The Apprehensive and the Optimistic

Chapter 2

AN:: Hey guys, chapter two! I got a nice amount of views on the last chapter, but no favs, or follows, or reviews. I don't want to sound needy, I really don't. But a fav or follow would be nice! And even a review if you have the time! Funny story: When I uploaded this last week I realized I didn't add characters haha, so it was just floating around! God, I don't think anyone but me can make such a n00b mistake.

All mistakes are mine!

APIH

Walking around school on a Saturday was probably supposed to be the most boring thing to ever exist. Why the heck was a school even open on Saturdays? But, to Anthony's surprise, Ian somehow made the school tour fun. They walked around the whole school as Ian told him funny things that had happened here or there. They visited the gym, the pool, the library, the cafeteria, classrooms. Almost everything. They sat in the hall now, as Ian finished up another story. "Yeah, so I'm the reason we're not allowed to carry bottles of hot sauce around anymore. The stupidest rule ever if you ask me." Ian sighed and wiped a fake tear away.

"You live a real interesting life, Ian." Anthony said, chuckling. He didn't know that there were people like Ian in the world. People who were like a sidekick from a movie, or that kid who's in the show just to ease tension. The people who were comic relief in really stressful lives. Anthony felt a little proud to be sitting next to a person like this.

Ian shrugged his shoulders and scoffed, "It lacks a lot. But I'm not one to complain. I just do my own thing you know? If people don't like it, they don't like it." He itched his head and sighed, as he looked at his feet. "What about you? Do you have any cool stories?"

"What? Oh, no I don't. I don't do much..." Anthony sighed, this was the part where Ian realized how boring he was and moved on to bigger and better things.

"Tell Dr. Ian about yourself." He put on imaginary glasses and acted like he was holding a clipboard.

"There's nothing to tell." Anthony laughed. Ian gave him a look and Anthony sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll think of something okay?" He leaned his head back against the wall and tapped his foot, "Um...I work at Pat's Original Pizzeria in town. My mom's a RN. My brother leaves the house more than me. I'm a junior, I spend most of my time playing video games..."

"Hmmm...yes very interesting... and what kind of games?" Ian asked as he wrote stuff down on his imaginary clipboard.

"A lot...Zelda, Halo, Sonic, Mario.. Nintendo is my most favorite thing in the world. Spend way too much time playing Pokemon. " He shrugged starting at Ian.

"Mmm...well...from what I've written down here, it's telling me that you're perfect best friend material, and you have to show me your Pokemon team, and we have to play some Halo together." Ian said adjusting his nonexistent glasses. Anthony stared at him, slightly shocked. Did Ian just call him best friend material? This guy he'd just met, and knew nothing about besides silly stories was already comfortable enough to invite himself over to play games. Anthony wasn't sure how to feel. He wasn't uncomfortable, but he wasn't okay with this either. As much as he liked Ian, and as easy going and cool as he seemed he wasn't ready to take a leap and make hanging out with him a everyday thing just yet. Or maybe..he was making a big deal out of nothing, maybe he was just acting like a huge girl and reading into stuff way more than he should be. "Well fine!" He heard Ian say and he looked at him, "I'll just play Pokemon and Halo with myself. 'Sides, I guess only one person can have the master sword, and that's me!" He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from Anthony.

The darker haired teen laughed, "All right, Ian. Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm obviously the one with the master sword here, and I guess I could whoop your ass in Halo and Pokemon too if you really want." He smirked, and stood up, "Just don't go running to your mommy when it happens."

Ian stood up too, amused smile on his lips, "My mommy? Nuh-uh, Anthony. I'll be running to your mom if you know what I mean." He winked and Anthony grinned giving him a playful shove. Ian laughed, but was interrupted when they heard giggling from the opposite hall and turned to see two people walking toward them, fingers interlocked. If Anthony was right, it was Trish and some guy.

Anthony had to be right, because Ian's face turned almost completely red with rage. Trish noticed them and all but skipped over, grinning, "Ian! Guy from last night..." Anthony mumbled his name but she either didn't hear him, or ignored him, "What're you guys doing here? Ian don't you have better stuff to do than be a school on a Saturday." She pulled the boy closer and nuzzle his neck, he wrapped his arm tighter around her.

Ian clenched his fists and rolled his eyes, "Don't you have better things to do than whore yourself around in the locker rooms."

"I don't whore myself around." She grinned, and seemed like she wasn't offended at all.

The guy with her smirked, "She does it well enough to get paid for it, but you wouldn't know, would you Ian?"

"No, I wouldn't." Ian shrugged and rested a hand on his hip, expression changing from rage, to a cocky smirk so fast Anthony thought it might be illegal. "And I'd rather not risk the STDs."

The guy frowned, "Tch, you're gonna get them one way or another you- "

"Shut it, Alek." Trish snapped, moving away from him and glaring. She gave Ian a look Anthony thought could've been apologetic, "Well, I'll talk to you later Ian." She looked at Anthony and smirked, "You too cutie." She winked and turned, hanging over the boy again.

Anthony's face was red and looked down trying to calm himself. It wasn't everyday that non-drunk girls took notice of him, in fact, they never did. He let out a shaky breath and glanced at Ian. He was staring down the hall and Anthony began to wonder what his relationship with Trish was. Was he an ex boyfriend? Or maybe She fooled around with him once? No, that didn't happened. The guy, Alek, said something that confirmed Ian was never close to being with her. Ian must have liked her then. That was the only thing that made any sense. "That guy gives me the creeps." Ian looked at Anthony, running a hand through his hair a few times.

Anthony nodded and frowned, "He's a douche for sure."

Ian shrugged and started walking Anthony following behind, "I think Trish likes you." He said, and Anthony was unable to hear a joking tone in his voice.

Anthony blushed and shrugged, "She, uh, seems to like a lot of boys. And well...I'm not into that kind of girl."

"Good answer." Ian laughed, but it seemed distant, "What kind of girl then?"

Anthony figured this was what normal guys talked about so he tried to calm himself as he thought about the question, "I..." He couldn't think about 'a type' he had, so he decided to talk about his one and only crush, "Um, me and my friend Felix had a huge crush on this one girl in eighth grade named Sarah. She was quiet, and nice, and She listened to everyone. She took all their shit too and never complained once..."

Ian nodded, "Not bad, seems like a nice girl."

Anthony laughed, "By ninth grade She was sucking, Um, dick in the stairwell..." Ian stopped and stared, then let out a burst of laughter that made Anthony happy, "Needless to say...I kind of got over my crush. "

Ian held a hand over his stomach as his laughter died down, "What...what kind of sexual shit goes down in that private school of yours Anthony?"

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you to be completely honest..." He smiled and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, "It just like every other school, but we have uniforms and no actual sports teams.."

"Dorky uniforms, man. Yeah, I knew that. Some of your guys are on our football team, and from what I've seen your whole school is a bunch of dicks. I couldn't imagine the shit you get put through on a daily basis."

"Uh, I actually I don't get put through anything." Anthony said itching the back of his head, "No one really talks to me, and when they do they're not dick's or anything like that."

Ian nodded, "Cool then! You somehow avoid it. They probably see your lame ass emo wannabe hair cut and feel too bad to dick around with you."

Anthony subconsciously lifted his hand to his hair, brushing it from his eyes, "What? That's a lie! And what about you huh? Do you put a bowl on your head and then cut your hair?"

"HEY! My mom works hard on cutting my hair!" He stuck his bottom lip out, "She said it was normal to put a bowl on your head when you got a haircut."

Anthony shook his head laughing, "It's not normal."

As they exited the school and got into Ian's beat up car they both decided to go hang out at Anthony's house since Ian's mom was probably still with her date. Ian parked outside and the two moved into the house with ease. Anthony heard clatter from the kitchen and glanced in, "Oh, Hey.. I didn't know you'd be home so soon."

Anthony's mother turned and smiled, "Oh! Anthony, there you are. I need some help in the garden, and-" She froze as Ian peeked in the door frame.

"Who is it? Anthony who- lemme see!" As Ian leaned over Anthony the other teen lost his balance and they both tumbled to the ground. Ian held his head and popped up, then held out a hand, which Anthony took. Anthony's mom stared in shock and mumbled an, 'Oh dear.' Ian grinned, "Why! Look at this, Hello Mrs. -" he looked at Anthony who had an amused smile on his lips.

"Padilla."

"Mrs. Padilla!" He moved, surprisingly, graceful around the island and smiled innocently at the woman, he gave a bow, "I am Ian Hecox! You're sons new found Bestie. I think it's time I met you. I've known your son for about..." He paused as he thought, "Like a day and half? And may I say, he's just marvelous." At some point the woman raised a hand over her mouth and She looked at Anthony in shock. Anthony smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

The woman looked back at Ian and cleared her throat, "O-oh well hello Ian. It's...nice to meet you." She held out a hand and Ian shook it, "I suppose you and my son were out together?"

"Bingo." Ian winked, "I was showing him around school. Well, the public school."

"Y-You go to the public school? Oh dear.. well that was very nice of you Ian..." She forced another smile and nodded at him.

Anthony decided to intervene, "C'mon Ian, Halo is waiting for us." The brunet grinned and followed Anthony out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room. Once they enter Ian began moving around the room and searching through it while Anthony started up the game. Anthony watched him curiously for a while before he had to ask, "Um..what're you doing?" Ian continued searching in his dresser drawers and crawled across the floor checking under his bed.

"Looking for something." He mumbled as he pulled a box out from under his bed. He opened it and frowned, looking in it before shoving it back under.

"Uhh..what are you looking for?" Anthony wasn't sure if he was amused or annoyed. The game had been ready to start for a while now, but every time he mentioned it, Ian ignored him. The brunet stood up with a huff and moved to the closet, he grabbed the handle but Anthony blinked, "Uh, can you not open that..please."

"Why not?" Ian turned, hand still on the handle.

"Cause I said not to?" Anthony blushed and stood up.

Ian pouted, but his eyes were smirking, "Just a little peek? Pleeeeaaasse?" He said in a baby voice, turning the handle.

Anthony moved forward, "Don't do it man..."

"Annnnnd if I do?" Ian smirked now.

Even though Anthony was annoyed he was also a little amused, more so than annoyed, he stepped forward more, "Then I'll have to destroy you."

"Oops!" Ian flung the door open and laughed as Anthony lunged forward tackling him to the ground. He two rolled around for a few moments before Anthony successfully pinned him down, Ian attempted to wiggle his way out but to no avail. "Aw, man!" He groaned, panting slightly.

Anthony laughed, panting harder than the boy below him, "Told you not to open the door."

Ian frowned, "Wha... What's in there?"

Anthony shrugged, "Personal stuff."

"Like what?"

Anthony weighted his options. He hadn't really ever shown anyone the stuff he had in there. Not ever Trevor, or his mother. Of course I wouldn't show my mother... So it would make no sense to show the bowl haired teen, but, he trusted Ian and he kind of felt that what Ian was looking for was in the closet. He sighed and got off Ian, "Fine. But I wanna see yours when we go to your house." He crawled to the closet and Ian followed behind him. Anthony took out a box and sighed. It wasn't big, it was a decent size, Ian sat next to him as Anthony opened the box, "Can't believe I'm doing this, man."

"Oh, shut up, you learn a lot about a man judging on what he reads." When the box was opened Ian immediately grabbed one of the magazines and looked through it. Anthony watched him, frowning slightly and his face completely red as Ian flipped the pages. Ian set the magazine aside and grabbed the next one, then the next two, then he was just looking at covers, "You...have a lot of these.." Ian commented.

"My dad gets me them.. this way my mom can't go on my search history and find porn websites." Anthony was completely flushed with embarrassment as he spoke, but Ian didn't look disgusted or anything. That only seemed to make his face heat up more.

Ian smirked, "I wish I had your dad. Mines a drunk and only shows up when he wants money. If he gave me a playboy I think I might die, it'd probably be used and gross."

Anthony let a small smile settle itself on his lips, "Yeah..the ones I get aren't used. My dad gives me one every time Matt and I visit, it's not a lot but they pile up after years."

"Hmpt." Ian nodded as he put the magazines back in the box and push them in the closet.

"I'm not that big on...you know whating though." Anthony shrugged leaning against the wall, "So they kinda go to waste."

"That sucks." Ian said, and looked around the room, at the posters and figurines Anthony supposed.

Then, without thinking Anthony said, "You can have them."

Ian looked at him, eyes wide and mouth slack, "Wha...what?" He gaped, cheeks as red as a tomato. He looked a little grossed out.

Anthony blushed again and itched his cheek looking away, "Ah! Never mind, I didn't say anything!" He raised his hands in defense and stood up quickly. Anthony heard Ian break out into laughter and he looked down to see his head thrown back, and his arms around his stomach as the laughs poured out, Anthony couldn't help but to the think it suited him. Ian wiped tears formed his eyes as the laughter died down, he looked up at Anthony, and began laughing hysterically again. The darker haired teen sat at the bed and watch him laugh.

Ian slid back as his laughter died down again, and leaned his head against the matress, "I don't want your porn mags man."

Anthony smiled some, "I figured you didn't."

Ian let out a content sigh, "You're great, Anthony. Now, let me kick your ass in Halo."

"You kick my ass? You've got that backwards, my friend." They sat down at the edge of Anthony's bed and played for hours. Ian was good, and neither of them walked away completely victorious. Anthony was glad he went to that party, because he saw a bright future for his and Ian's friendship. And he wasn't afraid to call Ian his best friend, even if he met him a day and a half ago.

APIH

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you at the next chapter...when Lasercorn joins us!