Chapter Three: Out Of Place

Marco

"I really thought Jesse would be back by now. What are he and Andrew even talking about?" I asked Rory. We'd been just talking about random things like we used to while watching Gracie.

"I have no idea," he answered, shrugging.

"Well, I'll be right back. I'm going to bring his baby to him, and then we can go somewhere. I really don't feel like sitting in this room all day." I picked the baby up, grabbed a few bottles and jars of baby food out of the mini fridge, and headed off to Andrew's room.

I knocked on the door and after a few seconds, Andrew opened it. He looked away from me when he saw me. I looked past him and saw Jesse sitting on the floor. Apparently they'd been playing cards or something.

"Hey Marco," Jesse said, getting up and kissing me. "What's up?"

"I'm just brining Gracie to you. She missed you," I said, handing him the baby.

"Thanks. Hey honey," he said to her, kissing her on the cheek. "You want to join us?" he asked me. I glanced over at Andrew who was looking at the ground. Here I was, in a room with two people who used to be my best friends, and one of them was wrapped up in his new daughter, and the other didn't even want to be around me. I felt so out of place. They used to hate each other.

"No thanks. I can tell I'm making someone uncomfortable. I'll just see you later ok?" I gave him a sad look, but he just smiled.

"Yeah, later." He kissed me on the cheek then I turned away, eager to get back to Rory. At least I was welcome when I was around him.

Jesse

"How mad do you think he is at me right now?" I asked Andrew. Gracie had just fallen asleep, so I put her in the middle of Rory's bed with pillows surrounding her.

"Why would he be mad? We're just friends," he replied.

"Well, I left this morning without a word, and didn't even bring Gracie with me," I pointed out. "Besides, I know this was awkward for him."

"He'll just have to get used to us," Andrew said.

"Us?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, the fact that we're friends now," he answered.

"You have to talk to him Andrew," I said suddenly.

"About what?"

"About your breakup. About how you still want to be friends with him. Everything you've told me, you need to tell him. He feels the same way you know. He was telling me how he wished everything would be back to normal between you two," I explained.

"I just don't think I can do that right now. I'm sorry."

"Take your time Andrew. But it has to happen sooner or later."

Ellie

"There you go. Instant school," Thomas said, handing me the key to my new room.

"Thanks for helping me out," I said, hugging him.

"Don't worry about it. Why don't we go get your stuff from the hotel and bring it here?"

"I guess we should," I agreed.

The trip to the hotel was silent. Neither of us knew what to do or say. We were moving into an awkward feeling between us. All of my belongings—which weren't much—were packed into a taxi. I checked out of the hotel and was on my way to my new home for the next five months.

"Okay, here it is," Thomas told me, pointing to the door.

"I wonder who my roommate will be," I said. "I hope she's nice."

"She probably won't be," Thomas joked. "Most girls here aren't."

"Thanks for the confidence. You could have at least lied to me," I said, laughing. I stuck the key in the door and turned it. We walked in the room, dragging my two suitcases, and found it empty. Whoever my roommate was, she wasn't here.

Thomas helped me put my stuff away, and then we sat down on the empty bed. I saw a stack of uniforms in my size lying across the pillow.

"Wow, they're fast," I said, looking at them with a bit of disgust.

"I can't even picture you wearing that," he said, laughing.

"Hey, don't make fun of me. You have to wear one too," I protested, putting on a fake frown.

"But I don't have to wear a skirt." He laughed again.

"Oh, you think that's funny do you?" I asked. I picked my pillow up and hit him with it.

"Don't get me started. I could pillow kick your ass any day!" he yelled playfully.

"You wouldn't hit a girl," I said, grinning.

"No, but I would do this…" he wrapped his arms around me, trying to get the pillow from behind my back. When I wouldn't give it up, he started tickling me. I laughed until it hurt, then let go of the pillow. Joking around, Thomas dropped me, and I landed on it. He leaned in close. "I knew I'd win," he said. All I could do was stare at his lips.

"Hope I'm not interrupting something," someone said from near the door. I jumped up in surprise, my head colliding with Thomas'.

"Actually, you were," Thomas said, turning around. He stopped in his tracks. I held a hand to my head and looked away from her, my cheeks blushing.

"Surprised to see me Thomas?" Theresa asked. "You move on so fast," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "And with my new roommate too."

Andrew

"Why can't I ever find someone who's right for me, and actually stays in my life?" I complained to Lola. Yeah, the only one I have to talk to right now is my cat.

"Lola, I hate my life right now. Alex died because of me. If those guys hadn't seen us out in public together, he'd be alive right now. He's be in this bed with me instead of you." I let a single tear fall from my eye and the kitten mewed at me. I hugged her tight and sighed.

"And I drove Marco away when I needed him the most. But maybe Jesse just needed him more. I wish he was still here right now. I probably drove him away too." Lola mewed again, almost in protest.

"I guess you're right. He just had to go because of the baby. But…I miss him. It's weird isn't it? This kid was my enemy recently. And now, I feel like he's the only friend I have that will listen. I mean, sure, I have my brothers, but even they're mad at me right now."

Instead of continuing my one-sided conversation with my cat, I thought about what happened that morning between Jesse and me, and what it meant to me.

"You're so lucky," I said, sighing. We'd been playing cards in silence for over an hour, except for the occasional yelling and laughing about who was winning.

"How so?" he asked, placing his cards on the carpet. "I'm eighteen years old, I have a baby that belongs to my dead ex boyfriend and English teacher, and I don't have any family to go back to when I graduate. Not to mention my lack of a real job," he complained.

"But you have Marco," I pointed out. "It seems everyone wants him these days. And you got him," I said, trying not to cry. If I'd never broken up with Marco, I'd be talking to him instead of Jesse. But, I didn't mind that it was Jesse. I just minded that it wasn't Marco. If that makes any sense.

"Don't tell him this, but…Marco's no Rex. I just miss him so much. I almost feel like I'm trying to substitute Marco for him. How wrong is that?" he started to cry then. And I knew exactly how he felt.

I moved over next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know what you mean. And I won't tell him. Because I think I did the same thing. And Marco sure wasn't any Alex either," I confessed. "We both used him."

"But I can't let him go," Jesse said, wiping some tears away. "Ever since the moment I met him, I felt something. I just have to figure out where that something is."

"Good luck," I said. "I'll always be here for you if you need me," I told him.

"Thanks Andrew." He leaned in and hugged me, our bodies together as one.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. We just shared a moment—no matter how small—it was still something.

But there's no way I can be falling for Jesse.

Is there?

Nate

I really fucked up with Thomas. He probably never wants to speak to me again. I wouldn't blame him. The situation between Craig and I was completely different than the one between him and his dad. Since he wouldn't answer my calls, and wasn't in his room, I decided to go see Kelly. He seemed to be able to make me feel better.

But I always had to take the pills first.

I popped three this time, and went off in search of him. He wasn't in his room, so I checked his classroom. Yep, there he was, grading papers. I snuck in the room and closed the door, locking it. With the click of the lock, he looked up, startled. But then a small grin formed across his lips.

"I was wondering when you'd come back to me. Can't get enough?"

"Hardly," I replied. I couldn't believe the words that came out of my mouth. I was almost turning into the gay version of Thomas. But inside the hard shell was a wimpy little gay who had to take pills to feel good.

"Come over here then and I'll help you get your mind off of him," he said, motioning towards his lap. I sat down and he kissed me, sucking on my bottom lip for a moment. It felt so good, but so wrong at the same time. This guy was eight years older than me…and my teacher. But…I can't resist. Maybe it's the pills, or maybe it's just the person I've become.

Either way, I don't like the person I am right now.

Remy

I still couldn't believe what Theresa had told me earlier that morning. She's having my baby? I don't even know how to deal with this. I told her that I didn't want to talk to her, and she just left. I have no clue where she went, but it wasn't back to Thomas. I was pretty sure that he was pissed at her now too.

Why did I have to fall in love with her in the first place? If that hadn't happened over four and a half years ago, I wouldn't be where I am right now. Girls definitely bring too much drama. I'm ready to choose for good. No more bisexual Remy.

It's gay Remy from here on out.

Thomas

"I'm not sure why I agreed to this," I complained. Theresa and I just had a long talk about how we felt, and what was going on. She wasn't mad about Ellie. I explained to her that it was just a friendly thing, and how I helped her get into the school. I could tell Ellie wasn't too pleased with her new roommate, but she'd manage.

"Because we love each other, and it has to be done," she said, wrapping her arms around me as we walked towards Remy's room.

"What am I even going to say?"

"It's all his fault Thomas. I didn't want to sleep with him, but he just seduced me. He was acting like he used to. And he must have put something into my water, because I felt weird, like I couldn't control myself," she said.

Each word makes me even more pissed off. This creep took advantage of my girlfriend, and he's gonna pay.

A/N: What did you think? Please review if you have time; I really appreciate it, and it makes me want to get chapters out even faster!

Here's another chapter...I'm getting a little disappointed with my reviews. I used to get so many and now I'm not really getting any at all.