"I really don't like the thought of leaving the two of you on your own," Lainie says, as her husband helps her into her coat. "Are you sure you're going to be fine?"

"Mom, seriously? What do you think is going to happen?" Clay asks, but as soon as the words have left his mouth, and he sees the grin forming on Justin's face, he realizes that he really doesn't want his mother to answer that question.

"They'll be fine," Matt says, his wife still not convinced, but when Justin hands her her purse, she sighs.

"Fine. But if anything happens, you call us, okay? I mean it!"

"We will, Mrs. Jensen. Don't worry."

"I left the number…"

"Right, that's it. We're leaving," Matt laughs. "I'm sure they won't burn the house down."

He leads his wife out of the house, and as soon as the door has closed behind them, Justin wraps his arms around Clay's waist, and he pulls him in for a kiss.

"So… looks like we have the house all to ourselves tonight, huh?"

"Can you believe that?" Clay rolls his eyes. "What does she think will happen?"

"Well…"

"Do not answer that!"

The grin on Justin's face grows bigger, before he gives Clay another kiss. But Clay isn't ready to let go of his mother's worries just yet, and as they go up the stairs, he keeps going on and on about it, until they go into their room, and they both spot the items on the desk which definitely had not been there before.

"What the…"

"Holy shit," Justin laughs, when he picks up the box of condoms, before checking out the bottle of lubricant. "Did you get these?"

"No!" Clay says, looking horrified. "I'm pretty sure my parents did."

"Here I was, thinking they were about to kick me out…," Justin chuckles. "Your parents are pretty awesome. You know that, right?"

"It's embarrassing."

"Why?"

"Because… my parents bought me fucking condoms and lube, that's why!" Clay spits out, still looking horrified, but when Justin sets the items down, before pulling his boyfriend into his arms, he seems to relax a little.

"You're cute when you're blushing," Justin whispers, before pressing a kiss onto Clay's neck.

"I'm not…," Clay tries, but when Justin kisses his neck again, he can't help but smile. "Fine. But it's weird, right?"

Justin shrugs, the grin on his face becoming more mischievous by the second.

"What?"

"Seeing as your parents went through the trouble of getting this stuff for us, it'd be a shame not to use it, right?"

"I'm really not sure about this," Alex admits, as he and Zach are about to bleach his hair. "I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to do this at home."

"You're not backing out now, are you?" Zach asks, a knowing look on his face. "Seriously, fuck what they think."

"You know it was even worse when I looked like that, right?"

"I know, I was…"

"There?" Alex suggests. "Watching it happen?"

Alex opens his mouth to apologize for bringing it up again, but Zach stops him, and he gives him a reassuring squeeze in his arm.

"I'm not going to let that happen anymore."

"I don't need you to look out for me. I mean, I guess I do… if you hadn't been there the other week, Monty definitely would have beaten the shit out of me, but… I'm not some pathetic, helpless…"

"I know," Zach quickly says, an uncomfortable look on his face. "I'm not trying to make you do anything, but I hate knowing that you felt like you had to change because of them. I feel guilty, okay? I'm trying to make up for what I did. Or for what I didn't do."

"I know," Alex sighs, as he stares down at the bleach in his hands. "I'm just nervous, I guess."

"I'll do it too, if that helps," Zach suggests, but when he sees the look on Alex's face, he can't help but laugh. "No?"

"I'm not sure if you're taking the piss or not."

"I'm not. I mean, my mom would probably kill me if I show up with bleached hair, but…"

"You'd look ridiculous."

"Thanks!" Zach laughs, but he can tell that Alex is grateful for the offer nonetheless. "Yeah, not all of us can pull off that look."

"I guess we better get this over with, right?"

"Alex?" Jessica asks, a big smile forming on her face when she notices her ex-boyfriend coming into the hallway the next morning. "You look amazing!"

"Thanks?"

"I told him, but he doesn't want to hear it." Zach shrugs, the smile on Jessica's face only growing bigger when she notices the blush on Alex's face.

"I almost regret dumping you now!"

"Fuck off, Jess," Alex laughs uncomfortably, but he can't deny that her compliment makes him feel at least a little bit more comfortable. Still he knows that as soon as Bryce and his friends will notice him, they will point out his new, or rather his old look, and he has been dreading it all morning.

"You really do look great," Jessica says, when she sees his hands shaking as they turn the corner. "By the way, did…"

"You had sex with Justin?!" Hannah asks, so loudly that not only her friends on the other side of the hallway overhear her, but everyone else too.

"Seriously?" Clay rolls his eyes. "Thanks!"

"Sorry, but… oh my god!" Hannah laughs, as their friends join them. "I can't believe you slept with him!"

"I'm pretty sure the entire school heard that," Zach laughs sheepishly, but Hannah just shrugs, completely oblivious to the uncomfortable look on Clay's face. "Where is Justin anyway?"

"Bathroom," Clay sighs, really regretting telling Hannah about last night. But he is still trying to process it, and he thought that talking to Hannah about it would make it seem more real, and it would somehow help. He hadn't counted on the rest of his friends finding out too though. Or the rest of the school, for that matter.

"How was it?"

"Hannah!" Jessica laughs. "Leave him alone. It's none of your business."

"But he…"

"This is why we're not telling anyone about that date yet." Alex rolls his eyes, as he leads Zach away from the others. "I know they mean well, but…"

"You don't want your business announced to the entire school?"

"Exactly."

"We're still on for tomorrow night though, right?"

"Of course," Alex says, actually finding himself smiling at the thought of going out with Zach. But when he hears Monty yelling his name across the hallway, his insides feel like they are getting wrangled up, and the smile quickly leaves his face.

"What the fuck did you do to your hair?" Monty laughs, but before he can even make another comment, Zach has already cut him off.

"Just fuck off, Monty!"

"Whoah, I was just asking your boyfriend what…," Monty begins, but when Zach takes a step towards him, he flinches. He quickly flashes a cocky grin though, not willing to show anyone that he is intimidated by Zach.

"You are really just a pathetic little boy, aren't you?" Alex asks, half-expecting to be punched in the face for making such a comment. But for a split-second he can see the hurt look in Monty's eyes, before he turns around and walks off. "What the fuck just happened?"

"Bryce isn't around, so…" Zach shrugs. "He's not all that tough without his usual audience."

"What? He needs Bryce to hold his hand or something?"

"In a way, I guess. Look, I'm not trying to stick up for Monty, but you heard what Justin said. He's just doing all of this so people won't find out who he really is."

"Yeah, but…"

"Did you ever think that maybe he has a good reason to pretend to be someone else?" Zach asks, and as much as Alex wants to ignore Zach's reasoning, he can't help but wonder what is going on with Monty. What his life must be like outside of school. "I don't think he's doing all of this just to impress Bryce, or to try and stay in his good books. I think there's more to it. Like I said, I'm not saying that what he's doing is okay, but…"

"I know," Alex sighs. "Shit, I'm almost starting to feel sorry for him now."

"I wouldn't go that far," Zach chuckles. "He's still the same asshole who beats the shit out of people, so…"

"Exactly. Almost."

"Are you going out with Zach?" Mrs. Standall asks, as Alex is about to leave the house.

"Yeah, but I'll be back before midnight."

"That's okay. You ehm…"

"I really have to go," Alex quickly says, because he knows what his mother is about to ask, and he is not sure if he is ready for that question just yet. But when she comes up to him, one of those motherly smiles on her face, he knows that there is no getting out of it.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but is this a date?"

"It is. Is that okay?"

"Of course. You have fun tonight." Carolyn smiles, before giving her son a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Alex mumbles, before rushing out of the house, and getting into Zach's car.

"Hey, we…"

"My mom knows."

"Yeah. We already knew that, didn't we?" Zach asks, a confused look on his face, but when Alex stares down at his hands, a blank look on his face, he realizes that there is more to it. "You told her?"

"I guess. She asked me if we were going on a date, and I didn't want to lie to her."

"What did she say?"

"Not much. But if she tells my dad…"

"You don't think he'll accept it?"

"He will. It's just weird, right?" Alex shrugs. "Having to tell your parents you're going out with a guy."

"I wouldn't know," Zach chuckles uncomfortably.

"Your mom doesn't know?"

"I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be here right now if she knew. So I'm putting it off for a little while longer."

"Shit… now it feels like we're sneaking around," Alex laughs. "I guess we better make sure we don't get seen tonight then."

"Yeah, somehow I doubt my mom will be checking out some local indie band tonight," Zach laughs, and when he sees the shy, almost nervous blush on Alex's face, he almost leans in to kiss him. But he still remembers how Alex had told him not to kiss him, not until they had at least been on a date, so instead, he just returns the smile, before starting the car. "Ready?"

"I guess."

Alex had been excited to go out with Zach, but he had also been nervous, not only because it was his first date with a guy, but also because he really wasn't sure what Zach would be like in public, without their friends around. Sure enough, they have had drinks together before, but that was as friends. He simply wasn't sure what to expect from Zach in this different setting, and he was almost expecting him to be distant, embarrassed to be seen with him.

But Zach had been nothing but a gentleman, he had almost been trying a little too hard, but it only made Alex relax, seeing how badly he wanted to get it right. It had made the evening more fun, even if the music turned out to be awful, and they had decided to leave halfway through to go for a drink instead.

"So… do you want to do this again some time?" Zach asks, when Alex is about to leave the car after Zach has dropped him off back home again, that awkward, nervous first-date atmosphere now definitely between them again. Because how are they supposed to say goodbye? Will there be another date? Will there be a kiss?

"Sure." Alex nods, a shy smile on his face. "But maybe next time we just hang out, we don't… you know…"

"Go through that awkward 'calling it a date'-thing?" Zach suggests. "I mean, I'd love to go out again, but maybe not…"

Before Zach can even finish his sentence, Alex has already kissed him, this time nothing holding him back. He still feels a little nervous though, because this is Zach Dempsey we're talking about. But when Zach slides his hand onto his thigh, he knows that he has not messed up. He has not taken things too far, or misread Zach's intentions. But just as they are getting into it, there is a knock on the window, and they quickly move away from each other.

"Hello, Zach," Bill says, a big smile on his face, completely ignoring the embarrassed look on his son's face. "Thank you for getting Alex home safe."

"Dad, I…"

"Was just saying goodbye to Zach?" Bill suggests, trying hard not to laugh, as he watches his son make an awkward apology to Zach, before quickly getting out of the car.

"Sorry," Alex mumbles, as his father walks him into the house, and as soon as the door closes behind him, and he turns to face his father, he expects to be told off. But when he sees the worried look on his father's face, he sighs.

"I know Zach is a good kid, but be careful, okay?"

"We weren't doing drugs, or…"

"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it. I don't want you to get hurt," Bill says, but Alex just nods, not sure what to say. Because he isn't entirely sure if his father is expecting Zach to hurt him, or if he is expecting others to hurt him for going out with Zach. Either way, he doesn't want to have this conversation.

"I'll be fine. Now can I go to my room?"

"Sure." Bill nods, but when Alex is about to walk off, he calls him back. "Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"The ehm…," Bill begins, a little uncomfortable, because he still remembers his own reaction when Alex had first come home with a pierced nose. He points at his nose, and right away Alex covers up his repierced nose, half-expecting to be told to take it out again. But Bill flashes a smile, this time feeling nothing but pride when he looks at his son, who finally looks like himself again. "It looks great."

"Thanks, dad."