Hey guys! Sorry if I've been slow, but I've been sick this week. But I did manage to watch the new iCarly and Victorious...haha..did anyone see the Drake and Josh clip in the new Victorious? loved it :) So many Drake and Josh references makes me happy inside :]

Disclaimer: I don't Drake and Josh...just a little college student trying to major in film...

Chapter 10

"I think you should go," Walter says to Drake Tuesday morning before school. Despite what Audrey previously said about not letting Drake miss anymore days, now she could care less. If Drake needed a day off from school due to his emotional state, she'd let him. Besides, now she had doctor notes to prove to the school that Drake's previous absences, or most of them at least, were excused for serious problems and not just for skipping.

Which is why she let Drake stay home yesterday. With all the stress and pressure going on in the family, and in his life, Audrey felt that taking the Monday off was good for everyone. It gave them all a chance to just relax, and gave them a chance to let everything sink in.

"I think it would be good for you," Audrey agrees with her husband. "You'll meet other kids, and it'll….help…you…" She says the last bit slowly.

Drake's not really sure if he wants to go be with a bunch of other kids in the same situation as him. Sure he's got Missy for that, and he's pretty sure he doesn't need any more friends like her. He's got Josh, and he's got Missy, and that's all the friends he needs.

"Drake, we're not going to force you to go, but I think you should. Talking will help, and knowing that you're not alone will too."

"But I'm not alone," Drake protests. "Missy-"

Walter and Audrey look at each other. "Missy can come too, if she'd like."

Drake looks at the floor. He doesn't want to rope her into this, but it's slightly frightening to him that she's become a security blanket in all of this. The only person he's ever been dependent on is Josh, and having someone else become like that is frightening, in a sense.

Drake doesn't know what to say, and they say that he can decide later on.

Missy smiles, seeing Drake come into the music room during lunch. "How was your weekend?" She asks.

"They know," Drake says seriously. "About everything."

"Oh," she replies. "Well…"

"Dani told Josh," Drake says annoyed.

"Drake, don't be mad at her," Missy starts to argue.

"I'm not," Drake sighs.

"Good," she replies stubbornly.

"But now my parents want me to go to some dumb group."

"Oh. The one at the community center?"

"Yeah. You've been?"

She shakes her head. "Nuh-uh, Dani says it'll be good for me, but it's so awkward. I mean, for me, it'll cause more stereotypes than help. Yeah, I'm a lesbian. Yeah, I got fucked by a man. No, my tragic experience is not why I'm gay. I just am. People are going to assume that I just need to meet the right man in my life, but that's not the case! I love Dani, and I'm not going to throw her away for some man! Being lesbian is not a choice, God damnit! If it were, then why would I choose to have my dad hate me, my parents send me to some camp, and to practically be disowned by my entire family? Why would I choose that, huh Drake?" She snaps.

"Woah, chill out man," Drake says, backing up, raising his hands in defense.

"I'm sorry, Drake. Hey, do you wanna go to the back and have a smoke with me?"

"You smoke?" Drake asks and Missy turns red.

"Well, not all the time. Just sometimes. It helps me, y'know? So…do you?"

Drake shakes his head. "I'm a singer, remember?"

"Well, some singers, y'know…?"

"Yeah, but I don't. I mean, it's cool by me if you do, I just, it's not something-"

"It's fine. I'm sorry for asking," she apologizes softly.

They sit on the wall in the music room, not talking to each other. The sound of silence is peaceful, and it's comforting.

Missy breaks the silence.

"I think I might go. With you, I mean, if you are. Maybe it would be good for me."

"So you're going?" Drake asks, and she nods.

"If you are. I mean, it's kinda dumb, I know, but it wouldn't really feel right going to this alone, or without you."

"Really? "cause I kinda thought the same…"

"It doesn't mean I love you or anything. I mean, I do, in the friend sense, but yeah."

"I know," Drake says.

"So you'll come?"

"I'll come," Drake says and Missy lets out a giggle.

"It'll be fun. We'll make it fun."

"I'll go," Drake announces Wednesday afternoon when he comes home from school.

"You will?" Audrey looks thrilled, and Walter pleased.

"Yeah. Missy said she'd come and-"

"That's great, Drake. I'm so proud of you," Audrey gushes. "Now if you excuse me, I've got to call Debra."

"Your lawyer?"

"Yes, I've been meaning to call her and catch up."

Drake thinks that it's probably got something to do with him. His mom doesn't call their lawyer to just chat, usually she calls whenever problems arise, and this time, he's pretty sure it's got something to do with him and her reaction to what she's recently found out about.

"It'll probably be a long chat, so, I'll see you when you get back. Have fun Drake!" She says, kissing him on the cheek before she goes to lock herself in a private room.

A car honks outside, and Drake glances over to see an unfamiliar car. He looks down as his phone vibrates and reads the text.

We're here :)

Xo-Missy

"Have a good time, Son," Walter says as Drake leaves the house and goes into the car.

Drake really thought this was going to be a Drake and Missy thing. Not a Drake, Missy, and Dani thing. He takes a look at the brunette sitting in the driver's seat then stares at the blond.

"She volunteers once in a while over at the center, too. She runs a local chapter of the Gay-Straight Alliance here. It's for the kids whose schools ban the club. A lot of private and smaller schools don't want clubs like that, so Dani decided it's best to run a chapter here so kids that need help can come. It's from seven to nine, so we'll be here a little longer, if you don't mind. But hey, you can sit in too!"

"I'm not-"

"Anyone can sit in, Drake," Dani replies monotone. "Whether you're gay, straight, bi, lesbian, pansexual, gender queer, asexual, or all of the above. We want allies either way, and we don't care what they're into, why should they?"

"Okay," Drake replies, sinking into his seat.

"Oh! You've met Dani, right Drake?" Missy says cheerfully.

"Yeah, we've met."

"You've met Drake, right Babes?"

"Hon, the way you've been talking about him, it's impossible not to know Drake."

"I know, I know," Missy says sheepishly.

"It's alright. I know you're just excited to have a friend," Dani says as she swerves the car into a parking lot drive threw. "What do you guys want? I'm buyin'."

"A burger I guess," Drake shrugs.

"You know me!" Missy chirps.

Drake has never seen the girl so upbeat. Being around Dani makes Missy look and act like a giggly little school girl so chipper. If anyone were to know the damage behind her, it'd be hard to tell when she's around this girl.

Dani orders and passes the food around, driving to the community center. She checks the clock in the car and ushers the two out so they wouldn't be late for the meeting.

"Now don't mess with my girlie too much," Dani jokes, seriously. Missy giggles, not noticing the hidden glare she's giving Drake.

Drake slumps away from the car as he walks towards the building.

"She's just playing, Drake."

"I-I know," he mutters.

"Are you scared?" she asks.

Drake nods, as she grips onto his arm. Normally he'd scream to get the arm off him, but he's trying his best right now to let it slide.

They enter the room of the building and it's a bit of a relief. It's a very relaxing environment, and everyone there is just chatting like normal people would at a school club meeting. People are talking with friends, one guy's drinking punch, and the other is standing in the corner of the opposite side of the room, much like they were.

Dr. Bensley gives Drake a warm smile, glad he decided to come.

"Gather 'round everybody! It seems like we have some new faces here tonight. Why don't we start with a fun icebreaker? Why don't we start with saying your name, and how about a hobby of yours? I'll start! My name is Dr. Bensley, and I like to read comic books." He shakes his head as the group chuckles. "I know I'm dorky. But hey, it's a hobby. Now why don't you start?" He points at a girl sitting next to Drake.

"Hello, my name is Sarah. And I like to ski."

"Hi, Sarah," everyone echoed back.

Drake looks over at Missy who gives him a nod. "Hi I'm Drake, and-"He's waiting for the cliché And I'm an alcoholic. But he shakes his head; after all it's not exactly the best place to joke around. "And I like to play guitar."

Everybody echoes his name back, and Missy takes her turn. "My name's Missy and I like going to concerts for fun. So I guess you can say I'm a moshest?" She shrugs. One of the other guys just nods his head in approval as everyone echoes back her name and the rest go.

As the last person says their name and hobby, Dr. Bensley takes the podium again. "Now this is a hate-free zone. No one here will be judged for what they went through, and certainly no one will laugh, or make fun of you for what you say, and or feel. If you feel like you can't say anything positive, then shut your mouth and don't say anything at all. Now we're all here for one thing in common, and I'm sure all of us have felt some negativity at one point. Now we don't want to make someone who's low, lower, right? Now, who wants to start? Anybody?"

Missy looks around as a boy named Brian nods and starts to tell the story about how this boy he dated screwed him over in more than one ways. Drake saw some of the boys in the group wince at the thought, and then the group all listened as one girl said her mom was the abuser, and the one that violated her.

Missy decided to go next, taking a deep breath. "I'm a lesbian and my really really old boyfriend he, uh, well um…." She took a deep breath, letting some air out. "Shortly when dating him I started to find myself attracted to girls. So I told him that I think its best we just remain friends and um, he-he didn't like that. He didn't like me wanting being with a girl, and he then showed me after I said no, and-"She choked up on her tears. "Yeah," she sniffed, wiping her eyes.

No one said anything, nor did they laugh like she expected. Everyone nodded quietly, and for the first time she felt like it didn't matter that she liked girls.

When Drake's turn came, everyone turned towards him. He was really worried about his story, and how the reactions would be. He almost didn't want to go; the thoughts of everyone knowing what happened frightened him but then he thought of how everyone else told their stories.

"I was coming home from visiting a friend, and uhm, my dad; he-he picked me up and took me to his new apartment. Before that, I hadn't seen my dad in years and then he told me he wanted to catch up. I had no choice-"

"It's alright, Drake," Dr. Bensleys says nodding. "None of this was your fault. None of this was any of you guys's fault. I want you to know that what has happened is not the end of the world and that you will get through this. All of you."

Drake looked at the floor, then at Missy. She gave Drake a warm smile, slightly being proud at him for what he did. She mouthed the words We did it at him. He in return gave her a small smile back.

He was starting to wish that they didn't have girls in common.

review? And chapter 11 sneak:

She was in love with a girl, and he'd pretty much fallen for a girl who loves girls.