Title: Interruptions

Author: Joy

Rating: AAA (for angst, LOL) No, really 13+.

Disclaimer: All belongs to Ann M. Martin, no money is made from this.

Pairing: B/J

Notes: If you read this while listening to Garbage's "Drive You Home", you'll probably get the same effect I did as I wrote it. & oh look at the time. I should be studying for finals. Hee.

For days, Jeff tried to hide his excitement, awkwardly avoiding the subject of prom whenever it came up at the lunch table. The girls squeaked and squealed, and Jeff always turned his head aside, noticing from the corner of his vision that Byron was doing the same thing.

Three days before, Jeff ducked into the office long enough for a phone call, and when Haley asked what he was doing, he told his friends that he had called his house, only to have Richard tell him that he needed Jeff to come home immediately after school; there were some last minute travel details that needed to be worked out.

"But Jeff, you're not leaving for four more days," Haley said, pushing her blond hair out of her eyes.

"Yeah, four," echoed the triplets. A nearly invisible glance passed between them, and Jeff sighed, digging into his salad.

"God knows what Richard wants," Jeff spat out through his mouthful of greenery, almost spraying Jordan with lettuce.

When the final bell rang, Jeff met Byron at his locker, planning to walk as slowly home as they could, with possibly a brief stop at the 7-11, but Byron's deep look of resignment nixed that idea as soon as Jeff concocted it.

Their hands brushed lightly over each others' as Byron pulled his math book from the tiny compartment and pushed it into his backpack. It was the closest they ever had gotten to holding hands at school, and Jeff knew whatever Byron was going to say, it was important.

"Jeff... maybe you should go find out what Richard wants. I mean, you can come over early on Saturday, you know, and ummm... It's okay, really."

Byron was twisting his backpack strap around, tensing the fabric to its fullest and then releasing it. Jeff stepped up as close to him as he dared, whispering, "I don't want to. I want to-" He stopped, seeing a group of football players approach a locker near Byron's. "Okay, I'll go home."

Byron forced a smile at him, then slunk down the corridor. Jeff felt awful, as if he'd driven Byron away, but he knew things were just... different at school.

Jeff slammed the front door when he came in, dropping his backpack on the floor and kicking a shoe halfway across the floor before padding his way into the kitchen. Sharon was standing at the stove, cooking something that smelled of tofu. His mouth watered automatically.

"So, Mom, I called home today, and Richard answered."

Sharon jumped. "Oh honey!" she smiled. "I have fantastic news! I found a very cheap flight for you on Saturday, which you know is very hard to do, but being as you're going to prom Friday, I didn't want you to miss it." She was waving the cooking spoon around for emphasis and Jeff kept quiet about the bits of food she had just flung across the kitchen.

In fact, his heart had transformed into a lump of metal and was trying to decide whether it wanted to hit the floor or shred through his chest. He swallowed, but all he tasted was stale spit.

"Mom," he broke out after a moment of silence, "Prom is on Saturday."

"Oh. Oh no. Jee-eeeeff." Sharon moaned, pulling out a chair and sinking into it, her hands clasping the sides of her head.

"I don't believe it, Mom. The biggest day of my life, and... and..." Jeff ran out of the kitchen, howling frustration.

Richard poked his head out of the office. "Is something wrong?" Sharon rolled her eyes in despair. "Only that I'm flying him out to California on prom night."

Richard's face grew very serious. "Well, we can't refund the ticket, Sharon."

Jeff was pounding his head against the wall next to his bed, trying not to cry. His mom always ruined things for him. First, she had brought him to Stoneybrook when he was perfectly happy in Palo City. Now that he was comfortable in Stoneybrook and had finally found a reason to stay, she was flying him across the country.

He slowly slid off his bed, reaching for the phone on his desk, but stopped. No, this was something he had to tell Byron in person. Jeff dashed through the house, past his mom and Richard talking quietly in the office, threw his shoes on, and blindly ran, his feet slapping the pavement.

Vanessa opened the front door when she saw Jeff coming a full ten feet away and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Jeff's heeeeeeeeeeere!"

Byron nearly fell down the stairs, his leg entangled in some kind of spiderweb made of yarn that Claire and Margo had set up. He removed his leg carefully and met Jeff in the living room.

"What'd your parents say?"

"I'm flying back to California on..." Jeff gulped. "Saturday."

Byron's fingertips flew to his mouth as he nervously chewed on a hangnail.

"I'm so sorry, Byron. My mom is a complete idiot, well you know that, and I'm sorry." he exhaled noisily, his head falling onto Byron's shoulder before anyone could see the tears brimming up.

Byron nodded slowly. "Jeff, it'll be okay. You can call me as soon as you get there; I don't care what time it is. I'll sit by the phone as late as I have to." He felt Jeff nodding agreement into his shoulder and relaxing a little.

Jeff stayed at the Pikes well after the sun went down, and only when Sharon called worriedly did he pick himself off the boys' bedroom floor and squeeze Byron's hand, whispering, "I'll call you."

Never had those words been so bittersweet to Byron's ears, but he smiled back and whispered, "No matter how late."