See Me - 2. Chapter 2: Coca Cola

Merit walked over to their lunch table, seeing Talia and Siera there. "Hey, I need a favor, because I trust you two, obviously, can you watch him while I grab some food and a couple of soda's? I'll try to hurry before the...bad ass men get here."

Emry looked at Merit and quickly shook his head. "They will come..especially when they find out what we did."

"Sure, we'll watch him..." Talia said.

Merit smiled and grasped his shoulders. "I will be back before they get here..and you are completely safe with these two, especially Talia."

Talia grinned and looked up at Emry. "If you want, I can always call Asia over here too, never know if shes packing a gun to shoot someone out, I don't have anything against her, she's just the gangsta ho..."

"Like when she wears those little mini skirts with those fishnet stockings and the garters, I always picture a little holster with a small, cute little gun tucked at the inside of her thigh, just beneath the little skirt." Siera laughed.

"What would be more kick ass is if the heels of those knee high stiletto's she wears would pop off and have like sharp pointed heels beneath and she could swing kick and slit some ones throat." Talia grinned. "I totally pictured a dominatrix outfit that could double as a full featured weapon, that was one of the weapons."

Emry sat down after Merit walked off and he listened to Talia and Siera going back and forth.

"Well, don't tell her that idea, she might find a way to make it happen. Get one of her guys from New York to come down with a roll of dough in a rubber band that he just pulls out of his shirt pocket." Siera grinned and then looked behind her to see Kane and Liam coming in. "Oh shit..."

Talia twisted around. "Man, I'm not scared, he'll be lucky if I don't throw my food away and slap him with my lunch tray."

Merit saw them walking in and made a careful sprint back to the table, nearly dropping everything, luckily both trays landed safely on the table and then he sat both soda's down.

"There." He said, placing a hand on Emry's shoulder, rubbing it softly, comforting him. His eyes remained focused on Kane and Liam as they reached the table.

"I just have one question to ask you." Kane looked at Merit. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He shook his head. "You completely turned on us, to save him? Who is he to you?"

"Well, you did what you did." Talia stood up. "I know what you did...and guess who told me? The fortune teller, shes not a fraud. She told me every little detail, and Merit just confirmed it." Okay, she was telling a bit of a tall tale, but it came to mind.

Kane looked at Talia and laughed. "Really? Then why didn't you bitch at me that day?"

"I needed confirmation...now I got it. So your fucking twenty dollars was well spent because it came from your mother fucking wallet, not mine, I don't pay a penny on my dates, it's on your dime."

She stepped closer, getting in his face, not caring that she was shorter than him. Her arms crossed. "So what do you have to say for yourself? Look at him, he's normal, even good fucking looking, if we broke up, which we might if this keeps up, I would date him."

Kane stared at Talia and crossed his arms and slowly nodded at her and then a grin broke out. "You'd date him? Now that...is funny!"

Emry looked down, listening to all the arguing and that was when he suddenly grabbed one of the two trays that Merit brought over, they hadn't decided which one belonged to who.

The tray was then lunged across the room and it flew past Asia and nearly hit her over the head as it crashed into the wall near one of the tables towards the front.

Talia suddenly went silent and all eyes traveled over to Emry.

"Woah..." Asia looked over at them. "Dude...if you're going to have a food fight, you don't throw the fucking tray!"

Emry looked over at Asia and then grabbed his can of soda and brought his arm up, daring her to say something else.

She grinned at Emry and walked over to the table. "You want to throw that soda at me?" She then grabbed Siera's tray and flipped it over and it landed upside down on the table, spilling her food onto the table's surface.

"What was that for?!" Siera screamed, not even knowing why she was even still sitting when everyone was standing, she felt like a midget.

Asia grabbed Siera by the back of her hair and yanked it back, hearing Siera scream in pain. "Was I talking to you, Barbie?!"

That was when Emry threw the can and it flew right past Asia and missed, hitting the floor, the can burst and it's contents flew out and spilled everywhere.

Asia heard the can and she looked up and turned around, seeing it on the floor. She let go of Siera's hair and looked at Emry and grinned. "You dare...if only you could aim better." She then walked over to Kane. "Why don't you say, fuck this bitch, and come to my place? I might can promise you won't get shot up, ten percent guarantee."

"Go back to the trash dumpster you crawled out of, China." He said, getting her name wrong on purpose. Kane looked between Talia and Merit.

"Keep getting my name wrong...and that might be where you end up." Asia frowned and turned around, walking away.

Kane nodded "So, what are we fighting about next? Oh...yeah, how about how your friend is a freak and he has anger management!"

"Shut up!" Talia screamed at Kane.

"Why don't you just leave him alone?!" Merit walked forward and started to step in front of Talia.

"Or what?" Kane shoved past Talia and stepped up to Merit. "We're friends...why the fuck are you going to let him get between that?"

"I'm not, you are...I mean, I accept who ever you bring in, yet you can't do that for me?" Merit asked.

"Because I don't bring losers around!" Kane screamed in his face.

Emry suddenly pushed through Merit and Talia and his hands slammed into Kane's chest and he shoved him back with all the strength he had, throwing his body weight into it, sending the jock stumbling back.

Kane stumbled back and he looked at Emry.

Emry held a hand up towards Merit. "No." He shook his head. He then stepped forward and balled his hand up into a fist and punched Kane across the face, just like it had been done to him that awful day.

Kane grunted as his head was thrown to the side following that punch, but given their differences in strength and body, Emry could hardly send him to the ground.

Kane looked at him and grabbed the wrist of the hand that had hit him and he swung around and threw Emry towards one of the tables.

He slightly flew and stumbled back, his feet barely coming off of the floor and he hit the edge of one of the tables and there, a loud cry of pain escaped.

Emry fell to the floor and then he looked up as Kane was enjoying his glory, Asia had emptied her lunch tray and came around from behind and slammed Kane across the back of the head with it, releasing her grip on the tray after the blow, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Kane screamed and a hand went to the back of his head and he turned around. "Bitch!" He shut his eyes tight.

"Ha! Someone did it!" Talia grinned, not caring at all, by this time, however, a rush of school officials were coming in, two of the patrol officers, Principal Morris.

"Eat this like a dick in the locker room!" Asia stuck her middle finger up at Kane. "Just wish I could make it a foot long for you, then you could really deep throat it and choke!"

Principal Morris walked over to the group, taking a look around to try and figure out who the aggressors were. It was clear right away that Asia was one of them, since she delivered the last blow.

"Asia, go over there and wait by the officers!" She barked the order, not taking kindly to her cafeteria turning into a bar room brawl. She saw Emry on the floor and turned around. "Kane, you can join Asia...maybe bond over this." Her eyes turned towards Merit and Talia. "Anyone else involved?"

Talia looked at Principal Morris. "No...but you should know that Asia also yanked Siera's hair." She knew Emry had gotten aggressive, but she believed it justified, so nothing was said about it.

"You snitch!" Asia screamed. "What about your narco friend over there that tried to throw a coca cola can at me?!"

Merit waved his arm out. "She mouthed off at him first! And Kane was already provoking him!" He looked at the Principal.

Principal Morris looked at Merit and then over at Asia and Kane. "As I see it, he's the one on the floor." She walked over and helped Emry up. "Take them to my office, they are to wait there until I arrive."

"Oh! Special boy gets treatment! You fucking loser!" Kane yelled as he was shoved on out of the lunch room.

"Shut up, jockey strap bitch! You started everything!" Asia screamed at him, walking out with the patrol officers.

"Fuck you, China!"

"Call me China one more fucking time and my fist to your face will feel like the size of China knocking you on your ass!" Asia screamed, the two argued until their voices fainted into nothing.

Emry shook and trembled as he fell against Principal Morris, fingers weakly clinging to her shirt as she quickly helped him into a chair. "It...I...came close." He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

Savanna Morris, the Principal, rubbed his shoulders in a comforting gesture. "Just try to relax, I'm going to take you to Mr. Stetson's office."

Emry looked up at her and nodded.

Mr. Stetson sat there, watching Emry as he sat in silence, staring out of the window. He wasn't an impatient man and he knew quite well that it often took time before Emry actually opened up.

"Do you have my spare stuff?" Emry finally spoke up, his gaze shifting towards Mr. Stetson.

"Yeah." The man said, reaching down beneath his desk where he retrieved a small black pouch type bag. He laid it on the desk and pushed it close to Emry.

"Thanks." Emry grabbed it and started to rummage through it and he pulled out a small mirror and an eyeliner pen and started to apply the black along the lining of his eyes, being very careful, for one, not to poke his eye, and for two, he wanted to make sure it was perfect.

"So...what happened? What's been going on?"

"Well, I guess you know I ran away from home. I got sick of my mom's crap again." Emry started on the other eye. "Guess I should of stuck it out a day longer, other wise I wouldn't of gotten into the mess that I did." He lowered the eyeliner pen and put the cap back onto it and put it back into the small bag, along with the mirror.

"But things look good, they released you." Mr. Stetson said.

"Yeah...and I'm staying at Merit's house...for now." He looked up at the counselor. "It's going to start a lot of trouble...and I'm not sure I really want to put myself through it."

"What kind of trouble?" The man slightly tilted his head to the side, idly fiddling with a pen.

"Merit kissed me, he basically confessed to me. Thing is...he has a girlfriend. Not to mention...he's friends with the guys that beat me up, the very guys that are the reason for my medication being stolen and ending up at Merit's sisters murder scene. I don't know if they did it...or if my meds traveled along..."

He looked up. "My doctor said if I were intimate with anyone...I would have a cataleptic attack right after, like I would go into paralysis...and, or, fall asleep entirely." He shrugged. "That's not how I want it to be."

Mr. Stetson nodded in understanding. "That is a lot to have on your shoulders, especially at one time. Do you know what you want? I can see why you feel what you feel, but have you thought about what you want?"

"I've always wanted to be loved...but more than anything, I just wanted to be normal, and if I'm going to have love, I want to be normal...more than ever." Emry sighed and looked away. "It's like dominos, when, or if Merit ever tells the truth, it's going to be all chaos, his girlfriend would just be the beginning, the bitter taste of a nasty poison ready to kill..." He looked up. "Metaphorically speaking."

"I kind of got that..." The man nodded and a small smile appeared. "Emry...his problems are not your problems...and unless he has said that he wants to be with you, it's not yours to worry about."

"Well, he kissed me..when I was waking up. He explained that he did it because...he never had anyone to do that with before, another guy, that is. So...I basically told him that it couldn't be love if it was just his desperation to experience what everyone around him experienced."

Mr. Stetson nodded. "That's understandable, for a guy, who's still in the closet, to want to experiment with someone that he knows might do it, and who he knows he can trust to, hopefully, keep it secret."

"Well, he didn't push it, he respected what I said, and he never said anything about secrets, not even the kiss. It was just like...if we were going to try, we had to tell the truth." Emry said, in an alarmed tone, then he relaxed.

"And again, that is where I come in and say...I don't know if I want to get into the mess of it. I don't even love the guy, I want love, but I'm not desperate for it. I've gone years thinking no one would love me because...well, because of how I am, and then I came to accept that and I became okay with it and living with the idea of that."

"Emry...you have a really great friend, a best friend and he has stuck by you. I think you should keep that friendship at all costs, and whatever happens with Merit, let it happen, it's his life and it's his mess to deal with, react when an action comes at you, otherwise...leave it alone and let the pieces fall as they will, just let it go and see what happens."

He nodded at Mr. Stetson. "Sounds reasonable...and you're right, Dolph is my friend, has been for a long time, and he always will be, no matter what." He stood up, holding the small black bag. "Thanks for holding onto this for me. I guess I felt like...if my things were stolen, I would need some kind of back up kit."

"Not a problem." He smiled at Emry. "I was going to give it to you anyway, you have some saved medication in there."

Emry looked down and nodded. "Smart of me." He then slowly walked out of the guidance counselors office.

"Hey." Dolph pushed away from the wall and his arms dropped from where they had been folded across his chest.

Emry looked over at Dolph. "You were waiting on me?"

"Well, I thought you were still in jail, then I saw you at lunch and...well, that fight started. I was surprised to see you nail Kane." Dolph stepped closer. "That was risky, and not just because of him." He made a weird face. "What were you doing with them anyway?"

"Well, Merit believed me when I told him that Kane..." Emry trailed off and decided to leave Liam out of it as he continued. "When Kane beat me up and stole my medications. Plus my doctor didn't think I would be able to sexually assault anyone and then murder them, haven't even gone over the fact that I'm gay either. And I didn't want to go back to my mom's for obvious reasons...so they let me stay at their house."

He slowly nodded as Emry explained everything to him. "I see, well, that's a turn of events."

"Well, I'm not out of the woods yet, I still have to go for a hearing, but once they learn everything, I'm sure it will be okay."

"I hope so." Dolph said, slightly shifting his head to the side, looking away. "So...you're into that now? I mean, you know...you can't be his friend, Kane will make sure it's hell for you...always." He looked at him.

"If you're worried about me ditching you...I never would. I remember where I come from, where I belong...and just because my path crossed with Merit...it doesn't change that." He stepped close to Dolph and wrapped his arms around his neck.

His arms moved around Emry and his eyes closed, wanting to hold him close like this forever, wanting to protect him from the world. "Are you really okay?"

"Just...I guess lashing out did more than I thought." Emry closed his eyes. "Sitting was easier." He opened his eyes and then blinked several times. "Mr. Stetson had my emergency pack." He stepped back and held up the black pouch. "Turns out I have left over medication in it...so hopefully I can get myself together."

"Emry...I wish you would just come and stay at my place. I know that I don't know anything about Merit or his parents...but I just feel like they aren't going to tolerate you long."

He lowered the bag and walked over to sit on the bench next to the office. "It's an option." He looked up.

Dolph watched Emry and then stepped over to the vending machine and slipped some money in and a mountain dew came falling out. He reached down and grabbed it before moving over to sit next to him. "Here...it's for your meds." He offered it over.

"Thanks." Emry took the soda and looked at Dolph. "Want to know a secret about Merit? I know you wouldn't tell."

"Of course I wouldn't."

"He kissed me this morning, I was waking up and I felt him kiss me, could even see him a little after it happened, I could open my eyes a little. Of course I know it has nothing to do with me, it's just the fact that he's in the closet, suppressed, and he wants to do everything that his friends do, with someone that would actually make him happy, unlike his girlfriend."

Dolph's eyes widened for a slight moment and then he looked towards the floor. "I hate it for him if that ever comes out." He ran a hand over his head. "I mean, if Asia ever got that kind of ammunition, as sugary sweet as she would find the drama, she would be like a one woman parade, throwing out the candy."

"No more cookies in the cookie jar." Emry grinned and then he leaned his head against Dolph's shoulder.

He looked at Emry. "You should really take your meds." He said, though as he thought more about what Emry told him, he found himself unsure of how he felt, if he was angry or sad, or a mixture of both at the same time.

What Dolph knew for sure was that he and Emry belonged together, they had been together for a long time, and just because Emry happened to cross paths with Merit, in his eyes, it didn't mean that Emry belonged with those people, or with any people. It felt like it had always been him and Emry, and he thought it would always be that way.

"I kind of don't want to, what's one more day? Or maybe I'll do it later...I just want to hang out with you."

"I can tell you want to pass out, you're at the edge and you're fighting the inevitable fall." He wrapped an arm around Emry and held him close. "And it's going to suck if the bell, and everyone bursting out, is what wakes you up."

Emry sighed and grabbed the black bag and tossed it into Dolph's lap. "Fine, you sort through it, I'll just take it..."

Dolph grinned and kept his arm around Emry as he sorted through the bag, getting his medications, but found that he would have to use both hands, so he brought his arm away from Emry, still letting his friend lean against him as he sorted through everything.

Asia grinned and turned around and pulled a pistol out of her purse. It was silver plated and jewel encrusted with gold markings here and there. The only real thing one could make out was the golden dollar sign on both sides of the pink handle that was drenched in white diamonds, and while the sides were pink, the front and the back of the handle were lined in gold.

This gun was not only deadly, but it was a beautiful work of art, and Asia loved shiny things, especially when they were dangerous and all packed into one.

"Check this out, what my baby got me this summer." She pointed it at the wall. "This is real gold, I could pawn this shit and get money for the gun and the gold on it..."

Miki gasped and started laughing. "Oh my god, they are going to catch you."

"Please, we hang out in the basement for a reason. The door says please do not enter." Asia lowered the gun and shoved it back in her purse, hiding it under all her other stuff. "And no one disobeys it, at least not when we're down here."

"Now...wait a minute, you still see that guy from New York...even though you see Trillian?" Justin asked.

"Me and Trill mess around and have a thrill." Asia turned around and sat on top of an old desk and grinned. "If there are rules...he hasn't put me in my place yet. Though I'm not careless when I see my friend who brings me presents, he just stops through when going to Mexico, sometimes I have to give a little back."

Miki laughed. "Like he could put you in your place."

"True, I could hear him out, but I wouldn't go down without a real hard fight..." Asia crossed one leg over the other. "So, I think I got a plan on how to get rid of Kane."

"Get rid of him? Since when do you care?" Justin asked.

"Oh, she has a reason. She always does." Miki grinned.

Asia looked down and began to laugh as the evil wheels turned in her head. "Lana drifts through the crowds, she can do it easily."

She looked up at them. "Miki, you just have to be with me...and Justin, you just have to be at home. Lana only needs to get her act right and her shit straight, if she can pull that off, all we need to do is get our timing right and in sync with each other, and then if Lana can pull off a Grammy worthy performance in the end...we won't see Kane...ever again. How is that for a fairytale?"

Miki laughed and shook her head. "Sounds like a good one..."

"Yeah, but what's the motive? I mean, okay...I get it, hurt Talia, she loses him forever. Though to be honest..." Justin tried to hold back his laughter. "I don't think shes really into him to begin with, I think it's one of those arranged marriages...without the marriage."

"True, Talia will be free of him, she might hurt, she might not, maybe she'll go through one and eventually come to the other." Asia took a deep breath. "That's why...we really twist the knife into Kane's egotistical heart...when we push Talia and Liam together."

"But...doesn't that go against you? Then Talia will be happy." Miki shoved a piece of gum in her mouth.

"No she won't." Asia grinned. "Trust me on that...They will all fall like a domino effect."

Miki and Justin shared a look and then they simply nodded in Asia's direction.

She grabbed her purse and headed up the stairs with Miki and Justin right behind her and she slowly opened the door, looking out to see if the coast was clear. A grin appeared and she walked out of the basement, the other two followed her as she stepped out into the hallway.

"No one pays attention." Asia turned around and then snapped her fingers in Justin's face. "But they expect us to pay attention." She laughed.

"So true." Miki crossed her arms and walked around Justin and looked around.

Justin laughed and was almost tempted to grab Asia's hand, he would have if she were Miki, but he knew better than to mess with Asia, even if it were a joke.

That was when Asia spotted Emry and Dolph walking past the hall they stood in. "Oh my god, genius...I am just genius!" She grabbed Miki by the arm of her leather jacket and took off down the hall.

Justin stood there and waved his arms out. "She is always so cryptic when she plans something." He shook his head and followed after them.

"Hey, Narco boy!" Asia stopped abruptly and caused Miki to slightly bump into her and Asia cleared her throat. "I mean, you...the guy, with the issue, I uh...need to talk to you."

Dolph turned around, holding Emry close and his eyes narrowed. "Don't ever...call him that again."

Asia walked closer and clasped her hands together. "I'm really sorry."

"Sure...I am really sure you are." Dolph shook his head.

"Just...what is it?" Emry lifted his head up from Dolph's chest, still holding close to him. "I mean, I threw things at you."

"Oh...well, you know...forgive sounds good, right?" Asia lightly laughed. "I could use a favor though, if you'd never mind?"

Miki looked at Justin. "She just quoted the Dixie Chicks." She laughed under her breath and grabbed onto him, her face falling against his shoulder to further muffle her laughter.

Dolph's hold on Emry lightly tightened in a protective nature. "I don't exactly think it would be in his best interest to get involved with you."

Asia looked at Dolph. "And I don't think it would be in your best interest to make decisions for him." She narrowed her eyes and then smiled as her gaze returned to Emry. "You're a big boy, right?"

"Dolph...it's okay, really." Emry took a deep breath. "It means so much to me that you care so much."

"I do care, Emry...and that is why..." Dolph sighed and shook his head. "If she gets you into some shit and you have an attack or something at the wrong time..."

"I have some medication now...I should be okay...And did I say I would get into anything messy? I could at least hear her out. She defended me against that jerk off." He looked over at Asia.

She rolled her eyes and looked over at Dolph. "I only want a phone number, sorry if it sounded like I wanted him for other..reasons, but it was fun." She grinned and looked at Emry. "I want your older sisters digits, if you don't mind?"

Emry stared at Asia, just as much protective over Lana as she was over him and he sure didn't want her to get into any trouble, at the same time, he knew she could hold her own. "Give me your phone."

Asia pulled her cell out of her purse and handed it over. Emry took it and his fingers went to work on the screen, adding Lana as a contact and then he handed it back. "There you go."

Asia smiled and took the phone back. "Thank you."

"Come on, your class is just around the corner." Dolph pulled Emry close and continued to help him to his class.

Asia waited until they were gone and then turned around and she grinned at Miki. "Making the call." She hit Lana's name and placed the phone to her ear.

"Shes probably in class! She'll get so busted!" Miki's eyes widened.

Lana Del Raia, such a beauty she was, just as much as her brother, they had both been blessed with good looks, blonde hair and and eyes that were as blue as the matching fade in her hair that started just above her ears, where the mixed streams of blue, blonde and even a streak of a light bluish green began and fell down just past her shoulders.

And those eyes, going back to them, decorated in eyeliner and mascara as well as blue eyeshadow on the top lids and a light brush on her bottom lids to match her hair, a little bit of pink blush and light pink gloss and the girl was ready for anything, even when her phone vibrated on her desk. She made a face at the unknown number and quickly grabbed it and hit the answer button.

"Mr. Guerra? Bathroom please?" Lana spoke up.

Asia grinned, listening in as Lana made up an excuse so she could talk. "I hate that teacher." She mumbled.

Mr. Guerra nodded and Lana got up and walked out of the class room and shut the door, bringing the phone to her ear as she walked across the hall. "Hello?"

"It's me, Asia...and we need to talk." She grinned. "Want revenge for your little bro?"

Lana turned around and leaned against the ledge of the window. "And how exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"Well, not to be so cryptic...but for now I will be, he almost got Emry sent to jail, why not make sure he gets sent to jail and gets fucked by Old Bob?" Asia quietly laughed.

Lana slightly grinned. "That is a creepy thought."

"So, how about a ride after school?"

"I'll meet you in the parking lot. You drive that super nice pink car, right?"

"That's right, my baby, one of my babies anyway, my most cherished. I'll be waiting for you." Asia confirmed and then hung up.

The door to Merit's bathroom opened and Emry stepped out wearing nothing but a large red and black short sleeved checkered shirt, just big enough to barely reach his thighs, enough cover to tease on sight.

Merit heard the door open and he looked up from where he was sitting on his bed and his eyes widened. "Emry..."

Emry leaned against the door frame and his eyebrows lifted. "What?" He looked away and tossed the towel from his shower into the basket and then walked towards Merit's bed.

"Uh...just...I wasn't expecting..." He couldn't help but to glance down, but tried his best to keep his eyes focused on Emry's face.

He grinned and crossed his arms. "And you're supposed to be the tough popular guy who never experiences anxiety." He chuckled and sat down next to Merit.

"That's...the stereotype." Merit looked at Emry as he sat down. "What about this morning? Emry...I...we barely know each other, if something happened now..." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I care about you...I care, I really care...but it wouldn't be love."

Emry looked across the room and slowly nodded. "So, care, you care, you really care..." He grinned. "That's a lot of care..." He looked at him. "How much care does love require?"

"Well, you said you didn't believe in fast love, so...despite how I say I feel, the timing would make it just that, fast love." Merit sighed. "And don't you still crush on Liam? As twisted as that is..."

"Liam..." Emry mumbled. "Why keep doing that? Nothing will come from it. Why chase a dream when the real thing is in front of you?"

He looked over at Emry. "Okay...you can't just be with me like...well, like that and not expect me to..."

He looked at Merit. "Remember how I said we could do things...just not sex? That's why you held me last night as I slept..." He reached up and lightly grasped Merit's chin. "Maybe...I'm just kicking it up a notch. You kissed me, we already broke that boundary...so why not...one more boundary?"

"You mean make out? That...well, that's close and...as tempting as that makes sex, you made it all the more tempting."

Emry's hand fell from his chin and he frowned. "I don't get it, I thought you would be happy."

"I just think we need a little more time." Merit shrugged. "I haven't even dealt with Siera yet, you said I had to..."

"Siera..." His eyes slightly narrowed, going into a thoughtful moment and then he looked up at Merit. "Look...I'm giving you an opportunity. Do you want to take it or not?"

Merit looked down and then he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I want to." He looked up and into Emry's eyes. "Not because I just want an experience, I'm really starting to like you. Despite the short time, last night...I feel like...I've jumped a big lake in getting to really see you."

Emry grinned and then he grasped Merit's shirt and he tugged him forward and started to kiss him, shifting up onto his knees and then over, straddling his lap as his hands moved to rest on his shoulders, tongue's exchanged mouths in a slow and gentle yet sensual kiss.

Merit's hands ran up Emry's thighs and further up and that was when he realized Emry wore nothing under the shirt. He deepened the kiss and then quickly swung Emry to the side, without breaking the kiss, he threw Emry back onto the bed and rolled with him, diving on top of him, a soft moan echoed within his throat as his hips lightly grinded down against Emry.

Emry wrapped his legs around Merit's waist and he pulled him closer before reaching down and he grasped he bottom of his shirt, the kiss was broken and they both gasped for air in the brief moments it took for Emry to pull Merit's shirt off and throw it to the side, that was when he pulled Merit down again and the kiss resumed.

Little did either of them know, Siera had been greeted and allowed entry into the home by Merit's mother, Michelle.

"He should be in his room, just go on back there." Michelle smiled and sat down on the couch, her attention returning to the television.

Siera headed down the hall and towards Merit's room. She grasped the door knob and gave it a twist, shoving the door open as she stepped inside only to be greeted by a shock that sent her purse falling to the floor and the breath flowing right out of her body.

Emry heard the creak of Merit's door and suddenly his hand reached up and he grasped Merit's jaw and pushed him back, breaking the kiss and he looked up at him.

"What is it?" Merit looked down and then from his peripheral vision, he noticed Siera and his head turned in her direction. "Oh my god!" He jumped up onto his knees.

"Hey! You were my cover!" Emry yanked the shirt down, though it was barely any cover and he ended up grabbing a pillow as he sat up and shifted against the wall and put the pillow in front of him.

"Siera...this...oh my god...this..." He looked between her and Emry. "I didn't want you to find out like this.."

"Find out?" Siera finally drew in a deep breath, though it was only physical relief to her body. "You've been lying to me!"

"Not lying..." Merit stood up and he looked between them. "Emry...I...I need a minute with her."

"A minute? You think this is just going to take a minute?" Siera stared at him.

"Uh..I don't have any clothes on!" Emry looked at Merit.

Siera frowned and she looked down, her hand moving to her forehead.

"Right...hold on..." Merit ran to his dresser and opened a drawer and yanked out a pair of sweat pants. "Emry..."

"You think your pants are going to fit me? I'm supposed to go out where your mom is...like this?"

"Just...hold them up and then sit down." Merit tossed the sweat pants at him.

Emry frowned and grabbed the sweat pants and he looked over at Siera. "You mind?"

Siera rolled her eyes and turned her back towards Emry and looked at Merit.

Emry tossed the pillow aside and worked to pull the sweat pants on and then held them up and headed around Siera and out of the bed room, shutting the door behind him. He sighed and walked down the hall towards the living room and then he quickly fell down into a chair that was situated next to the opening of the hall.

Michelle looked over at Emry and her eyebrows lifted.

Emry smiled. "Merit wanted to wash my clothes and uh...well...now he has to talk to Siera...so..." He looked at the television. "I guess we can watch the news together..."

"So...obviously I was keeping a secret, a big secret." Merit turned towards her. "And...I'm not sure what to say about it...I mean, now you know..."

"How about...why you let us be together knowing it was fake?" She asked.

"It wasn't fake...not entirely." He frowned. "I do care...I just...I can't be with you that way, that's why I...it's why I always avoided ever going further and...I just let you think I was shy." He looked up at her. "I didn't see the point, for me...I didn't see the point in being open, there would have been no one for me. I know that doesn't make it any less wrong."

"So...you just went with the motions?" She asked, a nod followed. "That's what you did."

"Pretty much, I didn't know what else to do. Tell the truth? Get outcasted? Be left with nothing? Not even friends?" He shrugged. "I mean...I know I could of trusted you and Talia, but...the guys...it would have tore everything apart, I would have become the big disagreement, the crack in the stone...the floor that the picture frame landed on, the floor that broke it..."

"Lots of nice metaphors." She sighed and walked over and sat down in his computer chair and rested her chin on her hand, her elbow on the desk as she stared at the monitor. "I guess..I can be okay that you didn't tell me this whole time, you treated me right, I believe you really cared, I believe emotionally you can do that." She looked at him. "But then you found someone. Were you going to tell me?"

"Yes, honestly I was, in fact...Emry was going to make me." He shrugged. "I'm not sure why we...well, why we were just how we were, last night he didn't want anything to happen until I dealt with you." He shook his head. "He acts different, like...suddenly he knows that we should be together, he seems like he's pushing for it."

"I really don't care to hear about him." Siera said. "Not to sound like a bitch..."

"No, it's okay...this is supposed to be about us." Merit sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry."

"So...what exactly do you plan to do now? The situation isn't any different, you know the guys are going to be the same."

"I guess I'm just going to have to go forward, see what happens and...deal with it." He shrugged. "I don't have much choice if I want to move forward with my life."

"Yeah, well, at least you have a direction." She stood up. "I think I'm just going to go, there isn't much left that really needs to be said...I know the truth, this is what it is...and there isn't a need making more of it than what it is." She moved forward and gathered her purse off the floor.

"I'm really sorry you had to find out like this." He frowned.

"It would have sucked no matter how I found out." She stood up. "I really liked you...I really did." She turned around and opened the door, walking off down the hall.

Merit sighed and he pushed himself up and followed after Siera as the two headed out into the living room.

Siera offered a smile to Michelle. "See you later." It was for appearance sake, she wasn't going to put Merit on the spot with his parents, although he could have done that on his own had she not caught them first. "Bye guys." She headed out the front door.

Merit looked over at his mom. "Lots of homework." He nodded and his eyes shifted towards the floor. "She left notes here that she needed."

Emry looked up and then he stood up, holding onto the sweat pants with one hand and he grabbed Merit's arm and tugged him back to his room, shutting the door. "That was Grammy worthy...she had notes. What really happened?"

Merit sat back on the bed. "Well, at least she didn't scream it out or go into hysterics." He looked up at Emry. "She didn't like it...and I think shes really broken up about it...but she tried to take it well, I think for my sake more than her own."

He leaned back against the door and slowly nodded.

"Emry...why the sudden change? You suddenly act like you just know we should be together." He looked up at him.

"It was our time in the car...I keep thinking about it, the way I woke up, the way my head was in your lap, the way I felt so safe with you..." He looked down and closed his eyes. "I just...I guess I prove myself wrong when I want to feel those things again...and then feel even more."

"That was a sweet time, subtle and sweet." Merit slowly nodded. "I really like you." He looked up and smiled. "You know...I'm half tempted to sneak you on that cruise."

Emry looked up and his eyebrows lifted. "How are you going to sneak me on the Senior Class Cruise? I mean I'm lucky if people recognize I'm about to be fifteen, most swear I'm thirteen...and if it's grandma's...they say they want to pinch my baby face cheeks and it's all wrong because really I'm freakin' fourteen, not for much longer."

Merit sat there in thought and he stared at Emry and grinned. "You do look like you'd make a cute little boy scout, huh?" A grin slowly appeared.

"That's not even nice." He looked up at Merit.

"I bet you'd make a cute little sailor in training too." He stood up and walked closer. "All you have to do...is say you're in training."

"Again, they would never believe that, unless I had someone older who was a sailor or a navy themselves training me." Emry sighed. "It was a nice try."

Merit grinned. "That's the beauty of it...Mia has a friend who graduated University last year, joined the navy to do something adventurous. Well, who better to be running a training program? Maybe he gets assigned a kid to roam around the ship to observe how it all works, what the crew does...et cetera."

"He would have to pay just to get on the cruise." Emry's eyebrows lifted.

"No...Mia had two tickets, two University students were going to be allowed to help chaperone to kind of sponsor the University, they would have been the only non-school faculty allowed to do it. She never chose who she was taking, both tickets are still in her room." Merit frowned, reflecting on the memory of his sister. "Anyway, you and her friend can use the tickets to get on."

"Okay...it would be kind of fun." Emry managed a small smile, though the thought of Merit's sister did sadden him and he hated the idea that they were her tickets that he would be using, but if Merit insisted, he would go along with it.