Please be advised that this type of literature is intended for ADULTS only, that means if you're not over 18 years old or not in legal age in your country, you have to leave (or don't tell anyone!). This is a warning already to protect your rights and the rights of others.

This story is entirely FICTION and represents no actual persons -- living or dead. All people, places, events are made up, if there are similarities to real people or events, it's purely COINCIDENTAL.

This story is not about senseless sex of teens but this story is about a celebration of teenage gay love and the basic realities of life people face.

Well, it's chapter 6 already (wow!) Well this means that I am already one-forth of the whole series, that means that this series will end in Chapter 20. I know that it's still a long way to go and I hope that you'll stick with me.

I'll tell you now, something will happen in this chapter! You have to read it to find out. I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter as much I enjoyed writing this story.

Acknowledgements to Jordan (pls. stay healthy!) who helps me a lot in this series. Thanx to those who emailed about the story, and sorry for those who emailed me and I failed to reply (lots of things are happening here). I promise I'll reply!!!

Email me your comments, suggestions, things you want to say, everything... to my email: Ryan101@edsamail.com.ph

Weeks went by faster than ever and before I knew it, December was the month on the calendar. Nothing changed in our lives; maybe the only changes were the 'closer' relationship between Steve and Rick, and the change in me. They did make a very sweet couple and as time went by, they became closer and closer, but for me -- I drifted away farther and farther.

Every time they laughed in one of their inside jokes that I didn't know of, I got hurt. Every time they looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking, I got more hurt. The feeling of hurt was building up in me, but I can't do anything to ease that, Steve's still my love.

The phone began to ring. It was 2pm, so it must have been Steve. I was actually thinking that they even made a schedule on when they'll call me. Every 2pm, Steve would call and every 4pm, Rick would call.

     "Hello?" I answered the phone.

     "Hey Rich! Steve here. What do you think about the three of us meet up in the mall." Steve asked me in his usual cheerful voice.

'What's going on, again?' I asked myself. I was really bored at home, so I thought that the best thing to do was go to the mall with Rick and Steve.

     "Sure. I'll be there in the arcades around 2:30. Okay?" I said to Steve. It then hit me hard, Rick and Steve together with me. I wanted to back out, but the last words I heard from him were 'Okay. Bye!'. I have to endure again the pain that will be caused when I meet them... together.

I looked at myself in the mirror and checked myself. I was wearing a blue shirt and a pair of shorts, which was already okay for me. I walked towards the table and took my favorite cap that Steve gave me and my wallet and keys. I got out of my room and headed towards the kitchen to leave a note for mom. I placed the note on top of the counter and went out of the house.

As I started the engine, more anxiety filled me because I will see the two lovebirds again in action. The drive to the mall was very dull except with the cute guy that winked at me when I reached a stoplight. Traffic was lighter than expected, but parking was still hell.

Around 2:30, I was on my way to the arcades when I spotted Steve and Rick holding hands and giggling while walking. I approached them silently and decided to play a joke on them.

"Oh look at the lovebirds. Aren't they sweet?" I said in a jock-like voice.

Steve and Rick were immediately stunned by the remark and slowly turned around to see the witness of their affection. Their faces were painted with fear that shifted to an irritated one when they saw me laughing my heart out.

"Fuck you! You scared the shit out of me!" Rick said with anger in his voice. I was still laughing, I couldn't help it because their faces were so funny.

"Come on! Let's eat first." I suggested to them to ease the growing tension that was building.

We walked to Burger King and fell in line to get our food. We sat down on a discreet corner and I began to giggle again.

     "Quit it! You're getting to my nerves already." Steve taunted me. I eased my giggling and shifted to my normal face.

     "So, what's the problem now?" I inquired to the two who began to look confused. "You know, when one of the two of you calls me up to meet in this mall, something is bound to happen. So what is it?" They're confused faces began to show a face with a smile.

     "Nothing. Can't we just go out?" Rick said in a very convincing manner.

     "Of course." I left the issue and ate my burger, but deep inside, I knew something was up.

     "You know that Rick and I are together, right?" Steve asked me. I nodded 'yes'. "Well, this question just popped in my mind, but can I ask you this anyway?" Again, I nodded 'yes'. "Who is the lucky guy?"

     "What lucky guy? Rich, you're... " Rick exclaimed.

I immediately cut Rick with a loud "yes"; we were in a public place and the blood in my body just rose up to my face. I can still picture Rick's face filled with surprise, but I thought that Steve told Rick that I was gay.

     "You didn't tell him?" Steve and I said in unison to one another. We looked at each other and laughter followed it. Rick laughed as well with that incident.

     "Seriously, who is the lucky guy?" Steve again asked me.

     "Lucky guy?" I said. 'Steve it's you!' I wanted to say that, but I can't. "For now, no one." I lied.

     "Come on! I know you too well. Your eyes show too much of you." Steve said.

     "I still can't tell. I am a little confused right now, when my feelings are settled I'll tell you both." Again, I lied. If I told them that it was Steve, I knew that Steve and Rick would never talk to me again.

     "Okay." Steve said to me. I knew that he wouldn't leave the issue that easy. He might ask me the same question everyday until I blurted the one, Steve.

We finished eating our burgers while chatting about the usual things -- school, games, sports, movies, music, the usual things that teenagers talked about.

'Am I enjoying being the third wheel?' I asked myself.

It then hit me hard. I finally got why we were having this meeting. Steve and Rick might have sensed that I was drifting away and wanted to bring back the closeness we had before everything. With that thought, I looked at them with teary eyes and gave them a very warm smile.

     "What's the matter, Rich?" Rick asked me with a worried look.

     "Nothing. Both of you just look so sweet together." I said. A tear traced down to my cheek. I realized that I have found the two of my true friends in life.

     "Nothing? Why are you crying then?" Steve asked me with the same worried look that Rick gave.

     "I just realized that you two are the best friends a guy could ever have." I said to Steve and Rick. Tears from my eyes stopped flowing, but as I looked at my two best friends, tears were welling in their eyes. I gave another warm smile to Steve and Rick, and they returned the smile warmer.

     "Enough with this tears, okay? We're here to have fun, if you can remember." Steve said jokingly as he wiped the tears in his eyes and laughed. Before I knew it, we were walking out of Burger King still laughing our hearts out.

Time flew faster than ever, and before I knew it, it was time to leave. It was one of the most amazing days, but something still lacked in my heart, and you know it... Steve. 'Can't I be contented with this friendship?' Still, my heart refused to this situation.

     "Hey Rich! Do you wanna sleep over in my house? Just the three of us, like the good old days." Rick invited. 'Was it that long?' I asked myself. The last time I had a sleep over was... I forgot! It was that long.

     "I have to ask my parents first." I said to Rick and Steve who were waiting for my answer.

     "Sure. You have your car right?" I nodded 'yes' to Rick's question. "We do need a ride, so can we?" I nodded 'yes' again.

We walked towards my car and started our short journey home. The drive home was an uneventful one and a quick one too. Traffic was very light and before I knew it, I was parking the car in the driveway. I opened the door, and saw my parents watching the television in the living room. I gave them a smile.

     "So what brought that happy mood?" Mom said to me.

     "Steve, Rick and I just went to the mall and well, had fun. Can I sleep over to Rick's? Please." I said to them in my most convincing voice.

Mom looked at dad who just nodded 'yes'. 'Yes! I was off to Rick's.' Was it good or bad? Well, I have to find out when it happens.

I kissed them goodbye and ran towards my car. I told them the good news and drove to Rick's house. The drive to Rick's house was very uneventful; it was only a five-minute drive from my house anyway.

I parked my car on their driveway and their house appeared to be empty because all lights were turned off and Rick's parents' car was not on the driveway.

     "Alone in the house?" I asked Rick while getting out of my car. Rick nodded 'yes', that made Steve grin.

     Rick saw the grin in Steve's face and he gave Steve a dirty look. "Quit it! We promised we'll wait, right?" Rick said. Steve just nodded, but the grin in Steve's face never faded.

'They haven't done it?' I asked myself. I have to ask them about this.

     "You haven't done it?" I asked in a louder-than-normal tone.

     "Well... yeah. We promised to wait for the right time." Rick said in an embarrassed voice. But wait, 'right time', aren't they sure of their feelings or something? I quitted questioning them, I didn't want to be nosy, again.

Rick took his keys from his pockets and opened the front door. The living room was very dark but you can still see a couple of their antique furniture. Rick opened the lights, and I was again struck by awe by their majestic family room. It was like one of the rooms in the castles in Europe, which was very stylized.

     "You can shut your mouth now." Steve pushed my chin up and giggled a little. I snapped out of my reverie, and giggled too.

Rick motioned us to follow him upstairs to his room. Everywhere you look in their house, you'll see the discriminating taste of Rick's parents. I knew that Rick too possessed that talent, but he was too occupied with other stuff. Sometimes, he showed that artistic part of him, but always denied it.

When we reached Rick's room, Steve immediately lied back on the bed. It was like Steve was in his own room, but I guess if you're in your lover's room, that counted as yours too. It was my first time again here in this house after months of isolation from this two, and still I felt the tension I placed between us. I was very uncomfortable standing here with these two people I considered as best friends, but did I still know them?

     "Chill, dude. Feel at home." Rick finally broke the silence. He patted my back and gave him a smile.

I mimicked what Steve did and fell on top of him. The next thing I knew, the three of us were laughing hard and on top of each other. It was a happy day, a change from the months of depression I sank in. We did the usual teen stuff, playing video games, tackling each other, talking... everything, I guess.

     "It's midnight already. I think I'm gonna take off to dreamland." I said to them in a fake tired voice.

Rick stood up and took two sleeping bags in his closet and gave one to Steve and me the other. I laid the sleeping bag on the floor and excused myself to go to the comfort room. I took a piss and stared at my reflection. After many months, I was again smiling and I didn't feel a crap.

I went back to Rick's room and found Steve sucking Rick's tongue like there is no tomorrow. 'Stay calm. Don't shut them again.' A voice kept repeating in my voice, but it was no use. My heart began to crumble again. 'I have to be strong. I have to be strong...' I kept repeating that in my mind and gathered my courage to break the silence.

     "Well, are we gonna sleep or do you wanna kiss 'til morning?" Steve and Rick's faces were painted red and gave them a fake laugh. They just smiled at me and knew that they were caught red-handed.

     "It's cool with me. It's like I didn't hook you two together, right?" I said to them to reassure that nothing was wrong about it, but there was deep inside me. Steve and Rick just gave me a 'yes' nod and smiled.

Steve and Rick stood up and excused themselves to go to the comfort room. I knew that they would continue their make-out session in the comfort room. I just sat there on the edge of Rick's bed staring into nothingness for about five minutes and decided to undress so I could sleep.

I was already trying to take off my shirt when I heard shouts from outside. I couldn't figure out the shouts but I knew it was about a 'faggot' thing. The shouts disappeared, then Rick and Steve stormed inside my room filled with fear in their eyes.

     "What the fuck happened?" I asked them in a little panicked voice.

     "You two have to get out NOW!" Rick was shouting and crying then. I looked at Steve who was still shocked, maybe out of fear. Rick grabbed Steve and my hand and motioned us out of the door. The door slammed open hard and Rick stopped walking. A man around the 20s looked furiously mad and stared at the three of us. He was around six foot tall and looked like Rick, I guessed that it was his brother. I then spotted a revolver in his hand.

     "Allan, please stop!" Rick was already screaming and tears were still flowing down to his cheeks.

     "I can't believe that you're a faggot! I'm gonna kill your boyfriend then you!" Allan raised the gun towards Steve was paralyzed out of fear and was already crying.

     "Nooooooo!" Rick screamed.

Everything happened so fast that the next thing I knew, I heard a deafening 'BANG!!!'

There was a gunshot, who was hurt? What happened next? What NEW THINGS will still happen in the lives of Steve, Rick and Rich. Watch for it in the next issue of NEW THINGS.

Sorry for the bloody cliffhanger there.

Please email me your questions, suggestions, comments, criticisms... anything you want to tell me. Email me at this address: Ryan101@edsamail.com.ph