Chapter 3

Bam spent the next few days in bed. The only time he left the comfort of his bed was when he had to use the bathroom, but since he wasn't eating or drinking anything those bathroom trips were very few.

Jenn hadn't told anyone about Bam's depression, because she was hoping it would pass on it's own. But she realized it was really to protect herself from seeing it for how bad it really was.

It had been a while since either of his friends had come to see him, so they were clueless as to what Bam was going through.

They had planned on playing a prank on Bam while he was sleeping, and Jenn wasn't around. Raab Ryan and Brandon quietly approached the sleeping Bam.

"You got it?" Ryan whispered to Raab.

"Yeah. He's going to freak."

"Shh!" Brandon cautioned. "Here slowly place it on his face."

Brandon and Ryan quietly guided Raab in putting a large snake on Bam's face. Bam woke up to the touch of the snake and he sprang up with wide eyes.

"What is that!" He shouted, throwing the snake off of him. "Oh my God! Get it away from me!"

Bam shook and screamed in horror as he tried to back away from the snake in his bed. The other three guys stood back and laughed.

"You scream just like your mom!" Raab said through his hysterics.

Bam brought his hands over his eyes."It's not fucking funny! Get that fucking thing away from me now!"

"Chill out Bam it's only a snake." Ryan said, picking up the reptile.

"Get it away from me now! Get the fucking thing out of here! Please I don't want it near me!"

They continued to laugh and tease Bam with the snake, unaware of the tears that were behind his hands that still covered his eyes. Jenn heard the commotion and rushed into the bedroom.

"What the hell is going on in here? What are you guys? Five years old?" She pushed them away from the bed. "Don't you realize what you're doing to him?"

"Geeze Jenn. It was only a prank."

"I don't want to hear it Dunn! Look at him!"

"What's your problem?" Brandon asked.

"What's my problem? If you guys weren't acting like five year olds all the time, I wouldn't have to tell you that Bam has been suffering from a really bad depression lately, and now that prank you pulled is probably going to make him worse. Thanks a hell of a lot guys."

"Jenn… we didn't know."

"Of course not. Just do us a favor and leave now."

They backed out of the room timidly as Jenn took to Bam's trembling side. She sat on the bed near Bam's feet and reached out with one hand toward him. He twitched away from her.

"Bam it's ok. It's just me."

"Are they gone?"

"Yes Bam they're gone."

"That snake's not here is it?"

"No Bam they took the snake with them."

"Seriously?'

"Yes it's safe. No more snakes."

Bam slowly removed his shaking hands from his face and looked around him. His eyes were shining of fear and tears that had not yet fallen.

He tried to calm his breath as he searched the room with his eyes for traces of the snake.

"Bam?"

"Why would they do that to me?" he asked with a quivering lip.

"I don't know Bam. They're idiots."

Bam looked at her, unable to fight the rest of his tears, and leaned forward into her arms. "Hold me Jenn. I'm scared."

"Bam." She almost laughed. "Bam the snake is gone. I told you."

"It's not just the snake. It's not just the snake."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know but… something's not right. Just… just hold me please."

"Ok." Jenn patted him on the back and pulled him into a hug.

They sat there in that position for a long time.