In the few days after returning from winter break, John wasn't asked to stay after school for Schmits at all. John couldn't help but wonder if Schmits was avoiding him. More thoughts passed through his head that Schmits had simply used John for just that once. It made him slightly angry, but more sad.

John had always gone to the girls' basketball games when he could, but Schmits was one of the coaches. John didn't want to have to see him more than he had too, but his friends made him come. They could tell when he was lying, so coming up with an excuse wouldn't work. He simply sucked it up and went.

There he was.

Jason Schmits.

John sneered slightly as he observed the man yelling at the girls from the sideline. 'He's annoying and repetitive,' John thought.

"Get your head in the game!" Schmits yelled to the players.

How could I have possibly ever liked this man? John thought, He's loud... rude... but... he was completely different when we... John suddenly pushed the thoughts out from his mind.

"Are you OK, man?" John's friend Brice asked as he nudged John's side.

"Er... yeah. Just fine." John flashed a fake smile at his friend. The boy's eyes found their way back to Mr. Schmits. John watched as the man pushed up his dark-framed glasses as he yelled another instruction to the girls.

The boy's eyes wandered over to the opposing team. Their coach did not seem pleased with Mr. Schmits's yelling either. The coach must've been new; John had never seen him before. He observed the male. He had medium length black hair and dark eyes. What John really took notice of was the coach's fair skin and clean shaven face. He seemed the complete opposite of Schmits in the sense he was calm and well kept.

After the game, ending in a win for his school's girls, John lingered in the lobby of the school. He didn't want to admit to himself he was waiting around for Schmits, but he was. And there the teacher was, but with the opposing team's coach. As the coach lead his girls through the lobby, Schmits was by his side chatting with him. Mr. Schmits waved away the coach as the team headed out the doors to their bus, and then he noticed John. The two made brief eye contact, but John quickly turned his head away.

"Let's hang at my place," John's friend Cole said as the group of friends headed towards the door. When John looked up, Schmits was gone and so were his friends. He quickly walked out the doors to catch up with his friends. He looked back to see if he could catch one last glance at the teacher, but he was nowhere to be found. John sighed slightly and followed his friends quietly.

John was relieved to have had a day to sleep in; he pulled himself out of bed with a smile. It was the saturday after the game, and John had nothing to do. After getting dressed and tending to his appearance, John decided to go get a drink. He drove himself to the convenience store and made his way to the drink section in search of a soda. He reached for a Dr. Pepper, but then heard a familiar voice. He turned his head slightly to see Mr. Schmits and the coach from yesterday sitting at a table on the other side of the room. John pulled the hood of his coat slowly up over his head and grabbed his soda, hurrying to the checkout.

"I'll see you later," the opposing team coach called as he headed towards the door near the checkout counter.

"Let yourself in, Michael," Mr. Schmits said as he left through the back door.

John's eyes widened. 'Let yourself in?!' John thought, 'He has a key to Schmits's flat or something?!' John quickly purchased the soda and headed to his pick up. He slammed the door of the vehicle behind him as he plopped into the driver's seat. "Who is that guy to him?" John wondered aloud. John sighed and shook his head as he realized it was none of his business. He started his pick-up and headed back to his house.

The entire way home he couldn't stop thinking about and that mysterious Michael. 'Who is he to Mr. Schmits?' John thought to himself once more. "Eh, he's probably just a.. a friend, a family friend." John said to himself.

He finally reached his home and quickly headed into his bedroom, ignoring his brothers and parents. John shut the door behind him and plopped down onto his bed. "Oh, yeah, he's in his room," John heard his mom say from the living room.

"Ugh," John moaned, rolling on his stomach and squishing his face into his pillow. He didn't want company.

"Dude!" his friend called as he barged into John's room. "I got this-"

"You shouldn't barge into someone's room," John groaned into the pillow. "What if I was changing or something?"

"Never mind that! I got this new game and we have to play it!" His dark haired friend motioned a finger towards the new Xbax title in his hand.

"Blake..." John moaned, remaining in his pillow squished position.

"Dude... what's the matter? Don't be a pussy." Blake furrowed his brow and crossed his arms.

"Meh."

"Seriously, John. What's up?" Blake went over to the blonde's bed and sat on top of him.

"I don't want to play the game," John groaned.

"It's not about the dumb game," Blake argued, hitting the back of John's head. "What's up, bro?"

"Forget about it."

"Dude, are you crying or something?!"

"No!" John snapped as he jerked up and looked at his friend.

"Oh! There's the face I was hoping to see!" Blake smiled and held up the video game. "Pweeaaase..." he flashed John one of his famous puppy dog faces used to make the ladies giggle (which worked).

"Fine... -_-"

Of course, Blake kicked John's ass most of the time. John wasn't very good at games and the boy's mind was on other things... "Dude, why do you suck so bad!" Blake grumbled as he smacked the back of the boy's head again.

"Ow! Stop!" John rubbed the back of his head, dropping the controller. "Seriously, stop fucking touching me, dumbass."

"Dude! What is your problem?" Blake looked at John, an expression of shock forming on his face.

John observed his dark eyed friend, realizing that he really was overreacting. "I'm sorry..." John responded quietly.

"Whatever, just keep playing," he grumbled in response.

Without necessarily thinking first, John leaned close to his friend and kissed him.

"Dude, what the fuck!" Blake yelled as he pulled back from the blonde. John stared blankly at him. "Are you a fucking homo?"

"I... uh..." John continued to stare at his friend, completely dumbfounded and unable to form words. He knew he wasn't gay... he just...anti-hetero sometimes. John didn't really know for sure what he liked. It was all too confusing.

"Well?!" Blake snapped.

"Well, I uh... I mean, I..." John quickly looked away from his friend, feeling his face heat up. "I'm sorry..."

"No," Blake contradicted, "sorry doesn't cut it! You just kissed me for fuck's sake!"

"I didn't mean to..." John explained, avoiding the dark haired boy's gaze.

"Didn't mean to?!" Blake asked, not sure he was more angry or embarrassed.

"Well... I..."

"Did you mean it or not?!"

"Sorry..."

"You're such a dumbass," Blake stated as he captured the blonde's lips in another kiss.

John's mind boiled in confusion as his dark haired friend pressed his tongue into his mouth. It seemed really wrong, but John didn't want it to stop. Blake proceeded to slide a hand underneath John's shirt as he explored his friend's mouth with his tongue. "Blake," John began as he pushed him away. "You have a girlfriend."

"But," Blake protested, "I've always had an eye on you..."

John blinked, surprised eyes set on his friend. 'I guess... never really thought about Blake that way,' John thought. 'I mean... who needs Mr. Schmits... he has stupid Michael.' John furrowed his brow slightly at the thought. "I... I like someone else," John said, surprised to hear himself admit it. He felt bad since he was the one who kissed Blake first, but he wasn't really thinking.

"Who?" Blake couldn't help but wonder.

"I can't say," John immediately responded, shaking his head.

"Fine." Blake stood and ejected his game from the Xbax and popped it back into its case. "I'll see you." Game in hand, the dark haired boy left.

((Hello! Kai here! Please leave a review so we know what's up and get ready for some new slutty characters next chapter :D Thanks for reading!))