I wake up the next morning to an ear-splitting squeal.

It takes me a few seconds to wake myself up completely, and Ryan stirs underneath me.

There's another squeal/scream/gasp thing, along with my name being said in a harsh tone, and I crane my head, eyes half-lidded, to see my fourteen year old cousin, Amber standing at the end of my bed, eyes wide with shock and disgust as she looks between me and Ryan, naked on my bed, to the used condom lying on the floor.

"Brendon!" she says again, at such a loud pitch that it actually murders my eardrums a bit.

Then I realize... "Shit!" I curse under my breath, face burning red as I quickly yank the blanket up past my exposed ass all the way to my chin. "Amber! Fuck! What are you doing in here?!" I demand, voice squeaking in embarrassment.

Ryan's eyes flutter open, and he yawns, looking up at my beet red face before turning to look over at my cousin, still standing there like she's just seen the devil.

"Brendon!" she cries once again, and yes, I get it. Her eyes drift down to the condom, and she's seriously like, two seconds from fainting. "Is th-that... is that what I think it is?" And eff, this girl is supposed to be fourteen, not eight.

"Amber..." I start, attempting to hush her as my eyes dart towards the open door. Just, oh my god, seriously, this is so not happening right now.

"I'm telling your mom!" she threatens, dashing towards the door.

"She already knows," I shoot back, and Ryan's still lying beside me, silent, like, shitshitshitshitshit. I feel somewhere about the same.

She stops, completely dead, and her eyes grow even larger. "WHAT?!" she demands, and really, I didn't know it was possible for someone's voice to get so high. I flinch. "You mean... Auntie knows you two... do that," she starts, disgusted, and she even throughs in a shudder for effect, "and she doesn't care? She doesn't care that it's a sin and you're going straight to hell?!"

I blink at her, resisting the urge to chuck my twenty-five pound lamp at her stupid head. She's always been a little brat. "No, she doesn't. Now, can you please leave my room?"

"B-But - " she splutters.

"What's going on guys?" My mom asks, entering the room behind a white-faced Amber. Then, to make the whole situation even better, my dad comes squeezing in behind my mom, and of course, the first thing his eyes land on is the condom.

God, remind me to never listen to Ryan again.

I don't really wait to see any of their reactions (especially my dads, cause I'm sure I have a pretty good idea) before pulling the covers all the way over mine and Ryan's head. "Oh my god, get out! All of you!" I cry, absolutely mortified.

"Brendon said you don't care about... this!" Amber's whiney voice cries to my mother, and just seriously, the words sex, Amber, stop acting three and use it.

There's complete silence and I just want to die. The thought barely crosses my mind that on the Brightside, at least it was only Amber and my parents, and not like, my ninety-three year old grandmother to walk in and see it, but then that thoughts stopped short as my grandma's voice comes from somewhere by my door. "Oh! There you are, Grace!"

I groan, out loud, and why am I not dead?

"Okay, everyone out of Brendon's room!" My mom instantly says, shoving everyone out of my room and into the hall. "The boys are trying to sleep," she lies.

"Auntie - " Amber protests, but the door shuts with a loud snap.

Ryan and I are absolutely silent, covers still pulled over our heads. I'm pretty sure I'm never going to leave. I'm going to stay here, under the covers, for the rest of my poor, pathetic life.

"Oh my... as if that just happened." Ryan eventually says, and he sounds like he's going to burst out in tears.

I don't blame him; I'm on the verge of tears myself.

"Fucking hell!" I cry, pressing my face into his bare shoulder. "My cousin just saw my ass!"

"You're cousin just saw my come in a condom! And probably my fucking dick. Ass is nothing in comparison, really Brendon," he snaps.

"Oh my god," I groan into his shoulder, because yeah, this is true.

He hits me in the shoulder, and I roll my eyes, because seriously, Ryan, seriously?

We eventually pull ourselves out of bed, and the first thing we do is grab the condom and throw it in the trash, burying it under layers upon layers of Kleenexes before we get dressed and go downstairs. At first, we grip onto each other for dear life, but then we figure it'd probably be smart if we stayed at least a ten foot radius from each other for a bit, especially since my whole family probably now knows we have gay sex with each other.

However, once we get downstairs, I'm surprised to see Amber didn't open her big fat mouth and tell everyone about how we totally banged last night in my room with my previously mentioned, ninety-three year old grandma sleeping in the next room.

My mom does end up pulling us to the side at some point, eyes narrowed. "Don't you guys ever do that again!" she demands, and whoa, she actually looks pissed. "You're whole family was sleeping in this house last night, Brendon, how stupid can you be?! I suggest you keep your hands to yourself until everyone's gone." Then with one last, completely serious, threatening look she walks away.

Whoa.

Ryan covers his face with his hands, and whines.

I pat his back.

- - -

The next day at school, everyone's buzzing with news from the long weekend, and how they went to this party, and hooked up with this person, and bought this and that at the mall. And I'm kind of like, yeah, besides me and Jon's BFF night, I'd like to forget about everything from the weekend, thank you very much.

At lunch, Spencer mentions going to a movie on Thursday, and to our complete and utter surprise, Ryan agrees to come. "Sure, sounds good." He smiles, and Spencer just beams. Which only makes me and Jon smile, and then we're all sitting there, smiling like idiots.

I like this. There's no fighting - not between me or Ryan, or Spencer or Ryan, or anyone - there's also no Dayna, which is a reason to celebrate all on its own (Okay, well, she's still there, and Ryan's still all, Ooooh, Dayna, my BFF! But at least she's not everywhere I turn, or you know, at my house).

However, all the peace and quiet and just goodness is ruined on Thursday at lunch, when Ryan goes all calm and nonchalantly, like it's no big deal at all, "I won't be able to make the movie tonight, I'm going to youth group at that church with Dayna."

We all fall silent, and stare at Ryan. Then I think, wait, why are we even shocked?

At first, Ryan just runs his fork through his food, completely oblivious to the fact that we're all staring at him like, wow, you really are a big, douche bag prick. Then he looks up, sees us, and gives us this half-hearted, fake apologetic shrug. "Sorry guys, but we can go to a movie anytime, right?"

Um, no.

"You can also hang out with Dayna anytime," Spencer hisses, and I swear, when he says the bitches name his nostrils flare, steam comes out of his ears, his eyes turns red and he spits out pure venom. "Which you do, if you haven't noticed."

Ryan scoffs, and rolls his eyes, like he just can't even bother listening to Spencer talk. "Whatever, Spence. Get over it."

That must be it for Spencer, because he's slamming his fist down against the table, so loud and hard it makes us all jump in our seats a little. Well, except Ryan who just stares back at him, eyes narrowed.

"What the fuck is your goddamn problem lately, Ryan? Whatever happened to us being best friends? I mean, we have been since we were fucking five years old and all," he snaps. "Tell me what's so fucking great about that little fucking princess of yours Dayna that you have to ditch me and your fucking boyfriend for?"

"You're so jealous," Ryan accuses, and he smirks. Actually smirks! "You always have been."

Spencer stares at him, mouth open, and he just shakes his head, slow. "Wow..."

"See," Ryan sneers with nose in the fucking air, "you don't even have anything to say."

All three of us just stare at him, completely shocked. I mean wtf?

"You know what, Ross?" Spencer hisses, getting up from his chair with Jon quickly joining. "Fuck you, and have a nice fucking life with your precious, little Dayna. Don't come crying to me when you realize what a backstabbing bitch she really is."

Ryan just rolls his eyes, and looks away. "Whatever."

That's it for me too, and I'm standing with them. Ryan looks up at me, confused. "Wh - "

I just shake my head, and without a word I follow Spencer and Jon out of the cafeteria, leaving Ryan to sit there, alone.

- - -

After school, Ryan acts like nothing happened.

He comes up behind me at my locker, wraps his arms around my waist and presses a kiss to my neck. "Hey," he purrs, all happy and bubbly.

I turn to face him, and scowl. "What?" I sneer.

His smile falters, and he drops his hands from my waist. "You're not still mad about lunch, are you?" he asks, scrunching his face up together.

I shake my head, mutter 'unbelievable' under my breath, and slam my locker shut before heading off down the hallway.

He follows close behind, not giving up. "Brennnn," he whines, grabbing onto my hand.

I yank it away.

He sighs. "Come on, it's between me and Spence. It shouldn't affect us."

"I'm sorry I'm pissed cause my boyfriends a fucking bitch," I snap.

But, nope, this doesn't stop him either, his face doesn't even drop, he just follows on my tail, tugging at my shirt sleeve. "Brenny..."

I ignore him, and head down the staircase to the parking lot doors.

"We live in the same house, and sleep in the same bed, and I'm driving us home," he points out. "You can't just ignore me forever."

He has a point, but I ignore him anyways as I reluctantly get into the passenger seat. He tries to talk to me during the ride home, but I don't reply. He just sighs, and groans, and makes stupid, annoying noises.

I have no sympathy.

When we get home, I go downstairs and watch TV and he stays upstairs and does whatever. My guess something that has to do with that stupid Dayna girl.

At six, I am forced to go up to my room to get ready for the movie. And sure enough, Ryan's lying on our bed, cell phone to his ear. I don't have to hear what he's saying to know its Dayna, I mean; it's obviously not Spencer or Jon.

I scowl at him.

"Okay, I gotta go," he says into the phone. "I'll be there at six-thirty, okay? Okay, bye." He snaps his phone shut, and looks up at me, with this like, obviously sucking-up, sweet face on.

I start digging through my closet. I decide I need something slutty, because it wouldn't be a bad idea to find another guy before Ryan dumps me for Dayna, because by the looks of it, he probably will. Then again, I could always call Ethan up. I'm sure he'd go for it when the time comes.

I stop, and brush the whole thought from my head because I'm seconds from crying.

"You know, I really want you to come to youth group with me tonight, Bren," he says from the bed.

I grab onto my very tightest pair of black jeans. "I'm going to a movie," I grumble, back turned all the way to him, "remember?"

"Bren." He sighs. "You can go to a movie anytime. I really want you to be there, it's important to me," he pleads, batting his brown eyes up at me when I turn to the dresser to find a slutty shirt to accompany my slutty jeans.

I snort, because really, does he honestly think I care what's important to him at the moment? "You have Dayna to go with you."

"I know, but I want you to come too," he says, pulling himself up from the bed to head over to me.

"I'd go if she wasn't."

"Brendon!" he cries in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air and stomping his foot against the ground. "Can you please just get over whatever it is that you have against Dayna? You don't even have a valid reason as to why you hate her."

"I don't have to," I reply, digging out Ryan's tight, red v-neck t-shirt from the drawer. Yes, definitely slutty enough. "I just don't trust her."

"Well, get over it."

"You're a bitch," I say, turning to stare at him, plain and simple before I pull my t-shirt over my head and slip the new one on.

He snaps his mouth shut, presses his lips together in a thin, tight line and doesn't say anything to defend himself - because, well, it's true and he knows it.

"You'd think, seeing as I'm your boyfriend and everything, that you'd ask me to go with you before her, but you know, whatever." I shrug, unzipping my jeans. "You obviously care more about her than anyone right now, so..."

"Brendon, Christ!"

"Ryan!" I fake gasp, just because I want to get under his skin. "Don't use the Lords name in vain!"

He scowls.

I smirk as I kick my jeans off, and begin the long process of getting my super slutty, tight jeans on.

Ryan doesn't say anything else as I pull my jeans on, the whole thing taking about five minutes before they're finally on completely. I grab onto my wallet sitting on my desk, and head to my door without a kiss, or a hug, let alone even a goodbye.

Just before I close the door behind me, I turn to him, where he's still standing by my dresser, staring at the ground. "Oh, by the way," I start. He looks up at me, eyes wide with hope, "Dr. Bernstein called and we're negative. So there, I guess I'm not as skanky as you thought I was."

I slam the door on his face before he has a chance to reply.

- - -

When I get to Jon's, Spencer's already there, but then again, that's not really a surprise because when is he not there?

They're sitting on Jon's bed, and the surprising thing is, the doors wide open and their not making out or doing anything else that would forever scar my brain. Instead, their cuddled together, both dressed in sweatpants and baggy sweaters, with Spencer's head rested on Jon's strong shoulder, as he pets his messy hair comfortingly.

They both look up at the same time, sad expressions not changing.

"Hi," Jon greets softly.

I give a forced smile, and sit down at the foot of his bed, across from them. "What's going on?" I ask, noting Spencer's red nose and swollen eyes.

Jon gives me a look like, what do you think? Before replying with, "Your boyfriend."

"Oh, right," I mumble. "'Course."

I rub my temple, and shut my eyes. All of this is just getting stupid. Everything was fine before Dayna came around (Well... for the most part anyway) She just needs to be shoved off a very tall cliff so we can all go back to peace and harmony.

"I'm done," Spencer finally murmurs into Jon's shoulder as he looks up at me with heartbroken eyes. "I can't do it anymore."

I nod, because I don't think I really blame him.

"Ryan and Spence got in another fight last period," Jon explains to me, as Spencer rubs his nose into Jon's baggy sweater. "Ryan said some really mean things."

Yeah, of course he did.

"I just don't get what's wrong with him lately," Spencer says, voice cracking. "What did I do?"

I shake my head, and sigh. "I don't think you did anything."

Spencer bites his lip, and tears well up in his eyes. "I don't understand. We've been best friends forever, and now all of a sudden... he hates me."

I open my mouth to say something like, 'he doesn't hate you' but I know it really won't help much at the moment, so I keep my mouth shut, and send him a sympathetic look.

He sighs, and Jon presses a long kiss to his temple.

"I don't know what's going on with him lately either," I say, picking up Jon's ragged teddy bear. "One moment he's all good and... normal, and the next moment he's this huge, raging bitch."

Spencer nods. "Yeah..." He sniffs, and wipes under his running nose.

"So... we were thinking maybe we'd skip the movie tonight," Jon says, carefully. "I mean, you can stay here and everything, we're not kicking you out, we want you to stay. I just - well, Spencer's obviously not in the mood."

I nod. "No, I understand. That's fine. I don't mind hanging out here."

Spencer sends me a soft smile, sticks out his leg to lightly nudge me with his foot as he goes, "You know, Brendon, you're actually not as bad as I thought."

I grab at his ankle, squeezing lightly, and I totally mean it as I reply with a small, genuine smile, "Ditto."

- - -

I get home before Ryan, so pretty much the second I get home; I go up to my room, strip down to my boxers and crawl into bed, deep under the covers.

I'm half asleep when Ryan comes crawling in, and curls up next to me, whispering, "I love you," into my ear.

He smells like perfume.