Chapter 16 – "Promises"

At Last – Etta James

"Richard Styles, Alex Brighton, Brody Rhodes, Mathew Gonzalez, Spencer Haynes."

Ethan blinked as his hand slid off of white broad sheet with the names of the boys who were nominated for Junior Prom King. He swallowed harshly and looked my way with way too much sadness in his eyes, "I wasn't nominated?"

I patted his shoulder, "There's always next year."

He casually shrugged my hand off and leaned against the wall, hiding the sheet in the process. "I might be dead next year." He moaned, "Isn't the world supposed to end in December or something? This could be my one moment that I remember forever."

I rolled my eyes, "First off, The Mayan calendar thing is the media taken sensationalized bull and running with it, second, when since winning Junior Prom the highlight of anyone's life besides that one underachieving, ex-high football playing guy who was popular in high school and now is in the cheap bar down the street?"

"How the hell are you nominated and I'm not?" he continued, basically ignoring everything I just said. He kicked his feet sourly and lowered his head, "I'm the guy here."

"Woah, there partner, watch it." I barked, "I'm just as much guy as you are."

He didn't even make eye contact; instead, he raised his left arm and curled it back to flex his bicep, "Maybe I should start working out more."

I smacked him on his forehead and his head instantly snapped back; as well eyes his eyes back to me. He rested an angry open palm across the reddening area and growled lowly at me, "I'm in a crisis right now, Spence!" he spat and it came more so cuter than it did angry. The situation at hand was far too stupid to take his rising ire to heart.

For his sake, I suppressed the laughter that was bubbling and brimming at the back of my throat, "Ethan, this isn't that serious. It's just a stupid crown."

"Then forfeit."

I scoffed, "And lose to Mathew? Not a chance."

He pouted and gave me his best set of puppy eyes, "Not even for me?" I raised a brow and blinked and once he got the answer that stared (or blinked) him in the face, his head smacked the board, "You're a monster."

I shrugged, "You knew that before you started dating me." I muttered, causally playing with my fingernails.

After a few little seconds of silence, he radomly exploded. "So what am I supposed to do? Just let some chick dance with you while I watch on as someone wraps their arms around your waist and sways?"

"No." I responded as calmly as I could; hopefully not erupting like he was would give him a hint that he was – once again – blowing things up bigger than they actually were. "We are going to dance and have fun and party and celebrate each other. So what if I have to share a three minute dance to a Micheal Bolton song with some broad? If she isn't carrying a penis and isn't named Ethan Littman, then it means nothing."

Half way through my calm reply, his chest's erratic puffing had slowed and his heartbeat that practically echoed up and down the empty hall could have all but stopped; so, by the time I was done with proclamation, he was still and silenced with seemingly no 'angry-boy' retort in him.

"I love you – you, Ethan. So man up and act rational."

He gave me a stiff nod after a few seconds and leaned forward slowly with eyes dead set on my mouth. I planned to meet him half way with my own set of puckered up lips but his phone's annoying rap ringtone stopped us before we got started. He pulled back with an irritated sigh and reopened his eyes before looking down at the screen of his phone.

"I've got to go." he mumbled.

I swallowed lightly, "Who is it?"

"Nobody." He answered quickly and for the briefest of seconds, I saw a flash of guilt run through his darkly colored eyes. It was strange because I was positive that if I didn't know what was going on I would have missed it which was strange since I could write the lexicon on what each of his facial expressions meant.

I nodded a response, "Okay, well, if you don't have anything else to tell me, I'll catch up with you later."

That same brief spark twinkled again and disappeared as he leaned towards me and placed a kiss on my cheek that was cute, small, simple and the first one he had given me since we became official that wasn't connected to my lips.

He span on his heels clumsily and practically bolted down the hall. I huffed drearily and leaned against the wall before the heels of Karla sounded from around the corner where her and Abby were hidden and listening to our conversation.

I turned to meet her worried eyes as well as Abby's softer ones. "I'm sorry, Spence."

"I thought for sure he would have told me if I responded well to him not being nominated." I admitted and once again leaned up on the wall.

Abby sighed and came closer, wearing a yellow sundress with jeans under, "He's scared."

I rolled my eyes, "He's lying as well." I looked over to Karla, "Did you reprint the real nomination list with his name on it?"

She shook her head, "Not yet, and you're damn lucky that I'm on this damn committee."

I rolled my eyes playfully at her, "Remind me to thank you in my coronation speech Saturday night, then."

Abby tried to laugh but her smile was basically gone before it got a chance to grow, "So, what are you going to do?"

I remained silent and Karla stepped forward and rested a hand on my shoulder, "Has he called you back?"

I nodded and looked at her, "We spoke the same day Austin dropped had bombshell on me."

Abby leaned forward, "And?"

"It's true. Ethan and Austin dated back in March. They broke up, Austin was angry so he targeted me to torture Ethan. Apparently, I was just seconds late to watch the fireworks myself in the park."

"Thank God," Abby muttered, "This would have been much worse if you saw the both of them together."

Karla nodded, "I have to agree. You're level headed for the most part, Spence but, when you get angry, you're more dangerous than a hungry bear."

"I'm taking that as a compliment." I quipped and briefly looked down at my watch and groaned, "I better get home; my parents are having a Welcome home, Kai-slash-Congratulations Spencer family dinner."

Karla dry heaved, "I'd rather be dipped in lava than sit through family dinners." She shivered, "What are you celebrating anyway?"

"My 4.0 Grade Point Average that will get me into all my AP classes for senior year."

Abby cocked her head, "Isn't it a little too early to be celebrating?"

Karla nodded, "Those results aren't out for another three weeks or so."

I shrugged, "You know my parents, 'why be disappointed tomorrow when you could celebrate today?'"

Karla snorted, "At least they accept that you're gay."

"Compared to being successful and living up to the family name, hiding and coming out was a walk in the park. My parents may be accepting of sexuality but God knows they won't tolerate failure."

Abby sighed. "Too bad your family members don't die often." Both Karla and I gave Abby strange looks. She shrugged, embarrassed and sunk into herself, "You know what I meant."

"Yeah." I mumbled, "I'll see you two later."

Abby rolled her blue eyes and waved a goodbye while Karla offered a generous smile. I span on my heel and causally walked out the double doors that led to the outside and to the parking lot where my car was parked on the far eastern side of the lot.

Ethan had called me earlier this morning and told me that the traffic was 'killer' and I had better take my car to school or I was going to miss my first final. It must have been the whole guilt thing eaten him up because it could have literally been raining cat and dogs and he would risk taking the road to get me to school.

Half way across the lot, a ball – a basketball – shot across my eyes at bullet speed, mere inches away from making my face the proverbial basket and bounced passed a few cars before it got stuck under that ugly low-rider Steven Davidson bounced into school with every day.

My eyes shot over to the courts that were not so far from the lot and is if on cue, the boys all averted their gaze to the nearest insignificant figure they could find; all but one.

He smirked a little in my direction before jogging over and stopping three feet away from where I stood; arms folded.

"My bad, Spencer." Mathew snickered, not even trying to hide his laughter like the other boys. "Are you okay?" he scanned me over comically, "Broke a nail?"

"You're hi-lar-ious, Mathew." I retorted sarcastically and started for my car again. Unfortunately, he took that as an invite to follow me.

"How are the prom plans coming along?"

I huffed, "Mathew if you have something to ask me, do it."

I saw him blink in my peripheral, "Donna has a nasty case of the flu and I need you to fill in for her on the debate team for Regionals on Monday."

"And you had to throw a ball at my face to ask me that?" I asked, raising a brow.

He snickered, "I work in mysterious ways."

I snorted, "Or idiotic." I muttered, pulling out my keys once we had arrived at my car. My eyes slid back to his face as I sat down in the driver's seat. "I'll think about." I didn't wait for his reply; I slammed the door and drove away.

The ride home felt weird – not just because I was driving home from school to home for the first time in a while – but more so because there was no annoying humming of whatever song came on, there was no mind numbingly painful sounds of balled fist drumming on the steering wheel and no soft kisses whenever there was a red light.

I always thought that silence was what I wanted; just the sounds of one of my favorite rock and roll bands filling whatever numbing silence the AC vents emitted. I never realized how much Ethan's voice had become the norm that without it - things felt dead.

I felt dead.

And as melodramatic as that sounds in my head (I'm sixteen – sue me), it was true. I always called him an idiot for the ridiculous stunts he pulled, his explosive mixture of out-of-control temper and raging jealousy and questionable sense of hygiene but I never figured how much I needed it to feel, well - like me.

He had a large part in forming my sarcastic nature; his inability to make it through romantic comedies without emptying the entire roll of tissue and his misguided and inflated sense that he is macho all provided me with chances to retort. No one else made me feel more like Spencer. Without him, I'm just some smart kid with upper-class parents and a bad attitude.

I hadn't even realized I had arrived home because of my own thoughts. The driveway was empty but I still neglected to park there, opting for the curb instead.

The sprinklers were on later than usual and the mat that spelt 'Welcome' in German was curiously hanging on the porch's edge than at its usual place in front of the door; ready to confuse whoever stood and read the words on it.

I huffed at the scene. There was definitely a celebration tonight. I got inside and ran up to my room, stripping myself of my clothes and looked over my note book to see what I got wrong and right on my last three tests.

Not long after, the sun descended and the moon started peeking into my bedroom window; and soon enough, downstairs turned into its usual market place as Mom, Dad and whoever came to help them started prepping for the dinner filled that will be littered with idle chatter about today's economic climate, whatever the government isn't doing, what the opposition needs to do and what they would do if they were in those spots. Worst part is that I would have to sit through it.

Someone knocked. "Baby Bro."

I looked up from my book and to the close door, "Come in, Kai."

The handle pivoted and the door pushed open. Kai – dressed in a formal black and white suit walked in. His hair however, was anything but ceremonial. The sides were shaved and neat let cut with a high patch left in the middle.

I snorted, "Welcome back Pre-2000 Will Smith."

He scowled and stepped in fully and gently patting his do, "Don't hate, Spencer."

"Okay, Fresh Prince." I chuckled, "What's with the get up anyway?"

He shrugged, "I thought I should just make mom and dad happy this one time and since I can't do anything about my throwback haircut, I decided to do the whole Suit & Tie thing." He pulled at his collar harshly and groaned, "This thing feels like it's choking me."

I snickered, "That's usually what happens when you don't wear something for two years." He rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of my bed, facing me. "So, what's the situation like downstairs?"

He huffed exasperatedly and let himself fall onto the bed, "Code: 92, 12 and 41."

I grimaced, "God, why 42?"

"All two of their sons under the same roof with things to celebrate?" he questioned rhetorically and sat up and eyed me with dull eyes, "Of course 42."

"Jesus." I mumbled, closing my book and jumping off of my bed. "I better start getting ready." I huffed and opened my closet to sift through clothes.

"When's the last time you played that thing?" Kai said after a few brief seconds of me aggravatingly thumbing through suits.

I spun around to meet him but his gaze was towards the floor in the closet. I turned back around and caught a glimpse of the guitar Ethan gave me. I knelt down and pulled it out, nearly tumbling over in the process but managing to catch myself before I fell backwards onto the floor. I stepped out of the closet door with the guitar's handle tightly secured in my grip and stumbled backwards next to Kai on my bed.

I propped up the instrument onto my lap and looked it over. Dust was starting accumulate on its strings and the shiny wood was starting to look dull. "It's been a while." I admitted.

Kai smirked next to me, "Remember I caught Ethan singing you that song when we all stayed over at the Littman's?" I reluctantly nodded and Kai ate it up. He laughed heartily, "I think that's when I first realized you were gay."

"I know you're sad."

I grumbling inaudibly and spun around with my back to Ethan. "I'm not sad; just disappointed."

"There will be other Science Fair's Spencer. Don't let that jerk Mathew get you down."

"He isn't." I barked. "Now let me go to sleep."

"." he launched back with just as much stubbornness in his voice. "You've been moping all day."

"I'm not moping." I mumbled.

"Are to." He murmured.

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are to."

"Are not." He paused, "You tricked me!"

I snorted, "Because that's hard to do."

He huffed and thankfully got quiet but, just as I wasn't about to drift into sleep, his side of the bed shifted and his feet tapped as quietly as possible against the floor.

I was going to say something but opted to just ignore him; he was probably just going to use the bathroom. But after a few more rustling noises, it was clear he wasn't leaving the room, and, just as I was about to get up and bark at him to be quiet, a soft chaotic sequence of strings played. My eyes blinked to an open and I sat up.

Ethan sat near the cliff off the mattress with a bronze guitar in his hands. He cleared his throat and started playing again, only this time, it sounded more melodic that it did the first time. "he began, hardly on key; he needed work for sure.

"I'm pretty sure that was the night when you two fell for one another." he chuckled.

I gaped at him, "You were listening at the door?"

He blinked, "Both Josh and I." he cocked his head, "Didn't I ever tell you that?"

I shook my head and scoffed, "That's sick, Kai."

"What was sick was his singing." He shivered, "he was horrible."

I rolled my eyes, "He's gotten better, believe it or not." I frowned, "And I miss him."

"Then fix it."

I looked over, "Fix what?"

He smiled knowingly, "Just fix it, Spencer." He stopped me before I could ask him any mom questions, "You'll know how to. Just fix it."

"I don't know how you know anything that's going on, but I will." I cocked my head, "Any ideas?"

He smirked, "A few."

I woke early just to stop the alarm from ringing blaring and waking Spencer. He looked so peaceful; the exact opposite of the mess that he was last night.

He was obviously upset and I couldn't help but wonder why. My thoughts trailed back to the Austin secret but that was just my guilty conscience screaming in my ear. There was no way Spencer could have known about that since I haven't told him and Austin was M.I.A. since I last talked to him.

Spencer flinched in my arms and I stilled as he shifted his weight on me; resting his head deeper into my bare chest and curling his toes into mine with one of his legs brazenly resting on top of my thighs.

Once he stopped moving around and found a position that was comfortable, I reached over on the night stand and picked up my phone and dialed his number again. We met yesterday after Spencer and I chatted in the hallway.

The phone rang about four times before his sleep voice filled the receiver, "It's early, Ethan." He croaked.

"I know, but Spencer came over last night, crying and I don't know why and I don't know what to do?"

"Where is he now?"

"I'm in my bed basically invading my body." I answered, slightly nervous, "Tell me what to do."

"How should I know?"

"You're his big damn brother, Kai." I hissed.io shrank when Spencer started shifting again.

"What do you want me to do?" he barked, sounding fully awake now.

"I don't know, dude but, if Spencer wakes up, I might not have the ability to lie to him anymore."

"Here's a crazy idea: Why don't you tell him the truth?"

"No!" I barked, a little too loud because Spencer mumbled something incoherently. "I'm not ready to lose him over something stupid; so, just help me, please?" I pleaded as quietly as possible.

He sighed, "Fine." I mumbled a 'thanks' and waited for further instruction, but the call disconnected.

The bastard hung up me! "Kai, you dick!" I whisper-yelled as Spencer shifted and soon enough, his eyes fluttered open. He rubbed his eyes to rid them of sleep and coughed a few times before he took the chance of looking me in the eyes.

His eyes were red and looked pained; I couldn't hold back the frown and I certainly regretted not doing so. The moment I frowned; he diverted his gaze to lower to avoid my eyes.