Sammy's POV
"Come on John,"I yelled,"We're gonna be late!"
John came into the living room.
"We're just going to her grandparent's house,"John said,"Calm down."
John, Brian and I got into the car. Andy let us borrow his car.
"Where's Andy and his parents,"John asked.
"Wrestling meet,"I said.
That was a lie. Andy and his parents, along with Claire and Allison, were all at Claire's Grandparent's house. Claire and I had planned a suprise party for John's 18th birthday. When we got to the house, John walked in first, everyone jumped up and greeted him. John had a playful smirk on his face. He looked back at me.
"Did you plan this,"John asked.
"Kind of,"I said,and pointed to Claire,"I can't take all the credit."
Claire hugged John, kissing him on the cheek.
"Happy birthday John,"Claire said.
"Yeah,happy birthday John,"I said.
John hugged me.
"I love you sis,"He said,"Love you too Claire."
"Love you too John,"Claire and I said.
I held Brian's hand tightly. I sat on a plush couch with Brian.
"What's on your mind, Sammy,"Brian asked.
What's on MY mind? You are. Why are you still here? Why haven't you left me yet?
"Nothing,"I said,"I was just...remembering that paper John has to fill out. For me to skip a grade."
I half-expected him to see through my lie. Luckily though, he didn't, and simply nodded.
"How'd you do on the elephant,"I asked.
"Huh?"
"The lamp."
"Oh. Yeah. I got a B."
He looked away from me, seemingly dissapointed.
"Did you call your parents,"I asked.
"Yeah,"He said.
"Why,"I asked.
"I wanted them to be proud of me,"He said,"I wanted them to know I wasn't a failure. I wanted them to know it wasn't my fault."
"What happened?"
"They hung up,"He said,"I'm still a failure Sammy. It's all I'll ever be."
"Stop torturing yourself Brian,"I said.
He looked at me and nodded.
"I wasn't scared Brian,"I said.
"When,"He asked.
"When we were in my room,"I said,"I wasn't scared. I felt safe, protected."
"That's good,"He said.
"Brian, I've been so afraid to date anyone. So afraid to get close. I didn't want to get hurt again. I wouldn't let it happen again. There was a wall. I built a wall, to protect myself."
"We all have walls to protect ourselves,"He said.
"I know. And you broke mine down."
He could leave at any second. Brian doesn't know my heart is broken. What will he do when he finds out? Will he leave? Or is he going to fix the peices?
"Hey,"Andy said as he walked to us,"Time for cake."
I looked at Brian and smirked.
"Don't even think about it,"Andy said,"There will be no cake taco, or ice cream taco."
"There's ice cream,"I asked.
Brian, Andy and I joined everyone at the table, where Claire's grandmother was cutting the cake. John got the first peice. I snuck up behind John, giving everyone the shh signal and shoved his face into his cake slice. John wiped his face off and turned around.
"Come here,"He joked, grabbing me.
He wiped the cake icing on his hands onto my face.
"That's better,"He joked.
We all laughed. John went back to eating his cake, getting a scoop of ice cream. The table in the kitchen was large, at least ten seats. Everyone sat at the table, except Brian and I. We got our cake slice and ice cream and snuck off to the plush couch. I ate my ice cream first.
"Know what we should do,"I asked.
"What,"Brian asked.
"Feed each other cake,"I said,"Like in weddings."
He smiled and took the fork, scooping a forkful, and pointing it near me.
"Open,"He said.
I opened my mouth, taking the bite of cake. I repeated the process with him. We did that untill the cake was gone. Brian ate his mostly melted ice cream scoop. We took the plates back in the kitchen. John and Claire were at the table. Everyone else had went to the living room to mingle.
"Where'd you two go,"John asked.
"Sitting on the couch,"I said.
John nodded.
"We're opening presents soon,"Claire said.
"Ohh..what'd you get me,"John asked.
John looked up at Claire, who kissed him on the lips.
"You'll just have to see,"Claire said.
We opened the presents in the living room. Andy gave John a card with a hundred dollars.
"You're hard to shop for,"Andy said.
John opened his next present, from Andy's parents. It included an address.
"What's this,"John asked.
"Your new apartment,"Kim said,"It's a house actually. Your first months rent is already paid for. Only five hundred a month."
"Is it a.."John started.
"It's a great house,"Kim said,"In a good neighboorhood. You can move in in the next couple weeks."
"I..I..thank you,"John's face lit up.
John ran and hugged Kim and Rick. John was crying, tears of happiness. He opened his next gift, from Allison. A pair of leather gloves. John thanked her and went to the next gift, from Brian.
"What'd you get him,"I whispered to Brian.
"Walkman,"Brian whispered.
John opened the present. There was a card.
"'I told you I forgave you, Brian Johnson',"John read the card,"Sweet."
"And now,"John said,"For Sammy's gift. Drum roll please."
Drum roll...John opened the gift, pulling out a genuine leather jacket.
"Sammy.."He said.
"It's not an apartment or a walkman but.."I started.
He put on the jacket.
"I love it,"He exclaimed.
"A gift for you,"I said,"Courtesy of me, and Claire."
I smiled. John hugged me.
I didn't tell him that Claire had sold her tennis bracelet to pay for the three hundred dollar leather jacket. I'd went with her to the pawn shop, pleading with her not to sell the bracelet. She told me that it didn't mean anything to her, just a bracelet her parents got for her.

Brian's POV
We went back to Andy's house after the party was over.
"Hey Brian,"John said,"I need to talk to you."
He knows. I went into the kitchen with him. He knows..I don't know how, but he knows...
"Thanks for the walkman,"John said.
"Yeah,"I said,"No problem."
He patted me on the back. I sighed with relief. I went back to the couch, putting up my feet and flipping on the tv. That night, I slept in Sammy's room. Apparently,John trusted me that much.
"He knows,"I whispered to Sammy.
"What do you mean he knows,"Sammy whispered,"How?"
"I don't know,"I said,"I just have this feeling."
"Good night Brian,"She said.
"Nite Sammy,"I said.

John's POV
Claire lied next to me in bed.
"Hey Claire,"I asked.
"Yeah John,"She asked.
"Do you think Brian and Sammy have.."I started.
"Probably not,"Claire said,"Sammy's afraid of intimacy..well sort of."
"Yeah, you're probably right,"I said.