"I think he might have a thing for her." I told Leo at recess, "It's so weird."
Leo nodded and I said, "I don't get it. She's a girl! Chris isn't into girls!"
Leo nodded again and said, "Well, he could be experimenting with bisexuality."
I blinked. Those were some pretty big words for Leo.
Just then, Kevin rolled up to us and said, "Hey, b**chesssss! Have you guys seen Chris?"
Leo and I exchanged a look and he said, "Sorry, Kevin. I think you might be a little disappointed."
Kevin looked confused and I gestured to Chris and Kathy who were a few yards away, walking together and talking and holding hands.
Kevin's face fell and he said, "B-but, I thought we were gay buddies!"
Leo and I exchanged a 'seriously' look and I said, "Well, I wouldn't be too worried, Kevin. It's probably just a phase. I'm sure we'll have our sweet, *pantophobic, homosexual Chris we all know and love back in no time."
Kevin nodded glumly and, wheeling away, he said, "Thanks, guys..."
Just then, I spotted Alice coming toward us. Her steps were heavy and her head was hung and there was a scowl on her face.
"Leo, look at Alice." I said, tapping his shoulder.
Alice reached us and I said, "Hey, Alice. Are you alright, Honey?"
Alice glared at the ground and didn't say anything.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
Leo watched Kathy and Chris and sighed heavily.
I studied him and said, "Leo?"
"Hm?"
"Hey, uh..." I said, "Remember when we went to the school dance and you brought Kathy?"
"You jealous?" He said half-heartedly.
I shook my head, "No. You like her, don't you?"
There was a pause and Leo said, "No, that would be stupid. Guys like me never get the girls like that. She's popular, hot, pretty.... And hot."
"And dumb as a sack of rocks." Alice said dryly, "And annoying, and hyperactive, and-"
"Alice," I said, "Calm down about this. She doesn't hate you."
"Oh," Alice said, a dangerous look in her eyes, "She will."
"Hey, look," Leo said, pointing, "It's Mouse."
Alice and I followed his finger to see Mouse talking to Kathy and Chris. They were not within earshot, but we tried hard to hear what they were saying anyway.
Mouse asked Chris something and he blushed, looking at Kathy adoringly and smiling. She smiled back and he said something to Mouse, putting his hand into Kathy's.
I tried to sneak a glance at Alice without her noticing.
To my surprise, her eyes were red and moist and she was glaring daggers at Chris and Kathy.
"Alice," I started to say, but she stormed off.
I started to go after her, but Leo said, "I can take care of her."
I eyed him and he nodded, "Yeah, you take care of your brother."
Before I could ask him what he meant by that, Leo jogged after Alice.
I sat down on the bench beside me and wondered what Leo had meant by 'take care of your brother'. I decided that while I thought, I'd watch Kathy and Chris.... And I wasn't stalking them, by the way. He's my brother....
I sat and watched as Mouse came over to me, leaving Chris and Kathy smiling at each other.
She stood in front of me with her hands in her pockets.
I gave Mouse an expectant look and she said casually, "Yeah, they're dating."
"Dating?" I said, "Are you freaking kidding me? I worked my butt off trying to get Chris back with Geoffry! I mean, I didn't really do anything to help, but they got back together. They're in love!"
"Not anymore." Mouse said with a shrug.
I shook my head and said, "We have to do something."
Mouse eyed me curiously and I said, "Come on, follow me."
Leo ran after Alice until he caught up to her. He put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Alice!"
"What?" Alice said without turning around.
Leo inconveniently stopped to catch his breath, having just ran to catch up with Alice.
"Okay," He said eventually, "Why are you freaking? What the hell is wrong?"
Alice didn't turn around. She sniffed and shook her head.
"Hey, come on." Leo said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
To his surprise, Alice hugged him and started crying.
Leo awkwardly hugged her back and said, "There. Now, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Alice sniffed, looking much like a small child to Leo.
She said shakily, "Chris."
Leo winced and said, "Um, really?"
Alice nodded and Leo sighed, "Alice, you know him better than I do and I'm sure you've noticed by his Lady Gaga fetish, and his voice, and his boyfriend-"
"I know he doesn't love me, okay?" Alice said suddenly, "But he's my best friend, and... I know he doesn't love me like that, but I don't think it's fair that I've had to deal with that for years and Kathy just comes and gets to be with him!"
Leo's face fell and Alice backed away, getting louder, "That is not fair, now is it, Leo? No, it's not! I think I deserve just as much as that Kathy girl! He can't just toss me aside like that! No, I can't let him do that."
Leo's eyes were on something behind Alice and he looked confused. He quickly looked back at her, blinked, and said, "Oh, yeah, you're totally right. But, think about this, Alice. Kathy might have been on the waiting list for a while too. She knew Chris in kindergarten."
Alice sniffed and said, "But I care more. Whether it's just as a friend or not, I love him. I care about him, he's my best friend and I am not going to let that Kathy girl hog him."
Alice turned to leave and gasped.
Behind her stood Kathy, Chris, Mouse, and I. We had heard everything.
Alice stared at us and, after a long silence, stuttered, "H-how much did you guys here?"
"All of it," Mouse said, "Starting from 'it's not fair'."
Leo grinned, "Which time?"
No one laughed.
Alice stared at Chris, clearly embarrassed. Her face was beet red and her hands were shaking.
Chris stared back at her, studying her face. Usually, he seemed to always know exactly what was on her mind, but now he looked like he didn't understand and was trying to figure it out.
"I didn't realize you felt that way." Chris said at last, clearing his throat.
"Yes, you did." Alice said grudgingly, "I know you did. You have known for years and I have learned to except that you don't, no, that you can't love me. I excepted that you don't fall in love with girls and I made myself deal with that and now this Kathy girl comes along and proves me wrong."
She sucked in her breath to hold herself together and said, "That... is not fair."
"Well, life just isn't fair." Kathy said suddenly, stepping forward, "You think that you're so innocent and that if you manipulate Chris that he'll love you. You think that he'll just take you in his arms and say 'oh, Alice! I'm so sorry that I ever dated that Kathy b**ch!"
"Dated?" Chris said, confused, "Did you say 'dated', Kathy?"
Kathy turned around to look at him and said, "Yes, Chris. I did say that. We're dating, y-you and I."
There was a long silence and Kathy said quietly, "R-right, Chris?"
Chris shook his head and said, "Kathy, that wasn't how I thought of it at all. I thought you knew that I was gay."
Kathy's jaw dropped and she stared at him in surprise and fury.
Chris said gently, "Kath, I have a boyfriend. I'm dating Geoffry."
"You are such a b**ch, Chris." Kathy screamed, "Why did you do this to me? You can't do that, Chris! If you're dating Geoffry, than you can't just play with our hearts like that! You're a... a... You're a cheater!"
Chris looked scared, like he wanted to take what he had just said back, but Alice broke in and said, "I never thought I'd say this, but Kathy's right, Chris. That was terrible of you and don't try to lie yourself out of this. You have to talk to us, face-to-face. Don't pretend you don't know what's going on, I know you're smarter than that. I thought you were better than that."
"A-Alice," Chris said, sounding small and scared. His voice was cracking and weak when he said, "I'm so sorry, but I really didn't-"
"You did, Chris!" Alice shouted at him, "Don't lie! Don't you lie to me!"
She started to cry and wiped her face.
"Alice, come on..." Chris said.
"Just for once, Chris," Alice said, "For once, please, don't run away from your problems. Please."
Chris stared at her, dumbfounded. Alice was the last person anyone would expect to hear a speech like that from. She's normally so meek and gentle, but now...
Alice broke down crying and covered her face.
Chris took a step toward her like he wanted to help, but Alice ran off.
There was a long silence before Kathy walked up to Chris and stood in front of him.
They stared at each other and Chris said, "Are you mad?"
Kathy slapped him hard across the face and his head snapped to the side.
She stomped on Chris' foot and he cried out, "Ow!"
Kathy glared at him and stormed away.
Chris held his hand to his face where Kathy had slapped him and said, "I probably deserved that, didn't I?"
Leo, Mouse, and I nodded in a half-appoligetic way.
"Maybe you should just stick with guys." Mouse said with a shrug, "You don't seem to be very good at getting girls."
There was a pause where I would usually come in and scold her, but she was kind of right. Chris had been kind of a jerk.
The more I thought about it, the more mad I got at my little brother.
I walked over to him and slapped him in the face.
"Ow!" He said, "What was that for?"
I shrugged, "I just thought you could use another one. Mouse and Kathy and Alice are kind of right, you were a bit of an ass."
"Oh, thank you." Chris said flatly.
Mouse stood next to me and slapped Chris.
"Ow! Enough, enough!" Chris cried.
"Sorry," Mouse said casually, "It looked like fun."
Leo looked around and raised his hand, grinning cheerily.
I shook my head, "No, Leo."
Leo bowed his head in disappointment.
Mouse, Leo, and I all glared at Chris and crossed our arms.
Chris backed up and said defensively, "What? Stop looking at me like that!"
"Chris," I said, "You gotta fix this."
Chris was about to protest when Leo said, "Your sister's right, Chris. What you did to those girls.... And Geoffry, for that matter, was not cool. I mean, I haven't went out with my girlfriend, Michelle, in forever and she's probably cheating on me too, but that doesn't mean it's cool if you do that. I mean-"
"Leo," I said, "Shut up."
Leo nodded sheepishly and I said, "Yeaahh, okay. So, cheating on your boyfriend is not okay."
"I did not cheat on him!" Chris cried, "Kathy and I were never dating! We never went out, I don't love her! Come on, Ange. I'm gay!"
"Yeah, Angie!" Mouse mimicked, "He's gay! Queer, homosexual, on the down low..."
"Mouse," I said, "Stop."
Mouse shrugged and I continued firmly, kind of annoyed, "Chris, like Alice said, you need to fix this. You need to take care of this."
I patted him firmly on the shoulder and we left him standing alone, thinking about everything that had just happened to him.
Leo inconveniently stopped to catch his breath, having just ran to catch up with Alice.
"Okay," He said eventually, "Why are you freaking? What the hell is wrong?"
Alice didn't turn around. She sniffed and shook her head.
"Hey, come on." Leo said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
To his surprise, Alice hugged him and started crying.
Leo awkwardly hugged her back and said, "There. Now, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Alice sniffed, looking much like a small child to Leo.
She said shakily, "Chris."
Leo winced and said, "Um, really?"
Alice nodded and Leo sighed, "Alice, you know him better than I do and I'm sure you've noticed by his Lady Gaga fetish, and his voice, and his boyfriend-"
"I know he doesn't love me, okay?" Alice said suddenly, "But he's my best friend, and... I know he doesn't love me like that, but I don't think it's fair that I've had to deal with that for years and Kathy just comes and gets to be with him!"
Leo's face fell and Alice backed away, getting louder, "That is not fair, now is it, Leo? No, it's not! I think I deserve just as much as that Kathy girl! He can't just toss me aside like that! No, I can't let him do that."
Leo's eyes were on something behind Alice and he looked confused. He quickly looked back at her, blinked, and said, "Oh, yeah, you're totally right. But, think about this, Alice. Kathy might have been on the waiting list for a while too. She knew Chris in kindergarten."
Alice sniffed and said, "But I care more. Whether it's just as a friend or not, I love him. I care about him, he's my best friend and I am not going to let that Kathy girl hog him."
Alice turned to leave and gasped.
Behind her stood Kathy, Chris, Mouse, and I. We had heard everything.
Alice stared at us and, after a long silence, stuttered, "H-how much did you guys here?"
"All of it," Mouse said, "Starting from 'it's not fair'."
Leo grinned, "Which time?"
No one laughed.
Alice stared at Chris, clearly embarrassed. Her face was beet red and her hands were shaking.
Chris stared back at her, studying her face. Usually, he seemed to always know exactly what was on her mind, but now he looked like he didn't understand and was trying to figure it out.
"I didn't realize you felt that way." Chris said at last, clearing his throat.
"Yes, you did." Alice said grudgingly, "I know you did. You have known for years and I have learned to except that you don't, no, that you can't love me. I excepted that you don't fall in love with girls and I made myself deal with that and now this Kathy girl comes along and proves me wrong."
She sucked in her breath to hold herself together and said, "That... is not fair."
"Well, life just isn't fair." Kathy said suddenly, stepping forward, "You think that you're so innocent and that if you manipulate Chris that he'll love you. You think that he'll just take you in his arms and say 'oh, Alice! I'm so sorry that I ever dated that Kathy b**ch!"
"Dated?" Chris said, confused, "Did you say 'dated', Kathy?"
Kathy turned around to look at him and said, "Yes, Chris. I did say that. We're dating, y-you and I."
There was a long silence and Kathy said quietly, "R-right, Chris?"
Chris shook his head and said, "Kathy, that wasn't how I thought of it at all. I thought you knew that I was gay."
Kathy's jaw dropped and she stared at him in surprise and fury.
Chris said gently, "Kath, I have a boyfriend. I'm dating Geoffry."
"You are such a b**ch, Chris." Kathy screamed, "Why did you do this to me? You can't do that, Chris! If you're dating Geoffry, than you can't just play with our hearts like that! You're a... a... You're a cheater!"
Chris looked scared, like he wanted to take what he had just said back, but Alice broke in and said, "I never thought I'd say this, but Kathy's right, Chris. That was terrible of you and don't try to lie yourself out of this. You have to talk to us, face-to-face. Don't pretend you don't know what's going on, I know you're smarter than that. I thought you were better than that."
"A-Alice," Chris said, sounding small and scared. His voice was cracking and weak when he said, "I'm so sorry, but I really didn't-"
"You did, Chris!" Alice shouted at him, "Don't lie! Don't you lie to me!"
She started to cry and wiped her face.
"Alice, come on..." Chris said.
"Just for once, Chris," Alice said, "For once, please, don't run away from your problems. Please."
Chris stared at her, dumbfounded. Alice was the last person anyone would expect to hear a speech like that from. She's normally so meek and gentle, but now...
Alice broke down crying and covered her face.
Chris took a step toward her like he wanted to help, but Alice ran off.
There was a long silence before Kathy walked up to Chris and stood in front of him.
They stared at each other and Chris said, "Are you mad?"
Kathy slapped him hard across the face and his head snapped to the side.
She stomped on Chris' foot and he cried out, "Ow!"
Kathy glared at him and stormed away.
Chris held his hand to his face where Kathy had slapped him and said, "I probably deserved that, didn't I?"
Leo, Mouse, and I nodded in a half-appoligetic way.
"Maybe you should just stick with guys." Mouse said with a shrug, "You don't seem to be very good at getting girls."
There was a pause where I would usually come in and scold her, but she was kind of right. Chris had been kind of a jerk.
The more I thought about it, the more mad I got at my little brother.
I walked over to him and slapped him in the face.
"Ow!" He said, "What was that for?"
I shrugged, "I just thought you could use another one. Mouse and Kathy and Alice are kind of right, you were a bit of an ass."
"Oh, thank you." Chris said flatly.
Mouse stood next to me and slapped Chris.
"Ow! Enough, enough!" Chris cried.
"Sorry," Mouse said casually, "It looked like fun."
Leo looked around and raised his hand, grinning cheerily.
I shook my head, "No, Leo."
Leo bowed his head in disappointment.
Mouse, Leo, and I all glared at Chris and crossed our arms.
Chris backed up and said defensively, "What? Stop looking at me like that!"
"Chris," I said, "You gotta fix this."
Chris was about to protest when Leo said, "Your sister's right, Chris. What you did to those girls.... And Geoffry, for that matter, was not cool. I mean, I haven't went out with my girlfriend, Michelle, in forever and she's probably cheating on me too, but that doesn't mean it's cool if you do that. I mean-"
"Leo," I said, "Shut up."
Leo nodded sheepishly and I said, "Yeaahh, okay. So, cheating on your boyfriend is not okay."
"I did not cheat on him!" Chris cried, "Kathy and I were never dating! We never went out, I don't love her! Come on, Ange. I'm gay!"
"Yeah, Angie!" Mouse mimicked, "He's gay! Queer, homosexual, on the down low..."
"Mouse," I said, "Stop."
Mouse shrugged and I continued firmly, kind of annoyed, "Chris, like Alice said, you need to fix this. You need to take care of this."
I patted him firmly on the shoulder and we left him standing alone, thinking about everything that had just happened to him.
*pantophobic or panophobic = The fear of everything
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