Gordie was hurrying to get the last of his books shoved into his locker so that he could meet Vern to go sleep over at his house when he felt himself be embraced by two strong arms around the waist and pulled up against a firm chest.

"Eep! Chris!" Gordie exclaimed, trying to twist around in his arms.

"No, don't, this is nice" Chris whispered against his ear.

Gordie felt a shiver run up his spine "Stop," he said without conviction, "anyone could see".

"Gordie, there's about two kids left in the whole building, you're so slow, you're like a crossbreed between a snail and turtle" Chris said with a chuckle.

"Hey! I resent that! I think I'm at least a cute little sloth!" Gordie said, trying to sound offended.

"Oh, I didn't mean looks. You're past cute to downright edible. Especially in this shirt, which, might I add, brings out the color of your eyes" Chris retorted

Gordie looked down at his shirt, then looked back at Chris with a dumbfounded look on his face, "Chris, you've seen this shirt like five million times"

"Yeah, but then I couldn't do this." Chris said, then proceeded to bite Gordies earlobe.

"Aaah!" Gordie said, jerking out of Chris arms "Chris! Somebody's gonna see!"

"I'm watching, give me some credit. It's you're fault." Chris said calmly.

"How is it my fault you can't keep it in your pants?" Gordie asked.

Chris raised an eyebrow in answer, giving Gordie a look that said he knew the answer.

"Shut up. You are such a perv." Gordie said with a shake of his head.

"I know." Chris said in a significant way. "But seriously, doesn't your dad work late tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I was thinking since it's Friday night, I could come over and we could eat a bunch of junk food, watch cheesy horror movies, and make out on the floor like idiots." Chris said with a huge grin.

"Sounds great…" Gordie paused, and then, noticing Chris grin widening, bit his lip "only…I can't"

"Well fuck, why" Chris asked, sounding more than a little disappointed.

"I already made plans to spend the night with Vern"

"Well, can't you just…I don't know…reschedule? I haven't seen you all week." Chris asked hopefully.

"I can't Chris, that would be really harsh. And besides, I like spending time with Verno, he helped me through a rough time." Gordie explained.

"Yeah, me" Chris said sadly.

"Hey! You could come too! It would be fun! No making out, but the rest of it'll happen, and at least we'll get to spend time togtether, right?" Gordie suggested, giving Chris a huge grin.

"I don't know…" Chris said, sounding uncharacteristically unsure.

"Aw, come on. You know Vern won't mind, his number one motto is 'the more the merrier'"

"I guess…yeah, okay, it'll be fun." Chris said, getting over his disappointment.

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Gordie and Chris approached Vern, who was waiting for them right by the door of the school.

"Hey, Vern, is it okay if Chris comes over tonight too?"

"Sure. Hey! That's great, there's a lot more three player games than there are two player!"

"Yup, there sure are Vern."

"Aw, man, this is gonna be so much fun, we can play cards, and truth or dare, and…" Vern rambled and Chris, Gordie, and he walked out of the building.

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"I can not believe I am actually playing this lame assed game" Chris said dramatically.

"Shut the fuck up and pick" Vern said.

"Truth" Chris said boredly.

"Pussy"

"Shut up and ask a damn question"

"What happened between you and Gordie?" Vern asked, all amusement gone from his voice.

"What do you mean?" Chris asked, trying to play dumb.

"I mean, as much as I liked that he trusted me, he shouldn't have had to talk to me about his dad, and wouldn't have if you two hadn't been fighting. And don't bullshit me, either, Chris." Vern said, looking Chris dead in the eye.

"We were just um… fighting…over some stupid personal shit." Chris said, embarrassed.

"That's a sucky ass answer Chambers!"

"Well, it's all you're gonna get."

"Whatever, fine. Go." Vern said, pouting.

"Umm…Vern." Chris said, hoping he could get him not to sulk.

"Truth"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"What? Are you kidding? I don't wanna be tied down! My turn again. Umm…Gordie"

Gordie thought for a second "Dare"

Vern got an evil glint in his eye "I dare you to kiss Chris"

"What!" Chris shrieked, shocked.

Gordie looked hard at Vern, then realized that he knew something was up but didn't seem upset. Gordie decided to take a huge chance and when Chris turned his cheek torward him, he grasped his chin and turn his head to face him. He looked at him for a split second and then kissed him passionately, forcing his tongue between his lips and grasping fistfuls of his hair. When they pulled apart, slightly out of breath, Gordie looked and Vern and saw a shocked look on his face.

"Well…" Vern said.

"Yup" Gordie said awkwardly.

"So you two are…"Vern trailed off.

"Yeah" Chris said, realizing he knew.

"How long?" Vern asked.

"Well, we got together a little bit before the whole fight and we've been more serious since the fight." Gordie explained as best he could.

"That makes sense. The fight probably had something to do with you getting together" Vern said, thinking aloud.

"You don't care?" Chris asked.

"Well, I've always kind of suspected about you two. And as long as you're happy, I don't see why it matters. I never did see why it was such a big deal. Just leaves more girls for me as far as I'm concerned." Vern said with a good-natured smile.

Suddenly, Vern found himself on the receiving end of a tight bear hug from Gordie. He was just about to comment on the lack of oxygen to his brain killing his last brain cell when he felt Chris giving him a much softer hug from behind and gave up, hugging his two friends back.

"So you really don't care?" Chris asked in an amazed voice one they finally let go of each other.

"Naw. I mean, I'd rather you be together and be happy than be with some girl you don't care about and be unhappy. Plus you two are perfect for each other, why should you be apart because neither of you have boobs?" Vern asked logically.

"Wow, you're amazing, do you know that Vern?" Gordie asked.

"Because I'm not a homophobic asshole? " Vern asked incredulously.

"Because you accept people as they are, no questions asked, and that's a rare quality" Chris said sincerely.

"What was I supposed to do, run screaming from the room and never talk to you again?" Vern asked.

"A lot of people would Vern" Chris said pointedly, amazed that Vern was unaware of that.

"Well, I guess that's why you're friends with me and not them, huh?" Vern asked, patting Chris' shoulder affectionately.

"Yeah it is" Chris said, still slightly in shock, he had never dared to dream that any of his friends would be supportive. Who would've thought? Vern of all people. Chris sighed inwardly, regretting all the cracks he had made about Vern in the past.

"I wouldn't be to sure about that" Gordie said suddenly with a sad look on his face.

"Huh?" Vern asked.

"I wouldn't be so sure we're not friends with them." Gordie clarified.

"Would you mind explaining what the hell you are talking about hon?" Chris ventured

"Teddy" was all Gordie said.

A/N: Okay, guys, I did it, I fiiinally updated!! Im so so so so soo sorry it took so long and that there have been such big gaps between the last few . I really appreciate all of you who have stuck with me through all this and continued giving me praise!! I also appreciate those of you like Genuine who are nice but don't hold back from telling me when something is…shall we say…less than perfect. ::cough cough:: It helps me to improve without bashing my confidence. But I'm a sucker for ALL reviews, I like to print them out and roll around in them like Scrooge Mcduck!! :p I should warn you though, the next chapter is the last Eek!! I don't want to be one of those ppl who continue with a story after they should have ended it until they kill it and ruin the happiness that it was. Question: do y'all want me to do a page of responses to all of you?? I feel like I haven't responded to you properly and I want you all to know that I read each and every one of them and I love them all. (even the short ones that just say update!) Like, seriously y'all, it's almost sad… I have a file at me e-mail account where I've saved all of them…and I freak out every single time I get one and get a review!! I mean, I don't know about y'all, but to me the whole point of writing is the response I get. Ex: Right in the beginning, I was babysitting next door and they didn't have a phone, so my sister CAME OVER just to tell me that I got two reviews. The rest of the night I kept wondering what they said, and if they had had a phone, I would have called my sis and had her read them to me…it really is quite sad, I know. So anyway baaaack to the point…do y'all want a response page?? I kinda think it would be neat to do, but I know that it gets on a LOT of people's nerves, so if you don't want one, just let me know and I won't. But none of that matters quite yet, because there IS one more chapter. I was just letting y'all know now so that I wouldn't need to ruin the affect of the ending with this huge freakin rant that I'm sure lots of you didn't even read…I cant possibly imagine why!! ::cough cough:: okay…I'm done…I'm leaving…BYE!!