The tinkling of the last of the cereal hit the plastic bowl and my eyes skimmed hungrily over to the milk. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, and I was famished. Tossing the empty box next to the trash can, I dug my spoon into the bowl and took my first bite, chewing happily and enjoying the short-lived silence.

Max walked in, followed by Dan and Jordan, interrupting my thoughts.

"Well, you certainly look hungry," Max grinned, gesturing over to my overflowing cereal bowl. "You need a haircut, too."

Smoothing down my hair, I glared at him, the cereal in my mouth holding back an obscenity. The three men raided the pantry and fridge, bringing out their preferred food items and preparing them.

The cereal quickly disappeared as I wolfed it down, and I stood to take my bowl to the sink. "So where's James?" I wondered aloud as I turned the faucet handle. After filling the bowl with water, I grabbed a soft drink from the fridge and leaned on the door.

"Dunno. I can go check if you want." Dan stood, but I stopped him.

"Nah, man, I'll go." Dan hesitated, then nodded and sat back down to his eggs and juice, resuming his conversation with the others. I heard Max's voice fadin as I headed upstairs.

"So I had this awesome idea for the next Creature Short..."

I took a sip of my Dr. Pepper, welcoming the cool liquid in my throat. My feet sank into the soft carpet when I reached the top of the stairs. Wiggling my toes contentedly, I turned into the hallway, gulping some more soda. As I reached James's door, a devilish idea popped into my head.

Grinning inwardly, I set down my drink and tiptoed the rest of the distance to his door. My hand was about to turn the doorknob when I heard a low, sort of growling noise. Creasing my eyebrows, I strained my ears.

"Seamus..." The silent moan came again.

James? He knew I was there? Or was he hurt?

Resting my head against the door, I called out. "James, you in there man?" A thump came from the room, followed by loud mouse clicks and a string of curses.

"I'm coming in man," I warned, turning the doorknob and swinging the door open.

James sat in front of his computer, his body blocking the screen from me. Shifting my gaze, my suspicion grew as I noticed his flustered expression, how his cheeks were quickly flushing, and how his hand hovered, trembling, over his crotch. Regarding him warily and squinting my eyes, I muttered, "What were you doing?"

"U-um... Nothing." he averted his eyes, focusing on something to his right. I couldn't care less what it was. "You're hiding something," I raised my eyebrows at him and pointed at the screen behind him.

"No..." he glanced nervously at the display and visibly relaxed. "look..."

Leaning to the side, he showed me the screen. A blue cookie-monster desktop greeted me.

"Okay... Well the guys were wondering where you were. Come down to eat."

The door clicked closed as we shuffled down the hallway, my drink in hand. James was oddly silent behind me, and I could feel his gaze on the back of my head. It made my skin crawl.

"So what were you doing? You can tell me."

"I don't..."

"Come on, man," I persisted, feeling peculiarly guilty for pestering him. But I had to know, or it would drive me crazy. James was one of my best friends, and the idea of him hiding something from me was... I don't know. What I did know is that it would hurt. It was just one of those gut feelings.

"I can't, Seamus... I'm sorry."

"Alright. Fine..." My strained voice gave away the fact that I was frustrated. I went ahead, speeding down the stairs and grabbing an extra can from the fridge. I was angry at James for not trusting me. It was stupid, but I did not attempt to push the stress to the back of my mind. I had a right to be mad, did I not...?

'He probably told one of the other guys, too,' I thought miserably.

Passing James and pretending not to notice him, I hopped up the stairs, sinking deeper into anguish as I heard James yelling and joking with Max and Dan.

Slamming my door and setting my drinks down on my desk, I powered on my computer. Might as well record to keep my mind off of everything. Something like that.