Hope y'all like this chapter. Um...drama. Yep.

The four boys were full of chatter on the bus on the way home from school. James joined in and largely contributed to the conversation, but he couldn't get his mind of his latest discovery. He liked Kendall. He should've realised; it was fairly obvious now that it had been confirmed for him. The fact that he could never bring himself to say no every time that pouty bottom lip jutted out and those green eyes batted at him pitifully. Or all those times he may or may not have walked in on Kendall with guys totally by accident, only to see him on his hands and knees or laid out on his back or curled at his lover's crotch with a dick between his lips. Totally accidental. And it didn't turn him on, not even a little. At least that was what he'd told himself until now. Now he realised that it totally did, and he felt like a total pervert for it.

Was it wrong to have feelings for him? Was it disgusting and immoral?

He had no idea.

"If they bother you again, tell us," Carlos told Logan firmly as their bus stop came into view. "Okay? Promise you'll tell us."

"I promise." Logan chuckled and stood up when the bus slowed to a stop. Then James realised that he hadn't put in his iPod headphones once. Another revelation of the day, it seemed. The four made their way off the bus and started their walk into the estate.

Kendall was wearing the leather jacket again. James didn't know why he hadn't noticed before, but now it stuck up like a sore thumb. It did look really good on him; no wonder Jett had let him borrow it. As far as turn ons went, he had to admit that his boyfriend or girlfriend wearing his clothes had always had a high place on the list. Though he had nothing nearly as universally attractive as a leather jacket in his wardrobe. No varsity jackets either. He did have a cotton one. His sweatshirts were nice enough. His mind began to unconsciously form an image of Kendall dressed in his blue striped hoodie. And yet for some reason, his mind couldn't conjure up any more clothes. Oh well, he could leave him like that. Fantasy Kendall winked at him and swayed his hips. Fuck.

Real life Kendall was chattering and walking along, backpack swinging on his shoulder. He wan't sure which he found more appealing.

"Baby!"

The four boys stopped and turned to see a tall young man walking towards them. He wore a blue t-shirt and ripped jeans, his sandy coloured hair gelled up neatly. James knew instantly who this was. His bulging biceps looked as though they fit that leather jacket perfectly. Kendall gave some kind of excited squeak and hurried over to him, lunging and hugging him around the neck. "Hi Jett!"

James had seen plenty of guys Kendall was involved with. Dak had been one of the only somewhat long term ones. And yet Kendall seemed so much more smitten now, so girly and giggly and blushing as he pecked Jett on the lips chastely and hugged him around the waist, head resting happily on his chest. Jett hugged him back, swaying them a little and grinning down at him. "I waited at the bus stop for a while but you didn't show."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot, I had to help my friend Logan and I had detention."

"He's cute," Logan murmured to the other two, surpringly. He was smirking a little. "I approve, I guess."

Carlos looked as though he felt the opposite, his jaw clenched. But he didn't go over, and didn't say anything. James just watched in despair.

"I'll see you guys later!" Kendall called to them, waving before walking off with his arm loosely draped around Jett's waist, the man's arm wrapped around his shoulders. He dwarfed Kendall in both height and build. As they were walking, he gave Kendall a little squeeze and moved his hand up to ruffle his hair affectionately. Kendall squeaked and laughed and batted his hand away. Jett kissed him.

James sighed. "Guys, can we just go home?"

"Yeah, let's go," Carlos agreed, nodding pointedly and turning to keep going down the sidewalk. James and Logan followed, and it was only when they were a good distance away from the retreating couple that Carlos spat out, "That bastard."

"What's wrong with you?" Logan inquired, eyebrows raised.

"You remember when I came home with that bloody nose because some gang gave me shit for walking in their patch." The two nodded. "That's his gang. He's the leader, he just watched them and smiled as they all came at me!"

"You're kidding," James exclaimed, jaw dropping. He was somewhat gleeful that Kendall's new boyfriend was now undoubtedly nothing but trouble. But he also felt sympathy fr him, because he did seem quite happy with him. Fantasy Kendall gave him a grateful smile, a little giggle and slid his fingers to the zipper of his hoodie. Screw it. "We have to tell him."

"We will. Later. Let the dude buttfuck him first if he wants it."

"Carlos."

Carlos laughed and walked on, whistling. Logan followed instantly, smiling at him as they walked together. James trailed along behind them, wishing he wasn't walking alone. They got back to those and he immediately focused all attention on his homework so he didn't feel like such a loser. This was unsuccessful.

Eventually, Kendall arrived with pink cheeks, slightly swollen lips and sparkly eyes. James wanted to rip that goddamn leather jacket to shreds. And maybe burn it afterwards. "How was your date?" Logan asked, glancing up briefly before going back to his calculus.

"Amazing!" Kendall swooned, sitting on the couch next to James and lying back with a happy sigh. "He's just so sweet. I'm crazy for him, guys."

"We guessed," Carlos deadpanned.

James couldn't take it anymore. Self control had always been something he, well, sucked at. "Kendall, we have something to tell you."

Kendall beamed at him. "What is it, Jamie?"

Oh god, I can't do this. James swallowed nervously, clearing his throat. "Well, um . . . honestly, we think Jett is trouble. Big trouble."

Kendall sighed. "James, what did you guys say yest—"

"Yeah I know, but it's different now." James gestured towards Carlos as he spoke. "Jett's in charge of the gang that beat Carlos and gave him that bloody nose for being in their territory. It was his orders, or at least his approval."

"Kendall, if you've got common sense, you'll stay away," Carlos added firmly.

Kendall's eyes were wide, his mouth a little shaky. He glanced from James, to Carlos, to Logan, and back to Carlos. He clamped his lips together. James wanted to hug him, wanted to give him a little pat (or maybe a kiss) on the head and cuddle him for a while until he felt better. But then Kendall spoke, arms folded tight over his chest. "No."

"No?" Carlos raised his eyebrows.

"No," Kendall repeated. "Look, Carlos, I get what you're saying, honestly. And I'm sorry they did that to you. But I'm not . . . I'm not trespassing on his turf, I'm not his rival. I'm his boyfriend. There's a difference there."

"But that's not the point—"

"It's exactly the point! He's not going to give me a bloody nose and neither will his friends, why would they? I haven't even met his friends yet, and maybe I will but there is literally no reason for anything like that to happen. Don't you see?"

James wanted to slap Kendall silly. He also wanted to shove him down and kiss him so hard their lips bled and his only thought afterwards was, Jett Who?

He didn't do either of those things. Kendall got up and left the room, carrying his backpack behind him and going upstairs. The bedroom door slammed above their heads. Logan sighed. "Well, good try, I guess."

"Maybe he's right," Carlos said at last, sighing in defeat and running a hand through his cropped hair. "It's a fair point when you think about it."

"Are you insane?!" James demanded. "He is totally wrong! That guy is trouble and he's going to cause all kinda of shit and—"

"James. We know. You wanna bang him, we get it."

James and Carlos gaped at Logan, who was sittg there casually with a hand draped on the arm of the couch. "How do you know?" James demanded. "Nobody told you."

"I just know. It's really obvious," Logan replied offhandedly, shrugging and smirking. "You've totally got the hots for him."

"It's not just that, okay," James snapped. "I . . ." He blushed. "I like him. A lot. I didn't realise until now, which was pretty dumb, but now that I do know everything I've been doing since he moved in with us just makes sense. Obviously I'm attracted to him. He's attractive and I'm a teenage boy with needs, got it? But he's cute and he's funny and he's smart and nice. He's just . . ." James sighed. "Nice is the lamest word ever and my English teacher would cut me in two for using it, but, yeah."

"Do you think he realises?" Carlos asked, looking at Logan. "You seem to have everyone sussed out here."

Logan shook his head. "Definitely not. Not that he's an idiot. Well . . . maybe a little. He's just really naive, and I know it sounds nuts but a little innocent too. It wouldn't occur to him that you like him. We're friends in a weird way and we hang out all the time and we live together and your mom adopted him. He calls her Mom too, plus he's got guys all over him. Why would he notice?"

"I'm a little hurt by that remark."

"James, you're great. And he knows that. It'll just take him a while to know it in that way."

By the time the following week came around, James had had it up to his eyeballs with Jett this, Jett that. Not that Kendall talked about him constantly or anything like that; he just left with him, every single day after school. Some days he came back after only an hour, other times he didn't return until after 10pm at night. James wanted to demand he tell him everything they ever did, but he always was unsure of how much he really wanted to know. Would it only bother him more?

He hated that this guy seemed to have such control over Kendall, and maybe not even conscious control. He just had the blond completely wrapped around his little finger; that didn't happen often in Kendall's relationships and it never took a genius to notice it. Something about this guy was apparently so terribly special, and James just didn't understand it.

Right now, miraculously, it was after school and Kendall was with them at the house. He'd only talked with Jett briefly, for maybe twenty minutes or so, before following the others back home. Brooke had laid out a small oven pizza on a plate in the middle of the table for them, and they all took their slice, munching on it appreciatively. Even Kendall. "It's nice to actually see your face at this time of day, you know,' Carlos teased him, "we haven't seen much of you lately."

"Oh." Kendall's cheeks flushed. "Well, yeah."

"It's good to know you feel some amount of self-control, and no longer need to be in King Jett's presence for half the day," James added somewhat bitterly. Carlos rolled his eyes at him.

"Jett invited me to go out with him tomorrow night, actually," Kendall said casually as he nibbled his pizza slice delicately. "One of his friends is having a party and he suggested we go together."

"What's this about a party?" Brooke enquired, walking back into the room. Kendall's cheeks flushed. "Well?"

"Kendall's going to a party with his boyfriend Jett," Carlos answered for him, sounding bored with the whole situation.

"Oh really." Brooke folded her arms, eyebrows raised. "Tell me about Jett, Kendall. And you'd better tell me the truth because you know I'll get it out of these three euther way." She gestured to James, Carlos and Logan, who sat and munched their snack innocently.

Kendall sighed, wringing his fingers. "Well, um . . . I met him about two weeks ago, we've met up almost every day since. He lives at the end of the estate, near the apartment blocks . . ."

"And?"

"He's . . ." Kendall cleared his throat. "He's twenty . . ."

"Three years ago," Carlos clarified, smirking at Kendall and giving James a subtle smile. James smiled gratefully back at him. Kendall scowled.

"I see." Brooke looked unimpressed. "This friend who's throwing the party. Have you met him?"

"No."

"Do you know anything about him?"

"Not really . . ."

"Well then." Brooke beamed at him, snatching a stray pepperoni slice off the plate and popping it into her mouth. "It's settled. You're not going."

"Mom!" Kendall was outraged. "Come on, this is so unfair! I went to parties back in Palmwoods and you never said shit!"

"Correction, I did say plenty, you just ignored me. However, I didn't forbid you. This time I am. You're not going to a party full of strangers in their twenties, I'm just not allowing it."

"I already told him I'd go," Kendall pleaded.

"Well, now you can tell him you're not. Sorry, sweetie." She ruffled his hair. "It's for your own good."

Kendall sighed mournfully, folding his arms. Brooke left the room, calling that she was going to take a shower and not to break anything in the meantime. Kendall glared at Carlos. "Thanks a lot."

"It's like she said," Carlos shrugged, finishing off his pizza. "It's for your own good. You'll thank me later."

"I will not!" Kendall got up and stormed out, swears and rants echoing through the hallway as he disappeared upstairs. Another door slamming. Carlos gave a long, mournful sigh. Then he shrugged and snatched Kendall's unfinished food from his plate, gobbling it up. "Oh well."

"Bye, boys," Brooke said, kissing all of their heads in turn on Saturday evening, even Logan's. "I'll be back around twelve. There's leftovers for dinner in the fridge. Be good!" And off she went, shutting the door behind her.

Kendall went back to reading, looking bored with life and everyone else in it. For some short duration of the evening he conversed with them, ate a bit of dinner with them, laughed with them. But he seemed to get fed up with that fairly quickly. "I'm going upstairs," Kendall announced, getting up from the living room couch. The others' attention was barely moved from the TV. "Gonna take a shower." He went off upstairs.

Logan stared blankly at the television screen. "This show is so dumb, what even is this?"

Carlos just shrugged, staring harder at it.

"Ay idea where my book is?" Logan asked them. "You know, the one on medical history of America? Guys!"

"No," they both replied dully. "Go look in your room," James added, eyes and mouth opening wide as something supposedly amazing happened on screen. "What the fuck is that!"

Logan sighed and left the room. "Neanderthals," he mumbled crossly, going upstairs.

Then he walked into his and Kendall's room and stopped, eyes wide. "Hey."

Kendall looked up, startled. Logan had expected to hear the shower running as he passed the bathroom and had been mildly suspicious when he didn't. Now he saw Kendall on the bed, holding a little mirror in front of him as he brushed his blond hair into place. He had a little eyeliner perfectly applied, dressed in tight black shorts and an equally tight white v-neck, boots on his feet. He wore Jett's leather jacket, again. He was more than a little suspicious. "You're sneaking out."

Kendall stood up defiantly, putting the mirror down and stepping over to Logan. "So what if I am?"

Logan gulped. He didn't like to admit that Kendall sometims made him a little nervous when he got stubborn about something. James and Carlos' height on comparison to him was never hugely intimidating. He'd never really been put off by them. But Kendall's little inch extra made a whole lot of difference. "So what if I tell Carlos and James and they tie you down?" he retorted, folding arms. "Suck it, blondie."

Kendall just laughed, shaking his head a little. "No, no. You won't tell."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because if you do," Kendall was suddenly much too close to him. His breath smelt very minty, and Logan suspected he was chewing gum as usual. Why was he focusing on that of all things?! "You know what's gonna happen to all your stuff?" He gestured to Logan's shelf; the books, photo albums from when he was a kid, old Christmas and birthday presents he'd been given by his mother. "I'm gonna take it all and burn it. Got it?"

"I-I can hide it—"

"I can find it. It's a small house, squirt. Trust me on this." Kendall pushed Logan aside and stepped towards the door, glancing back over his shoulder. "Now, let's try this again." He smiled sweetly. "You won't tell, will you?"

Logan glared at him. Then he turned and glanced at his shelf of prized possessions. He bit his lip. "N-no . . ."

"That's better."

"But you have to promise you'll be home before twelve," Logan added hastily. "I can't cover for you when Brooke gets home, you know that."

"Whatever." Kendall chuckled. "There's way too many references to me as Cinderella lately. I'd tell James about this one, but . . ." He smirked. "Thanks, Logie!" And off he went.

Logan sighed resignedly, watching him tiptoe down the stairs and following him with much less cautious footsteps. Kendall snuck off to the kitchen and towards the back door. Logan opened the sitting room door, going in and sitting back down. "I couldn't find it," he sighed. "Oh well, I'm sure it's up there somewhere." He turned his attention to the television and sat back, cold dread in the pit of his stomach. But as long as Kendall was home before Brooke, nothing could go wrong. James and Carlos didn't question Kendall's absence, assuming he was sulking upstairs.

Time passed. Logan glanced at his watch every now and again, telling himself to keep calm. Carlos went out to the kitchen to get a snack. It was very late.

Carlos walked back into the living room slowly, a frown on his face. "Carlos, you okay?" James said, glancing sideways at him. Logan avoided his gaze and stared hard at the television screen.

"We normally keep the key for the back door on the shelf by the plates, right?" Carlos asked. Logan's eye twitched.

"Yeah, always. Why?"

"It was in the door. And I checked, it's unlocked." Carlos folded his arms. Logan swallowed nervously. "Do you think . . .?"

James' eyes widened and he sat up. "Fuck."

"Logan." Logan looked up, sweating. Carlos was staring down at him. "If I go upstairs and search for Kendall, am I going to find him?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Logan replied and smiled nervously. "How w-would I know?"

"Logan."

"Okay, fine!" Logan covered his face. "He snuck out, alright! He got all dressed up and snuck out the back door!"

"You knew and you didn't tell us?!" James yelled at him, hand tugging at his hair in distress. "Are you crazy?! It's almost twelve, he's been gone for hours!"

"It's a party, of course he is . . ."

"Logan!"

"He threatened to burn everything," Logan wailed dismally. "All my stuff, my books and my photos and everything, he said he'd wreck it all if I ratted him out! I'm s-sorry!"

"Hey, hey." Carlos gave him a brief hug and patted the howling Logan on the back a little awkwardly. "He wouldn't do that, Loges . . . I don't think so. I mean, he's a total bitch but he's not evil."

Logan sniffled, drying his eyes. I'm sorry . . ."

Carlos looked yo at James, who sighed huffily. "It's okay, I guess," he muttered. "Look, we have to go and get him right now. Forget about being in trouble with Mom or whatever, he could need our help. And even if he doesn't, he's gonna be grounded for eternity." James grabbed the spare key for the front door. "Carlos, go lock the back door. Let's get going. "He grabbed his blue striped hoodie and put it on, zipping it up. He knew it'd be chilly out. Logan put on his jacket, hands trembling slighlty. When Carlos returned he did the same thing, but without fear. James locked the door securely behind them and they marched off into the cold, and because of the lack of working street laps, dark night.

"He said it was at the end, near the apartment blocks," James said as they walked, looking at Carlos. "You were there, right? You know where it is?"

Carlos nodded and led the way. However, within a mere couple of minutes, it became no mystery as to where the party was. They could hear the music from where they were and couldn't even see the place yet.

When they got there, the music was already giving James a bit of a headache. He spotted someone lying on the front lawn, snoring. Another two were nearby, rolling around and moaning as they kissed each other sloppily. Empty bottles and cans and red cups littered the grass. "I don't wanna go in there," Logan admitted at last, gripping Carlos' arm.

"Neither do I," James replied. Then he marched forward and stormed in through the front door, the music instantly becoming deafening. He smelled alcohol and pot and vomit and felt dizzy. People were laughing all around him, some chattering in slurred sentences that didn't make much sense. Others were making out or grinding against each other, mildly in time with the music. He rolled his eyes and the three stood huddled together in their small space of hallway. "We'll search downstairs first," he instructed. "I'll look in the living room, Logan can check the kitchen and Carlos can go out to the backyard. Come back here when you're done." And off he went with determined strides.

The living room was totally packed; James had to squeeze himself in between two girls who were swaying their hips erotically and waving their bottles of beer in the air. He suddenly spotted Jett, slouched back in an armchair with a girl by his head, breasts practically bouncing off his cheeks she was leaning so close to him. He had a blunt balanced between his lips. He wasn't wearing a shirt. James stormed over to him. "Jett!"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Kendall?"

"Who?"

"Kendall!" James grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Your boyfriend, you fucker!"

"Ohh, him." Jett grinned, chuckling. "Man, he's sexy. Isn't he sexy?"

"Yeah, very. Where is he?"

"He gives a great handjob—"

"Where is he?!"

"Oh." Jett slouched back, shutting. "I dunno." The girl pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek. He grinned. James growled and stormed out of the room, back into the hallway. Logan was already there, and a few seconds later Carlos appeared too.

"No luck?" James shouted to them over the music. They both shook heir heads. "Okay. Let's look upstairs, he must be there."

They made their way upstairs past some drunken stragglers and into the hallway. The lights were switched off upstairs, a few couples huddled on the floor. Logan stood nervously in the middle, glancing at the doors of the hallway. "Do we really have to open the doors? I know I'm gonna be grossed out by the inhabitants of at least one."

"Don't be such a prude," Carlos snapped, throwing open the first door. It was the bathroom; someone was vomiting into the toilet, someone else's evidence of bad aim splattered on the floor all around them. It wasn't Kendall. They shut the door. Carlos opened the next one and saw two girls and a guy rolling around on the bed, all totally naked. He rolled his eyes, glancing around the room. "Nope." He shut the door again.

He opened the third door and peered inside. No couples on the bed. But the room reeked of alcohol and, more strongly, sex. "Guys, he's in here." The three hurried inside and shut the door after them, blocking the music out just a little. Kendall was curled up on the bed, blanket wrapped around him. He looked to be asleep, but when the three made their way closer to him he owned his eyes suddenly, looking up and blinking at them. He had a busted lip, and red marks of hands on his neck, arms and thighs, the blanket only feebly wrapped around his middle. His eyes were unfocused. His clothes were scattered on the floor, his shirt torn. His socks were still on his feet, and James could only stare at them a little numbly for a few seconds.

"Guys." Kendall's voice was hoarse. He blinked sleepily at them, trying to sit up. "How'd you know I was here?" he slurred, arms twitching feebly.

"Jesus, Kendall," Carlos said in disgust, lifting him into a siting position and pulling him to the edge of the bed. "What did they give you?"

Kendall shrugged, breathing hard. He scrunched his face up and looked as though he was trying to remember. "Okay, new question. Who did this?"

Kendall looked up at the three or them, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. Then he lifted a hand and weakly pointed to the bedside table. There was a phone there. It wasn't Kendall's, James realised as he picked it up. Kendall didn't have a smartphone. He checked to see the most recent apps used, and saw camera. He clicked into it and went to the camera roll, seeing a video had been taken. "What is it?" Logan asked, looking over his shoulder. Carlos did the same on his other side. James swallowed nervously and clicked play.

Instantly the room was filled with the sound of loud masculine laughter and some appreciative moans. The camera was held in a shaky hand, held above Kendall's body. He was lying spread-eagled on the bed, hands above his head as one of the guys gripped them tightly in his hands. He was rolling his naked hips against Kendall's cheek, but the blond's mouth was turned away from him to another boy at the other side of his head, who was gripping him hard by the neck and shoving his dick between his lips, moaning. Kendall's eyelids were drooped, his chest heaving. James noticed the faint strain in his arms as he tried to struggle. He felt nauseous. "Hey, come on, give me a turn!" the camerman laughed, the picture shifting past Kendall's mid-section — where two more shafts were sliding through his hands — to where the man at the end was slamming into him and grunting, nails gripping his pale thighs, tearing them. The voice was Jett's.

The three boys' attention was diverted from this little homemade porno when they heard retching and saw Kendall throwing up all over the floor, effectively destroying Jett's leather jacket. He shivered, tugging the blanket tighter around him and wiping at his chest. James saw faint little droplets of white and shuddered.

"That's disgusting," Logan choked, eyes still focused on the iPhone screen in a kind of numb horror. James glanced back to see Jett had handed the camera to the man by Kendall's head so there was a full view of him sliding in. But the camera tilted down to show Kendall's face, the faint shine of tears on his cheeks and the choked sounds he was making as the man squeezed his neck tighter and thrust harder against him. James clicked the trash can icon and erased it immediately, feeling his hands shake,violently. He glanced at the camera roll and saw photos; one of Kendall lying on the bed looking dazed, only wearing his shorts and one of Jett's friends hovering above him and unbuttoning his jeans. He deleted those too and tossed the phone onto the floor.

"Those were the guys," Carlos said to him a little numbly. "The ones that got me . . ."

Kendall looked as though he might throw up again. He looked up at them with that unfocused gaze and blinked a few times, coughing and frowning. "Let's get him out of here," James decided quickly, reaching down to the floor and grabbing Kendall's shorts. He had no idea where Kendall's underwear was or if he'd even worn any but he didn't care. He slid them up Kendall's legs, going slower on his thighs so as not to hurt him. Kendall bit his bleeding lip hard and whimpered a little, clutching onto him. "Here you go," Logan said softly and gently, putting Kendall's boots on for him. "More Cinderella references to add for you, Blondie."

Kendall gave a weak smile and a laugh, hiccuping at the end. "He's got no shirt," Carlos said to the two of them, frowning.

"He can have my hoodie," James suggested, taking it off and putting it on Kendall's smaller frame. "It zips up all the way." He zipped it up and covered Kendall's torso and arms. The sleeves were a little long and the end of it slipped down past his hips, but he looked cosy. However, this wasn't how he'd pictured it at all. He helped Kendall to his feet. "You can walk?"

Kendall just shrugged, and they led him out of the room and down the stairs. He had a little trouble with those, stumbling in his drugged up state, but James scooped him up and carried him down the rest of the way, before placing him back on the ground floor. "Guys," Logan called worriedly over the music. "I hear sirens." Suddenly in the hallway, there was one of the men, laughing and waving his red cup around. "Hey sexy, there you are!" he roared, making a move to touch Kendall's shoulder. Kendall let out a wild scream and stumbled backwards, crashing into Logan and falling against the wall. Carlos punched the man in the jaw and knocked him flat. "Let's get out of here," he said, clearing a path to the door and hurrying them all out. James could heard the police sirens getting louder as they made their way down the path and onto the sidewalk. Kendall stumbled after them slowly, but they held him up for support and made their way steadily away from the house. The music began to get quieter.

None of them knew quite what to say. Eventually Logan muttered a little awkwardly, "I didn't mean to rat you out, Kendall. I was just worried."

Kendall shook his head, mouth opening but only a little squeak came out. He coughed and them managed to utter a few weak words. "You were right to. I was stupid." As they walked a little more, he said a little more. "Naive. You were right all along." Another few steps. "I'm sorry." A weak whisper, and yet it had the biggest impact on them all. James wanted to sob and hug Kendall and tell him he'd be okay. But he kept supporting him quietly and kept walking. Eventually Carlos said, "it's okay, Kendall. We all make mistakes."

Kendall gave him a watery smile.

Brooke was waiting for them when they got back, looming up from the couch and appearing much taller and bigger when they walked in. "Boys!" she shrieked, face red. "Where on earth were you?! Do you know how worried I was when I came home and found you all gone?"

"We went to get Kendall," James told her. He hated of course, to be the one to tell. But it didn't take a genius to figure out they hadn't exactly gone on a trip to the library. The smell of alcohol stuck to the thin fabric of his t-shirt.

"Went to get Kendall." Brooke turned to face Kendall, glaring at him. "I expect better from you! I told you you couldn't go!"

Kendall hung his head.

"You deliberately disobeyed me, Kendall. I'm really disappointed in you. And angry." She folded her arms, huffing. "Alright, go upstairs to bed right now! You are grounded for three weeks, that means straight home from school every day, no going out with the others, no going out with your boyfriend, no going out alone, no going out period! Got it?!"

Any other time, James was sure there would've been a bloody massacre over this punishment. Brooke was clearly expecting it, chest puffed out, ready to take him on in a fight to the death if necessary, but Kendall just nodded and slumped upstairs, footsteps so much quieter than usual. Brooke gave the boys a puzzled look. "It's been a long night," Carlos told her, before going upstairs too. James and Logan followed, and they heard her switching off the lights and going upstairs too.

"Well," Logan said at last as they stood in the hallway. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight, Logan," they both replied, watching as Logan disappeared into his and Kendall's bedroom and shut the door, before heading into their own.