Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 13:22:58 -0800 (PST) From: Jo Jo Subject: Angst Episode 15 "The Birthday" Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not write about frank sexual situations, nor do I have any desire to. This is a story about teen love and discovery. Still though, it is a gay work of fiction. If such work offends you or you are not old enough to read in your area, then do not continue reading. Please do not copy and paste onto another website without emailing me first. In most cases I'd be glad to let you post on another site, as long as you ask first! A/N Well I hope no one is upset that it has taken me nearly a month to release a new installment. But never fret, because I have a special Christmas present for everyone. I am releasing 2 episodes on the same day (whether or not the archivist gets around to posting both parts today not with standing) I hope everyone has Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Angst Episode 15 "The Birthday" March 20th. Jade circled the date on her calendar. "Oh I can't wait until Saturday March 20th," she said. I turned around. "We know Jade, your birthday's coming up," I replied. "Oh, my birthday's coming up? I completely forgot," Jade spoke in a fake surprised voice. "Well just throwing you a party is getting old. Maybe we shouldn't anything this year. I mean you always say that one year you'd like to have an- "Intimate little gathering of friends," Jade finished "i know, I know. I just.....yeah, this year, it'll just be you and Adam, Krystal, Alex, and Gino." Did she think I was stupid? I knew she wanted a party. But did she want a surprise party? Time to shake things up for once. *************************** Now that I stop and think about it, it's the beginning of March, as in March 6th, and Jade is all "March 20th, my birthday" She SO wants us to celebrate it. I wonder what I could do for her? "Hey," Adam greeted me, kissing me on the lips. "Hey. What do you think about surprise parties?" I asked. Adam wrinkled his face a little. "Oh, well in my experience, unless the surprise is sexual oriented, then- "Right..." I finished for him. He gave me a sympathetic look. "What?" he asked. "It's just, well, I've been wondering......" I kinda felt embarrassed by even suggesting this, but I had to bring it out in the open. "Well, you've had sex with Michelle. Plenty of times. And with other girls," I started. Adam tensed up a little. "So does that make you bi....or...." Adam wrapped his arms around me. "Listen, what I was then....I was confused, that's all. But I know what I am now. Your boyfriend," Adam replied, kissing me again. Gino walked up to us and cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, sorry Gino," I said. Gino and Adam exchanged these weird glances. "Oh so hey, what do you think about a surprise party?" I asked. "Well you just ruined the surprise aspect of it don't you think?" Gino asked. "Not for you. For Jade's seventeenth birthday," I replied. "Well, it's a good idea in theory. But if the surprise involved means something sexual-" "Oh my god, I don't believe this. All you two think about it sex," I laughed. "Hey Adam," Michelle said meekly. Adam turned around. "Michelle," Adam said, sounding a little different than normal. The two stared at each other with this awkward silence. It was weird. "I just thought I'd say hi. Ah.....well bye," Michelle said, leaving just as fast as she came. "So anyways-" Adam started as if he'd been saying something before Michelle popped up. "Anyways what?" I asked. But I noticed Adam was watching as Michelle walked away. You know, he says he loves me. But I can't shake the feeling that maybe I'm just some rebound experiment for him. Like he'd try guys for a while until he got over Michelle, then he'd go back to girls. Hopefully, that wasn't the case. *************************** "So you wanna throw Jade a surprise party? Are you nuts?" Alex asked. "What?" I asked. "You know Jade. She's like a walking textbook. The most confusing one, at that," Alex replied. "Yeah so." "So Jade is gonna figure it out. No surprise there." I sighed and got up and walked into Alex's kitchen to get a soda. "So you're saying no party then?" I asked. "I'm saying good luck trying to pull it off," Alex replied messing with his cast. I took a swig of soda. "So, where is everybody? This place is usually always busy?" I was referring to the fact that all of Alex's brothers and sisters were gone along with his parents, leaving him, the child with the broken leg, at home by himself. "Well, Carlos had a soccer game and as soon as it's over Sarah has softball. Everybody figured I was too much trouble to lug around today," Alex replied. I walked back into the living room and sat down. "So, how do you suggest I attempt to surprise Jade with a party then?" I asked. Alex shrugged. "I'll help. But let's do it quick. Before Jade figure's out what were trying to do," Alex replied. Okay, I'd give it a shot. Here's to hoping Jade doesn't figure it out. *************************** "Hel-lo cutie. Whatcha doin?" Jade asked. I quickly put away my Party City catalog and turned around. Jade looked over my shoulder. She could have sworn she saw the part of Party something on whatever he just put away. I turned back around. "Ah, just ah, well actually I was looking at a Playgirl magazine. You know me, gotta look at my guys," I replied nervously. Jade gave me a suspicious look and crossed her arms. "Hey B, do we want blue or purple ballo---hello Jade, you're looking great today," Gino said. Jade gave Gino a weird look. "So ah, what were you gonna ask Brandon, Gino?" Jade asked. Gino looked over at me. "Ah, well, actually I was just gonna ask if he wanted ah, blue or purple or ah----" "So everybody, what's up?" Alex asked saving Gino. "Alex, did you just walk down those stairs?" Jade asked. "I don't see what the big deal is. It's gonna help me recover faster," Alex replied. "Or it's gonna break another bone in your leg," Jade replied. She walked over to Alex and pulled his right ear. "Ah," Alex called out. "Come on. Were gonna go find the elevator," Jade said leading Alex off. "Oh thank god. I thought we blew it for a second there," Gino said. "Yeah well were gonna have to do this a little better than we have if we wanna keep it secret," I replied. I started to walk and Gino followed. "Ah, so how are you planning on doing this then?" he asked. "Well, besides carefully, I'm not sure. I guess I'll have to get you and Adam and Krystal and Alex- "Who's temporarily disabled remember?" Gino cut me off. "Right," I sighed. Somewhere along the way, we must have passed Michelle because she was here now, in my face. "You're planning Jade a surprise party. How nice," Michelle said as if she were the most innocent person alive. "Look Michelle, just forget you even heard- "I wanna help," Michelle said abruptly. "What?" I asked. Was she actually serious, or just mental? "Look, Jade and I used to be best friends. I'd like to think that we still are." "But I don't. Just go away." I replied. I turned around and started walking. "If you don't let me help, I'll tell Jade," Michelle called after me. I stopped. "Just let her help this once," Gino said, sensing how agitated I was. I sighed and turned around. "Fine. But just....don't tell her alright." "Yes. Thank you, I'm so ready to get down," Michelle replied. "Funny, but I don't think that's the first time she's said that," I spoke. ************************* Well, the day had come. Jade's birthday. Jade was at the mall with Krystal, who had managed to convince her that they were going there to buy her a birthday present. Michelle, Adam, Alex, Gino, and I however were at Gino's house decorating it and setting up for the party. ""A little to the left," I said, motioning for Michelle to move the "happy Birthday" sign just a little. Michelle sighed angrily. "You keep saying that, but as soon as I do, you make me move it again," "Really? Me?" I said, innocently. "There, done," Gino said. He had just finished writing the "Best Wishes" sign. Gino was a very talented artist. "Huh," Adam said. "What?" Gino asked. "Nothing," Adam replied. Gino turned back around. "Well accept maybe you could add just a little- "It's fine Adam," Gino cut Adam off. "Right, of course it is," Adam replied. Alex walked up next to me. "Why are you making things so difficult?" he asked. "What?" "You and Michelle helping each other and Adam and Gino...." "I don't want Adam around Michelle," I replied. "Gino and Adam look like they're ready to kill each other over there," Alex replied. "Alex-" I was saved from having to tell him off when the doorbell rang. I answered it. "Josh...Joe...great," I said less than thrilled. "Wanted to be here early for my honey you know. She here?" Josh asked. "Ah it's a surprise party remember?" I replied. "And?" Josh asked. "Wow would you check this place out? Shit man it's almost as big as the school," Joe replied. "Just don't touch anything," Gino said. Hey, if I had two druggie punks in my mansion, I'd say the same thing. "So, whens it start?" Josh asked. "Did you just forget like everything I told you yesterday?" I asked, annoyed. Josh stared hard at me. "Say, why you gotta be on my nuts?" he asked. "Grow some," I replied. "Look fag-" He was cut off when the doorbell rang again. "Oo, I'll get it," Michelle replied. "Brandon, come on, let's go check on the caterers," Gino replied pulling me towards the kitchen. Adam broke the hold Gino had on me and got between us. This was gonna be a long night. "Say man, you brought the stuff right?" Josh asked. Joe pulled a couple of white pills from the inside of his jacket. "Hell yeah man," Joe replied. Josh laughed. "This is gonna be one fucking night." ************************** "I still can't believe you guys threw me a surprise party," Jade said, stuffing a piece of cake in her mouth. "Yeah but it wasn't much of surprise. You knew remember?" I said looking over at Krystal. "Hey I forgot alright. She asked me which dress would look better and I told which one she should wear to the party," Krystal replied. "And actually," Jade started, swallowing a piece of cake. "i figured it out like last week. You can't hide stuff from me." "Okay, present time," Michelle said loudly. She walked over to Jade with a huge box in her hands. "Wow, I'm almost afraid to open it," Jade said. She tore the top off and peered inside. Inside was an entire set of encyclopedia's that Jade had wanted for almost a year. "Are you kidding me?!?! Oh my god, Michelle! "Well I know how much you wanted them," "Oh my god, thank you," Jade replied. Shit. Just when I thought NONE of us like her, she had to go and do this. "Okay now this one's from me," Gino replied. Jade ripped off the front paper. "Oh my god. A laptop!?" Jade all but screamed. "Yeah well, it was chump change compare to how much those encyclopedias probably costed," Gino replied. "Seriously wow," Jade replied. Well thanks to the two rich people of the group wanting to go first, their gifts totally overshadowed my locket, Adam's 150 dollar Dillard's gift card and Krystal's entire outfit to Jade. "Well, what did you get me baby?" Jade asked. Everybody looked over at Josh. "Well you know me babe. My gift comes later," Josh replied. "It better be good since you're making me wait," Jade said, kissing Josh. Josh smirked and looked over at Joe. Well the party was going great so far a few dozen of Jade's closest friends, good food, good music, and of course a good atmosphere. "Well, you couldn't get one over on Jade. But so far the party's going good," Alex said. "Yeah," I replied. "Brandon, can I talk to you for a second," Michelle started. She and I looked at Alex. "Ah, I'll go talk to Adam," he said walking off. "Listen, I just want to thank you for letting me help with the party and all," she started. "Well, it was nice. And hey, you actually do care about one of us," i replied. "About you and Adam," Michelle started. Oh great here it comes. "I just want you to know that it might take me a little longer than you and Adam would like. But I think I'll get used to seeing you two together." Did she just say that? Whoa, was she finally learning that Adam and I were meant to be together? Josh wrapped his arms around Jade. "Hey baby," he whispered in her ear. "Josh," Jade giggled. "Ready for your present?" he asked. "Yeah," Jade replied. Josh handed Jade a drink. "Here's to you and me," Josh said, holding up his own cup. Jade and Josh touched cups before each drinking it's contents. Josh stared at Jade out the corner of his eye while drinking. ************************* "You know, a few more acres and this really could be our school," Adam said, looking around the mansion. "Yeah well Gino ain't complainin huh?" I joked. Gino stared at Adam with his hands around Brandon at the top of the stairs. No. He couldn't do it. He couldn't just give Brandon to Adam. He had to have him. And soon. "Hey have either of you seen Jade?" Krystal asked. "Not for a little while, no," I replied. "It's weird. She just disappeared. And Joe," Krystal replied. "Haven't seen Jade's boyfriend either. You know what that means right? The ol bump and grind," Adam said. Krystal slapped Adam upside the head. "Jade's not having sex until she's married," Krystal replied. I just had to laugh at Adam getting hit. "Alright, I'll go look for her," I spoke. Josh and Joe led Jade to the garage. "Ah, Josh why......are we down....here?" Jade asked. She was having a hard time trying to get her words out. Or see or walk. "Cause babe, don't you want your present?" Josh laughed. Joe did as well. "What's going on...." Jade slurred. Jade couldn't exactly see well, but she could see well enough to know that Josh was unbuckling his pants. "What are you..." "Hold her down," Josh directed to Joe. Joe started to pin Jade to the ground. "Hey what are you.....no No NO!" Jade tried to scream. "Cover her mouth man!" Josh exclaimed. "Dude, the music is like way loud. Plus were in the garage. No one's gonna hear her scream," Joe said with his hand over Jade's mouth. Jade tried to scream again. "Jade! Hey, have any o you seen Jade?" I asked. They shook their heads. Jade wouldn't just leave on her birthday. She wouldn't just leave period. She was supposed to be with Josh, that loser boyfriend of hers. Wait a second...... I wasn't sure, but I think I saw her go down into the garage with......oh shit! Jade squirmed around, trying not to let Josh start what he was about to do. "Do you have any idea how hot you are?" Josh asked. Joe snickered. "And you don't wanna have sex with me?" Jade tried to scream again. "Shit, fine with me. This is ten time's hotter anyway!" Josh said climbing on top of Jade. "Hey!" I shouted. Josh turned around. Gino turned on the lights. "Oh fuck," Josh said getting off of Jade. Gino and I ran down the stairs and grabbed Josh and Joe. "I had nothing to do with this. It was him!" Joe said, pointing to Josh. "Shut up you sad ass liar," I said. Joe tried to push off of me but I grabbed him and punched him hard right across the face. Josh tried to get past Gino put Gino grabbed his leg, tripping him. Both boys fell to the floor. Josh kicked Gino in the face and make a break for the stairs. Adam blocked his path and punched him, making him fall down the stairs. Jade ran over to Krystal who wrapped her arms around her and started crying. "Shit! SHIT! I knew they were fucking no good. I knew it!" I exclaimed. "No, Brandon it's okay," Adam said trying to put his arms around me. "No, just leave me alone," I said running up the stairs. I didn't wanna face Jade. I could have prevented this if I had just told the sons of bitches to take a hike. For all I was concerned, this was my fault. *******************************