Jesse woke with his head in Shaun’s lap. His head began pounding the second he opened his eyes. He sat up with a groan and squinted around the room.

The basement was trashed. Beer cans and snack food wrappers were scattered across the floor. Ben’s travel-sized bong and his other drug paraphernalia were laid out on the coffee table.

Ben was asleep, face down on the chaise section of the couch with a leg dangling off the end. Gretchen lay close to him, but not touching. She was curled up on the middle section like a cat. Her entire body fit on a single cushion.

Jesse and Shaun were wedged into the corner. Shaun was propped upright with his head bent sharply to the right. Jesse cringed as he imagined the horrible crick he’d have upon waking. And he was probably hungover, as well. He’d drank so much more than Jesse had.

An insistent need to pee spurred him into getting up. His belly was hot and sick and with the combination of his swollen brain banging around his skull, it was a struggle.

He shuffled across the floor, kicking trash out of his path. When he reached the stairs, he leaned heavily on the railing. “Why are there so many steps,” he moaned.

He found the bathroom off the front hall. He pissed, washed his face, and then rinsed out his mouth. His overnight bag was still in the car. He’d packed a toothbrush and deodorant…. He’d have to get Shaun’s keys to get it though.

Jesse went back downstairs. He was insanely thirsty, but he didn’t feel comfortable roaming the house while Ben was still asleep. Luckily, when he got to the bottom of the stairs, Gretchen let out a long, noisy yawn. She stretched out her skinny legs and her bare foot collided with Ben’s face.

“Mmph!”

Seemingly oblivious, Gretchen continued and pressed her heel into Ben’s mouth. She curled her toes once and then flopped onto her back.

Ben yanked away from Gretchen’s feet and sat up groggily. “You kicked me in the face.”

“No, I didn’t,” Gretchen said, eyeing Ben with a curious look on her face. She smiled slowly. “You kissed me last night.”

Ben turned away. “We were playing a game…”

“That didn’t feel like a game.”

Ben flushed. “I… uh… we can’t—Angela will—”

Gretchen tipped her head back and laughed. “The look on your face right now!”

Jesse came around the couch. He smiled pleasantly at the couple. “Morning guys,” he said.

“Jesse! Always a beam of sunshine,” Gretchen said with a huge grin. “What’s up, kid?”

“Just a major hangover,” Jesse said as he sat gingerly on the couch beside Shaun. The other boy was just starting to wake up. He straightened his neck with a deep, rumbling moan of discomfort.

Ben’s and Gretchen’s playful banter drifted into the background as Jesse studied his boyfriend. Shaun hadn’t shaved in a few days. His chin and cheeks were dark with stubble. Jesse reached up and stroked his fingers along Shaun’s jaw. The stubble was rough and prickly, a lot like Shaun’s personality…

Shaun opened his eyes.

“Happy birthday, baby,” Jesse said with a smile.

Shaun screwed up his face. “Is it Saturday?”

“Yes?” Jesse blinked.

“Goddamnit…” Shaun sat up and slid to the edge of his seat. He hunched over his knees. “What time is it?”

Jesse was afraid to check. “I don’t know.” He had a bad feeling inside and it wasn’t related to the hangover. Shaun radiated negative energy.

Gretchen was oblivious. She checked her phone and laughed. “Christ. It’s a quarter to three.”

“Fuck!” Shaun got to his feet. He immediately clutched his head. “How much did I drink last night. I don’t remember leaving the bar.”

“You drove us home,” Gretchen said with a chuckle. “Drinking the whole way.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You did,” Jesse agreed.

Shaun rubbed his brow. “Roll call is at ten,” he muttered. “When are we leaving?”

“8:00,” Ben said. “Dude, chill out.”

“We have our first show tonight!” Shaun shouted. He whirled around and then clutched his head again. “Fuck! My goddamn head…”

Gretchen’s smile faded. “Ben. Get some Advil and some Gatorades—”

“I don’t have Gatorade—”

“Then run to the store! Jesus, Ben, do I have to hold your hand, too?”

Ben got up. He looked down at himself. “I look hammered,” he muttered to himself and he did. His button down from last night was untucked and horribly askew. A mystery liquid was splashed up the bottom hem. He unbuttoned the shirt and shrugged it off. He had an undershirt beneath it and after he zipped his pants and did up his buckle, he looked almost normal. “Where’d I kick my shoes off?”

Jesse looked down. Ben was in socks.

Gretchen rolled her eyes. “Over there dufus.” She pointed at a pair of tennis shoes by the stairs.

Ben stepped into his shoes and smashed the backs with his heels. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes,” he said. He ruffled his fingers through his short, dark hair as he took the stairs.

Gretchen shook her head.

“What’s the Gatorade for?” Shaun grumbled.

“You need to hydrate,” Gretchen said. She crossed her long, bare legs and stretched out on the chaise. She absently touched her eyebrow ring. There was a strand of hair caught in the jewelry and she carefully began to untangle it. “We all do. I’m sure all of us have wicked hangovers,” she muttered.

Jesse nodded. “I’m super thirsty.”

Gretchen combed her untangled hair through her fingers. She snorted with amusement. “I hope that idiot gets an eight pack.”

“Water’s fine,” Shaun muttered.

“The Gatorade helps with electrolytes.”

“Electro-what?”

Gretchen laughed. “What grade are you in?”

“I’m not in any grade.” Shaun clenched his fists. “I’m dropping out in September.”

Gretchen shrugged. “Might as well. Doesn’t seem like you’re learning much.”

Shaun growled.

“C’mon, quit it,” Jesse spoke up. He looked sharply at Gretchen. “Please be nice.”

Gretchen sat up. She looked offended. “I’m always nice.”

Shaun stomped back to the couch. He sat stiffly beside Jesse. “Do we have time to practice?”

“Nope,” Gretchen said.

Shaun bared his teeth. “Why not?”

“Because,” Gretchen said coolly. She fell back onto the couch and stretched out her arms. “I never practice before a show. It makes everybody antsy.”

Shaun let out a bluster of air. “I want to practice.”

“Well, I don’t,” Gretchen said. “I want to get cleaned up, pack up the car, and head to Houston.”

“Ben says we’re leaving at eight. We have tons of time.”

“I want to get food in the city,” Gretchen said. “And we can see the fireworks, too, if we’re lucky.”

“Fuck the fireworks,” Shaun snarled.

“I love fireworks,” Jesse said. Shaun and Gretchen looked at him blankly and Jesse zipped his lips.

“I agree with the kid,” Gretchen said. She sat up again and raked her hair out of her face with an absent hand. “Fireworks rock.”

Shaun growled. “This is fucking insane.” He got up and grabbed the bong. The bowl was packed with green. He snatched up the lighter and took a huge rip. He held it in for a couple seconds and then he choked on the smoke. “Shit!”

Jesse watched him with concern. “Shaun…”

“What?!”

Jesse bit his lip. “Please, try to be calm.”

“I am calm!” Shaun raged.

Gretchen grabbed the TV remote. “Leave him alone, Jess. He won’t calm down until the show’s over. He’ll be a hot mess all day.”

“Fuck you, bitch!”

Gretchen turned on the TV and flipped through the channels.

Shaun slumped back on the couch. He still had the bong. He took another experimental hit and then passed it to Jesse.

They passed the bong around a few times before Ben showed up with a big plastic bag of 20oz Gatorades. “I picked up a twelve pack of tacos, too,” he said as he produced the cardboard container.

Gretchen hurried to grab one of the tacos. She looked sweetly at Ben and fluttered her eyelashes. “Benny?”

Ben groaned. “What?”

“Can we get dinner in the city? I know this amazing sandwich shop…”

Ben let out a deep, wavering breath. “Gretchen…”

“Please…” Gretchen pressed her hands together. “Let’s have fun before we tear up the stage tonight,” she said. “We’ve been working super hard. We deserve it.”

“Yeah, I just don’t know if my bank account can take the abuse,” Ben said mournfully.

Gretchen chuckled. “I know you coupon cutters have a big chunk of change saved away. Don’t pretend.”

“What the fuck are coupons anyway,” Ben said wistfully. “No, we don’t, Gretch. We’re paying for the wedding ourselves. It’s expensive.”

“Don’t you have any money?” Shaun spoke up. “Fucking freeloader.” He stuffed a taco into his mouth and chased the bite with a swig of Gatorade.

“You’re one to talk,” Gretchen shot out.

“This is my job,” Shaun said around a mouthful of taco. “And we haven’t made a single cent so far… What the fuck are you expecting?”

“Yeah, well, it’s expensive to be as cool as I am,” Gretchen said. She flipped her hair fussily. “I’m broke again until my sugar daddy makes his weekly deposit.”

Shaun snorted.

After everyone ate and took some Advil, Gretchen mentioned taking a shower and Jesse expressed an interest as well.

“I can’t fucking believe it,” Shaun growled. “I forgot my damn bag.”

Jesse bit his lip. Shaun was disheveled. His hair was awry, he had stains down the front of his plain t-shirt, and he smelled like sweat and beer. “My bag’s in the back,” he said. “You can use my deodorant and my toothbrush…”

Shaun crossed his arms.

“You can wear my Rob Zombie tee, too, if you want.”

“It’s too small.”

“Just try it,” Jesse laughed. “I’ll give you good luck. It’s been well loved.”

“By your ex-girlfriend,” Shaun sneered.

Jesse snorted. “No. By me.”

The four of them took turns in the bathroom. Gretchen guarded the door when Jesse and Shaun tried to go in together.

“Oh no. We don’t have time for hanky panky,” Gretchen said. Her arms were stretched in front of the door. She was wrapped in a towel and nothing else. Her wet hair stuck to her shoulders in long, black ropes.

“There won’t be any hanky panky,” Shaun growled. “I’m using his stuff.”

“Promise you’ll take separate showers.”

“Out of my way, bitch,” Shaun growled. He pushed past the naked drummer and he and Jesse went inside.

Ben had a nice bathroom. There was a walk-in shower and a separate tub with jets.

“I’ve never been in a bathroom with two sinks,” Shaun said with a scowl. “What’s the point?”

Jesse laughed. He went to the sink on the left, next to the window. He set his bag down and took out his toothbrush and paste. “It’s so two people can get ready at once,” he said. “This is a couple’s bathroom.”

Shaun scoffed. He stepped up to the sink on the right and looked at his reflection. The expression on his face was serious. “What do you think of the beard?”

“I like it.” Jesse stuck the toothbrush in his mouth. “Are you going to grow it out?”

“Yep,” Shaun said.

Jesse studied Shaun’s reflection as Shaun did the same thing. Their eyes met in the mirror.

“I’m going to fuck up,” Shaun said. “Everyone’s going to laugh at me. I fucking know it.”

Jesse spat out his mouthful of toothpaste and dropped his brush in the sink. “That isn’t going to happen.”

“How the fuck do you know!” Shaun roared. He turned to glare at Jesse. His nostrils flared. His hands balled into fists.

Jesse held up his hands. “Shaun, relax.”

“Fuck you! I don’t want to relax!”

Jesse took a deep, calming breath. “Remember the breathing thing I taught you?”

Shaun took several large lungful’s of breath. Slowly, he started to calm down. The anger drained from his face. “I’m gonna fuck up…” he said in a little voice.

“If you tell yourself you’ll fail, then you will,” Jesse said. “But if you’re determined…”

“I’m fucking determined,” Shaun’s said in a rough voice.

“Then make it work,” Jesse said simply. “You know the songs by heart. You’re band’s solid.” He smiled. He reached up to stroke Shaun’s rough cheek. “You look rugged and sexy...You aren’t going to fuck up, baby.”

Shaun’s lips turned down at the corners.

“C’mon. Brush your teeth,” Jesse said. He quickly rinsed off his brush and set it on the counter. “Then get in the shower with me. We can wash each other’s hair,” he said with a smile.

Shaun grunted. “We have to take separate showers.”

Jesse looked around the empty bathroom. “Who’s going to tell on us?”

Shaun grabbed Jesse’s toothbrush. “Heat up the water for us.”

Jesse bounced across the room and opened the glass doors on the shower stall. The floor and the walls were tiled in beautiful royal blues and creams. He had to play with the faucets before he could figure out how to turn on the showerhead. He warmed up the water and then stepped out of the stall to take off his clothes.

Shaun watched him from the sink. The toothbrush hung from his mouth and his hand was paused in the act of brushing... His eyes were dark with arousal.

Jesse let his clothes fall to the floor. His body was slim and hairless. His rosy skin shone in the afternoon light filtering through the window. Shaun’s eyes traveled down to Jesse’s cock and Jesse felt it twitch with interest.

He turned and climbed back into the shower. He stepped under the water. “Ooooh god,” he groaned. “That feels amazing.” He let the water run over his head. It wet his hair and went into his eyes. He stepped out of the water and rubbed his eyes. Shaun was getting undressed. He yanked his t-shirt over his head and kicked off his boots. They slid across the floor and bumped into the door. He quickly stepped out of his jeans and then opened the door to the shower.

Jesse accepted Shaun into his arms. He hugged him tightly under the warm fall of water.

Shaun kissed the top of Jesse’s wet head. “I love you,” he said softly.

“I love you, too,” Jesse said with a sigh. He pressed his lips to Shaun’s throat. “And everything’s going to be great. Please, just trust me.”

A round of knocking started from the door. Jesse and Shaun turned in surprise. “Are both of you in the shower right now?”

Shaun scowled. “Gretchen...Go. Away!” He tucked Jesse’s head under his chin.

Gretchen burst through the door. She was in a lacy black bra and panties set. She pointed through the glass at the boys in the shower. “I said no hanky panky!”

“Gretchen! What the hell!” Jesse shouted. He covered himself in shock.

Shaun roared with anger. “Get the fuck out of here, you bitch!”

Ben flew through the door. His hands were over his eyes. “Gretchen! Leave them alone!” Blindly, he grabbed her arm and tugged her back into the hall.

“We don’t have time for sex!” Gretchen cried. “We’ve got shit to do in the city!”

“Lock the door, guys!” Ben yelled behind him. He hauled Gretchen’s skinny, half-naked body out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind them.

Jesse and Shaun looked at each other.

“You didn’t lock the door?” Jesse asked.

Shaun pushed his wet hair out of his face. “Guess not.”

Jesse laughed. “Jesus…”

Shaun stepped out of the shower to lock the door. Jesse checked out his wet body as he strode across the tiled floor. Shaun’s shoulder, chest, and upper arms were bulky and wide with muscle. His flat belly led into a neat waist and hips. His ass was firm and tapered nicely into his powerful thighs.

Jesse licked his lips. Shaun’s appearance had drastically improved over the summer. He said he wasn’t trying, but he obviously was. Jesse appreciated the effort, whether Shaun would admit to it or not.

But Gretchen’s comment about the groupies...Jesse watched as Shaun came back to the shower. As soon as he stepped into the steamy, tiled stall, Jesse fell into his arms.

“Oof,” Shaun grunted. He smiled and hugged Jesse back. “Gretchen’s right. We should make this fast.” He let Jesse hold onto him for a couple moments then he gently removed himself from the embrace. He grabbed the bar of soap on the shelf over the faucet. “Turn around. I’ll wash your back.”

Jesse turned around. Shaun grabbed an unused washcloth from the hook in the corner and started to soap up his arms and shoulders. Jesse sighed and closed his eyes. “Shaun?”

“What?” Shaun’s voice was heavy and thick with arousal. He reached around Jesse and washed his chest. He had to get close to Jesse to do so. His hard cock pressed between Jesse’s thighs as he reached lower and worked the soapy cloth over Jesse’s belly.

“I want you to do good tonight and everything,” Jesse said breathlessly. Shaun ignored his cock and crouched down to wash Jesse’s legs and feet. “But what happens if you get mobbed by a bunch of groupies, like Gretchen said.”

Shaun urged him to lift his feet, one after the other, so he could get between his toes. He snorted. “What?”

Jesse bit his lip. “How are you going to handle a bunch of horny chicks?”

Shaun stood up. He dropped the washcloth. “Bend over,” he said in a husky voice. Jesse blushed, but he promptly complied. Shaun eased a soapy finger between his ass cheeks. “I’ve been on stage before, Jess. I’ve never had to handle ‘a bunch of horny chicks’.”

“Yeah, but this time it’s different.”

“Different how?” Shaun pushed his finger into Jesse’s asshole.

Jesse groaned. “Because you aren’t the same person…”

Shaun laughed darkly. “Nope. Same person as always.” He added another finger. He stretched Jesse’s hole with deliberate care.

Jesse braced his hands on his knees. He hung his head so the water poured over his shoulders and slid down his back. Shaun was fucking him steadily with his fingers. The soap was long gone… “Gretchen was only teasing yesterday, but I probably will get jealous,” he said, then hissed as Shaun touched his prostate with the tips of his fingers. “I punched Kyle because of it…” he groaned. “I’ll probably go apeshit if I see a girl flashing her tits at you.”

Shaun removed his fingers. “So what if some skank flashes her tits? I don’t even like tits.”

Jesse took a deep breath as Shaun pressed his cockhead against his puckered entrance. He pushed back with his hips and bore down on the hard length as it began to slide into his body. He gasped and spread his feet apart.

Shaun entered him fully. He hissed as he pushed himself deep into Jesse’s quivering body.

Jesse whimpered. “I don’t want to have to fight for your attention,” he whined. Shaun grunted as he started to move his hips. He grabbed handfuls of Jesse’s ass cheeks and fucked him harder and faster. “I love...being the most... important person...in your life,” Jesse panted between Shaun’s brutal thrusts.

Shaun aggressively slammed his cock into Jesse’s tight body. He growled like an animal. “Don’t be stupid,” he hissed thorough his teeth. He leaned over Jesse and sank them into the base of his neck. Jesse gasped and moaned in pain. “You’re my fucking bitch. You’ll always be the most important.” He licked the bite and then rubbed his bristly cheeks along Jesse’s sensitive skin.

Jesse gasped. He slipped a hand between his legs and wrapped his fingers around his cock. He began to stroke himself. His hand moved up and down his shaft just the way he liked. He flexed his fingers and rubbed the exposed head of his cock with his palm.

Shaun fucked Jesse with deep, powerful thrusts. He stretched his tight little hole with his big, pulsing dick and buried himself ball-deep in Jesse’s body. His shaft rubbed against Jesse’s prostate with every stroke.

Jesse’s legs began to quiver and within seconds, he stumbled against the wall with a yell. Shaun’s cock slid out of his ass.

Jesse found purchase against the cool tiles. The water wasn’t hitting him anymore and he pushed his dripping hair out of his face.

Shaun came up behind him. Jesse could feel his hard, insistent cock against his back, and he moaned in acceptance. He bent over and pressed his cheek against the tile. He felt his face get hot as his ass cheeks parted.

Shaun rested a hand against the wall. He grabbed Jesse’s ass cheek with his other hand and spread his cheeks even further. He let out a long groan of pleasure as he eased his cock into Jesse for a second time.

Jesse put a hand on the wall below Shaun’s and grabbed his aching dick with his free hand. He stroked and rubbed it slowly as the pleasure mounted inside of him.

Shaun sped up. He grunted as he fucked Jesse’s willing body, over and over. Their skin slapped together audibly as he drove his hips into Jesse’s with force.

Jesse cried out loudly with each of Shaun’s deep cock thrusts. His eyes rolled back in his head and he saw a sneak peak of the firework show tonight behind his eyelids… He reached orgasm moments later, as Shaun’s cock sawed away at his prostate. He let out a piercing yell of pleasure as his come splattered the cream-colored wall in front of him. His ass clenched down on Shaun’s cock in response.

Shaun grunted. He pumped his hips a few more times and then came with a growl. He held Jesse still as he filled his ass. His body shuddered against Jesse’s.

Jesse pushed Shaun’s cock out of his ass with his sore, inner muscles and turned in Shaun’s arms. He buried his face in his neck. “No matter what happens, I want you to fuck me after the show,” he whispered in Shaun’s ear. He sucked the taller boy’s soft earlobe into his mouth and flicked his tongue against the tender bit of flesh. “Promise me.”

Shaun squeezed his arms around Jesse. He smirked. “Sure. I’ll fuck you after the show.”

“Promise,” Jesse moaned. He could feel Shaun’s come leaking from his hole. It ran warm and slick between his thighs.

“Fine. I promise,” Shaun said. He pulled Jesse closer and crushed him to his chest until the air was forced from his lungs. He lifted Jesse off the tiled floor and rocked him in his arms. “I promise I’ll fuck your sweet ass and fill you with my come,” he said, nuzzling his rough cheek against Jesse’s. Jesse shivered with pleasure. “Now, do you want an ass load of come for the day or do you want me to clean that out for you?” Shaun reached around and pushed a finger into Jesse’s stretched asshole. He fingered him gently.

Jesse groaned. “Wash it out. So I’m desperate for more of you, later…”

Shaun snorted. “Good choice.” He stepped under the water so it poured over them like a waterfall.

They finished washing in five minutes.

Jesse got into his shirt from yesterday, but changed his underwear and his jeans. He held up his Rob Zombie tee. “Try it on,” he pleaded. “I think it’ll look nice on you.”

Ben had loaned Shaun a clean set of boxers and socks. Shaun stepped into those first. He glared at Jesse’s concert tee. “I wear a large,” he said. “That won’t fit me.”

“Well, a large is big on you,” Jesse said. “You could go down a size.”

Shaun’s eyes bulged. “That’s two sizes down.”

Jesse rolled his eyes. “Just try it.”

Shaun made a face. He pulled his jeans from yesterday back on and then snatched the t-shirt from Jesse.

Jesse smiled and left Shaun to finish dressing. He opened his bag and found his comb. He spent a few minutes styling his long hair in the mirror.

“I need a haircut,” he said critically.

“I like it,” Shaun said from behind him. “It makes your face look soft.”

Jesse frowned. “Is that a compliment?”

Shaun shrugged. “I guess. I mean, I said I liked it.”

Jesse put his comb on the counter and turned around.

Shaun stood awkwardly in the Rob Zombie tee. It was a little small, the fabric clung to his chest and the sleeves fit him tightly around the biceps, but it was a sexy look. The muscles in his pecs and abs were prominently displayed and his arms looked incredibly chiseled.

“You look nice,” Jesse said casually.

Shaun stepped up to the mirror on the right. “Can I use your comb?”

Jesse nodded and watched as Shaun ran the tool through his long, dark hair. His hair was even longer than Jesse’s, but it didn’t make him look soft. On the contrary, Shaun’s locks made him startlingly handsome.

Shaun glowered at his reflection. “Good enough,” he said.

Jesse laughed.

They spent the next hour in the basement, cleaning up the mess from the night before and packing the instruments. Ben and Shaun concentrated on the equipment and Gretchen and Jesse were on trash duty.

Ben and Shaun were running up and down the stairs with stuff for the car. Jesse looked up every time Shaun came into the room. He couldn’t help himself. Shaun was hot. Watching him lift and haul heavy objects up the stairs was more than entertaining.

“You’re gaga for him, aren’t you?” Gretchen said as Shaun carried Gretchen’s drumkit out of the room. Ben followed him with a bag of trash.

“Hold the door!” Ben called after Shaun. “I’m right behind you…”

Shaun grunted from the top of the stairs. “Fucking wimp.”

Jesse blushed. His cheeks burned bright red. “I’m more than gaga for him…”

Gretchen grinned. “Have you two exchanged vows yet?”

Jesse snorted. “No.”

“So, it ain’t official,” Gretchen let out a huge breath of relief. “I was worried there for a second.”

Jesse gave her an odd look. “What did you mean yesterday, when you were talking about the groupies?”

Gretchen quirked an eyebrow. “You’ll have to remind me.”

Jesse sighed. He looked around the room. They’d gotten most of the trash. There were only a few beer cans left under the couch. He crouched down and swiped under the furniture with his arm. “You said something like ‘I know what happens to pretty boys like you’.”

“Oh,” Gretchen waved her hand. “You don’t want to hear that shit.”

“I think I probably should,” Jesse said. “You said stuff about the groupies, too.”

“Are you worried?” Gretchen smiled. She collected the beer cans on the floor and tossed them in the trash bag. She sat back on the couch and pushed the bag under the coffee table. “It’s hard dating a rock star,” she said with a little sigh.

“Have you dated one?” Jesse asked. He sat beside the drummer.

Gretchen nodded. “I dated the lead singer of my last band,” she said. “And he got signed and left the rest of us here to rot.”

“Ouch.”

“It was rough,” Gretchen said. “Watching the fangirls throw themselves all over him…” She shook her head. “He cheated on me multiple times. Right in front of me, once.”

“Wow.”

“I’m not saying Shaun will do that to you,” Gretchen said and for a moment, she sounded compassionate. She squeezed Jesse’s shoulder. “But he’ll probably be tempted.”

Jesse drew away from the girl. “No, he won’t.”

“Jesse,” Gretchen said firmly. “I’m not fucking with you. If you’re even the slightest bit famous, people will take off their clothes in broad daylight, right in the middle of a crowd of strangers if it means they might get the chance to sleep with you.”

Jesse frowned.

“Fame is sexy,” Gretchen said as Shaun and Ben pounded back down the stairs. “But Shaun’s sexy already, isn’t he?” she finished with a playful grin. Shaun stepped in front of the couch to claim the last bag of trash and Gretchen and Jesse fell silent.

Shaun looked at them suspiciously. “We’re done,” he said gruffly. “Once I drag this to the curb, anyway.”

“Excellent,” Gretchen said brightly. She beamed at him. “We’ll follow you out.”

Shaun bared his teeth in a parody of a smile. “Great. See you upstairs.” He turned and swept out of the room. He jogged up the stairs without missing a beat.

Gretchen sniffed. “Ready to go?”

“I guess,” Jesse said warily.

Gretchen pounded Jesse on the back. “Relax, kid. We’ve been training for this.” She winked and bounced off the couch. She twirled in a circle. “What do you think of my dress?”

Jesse looked her up and down. Gretchen had a short gothic dress on. It was black and lacy with capped sleeves. The skirt portion clung tightly to her upper thighs. It just barely covered her crotch. Along with it, she’d picked a pair of ripped black tights and black and red platform heels.

Jesse blinked. “You look great.”

Gretchen smiled and turned for the stairs. “Coming?”

Jesse got up.

Ben had chosen a more casual appearance. He’d changed into a gray Coheed and Cambria shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. Jesse watched him and Shaun load up the Jeep for a second. The trunk held their instruments perfectly.

“I’m driving!” Gretchen sang. She hopped behind the wheel.

Jesse and Shaun sat in the back. Ben sat up front with Gretchen.

“First stop, Galaxy Subs!” Gretchen cheered as she started the car.

“I’m not even hungry,” Shaun complained.

“You will be. In an hour, “Gretchen said as they backed out of the drive.

Shaun crossed his arms. “Pfft.”

Jesse rubbed Shaun’s knee. “Relax—”

“I’m sick of people telling me to relax today!” Shaun shouted.

Jesse drew his hand back. “Jesus… I’m sorry, okay?”

Shaun glared at him.

Ben turned around. He had a small silver bowl in his hand. He smiled. “I thought maybe we’d need something to calm us down…”

Shaun eyed it curiously as Jesse accepted the bowl. Jesse laughed. “Ben, you’re a genius!”

Ben handed Jesse the lighter. “Thank you, Jesse. I appreciate the compliment. I am a genius.”

Gretchen snorted from behind the wheel. She pulled a pack of cigarettes out of the compartment on the driver’s side door and put one in her mouth. She lit up as she coasted to a stop at the end of the road. She turned right out of the neighborhood as she blew a cloud of smoke into the car. “Because he brought weed? I could have told you to do that. Wait until you guys try these subs—”

“Nobody wants your fucking subs,” Shaun ranted. He took the bowl from Jesse and snatched the lighter as an afterthought.

Gretchen glared at him in the mirror. She pointed her cigarette at him. “You’re a son-of-bitch,” she said harshly. “That’s what you are…”

Shaun scoffed.

Ben coughed and waved a hand in front of his mouth. “Can you open the window at least?”

Gretchen pushed the button to lower her window. “Sorry,” she said. “I forget you guys don’t smoke.”

“Give me one of those,” Shaun grumbled.

“You owe me a dollar,” Gretchen said, then she handed one over the back of her seat. “Nothing’s free, Pretty Boy.”

Shaun snatched it from her and stuck it between his lips. Jesse watched in concern as he flashed the tip with the lighter. “Except those cigarettes.” He cracked his window down and blew his smoke through the narrow opening. “Ben paid for those last night. Didn’t he?”

Gretchen scowled as she ashed her cigarette out the window. “Fuck you.”

The ride was long and tense. Shaun and Gretchen bickered all the way. They’d already decided on the songs, but Gretchen wanted to change them last minute.

“The song about death is too depressing,” Gretchen said. “Do the one about fucking. It’s exciting and sexy.”

Shaun clenched his jaw. “We aren’t changing plans last minute. We’ve already decided.”

“We can change our minds whenever we want!” Gretchen cried. “The sex song will get us a better reception. Trust me. It’s the Fourth of July weekend! Nobody wants doom and gloom. They want to get amped up and laid!”

Shaun glared out the window. They were on the highway. They weren’t even close to Houston yet.

Jesse sighed. “Maybe she’s got a point, Shaun—”

Shaun whirled on him. “You’re siding with her?”

“She knows the crowd,” Jesse said. “She seems to know what she’s talking about.”

Ben looked over his seat. “She does. She’s been in more than one band—”

“And I know nothing, right? Because I’ve only been in Execute Invasion?” Shaun screwed up his face. “Fucking bullshit. It’s my band. They’re my songs. I pick what we play.”

“You need to listen to your bandmates’ advice,” Gretchen snapped. She lit up another cigarette. She’d been chain smoking since they left Ben’s house.

Shaun growled. “Maybe I need bandmates that agree with me…”

Gretchen blew smoke through her lips. She chuckled. “Good luck. Are you looking for someone to cover tonight?”

Shaun folded his arms.

“We’ve got three songs. Three chances to win over the crowd,” Ben said gently. “Gretchen’s trying to make the most out of those three chances.”

Shaun looked out the window again. They were passing a large semi-truck. He glared at the fat driver behind the wheel.

“Just think about it,” Ben said. He turned around and took a drink of one of the sodas Gretchen had bought the night before. “We’ve got a couple hours yet.”

Shaun stewed in anger for the rest of the ride. He didn’t speak. He didn’t laugh along with Ben’s corny jokes or Gretchen’s sharp-tongued remarks. Jesse tried to join in with the other two in the front. He gave Shaun a break.

When they got to the city, it was a little after seven. Gretchen steered the Jeep downtown and they immediately ran into the thick of traffic. Tall, high-rise buildings crowded the sidewalks on either side. Cars and trucks were parked along the side of the street and people in patriotic clothing flooded the walkways smiling and waving flags.

“Damn.” Gretchen dropped her head onto the steering wheel. “We should have planned for traffic.”

“At least we’re early,” Ben said. He tore open a bag of chips. “Maybe we should head to the club.”

“Don’t ruin your dinner,” Gretchen snapped. She grabbed the chips and stuffed them under her seat. “We’re getting subs at the Galaxy place.”

Ben stuck out his bottom lip. “What were the snacks for then?”

“The way back,” Gretchen said. She sat up and looked determinedly at the line of cars ahead. There was a blinking red light at the intersection ten meters down. A cop was directing traffic. Most of the cars in the line ahead were making a right. “We need to make a left,” Gretchen said vaguely.

Ben glanced at his phone. “That’s the opposite direction of the club.”

“We’ll make it in time,” Gretchen said easily. She stuck a cigarette between her lips. “It isn’t even 7:30—”

Ben jabbed his finger at the clock on the radio. “It’s 7:28!”

“Relax,” she said as she lit her cigarette. She took a long drag and then stuck it and her arm out the window. “We’ll make it by ten.”

By the time they crept through the intersection, it was three minutes until a quarter after. Gretchen made the left and the traffic died down.

Jesse spoke up. “Where are the fireworks going off?”

Ben looked over his shoulder. He pointed back to the line of traffic. “There’s something going on at the amphitheater.”

“We can watch the fireworks from the sub shop,” Gretchen said briskly. “Once it goes dark, they’ll set them off on the east side of the city.”

Ben fell back into his seat. “Yeah, close to the club…”

Shaun frowned out the window as they came to a red light and stopped on the corner. There was a group of young men, maybe college-aged, waiting to cross the road. They had matching shirts with American flags on their chests. The WALK signal lit up green over the crosswalk and the young men stepped into the street. Shaun watched them with narrowed eyes. “We need to get to the club, Gretchen. We can get subs another time.”

That was one of the most rational things Jesse had ever heard his boyfriend utter. “Gretchen—”

“We’ll get dinner and go! We won’t stay for the fireworks!” The light was still red, but nobody was coming. Gretchen took a sharp right without looking. The young men were halfway across the road when the Jeep sped into their path. They jumped apart as Gretchen plowed through the crosswalk.

“We’re walking here!” One of the guys yelled after them. Jesse peered through the back window. The guys were still in the crosswalk, staring after their speeding vehicle.

“You almost ran those guys over,” he said.

“What guys?” Gretchen tossed her hair. “Oooh! Here’s the shop, you guys!”

There was a little shop between a pharmacy and a big, towering bank. There were round tables in front of the eatery with red and white umbrellas overtop. The tables were full though and there was a line out the door.

“Shit,” Gretchen cursed. She nervously lit a cigarette. She sucked it down as they slowly cruised past the shop. As he watched, Jesse saw the line of hungry patrons’ inch through the door. At least the line was moving.

“Where are we even supposed to park?” Ben asked. The traffic wasn’t nearly as thick in this part of the city, but all the spots along the street were filled.

“There!” Gretchen cried. There was a corner store further down the road. It had a small parking lot in front. “We can park there,” she said.

When they pulled in the lot, Jesse spotted the Customer Only sign immediately.

“We can’t park here,” he said.

Ben pointed at the sign. “Gretchen...This isn’t a good idea.”

“You stay here, then,” she said. She flicked the butt of her cigarette out the window. “Go in and buy me cigarettes.”

Ben huffed. He pulled out his wallet. “I thought I was getting a sub—”

“I’ll stay and get cigarettes,” Shaun said. “What do you want?”

“Marlboros,” Gretchen said. “I like the 100s. Whatever they have that’s cheapest.”

Shaun rolled his eyes. “Since when has price ever been an issue?”

Ben handed Shaun a twenty and then they all got out of the car.

“We’ll see you soon,” Jesse said. He kissed Shaun on the lips. “I’ll bring you something to eat.”

Shaun sniffed. He firmed his jaw and looked over Jesse’s shoulder at the convenience store. “I’ll grab something in there. Don’t worry about me.”

Jesse nodded. He hugged Shaun around the waist and then rushed after Ben and Gretchen. The two of them were already crossing the street.

When they got to the sub shop, the line was still out the door. Gretchen pouted like a child as they approached the tail of the queue. She planted her feet and glared at the group of teenage girls in front of them. All of them were wearing short-shorts and skimpy tops. They were pouring over their phones, giggling over a text from a mystery boy.

Jesse eyed them critically.

Shaun had never expressed an interest in girls, but if what Gretchen said was true, then soon, he would be getting a lot of positive attention from the opposite sex. Whatever Shaun may think, he’d changed quite a bit since he’d last been on stage. The gloomy, scraggly boy from before was incredibly different from the young, bearded man he was today with dark, intense eyes and a toned, sexy body.

Jesse started to worry.

Ben sighed. He checked his phone. “It’s 8:10.”

“Settle down,” Gretchen said, but she looked far from settled. The look on her face was pinched and unhappy. Her body language screamed discomfort. She held herself rigidly and tapped her foot with impatience. “We’ve got over an hour before we have to leave.”

“You think we’ll make it across town in thirty minutes?” Ben asked. “I don’t know, Gretch. Google says it’ll take fifty minutes with the traffic.”

Gretchen turned away.

“The fireworks start in an hour. People will be trying to leave after that,” Ben said. “And more people will be heading to the club... It’s going to be pandemonium.”

“It’ll be fine,” Gretchen said. “Besides. I’m starving. I can’t play on an empty stomach.”

Ben sighed. He looked helplessly at Jesse.

Jesse shrugged. “We’re here, aren’t we? Might as well get something to eat.”

They worked their way through the door by 8:30. Within fifteen minutes, they were next in line. The group of girls were ordering first, however, and none of them had decided what they wanted.

“Which one comes with the kale and the gluten-free dressing?” asked a blonde girl with a tattoo of a sun around her belly button. “I’m on a diet. I need to watch my calories.” Her friends nodded in agreement.

Gretchen huffed. “What do you guys want? We’re running out of time.”

“Told you,” Ben muttered under his breath.

Gretchen glared at him. “You’re not helping.”

Ben straightened up. She looked intently at the menu on the back wall. “I want the Italian Hero. The supreme size with extra peppers.”

Gretchen turned to Jesse.

“Uh… I’ll take the club sandwich. Half size.”

Gretchen frowned. “What about Shaun?”

“He doesn’t want anything,” Jesse said. “He said he’d eat at the convenience store.”

Gretchen wrinkled her nose. “Idiot.” She turned away and glared at the backs of the girls’ heads.

The wait for the girls to finish their order was agonizing, but when it was finally their turn, Gretchen sped through the order process. She ordered Ben’s hero, Jesse’s club, and got a tuna sub for herself. Then she slapped Ben’s Visa on the counter.

“We’re in a hurry,” she said to the lady behind the counter. It was a young girl in a ponytail and a visor hat. She wore a neat blue polo shirt and a white apron. “If you can get our order to go in under a minute, I’ll leave a twenty-dollar tip.”

The girl took the Visa card. “Do you want to leave that tip on the card or with cash?”

They were out the door in a minute and a half. It was starting to get dark out. People in the street were watching the sky with an anxious sort of excitement. Gretchen clutched the paper bag with her tuna sub to her chest. “No time to eat. We’d better run.”

Ben looked at his phone. “Yikes. It’s already nine o’clock.”

“You’re supposed to be there exactly at ten?” Jesse asked as they jogged across the street. Gretchen’s Jeep sat in front of the convenience store. He couldn’t see if Shaun was inside or not.

“No, ten’s roll call,” Ben said. “We’re supposed to be there and be ready to play by then.”

Gretchen groaned. “Shaun’s gotta drive. I can’t eat and drive at the same time.”

When they got to the car, it was empty.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Gretchen spun in a circle. “Where is that shithead?”

“Shithead?” Shaun’s voice came from behind them, towards the convenience store. The three of them turned. Shaun sat on the curb, just outside the glass doors at the front of the store. He had a cigarette between his lips.

“You got the cigarettes?” Gretchen stepped in his direction.

“No,” Shaun said and his eyes flashed with annoyance. “I had to ask an old lady to do it for me. The bitch in there carded me.”

Ben laughed. “Resourceful.”

Gretchen took the keys out of her bag. She tossed them so they arced through the air. Shaun caught them with a single, large hand. “Drive the Jeep?”

Shaun sneered. The cigarette wobbled between his lips. “We’ve got an hour to get through holiday traffic.”

“And I’ve an hour to eat an enormous tuna sub,” Gretchen said. “Please.”

Shaun took the cigarette out of his mouth. He gnashed his teeth. “I’m not doing this for you,” he said, pointing the burning cigarette at Gretchen’s face. “I’m doing this because I need to get to The Foundry. Now.”

“Cool,” Gretchen said. She turned and opened the door to the passenger seat. “So, this works out for the both of us, then.” She climbed in the front and shut the door. She started to unwrap her sandwich. “Mmm, smells delicious.”

Shaun growled. He took a long, aggressive pull of his cigarette and then flicked it across the parking lot. He got in the Jeep and viciously started the car. Jesse and Ben hurried to get in the back before they were left behind. The second everyone’s doors were shut, Shaun backed out of the parking space. He whipped the Jeep out onto the road.

“Fucking watch it!” Gretchen shouted when Shaun hit the curb in his haste.

“You took so fucking long!” Shaun yelled back. “What the fuck!”

An explosion of colors shot across the sky.

“Woah!” Ben cried. He rolled down his window and stuck his head outside. “The fireworks are starting!”

Jesse looked out his window, too. The cracks and booms of the fireworks sent tremors through the glass. Beautiful greens and blues and reds and golds rocketed through the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Crackle, crack, crackle…

“Wow! Look at that one!” Gretchen said around a mouthful of tuna. A glimmering shower of gold and red rained down from the sky.

Bang! Bang! Crackle, crack...

Glimmering blues and silvers mixed with the golds and reds.

Shaun growled. He slammed on the brakes and pulled to a stopped behind a motionless van in the middle of the street. “This fucker’s parking in the goddamn street!” He laid on the horn. “Move!”

“Go around!” Gretchen yelled at the van. “Fucking psycho!”

Shaun backed up and then barreled down the road, around the van. They raced down another block and turned a corner. The Jeep slowed as a mess of cars with red lights appeared ahead. “Ugh! We don’t have time for this!”

Jesse took a bite of his sandwich as they came to a stop. It was a good sub, but it was just lettuce, tomato, and cheese. There were tiny slices of bacon...he wasn’t impressed.

The traffic was bumper to bumper all the way to the club. As they drove the sun sank below the horizon. Time slowly ticked away. Jesse watched Shaun’s expression change in the rearview mirror as he navigated the crowded city streets. He scowled. He clenched his teeth. He furrowed his brow and leaned over the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip… Ben had the club pulled up on Google Maps. He threw out directions to be helpful. As they got closer, Shaun’s jaw tightened, and his expression grew dark.

Gretchen was totally oblivious. She talked loudly over the seat. “We’ll get there with ten minutes to spare. Does everyone know the drill?”

Jesse quirked an eyebrow. “What’s the drill?”

Gretchen showed her teeth. “It’s a nice place, so they’ll probably have bouncers and security.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “If anyone’s checking IDs, you and Shaun need to stick close to me and Ben. You’re with the band, so they’ll turn a blind eye if you have one of us to back you up.”

Jesse bit his lip. He glanced at the back of Shaun’s head. His shoulders and neck were tight.

“When we get there, we’ll have to quickly unload the instruments,” Gretchen said. “They already have the stage set up for sound, so we don’t need to worry about mics or anything like that.”

“Thanks, boss,” Ben said with a laugh. “I think we can figure it out—”

“We won’t have time to figure it out,” Gretchen hissed. She pursed her lips. “Christ, do I have to actually say it? I fucked up. We’re running late—”

“No shit,” Shaun muttered. Gretchen turned to him and pulled a face, but Shaun didn’t look away from the road.

Gretchen turned back to Ben. “We’re first up, so we need to bust ass to get everything in the building. There won’t be any time to hesitate.”

Jesse checked Ben’s phone. They were a block away from the club. He looked up. They were sitting at a red light, in the left turn lane… Once Shaun made the turn, they would practically be there.

The light changed and Shaun got an arrow. He turned in the intersection and drove down the street.

There were a lot of low, concrete buildings and parking garages. The sidewalk had a different crowd of people. There were less of the patriotic, Fourth of July celebrants, and more people with tattoos, band tees, and leather. The city had planted trees along the sidewalk and placed colorful, flower-filled planters around the streetlamps, but the high-rise buildings in the distance blocked the view of the sky. Jesse thought the area felt claustrophobic after months of living in the country.

As they got to the corner, a large sign by the road announced the club. The Foundry was in bold, red lettering.

“This is it,” Shaun muttered.

“No, don’t pull in there,” Gretchen instructed. “Turn the corner and go around back.”

Shaun did as Gretchen suggested. There was a small, private lot behind the building with a high, chain-link fence around the perimeter. At the entrance, there was a patrol booth just outside of the gate. Gretchen pointed at it and Shaun pulled up beside it.

A tall black guy in a plain, black t-shirt stepped out of the booth. Shaun rolled down his window. “Are you part of the show?” the black guy asked.

“Yeah,” Shaun said. “And we’re running late. Where are we supposed to go?”

The black guy didn’t answer. “Which band?”

“Defaced,” Shaun said through his teeth.

The black guy turned away and talked to someone in a low voice on his headset. He turned back after a moment. “You’re good,” he said and then waved the Jeep through. He stepped back into the booth.

Shaun sneered. He put up his window and then screeched through the checkpoint. “Fucking jerk. Didn’t answer my question…”

“I know where we’re supposed to go,” Gretchen said beside him. She pointed at the back of the building, at a black door just visible over the line of cars. “Head that way. That door is where we’ll unload everything.”

Shaun angled the Jeep through the aisles of cars. He pulled up along the backside of the building and parked. The black door Gretchen had mentioned had a small window at eye level but there was no one around.

“This isn’t it, “Shaun said.” There’s no one here.”

Gretchen jumped out of the Jeep.” I told you we’d have to unload on our own. “She slammed the door and went around to the back of the car.

“We’d better follow her,” Ben said. He started to get out of the car. “We’ve got eight minutes.”

Shaun growled. He hopped out and stormed to the rear of the vehicle. Jesse hurried to follow everyone else.

Ben and Gretchen were unloading Gretchen’s drum kit. Shaun grabbed his guitar and Ben’s bass. He met Jesse’s eyes. “Let’s go,” he said firmly.

Jesse nodded. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. Good luck probably wouldn’t go over so well.

They carried the instruments to the door.

“Watch this,” Gretchen said. She had a drum tucked under each of her arms, she carefully set the bigger one on the ground and then reached up to rap on the little window.

A set of eyes appeared behind the glass.

“Move, idiots, out of the way!” Gretchen hissed. Shaun and Ben backed up. Jesse grabbed Gretchen’s drum and stepped out of the way as the heavy metal door creaked outwards.

A stocky man with a burly beard guarded the door. He wore a headset, as well. “Defaced?” he asked in a gravelly voice.

“Yes,” Shaun said with a huff. “We’re first. We need to get on stage.

The guy opened the door and Shaun walked through without a moment’s hesitation. Ben and Gretchen followed him quickly. Jesse ducked his head. With the drum clutched to his chest, he stepped past security and inside the club.

They walked down a long, narrow hallway full of doors. The floor was concrete, and the walls were black.

“Dressing rooms,” Gretchen said. “We’re not famous enough to get one of those yet.”

Shaun grunted. “Where are we going?”

“Down the hall and up the steps.”

The hallway ended in a sharp, right turn. There were stairs just around the corner and Shaun took them two at a time.

The backstage of the Foundry was a busy place. It was a wide, open area with a high ceiling full of beams and wires and lights. There were tables with equipment. Instruments. And people. Lots of people. Musicians in t-shirts and jeans. Some in leather and chains. There was a group of men with corpse paint on their faces. There was a trio of girls. There was a guy with a top hat that reminded Jesse of Rob Zombie. The guy was staring at Shaun with a grim look of disapproval on his face.

Crew members and other club employees drifted through the musicians with a practiced ease. Everyone had headsets like the black guy in the parking lot and the bearded guy at the door.

A slim woman in head-to-toe black approached them. Her hair was in a tight ponytail and the headset over her ears looked like it was a permanent part of her wardrobe.

“You’re up first,” she said briskly. “Defaced, right?”

Shaun bared his teeth. “We know. We got caught in traffic.” He glared heatedly in Gretchen’s direction. The drummer smiled pleasantly in response.

The woman was unmoved. “C’mon,” she said. She led them through the groups of waiting musicians. A young guy with a bandana and a wifebeater raised a hand as they passed.

“Gretchen!”

Gretchen beamed. “Harry! Hey!” She waved enthusiastically. “We’re about to go on...catch you later!”

“Who was that?” Ben spoke up. He moved closer to her.

Gretchen snorted. “That’s Harry. We used to play together. We have an extended history,” she said with a laugh.

Ben frowned. “What do you mean extended.”

Gretchen waved him off. “I’ll tell you later.”

Jesse could see the red velvet curtain through an open doorway. The woman in black led them through it and Jesse saw the curtain was enormous. It stretched, uninterrupted, across a huge, wooden stage.

“Jesse,” Gretchen hissed. “You stay there.” She pointed back at the doorway.

Jesse stepped back. He watched Shaun hook his guitar into an amp much larger and sophisticated than the one he had back in the Mustang. The woman in black was talking, but there was a constant, dull roar from behind the curtain and Jesse couldn’t hear anything that was happening.

A chill ran through Jesse’s body as he realized the dull roar was the sound of the waiting crowd…

“Hey,” a voice said from behind Jesse. He turned. The young guy, Harry, was standing behind him. “How’s it going?”

Jesse smiled sheepishly. “We’re running late, but it looks like we made it just in time,” he said, gesturing to the band on-stage. The lady in black disappeared out a door on the other end of the curtain.

Harry laughed. “You’d better get out there. They’re about to start.”

“I’m not actually part of the band,” Jesse said. “I’m just here to watch.”

“Oh,” Harry said. He looked over Jesse’s shoulder. “Gretchen’s an old friend of mine. Mind if I watch with you?”

“Not at all.”

Harry leaned against the wall and held out a hand. He smiled. “I’m Harold, but everyone calls me Harry.”

“Jesse.”

They shook hands.

Harry had a tall, slim physique. His brown hair was shaved closely to his head and he had a bandana, folded in a narrow strip, tied around his forehead. He had dark stubble on his jaw, a charming smile, and gorgeous sea-foam blue eyes.

“Are you in a band?” Jesse asked shyly. He started to blush. He couldn’t help it. Harry was very handsome.

“I’ve been in bands all my life,” Harry said wistfully. “But yes. To answer your question, I’m here with my band. We’ve got a set at the end. I guess we’re playing off the big band.”

Jesse giggled. He’d never felt this much blatant attraction to another boy before. He’d become attracted to Shaun over time, but he’d just met Harry and he thought he was hot.

“It’s a gig, can’t complain,” Harry said with a shrug.

“It’s our first show,” Jesse said proudly. He pointed at Shaun. The dark-haired boy gripped the mic in a death-grip. His guitar hung at his side and he stared sightlessly at the curtain. “That’s my friend…” He chewed his lip. Gretchen spun her drumsticks and tested the petals on her kit. Ben checked the strings on his bass. Shaun continued to stare at the curtain. “He looks kind of nervous…”

“We’re all nervous our first time,” Harry said good-naturedly. “He’ll be alright.”

“I hope so,” Jesse said in a little voice.

There was a loud booming voice beyond the curtain. It was met with a riot of noise. Screams, yells, hoots, and whistles.

“What did they say?” Jesse asked.

Harry rubbed his chin. “Probably introducing the first set,” he said. “Look, the show’s about to start.”

Jesse turned back to the stage as lights fell on the band. Shaun had his own spotlight. The curtains started to move, and the crowd responded with yells of excitement. Shaun lifted his head and looked out at the open room below the stage.

Jesse blinked. “Wow.”

The crowd was a huge, teeming mass of heads and arms. Shafts of colored light strobed through the sea of excited faces.

“Nice crowd,” Harry said casually.

There were easily two thousand people in the club. Jesse started to bite his nails. He looked at Shaun.

Shaun stood stiff as a statue. He stared blankly into the crowd. Ben grabbed his shoulder and whispered in his ear, but Shaun didn’t react.

“Shit,” Harry said as his brow wrinkled with concern. “He’s going to choke.”

Jesse pressed his hands together and said a silent prayer. “Move, baby. Do something,” he whispered.

The crowd started to get antsy. There was a loud, obnoxious howl of disapproval and a cup of alcohol launched out of the third row. It sloshed all over the stage, three feet from Shaun’s mic. The cup danced into the corner and disappeared in shadow.

Shaun followed the cup with his eyes. His lip curled into a snarl and he grabbed the mic. “You motherfuckers want a song?” He looked back at Gretchen and mouthed something. She signaled quickly to Ben. “Fuck you,” he growled.

Gretchen smiled. She clicked her drumsticks. “Three, two, one!”

They started to play the sex song. Just like Gretchen had suggested. The verses were more complex, but the chorus was simple:

Baby, are you ready to get fucked?

Are you ready for me to enter you?

Baby, your ass is so fine

I wish I could spend my whole live

Fucking you,

Fucking you…

Shaun wasn’t doing anything special, but he was on fire. His voice was deep and sexy. He spread his legs as he powerfully strummed the guitar. His fingers flew up and down the fretboard with ease and he subtly thrust his hips along with the downbeat. The muscles in his arms and chest rippled and flexed. His long hair was in his face, and he shook it out aggressively as he sang into the microphone.

Jesse looked out at the crowd. They were loving the song! The people in the front row were bouncing along with the beat. There were plenty of smiles and cheers of approval. A girl on her boyfriend’s shoulder had her arms in the air. She swayed with the melody.

“See, I told you he’d be alright,” Harry said loudly over the music. He elbowed Jesse playfully.

When the song ended, the applause was deafening. Cheers and whistles echoed around the room. Shaun smirked at the audience. He took the mic off the stand and walked to the edge of the stage.

“Anyone got another beer? Shitty day. We spent most the morning hungover and then sat in traffic for the last two hours.”

There was a sprinkling of laughter. Someone tossed a can on-stage.

Shaun caught it one-handed. He cracked the tab and tossed his head back for a long drink. “Right.” He crushed the can. “Enough bitching.” He nodded at Gretchen and she started another countdown. Shaun went back to the stand and put up his mic. He started to play.

They blasted through the next two songs. Shaun didn’t pause for a reaction. When their third and last song ended, he grabbed the mic again.

“Happy Fourth, bitches,” he grunted. Then he dropped the mic and stomped off the stage. There was a breathless moment of silence and then an ear-splitting round of applause. Shaun met Jesse’s eyes as he crossed the floor. He smiled wickedly and then, suddenly his face turned. He spun around, spotted a yellow mop bucket in the corner, and ran for it. He fell to his knees and puked violently into the container.

“Oh no,” Jesse muttered. He left Harry by the door and went to crouch next to Shaun. He rubbed his back as he continued to heave up the contents of his stomach. “Jesus, what did you eat?”

“A crappy piece of pizza at the convenience store,” Shaun moaned. “I knew it was spoiled.” He turned and spewed up another mouthful of cheese, pizza sauce, and bile.

“That’s disgusting,” Gretchen hissed. Jesse looked up in surprise. Gretchen and Ben watched from a few paces away. Ben looked sympathetic, but Gretchen had her nose plugged. “Why don’t you guys go outside. Get some air or something,” she suggested. “We need to move the Jeep anyway.”

Jesse frowned. “Yeah. Alright. In a minute.”

The curtains had briefly closed again, so the bands could switch out. Gretchen hurried back to the stage, to help the next band with their instruments. “C’mon, Ben,” she called.

Ben looked guiltily after Jesse and Shaun, but he rushed after Gretchen, anyway.

Jesse sighed. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.” The same lady from before, the one in black, watched them from the sidelines with narrowed, judgmental eyes.

Shaun spat in the bucket. “I’m done. Let’s go,” he said briskly. He stood up and grabbed Jesse’s wrist. Shaun dipped his head, so his hair fell into his face, then he pulled Jesse from the room. They found the stairs and hurried down the long, black hallway.

The bearded guy from before was waiting at the end of the hall. He eyed them suspiciously.

“We have to move the car,” Shaun said. He didn’t let go of Jesse. He anxiously squeezed his wrist. “Can you let us out?”

The guy opened the door. “I can let you out, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll let you back in.”

Shaun frowned. “Enjoy your awesome job securing a door.” He tugged on Jesse’s arm. “C’mon,” he muttered.

Jesse allowed himself to be pulled out the door. The Jeep was waiting beside the building, right where they’d left it. Shaun took the keys out of his pocket and went around to the driver side. Jesse slid in the passenger seat.

“Where are we supposed to park?” Shaun asked. He grabbed a bottled water from the back seat. Gretchen must have picked it up yesterday.

Jesse looked out the window. “There’s a spot in the back. By the fence.”

Shaun followed his gaze. He took a gulp out of the bottle and swirled it around his mouth. He rolled the window down and spat it out.

Jesse watched him with concern. “Do you feel alright?”

“Better now,” Shaun said. He took another swig of his water as he started the car and shifted into drive. “I regretted that beer as soon as I drank it. I felt sick immediately.”

“Why did you ask for it then?”

Shaun shrugged. “I was thirsty.”

They found a spot at the back of the lot, against the chain-link fence. The back of the CVS and a narrow alley between it and the fence made up the view. There were cars beside them, but no one was inside.

Shaun turned off the engine. He opened the top compartment on the armrest and rifled through Gretchen’s belongings.

“Must be employee parking,” Jesse said into the sudden silence. He gazed out the window. There was a light on the patrol box and another over the door they’d used to enter the club, but the space between was washed in darkness. “That’s why there’s a guard. This lot isn’t open to the public.”

Shaun made a face. “I feel so privileged.”

Jesse turned to his boyfriend. Shaun continued to search through the armrest with a scowl on his face. “You were amazing up there,” he said in awe. “You were nervous at first, but you played it off. You were funny and charming and bad ass.”

Shaun found a small tin of mints in the armrest. He pried it open and popped a handful in his mouth. “I froze up,” he muttered. He returned the mints to their home and then closed the armrest. “If that asshole hadn’t thrown the beer in the beginning, I think I would have stood there until they drew the damned curtains.”

Jesse snorted. “Yeah, but you snapped out of it. You took control of the situation. You owned the stage,” he said adamantly. “You guys were perfect. Nobody missed a beat.”

Shaun ground the mints between his molars. “Gretchen impressed me. She was right about the song change, and she was really on the ball tonight. She picked up on my cues. She improvised. And she fucking knows everything,” he said with a look of annoyance. “She’s always bragging about her experience, but it actually helped today.”

Jesse laughed. “Know what my favorite part was?”

Shaun blinked at him.

Jesse fluttered his eyelashes. “How hot you were on stage.”

Shaun smiled a little. “Yeah, but nobody took their top off.”

Jesse smiled, too. “Damn,” he cursed. “Maybe next time.”

Shaun grabbed Jesse’s chin and the smile faded from his face. He held Jesse perfectly still as he leaned over the armrest and claimed his lips.

Jesse moaned into Shaun’s mouth. “Mmm, minty fresh,” he giggled.

The sound of a fly unzipping was Jesse’s reply. He drew back and watched as Shaun drew his big, erect dick out of his pants.

“I think I owe you a fuck,” Shaun said as he stroked his cock leisurely.

Jesse watched Shaun’s calloused fingers dance along his shaft. “Oh yeah,” he said absently. “I made you promise, didn’t I?”

Shaun’s eyes gleamed with mirth. “You did.”

Jesse swallowed

“Why don’t you climb in my lap and sit on my cock,” Shaun said in a deep voice.

Jesse hesitated. He glanced out the window, at the dark empty parking lot behind them.

“We won’t get caught,” Shaun drawled.

Jesse licked his lips. “Alright…” He kicked his shoes off and pushed them under the seat. Then he shimmied out of his pants. Shaun tilted his seat back as Jesse climbed over the armrest and straddled his thighs. Their eyes met and Jesse chewed his lip with indecision. “We don’t have any lube,” he said.

Shaun spat in his hand. “We’ve got plenty,” he said with a snort of amusement. Then he reached between them and rubbed the spit along his stiff cock.

Jesse raised up on his knees and scooted forward until his belly was flush with Shaun’s chest. He paused over Shaun, gazing into his dark, soulful eyes. Shaun smiled at him lazily and brushed Jesse’s long hair back behind his ear.

Jesse leaned down with a sigh and gently pressed his lips to Shaun’s. It was dark in the Jeep and quiet. The distant sound of the city filtered through the window. Honking cars, police sirens, the thump-thump of muffled, far-away music… Jesse pressed his ass back, searching blindly for the tip of Shaun’s hard cock as he sucked his full, bottom lip into his mouth.

Shaun groaned. He pressed his mouth needily against Jesse’s as he used the hand between them to guide his cock to his waiting hole. He sucked in a breath when the head of his dick touched Jesse’s wrinkled hole.

Jesse gasped in discomfort as he felt Shaun’s cock push at his entrance. Immediately, he knew they were going to have difficulties. They didn’t have sex without lube very often and even when they did, Jesse’s ass was incredibly tight.

He took a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing his muscles. He wasn’t willing to give up… Hesitantly, he pushed back against Shaun’s length and started to impale himself.

Shaun was patient at first. He drew Jesse into another kiss and let him control the pace and the depth, but Jesse spent a good while bouncing on the very tip of his cock. He struggled to accept the full length comfortably. There was no lubrication. The spit had dried up immediately and his asshole felt like it was ripping.

Shaun hissed. He spit in his hand again and forced it between their bodies so he could slick the base of his cock. “What’s with you? Sit on my dick,” he growled.

“It hurts,” Jesse whimpered.

“Aww, am I hurting your little butthole?” Shaun growled. “Shit. Get back in your seat.”

Jesse groaned as he lifted himself off Shaun’s cock. He climbed back into his seat and sat on his knees. He looked at Shaun in confusion.

Shaun climbed in the back seat. He gestured for Jesse to follow him. Jesse hopped over the armrest and sat awkwardly beside him. The leather felt cool against his naked butt.

Shaun ripped his pants off and tossed them in the back, then he turned to Jesse with dark, lust filled eyes. He grabbed his legs and pulled them into his lap. “Lay back,” he said huskily. Jesse laid back and awkwardly rested his head against the window. Shaun pushed his legs up and held them. Jesse grunted as his ass cheeks spread apart.

Shaun wasted no time at all. He crouched down and jammed his tongue into Jesse’s waiting hole.

Jesse closed his eyes and moaned helplessly as Shaun’s tongue worked insistently at his pucker. Shaun reached up and grabbed onto his cock as he continued to eat his ass. He forced spit deep into the tight channel with every inward thrust. He stroked Jesse’s cock firmly through the whole thing.

When Shaun stopped, Jesse was gasping with pleasure. His cock dripped copious amounts of pre-come and Shaun used it to slick his cock. He watched Jesse with his dark, intense eyes as he lined up with his hole and then he entered Jesse swiftly for a second time, driving himself balls deep within his hot, squirming body.

Jesse cried out, but not in pain this time. He was fully impaled, and Shaun’s cock curled comfortably against his prostate. There was a small twinge of pain, but the pleasure was warm and deeply fulfilling.

“Better?” Shaun grunted. He supported Jesse’s weight with his hands under his butt. He squeezed Jesse’s thighs warmly.

Jesse snorted. His knees were jammed into his chest and his head was wedged against the window with no room to stretch out. They were crammed together in the back seat like sardines. It wasn’t nearly as roomy as it’d seemed earlier.

Shaun thrust his hips a little. His cock shaft rubbed against Jesse’s sweet spot. “How’s that feel?”

Jesse’s eyes rolled back in his head. “Gooood.”

Shaun smirked. He grabbed Jesse’s ass and started to fuck him at a slow, easy pace. Their hips slapped together at the end of each thrust and the sound seemed incredibly loud and obscene in the closed space. It was perfect.

Shaun curled into Jesse and captured his lips. They kissed passionately and the smacking of their lips and tongues added to the obscene soundtrack. Shaun forced his tongue into Jesse’s mouth as he drove his hips into his ass with increasing speed.

Jesse cried out as Shaun began to pound his ass. The slapping sound crescendoed and the Jeep began to rock with the force of their lovemaking.

Shaun kissed Jesse sloppily as he fucked him. Sweat rolled from his brow and his breathing became ragged as he slammed his cock into Jesse.

Jesse groaned in ecstasy. Shaun hammered his prostate repeatedly and that explosive feeling, combined with the incredible stretching, and the deeply arousing sounds was enough to push him over the edge. He came with a sound-less scream, all over his belly and thighs.

Shaun ramped up his efforts in response to Jesse’s orgasm. He straightened up and shook out his hair. He held Jesse’s legs with his big, rough hands and fucked him aggressively with his thick, veiny cock.

Jesse swooned as gazed up at his boyfriend. Shaun, beaded with sweat, his long, wavy hair artfully askew, and a smug look of satisfaction on his face was a beautiful sight.

Shaun met his eyes as he continued to thrust his hips. He grunted and plunged his cock deep into Jesse’s body a few times more. Then his eyes slammed shut and he tipped his head back as an animalistic howl was ripped from his throat. His body trembled as he came. He held onto Jesse tightly as he rode wave after wave of earth-shattering bliss.

Jesse watched Shaun come down from his orgasm with a smile. He was overwhelmed with affection for the other boy. He stroked his sweaty face.

Shaun opened his eyes. He grinned.

“Hope nobody heard that.”

“I don’t think they did,” Jesse said. He stretched up and kissed Shaun softly on the lips. “But who cares if they did. What are they going to do? Throw us out?”

Shaun chuckled. “Good point.”

They got dressed in the back seat. Shaun found a smashed roll of paper towels when he was looking for his discarded jeans. Jesse cleaned his butt and climbed happily into the passenger seat up front once more. He looked back at the club. “When do you think they’re coming out?”

Shaun joined him in the front. He turned the car on and found a radio station with alternative rock. He glared darkly at the radio, but he didn’t verbally complain. “I don’t know. You’re the one with the phone.”

“Oh. Right.” Jesse took out his phone and sent a group text to Gretchen and Ben.

Shaun sighed. He fixed his hair in the mirror. “I can’t wait to get back to Ben’s place.”

Jesse laughed. “Why? We already had sex.”

Shaun shrugged. “I want something to eat. Like an actual meal.”

“I don’t think anyone’s up to cooking a four-course meal, babe,” Jesse said gently. “Not tonight.”

Shaun frowned. “Fuck. Is there a fast food place that makes a good meatloaf?”

Jesse snorted. “Fast food? I don’t know about that.”

Shaun grumbled. “I’m sick of fast food. Tacos. Pizza. Burgers. Yuck.”

“What about Chinese?”

Shaun made a face of disgust. “I hate Chinese.”

Jesse sighed. “Maybe we can stop somewhere after this. Somewhere that’s open 24/7. Like I-Hop.”

“I hop?” Shaun sneered.

“They might have meatloaf,” Jesse said. He turned up the radio. “I love this song!”

Shaun frowned out the window. “I write better music than that bullshit.” He gestured at the radio.

“Well, then maybe you should make a demo tape,” Jesse suggested. “Gretchen could go around to the local stations and push the music. She could suck dick, too, if required.”

Shaun snorted with amusement. “Maybe.”

They chatted in the darkened car for over an hour. They found Ben’s bowl and a small baggy of ground weed in the glovebox and they baked out the car as they waited. Jesse checked his phone a few times and sent a couple question marks to follow-up with his first message, but he never got a reply. They’d talked about a number of different things as they sat aimless but were currently on the subject of the club and the band.

“I didn’t get to see the inside of the club,” Jesse admitted. “I didn’t move from the stage after you guys got set up.”

Shaun shrugged. “I didn’t see much either. The crowd was huge,” he said. “I could see the bar in the back though. It was covered in mirrors and the bottles on the wall had lights behind them. It was way classier than the other bars I’ve played at.”

Jesse snickered. “I’ll bet.”

“I wished we could have listened to the other bands,” Shaun said. “Some of them will probably be at the Battle of the Bands in October. I bet Gretchen is scoping them out right now.”

Jesse gazed at the other boy. Shaun stared blankly out the windshield at the brick wall across from the chain-link. “Don’t worry, we’ll have other chances.”

“I guess,” Shaun said.

There was an erratic tapping at the widow.

Jesse spun in his seat, his heart in his throat, but he calmed the instant he realized it was Gretchen and Ben on the other side of the glass. He rolled his window down.

“There you are dickheads! We were wondering where you’d wandered off to!” Gretchen cried. She stuck her head inside and sniffed. “Jesus, did you guys smoke all the weed?”

“There’s a little left,” Jesse said helpfully.

Gretchen wrinkled her nose. “I smell cum, too.”

“What’s it to you?” Shaun sneered.

Gretchen shook her head in disbelief. “There’s a time and a place for everything, you dumbasses. There’s cameras all over the place.”

Shaun looked around suspiciously. He grumbled under his breath, but he had no worthy comebacks.

Gretchen flipped her hair. “Oh, well. I hope you enjoyed yourself. I wanted to introduce you to everyone, Shaun, but I guess we can do it another time when aren’t busy having sex and smoking dope in the parking lot.”

Shaun clenched his teeth. “The bouncer wouldn’t let us in a second time.”

“That guy’s a pushover,” Gretchen said dismissively. “You should have called me—”

“I texted,” Jesse spoke up. He waved his phone. “Twice.”

Gretchen pulled her phone out her bag. “Oh. Yeah. I guess you did.”

Ben scoffed. “How did you miss that? You were literally just in your phone, getting guy’s numbers and addresses and comparing your calendar with theirs…”

Gretchen put her phone away. “Grab your guitar case, you idiot. Load it up.” She shoved past Ben to get in the back seat. “We’ve still got to pick up my stuff and Shaun’s. Get moving.” She got settled in her seat as Ben took his instrument around to the back of the Jeep. Jesse hadn’t noticed it before, but Ben must have carried it out to the lot.

When Ben finished and got in the car, he immediately wrinkled his nose. “Wow, it does smell like sex back here.” He rolled his window all the way down. “Like sperm.”

“What do you want it to smell like?” Jesse laughed. “We cleaned up. Don’t worry. No sperm was left behind.”

“Yuck.”

Gretchen snorted with amusement. “Anyway, moving on.” She held up her phone. “I got Harry’s new address and an invite to a party. Tonight!”

Shaun groaned. “I don’t want to go to a fucking party. Last night was a party.”

“That wasn’t a party,” Gretchen sneered. “That was a get-together with friends.”

“What’s the difference?”

“A party has good music and drugs and there’s always a good chance you’ll get laid.”

Shaun rolled his eyes.

“I told you they wouldn’t want to go,” Ben sang.

“C’mon!” Gretchen bounced impatiently in her seat. “Drive over to the club and let’s get our shit! The party’s almost an hour away. We can stop for something to eat if we hurry—”

“We’d better hurry,” Shaun scoffed, but he put the Jeep in reverse and started to back up. “We wouldn’t want to get to the party after the host.”

Gretchen huffed. “The party’s at Harry’s house, but his brother’s hosting it. It’s been going since the sun went down. It’s a Fourth of July thing. They’re doing more fireworks.”

“Not again,” Shaun complained. They stopped beside the club. The back door was wide open. The bearded bouncer stood solemnly beside it. It almost looked like he was holding it open. “Fucker said he wouldn’t let us in,” he muttered.

“He was probably joking around,” Ben said lightly. “C’mon. If you get your stuff, I’ll get Gretchen’s.”

Grumbling under his breath, Shaun got out of the car, closely followed by Ben. They headed inside. The bouncer didn’t say a word to them.

“The show’s about done,” Gretchen said. “People are packing up.”

“Harry said his act was last,” Jesse said curiously.

Gretchen snorted. “I’ve seen it a couple times. It’s not worth staying for. Trust me. We’ll have more fun at the party.”

Jesse raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t comment any further.

Shaun and Ben returned momentarily, followed by two other long-haired men, musicians, obviously. They had cases under their arms, as well. They split off from Shaun and Ben as they neared the Jeep and headed to their own vehicle.

“So, the other bands parked out back, too,” Jesse muttered. Shaun popped the hatch on the Jeep and he and Ben lifted the cases into the trunk.

“Of course,” Gretchen said. “The headlining band was cool and everything, but the bassist kept going into these long solo acts…” She made a face. “People have been leaving in droves for the last twenty minutes. But I bet you two lovebirds didn’t notice,” she said, making a kissy-face for effect.

Jesse rolled his eyes, but she was right.

Shaun and Ben finished with the cases and got back in the car. Shaun sighed. “Where am I going?”

“We’re getting back on the highway,” Gretchen said. “Southeast.”

Shaun steered the Jeep out of the parking lot. The black guy was still in the guard station. He nodded at Shaun as he coasted through the gate.

“Make a right.”

Shaun drove in silence. Jesse could tell he was upset. His shoulders were curled inward, and the corners of his mouth were downturned.

Gretchen chatted about the show. She had lots of gossip about the bands that had performed after Defaced. She knew which ones were going to Battle of the Bands and which ones were total hacks. Despite Harry’s good looks, it seemed he was on the hacks list.

“He’s really a great guitarist, but ever since he got with that new band, he’s fallen off the face of the earth. They can’t draw a crowd. They can’t get gigs.”

Jesse peered over his seat. “What’s wrong with them?”

Gretchen shrugged. “They’ve got some chick as the lead vocals. She isn’t any good, unfortunately.”

“What did I tell you? Girls and heavy metal don’t mix,” Shaun said darkly.

Gretchen glared at him. “Whatever. This girl shouldn’t be in metal. I’ll agree with you there.”

Shaun grunted in reply.

“For what it’s worth,” Ben spoke up from the back. “I think we all did an excellent job tonight. Thumbs way, way up.”

Gretchen laughed. “How about the middle fingers instead.” She smacked the back of Shaun’s headrest. “You almost choked there. I didn’t think you were going to recover.”

Shaun gripped the steering wheel. “Yeah, well, I did.”

Gretchen laughed again. “You did alright. And then you were a total dick to the audience.” She grinned. “I think they dug it.”

Shaun didn’t say anything. He glared angrily at the dark road ahead.

“That was an impressive opening,” Ben said in agreement. He smiled contentedly.

Gretchen patted him on the knee. “That’s nice, but your opinion actually doesn’t matter.” She turned back to Shaun. “Next time, make sure you actually introduce us,” she said. “Don’t rely on the fucking announcer. Nobody listens to him anyway.”

Shaun ground his teeth. “Whatever.”

Gretchen directed Shaun to get off at the next exit. They’d been driving just over thirty minutes. The city of Houston was behind them and they were even farther away from Ben’s house than before.

“Where are we?” Jesse asked.

“An hour from Freeport,” Gretchen said brightly. “That’s a gorgeous city. We should go one day.”

Jesse frowned. He thought about checking his phone but decided it didn’t matter.

“Make a left,” Gretchen said as Shaun got off the highway. “You have to make a right in like five miles, but it’s a straight shot from here.”

Shaun huffed. “I thought we were stopping for food.”

“Think you can keep it down?” Gretchen teased him.

“I ate rancid pizza at that convenience store,” Shaun said through his teeth. “I’m still hungry.”

“Stop if you see a Burger King,” Gretchen said.

“Burger King’s closed,” Ben whispered. “The only thing that’ll be open is the gas station.”

Shaun growled. “I’m not eating gas station food.”

“Just relax,” Gretchen said dismissively. “We won’t stay long. We’ll get something on the way back. Here.” She shoved a snack-sized bag of chips over Shaun’s seat. “Something to tide you over.”

Shaun grumbled in disagreement, but he aggressively popped the bag open and tipped some chips into his mouth. He crunched them obnoxiously.

Ten minutes later, Gretchen told Shaun to make a right. They were driving through corn fields in the dead of night. Big, old farmhouses flashed by on the occasion, but the landscape was made up of rolling fields. The moon was a crescent on the horizon. It was pure white, and it cast silvery shadows along the road. They drove for another couple minutes. The road was on a gradual incline when Gretchen spoke again.

“This is the house up here. Slow down.”

To the right, and far from the road, there was a large, two story house on a hill. There was a long, gravel driveway curving up the hill and leading to a large, pole-barn garage behind the house.

Thirty-some cars were parked on the hill. Someone had started makeshift rows and everyone else had followed suit. Shaun parked at the end of the last row, closest to the road. Gretchen whined immediately.

“You should have found a closer spot—”

“You said we weren’t staying long,” Shaun snapped. “I want to be able to leave when I’m ready.”

“Fair enough,” Ben said easily. “C’mon, Gretch. Let’s go!”

Gretchen grumbled something about, ‘hate walking’ as she got out, but she slammed the door and followed Ben to the house.

Shaun turned off the car and sighed. “We have the keys. Maybe we should just leave them for a while…”

Jesse laughed. “No. We can’t do that. C’mon.”

Shaun wore an epic pout as they got out of the Jeep. He slammed the door and started up the hill. Jesse jogged to catch up.

“Shaun…”

Shaun didn’t stop. He stomped up the steep incline until he reached the top. Jesse was much slower. He rapidly started to slow until he was plodding along, dragging his feet, and panting for breath as he struggled to get to the top.

“Took you long enough,” Shaun said meanly once Jesse joined him at the crest of the hill. There was a little path with flat stones that lead to the front porch. Jesse stopped on the first stone to catch his breath. He turned and looked back down the hill.

He gasped. “Wow, Shaun, look.”

Shaun turned with a huff. He looked.

The lawn was neatly manicured, and the grassy hill rolled smoothly down to the road. The moonlight cast a silvery light across the tall reeds in the field beyond and as they watched, a gentle breeze blew through the reeds. They rippled like waves.

“Great,” Shaun muttered. “Can we go in now?”

Jesse sighed. “Let’s go.”

They climbed up on the porch. It stretched around the side of the house and there was a swing hanging next to the front door. There was a couple sitting on the swing. A boy and a girl. They were kissing frantically and feeling each other up. They didn’t look much older than Jesse and Shaun.

Shaun sneered at them as he walked through the door. Jesse stepped after him.

The door opened to a large living room. The stairs were at the back of the room and they connected to an open balcony on the second floor. There were kids on the balcony, drinking from plastic cups and talking energetically over the music. There were people all over the room. They were smoking on the couches, talking by the stereo system, dancing in front of the TV, and getting drinks at the massive keg by the stairs. They were no older than Jesse’s classmates.

“Hey!” Gretchen and Ben were drinking by the keg. Jesse and Shaun cut across the crowded room to join them. “Isn’t this great?” Gretchen asked with a laugh. She handed each of them a cup of beer.

“What’s great about it?” Shaun grumbled. He accepted the beer though and took a cautious sip.

“I don’t know. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to an afterparty.”

“This isn’t an afterparty,” Shaun snapped. “This is some high school thing.”

Gretchen ignored him. “C’mon, Ben. Let’s see if those kids will roll us a blunt.” She pointed at the kids on the couch.

Shaun glared at Ben.

Ben shrugged at him. “We’ll leave after the fireworks.”

“We already saw fireworks!” Shaun whispered after him. His voice was lost in the loud pop music blasting from the stereos. Ben and Gretchen walked off to peruse the weed supply and he and Jesse were left with the beers.

“This is stupid,” Shaun said bitterly. “We have better weed in the car.”

Jesse snorted into his cup. “Maybe you should focus on networking—”

“With high schoolers?”

“I’m a high schooler,” Jesse said with a pout.

Shaun huffed. He drained his cup and went back for another. The boy manning the keg had a backwards cap and soul patch. He fumbled with the nozzle and missed the cup on the first spray. He got Shaun’s boots instead.

“Sorry, man,” the kid said mournfully.

Shaun returned with a fizzy beer and a scowl on his face. Jesse hid a smile.

“This party blows,” Shaun huffed.

Over the next hour, an older crowd started to filter through the door. Jesse recognized a few of the musicians from the show in Houston. There were others too, and from the way they dressed and grouped together, it was clear they’d come from the same venue.

Harry came through the door shortly after one in the morning. He arrived with a beautiful girl with long blue hair and they were greeted by everyone. The teenagers knew them and the older crowd from the Foundry seemed to be good friends of theirs. They paused and talked in depth with one of the boys around the stereo.

“That must be his brother,” Jesse said.

Shaun watched Harry and the teenager talk with a guarded curiosity. “That must be the girl Gretchen mentioned. The shitty singer,” he said quietly. He wouldn’t outwardly express his interest in the other musicians, but when he watched them, his eyes shone with interest. They did now. He obviously wanted to approach the other band.

Jesse and Shaun hadn’t moved from the keg. Shaun was drinking like a fish, and took many return trips to his new friend, the soul-patched beer squirter. But even so, the spot they’d picked against the stairs afforded them an excellent view of the room at large. A better view could be found on the balcony, but then Shaun would have to trip down the stairs to get a refill.

They watched Harry disappear into the kitchen with his brother and the blue-haired girl.

“I wonder if they have food in there,” Shaun wondered aloud.

“We could check,” Jesse suggested, but Shaun declined.

Two young women approached the keg. “Oh, hey!” said the first woman. She had long black hair with brilliant red streaks. It was all red on the ends. She had a pretty face, dark, smoldering eyes, and a voluptuous body. The other was blonde with a shit-ton of makeup on her face. She was pretty, too, but it looked like she was wearing a mask. She had a nice body as well, but her breasts were smaller. “You’re that guy from the first band. What was it called again?”

“Defaced,” Shaun said. He coolly assessed the two attractive women. Jesse did the same. Immediately, he got the sense they were groupies. Both wore matching band tees knotted under their perky breasts. They both had their flat bellies out and the woman with red hair had an intricate heart tattoo around her navel. The blonde had a dangling chain attached to hers.

“You were good up there,” the blonde woman gushed. She smiled coyly as she played with a lock of her hair.

The red-haired woman ran her eyes over Shaun’s finely-toned body. She smiled slowly. “Definitely not your first time,” she said in a honeyed voice.

“Nope,” Shaun said. “I was in Execute Invasion before.”

The red-haired lady tilted her head as she thought. “That sounds so weirdly familiar. Maybe I’ve seen you before?”

“Maybe.”

“You probably didn’t notice him before,” Jesse spoke up, drawing the young women’s attention. He couldn’t help it. He was insanely jealous. “He wasn’t as cute when he was in the other band.”

Shaun snorted. The blonde laughed and the redhead pursed her luscious, painted lips into a beautiful frown. “Who are you?”

“A friend,” Jesse said with a tight smile.

The blonde got a cup of beer from the kid with the soul patch. “C’mon, Nicky. The boys are waiting for us.”

Nicky turned away from Jesse. She gave Shaun a long, calculated look. “Maybe I did miss you before,” she said slowly. “But Hopefully, I’ll see you again soon.”

Shaun didn’t say anything.

“What’s your name, handsome?”

Shaun smirked. “Shaun.”

“I’m Nicky.” Nicky held out her hand and hesitantly, Shaun reached out and shook it. It was neutral and businesslike, otherwise Jesse would have ripped both their arms off. “Perfect. Now, we’ve officially met. The next time I see you, I’ll come and say hi, so I don’t miss you again.” She turned away with a flirtatious smile. “See you around, Shaun.” She hooked an arm through her friend’s and drew her away.

Jesse stared after Nicky with hard, angry eyes. “Wow, what a slut. She was coming on to you.”

Shaun snorted. “No shit.”

“You didn’t...like that did you?” Jesse asked.

“Like what?”

“The attention?”

Shaun shrugged. He tipped his head back and finished his tenth cup of beer of the night. He cradled the empty cup. “It was different.”

Jesse huffed. He wasn’t getting the answer he wanted.

Harry stepped back into the room. He headed straight for the keg. Jesse watched him with wide eyes. Shaun glanced up and noticed the look on his face. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

“What’s that look for?”

“Jesse! How’s it going, kid?” Harry spotted Jesse and Shaun beside the keg, stuck in place like a couple of wall flowers. He veered from his original path and stopped in front of them with a grin on his face. The bandana from earlier was gone, but he was just as handsome as before. His smile was mesmerizing.

“Not bad,” Jesse said with a shy smile. “Gretchen strong-armed us into coming.”

Harry laughed. “She tends to do that.”

“She’s very persuasive.”

Harry grabbed a cup from the side table and went to get some beer from the keg. He turned to Shaun and looked into his empty cup. “Need a refill?”

Shaun bared his teeth. “I can get my own, thanks.”

Harry held up a hand. “I’m just trying to be a good host. This is my parent’s house,” he said. “Me and my brother leech off them.”

Shaun folded his arms and glared.

Jesse felt obligated to introduce the two musicians. “Harry, this is my friend, Shaun. Shaun, this is Harry. He’s in a band, too, but I didn’t catch the name.”

“We’re called Twisted Heads,” Harry said. “Did you catch our set at the end?”

“No,” Shaun said. “We left right after mine.”

“Oh, yeah, you barfed in the mop bucket, didn’t you,” Harry started to laugh. Shaun’s lip curled with anger. “The lady in black, the stage lady, almost hurled when she tried to move it off stage.” He clutched his sides in hilarity.

Jesse groaned. “I feel so bad for her.”

“Don’t worry about it, they had maintenance clean it up,” Harry said. He sipped his beer as he calmed down. “Besides the barfing, I liked your set. You were great.”

Shaun’s angry visage began to crack. “Thanks.”

“Your friend said it was your first time?”

“With Defaced,” Shaun said. “I was with another band before.”

“Which one?”

“Execute Invasion.”

“Ahh. Will Selman’s band.” Harry took another drink of his beer. “I saw them maybe two years ago. In a little dive bar about an hour from here.”

Shaun raised an eyebrow.

“You weren’t there. Maybe it was before your time,” Harry said dismissively.

“Probably.”

Harry brought his cup to his lips. “Did you leave willingly?”

“Pretty much.” Shaun furrowed his brow. “We had a disagreement, but I’ve been unhappy for a while.”

Harry snorted into his drink. “Is that old salty dog still living in the past? Telling those tired-ass stories of the good old days?”

“Yep.”

Harry shook his head. “He’s been ruined by fame. I don’t think he’s ever going to recover.”

Shaun smiled wryly. “You know him?”

“Oh, yeah, we were in a different band together four years ago, when he first got it in his head to make a comeback,” Harry said casually. “That band was dead in the water. We played one show before we split up.”

Shaun laughed.

Harry paused. He tapped his chin in thought. “When did you leave Execute Invasion?”

“Maybe two months ago?”

Harry smirked. “Oh, wow.” He finished his beer and laughed quietly to himself.

“What?” Jesse asked.

Harry’s pretty eyes were full of mirth. “I heard a rumor the other day. I didn’t think anything of it, but now it makes sense.”

“What do you mean?”

Harry giggled. “Will was just holding auditions. For a new guitarist.”

Jesse gaped. He turned to Shaun to share his surprise, but Shaun had a scowl on his face. Jesse closed his mouth and began to chew his lip.

“When did you hear that?”

“A month ago,” Harry said. “A friend of a friend knew about it.”

Shaun nodded.

“Know what the funniest part is?”

Shaun glared at Harry. He didn’t look amused in the slightest.

“I heard they’re signed up for Battle of the Bands, as well.”

Jesse laughed. “No way!”

“So, I guess they found someone to replace you,” Harry said. “No word yet if Will was able to improve any of his songs, though,” he chuckled.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Shaun growled. He crushed his cup in his fist. His hands trembled at his sides. Jesse drew back in surprise. Harry stopped laughing. The smile fell from his face. “He never mentioned Battle of the Bands before. I didn’t even hear about it until I started a band of my own.”

“Will always knew about it,” Harry said confidently. “We talked about it before. He said it was a ‘beauty pageant for metalheads’.”

Shaun snorted.

“He’s right,” Harry said with a shrug. “But the winner doesn’t cut ribbons at store openings. They get to produce an album. Studio quality.”

“The money isn’t terrible either,” Shaun muttered.

Harry beamed at him. “Anyway, Will already has an album. With his old band,” he continued. “And I’m sure as stuck up as that idiot is, he probably saw Battle of the Bands as chump change. Small time. Not worth his effort.”

“And?”

“And he’s doing it anyway. After you left his shitty comeback band.” Harry smiled.

Shaun clenched his teeth. “Is this some kind of stupid, elaborate revenge thing?”

Jesse elbowed him in the ribs. “Will’s jealous of you!”

Shaun elbowed him back. Harder.

Jesse rubbed his chest in pain.

“He’s too much of a snob to be jealous of the likes of me.” Shaun spat

“He’s trying to get back at you, at any rate,” Harry said with a chuckle. “He quickly replaced you and now he’s entering the same competition—”

“Yeah, but how’d he even find out we’re doing Battle—?”

“The entrance list is publicly displayed,” Harry said casually. “That’s how.”

Jesse grinned at him and Shaun huffed and pushed him aside. He grabbed another cup and went to get more beer. Jesse watched him as he got a new drink from Goatee McSquirt. Beside him, Harry pulled out his phone and checked the time.

“It’s almost time for fireworks,” he said to Jesse, his blue eyes glittering with excitement.

Jesse sipped his beer and smiled back politely.

When Shaun returned, he had a look of deep contemplation on his face. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes had a far-away look.

“Ahem.”

Shaun looked up as Harry cleared his throat.

“Did you write songs for him?”

“For Will?” Shaun made a face as he tried his drink. “I’d rewrite his stuff sometimes…”

“I saw for myself tonight,” Harry said with a nod of approval. “You’re talented. Watch your back, kid. Jealous people are always out to get you.”

Shaun chugged his beer. “Whatever.”

Harry looked slightly wounded. “It’s alright to take advice, sometimes,” he said. “People like me and Gretchen are veterans. We know a lot about the business.”

“That’s what I thought about Will,” Shaun sneered.

“Will’s got experience in the industry but, like I said earlier, he’s ruined from the fame,” Harry said. “It destroyed everything that was good about him as a musician.”

“Is everyone that gets famous ‘destroyed’?” Shaun sneered.

“Not at all,” Harry said. “But you’re definitely fucked when you can’t even remember how to write a song on your own.”

Shaun cracked a smile. “I guess.”

Gretchen suddenly swept down the stairs. Jesse did a double take. He didn’t remember seeing her or Ben go up there. She spotted Harry with Jesse and Shaun and she immediately wedged herself between the trio. She draped an arm around Jesse and Shaun and beamed at her old friend. “Hey, Harry.”

Harry grinned back. “Gretchen! Where’ve you been hiding?”

“In the bathroom, with my bandmate,” she said casually, and Shaun sucked in a breath.

“What the fuck?” he muttered.

Harry laughed. “Gretchen. You’re so bad.”

Gretchen smiled. “What can I say.”

“That’s the Gretchen we all love,” Harry said affectionately. “No excuses. She does whatever she wants.”

Gretchen snickered. “I’m a wild child!”

Harry smiled. “Where were you? Really?”

“Smoking dope,” she said, gesturing over her shoulder to the teens on the couch. “We paid the brats over there to roll us a couple blunts. Ten bucks a piece. That adds up.”

Harry’s brother came out of the kitchen with the blue-haired girl. He saw Harry by the keg, and he sent him a smile. Then he called out to the room: “We’re going to start fireworks in the backyard in five minutes, retards! Pass it on, tell your friends!”

Cheers of approval came from around the room. Three young girls on the balcony began to knock on the doors to spread the news.

“Let’s go out back,” Harry said excitedly.

“No thanks,” Shaun said bitterly. “I’ve seen enough fireworks for today.”

“You’re so lame,” Gretchen whined.

Ben stumbled down the stairs, a faint but poignant expression of pain on his face. He stopped at the bottom and subtly reached down to adjust himself. Then he looked around in a confusion. His lips turned down at the corners when he saw Gretchen and Harry talking. He shuffled over and joined the group.

“Where were you?” Shaun snapped.

Ben blinked at him. “Bathroom?”

Shaun sneered. “Alone, I hope.”

Ben winced.

“Ha!” Gretchen shoved him aside and leaned into Shaun’s personal space. “You and Jesse aren’t the only ones who need help in the bathroom.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Shaun bared his teeth in annoyance. “Fuck off, Gretchen.”

“Gretch, I’m ready to go,” Ben whined. “We’ve got a long drive home.”

Gretchen pouted. “The party’s just getting started.”

“I’m all partied out,” Ben said pitifully.

“I’m still waiting for Burger King to show up,” Shaun grumbled. “I’m starving.”

“We’ve got snacks and stuff in the kitchen,” Harry said but Shaun waved him off.

“We have snacks in the car,” he said impatiently. “And maybe an hour and a half’s drive home.”

“Woah, girl, you’d better take care of your crew,” Harry said wisely. He clapped Gretchen on the shoulder. “Maybe I’ll see you guys out back. I’ve got to split. My brother needs help.” He smiled at Shaun. “Nice meeting you.”

The group watched Harry make his exit. He joined up with his brother and the blue-haired girl and he and the party started to migrate out to the porch.

“Can’t we stay to watch the show?” Gretchen whined.

“How many shows do you need to see today?” Shaun growled. People were filing down the stairs, but they were alone by the keg. Even goatie-boy was taking a break.

“I’ll only take fifteen minutes,” Gretchen insisted and when Shaun started to complain: “If you can be patient for a little longer, I’ll make Ben drive us home.” Ben sighed deeply in response. “And I will personally find you something to eat on the ride home.”

Shaun paused. “And I want you two to clear out of the basement tonight,” he added, looking at Gretchen and Ben. “This is the only chance I get to spend with Jesse alone. You guys are being total cock-blocks.”

Gretchen held out her hand. “We’ve got an agreement.”

They shook on it.

They ended up staying an extra twenty minutes. Once the entire party was gathered on the backside of the wrap-around porch, Harry and his brother struggled to set off the fireworks. Another teenager ran out in the lawn to help them and finally, the show began.

Jesse knew better than to make a spectacle out of himself, but he couldn’t help taking Shaun’s hand as they watched the colors explode over the moon and the stars. Shaun laced his fingers through Jesse’s and squeezed his hand. He didn’t look at Jesse or acknowledge him in any other way, but they held hands through the whole thing.

They left after the fireworks. Nobody made a spectacle of that either. They hopped off the porch and went down the hill, back to the car.

“It’s pretty out here,” Jesse said as they drove. Ben was driving, as promised, and Gretchen was busy googling the nearest gas station with made-to-order food.

“If you like being out in the sticks,” Gretchen muttered. “There’s nothing here.”

“I’m starting to like it,” Jesse said. “It’s peaceful.”

“Better than the city,” Shaun grumbled. “Too many fucking people.”

“Are you sure you want to be a rock star?” Gretchen snorted.

She found them somewhere to eat. They stopped at a gas station off the highway to fuel up, take bathroom breaks, and to grab food to-go. It was a bunch of fast food again, but Shaun didn’t complain.

When they finally made it back to Ben’s, everyone was ready to hit the sack. Gretchen stuck to her word. When they came in the front door, she loudly asked Ben to escort her to the guest bedroom upstairs.

“Have a good night, boys!” She called as she trailed Ben up to the second floor. She winked at Shaun. “Give Jesse a kiss for us? And don’t forget to tuck him in?”

Shaun rolled his eyes.

He and Jesse went down to the basement after that. They pulled out the mattress on the chaise section of the couch and laid out the pillows and blankets. Shaun had requested the privacy for sex, but as soon as they stretched out on the pullout, both of them were suddenly fighting yawns.

Jesse rolled over and kissed Shaun sweetly on the lips. He flopped back and stretched out his arms and legs as another yawn came upon him. “Crap,” he said. “To be continued…”

Shaun snorted. “I’m sure we’ll find a couple minutes to make up for it later,” he said. “But I hate missing the opportunity to fuck you on an actual bed.”

“This isn’t a bed,” Jesse giggled.

“Close enough,” Shaun muttered. He rolled onto his side and threw an arm over Jesse’s waist. He buried his face into the warm hollow of his shoulder. “Feels nice…”

Jesse stroked Shaun’s strong arm until he felt the other boy fall asleep. His body went limp and he started to snore. It was much deeper than Sam’s, but it wasn’t nearly as annoying. He closed his eyes and relaxed as he listened to the soothing sound.

***

In the morning, Ben woke them up with freshly brewed coffee and homemade breakfast. Gretchen’s hair was a rat’s nest, but she was cheerful at the table.

“I love a man who cooks,” she said as she buttered her pancakes. She dumped a gallon of syrup on top and then began to cut the glistening hotcakes with the side of her fork. It reminded Jesse of his younger brother. Tyler. He struggled to hide his smile.

“I hate cooking,” Shaun said darkly. He ate his pancakes plain. He drank his coffee without sugar. He was in a strange mood. “When are we practicing again. I can come and go whenever I want, now,” he said.

“Tuesday,” Gretchen said. “Like always.”

“I’m sorry, I have work,” Ben said. “I don’t have time for extra practice. And there’s a bridal convention in Dallas this weekend. Angela really wants to go. She thinks we can get some last-minute decorations for the wedding.”

Shaun set his fork down. “What does that mean? Are you canceling practice next Saturday?”

“I might have to,” Ben said with a shrug. He finished the last round of pancakes at the stove and brought his plate to the table. He had a chef’s kitchen. It was a big, beautiful room with a glass top stove set on the marble island, stainless-steel appliances, and top-of-the-line cookware. The dining table was in a nook with a big picture window. Ben sat and dragged the syrup to his place from across the table. “Depending on whether we’re going or not,” he said absently.

Shaun huffed.

“Don’t worry, kid. We can miss a practice here and there. We’ve got other things to work on anyway.” Gretchen said around her pancake. “I want to focus on social media. I already made us a page on Facebook.”

Shaun scowled. “Awesome.”

Gretchen stuck her tongue out. “It is awesome. Social media is an incredibly powerful advertising tool. And it’s totally free.”

Shaun stuffed a bite of pancake into his mouth.

“Plus, if we can build a strong online presence, it’ll better our chances at winning the Battle of the Bands, too.”

“Are we actually trying to win?” Shaun asked boredly.

“You heard what Harry said last night,” Jesse piped up. “Will signed up, too. He’s trying to beat you.”

Ben looked up. His eyes were huge with surprise and his mouth was stuffed with breakfast. “Whaa?”

Shaun waved him off. “He’s not going to win. Not if he’s playing against me.”

“That’s cute,” Gretchen said. “But I’m thinking of this on a business level,” she said. “Fans love liking things on social media. It stirs up interest in the music. It draws people to your shows. And it gives you a chance to work with advertisers.” She rubbed her hands together. “Labels love advertisers. They love bands that sell.”

Shaun sat back in his chair. Jesse watched him carefully as he neatly ate his food. Shaun was thinking, Jesse could see the wheels turning in his head.

“When can you get us another gig?”

“As soon as I can,” Gretchen said. “And I almost forgot.” She pulled her bag out from under the table and rummaged through the main compartment. “We got paid. Forty bucks total.”

Jesse cringed. “Really? That’s it?”

Gretchen sneered at him. “Yeah. Now imagine we split it three ways. Think you’ll be able to live off thirteen dollars for very long?”

Jesse pushed his food away. Suddenly, he wasn’t very hungry.

Shaun folded his arms. “Don’t encourage him,” he snapped. “He’s been hounding me to get a fast food job so we can save up enough money to move out.”

“You’re out of your mind. I’m not hounding you,” Jesse said. Slowly, he covered his face and slid down into his seat. “And you don’t have to work fast food if you don’t want to. There are other things you can do.”

“See,” Shaun snapped. “Get a job, Shaun. We need to save money, Shaun.”

Jesse groaned with frustration.

Gretchen sorted through the bills. She took ten dollars then tossed the rest in the middle of the table. “Take your cut, Ben. I’m taking cigarette money for the day. I’ll probably get my cam money on Paypal tomorrow, anyway.”

Ben looked at the money. “Jesus, I don’t need it.” He looked guiltily at Shaun.

Shaun took the money and folded it in quarters. He stuffed it in his back pocket. “Why do I suddenly feel like a loser?” he grumbled.

Jesse kept his mouth shut.

The three of them helped Ben clean up after breakfast. They washed dishes and straightened up the basement. It was getting close to two and Angela was due home at three. Ben politely offered to walk everyone out and he, Gretchen, and Jesse stood waiting while Shaun got his guitar out of Gretchen’s Jeep.

Before they left, Shaun made everyone promise to show up for practice Tuesday.

“No fucking around,” he said firmly. “We did alright at the Foundry, but that was just a start.”

“I’ll see if Angela is serious about that convention,” Ben said solemnly. “I hope to god I don’t have to go, but if I do, it’ll be an overnight thing.”

Shaun looked at Gretchen.

“I’m not busy Saturday. Maybe we can practice on our own,” she said. She fingered her lip ring as she considered. “Better yet, you and Jesse can come to my house Friday night and spend the whole weekend if you want.”

Jesse clapped his hands together. “That would be awesome!”

Gretchen beamed. “I should show you what I’m working on, too. Online—”

Shaun curled his lip. “The sex stuff?”

“No,” Gretchen snorted. “The band stuff. The social media I was talking about earlier.”

“Oh.” Shaun shrugged. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“Well, see you Tuesday,” Gretchen said. “We’ll talk about it.” She got into her Jeep.

Jesse gave Ben a friendly hug. “Thanks for letting us stay over. Sorry we were so expensive.”

Ben chuckled. “Are you kidding me? That was the best weekend I’ve had in ages.”

Shaun nodded at the bassist. “Thanks, man.”

Ben smiled at him.

They hopped in the Mustang and waited for Gretchen to back up. She gave them the finger and grinned as she passed them.

Shaun glared after her.

“We aren’t getting weed, are we?”

Shaun scoffed. He shifted into reverse and followed Gretchen into the street. “You’re joking, right? Thirty dollars of weed wouldn’t even be worth it,” he grumbled. “Nope. I’m putting it in my personal savings account. It’s for our future house.”

Jesse smiled gently. “That’s a good idea.”

“I know it’s not as much as you were hoping, but it’s something,” Shaun muttered. “And we did an alright job on stage, so I don’t see why we won’t be able to get another gig soon.”

Jesse dropped a hand on Shaun’s knee and patted his thigh. “I’m proud of you, baby. Don’t think for a second that I’m not.”

Shaun ground his teeth together. He avoided Jesse’s eyes as he stared hard out the windshield.

“Things will get better,” Jesse continued, hoping to cheer the other boy up. “Your grandma is willing to babysit and my brother is too, if we bribe him, I guess. But if I can get help with the kids, maybe I won’t be nagging you all the time and stressing you out. That’s good, right?”

Shaun nodded grudgingly.

“Well, then things are looking up,” Jesse said brightly. “Your band’s doing good and maybe I’ll be able to get away more,” he trailed off. He paused for a moment. “You know what? Maybe we should put that thirty dollars toward something else?”

Shaun huffed. “I thought I was making the responsible decision here. I thought you wanted a house. What the fuck are we spending money on now, Jess?”

Jesse pouted. “Stop. That was a good idea. I’m not trying to knock you.”

Shaun’s jaw worked with frustration.

“I bet if you do a couple chores around the house, your grandma will hand you ten bucks,” Jesse said in a rush. “Then we could pay Sam to watch the kids on Friday. Maybe we can ask your grandma to come check on the kids a couple times, too.” He nodded slowly. “Yeah. That could work.”

“One problem,” Shaun sneered. “I hate chores.”

“Well, you’re going to have to learn to do them eventually,” Jesse said with a laugh. “Your grandma isn’t moving in with us, you know.”

Shaun gave him a weird look. “Yeah, but that’s why we’re a couple. You do the girl things in the relationship and I do the manly things. That’s how relationships work.”

Jesse blinked. “Excuse me?”

Shaun huffed. “Do I seriously have to explain it to you? You’re supposed to do the cooking and the cleaning and the childrearing. I’m the breadwinner.”

“What?” Jesse looked carefully at his boyfriend. “I’m not a girl. You know that, right?”

“Gays aren’t that different from straight couples,” Shaun said levelly. “Somebody’s gotta be the cock in the relationship. We’ve already decided.” Shaun looked totally serious as he said: “You take it up the ass, so you’re the woman.”

Jesse frowned. He looked out the window as he searched for words. “That’s so fucking offensive, I can’t even form sentences right now.”

Shaun snorted. “You’re doing alright.”

Jesse flapped his jaw. “You...you take care of the kids, too, you asshole! Did you think of that?”

Shaun shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t do bath time. Or diapers.” He shuddered. “That’s your job.”

Jesse hadn’t realized how traditionally Shaun saw the world. Sure, they had different roles with the kids, but Jesse had never thought anything of it. When they ate together, Jesse always cooked, but that was because nine times out of ten they were at his house. The comment about their sex life hurt the worst because he’d been expecting to top Shaun at some point in their relationship, but it seemed highly unlikely, now.

They drove home in silence. Shaun was very set in his ways. Jesse had always known that, and, not for the first time, he found it extremely bothersome. He didn’t bother to argue, however. He knew that would be entirely pointless.

Shaun pulled into Jesse’s driveway after three. Cliff’s Mercedes was parked next to Monica’s van and the garage was open. He sighed in resignation.

“I guess I don’t have to watch the kids tonight.”

Shaun smiled tightly. “That’s good, right?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Go home and get a shower,” Shaun said. He plucked at the Rob Zombie tee from yesterday. “I’ll have grandma wash it tonight.”

“Okay.”

“I’m probably going to practice,” Shaun said distractedly. “I’ve got a couple new ideas from last night.”

“Fun.”

Shaun shrugged. He was clearly waiting for Jesse to get out.

Jesse climbed out of the car. “I’ll see you later, I guess. I want a shower, too.”

Shaun waved. “Bye.”

Jesse watched him back out of the drive. His heart was sad. After all the excitement of the weekend, they’d managed to end it on a bad note.

He turned for the house. When he was on the front step, Monica came out from behind the house. She had a pair of dirt-stained gardening gloves on and had a hand trowel in her belt loop. She wore a comfortable pair of mom jeans and a lovely yellow sleeveless top. She was heading for the garage but paused when she saw Jesse by the door.

“Oh, did you just get back?” she asked.

Jesse nodded. He studied his mother’s face, but she didn’t seem upset for any reason. In fact, it looked like she was in a great mood.

“How was your weekend?” Monica asked conversationally. “I didn’t even see you leave yesterday… Did you see any fireworks?”

“Yeah,” Jesse said carefully. He was afraid to say too much. He didn’t know what had happened after he and Shaun left Friday, but it seemed like everything had worked out. “Shaun had a show in the city, so we were in town when they started setting them off.”

“The city?” Monica cocked her head. “Houston?” Jesse nodded and Monica beamed. “We almost ran into you. We were out that way, too. Cliff heard about a festival they were throwing downtown, so we took the kids for the day. We left after the fireworks. What a drive!” She wiped a hand across some imaginary sweat and laughed.

Jesse laughed nervously. “Sounds like fun.”

“It was,” Monica said. “If we’d known you were in the city too, we could have met up,” she said. “We tried to get Sam to come along, but he wasn’t interested. He said he was going to shoot off some bottle rockets with his friend.” She rolled her eyes. “Boys.”

“Where is he, anyway?” Jesse asked casually.

“I don’t know.” Monica shrugged. “Out having fun. It’s summer.”

Jesse frowned. “Okay, well, then where’s Brian?”

“Inside,” Monica nodded at the house. “Cliff put Brian and Lissa to bed about an hour ago. It’s nap time.”

“It’s a little early for nap time,” Jesse grumbled, but Monica talked over him.

“We’re in the back planting some bushes,” she said, gesturing around the side of the house. “We figured we’d practice in the back first before we started laying out the flowers in the front.”

“Neat.”

Monica looked out on the yard with a sense of pride. “Your brother really did a hell of a job on the lawn,” she said cluelessly. Jesse rolled his eyes but didn’t speak up. “Not a bad job for twenty dollars,” she said with a nod. “Maybe Sam’s got a future in lawn care.”

“Maybe.”

“Alright, well, I’d better get back to work. Cliff’s waiting for me,” Monica sang. She darted into the garage and returned with a long, rusty rake. “We’re ordering pizza and chicken for dinner, so don’t worry about cooking.”

Jesse grabbed the doorknob. “Gee, thanks.” He went inside.

The twins were vegging out in front of the TV. There was a greasy plastic bowl on the coffee table and from the random bits of popcorn around the table and couch, Jesse deduced it had originally contained the snack.

Tyler and Allison were watching a scary movie. It looked like an exorcist flick. Jesse ignored them and ran upstairs to check on his son.

In the nursery, Brian was lying in his little bed, singing songs to himself. The baby was fast asleep, thank god, but Brian was wide-awake. He sat up when Jesse opened the door.

“Hey,” Jesse smiled at him.

Brian grinned back and started to get up.

“Hold on a sec, buddy,” Jesse said in a hushed voice. “I just got back, so I’m going to jump in the shower. Try to get a little more sleep and I’ll come get you up when I’m done.”

Brian pouted. He climbed back into bed. “Okay…”

Jesse chuckled. “I won’t be long. Promise.”

He went to the bathroom and stripped out of his clothes. Jesse looked at himself in the mirror.

The long hair did make his face look soft. Jesse had a cute little baby face and the innocence was amplified by his stunning blue eyes. Jesse thought about another set of blue eyes. Harry’s.

He pushed his hair around his face as he considered shaving it off. He couldn’t grow the facial hair like the other guys (He’d tried. It didn’t grow) but he could go try to replicate Harry’s edgy hairstyle.

He searched for the electric razor under the sink, then he grabbed some scissors from the twins’ craft box. When he got back to the bathroom, Jesse stared at himself in the mirror for a long moment. Then, he took a deep breath and started to cut. He hacked and hacked away at his hair until it was short and spiky. Next, he plugged in his mother’s razor and shaved everything down until it was a millimeter in length.

He turned his head left and right as he looked at the results. His hair was so light, it looked blond now. His eyes stuck out brilliantly and his face was still cute and babyish, but he was clearly a male.

“Mission accomplished,” he said to himself. He cleaned up his hair and swept it into the trash. Then he washed off the loose hairs in the shower.

When he saw Jesse’s haircut, Brian wanted one, too, so Jesse took him to the bathroom and gave him a similar treatment.

“What do you think?” Jesse asked. They stood next to each other over the bathroom sink. Brian’s blond locks were in the bowl.

“I look like a mini you!” Brian giggled and he did. They both had shaved blond hair and gigantic blue eyes. They had the same face as well. Round, innocent, eternally young.

“I look like a little kid,” Jesse laughed at himself. He rubbed his chin, wishing he could grow some facial hair.

“You look like me!” Brian ran out of the room to show the twins. Jesse didn’t think they’d be nearly as jealous as he presumed, but he let him go.

Jesse turned off the lights in the bathroom and went to get the baby up. Brian and Lissa had napped early, so both would be cranky come dinner time. Jesse knew the kids better than his own mother.

As Jesse got Lissa up for the afternoon, he thought again about telling Shaun his secret. Maybe he thought Jesse liked being the caregiver and it wasn’t that he didn’t. He did like taking care of the kids. But it was also his duty as a parent. It was his responsibility and it had absolutely nothing to do with Jesse being the woman.

Shaun might have been older in terms of years, but Jesse thought he had some ridiculously infantile thinking.