she had to do was grab a dictionary and look up the words Satan' and Asshole' and she'd at least have some kind of idea.

"Well you say he's the reason why you were forced to tell your parents about your sexuality," she replied. "I was hoping I could get some kind of idea as to what he's like."

I really didn't want to talk about Evan.

It was like she had said, he was the reason I was even here right now.

I didn't need a shrink.

That was for nut-jobs or people who lived in L.A.

"Evan's a bully," I sighed. "One day he decided that I was gonna be the one guy he wanted to focus his wrath upon and that was that."

"Just like that?" Dr. Sanchez asked. "Just out of the blue?"

What was she getting at?

Yes out of the blue!

Evan may have been my brother's best friend for most of my life, but the two of us had certainly never spoken to each other let alone exchanged blows up until the week before Troy had come.

It was all Evan and no one else.

"Yeah," I replied, trying to convey my sense of annoyance. "Just like that."

Dr. Sanchez seemed to study my face for a little while before she looked down and started writing something on her little notepad.

"Interesting."

I hated when she did that.

She wrote a lot and said `interesting' a lot and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

It certainly couldn't have been a good combination.

"Why is that interesting?" I asked. "Does it mean something?"

Dr. Sanchez looked up at me.

"Just trying to get some information, that's all," she replied.

Well I didn't like the information she was trying to get.

"Can we talk about something else please?" I asked.

I watched as she folded her hands and moved in her seat ever so slightly.

"Okay," she started. "Why don't we talk about what happened after your parents threw you out of the house."

Oh yeah.

That.

That was certainly something I wasn't expecting to have to talk about.

"Well," I started.

I'm stupid!

Why in the hell had I took that bag and left?

What was I trying to prove?

I was a 16 year old junior in high school with no job and only a few friends, who were bound to not be once they learned what had happened tonight.

Where was I gonna go?

I'd been asking myself that over and over for well over an hour, not really going anywhere in the car.

I think I was just driving in circles.

It wasn't like I could go back now.

My parents probably changed the locks by now.

Or were planning on doing it.

And then they'd cut off my credit card and I wouldn't have any money.

Oh my god!

I'd be poor!

I'd have to live out on the streets with all the other poor people!

Oh my god!

I had to calm down.

I read somewhere that it wasn't good to stress out while driving.

Car accidents happened that way.

And if this car was going to turn into my new home, the last thing I wanted was for it to be all dinged up. Or worse.

All this talk of living out on a street somewhere had me panicking though.

I couldn't live on the street.

It suddenly dawned on me that until word got out that I was the most disgusting person on town, I still had a life.

I still had friends.

Maybe I could stay with one of them.

No, not maybe.

Definitely.

As in I had to stay with one of them.

There was no other way.

I had to consider my options.

First there was Pete.

His parents seemed nice enough.

But I didn't know much about them other than the fact that my mom was good friends with his now.

She'd probably talk with my mom the minute I showed up there and they wouldn't even have to kick me out because Pete would beat them to it.

That would just leave me wondering if it was possible to unmeet a person.

And it only left Sienna.

Sienna's parents were divorced and her mother was the person she stayed with primarily.

She was the one who took her and her siblings to church.

But then there was her father.

I didn't know much about him because Sienna didn't really talk about him all that much, but as far as I knew she stayed with him on certain days of certain weeks as well.

I just hoped that tonight was one of those days.

I took out my cell phone and dialed her cell.

It rang a couple of times before she answered it.

I was surprised considering it was nearly 11 pm.

She sounded like she wasn't the list bit tired as well.

Good things to know.

"Sienna...hey, it's me," I replied.

She knew my phone voice by now.

She knew who `me' was.

"Mike, hey," Sienna replied. "I was just thinking about you. I had the weirdest feeling something was wrong."

I guess all women had that intuitive skill.

"Like what?" I asked.

"I don't know," she replied. "But seriously....are you okay?"

I let out a sigh as I turned a corner.

There were never really that many cars out during the day in Wayward since everything was mostly in walking distance.

So at night, like now, it was practically deserted.

Smooth driving really.

"I was kinda hoping maybe I could come over," I replied.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone and I'd wondered if she'd actually hung up.

"What's wrong Mike?"

"Sienna-"

"No, first tell me what's wrong," she spoke, cutting me off.

I realized that I was going to have to play by her rules if either of us expected to get anywhere.

I was on a truth telling role tonight.

I didn't see why I should keep her from the truth too.

"My...my parents found something," I started. "Something I didn't want them to see."

"Was it that journal? The one Evan stole from your room?"

I let out a sigh.

"Yeah. That one."

"Mike, it's okay. You don't have to act like it's some big secret. I've known for a while you were gay."

I nearly stepped on the breaks.

"What?"

Now why was I acting so surprised?

I'd suspected maybe she knew that about me.

But actually hearing that she knew was different from suspicion.

"How long?" I asked.

"Mike, why don't you just come over and we can talk," she replied.

"Are you at your moms?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I was," Sienna replied. "I'm staying with my dad this week. He's cool. He won't mind you coming over."

Would he mind me mooching for a few days until I got my shit together? That was the real question.

"Alright," I replied. "Just tell me how to get there."

"It's my understanding that you have two brothers? Right?"

I looked up at Dr. Sanchez.

"I have a younger brother, Max," I replied. "Troy's not really my brother. He's just staying with us for the school year."

I never really had thought about it, but I guess in some respects, Troy was kind of like my brother now.

A brother I didn't really know much about.

But still....

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dr. Sanchez replied. "Your parents haven't exactly been forthcoming in the details department."

Yeah, that seemed like them to me.

This was their doing.

The reason I was here.

"I don't really know much about Troy," I replied. "I guess you could say he's a lot like my parents in the details department."

Dr. Sanchez smiled at me for the first time since I'd been in her office.

This whole shrink thing wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

It still sucked, but if I had to do it..............

"How have they taken the news?" Dr. Sanchez asked.

I looked down at my hands and started messing with my fingers.

"I..."

"You can be honest with me, you know that don't you Michael?"

Not really.

She was doing the job she was being paid to do by my parents.

For all I knew, for a little extra, she'd be willing to divulge any and everything I told her to them.

Then again, I guess I knew that wasn't the case.

It was just that life seemed a lot more cynical to me lately.

"I don't know," I replied. "They....they were......"

If I didn't know, how was she going to expect me to tell her?

It sure was quiet.

But I just figured that's how things were after you told your parents you were gay.

And just yesterday too.

I was lucky we still had Thanksgiving vacation and wouldn't have to go back to school until Wednesday.

As I sat on the couch in my living room wondering why my parents had gone out of their way to find me and bring me home, I couldn't help but to wonder if there was something else going on here.

I was half expecting so see Reverend Thomas come popping out of the kitchen with a cross in one hand and some holy water in the other.

Then again, I doubt he was even able to hold those things anymore given we had that one thing in common.

Now, I was just expectant.

I wanted to know what was up.

"Um..." I decided to start.

If they weren't going to start this candidly sordid little family meeting off, then I guess I was going to have to.

I noticed my mother was still refusing to look at me but my dad actually looked worried.

"Look, Mike," he started. "I don't...I mean we don't......you gotta understand, you kinda took us by surprise."

Well they wouldn't have been surprised had they not ravaged my room like a couple of crackheads looking for a stash.

I honestly didn't know how to respond to that.

Either they wanted me here or they didn't but I didn't feel like being here just to be jerked around anymore.

I was over all that.

"Your mother thinks.....she thinks you've lost your way," my dad spoke.

Oh yeah. That HAD to be it.....

"What do you think?" I asked.

My dad sighed.

"I think you're....you're confused. I mean, you can't be gay, you haven't even done anything......have you?"

"Oh god..." My mother sighed.

My dad looked over at her and straightened up a little on the couch in front of me.

"Your mother and I just want you to think clearly," dad replied. "That's why I convinced her to have you talk to someone....about this problem."

This was all just so funny to me.

Not thinking clearly?

A problem?

Seriously? That's how they were describing this all? Seriously!?!

I looked over at my mom who was now looking at me with this challenging look.

It was one that said that she was just waiting for me to argue with them so she'd have a reason to kick me out again.

She must didn't realize I was smarter than that.

I knew things were far from okay and I didn't know if they'd ever go back to being normal, but I also knew that I wasn't ready to be on my own yet.

I didn't wanna stay with Sienna and her dad all my life and I couldn't stay out on the streets.

As much as I hated to admit it, I needed my parents.

"Say something Mike," dad said.

It was almost like dad was pleading with me.

At least someone wanted me here.

I had to think about what they were talking about.

Actually...what were they talking about?

"So when you say talk to someone...."

"A therapist, Michael," my mother cut in. "We've already made an appointment for you to speak to someone."

Yeah, that didn't surprise me.

But a therapist?

As in a shrink?

The crazy persons doctor?

Did they think I was crazy all of a sudden?

I'm gay so I must be out of my mind?

What choice did I have but to accept this though?

"Alright," I replied. "If that's what you two want."

My dad was smiling at me but my mom looked kind of snobbish just then, which was weird considering she wasn't snobbish.

"You'll see. It's better for all of us this way," my dad replied.

Better for whom?

Them?

Or me?

Evan opened his front door and grinned upon seeing who was standing at it.

"Talk to God, have my prayers answered," he spoke as if he were reading an imaginary list. "Guess I can cross that off now."

"I think the God you're talking about only responds to people who haven't sold their souls to the devil," Sienna replied.

"Aww, now why you gotta ruin a brotha's mojo? Evan spoke sarcastically.

Sienna felt a little like vomiting right then.

"I came to talk to you about Mike," she started.

"Saw what the big man could do and decided to come crawling back to me did you?" Evan asked.

"Actually I-"

She stopped once she heard Evan's mother asking him who was at the door.

Evan yelled back at her before she reminded him that he was grounded and to make it quick.

"Yeah, turns out they don't have a sense of humor at all," he replied. "House arrest is as far as it goes."

Sienna just stared at him.

"Did you wanna come inside or....."

Sienna eyed Evan for a few moments before slowly walking past him and into the house she'd been so familiar with.

Nothing had changed since the last time she was here, which was actually only just last week, before Thanksgiving.

"I'd offer you something to drink but you'd probably think I poisoned the cup or something," Evan spoke.

"Sounds about right," Sienna replied, bitterly.

Evan led Sienna upstairs to his room and shut the door behind him.

"So, since this is about Mike I take it this isn't a friendly visit?"

"You probably ruined his life, you know that?"

"Oh, I'm capable of that much huh?" Evan asked. "Next thing, the world!"

"You're an ass-"

"No, I'm the best thing that ever happened to you, princess. Remember that."

"Do you know that Mike's spent the past two days at my dad's?"

Evan didn't respond.

"His parents threw him out after YOU told them where his private journal was."

"I seem to remember getting my hands on that thing a while ago, and then having it taken from me before I could use it," Evan replied. "Can't blame me cuz Carson wasn't smart enough to get rid of it."

"Why are you like this? You were never like this-"

"Newsflash Sienna, I was always like this," Evan replied. "And you? You were just the peppy, popular cheerleading girlfriend that all the other girls wish they were and all the guys wanted. We fit our parts, that's it."

"I'm nothing like you-"

"Is that what you think now?"

"Stay away from Mike," Sienna spoke, sharply.

Evan eyed Sienna to see if she was serious before grinning upon realizing she was.

"My Sienna, I almost missed that hand up your ass."

"Excuse me?"

"That line? I think it was perfected by that male loving best friend of yours," Evan replied. "Remember him? Your other friends BOYFRIEND?"

Sienna looked down.

"What, did he send you over here to demand I keep my hands off his property?" Evan asked. "Because if he did you can tell him not to worry. I'm not a big fan of used goods."

Sienna looked up at Evan, glaring at him.

"I feel bad for you Evan," Sienna spoke. "Because one day, you're gonna wake up and hate yourself just as much as the rest of us already do."

She couldn't take any more of Evan and left him watching her go with those words on his mind.

I was nervous walking up to my room.

I kept expecting the pictures lining the walls as I walked up to jump at me and try to kill me.

Especially the ones with my brother in them.

I had since discovered what must have been his problem all this time.

Evan had somehow gotten into my room, stolen my journal, and then told Max about it, who had probably made him put the journal back.

Max probably pretended nothing happened, but it wasn't like he could forget what I had written in it.

So instead of being like his evil, vindictive best friend, he decided to keep what he learned to himself instead of talking to me about it.

I guess I felt a little relieved about that.

To know that my brother knew my deepest secret and hadn't told my parents about it.

Then again, he hadn't told me about it either.

As I reached the top of the stairs and looked around, I suddenly felt like I wasn't even in my own home.

It was quiet and both Max and Troy had their doors shut.

I had to wonder if they were even here.

I was suddenly afraid to go open either of their doors to talk to them.

Luckily, Troy came out of his room before I even made another move.

Lucky or unlucky depending on how you wanted to look at it.

At first he just started at me and I stared right back.

I'm sure neither one of us knew what to do.

I sure as hell didn't.

Troy walked over to me and pulled me into a slow hug.

I was a bit taken aback, so I didn't really hug him back.

He held me in it for few seconds before he released me.

"I was worried about you," he said. "I didn't know if you were coming back."

"I was at Sienna's," I replied.

It was nice to know that Troy was worried about me.

It showed me that he really was turning out to be a great friend.

But then I felt bad that he even had to worry about me in the first place.

"But you're back now," he replied.

"Yeah."

"That's good."

There was this moment of silence.

It wasn't awkward because I was with Troy, and I knew he was happy to see me back.

"Max was...is worried about you too," Troy spoke.

"Did he tell you that?" I asked, looking over at my brothers closed door.

Troy looked down.

"Why didn't you tell me you were...you know?" Troy asked.

I looked over at him.

"I didn't exactly tell anyone, remember?" I replied. "Evan made that choice for me."

"Well I don't hate you or anything," Troy replied. "You're still my friend."

That was good to know, although most of me already knew Troy wouldn't have a problem with me being gay.

That conversation we'd had with Reverend Thomas way back when told me that much.

"Well, I'm glad you're back," Troy spoke, smiling a little.

He picked up my bag for me and took it to my room.

I was about to follow but the door to my brother's room suddenly open and I froze.

I kept telling myself that I wanted to talk to Max. That I needed to talk to him.

And now that I was actually having to talk to him....

"Hi," I decided to start.

It was a good place.

I hope.

Max just stared at me.

I didn't know what to do.

We stood like that for what seemed to me like forever before he stepped aside, indicating that he wanted me to come inside his room.

I did and he shut the door behind us.

"Look, Max-"

"I didn't want to believe it," Max started.

I stopped.

If he was talking to me now, then I was more than willing to shut up.

"I mean, how could you be...gay, you know?" he asked.

I couldn't help but to look down.

I suddenly felt small standing before him.

I was hoping that he wouldn't treat me like my parents had.

I was hoping that he'd accept me.

"And then, if you were you'd tell me. That's what I thought. That you'd tell me anything."

"Max-"

"Mike, it's not that I'm upset with you being gay.....you just didn't tell me," Max replied. "I was dealing with that and the rest of it....it was a lot to handle."

And I guess I could understand that.

"I'm......I'm sorry," I replied.

And I was.

My first mistake was not telling Max about me, I knew that now.

"It's not......I'm sorry about the way it had to happen," Max replied. "But there's something you should know."

I didn't like the way he sounded just then.

He was looking down like he was ashamed of something and I was starting to get nervous.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

Max sighed.

"I....gave it to him."

I just stared at him.

"Huh?"

"Your journal? I'm the one that gave it to Evan."

What?

What?

I mean.....what?

But how?

Had he been snooping through my room too?

Was I living in a house full of snoops?

"Max-"

"I just wanted to believe you weren't...gay," Max replied. "I was trying to show Evan that."

I seriously doubted Evan would think I wasn't gay even if he had scientific evidence that I was straight.

"Evan accidentally found it and showed it to me," he replied. "That's how I found it."

An accident was punching the guy at Blockbuster who charges a late fee on a movie that's one minute late.

This?

This was so much bigger than that.

This meant that Evan had actually been looking for a way to hurt me and had pulled my brother into his dirty schemes in the process.

I couldn't actually be upset with Max for this.

Just like the rest of it, it was all Evan's fault.

"I'm really sorry Mike...I wasn't trying to hurt you or anything like that....I just...I was trying to deal..."

And looking into my brothers eyes just then, he looked serious.

I could tell that he really was sorry and that he loved me all the same.

"It's okay Max," I replied. "This isn't your fault, now is it?"

Max looked up at me.

"But-"

"It's Evan's."

Max stared at me for a few seconds before the look on his face changed.

Just then, it looked like he was thinking about something.

I was almost afraid to ask what.

"I don't blame you at all," I replied.

"Max!"

Max stared at Evan, whose grin faded once he saw how serious he looked.

"So no party then?" Evan asked.

"Remember that time when we got into that fight and you said I wouldn't hit you back because we were friends?"

Evan looked like he was trying to think back.

"When you hang around people like Andrew, you tend to start getting stupider," he replied. "Enlighten me."

Max pulled back and punched Evan in the stomach who doubled over and tried to keep from screaming.

"Well I just realized, friends don't really do that kind of stuff to each other," Max spoke, looking over Evan.

Evan sucked in a few breaths before standing back up, trying to regain his composure.

His face was red and his eyes were watery, but he mostly just looked pissed.

"Wanna tell me why I shouldn't clock you right in the face?" he spoke through gritted teeth.

"I don't wanna fucking hear it anymore!" Max replied. "You and me? Were done. We actually should've been over a long time ago."

"So his mind control now extends to family members huh?" Evan spoke. "My how vast the powers of the almighty fag are."

"Just stay away from Mike," Max replied.

Max didn't stick around for anything else. Instead he just left Evan standing at his front door with a hurt stomach and a red face.

"You know, I have to honestly say that you've shown a tremendous amount of progress," Dr. Sanchez replied. "Remember Monday when you first came and didn't say anything?"

Because I hadn't felt like I belonged here.

And I still didn't.

What was the point of talking about all of this stuff really?

I mean, it wasn't like talking about stuff that had already happened was going to fix anything.

If she sold time machines, then we'd be in business.

"I guess I figured I didn't want to waste your time," I replied.

Like that one, huh? I just thought it up.

Dr. Sanchez smiled at me before flipping through her little notebook and looking it over.

"Well, we certainly have covered a lot of ground this afternoon," Dr. Sanchez spoke.

Yeah and I couldn't help but to wonder what all everyone had been up to while I'd been talking to her.

Sienna and Max. Even Troy.

Probably sitting at home watching t.v. or something.

"I think we should end today's session," Dr. Sanchez spoke, looking over her watch. "We can continue next week."

Where I'd have to see her once a week, every week until my parents were sure that I was cured.

I hope they weren't paying her too much, because they were wasting their money.

Too bad they didn't realize that.

"I'll call my parents to come pick me up," I spoke, taking out my cell phone.

Evan opened his front door for the third time on one day and almost froze when he saw who was standing at it.

"Really now? Three visits in one day," he decided to say, in order to at least seem confident. "I must be the prettiest princess on Earth!"

"Cut the bullshit Evan," Troy spoke. "Be serious."

Evan let his smile fade as he crossed his arms.

"Seriously, what did you guys do? Sit down and decide to come over here like thirty minutes apart from each other?"

Troy didn't know what Evan was talking about, nor did he care.

He had a reason for being here.

"Can we talk?" Troy asked.

"I am grounded you know," Evan replied, before glancing behind him and looking back at Troy. "But what the hell, not like much else is gonna happen to me today."

Evan stepped aside to let Troy in and the two of them just stood there.

"My folks went to get dinner," Evan spoke. "So I'm all by my lonesome."

Evan led Troy upstairs to his room, where there were papers blowing on walls from a draft coming from his open second story window.

"Are you really that hot?" Troy asked.

"Not you too, I swear-"

"No, the window...."

"And?"

Evan walked over to it and sat on the window sill.

"So, what's this all about? I think tea and crumpets are out."

"You know what you did to Mike was horrible right?"

"And they say cell phones cause cancer, but we can't really be sure," Evan replied.

"Everything's just some kind of joke to you huh?" Troy asked. "You seriously think that no matter how much you fuck up that you'll always have someone who still wants to be friends with you."

"Your spiel is just as bad as the other two, although I take it this one comes without a punch to the stomach."

Troy reached into his pocket and took out a checkbook.

"No, this one comes with a price," he started, opening it up.

Evan looked over at him curiously.

"Well my friendship comes free, but I guess I can start charging a membership fee-"

"How much?" Troy asked, writing something.

Evan paused.

"What?"

"How much do you want to leave this town and never come back?"

Evan stared at Troy for a while before he said anything.

"Are you saying that you're willing to pay me to leave town?"

Troy looked up.

"Mike's never gonna be happy with you around here," Troy replied. "So I'm offering you the chance to go torment someone else."

Evan chuckled.

"Come on Troy, what is this really? Somebody watch a little too much The Godfather?"

"Ten thousand?"

Evan stopped again, this time looking more serious.

"What....Troy-"

"Okay, twenty five."

Evan didn't respond.

"Thirty?"

"Troy, I'm not gonna leave town!"

Troy looked back up at Evan before calmly putting his checkbook away.

"And thanks for that, I mean now that I know you're a rich...whatever you are, I can-"

Troy rushed over to Evan, grabbed him so that he flung back, and flipped him over, so that he had him by the ankles, hanging out of his window.

"Oh my god, are you crazy?!" Evan shouted.

"You ever heard about those people that are there one day and gone the next?" Troy spoke as he held on to a wriggling Evan. "Because that's gonna be you!"

"Let me go!"

"You might wanna think twice about what you just said. Because I don't give a damn about your pathetic little life."

Evan was trying to keep from looking to where the ground was, twenty five feet below him.

He was panicking.

"You'll go to jail-"

"Wrong," Troy replied. "I doubt anyone cares about you anymore after that stunt you pulled on Thursday."

"I'm sorry...I didn't-"

"Oh boo hoo, you knew exactly what you were doing and you're not sorry," Troy replied. "And all it's gonna take is one call from me to make you disappear."

At this point, Evan believed everything Troy was telling him.

"Now, we're gonna go to school tomorrow and Mike's gonna be there," Troy started. "If you see him in the hallway, you go the other way. If you have to take a piss when he's in the bathroom, you go piss in the girls one."

Evan looked down, shaking.

"If you so much as speak to him ever again, I'll come back here and we'll have another little chat," Troy replied. "But I guarantee you you're not gonna like what I have to say."

Evan was now crying from sheer fear.

"Understood?"

"Okay, okay! Just pull me back up!"

Troy pulled Evan back up, letting him fall on the ground.

He looked himself over and dusted himself off.

"Should've taken the money, Evan," he said. "Then you'd be getting paid to do what you love somewhere else."

Evan stared over at Troy with pure hatred in his eyes.

"Oh and not a word to anyone about any of this," Troy replied. "Or would like to find out how serious my threats are?"

Evan didn't reply and Troy didn't stick around to hear one.

Either way, new ground had been established and both of them knew it.

YahooGroup (w/ advanced chapters of the story): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JoJoPresents-GayFiction/

Personal email: crossingboi2004@yahoo.com

Copyright 2005