"It will be empty without you, baby-bro," Rose said and hugged Bobby tight. He hugged her back and then let her go to say goodbye to his mother. She had been home the whole week and looked much better. Bobby hoped that this time, it would last. She took him in her arms and he felt just how thin she was, like if he squeezed too hard she would break.

"I will miss you. Take care back there," she said .

"I will, mum. I'll call you," he replied. She nodded and suddenly he could feel her mouth pressed to his ear so that no one else could hear when she softly started to whisper.

"Remember what I told you. I will support you, no matter what you choose." She let go of him and smiled. He nodded and gave her a weak smile back. It had been easier than he had first thought to tell his mother everything about Max. She had listened without interrupting and when he was done she had taken his hand between her's and looked him deep in the eyes. She had told him that she couldn't do his choices for him but if it was this way he felt he would tell Max. And if Max was half the friend she thought he was, he would not let their friendship die even if he didn't share Bobby's feelings. The redhead now turned to his father.

"Well, eh... take care son," Harry mumbled and stared down at his boots.

"You too, sir," Bobby mumbled back and started to walk down the gravel-path. While he was saying goodbye both PJ and Max had been arriving and...was that..? Roxanne? Bobby felt how his heart skipped a beat when Max leaned down and gave Roxanne a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, babe," he said and she smiled at him. Suddenly something caught her attention and she looked away from the tall teen next to her.

"Bobby? Bobby Zimmeruski?" she said and walked over to meet him. "Hi, I didn't know you were at college too. It's kinda...surprising...no offense though," she said in an attempt to sound friendly. However, she seemed to fail gravely, as Bobby walked past her without as much as looking at her.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered and sat down behind the steering wheel. Roxanne looked at Max questioning. He simply shrugged. Bobby was...Bobby. He was used to his strange behavior by now. He hugged Roxanne and entered the backseat, while PJ sat down in the passenger seat. Bobby let the red and white mini-van leave the driveway before the other two had gotten their seatbelts on.

/\/\/\

Bobby was gripping the wheel so hard his knuckles hurt. The image of Max and Roxanne would not leave his mind and he felt sick. Why would this have to happen just when he for once was about to actually take care of something in his life? Next to him he heard PJ open his mouth.

"Sooo, Maxie, you and Roxanne, huh?" he teased and turned to watch Max. The boy in the backseat blushed a little.

"PJ, come on. We're just hanging out and see what it will lead to," Max laughed and slapped PJ's shoulder.

"I see," the big guy said. "So you two haven't..."

"No! I mean she is beautiful but we both need more time than two weeks to get to know each other again," Max said, now feeling extremely embarrassed, something that PJ saw and knew how to push even further, for no reason than his own amusement.

"Ah, but I know that you want to," he said, smirking. But he never received any response other than Max's panicked face and the sound of a horn.

"Bobby, watch it!"

The redhead was driving over 80 mph and had almost hit the car in front of them. He now drew up to the side of the road and stopped the engine. His heart was pounding heavily and he swallowed a few times to get control over himself again. He hadn't realized that he in anger had pressed the pedal harder and harder.

"What the hell was you doing?" Max shouted and opened Bobby's door.

"Man, I'm sorry, I.."

"Sorry? Sorry don't bring back the dead, Bobby!"

"Max look, it was an accident. We're all pretty scared. Let's just calm down and get back on the road, okay?" PJ put a hand on Max's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

"Sure... But I drive!" Max replied and sat down in the driver seat.

"Suit yourself," Bobby mumbled. The rest of the trip, he spent in the backseat, lying down and listening to music through his headset.

/\/\/\

Mocha was meeting them by the parking lot. She helped them unloading their bags, before she walked over to PJ and gave him a big kiss.

"Welcome back, papa dog," she said with a soft smirk on her lips. "The moon is in a very good phase tonight," she continued whispering with a voice that made PJ's stomach feel like it was filled with little butterflies. He caressed her hair and looked back at his two buddies.

"Is it okay with you if I follow Mocha home?" he asked with a slight blush on his cheeks. Bobby and Max looked at each other and grinned.

"Of course," Max said. "I'm sure you two have a lot of things to make up for." He grinned even wider and Bobby giggled hysterically next to him. PJ only snorted , put an arm around Mocha and walked off.

"So, I guess we have to carry the bags on our own?" Max stated with a sigh.

"Seems like it," Bobby agreed and picked his backpack up from the ground.

/\/\/\

Bobby sat on the floor in their dorm, stuffing the bureau full with clean socks. Max was in the other end of the room, unpacking his own bag.

"I better go clean the cupboard before we put our things there. Or else we will never hear the end of it from PJ," Max laughed and headed for the bathroom with a toothbrush in his hand. Bobby could hear him pick out stuff and making disgusted sounds when realizing just how much moist and dust that had been gathering in there. Suddenly it went dead silent in the bathroom. Bobby stiffened. Had he found..? No, he couldn't... He felt his breath escalate when he heard the rustling of a plastic bag and then Max's heavy footsteps behind him. He barely had the time to turn around before the bag with joints and the lighter hit him in the back.

"What are these?" Max demanded to know. His eyes were like sharp needles, trying to catch Bobby's gaze. The redhead, still sitting on the floor, picked up the plastic bag.

"It's...it's nothing..." he said quietly. Max walked closer to him.

"If the teachers find out..."

"But they won't, right Maxie?" Max sighed and pinched the back of his nose.

"I don't know, Bobby. I don't know anymore..."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Bobby shouted. He stood up now, his hands curling into angry fists.

"I mean that I don't know what to do anymore! When will you grow up and take care of your life? I mean, it's all just a game for you, right? Like back there in the car and before that with Roxa..."

The punch came hard and took him completely by surprise. Max rubbed his chin where Bobby's fist had hit him and before he could stop himself he threw himself over the hipster. The two boys rolled around on the floor, fists punching and feet kicking wherever they could. Suddenly Max had the upper hand and Bobby, in a desperate try to break free, pushed him away hard. The black-haired teen fell backwards and hit one of the beds.

"Hey, what's your problem, man?" Max yelled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Roxanne is my problem!" Bobby yelled back before he could stop the words from spilling over his lips. Max starred at him in what felt like hours.

"What?" he finally said. His voice was calm, but surprised. What had Roxanne to do with anything? Bobby sat up on the floor, avoiding Max's gaze.

"There is something I've been wanting to tell you since High school," he began, biting his lower lip to prevent it from trembling.

"Tell me what?"

Bobby inhaled. He felt how warm, salty tears started to fall down his cheeks. It hurt to hold them back. It hurt to hold anything back. He couldn't take the pain anymore. For three years he had put up with it. He couldn't stand one more hour, one more second. If Max would hate him, so be it. He moved swift with closed eyes. Max never realized what was happening until a pair of warm lips, wet from tears, was pressed against his. It was like millions of electrical sparks emerged from their linked lips and sent shivers down his spine. The moment seemed to last for an eternity, even though it was only a few seconds, and during that time Max was all too shocked to move. Bobby eventually pulled away. He starred at Max behind his shades, looking just as shocked as the Goof felt.

"Bobby..." Max started but the hipster had already risen from the floor and fled through the door.

/\/\/\

Author's note

Finally we came to the hot part, right? ;)
I threw in some (very discrete) sexual references in this chapter. Hope they didn't offend someone.
Please tell me what you think. Bad? Good? Are things going too fast?
And I can't tell you enough how much I love your reviews and I read them all and try to answer them as quickly as possible 3