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DO NOT FORGET TO READ THE CHAPTER I POSTED EARLIER TODAY "{38} "The "Busy" Angel"

Their outing started off with a short visit to the mall. Even with Gabe, it was calm and refreshing. The thought of Gabe being in the same sentence with those two words threw Addison for a loop.

One thing, amongst others, that Addison noticed Oliver and Gabe had in common was their need to impress adults.

Addison didn't know if Oliver had taught his younger brother to be this way, or he just naturally learned to, but they both felt the need to stay on Addison's parent's good side.

Which is a pretty good idea with their current living conditions, but Gabe went overboard.

He was a totally different person in front of his parents, he didn't talk, or make obnoxious jokes. He didn't even crack a smile, but Addison didn't know if that part was because of his parents, or his brother's recent absence.

Addison had a slight feeling it was both.

When they got back in the car empty-handed because Addison's father was too cheap to purchase anything, Gabe finally spoke, "Mr. Westbrook," the boy started with a soft voice. "Can you turn on the heating? You don't have to if no one else feels the need to though."

Addison looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"He's right." Addison's mom agreed. "It's freezing in here."

The man nodded and turned up the heating.

"Are you okay?" Addison whispered to Gabe, they had just pulled into a restaurant parking lot. "You seem off."

"Shut up, I'm fine." The younger boy grumbled. "Unlike you, I have respect for adults."

"God, never mind. You're still a bitch."

"Your mom." The boy grinned before sliding out of the car and slamming the door behind him.

They waited in a short line to get in, and during this time, Addison's mom explained to Gabe how things worked.

"You're 11."

"I'm 14-"

"-No." Addison's dad cut in. "Gabe, today you are 11."

Addison remembered having this same conversation when he was Gabe's age, all the way up until he was 16.

"Ok. I am 11." Gabe eventually agreed and they walked up in line.

"Hi!" The waiter greeted them with a kind smile. "4 menus?"

"Oh no." His mother set her hand on Gabe's shoulder. "He's 11. Kids eat free today, right?"

The waiter glanced at Gabe and frowned, "Ma'am..." She eyed Gabe up and down and gave in. "...Yes, kids eat free. "Here's a kids meal for your...child."

"Thank you!

  After settling down at a table, Addison slid Gabe's menu in front of him and grinned, "So what are you thinking of getting? The sliders? Ooo I see this one comes with apple slices or milk-"

"-You think you're funny?" Gabe rolled his eyes and snatched back the menu. "Frankly, I don't care what menu I get, either way, I was getting chicken tenders."

"You're one of those?" Addison grimaced.

Gabe replied with a grin before grabbing one of the menus' crayons and starting the tic tac toe game. He slid it over to Addison and handed him the crayon.

"You're on."

10 minutes later...

"Fucking cheater!" Addison tugged the crayon out of his hand and grabbed the menu.

"This is my 8th time winning, Addison. We already ran out of space on the back. Just admit you're a loser."

"No. I will not lose to an 11-year-old."

"I'm not 11-"

"-Shhhh!" Addison's dad stopped him. "Not too loud."

His mom sighed," Addison, I bet your dad 5 dollars you'd win...3 times. I'm taking that money out of your allowance."

"That's not fair, he cheated."

"Either that or your college fund." She shrugged. "About that...What are you planning on doing about college? You know it's getting later in the year, you've applied to few right?"

And here was the dreaded conversation.

College has always been a touchy topic for Addison for two reasons. One, he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life and if he would even make it into any university.

And two, there was a certain someone had to make it for. But he didn't know if his shitty cheer experience and his 3.0 GPA would get him where they both hoped to be.

{Flashback}

He was close to breaking.

If he heard Oliver sigh, one more time, he would officially crack.

"Oliver. What the hell is wrong?"

The boy shut his computer, swiveled around in the desk's chair, and sighed once again. "Nothing."

"Yes there is, and you're making it evident. So tell me what's wrong before I banish you to the couch for the night."

"I was looking at colleges." The boy frowned. "And I wanted to ask you something before I made some decisions."

"Ok..."

"What are you planning on doing?"

Shit.

"Well...I don't...You want me to be honest with you?"

"That was the point of my question, yes."

"With the way things are looking, Oliver. Stripping may be my best choice,"

Oliver's eyes went wide, and when he noticed that Addison had been serious, they went wider. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious."

"I mean, you know I would support you either way. But Addison, you have so much potential--Not that strippers don't-"

"-Oliver I'm kidding."

"Really?"

"No, I was serious as a heart attack. But see it from my point of view. Eli and Eve already admitted that they're going to California and I can't be that far away from my parents. And I honestly don't think I could handle going to college alone, definitely, if I'm not sure what I want to pursue, it'll get stressful."

"I understand that but-"

"-Let me finish. Could you see me out alone? No parents, friends-"

"-What about me?" Oliver questioned with a frown. "What if we ended up at the same college, that wouldn't be too bad right?"

"Are you saying you want to end up at the same college?"

"I'm saying I don't want to not end up at the same college." Oliver grinned. "Think about it, if we went somewhere close to home, you could still see your parents, and I could see Gabe." Oliver's smile widened, "And we would be together."

"But I don't know what I want to do."

"You have time. And I can help you along the way if you let me."

"Stripping really doesn't seem too bad though." Addison shrugged. "I wonder what my name would be?"

"We can think about that after we start on applications."

"I never said yes."

"You never said no." Oliver walked over to him, "So I take that as a yes."

"That's not how consent works." Addison grinned pulling him down and forcing Oliver's arms around his torso. Oliver responded by wrapping his arms tighter, around the boy, and letting his chin rest on top of his head.

He briefly pulled away, "That is a yes right?"

"Of course it is. But just in case, I'm thinking of my stripper name being-"

{Back to present day}

With Cate in the picture, Addison wasn't sure what would happen now. As far as he knows, Oliver's already planning to cut him off, and college would be the perfect opportunity for him to make it permanent.

College could be the place he abandons him for good if he hasn't already done so.

But, Addison knows he would never let that happen. There was no way he would let Oliver go that easily.

"I'm not sure yet, mom." Addison forced a smile. "But I assure you, I'll be out of the house by 30."

"Subtract about 10 years and you'd be right on the dot." His father added with a smile.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Guys...I have like 8 more pre-written chapters.

I like writing flashbacks because I feel like I haven't written a lot of them being all cute and shit. 

Do you guys think my pace is okay? If not what should I do to fix it?