Trouble with Friends

The gymnasium was set up to look 'nice.' By Sky's standards, it was anything but. A few balloons here and there. A few dozen round tables snaking the walls of the room until they reached the wall with the bleachers. One set was only half folded in. The other was completely. Star and moon confetti littered the floor.

I could have done this better in my sleep, Sky thought lazily as he made his way to the far corner of the room. There were three guys and one girl sitting at a table, chatting. One waved to get Sky's attention.

He recognized them immediately. Tork, Alai, Demon and Petra. They were his best friends, so-to-speak, for years. Tork stood a few inches shorter than himself with blazing red eyes and tropical orange hair. Alai was about the same height as Tork with blonde hair and blue eyes and naturally tanned skin; a typical Hawaiian look. Demon stood as almost a mirror image to Sky. Same height, same build, same deep blue eyes. But his hair was black. Petra, though she chose mostly to hang around them more than anyone, and has since preschool, was all girl. Long, silky, blonde hair, dazzling liquid green eyes, shapely body. And she always dressed the part.

They all thought Petra was hot, along with most of the male population in the school, and never once let an opportunity slip where they wouldn't hit on her. But that's as far as it would ever go. The five of them would always stay friends through it all. Sky always thought Demon and Petra would get together, but for now they insisted that their relationship is completely platonic. Uh huh. Whatever.

Sky knew it was great having a girl in their group whom they all felt entirely comfortable around. She had always been there, so their guy talk was never stopped with her presence. She would join in usually. Even critique the girls they checked out. But having her there always added another perspective that they hadn't thought of and wouldn't have. She might have mostly guy friends, but like previously mentioned, Petra is all girl. Another great aspect of her being with them was her always being ready to rescue them from some mindless ditz they couldn't seem to shake on their own. She was good at reading their body language when it came to talking with others. And they were her 'bodyguards' in return.

"Hey Sky. You're late." Demon hissed.

Sky raised his brow. "Relax. I'm here aren't I?" He leaned his back against the wall and put his hands in his pockets.

"You misunderstood. I don't care that you're late. But Lily has been over here three times now. And I can't stand that stupid brunette who never seems to leave her side."

Sky huffed. "Neither can I."

Petra smiled. "Ya'know. I can make them both go away permanently."

The boys looked to her.

Petra stood and walked over to Sky. She snaked one arm between his arm and waist while the other she placed seductively on the back of his lower head. She pressed her body against his. From everyone else's view, she proceeded to kiss his neck.

Sky smirked, though he was studying the crowd. "You realize that effort is wasted on Lily. She knows I'd never touch you." He was right too. Anyone else, including Demon, Tork and Alai, would have wrapped their arms around her in an instant and encouraged it or played along. But Sky just stood there in his prior position. Against the wall and hands in pockets. True, he probably should have pushed her away. But it was harmless. She wasn't really kissing him.

Petra backed away and placed her hands on her hips. "And why not?" She sounded only a little offended.

Sky stopped scanning the crowd and looked to her. "You're not my type." He said plainly.

"Oh, but I can be." She let a small smile play on her lips.

"I know you too well." Sky insisted.

"So you think." She teased.

Sky went back to watching the crowd. "Do you want me to?" He picked up his monotone for the first time that night without realizing it. He waited for her answer but it never came.

So he looked back at her. She stood in the same position as before with a full smile on her face, almost daring him to. Her look was trying to pull him in. And on most people it would have worked. Sky only felt a small urge and fought it easily.

Sky rolled his eyes. "Such a tease." He returned his attention to the crowd. "You're all talk, Pet. Always have been."

Her smile faded when he called her a tease. "I'm not really. None of you are my type." Petra made her way back to her seat. "I just like to play."

"By the way." Sky turned to her with his characteristically emotionless expression. "That skirt. Make it a little shorter and I'll make an exception to my type."

That caused Petra to grin again. "I knew you had a weakness."

Sky smiled a bit.

"Great. Here comes beauty and the bitch." Alai whined.

Sky turned to see Lily and Kayla make their way over.

"I thought you forgot about me." Lily teased.

"Not possible." Sky dropped the monotone, again unconsciously.

"What took you so long?" Lily leaned her side on the wall next to Sky, facing him.

"Lost track of time in the gym."

"Ah… yes." Lily looked him over quickly, hoping that no one would notice too much. Dark blue jeans. Black long sleeved tee shirt. Black and tan Vans. For a thirteen year old he had the body of a sixteen year old. And nicely built too.

There was a loud over exaggerated sigh from Kayla.

"You don't have to stay here. No ones forcing you. And no one'll care if you leave." Tork said to Kayla.

"I wouldn't leave Lil with all of you. What kind of friend would I be?" Her voice was snobby and she said it in a way that implied they weren't worth talking to.

Her attitude only infuriated Tork more. "Did it ever occur to you that she already has a shadow? And if she wanted a dog, she'd get a cute, furry one." Tork said with venom.

Kayla's face reddened. She quickly recovered her composure. "I don't see why you're trying to get rid of me. I'd expect female company would be favored… since you all share one." She glanced at Petra with a smug smirk.

That did it. "You know why you won't leave. This is as close as you'll ever get to the opposite sex because no one can stand you. Face it, you're a bitch. No one likes you." Petra was on her feet and heading towards Kayla, who had been standing her ground but the closer Petra got, the more she backed up. "Let me hear you entail that that they 'share' me one more time. I will beat you so bad-"

Though he was enjoying this, Sky intervened when Lily tugged his shirt sleeve a bit. He got between them and guided Petra, having to use a little bit of force since she was determined to get at Kayla, back to her seat. With a smile, Demon stood and wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her from taking off after Kayla again.

Lily started back to the crowd with Kayla by her side.

"You're no fun, Sky. We almost had front row seats to a chick fight." Alai complained mildly.

"There wouldn't have been a fight. It would have been Petra beating the hell out of Kayla." Sky said, again in monotone, as he watched Lily walk away.

"It's not like she didn't deserve it." Alai pointed out.

"She was asking for it." Tork agreed.

Petra was still seething as Demon held her. Petra's eyes were still fixed on Kayla's form in the distance. That was one thing that she didn't stand for. Being called a slut in any shape or form. There was a sense of craziness in her eyes that had danger written all over it. Her temper was wild and when provoked, she would do anything and not hesitate if she felt the need. Petra was dangerous. That was why she was such a turn on, they had all agreed.

"Calm down, Pet. She's not worth it." Demon tried to consol.

But they all knew it was well worth anything to watch Kayla get put back in her place. She just thought she was God's gift to the world. Everyone knew better.

"How does Lily put up with her?" Alai asked as he watched Petra, finally calm down.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Sky finally tore his eyes off Lily and looked to Petra. She was standing still now, but that meant nothing. Her eyes were still on fire and still firmly watching Kayla. Demon knew it would be a while yet before she was fully calm and still held her against him as he leaned on the wall. He was staring off into the crowd at nothing in particular, Sky guessed. This was their normal routine if Petra got pissed. Someone would hold her until she was sane. They all joked with her that she had a madman locked inside her and if the right buttons were pushed, he reared his face. They all thought she was a bit insane at times. But that's when they loved her most. That look drove them wild. That look was the only thing that would truly make Sky's exception to his 'type' worth crossing.

He saw the same in Lily sometimes. Not when she was mad. He had never seen her mad. But it was there. He wanted to find a way to get at it.

xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxox

Owen sat in the old tree house in his back yard with Bethany beside him. Her short brown hair blew in the breeze and then came to rest just above her neckline. They watched as the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings in the distance.

"Your parents still let you come over." Owen stated.

She nodded. "Truth is, they don't know."

"Then you did have enough time to get away?"

"Yea."

"Good. There's no point in us both getting in trouble."

"But I shouldn't let you take all the blame. I was there, too."

Owen shook his head. Not at the part where she was there. She was definitely there. "Ultimately it was my fault. I led you out there. I kissed you first. I never stopped."

He let his voice show the distress he was feeling.

Bethany placed her hand on his. "I don't blame you. And I don't regret it. I could have said no."

Owen clasped her hand in his and looked at her. Her brown eyes sparkled in the evening light. He smiled and looked away, back out to the almost invisible sun.

"Owen, what are we doing?"

"I've been asking myself that same question."

"And your answer?"

"Haven't found one."

He saw her nod out of the corner of his eye. "My dad was pretty pissed. Kept saying how I could have been a father and it would be their responsibility since I'm only 15." He growled the last part.

"I'm sure you just let it go right over your head like usual. Stood silent taking it all in and never gave it a second thought."

He chuckled softly. "Yup."

Bethany smiled slightly and shook her head. "What about your mother?"

Owen's smile faded. "Her look of disappointment was enough punishment. I hate it when she looks at me like that. I feel so small and helpless. So stupid."

Bethany looked to him.

"She asked who." He continued as an after thought.

"You told her." If there was one thing Bethany's learned about Owen in their nine years of friendship is that he cant lie to his mother and in the long run, he'll tell her anything if she asks. He doesn't care about the way his father takes anything, but his mother… her approval means everything.

He nodded.

"And?"

"She said I should be careful."

"Oh?"

"You're my best friend and doing something to compromise that would be stupid." He looked to her. "And she's right." His voice was pained. He knew it was best but it killed him to keep Bethany as just his friend. He had had loved her for years, if that's possible at fifteen.

Bethany forced a small smile the best she could. She knew what he meant.

They both turned to the distant sun.

"That was your only punishment?" Bethany asked trying to change the subject.

"I wish." He laughed a bit. "Groundation. No phone. No computer. No friends. Two weeks."

"So how are you out her with me?"

Owen smiled. "My mom."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxox

"Our friends don't get along very well." Lily said pointing out the obvious.

Sky and Lily stood in the middle of the gym, dancing to a slow song.

"Nope. They're right though. She follows you around like a shadow."

"Only since you asked me out."

He nodded slightly.

"She doesn't like you or trust them."

"Why's that?"

"You all look mean, snotty, dangerous, never smile. And the fact that Petra's with you all the time. Everyone sees how you guys talk to her and look at her. She finds it hard to believe that you're just friends. That you feel nothing more towards her."

"Do you?"

"I believe you. I think because I can't ever remember a time when she wasn't with one of you. I know you've been friends for a long time. She does seem to get almost possessive over you at times, though."

"She is possessive."

"So you see why people would think that. She acts like you are all her property."

Sky raised his brow. "She's loyal."

Lily just looked at him almost as if she was asking what loyalty had to do with it.

"Feeling threatened?"

He watched Lily blush a bit. "Not really. I was just pointing out how Kayla sees you."

"Hmm…" Sky thought for a minute. "Kayla was asking for that, you know."

"Petra shouldn't have come after her."

"So she should have just let her imply that we all take our turns with her?" Sky made this sound more defensive than he really meant it. He never really cared what people thought of him, but it did bother him a little to know that everyone thought they all slept with Petra. And the way Kayla made it sound, on a regular basis.

"That's not-" Lily began her defense on Kayla's behalf.

"I believe the sentence she used was, 'I'd expect female company would be favored since you all share one.' How are you going to defend that?"

Lily looked at him steadily while she weighed the sentence. "I guess I cant."

Sky's expression never changed for most of this conversation. No smile for victory. No frown at her defeat. Nothing.

"She doesn't think very highly of you." She spat out before being able to control it.

"You don't want to know what I think of her."

"Why do you talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Monotone."

"Habit, I suppose."

"Huh." Strange kind of habit. Lily leaned in to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "We don't have to let our friends get between us, right?"

Sky wanted to say 'mine don't' or 'keep Kayla away and we wont have a problem.' But he said neither. "No. They'll get over it eventually." Neutrality was probably the best way to go at this point.

Lily snuggled into him. "Good. I like you."

Sky said nothing. He only wrapped his arms around her more tightly as they swayed to the beat.

xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxxox

'Sorry, I'm away from the phone right now. Leave your message after the tone.'

Richard heard her voice on her mailbox and it made him sweat. I'm glad you're gone, he couldn't help but think. Then he sighed at the lack of self control over his thoughts. We had a good life together. There's no reason I should feel my skin crawl when I hear your voice. He heard the tone end.

"Just me. It's beginning to be quite obvious that you don't care what goes on in your children's lives. But… Quim's new fascination is with the slide. His teachers cant seem to get him to get off when outdoor time is done. He looks so cute when he laughs and his eyes get big. Lily's at a dance right now with a date. It's starting to become obvious that our first born will be an adult in a few years. She's extremely mature. You'd be very proud. And Tish thinks you don't love her anymore. I'm tired of making excuses for you. Would it kill you to call them once a month? Lily seems fine with it. If it bothers her at all that her mother just abandoned her, she's doing a damn good job hiding it. I'm pretty sure Quim doesn't really remember you too clearly, if at all. And that should bother you. But Tish just doesn't understand."

He paused there while he debated on whether to say his last sentence. The last bit of his report was a bit more harsh than he planned. But he couldn't keep it pent up at the moment. In the long run he decided it was just cruel and it wasn't worth it. He doubted whether it would actually change anything or get her to call.

"Anyways, hope you're having fun. Bye." Richard hung up the phone. How can someone -a mother of all people- not want to be a part of their children's lives? Am I wrong to think bad of her? She was a great mother for twelve years. What happened? She's making our children suffer.

Thank you my great reviewers. I love the support.

Up Next: Seduction (Hmmm...)