Disclaimer: This is a story about gay people...if you can't read it or

Don't like gay people, leave. Go...bye. But if you like it, read it and

Write to me.

"I'm so glad you lived on the third floor...with no elevator." Hope sneered, panting as she came into the house, "Next time can we leave him there?"

"Ha Ha." I smirked, "You'd be lost without me."

"Stop it, you two." Mom chuckled, "Where's Caleb?"

"Eric is outside talking on the phone." Hope said, putting a box of stuff down in my room and beginning to leave.

"Hey, where you going?" I asked.

"Hey, I helped with half. Now I have to go to the bathroom." Hope said.

"Are you okay, baby, you've been going to the bathroom a lot lately." Mom said with a concerned expression.

"I'm fine." Hope said, leaving.

"That girl is getting seems to love that bathroom lately." Mom said.

I chuckled.

"How are you?" Mom asked.

I looked at her, "I am...good." I said.

"Have you talked to Hannah or Marco?" Mom asked.

"No." I answered, "It's been a long semester."

"How is your...condition?" Mom asked.

"How is your divorce?" I spat. Mom looked hurt, "Sorry, but when people call it a condition..."

"Have you talked to your father?" Mom asked.

"No." I said, "He's...busy?"

"Well, that sounds healthy." Mom said.

"Of course." I said, "Here we are, back in Hargrove. Home sweet home."

Chapter 41: Human

I walked into the club to see Eric on his cell phone. He was talking to someone that seemed really special. This was the first time I'd seen him really gush over a girl. It was weird. Mom said he was very secretive about her and I wondered who she was. Mom hadn't even gotten a name out of him. I was excited to see this girl. Over the school year, I had been very introverted. I hadn't really felt like talking to anyone, not even my friends. I hadn't made any friends, not as many as you'd think. It was like I was popular and then I got thrown into a new environment and I wasn't cool anymore...well, I was cool, but I just wasn't as cool as I had been in the eyes of others. My cousin, whom was my best friend besides Marco and Hannah, had left before my senior year for college and she helped me out a whole lot. College was fun. College was hard. College was over, for the summer at least. I felt bad because I didn't have a job, but I couldn't bring myself to get one. I can't do it all, not right now. I'm only human.

"Hey little bro, just a sec." Eric said, placing his hand over the receiver, "I'm talking to somebody really important."

"I gathered." I smirked.

"Yeah Mel, we kickin it tonight. Aiight, later boo." Eric said into the phone.

I laughed.

He hung up the phone, "What's funny?" he asked.

I looked up at the sign above him, "What is Tak?" I asked.

"It's the name of the club," he chuckled, "Sorry, I changed the name again."

I smiled, "Why?" I asked.

"Is there some reason you're here bothering me?" Eric asked, "Shouldn't you be sniffing out your friends?"

I was silent.

"You should go and see Davis. I hear he's doing pretty bad." Eric said.

"Yeah, I heard he tore some ligaments..."

"It's more than that. It's pretty bad." Eric said, "Could threaten his `balla' dream."

"See, I thought the gay thing would do that." I said quickly.

"What about a gay thing?" A cute guy said. I couldn't stop staring at him from the minute I laid eyes on him. He was hot and not just regular hot, super hot! He was a dead ringer for Matt Lanter, "Who's got the gay thing?"

I raised my hand.

"This is my little brother." Eric said, "Little brother, this is Oz...Dougland Osborn, but..."

Oz extended his hand, "...friends call me Oz." he said.

I shook his hand, "Adaen." I said.

"Oh, I know, Eric can't shut up about you and the rest of your family." Oz smirked.

"Doug is a bartender." Eric smirked.

"Hey, I'm a drink specialist." Oz said, "So, how was college?"

"Boring." I said bluntly, "I did take this sex psych class, for my major, and it was pretty lively."

"Lively?" Oz asked.

"It was the bomb." I corrected myself.

"Oz has to get back to work." Eric said, looking from me to Oz, then to me again. Oz disappeared into the back, "What are you doing?"

"What?" I asked.

"He works for me."

"What?" I asked.

"He's a good kid, but trouble seems to follow him. He's trouble." Eric said, "I like him, but there's no way I'm letting you date him."

"Letting me?" I asked.

"Yes, letting you." Eric said.

I sighed, "Whatever, it's not like we were making a date or anything." I said.

"You should leave so we can do our work." Eric said, "We have the college students coming home thing tonight, you coming?"

"Every time I go to the party here, I get humiliated, turn into a drunken ass, or almost die. So, probably not." I said.

"So, are you doing okay?" Eric asked.

"I'm bi-polar, not terminal." I shrugged, "Or maybe it is."

"Seriously, are you okay?" Eric asked.

"I'm good." I said quickly, "I gotta go." I said.

"See ya later, bro." Eric said, waving me off.

-         

"Ballard!" Kendall said, running out the door and hugging her brother as he got out of the car. She savored the hug, as he was the first familiar face she had seen since she had driven in just a few hours ago. She arrived to find her parents gone on a trip and took a nap. She awoke when she heard the Hummer drive up and stop on the rocks. She was surprised to see a woman in the car with him.

"Sis!" Ballard said, hugging her back.

"Who's the girl in the car?" Kendall asked.

The girl got out of the car and Kendall noticed that she was a tall, model-like woman. She was blonde with a big bust and some sleezy clothes that seemed to just cover her. She had seen this girl before, she was one of the girls that he'd slept with when they had gone to see their grandparents in New York. Despite her clothes, the girl looked exceptionally good.

"Kendall, this is my...This is Janet Gorman." Ballard stammered, "She's my..."

"I'm his wife." She answered, "Where is your powder room?"

"Down the hall, first door on the right." Kendall said, in shock as she watched the girl leave.

"I know what you're going to say..."

"No, you don't cause I barely know what I'm going to say!" Kendall said, "Your wife?! What the Hell Bal!"

"We got married a couple of days ago." Ballard said, "I was done with finals, we had just slept together...it was the summer bash."

"So you got married?" Kendall asked.

"So I got drunk." Ballard said, "After the drinking was the fu..."

"Skip," Kendall said calmly, "Skip that part."

"I don't even remember it, it's like a blur." Ballard said.

"Then how do you know you're married?" Kendall frowned.

Ballard brought up his hand and flashed the ring at her, "She's got one too." He said.

"Mom and Dad are going to kill you!" Kendall said, "Not to mention...well, grams might like it but..."

"Mom and Dad aren't here." Ballard said.

"How do you know?" Kendall asked.

"They're never here." Ballard said, "I'm having this annulled, don't worry. The lawyer is drawing up the papers and soon I'll be annulled."

"Do you know how crazy this all sounds?" Kendall asked.

"Welcome Home, Ken." Ballard said putting his arm around her shoulder as they walked to the house.

-           

"Where are my books? My final is today!" Hannah said, scattered.

"Right here, babe." Harry said, handing her the books.

Hannah scurried over and grabbed the books, then grabbed her bag.

"You know, I'm sure Adaen is here." Harry said.

Hannah stopped for a minute, then continued.

"I know you miss him." Harry said.

Hannah stopped, "I do, believe me, I do, but he hasn't talked to me all year. The last time I saw him, we were taking down that jerk." She said.

"Well, maybe you need to pick up the phone and call him." Harry said.

"And when am I supposed to do that? After my classes? After my job? I don't have the time." Hannah said.

"Your parents want to help us out." Harry said.

"Yeah and I would take them up on that, but then they'd probably want to tell me how to live." Hannah said, "We're finally doing things for ourselves! I'm just a little stressed."

"I noticed." Harry said.

"I'm not scared, but the bills keep changing colors." Hannah said.

"Yeah, but we're all caught up with my raise." Harry said.

"Yes, we are, but I'm late." Hannah said.

"You're pregnant, again?" Harry asked.

"No, bonehead," Hannah chuckled, "For class. Bye." She said, kissing his forehead and leaving.

-           

"Well, you won't believe it, but I'm a virgin." Christina smirked.

Davis and Marco stopped in their tracks.

"Seriously." She said, "A born-again virgin."

"Oh." Both guys said.

"Is it so hard to believe that I was a virgin in the first place?" Christina asked.

Once again, both guys stopped.

"Okay, yeah it is since I slept with Davis." Christina said, "In his car. In his house. In my house. On the roof of high school. On the gym floor..."

Marco raised an eyebrow and looked at Davis.

"Remember the lunch room table?!" Christina said dreamily.

"Okay, eww." Marco said.

"So, you're going to stay a virgin? How long?" Davis asked.

"Until marriage." Christina said, "I've done some soul searching and figured out that what I got is special. It took me a lot of time and that annoying little voice in my head..."

"Your conscious?" Marco asked.

"No, Adaen." Christina smiled.

"He's back?" Davis asked.

"Could you be more transparent?" Christina asked.

"Have either of you talked to him?" Davis asked.

Marco shook his head.

"He's been a little...weird lately." Christina said, "He's not as outgoing as he used to be."

"I talked to him last time he was here, he didn't seem himself." Marco said.

"How is your injury?" Christina asked.

"Do you even know what I injured?" Davis asked.

"No, and I really don't care. It's bad, I know that." Christina said

"It's healing. I should be back in the game in no time." Davis said.

Christina looked at Marco's face; it was not a good face.

"Yeah, I'm sure it will." Christina smiled weakly.

"I think I'm going to go and see Adaen." Davis said, walking away. Christina and Marco could tell he was in pain.

"Poor guy." Christina said.

"Yeah." Marco said, pulling her aside, "Listen, I know you have connections...umm, can you get me some ecstasy?"

Christina looked shocked, "Marco...you take X?" she asked.

"Just lately." Marco said, "It's better when I write like that."

"You sound like you're addicted." Christina said.

"No. I just like to write with an edge." Marco said.

"Fine, but I don't think I can keep doing this." Christina said.

"Don't tell anyone." Marco added.

"Done." She said.

-         

I was walking by the bathroom when I heard someone throwing up. I opened the door quickly and saw Hope standing over the toilet with her hand to her mouth. At first, I just stared, but when I finally figured out what was happening, I was shocked.

"Please tell me you're pregnant." I said quickly.

"Come in and shut the door." Hope said.

"No." I said, "You're making yourself throw up! What...what are you thinking?"

"No, I'm just..."

"Hope, why are you throwing up?" I asked.

Hope groaned, "I started throwing up to lose weight." She said.

I sighed.

"I was getting big, but I stopped for a while." Hope explained, "And then...one night your dad came over and they started arguing."

"My parents...they were arguing?" I asked.

"They were fighting." Hope said, "All the pressure was just too much!"

I hugged her, "You have to stop." I said.

"I am." Hope said, "I swear."

"I think we need to tell mom." I said.

"With everything else going on? No, she doesn't need this." Hope said.

I shook my head, "You're right, but this has to stop." I said.

"I promise." Hope said, "I have to meet Stacy and Kelly..."

"Wash up and go." I said.

"Adaen! Come downstairs honey!" Mom yelled.

"I thought she was in the garden." Hope said.

"She was." I said, leaving. I walked downstairs to find Davis at the bottom of the steps, looking pained. I noticed that he was almost limping, even with the knee brace, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." Davis smiled, "You don't write, you don't call...Have you been working out?"

"A little, just lately..."

"You look good." Davis said, "Your mom let me in, she was outside when I drove up."

"That leg...you should sit." I said walking into the living room and sitting opposite him in a chair, "So, besides the injury, how's life?"

"Umm, I guess you could say it's going good. I have a few endorsements, so I'm not ass-out." Davis said, "Living on my own. I'm just back here for the summer."

"Me too." I smiled.

"Of course." Davis chuckled, "God, it just...it feels so awkward."

"Yeah, it does." I said.

"I just had to see you." Davis said, "I know you said you and me are just friends and I totally respect you and that and...I miss you."

"I miss you too." I frowned, "But where do we go from here."

"You did just hear my whole thing about friendship, right?" Davis asked.

"What if we can't just be friends?" I asked.

"Then, we'll go down trying." Davis smiled.

-           

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Please give me some feedback because that's how I get started. So, I want you guys to tell me how I'm doing.