I'm glad that everyone is still enjoying this one. I really like this story for some reason, but was having a real hard ass time finding a way to connect some of it...

Chapter 7
Smokin'

Her nerves were about to drive her insane. Not only did she have her personal life to worry about, but she was about to step foot in to the one test that could change her life forever. Not to mention that her stomach was doing its own personal acrobatic show.

She wanted to do well, and she knew it was causing her a lot of stress. She felt like she was going to throw up at any minute, but held back the urge by drinking from her ice-cold bottle of water.

The SATs were it for her, Caleb had done so well on them that he had been accepted to Harvard. Though her goal wasn't Harvard, she still wanted to get in to a decent school. Preferably Boston University like Kate, Pogue and Tyler.

Tyler, she thought. Could she keep this secret from him, could Reid?

Her stomach did another flip, causing her to hold her stomach. She really hated stressing over something like this. It wasn't like her. She was usually the calm, cool, collected one. But right now she was a ball of nerves.

Don't think about that now, she scolded herself.

She had to focus, had to focus on the test, nothing else.

She took a seat and sighed, this was going to be a long day.

Reid lifted his gaze from the notebook in front of him. He looked over his scribbled handwriting and sighed. Not many people knew about this notebook, only Caitlin and Tyler knew. And he intended to keep it that way. He didn't want to hear what Caleb or Pogue would say about it.

He could see them now, poking fun at him for keeping a journal. But what did they know? They had perfect lives. He and Tyler had gone through nothing but trouble their entire adolescence and they hadn't.

He glanced down at the entry he had made six weeks ago. His stomach turned staring at the words. The edges of the page were tearing, and worn out. He had looked back at the page constantly over the last six weeks.

It was a realization, something that he had admitted to himself finally. But was afraid to out loud, was afraid to especially now.

Reid jumped at the sound of the door opening and his best friend greeting him, "What's up, Reid?"

Reid closed the notebook and put his pen down, "Uh-nothing, man…" He swallowed hard.

"What's that?" Tyler asked putting his things on his bed.

"Journal," Reid replied putting it away.

Tyler nodded and stretched out; he didn't have to say anymore. Reid had been keeping a journal since his parents divorce. It had been hard on him, and he had seen so much as a young child, the fighting the abuse… it was terrible that he had to go through that. And all of the sons knew about his trips to the psychiatrist.

But he had only told Tyler about the psychiatrist's request for him to keep a journal. A journal of events, his feelings and everything that he had been through, and was still going through. The psychiatrist said it would be good for him. Reid kept with it all these years.

Caitlin had found it one day when she was looking for something in the his desk. By pure accident, though she had read through it and Reid caught her. He was pissed at first, but she told him she wouldn't tell anyone, especially not her brother or Pogue. She even offered to listen to him if he ever needed to talk.

The blonde had taken her up on the offer a few times, but she never spoke a word to anyone about it.

"Why aren't you out with… Caity?" He inquired.

"She has her SATs today, remember?"

"Oh yeah, right…" Reid cleared his throat. "Do you uh-want to go hit up Nicky's?" He asked uneasily.

"Sure man," Tyler grinned. Reid nodded his head and pulled a hoodie on over his messy blonde hair. "You ok?"

Reid gave him a charming grin, "Yeah man, I'm good…"

Caitlin felt her stomach twist and gurgle, why were her nerves doing this to her. She was almost done. She hated stress, she tried so hard to focus on the words in the book, and she had to finish this test.

She finished her test, and was excused. She made a beeline straight to the bathroom to empty her full bladder. When she finished she washed her hands and walked out to her car.

A fiery red Mustang waited for her. A small grin plastered itself on her face. She liked having her own wheels, Caleb was hard headed, and preferred if he drover to and from school. Caitlin always believed that her brother had a complex with control.

Maybe it was because he liked to keep her from skipping, or running off with one of her boyfriends. Though, Caitlin decided, she could have done either of those without a car on campus.

Shrugging her shoulders she headed in the direction of Nicky's. She deserved a fat, juicy burger for all of her hard work that morning. She could taste the grease already as she pulled in to the parking lot.

Parking her Mustang next to a familiar black Hummer she felt all her morning turmoil return. Reaching for her wallet she headed in to the bar, and glanced around. It was nearly deserted except for a few stragglers, and a couple of older folks.

Her gaze settled on the pool tables, Reid's eyes were on her as Tyler lined up his next shot, sinking the red three ball in the left corner pocket, with ease. She tried to focus on her rumbling stomach, rather than the blonde man that was staring her down.

With what bit of self-control she had, Caitlin was able to make it to the bar and order a burger, fries and a coke. She sat on the stool, and could feel two sets of eyes on her; Tyler must have just looked up from his shot.

She heard footsteps come up behind her and she grinned, feeling those soft fingertips trail over her exposed shoulders. She turned and smiled up at her boyfriend, Tyler grinned down at her and placed a swift kiss on her cheek.

"How'd it go?" He asked casually taking the seat next to her.

"Pretty good, I think…" She gave him a small smile as Nicky put her food down in front of her. "Thanks Nicky…" She grinned at the bald man.

"No problem, sweetheart…" He went back to flipping a couple of burgers.

"That's good, you want to join me and Reid over there?" He asked nodding his head in the direction of the pool tables.

"Sure,"

Tyler grabbed her food and drink and she followed him to the high-top tables that accented the pool area. Reid sent her a glance before taking his shot, and sinking the eight ball. Beating Tyler.

Tyler grinned, lifting a shoulder in disinterest. It was just a game, and they were betting on it, so he really didn't care. Caitlin watched Reid saunter of to them and tossing her a flirtatious smile.

"Wanna take me on?" Reid asked, not trying to hide his innuendo.

Caitlin glared at him, and then a smirk took hold of her lips as she took the pool stick from him, "You're on Garwin," She stated.

After three round of pool, Caitlin was getting sick of Reid beating her. She put her stick away and pushed past him; she placed her lips on Tyler's and told the boys she was going home. Tyler grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"Dinner tonight?" He asked her.

"Pick me up at seven?" She questioned.

Tyler nodded and watched her walk away, his eyes never leaving her. He turned to look at Reid as she disappeared; his eyes were on her the entire way as well. He could see it on his face.

Was his best friend crushing on his girlfriend?

Tyler thought for a minute and shook his head, it wasn't possible. Caitlin was not Reid's type. Not at all. Caitlin was his type, and his type only. He nudged his best friend in the ribs and Reid's blue eyes snapped up to meet his.

"Would you stop drooling over my girlfriend?" Tyler questioned. Reid mumbled something under his breath that Tyler didn't catch. "What'd you say?"

Reid glanced at him, "Rack 'em up, baby boy…" He stated through semi-clenched teeth.

Tyler ignored his best friend's tone and rolled his eyes grabbing the billiard balls in to the triangle. Things seemed to have taken a dip on the weird side between them every since he started dating Caitlin.

Reid was preparing for his shot when Tyler opened his mouth, "Do you like Caitlin?"

Reid's fingers slipped and he didn't even touch the white cue ball, his startling gaze set on the brunette as he furrowed his brow together. Did his best friend just ask him what he thought he just asked him?

Reid played it back in his head, he did.

"N-No… dude… she's like my sister…" Reid tried to play it off. Tyler looked at him, resting his hands on the top of the pool stick and staring at his best friend, he could tell that he was lying.

"A sister that you might want to screw around with?" Tyler pursed his lips together waiting to see what Reid was going to say next.

"C'mon Tyler… you know that Caity is smokin'… and I'm only human… but just looking…" He gave his signature smirk and took his shot.

Tyler felt his nerves settle a bit, it was true. Caitlin was very easy on the eyes, and as long as Reid wasn't touching, it was ok to look. Hell, he had looked at plenty of the girls that Reid had dated, or fucked. It's not like he was going to take them and go screw them.

"You're shot baby boy," Reid stated stepping away from the table. Tyler continued to stare off. "Ty?" Frustrated Reid smacked his best friend in the back with the pool stick. "Earth to Tyler…"

Tyler snapped out of his thoughts," What's up?"

"You're shot man," Reid pointed to the table.

R E V I E W