The second Cole walked through the front door after being dropped off by Sarah, he was enveloped by his mother. "Collier!" She said, her hand holding the back of his head, forcing his face into her shoulder. "I was so worried about you! Why didn't you answer your phone?!"

"It died". Collier had left everything at his mom's house the night before, including his phone charger.

"Collier, I was so worried-"

"That I wouldn't be home in time to help your new boyfriend move in, right?" Collier asked, not bothering to hide the bitterness from his voice. His mother sighed and grasped his shoulders, pushing him back so she could look at his eyes.

"I was worried about your safety, Cole. You were walking outside as it got dark. You could've gotten hurt-"

"I'm fine, mom," Cole assured, pushing his mom's arms off of him and moving around her to look into the living room. Everything seemed the same. "They're not here yet?"

"No dear," his mom said, "Ronald's son is your age. He's waiting for him to come home from school before heading over here with the moving truck". 

"Alright," Collier grumbled, turning towards the stairs then and moving to go up then.

"Where are you going?" His mom asked quickly, "we'll need your hel-"

"Call me when you need me," he interrupted before taking the stairs two at a time to get away faster.

Collier wasn't really sure why he had come home. Sure, he was foolishly hoping that his mother would see his act of kindness and not try to force him into a new family, but he understood that when his mother wanted something, she wouldn't just let it go. This was something he knew about her. If she wanted them to be a family, she would do everything in her power to force them together.

The truth was, Cole easily could have asked Sarah to drop him off at his dad's house, giving her some simple lie about how it was a new friend's house so she wouldn't know what was going on with his parents until they could speak alone. It was something he had even thought about, but Collier hadn't asked to go to his father's house, because he didn't want to go there.

He had come home, because that's where he wanted to be, standing there, in his bedroom looking out of the window and waiting for his new housemates to arrive.

And that's when Collier realized he was actually curious about these people. How could he not be though? They would be sleeping down the hall from him, eating at the same table as him. Living in the house he had grown up in.

But being curious didn't mean he cared— or so he told himself— so Cole stepped back to direct his focus to his easel.

He was still working on the sunset picture he had began four days ago, though it felt like a lifetime. It was nearly finished, since he had spent Sunday protesting his father leaving by locking himself in his room as his parents packed.

The painting was perfect, exactly how he wanted it; the sky was a wonderful butterscotch and the sand caramel. It looked exactly how he remembered it. 

All he had to do to finish it was add a little more texture to the sand, which took a lot less time than Collier was hopping. Not more than five minutes, he was guessing as he removed the painting from his easel and set up a blank canvas to begin another one.

Since he had planned to finish his sunset painting after school, Cole had spent his entire drawing class sketching out something for his next painting; and no, it was not Henry Stone, though ever since he had thrown the first drawing away, he was itching to start another one, despite his promise to himself.

Even though Collier wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, he had spared Henry many more thoughts since lunch.

But what Collier decided to paint next had nothing to do with the blue eyed boy, but once again focused on his trip out west.

It was one of the small towns along the beach that his aunt lived by, and it was a charming little place that Collier couldn't wait to put down on paper.

He was just afraid he couldn't do it any justice.

Collier didn't get very far in painting. He had picked out the many different reds and browns he wanted to use for the bricks on the buildings, and was just about to dip his paint brush into a dark red when he heard the commotion coming from the first level.

With a sigh, Collier set his paintbrush down in his easel and leaned around the stand to peer outside. There was a moving truck, and then a silver car in the driveway. Collier grimaced and turned to find the cap for his paint so it wouldn't dry out when he went to help downstairs.

Sadly, before he could cover the jar, his bedroom door was pushed open and he jumped in surprise, dropping the glass container onto the carpet, the red paint staining his floor. With a panicked cry, Collier quickly retrieved the fallen jar, but it was too late to save his floor.

"My mother is going to fucking destroy me," he said, and then remembered what startled him. Looking up at his door, he was fully prepared to yell at whoever had barged into his room, but he didn't get that far. "Now what are you doing in my house?"

Henry Stone was just looking at the dark red paint on the floor at Collier's feet. "I was looking for the bathroom," he said quietly, his eyes slowly moving up Collier's body to his face.

"Well you most definitely didn't find it," Cole offered and Henry just furrowed his eyebrows. "You still haven't told me why you're-"

"Collier!" This was Sarah, pushing Henry out of the way to get to him. She smashed into him, hugging him tightly and Cole just raised his eyebrows at Henry, who was no longer looking at him, but at all the paintings and drawings Collier had hanging up on his walls. "Baby, why didn't you tell me your parents were getting a divorce?"

She sounded a bit upset with him, and Cole stepped out of her hug. "I only found out on Saturday. I've been trying to tell you but every time I told you I wanted to talk to you alone, you had something better to do". He sounded a bit bitter, but at the moment he didn't really care. Sarah's eyes widened, and then filled with tears as her expression turned guilty.

"Cole, I am so sorry-"

But the Emerson was pushing into his room, his eyes focusing on his girlfriend first, and then settling on Collier before widening.

"Alright," Cole said to them, pressing his hands to his forehead. "Will one of you tell me what the fuck is going on?" 

"Language, Cole," his mother said, also joining the party in his room. Collier just rolled his eyes and looked at Sarah, who typically would giggle at him getting scolded for such a simple thing, but was still just looking at him with tears in his eyes. "I didn't realize you already knew your new step-brother". For a sick second, Collier though she was talking about Henry. "And he's dating your best friend?! Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Oh Jesus fucking-"

"What on earth did you do to your floor?!"

***

"Don't give those to him," his mother said, stepping between Collier and Henry. Henry was trying to hand Collier glass plates out of a box to put on a shelf in the kitchen, but couldn't with his mother blocking his way. "Cole breaks everything".

"I do not-"

"Where have all our vases gone, dear?" She asked him, taking the plates from Henry herself and smiling sweetly at him. "We had to put them all away once you broke the one from your father and my's wedding".

"So that's why you're getting divorced," Collier said sarcastically and his mother looked at him, not at all amused.

"Collier-"

Cole watched as Henry silently slipped from the room, going unnoticed by his mother. He really couldn't blame him for wanting to leave. The tension between Collier and his mother was thick enough to be cut by a knife. "I know mom," Cole interrupted. "I wasn't being serious".

"Well you should start," she claimed, and Cole just narrowed his eyes at her.

"Are we done unpacking? I'd like to go up to my room now and paint". He didn't really want to paint. He actually wanted to pack a suitcase full of clothes and go to his father's, but he wasn't going to tell his mom that until he needed a ride.

"You should check with Ronald and see if he needs anymore help, and then you can go do whatever you'd like dear," his mother said, and Cole just nodded before leaving the living room.

He didn't ask Ron if he needed help. Collier had actually decided within five minutes of meeting the older man that he would never speak to him again voluntarily, and while he doubted he'd succeed at this, he wouldn't like to fail so soon.

Ronald didn't even look at him as he passed him in the living room, and Collier ignored him right back, silently slipping up the stairs.

Emerson was moving all of his stuff into the room next to Cole's, and Sarah was standing in the hall when he came up the stairs. She sent him a worried look, but didn't say anything as he walked right past her and slipped into his own room, shutting the door behind himself so she knew not to follow.

Seeing Henry standing in his room looking down at his recently finished sunset painting startled Collier to the point of a loud squeak leaving him. Henry looked up at him slowly, and then back down again, seeming unembarrassed to be caught in Collier's bedroom alone without his permission.

"You made all of these?" The taller boy asked, something like amazement in his voice and Cole just nodded. "All of them?"

"Yeah". Henry moved to go look at all the other paintings and drawings on the wall.

"Do you just come up with these things? Off of the top of your head?"

"Well, no. I'm not creative," Collier admitted and Henry looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I can't just draw random things. I've seen everything I draw. They're all little snippets of my memories".

Henry kept looking at him, as if he was trying to figure something out, and Cole debated whether or not he should bring up the kiss.

But he wasn't supposed to be worrying about Henry anymore, so he didn't mention it.

"Why'd you come up here, Collier?" Henry asked, his voice bored and Cole raised his eyebrows.

"This is my bedroom". Henry just hummed. "Why are you-" but then Cole remembered that he had actually come upstairs for a reason and snapped his mouth shut.

His carry on suitcase he had used on the plane to and from Washington was still in the corner of his room, and he retrieved it, throwing it onto his bed. Henry had gone back to silently looking at his paintings, and Cole was thankful to have his eyes off of him as he packed his bag for his father's house.

He didn't take much, only enough for the night and the next day, though this time he remembered his phone charger.

"Alright," Cole said when he was finished, snapping the suitcase shut and zipping it. "Let's go down stairs". He said it in case Henry had planned to stay up in his room alone, but the other boy showed no signs of protest as he followed him out of the room, walking a safe distance behind him to not get in the way of his small suitcase.

As they passed Emerson's new room, Collier noted that it was empty, and guessed Sarah and Emerson were on the first floor.

He found them talking to his mother, who was smiling adoringly at Emerson like he was the greatest thing in the world and Cole narrowed his eyes. Seeing his mother already fit in so well with another family made him feel sick.

Her eyes shifted to Collier and Henry, standing at the base of the stairs, and then down to the suitcase Cole had pulled in front of him.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked, smiling around the words though he knew she didn't want to.

"Take a fucking guess," was Collier's snappy reply and his mother's eyebrows raised.

"But we're having dinner, Collier," she said softly and his eyebrows raised.

"Can I get a ride?" He was ignoring her previous statement purposely, and her cheeks flushed pink.

"No, Cole". He tensed and narrowed his eyes. "I'll drive you to your father's after dinner". His mouth opened to protested, but she raised her hand to cut him off. "Either you can stay and eat with us, or drive yourself".

It was very quiet in the room then, the only sound being Ronald's steps as he moved from the kitchen into the living room with them. Collier looked from him to his mother. Her eyes flashed in victory, thinking she had won.

"Fine," Cole said on an exhale, trying to pretend like his stomach wasn't turning.

"Cole," Sarah pleaded, taking a step forward and he just shook his head at her.

"No," he said, glaring at his mother, whose eyes had widened. "I'll drive myself. You know, maybe this time I'll actually kill someone". And with that he was leaving the house, less than gracefully for he tripped on his suitcase but luckily caught himself before he fell.

Hanging on one of the hooks by the door were his car keys, and he didn't look at them as he picked them up.

And then the door was slamming behind him and he was sitting on the front steps, his car keys clutched in his hand and he breathed deeply. His hands shook, and he forced them against his legs in an attempt to steady them.

He didn't know how long he sat like that, trying to regain his composure, but before he had completely calmed down, the door behind him opened and closed, and someone stepped onto the porch behind him.

Collier took a deep breath, preparing to look back at his mother's knowing gaze, or Sarah's sorry eyes, but he was instead surprised to find Henry Stone looking down at him with a blank stare. "You are just everywhere today, aren't you?" Collier tried to joke, but if fell flat. Opening his fingers, he looked down at the keys in his hand. "I can't do it".

Henry didn't ask what it was, only nudged him with his leg and instructed him to, "come on".

The taller boy jumped down the front steps and Cole scrambled after him, tripping on the final step and catching himself against the railing. Henry looked back at him, maybe to see if he was alright (Cole doubted that), and then continued to move forward.

Grabbing his suitcase, Cole followed until he was standing beside Henry in front of the silver car in the driveway. "I'll take you where you need to go," the older boy explained, looking down at him for a second before unlocking his car and pulling open the driver's side door. Cole had to move out of the way so it didn't hit him.

"Are you su-" but Henry was slamming the door between them and then looking up at him through the window expectantly.

To get in Henry Stone's car, or to not get in Henry Stone's car.

He got in Henry Stone's car.

***

It was quiet after Collier gave directions for about a minute before he couldn't help breaking it. "So about that kiss-" Cole began and Henry made a noise of protest.

"Why do you always feel the need to talk about everything?" Henry asked and Cole's lips parted in surprise.

"I.." he trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows. "I don't know-"

"The kiss meant nothing". Collier had thought as much, but it still was unpleasant to hear.

"Oh," Cole said, and he was happy that he sounded neutral. "I thought so".

"Good". It was quiet for the next minute until Collier pointed to his father's house on the right side of the street.

"Here".

Henry pulled into the driveway, putting his car in park. Collier watched as Henry leaned forward in his seat to peer up at the house though the wind shield, and the next thing he knew the attractive boy was leaning towards him and connecting their mouths.

How they got from one thing to the other, Collier wasn't really sure, and his eyes widened to the point he figured it'd be amusing to anyone watching.

As Henry's lips moved against his, Collier's arms raised, grasping his shoulders. For a moment, he debated pulling him closer, but ended up pushing Henry away and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What the fuck, dude?!" He exclaimed and Henry just sighed and shook his head.

Less than two minutes ago Henry had told him their kisses from Monday night meant nothing, and then he had gone and kissed him again.

"Kissing means nothing," Henry said to him, his blue eyes very intense and Collier just raised his hands to pull at his own hair.

"What is even happening?"

And then Henry's mouth was on his again, and this time he allowed himself to give into the nice feeling and return the kiss for half a minute before pulling back. "Kissing means nothing," Henry repeated, "it's just fun".

"I-" Cole began, but his head hurt so he shut his eyes. "What?"

"Just get out of my car, Collier".

He did, figuring staying in that space any longer would just give him more of a headache. Collier was so out of it that he almost forgot his suitcase from the back of the car before Henry rolled down his window and reminded him.

Kissing means nothing. It's just fun.

Perhaps this is why Collier, after retrieving his suitcase stuck his head into Henry's open window for a second, pressing their lips together once more quickly before he stepped away from the car.

Henry just nodded at him, as if he was glad he understood even though Cole wasn't sure he did, and then the silver car backed out of his driveway and sped down the street.

Cole only watched it retreat for a minute before going up to his father's front door and knocking.

The man answered almost immediately, and Cole hoped that his cheeks weren't too red. "Hey dad," he greeted as the older man hugged him tightly.

"I didn't realize you'd be coming tonight".

"Do you have plans?" Cole felt guilty for not calling before hand, but his father laughed, easing his worry.

"None at all. I'm happy you came by". When their hug broke, he followed his dad into the living room, sliding his suitcase over by the couch. "If you're going to be staying here more often, I think we'll have to get you a bed when I get back".

"Get back?" Cole asked immediately and his father nodded.

As an overseas sales man, his dad traveled a lot, for weeks at a time. While it wasn't surprising to hear the man had another trip, it was a bit upsetting.

"Europe. I don't know how long I'll be gone". Collier just nodded, though he was a bit panicked not to have a place to get away from his mother indefinitely.

"When do you leave?"

"This Thursday". In less than two days. Collier sighed, and his dad repeated the sound. "I'm sorry Cole. This is why your mother didn't want you living with me in the first place".

"It's really okay, dad," Cole said, dropping down onto the couch. "I just really don't like being around mom right now, but I'll have nowhere else to go with you gone".

"That's not true". Cole looked up at his father to see him holding out a key to him. "You can come here any time you'd like, even when I'm not here. This is one of your houses now, I figured you needed a way to get in". Cole took the key from his dad and looked at it for a second before taking out his old keychain and tucking it on one of the rings. "Are you driving again?"

"No," Cole grumbled, and his father seemed to understand he wasn't really in the mood for talking.

"Alright". Cole grunted as his hair was ruffled but didn't protest. "Why don't you go take a hot shower? I'll have dinner ready when you're out".

Collier, as he walked into the bathroom with his change of cloths from his suitcase, was very thankful for his father.

And, he added a bit later as he relaxed under the hot spray, Henry Stone's lips.