Propositions By: Jesse Drache

Disclaimers: I don't own Ephram, Colin, Bright or any other characters you might recognize, I'm just borrowing them for my amusement. So don't sue me.

Warning: This is Ephram/Bright/Colin slash; if you don't like it, don't read it.

Rating: PG-13 but will get up to NC-17 in the future.

Chapter 3: Cabin by the Lake

Ephram sat pressed against the car window in the cramped cabin of Bright's red truck.

Unsuccessfully he attempted to ignore Colin's proximity but found himself rubbing against the other boy every few minutes. 

Silently he begged God for the ride to be over soon, he was tired of making mindless small talk with Colin and Bright, while Amy sat uncomfortably between her brother and her boyfriend. 

He let out a relieved sigh when Bright turned the car down a small, overgrown road and came to a stop beside a small cottage. 

As soon as the engine was off, Ephram opened the door and jumped out, glad to finally be out of the cramped car. 

He watched as Colin, Amy, and Bright also got out of the car, not catching the questioning look they gave one another at his apparent need to get out of the car. 

"Do you remember the last time we were up here?" he overheard Amy say to Colin and for a moment, Ephram felt sympathy towards Colin. 

He had spent the last few weeks watching everyone prod and poke at Colin's mind in hopes that they would be able to squeeze out a few memories from him.  It almost made him sad to imagine what it would be like to be surrounded by complete strangers, each with their own set of expectations.  But almost as fast as the sympathy had come, it was gone. 

It had been erased by the picture of Amy affirming Colin that he would remember and reaching up to kiss him softly. 

"Come on, let's go swimming," Bright said, seeing Ephram's murderous gaze and interrupting their kiss by throwing a towel at Amy. 

***

"Hey," Bright said, sitting down next to Ephram on the couch. 

"Hey," Ephram retorted continuing to look past Bright and out the window. 

"Look, when we get out to the lake, don't go in the water." 

"Why?  Is there some big crocodile out there waiting to eat me or something?"  Ephram sarcastically, still not looking at Bright. 

"No, but Amy never goes out to swim, she always stays on the shore getting some sun.  It'll give you a chance to talk to her alone.  Plus from the looks of it, you could use some sun."  Bright teased.

"Oh," was Ephram's only reply. 

***

Ephram and Amy lounged on a pair of beach towels by the side of the lake. 

Amy was stretched out, attempting to expose as much skin to the sun as possible while Ephram sat beside her in his bathing suit.

Occasionally he would give Amy a furtive glance, but mostly he just sat and took in the scenery.

At first he had tried to talk to Amy about school or her life, but it had all led back to Colin. 

After a while, Ephram had stopped listening, and Amy had stopped talking.

She seemed to be content to sit in silence and get a tan. 

Ephram's attention was distracted from Amy by the sound of laughing coming from the lake.

He turned and gazed at the opposite shore where Bright and Colin where horsing around by a small dock.

Ephram watched as Colin and Bright threw one another into the water and attempted to push each other under. 

Ephram wished that he could be out there hanging out with them instead of sitting on the shore with Amy, and the realization was more than slightly troublesome.

***