"Damn," Aaron says as he drives up to his house. "I didn't think anyone would be home."

"That's okay."

"We don't have to stay."

"No, it's fine, I'm not bothered," I shrug.

"I can introduce you as just a friend if you want."

"You can tell them I'm your boyfriend...if you want."

"Alright," he smiles.

We get out of the car, and I can tell he's a little nervous. I didn't think I'd be the first guy he had brought home.

Aaron opens the front door, and I see a man on the couch with a beer in his hand.

"Dad," Aaron greets.

"Back so soon?" He asks without turning toward us, "no work?"

"No, I was just picking up a frien— a Zach, um," he shakes his head, "my boyfriend Zach."

"Hello...sir, it's nice to meet you," I reach out to shake his hand, but he doesn't budge.

"Hi."

"Where's mom?" Aaron asks.

"Kitchen."

Aaron grabs my hand and leads me through the living room. We pass some family photos, and I notice a childhood picture of Aaron in a football uniform. Man, do I have a type.

"I'm home," he leans against the counter while his mom stands by the stove.

"Early," she says in surprise.

"This is Zach," he nods toward where I'm awkwardly standing in the doorframe. "Zach this is my mom Annie."

She gasps as she looks from me to Aaron, "your boyfriend?"

"That's the one."

"I really like your house," I say politely.

She approaches me with a smile before pinching my cheeks, "you have the most adorable face. My son has good taste."

"Yeah, I do too."

"Have you met Robert?"

I furrow my eyebrows, "Rob— oh, your husband?"

She laughs, "Aaron's father, but we're not married. Not yet, at least." Annie clears her throat and turns back toward the oven. "Are you hungry? I just finished making supper."

"Uh—" I shrug, "kind of, yeah."

"Good, Aaron will show you to the table."

He puts his arm over my shoulders, and I let him guide me to the table that's right outside the kitchen.

"Scared yet?" Aaron says in amusement.

"A little," I admit. We sit right next to each other, but I know the empty seat closest to me could possibly go to his dad...who I don't think likes me very much.

He grabs my hand under the table and squeezes it. "Don't be."

Annie walks in with a casserole dish of vegetables and roast.

His dad follows behind her with a bowl of bread rolls.

"I hope you like pot roast," Annie says.

"I do."

"Well, dig in."

They start cutting and scooping their shares onto their plates, and I watch stupidly, too uncomfortable to join them.

"I'll make your plate," Aaron nudges me when he sees my hesitance.

"Thanks," I say quietly to him, and he winks at me.

"So, Zach," Annie smiles, "what is your family like?"

"I live with my mom and my older sister."

"His mom is really nice," Aaron adds, "Marcia, right?"

"Yeah, and she's alright," I chuckle.

"Where's your dad?" Robert says coldly.

"Oh...he died when I was a baby."

He nods as if he's satisfied with that answer, as if it answered something else too.

"Aaron told me that you have known each other for a few months now?" Annie changes the subject.

"Yeah, I ran into him while he was working, and we ended up ringing in the new year together."

Robert shakes his head, "How do people bond over a pail of dippin' dots?"

"Easy," Aaron scoffs, "we're gay, and dippin' dots are a pail of balls."

Silverware drops and I can feel their stunned eyes burning into me like I said it. Aaron isn't bothered clearly, but I know if too much silence goes by— we'll never get a chance to eat in peace.

Zach to the rescue.

"So...can pot roast be made without a pot?"

"Heather," Mr. Sinclair says in surprise, "I didn't know you were here, hello."

"I'm sorry, Alison asked me to get drinks," I say with two glasses of lemonade in my hands.

"Of course, of course, that's no problem. I was just saying 'hi.'" I smile awkwardly, and he smiles back with a nod before turning to leave. He hesitates and faces me again, "while you're here, do you mind if I ask you something? It's about Alison."

"Sure..."

"She says she is seeing someone named 'Alex.' You wouldn't happen to know who that is, would you?"

"Alex?"

"Yes, an older boy, apparently."

I shake my head at the unfamiliar name, but then the realization hits.

"Oh..."

"So, you do know, then?"

"I— I don't think so," I stammer. "We don't really talk about stuff like that."

He laughs in disbelief, "you two don't talk about boys?"

"Ha...haha," I back away.

"Go on," he sighs and waves me off, "run up there to her, maybe you can convince her to tell me herself."

Somehow, I doubt that.

Still, I rush up the stairs to her room, setting the glasses down and swinging the door closed in a mild panic.

"There you are-"

"What the hell are you doing with your teacher, Alison?" I say in a loud whisper.

I see the nervousness wash over her face, but it quickly turns into a scowl.

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you talking to him. Leo and I were in the room when you both came in."

"What?" She scoffs, "where?"

"We were hiding in the closet."

"What were you even doing in the room?"

Well...

"That is beside the point."

"Nothing is happening with Mr. Faust. Whatever you think you heard is wrong."

"I sure hope so considering doing something with him would be illegal, and you both would get in a lot of trouble."

"Obviously," she rolls her eyes.

"Well, you should tell your father that nothing is going on. He seems concerned, and I am a terrible liar."

"No, let him worry, he deserves it."

"...why?"

She ignores me and heads over to her closet. I watch in confusion as she pulls out two dresses.

"Which one?"

"For what occasion?"

"I have a ticket to the ballet, and I want to look nice, mature even," she shrugs.

"Oh," I walk over to her, "this one is nice, pair it with red lipstick and a necklace and you will be the belle of the ballet."

"You think so?" She smiles.

"Yes, I think so. It's pristine, you'll look great."

She sighs blissfully, "thanks. But...there is one thing though."

"Mhm..."

"It's the same day as your birthday...I was thinking that I'd go to your party after, is that okay?"

"Sure, it's only going to be cake in my living room, don't worry about it."

"Did you invite any of your old friends?"

"Such as?"

"...Audrey...Jace...the rest of the boys."

"Why would I do that?"

"I was just wondering. Doesn't it feel weird that you're so separated from everyone? You have this whole new life that no one knows about."

I laugh, "I don't have a new life."

"New friends, new places to go, new hobbies and interests."

"My stuff with Leo is separate but not intentionally. It just never meshes with anything else."

"Will it mesh this weekend?"

"I haven't thought about it..."

Alison looks at me disbelievingly, "cutting it pretty close, aren't you, Heather?"

"Are you sure you've had enough?"

Aaron sighs, "yes, mom, we're fine."

He shoos her out of the hall and closes the room door.

"They don't meet many boyfriends, huh?"

"Oh, you can tell?"

I laugh, "your mom seems so excited."

"She was afraid that I'd be alone forever because all the gay guys are still hiding like it's the 60s, really I'm just hiding them from her."

"Are you?"

"Anybody I've brought here had to use the window and leave by the morning."

Oh.

"I think I can guess what they were coming over for then."

"Yeah," he chuckles with a shrug, "you know how it is."

Absolutely not.

"Definitely," I nod.

"Never had much in common with someone to do more than hook up every once in a while," Aaron admits.

"We don't have that much in common..."

"No, but you're easy to talk to, and we have a good time together. Sometimes that's better than finding someone with the same likes and dislikes."

"How many guys have you hooked up with?"

He inhales sharply, "We're having this talk?"

"Only to compare notes and stuff," I say casually.

"Well, I've been out for a while...I turned into some sort of beacon for closeted guys who just wanted to mess around."

Is that happening to Evan?

"So you've got a nice number then, huh?"

"Yeah, nothing too crazy though. You?"

"A lower number, but it's still a good amount."

"Cool."

"We say that to each other a lot."

He smirks and pulls me closer to him, "Maybe because things are always cool."

I match his sly smile and don't try to stop him when he brings me down onto his bed.

He hovers over me, and I start to breathe heavier at the sight of him staring down at me like this...but he leans in, and my eyes close right before our lips touch. It's a short kiss, and Aaron pulls away to then kiss my jaw...and then my neck— peppering kisses in a trail like he has a destination in mind.

He pulls his shirt off, and this time, there isn't a parent bursting through the door and stopping us.

I'm screwed.

"My brother said he can't drive us," Ned sighs.

"What the fuck? Why not?" Frankie says disappointedly.

"His ex-girlfriend's mom dropped the baby off with him, so we need a new ride."

"Where are you trying to go?" Matt asks.

"Cape May."

"These girls invited us to a party," Frankie smirks, "at their beach house."

Danny chuckles, "why would they want you two there?"

"They wanted to take pictures with us because—" he motioned from his hair to his clothes, "and we were going to charge them, but they didn't have cash, so they invited us to the party instead."

"Punks as party decoration?" I laugh. "You know everyone else is going to be wearing khakis and sweater vests, right?"

"Uh— yeah, that's why we wanna go. The girls will be all over us just to be able to tell people they got nailed by punks one night— dammit, why'd your brother even have a baby?"

"Expired condom," Ned shrugs.

"Why'd he keep it?"

"His girlfriend wanted a daughter."

"Why would anyone want a daughter?" Matt snickers

"What?"

"Everyone's always telling my parents they're lucky they got sons because girls are too much work."

I furrow my eyebrows, "What do you mean work?"

"You have to keep them from crying and keep them from dudes that make them cry."

"Just don't let them go out with dudes," Danny suggests.

"That doesn't work, and you know it. The girl I took out last weekend wasn't allowed to date, and she still ended up with me."

"Then keep them away from guys like you," I say in amusement.

Matt scoffs offendedly, "I'm a good guy."

"I mean, I don't want kids, but you might be right," Ned says, "my cousin went out with some douche who took her virginity and then got back with his ex the next day."

"Shit."

"I wouldn't even know how to respond to that."

"As a dad?" Danny questions.

"Yeah."

"Easy, you shoot him."

"Danny," I laugh while everyone looks at him like he's insane, "no, you don't do that."

"No? What type of father are you? That is what you do— you get the shotgun wedding and then a shotgun."

"We can't let him get married," Matt presses his lips into a line.

"He'll be the first to," I shake my head. "The first out of all of us."

"Including you?"

I start to shrug but choose to nod instead.

"This fucking guy," Danny scoffs.

"What?" I scoff back.

"You get one girlfriend and turn into growing pains."

"Shut up."

"Mom will be so happy to know that you changed your mind about dying alone."

"How are we getting to Cape May!" Frankie says sternly.

Ned lifts an eyebrow, "Danny?"

"No, no way I'm driving to Jersey."

"I'll drive," Ned proposes.

"No way you're driving my van."

"Come on, man, Cape May girls are hot," Frankie pleads.

Danny looks over at me to chime in, "it won't be so bad. You don't have a Mohawk or green hair, but I bet you can still pick up a jersey girl."

"Yeah? Then you're coming with us."

"No, I'm going over to Heather's."

"Don't you think you're with her too much?"

"Why would I think that?"

"Because you are."

"Fuck off, I'm with her too much, she's my girlfriend," I say defensively.

"No shit, that's the only reason I'm nice to her."

"You don't even talk to her."

"You're welcome."

I suck my teeth and then turn to Frankie. "Where's the phone?"

"Over there in the corner," he points.

"Thanks." A lot. I'm going to go bail on Heather to watch you guys try to hook up with 'old money' girls that want to scratch some things off their bucket list.

You know what? Kinda sounds like it will be funny.

"Hey, butterfly."

"Leo," she smiles, "when are you coming over?"

"I'm sorry," I sigh, "kind of got caught up with the guys. Can I see you tomorrow instead?"

"Oh, okay. Tomorrow's fine, no problem."

"You're not mad?"

She laughs, "did you expect me to be?"

"A little."

"Oh, I get it, you think I'm the clingy girlfriend who throws a tantrum whenever you don't spend all of your time with me," she teases.

"I don't think that. I just wasn't sure how badly you wanted to see me tonight."

"I always want to see you, but I'll manage. As long as you're having fun."

"I guess I am. We're about to drive out of the city for a while."

"You'll be safe, right?"

"Probably," I say slyly.

"Leo..."

"I'll be fine, butterfly, promise."

"Okay."

"Can I ask you something that's going to sound weird?"

"Sure."

"You wouldn't be against having a daughter, would you? You know, in the future when you're married and stuff."

"No, I want a daughter."

"It must be a guy thing, then. No one wants a girl."

"You don't either?"

"No, I'd want one too."

"Usually the guys who say they wouldn't want a daughter are basing it on the way they treat girls."

"That makes a lot of sense actually," I say as I look over at the boys. "This was a weird conversation for us to have, wasn't it?"

She laughs, "you said it would be."

"Good weird or bad weird?"

"I'd say good since you're comfortable enough to talk to me about things like that."

"Yeah, talk— but we're not going to do anything crazy though."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Go ahead," I smirk. "There's no harm in dreaming."

"Rylin," Ned shouts, "we're leaving!"

"I've go to go, butterfly. See you tomorrow?"

"See you," she says sweetly...and then we're met with silence when neither of us hangs up. "...Leo?"

"I love you."

Heather giggles into the phone, "I love you too."

She's cute.

I put the phone down and find the guys staring at me.

Danny crosses his arms, "Whipped."

"So whipped," Matt agreed.

"I love you," Ned says to Frankie.

"I'm in love with you," Frankie says back.

Ned hugs him, "we're so in love."

"I- I love you," Frankie sniffles.

"Shut up," I roll my eyes and start heading for the door.

Ned laughs, "How do you spell whipped?"

Danny glances back at me as he walks ahead, "L-E-O."

"I'm here, where's the fire?"

Tony looks at me like he's seen a ghost. "It's Kendal-"

"I don't care," I say as I walk away.

"Trevor, I think he's dead."

My heart drops fast.

It feels like my feet are glued to the ground for a second, but they move when he starts ushering me into the room.

There's a crowd of guys obviously terrified beyond their comprehension.

And then I see Jace on the bed, void of color and completely motionless.

"What the fuck? Why the hell would you call me instead of the paramedics?"

"Because of, I don't know— cops!"

I press my fingers against his neck to feel for a pulse.

Thank fucking God. It's faint but there.

"He's alive you imbecilic morons. Take him to the tub," I order like I'm the general of the most incompetent army known to man. They stand there gaping at him as if he's not dying. "Now!"

Tony looks at me like a scared mouse, "What are you going to do?"

"Call for an ambulance like you should've done 15 minutes ago," I pick the phone up from the nightstand. "Go splash some water on him— cold water."

"Okay," he does as told.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"I need a paramedic, The Carlyle hotel, room 305. There's a boy...he's overdosing."

"Okay, is he breathing?"

"Yes but not great." A lump forms in my throat as soon as those words leave my mouth.

"Can you continue to make sure that his airway isn't blocked-

"Yes, we're doing that, just get here," I put the phone down.

"How long?" Tony asks.

"How am I supposed to know? What the hell were you two doing here in the first place? Who are these losers?"

"Jace asked me to come with him. He said it would be fun...it was a bunch of college kids, we were partying, and then...I don't know, he was just out."

"If he dies, I swear to God, Tony-"

"It's not my fault! I didn't give him anything."

"No, you stood here and panicked like a baby instead of calling for help."

"I called you."

"I'm not a doctor, I can't fix him, are you that stupid? Grow up, get a clue."

"Grow up? Why can't you and him, and everyone else act their age? You're all 17 going on 40, you're crazy. I'm tired of the drugs, the sex, the pregnancy scares, the— the clubs, the whatever. Why are you all so old?"

"This isn't 60s suburbia. It's 1997 Manhattan. You want to be Peter Pan? Then get the hell out of the city."

The guys walk out of the bathroom. "I don't think it's working. This is too fucked up for me, man."

"Go," I glare at them, but they stand there wondering if I'm really letting them off the hook. "I said leave— all of you!"

I push them out and throw the shit they left in the room onto the floor in the hall.

Frat boy scum.

The bathroom door is open wide enough for me to see him laying there. It makes me feel sick. Every step I take toward him makes my body tense...as if looking at him up close will show me something I don't want to see.

I kneel by the tub and shake him gently. "Come on, Jace. Wake up...please."

Two knocks sound, "Paramedics."

"In there, he's in there," Tony lets them in, and I step back as they rush toward Jace.

The EMT checks his pulse, "What did he take?"

"I don't know," I reply.

"Oh—" Tony comes over and reaches into Jace's shirt pocket, pulling out a little baggie with two pills. "These. There were more."

She passes them to the man behind her, "Do you know how many?"

"I'm not sure."

A stretcher gets rolled in and we're asked to step out of the room.

"Is he going to be okay?" I say to anyone who can answer me.