Greetings, one and all. I see that it's been half a year since I've updated something people actually care about. Sorry about that. Yeah, to be honest, I wasn't really planning on writing again. I mean, I'm just so damn inconsistent with my updating, not to mention that I generally prefer reading to writing.

But, here I am, bored as all hell, just itching (literally) to write something. And since I'm not really in the mood to role-play at the moment, then I decided to write. And since I don't have my notebook with all my half-written things somewhere in it with me, then I just picked a story and started on that one.

And this was the one I picked. Yay. Judging from reviews, this does seem to be the favorite, and I have to admit: I love my Asa boys. So without further ado, here's chapter...whatever we're on.

Amantes sunt amentes

I groaned, stretching out on my bed, and stared up at the mostly-clean ceiling. There was what looked to be a water stain over in the corner, as if the roof had been leaking, but it was very faded, so the leak must have been fixed long ago. I was lying here because, after giving weak excuse after weak excuse to my mother as to why I hadn't been home last night and hadn't called, she'd promptly grounded my ass for an unspecified length of time. I was hoping for a week tops.

Claire was making it a little easier, though. She'd let me watch T.V. and stuff like that when Mom wasn't home. After all, when we were younger and she was the one who was grounded, I never tattled on her when I caught her watching T.V. She probably remembered that and saw this as repaying her debt. Then again, she could just be feeling sorry for me.

Or she could just be doing it because now she got to talk on the phone more than she was supposed to and knew that, unless I wanted Mom to know that I'd been watching T.V. and playing video games instead of sitting in my room "thinking about what I'd done", I wouldn't tell on her. I guess I didn't mind too much. I mean, I would rather talk to Kier on the phone instead of watch T.V., but if I couldn't even go near the phone, I could settle for T.V.

It got me through the weekend, at least. And I knew that, once Monday came, I'd be able to see Kier at school. So I could manage two days without any source of entertainment other than an hour or so of T.V. a day, right? Right.

"You come straight home after school is over, do you understand me, young man?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And for your sake, it had better be on that school bus. I don't want any of your little friends driving you home. You are grounded, mister. Do I make myself clear?"

A sigh. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now hurry up and eat breakfast so you won't miss the bus."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Claire, you make sure he gets on the bus, alright?"

"Sure thing, Mom."

"Good. Well, I'm off, guys. I'll see you tonight."

I waited until Mom was out of the house before groaning loudly. Claire only snickered at me.

"This isn't funny, you know," I snapped, glaring at her.

"Of course it is," she replied. "I remember how you snickered at me when I was grounded. Payback's a bitch, little brother."

"Bah," was all I could come up with to say. I jammed a piece of bread in the toaster and mashed down the lever. I kept reminding myself that today I'd get to see Kier again. A stupid grin came to my face as I thought about ambushing him outside one of the janitors' closets and pulling him inside to steal a kiss or twenty.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Claire asked skeptically.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"Whatever, squirt," she said, snorting a little and wandering out of the kitchen. "Just don't miss your bus, alright?" she called over her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, tying my shoes while I waited for the toast to finish. That task accomplished, I leaned against the kitchen counter and stared out the kitchen window, heaving a sigh.

It was getting colder, and the weather getting worse. This morning, in particular, was fairly gray and rainy. If I didn't make it from the front door to the bus quick enough, my clothes would get soaked and I'd freeze. Boy, was I looking forward to that. Maybe Kevin would let me have some of his coffee...

"The bus is here, squirt!" Claire called from the other room.

Shit!

Grabbing the toaster with one hand, I forced the lever up with the other, causing the toast to almost shoot out of it into the air. Snatching the toast, I slung my back over my shoulder and shouted a 'Bye, Claire!' over my shoulder as I ran for the door and practically sprinted for the bus.

I flopped down beside Kevin, setting my bag in my lap and grinning a little. "Mondays," I said.

"Hm," he grunted, refusing to look at me. I frowned.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked. "You seem pissed."

"Nothing," he said shortly.

I snorted. "That's bull," I said, irritated. I took a large bite of toast and watched him. He kept his eyes somewhere between the seat in front of us and the window. I wasn't going to say anything else until he did, so there was a chance that this bus ride was going to be long and very quiet.

Except he decided to speak up.

"What's with you and that Kieran kid?" he asked, staring straight ahead.

I paused, not sure what to say, and settled for laughing and shoving him lightly. "What is this?" I asked, grinning. "You jealous?"

He looked at me strangely and I stopped. "No," he said, sounding a little angry. "It's just...no one hangs out with him, you know? He's the gay kid. No one likes him. So..." He trailed off, as if that explained everything.

I frowned a little. Those were stupid reasons. "So what if I hang out with him, though?" I asked. "He's my friend. And how do you even know he's gay?" Of course, I knew that he was gay, but Kier wasn't an exactly social guy, and he wasn't that flamboyant, anyway. So how was it common knowledge that he wasn't one for the ladies?

Kevin's eyes widened almost comically at this question, though. It would have been funny if it weren't my boyfriend that we were talking about.

"You mean you haven't heard yet?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"I haven't been here that long," I pointed out. "I don't know everyone's dirty little secrets yet." I wasn't that big into gossip, after all. So I mean, it wasn't like I really wanted to know what everyone did behind closed doors.

Kevin calmed down a little, nodding as if that explained everything. He shrugged. "I'm just surprised that you haven't heard it yet. It was pretty big news a few years back." He took a sip out of the same bright green travel mug from a few days ago. I could smell the flavored coffee inside. It smelled more like cinnamon today.

Like I said, I wasn't that big into gossip. Then again, this was Kieran Laire, my boyfriend, that it concerned. So maybe, just this once...

"Well?" I pressed, leaning a little closer. "What was it?"

Kevin held his travel mug and licked his lips, looking contemplative. I was beginning to doubt that he was going to tell me at all when he finally spoke up.

"There was this guy, Michael," he said. "We never went to school with him or anything. He was like...three or four grades ahead of us. And this happened like four years ago, so we were still in junior high and he was in high—"

"I get it," I said impatiently. "What about the guy?"

"Right, right," Kevin said, nodding and sipping his coffee. "Michael." I motioned for him to continue and he nodded again. "Yeah, well. I think we were in like eighth grade or something. Like as soon as we started back to school. And there were all of these rumors going around about how Kieran slept with that Michael guy over the summer." He shrugged. "Everyone just started calling him a fag and stuff and didn't hang around him anymore. It doesn't really sound like anything special now, but it was big news back then."

I sat there, not really sure how to act. So...Kieran was basically the social outcast because some people said that he had sex with a high school student over the summer?

"That doesn't make sense," I protested. "I mean, how did people know that it wasn't just a rumor?"

Kevin shrugged. "There were so many people saying it, it was sort of like it had to be true, you know? Like...all of these witnesses or something."

I felt angry. "Well...what about that Michael guy, huh? Why didn't they call him a fag and make his life fucking miserable!?" Kevin gave me a look that said that I was beginning to make a scene. I tried to calm down a bit.

"He was like a junior or a senior or something," he said slowly. "No one really cared. I mean, it was only a year or two before he graduated, you know? Even if they did mess with him, he didn't stick around long enough for it to matter."

I just stared forward, my toast long forgotten. I wasn't really sure how to react. I mean...should I be angry at all the students for singling Kier out for something as stupid as that? Or should I have been hurt that Kier had slept with some random high school student over the summer and not...well...not me, I guess. Not that we'd ever had the opportunity. And for now...I was just happy to make out with him on the couch or something. And he hadn't even known me when he was in the eighth grade...but still...

"Travis?" Kevin asked, sounding a little worried. "Hey, Travis, man, it's not that big a deal, is it? I'm just telling you what I heard."

I ignored him for the rest of the bus ride, and as soon as we got to school, I got off without saying another word to him.

My mind was racing as I walked down the hallway to my locker, shoes squeaking with every step. Should I try to confront Kier about this whole Michael thing? I mean, he didn't know me then and it was sort of personal...but I deserved to hear his side of the story, didn't I?

I'd made up my mind by the time I stepped into the history classroom, but Kier wasn't there. I sat down behind his usual desk anyway to wait for him.

At 7:55, the bell rang and there was still no sign of Kier. Frowning, I folded my arms on my desk and leaned forward to rest my chin on them. Where was he, anyway?

I hope nothing's wrong...