Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Eight

Claire curled up in her bay window, tucking her nose into the hoodie she'd swiped from John's closet as she turned the page of Allison's comic she'd finished. "Alli, this is really good!" She looked up at her friend, barely hearing the thunder outside. "How did you come up with it?"

Allison shrugged, moving her hands so that her new Hermit Crab could crawl from one to the other. "I don't know. I guess it started in detention." She let Mr. Crabcakes climb up her arm, smiling as the weird little invertebrate's legs tickled her skin. "You know, all the adventures we've had. I just kinda ran with it."

Claire stood stepping after Chance as she pulled on her sleeve. "You should publish it." She stopped at Brian's door, giving it a knock before Brian opened it. "Chance wanted me to come in here." She smiled, stepping inside to see John was playing around with Brian's Bearded Dragon while he sat on the desk that was usually covered in math homework and chemistry books.

John glanced up at her, smirking as the lizard scurried onto the top of his head. "Hey Sweets." He prayed that she wouldn't see the circles under his eyes, or the fact that he'd already dropped almost six pounds in the week that they'd been home.

She shook her head, glancing between their two friends. "Who wants to go to the ice cream hut?" She asked, testing John's appetite. He never turned down ice cream, but sometimes he would turn a little green if he wasn't sleeping right or was having cravings. He didn't turn green if he was getting drugs, but he would lose weight even when he appeared to be eating.

John fought back a wave of nausea, painting a smile on his face before he put Boots back in his terrarium. "Sounds good." He followed them to Allison's room to drop Mr. Crabcakes at his habitat before they took off.

Claire leaned over in the backseat and whispered in Allison's ear. "He's sick." She nodded toward John as he, Brian, and Andy cranked up the radio to their favorite song.

Allison nodded, watching all three of the boys as they sang along to the radio in horribly out of tune voices. "I know." She bit her lip as John started to head-bang, knowing that he was only acting like he was fine. "I also know about what he was planning… in detention…"

Claire turned to her friend; eyes wide with realization. "He told you?"

"No. I overheard you guys talking the other day." She shrugged. "I guess being invisible can come in handy sometimes."

Andy parked the Bronco outside of the ice cream hut. "Come one, losers." He grinned, laughing as John tripped Brian on the way in before he grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back to his feet. "You're seriously letting the Burner get one up on you?"

John smirked, proud to be a burner and their leader. "Yeah, Brian, I thought you'd be smarter than that." He froze as the green eyes of Jessica raked over him. "Fuck…"

Justin laughed as he watched Amelia, and Phoebe play in the pool. He picked up his soda, relaxing into his seat just as his pager went off. He lifted the little screen to where he could read it, growling when he saw that it was his work. "Damnit." He stood, stepping into the house as he waved Amelia and Phoebe out of the pool. "I gotta call my work real quick! Go find something else to do."

The girls nodded, starting a game of tag with squeals and giggles.

Hey guys! So Mr. Crabcakes is indeed a real crab. He's my new pet hermit crab who I rescued this evening and I thought I would put him in here.