Disclaimer: Still don't own anything...whatever.

A/N: I am updating this as quickly as I see fit. I like the reviews!

Accolades:

Unsolved: Challenging my feelings on the story? No, I'm used to second guessing my writing. It's merely nerves.

Wolfie888: Marco's Italian...he'd naturally be strong-willed. I wrote him as a true Italian (being one myself). I'm happy you like him this way.

SkittlezzChika: Thank you. Your review was awesome. I was grinning like an idiot while reading it. I hope it continues to live up to your expectations.

Adamosguy: The best M&D? Wow! I'm floored. Thanks.

Krinklecut: Hyperness!!!! Yeah!!!! I like exclamation points too!!!

SmoothNCreamy: Thank you so much. I love your stories too.

DegrassiLuver4Ever11: The best Marco/Dylan? Wow! That's the second time I've heard that now...I'm shocked. I hope it continues to please you.

Aisha: Here you go! Hope it keeps you dancing.

Vixen-Dragon16: I'm so happy that you finished it. It means a lot to me because I know how little free time you have right now.

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Chapter Five

It was finally Saturday, the one day Dylan actually looked forward to seeing. Dylan had had an interesting week and it only turned that way in the last three days. He met Marco and now had a very serious crush. He had even kissed him already, granted they were only friends. Dylan was fine with that, for now. He knew he wanted something more but was going to wait for the right time.

Saturdays were Dylan's relaxing day. He had a routine and today was not going to be any different. He got up and got ready to take a run.

"Going for your morning run, Dylan?" Paige asked from her spot on the couch.

"It's Saturday, isn't it?" Dylan asked back. Paige nodded and went back to her TV program. Dylan put on his running shoes and left.

Dylan started running his usual route. Up three blocks to the park, through the park on the jogging trail, another 15 blocks on the other side of the park and then retrace his path back. He had done this every Saturday for the past five years. It helped clear the cobwebs from the week of school and get his thoughts together.

Dylan seemed to have a lot to think about on this run. There was school; he managed to pass his Calculus test with an A. His Biology homework was correct, for once. This brought his thoughts around to Marco.

Marco was enough to occupy his thoughts for the entire run. It started with his looks; all dark and exotic. It's his Italian heritage, the olive skin, dark brown hair that is almost black, and his deep brown eyes. A person could get lost in them. In fact, Dylan had twice now, forgot where he was and what he was doing.

Then Dylan's thoughts drifted to Marco's body. He could feel it when he held him the other night and kissed him. He's solid, even though he is small. His size will help him on the soccer field, make him quicker. His arms are well defined and have strength. Dylan felt it when his arms were around his neck. Dylan knew he'd have fun exploring that body further one day.

Dylan's mind drifted to what put him in the position to feel Marco's body; the kiss. Oh, what a kiss it was. It started by accident but he couldn't seem to help himself. Marco looked ready for it and God knows he was ready. The moment was there and Dylan took it. Besides trying to convince himself it was ok, he thought about the kiss itself. It started hesitantly, very tame. Then Marco responded and it got hotter, more intense. There was an underlying passion in Marco that Dylan hadn't expected to find. It was a first on all accounts for Marco, Dylan knew but he wasn't counting on feeling a few things for the first time himself. It was sweet and innocent but held promise. Oh God, he was starting to sound like Paige.

Next came the thoughts of Marco's intelligence. He seemed to know everything. From classic literature to pop culture, if he was hanging with Paige he needed the knowledge. From the CD collection on Marco's desk, he gathered he had a wide range of taste there too. He saw a few classical CDs, some rock, a few R&B, an opera or two and some jazz. A real renaissance man in Dylan's opinion. Dylan felt that he could learn a lot from the younger boy.

Personality, Marco had enough to spare. He was energetic, almost hyper with an infectious grin. His wit and sarcastic nature brought a whole new level to every conversation they'd had so far. His sense of humor appeared to be limitless. Dylan couldn't remember when he'd laughed so much with one person. Marco had a different spin on things. Dylan found him fascinating and found himself listening to him just to see what would come out of his mouth next. Dylan was feeling hopeless; it had only been three days.

Dylan shook himself out of his reverie and was astonished to see he had almost completed his route. He was nearing the entrance of the park by his house again. He vaguely remembered running in the opposite direction and back again. He had been lost in thought. Oh well, it made the run go by quickly. Dylan slowed down to a slow jog to start his cool down process before returning home. He turned the last corner and ran into the person he least wanted to see.

"We need to talk," the older boy said.

"No, we don't," Dylan replied.

"Please, Dylan. What we had was good, wasn't it," the older teen questioned.

"Charles, it was good until I found out you were fucking some guy in your English class. I don't know how long it was going on and don't tell me. So, I guess the answer would be no, it wasn't good," Dylan responded angrily trying to walk away.

"Dylan, give me five minutes please. I am begging you," pleaded Charles.

"Fine, you have five minutes and then I have my say," Dylan consented. He continued with his cool down by stretching his legs on a nearby bench, "I'm timing you; you might want to start talking."

"When did you get the attitude," questioned Charles nastily.

"About the same time my heart was ripped out from my chest. I guess about three months ago," responded Dylan equally as nasty.

"Whatever. I still love you Dylan. I wanted you to know that. That thing with Mike was superficial. It was all about sex. With you, it was about more. We had a good relationship built from a friendship." Charles was trying to sound sincere but Dylan wasn't buying it.

"I want to give us another try. Will you take me back? Before you answer, I want to make you a few promises. I promise never to break a date for some lame reason like I used to do. I promise not to cheat on you ever. You will know where I am and what I'm doing at all hours of the day. I won't miss any of your games. I will be the perfect boyfriend. What do you say?" Charles was pleading. His eyes almost looked sincere.

"Are you finished?" At Charles' nod, Dylan continued to speak, "I don't believe hell has frozen over yet. For all of your promises, I don't believe any of them. Once a snake, always a snake. Right now, I feel as though I could compare you to the asp that bit Cleopatra." Dylan started to walk away but Charles grabbed his arm.

"I wouldn't recommend that. You might want to remove it before I remove it for you," Dylan said with a threat.

"You wouldn't hurt me," Charles said convincingly.

"Want to leave your hand there and find out," Dylan's gaze had turned ice cold by now. Charles backed off but still wasn't letting him leave.

"Just tell me how I hurt you?" Charles questioned emphatically.

"You seriously did not just ask that?" When Charles looked at him, waiting for an answer Dylan gave an astonished laugh. "You're oblivious about what you did. I can't believe it."

"How about this for starters, you were fucking another guy in the bed that I had just left not even an hour earlier. I walked in and saw you. You didn't even stop. You smiled at me and kept going at it. I loved you. I can't believe I was that stupid. You didn't even call after that. You dropped off the face of the earth until three days ago. You broke my heart. No, actually you shattered it. I didn't think that I would ever feel happy again. I was wrong, thank God. Does that suit you for an answer?" Dylan said, his voiced laced with venom. If looks could kill, Charles would be skeletal.

"No. I want the real reason you won't get back with me. I know if it was just the cheating you'd get over it," Charles accused.

"You are so full of yourself. I'm beyond happy to find out what kind of person you are before I wasted more of my time on you. I won't ever take you back. Stop trying and get over it. Go back to your superficial relationship or did he drop you? That was rhetorical because I don't care," said a very angered Dylan. Dylan turned to walk away but once again Charles stepped in his path.

"We aren't done."

"Yes, we are. We were done three months ago. Why didn't you call?"

"I didn't think you would be that mad."

"I catch my boyfriend of over a year having sex with another guy in the bed that we shared. Mind you, said boyfriend claimed to love me and I fell hard for him too. That doesn't allow me to be mad? You're right...I wasn't mad. I was irate, pissed, borderline psychotic at times and depressed. Those would be proper adjectives to describe me three months ago. Now, it would be...I don't know...maybe regretful. Yep, I regret dating you. I feel sick thinking about the fact that we were together. Now, unless there is a news update saying 'Hell has frozen over and life as we know it is going to end.' I must be going. Have a nice life Charles. Always remember, you blew it," Dylan told him and skirted around him.

Charles looked dumbstruck by what Dylan had just accused him of doing. He never meant to hurt Dylan but Mike was so good in bed. He could not help it. Dylan had actually gotten over him. It had only been three months and Charles had been sure that Dylan would have still been pining away for him. Charles always thought of himself as a great catch and awesome in the sack. What guy wouldn't want him? He had plenty of offers from college guys. Oh well, it is Dylan's loss not mine. Charles laughed to himself trying to make himself feel better.

Dylan finished his routine by walking home instead of the slow jog he normally did. Paige was sitting on the front porch with a school book and saw Dylan walking. This confused her because he normally looked so at ease when he finished his run. Today he looked angry and upset. Paige was determined to find out what happened to her brother.

"Hun, you look troubled. Are you okay?" Paige inquired meeting her brother on the front walk.

"No, I am not okay. I am pissed. I am going to take a shower. Move," Dylan said brusquely. He looked down at a shocked Paige and felt bad but didn't drop the attitude. Slowly she moved out of his way and watched as he walked up the stairs to the front door.

Paige went and sat back in her chair, staring out at the street. She was hurt that her brother had taken that tone with her. He was never mean to her even when he had the worst day. Something big was up and he wasn't talking, yet. 'He will talk to me whether he wants to or not. He is hurting and I want to know why.' Paige closed the book on the arm of the chair and entered the quiet house. She listened for the shower as she headed up the stairs. Not hearing it, she knocked on her brother's door.

"Go away Paige," came the reply from inside.

"No. You are going to talk to me and you better be dressed because I am coming in now." Paige declared as she walked in the door.

A freshly showered and barely clothed Dylan was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling when Paige came in. "What do you want, brat?"

Paige sat down next to him and looked down at him, "I want to know why you are acting this way?"

Dylan turned his head to look at her, "What way?"

Paige shook her head at him, "Like you have a thorn caught in your paw. You are growling and snarling at me. I have not done anything to you...today. I have seen you for five minutes. What's your deal?" Paige questioned looking confused.

Dylan faced the ceiling again. It looked like he was daring it to fall or something. "I ran into Charles on my run this morning."

Paige sat up straighter, "Excuse me? I think my hearing is going. Did you just say you ran into Charles?"

"Yes. He was waiting for me. It's kind of stupid to keep the same routine for five years. I might have to change that."

"What happened?"

"He claims to still love me and wants me back."

"You told him to take a flying leap?"

"Something like that."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I want to die. My chest is killing me. It feels like a ten ton weight is placed there. It hurts to breathe. It feels like we broke up yesterday and not three months ago."

"Dylan, I love you. I know you know that. Please don't let yourself get dragged back into that world you were in three months ago. It was a dark and scary place. I was only looking at it from out here, so I can only imagine what it looked like to you."

"I won't Paige. He isn't going to get the best of me this time. I don't think he is ready to give up though. I will be prepared next time. I know he is looking for me now."

"Maybe next time won't happen."

"Thinking happy thoughts again. I just need some time alone to process. I love you but I am kicking you out. Leave, squirt."

Paige laughed at his use of the nickname she hates but knew he said it endearingly. At least he is in a halfway decent mood. He isn't acting like he did before which is a good sign.

Dylan rolled off his bed and stared around at the four walls of his room. Suddenly he felt claustrophobic and had to get out of the house. He knew where he wanted to be but didn't know if it was feasible.

Dylan picked up his cell phone from the nightstand and dialed a number. When it was answered, he spoke quickly.

"Can I come over? I need someone to talk to."

"Sure. I'm here."

"Thanks. See you in a few."

Dylan got dressed quickly. He hunted for his keys, finding them under his jeans from last night. 'Go figure. I need to clean this up.' Dylan thought as he pulled his door closed.

"Paige, I'm going out for a while. I will be back later sometime." Dylan called as he headed down the hall. Paige shouted good bye as he descended the stairs.

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