CJ watched as Vaughn exchanged greetings with the couple, and waited for a moment to worm in his own, small "Hi." Vaughn nodded at him in acknowledgement, but turned away after.
A small dog resembling a wolf bolted like lightning through the doorway and past Vaughn and Denny. Shea called out in joy as the dog seemed to fly and land straight into his lap.
"My little Ghost, hello! Hello!" The dog licked all over his face, his tail wagging so fast it could power a generator. As soon as Ghost saw CJ sitting next to Shea, however, he leapt straight into his lap. He froze, and stared at the dog begging for attention.
Vaughn noticed and clicked his tongue twice, and Ghost calmed down immediately and jumped down to the floor, where he sat up straight.
CJ allowed himself to exhale.
"This is Ghost, and he's a very good boy," Shea spoke as if he were speaking of his own child. He reached down to scratch the canine under his chin.
"He's cute," CJ said above a whisper. It wasn't a lie, but he was already barely processing what was going on in the first place. Shea motioned to his lap, and Ghost jumped up again, but settled and curled up in his lap. Shea began slowly stroking his fur and turned his attention up to the dog's owner.
"Vaughn, this is CJ, Mark's brother." He looked over at CJ and smiled. Vaughn looked over at CJ, almost like he was waiting for CJ to continue the introduction.
"We've, uh, met before."
Vaughn nodded yes.
"Oh, great!" Shea chirped.
Vaughn and CJ both found other things to look at than each other.
"Hey, Vaughn, I got your drinks in the fridge, hun." Denny broke the awkward silence and motioned toward the refrigerator up against the back wall.
Vaughn nodded again, but grabbed Denny's hand and led him back to the kitchen where the two began talking in hushed tones. CJ couldn't make out a single word, and was beginning to zone out, when he noticed Shea had stood up and there was now a dog-shaped weight in his lap. He quietly picked up where Shea had left off, with a small scratch behind Ghost's ear.

"Wait, what's the problem?" Shea joined in when he reached the pair in the kitchen.
"CJ doesn't know about Vaughn. About any of us. Mark never told him."
"Ma said he went around askin' everyone to not say anythin'." Vaughn slipped a red can out of the fridge and began sipping it.
"Well, do we tell him? He's going to find out eventually." Shea crossed his arms in concern.
"I don't think we should," Denny looked over Shea's shoulder to the unmoving figure on his couch.
"Apparently, he's been through some shit. Dunno if he could handle it." Vaughn said before he started to guzzle the can down.
"Maybe we should call off tonight then, and figure something else out." Denny watched Vaughn as he shotgunned the rest of the drink.
"That's not very fair to CJ," Shea frowned, but stopped and joined Denny at staring. "What are you doing?"
Vaughn finished and crushed the can. "I'll be alright on one can, if ya'll wanna keep him here."
"Are you sure?" Denny took the can from him and threw it in their recycling bin by the stove.
"Yeah, yeah," Vaughn said as he covered his mouth for a moment. A small, sharp pop sounded and he dropped his hand again.
"He seems... very sad, not all there." Shea said as he looked back at CJ, who still had not moved from his position.
"He just came off a date with Elliot." Denny folded his arms and leaned back on the fridge.
"Ew," Vaughn narrowed his eyes.
"So what are we doing tonight?"
The trio all turned to look at CJ in unison, before collectively dropping their gazes to the floor.
"I think I have an idea."

Vaughn placed down a collapsible food and water bowl by the door, and Denny cast a sheet over the bird cage that CJ had somehow not noticed until now.
"You be a good boy, and protect Kuu, okay?" Vaughn said quietly to Ghost as he put some dry food and water out. The dog jumped up to lick his face as confirmation before taking a quick drink. CJ and Shea stood by the door, watching.
"So... where are we going?"
Shea smiled at him. "Have you ever been up the mountain?"
"There's a mountain?"
"Yes, the path up is by the church."
"...There's a church?"
Shea laughed. "Yes, not that anyone uses it anymore."
"Why are we goin' there?"
Shea opened the small backpack he held and whipped out a giant ziploc filled with weed. CJ's eyes bugged out, and Shea laughed again.
"Relax, you don't have to smoke with us. It's mostly just to watch the stars."
"It's very peaceful up there this time of night," Denny chimed in as he and Vaughn gathered at the door. Next thing CJ knew, he was being herded out the door so Denny could lock it.

CJ remained silent for most of the walk, keeping a foot between him and his newfound group. He hadn't really figured out why he was still tagging along, other than the fact that he was lonely as hell. Being around Vaughn was awkward, especially after their exchange earlier in the day, but Vaughn was as quiet as before and was at least mercifully not announcing the incident to Shea and Denny. His hands were firmly sewn into his jeans' pockets, and his eyes to the road below him.
"Hey, CJ!" The group stopped to a halt so fast that he almost rammed into them. Elliot came jogging up to the quartet. "How come you just left? I've been looking for you everywhere!"
CJ turned away and considered running off towards the beach.
"Maybe you should just leave him alone," Denny stepped forward.
"I should have known you ran off with her." Elliot narrowed his eyes and adjusted his glasses. CJ wilted. He decided to make good on his idea and began walking away.
"*Him*", Denny snarled. CJ stopped in his tracks. Vaughn and Shea glanced at each other.
"Oh, whatever. Whatever she wants to be called, I guess."
"And then you wonder why nobody wants to be around you," Denny took another step forward, causing Elliot to shrink back. "You call CJ 'she' one more time and I'll whoop your ass."
"Oh, come on! She even still looks like a girl! I don't get what the big deal is." Shea locked his arms around his boyfriend to hold him back.
"He's more of a man than you'll ever be!" Elliot was aghast, but continued nonetheless.
"Oh, please! You saw the same report everyone else did, she's pretending to be a man! I just wanted to help."
Vaughn looked away from the screaming match to see CJ, kneeling on the ground with his arms wrapped around himself, rocking back and forth. Denny, Elliot, and Shea's voices all faded from his attention and he slowly walked over to the crumpled up man on the ground.
"You okay?"
CJ didn't respond.
Vaughn sat on the side of the road next to him. "Don't blame you."
"Everyone," CJ's hoarse voice creaked, barely above a whisper.
"Hmm?"
"Everyone... saw... that..." CJ's eyes glazed over and he grew completely still.
"I didn't."
CJ took out his phone and after a moment of typing, handed Vaughn his phone to read. It was a news article about the missing persons' report that had aired. Vaughn silently handed the phone back after reading.
"Everyone knows now," CJ finally allowed tears to well in his eyes.
Vaughn folded his arms over his knees and stared ahead. "Don't matter none to me," He said.
They were interrupted by Denny storming over to them, Shea in tow.
"Come on, guys, let's continue our evening." He was obviously still steaming, but Elliot was walking away in the opposite direction and Shea seemed relieved. Vaughn rose to his feet and held his hand down to CJ.