Disclaimer: I own Chad's family. But I don't own Chad, or any of his friends.

The Man Behind The Mask
Chapter One

Sometimes it was great that one of my closest friends lived next door, sometimes it wasn't. Today was one of the times that it was great.

That closest friend was Jason Cross. His house was my second home, his parents were my second parents, his siblings were my second siblings. Do you get it? The two of us met in the third grade, when he moved here from some unplottable town in Montana. Jason and I clicked instantly, I taught him how to play basketball, he taught me how to play chess. I helped him be a little more outrageous, he helped me be a little more cautious. We were exact opposites, but we balanced each other out.

Our other two best friends are Troy Bolton and Zeke Baylor. Troy was the captain of our varsity basketball team, all four of us were on that team, starting line-up. Zeke was our personal chef. It was kind of creepy at first, but we got used to it, and it's kind of cool now. I'll tell you more about them later.

Right now it was Jason and I sitting in his basement, playing Phase 10 as some show on Disney Channel blared in the background. Jason is the oldest out of six kids, soon to be seven. Brianna is 13, Kelly is 11, Patrick and Evan are 9, and Madison is 5. Madison and Evan were the ones watching Disney Channel.

"Playing this 5 on your run, and the 7 on my set. And discard." Jason said, smirking as he only had one card left in his hand, I had three.

"Thank god you aren't out yet." I replied.

Jason smirked, "On my next turn probably."

"Don't get cocky." I retorted, picking up a card. I looked at my hand, I had a six, a ten, and a nine. My set of 3 was of fours, and my run was 1, 2, 3, 4. And Jason added a five to that. Jason's set was of eights, and his run was 6, 7, 8, 9. I had just drew a 5.

"Playing the six on my run." I said, laying the six next to the four, "Ten and five on either end of your run." I added, setting down the ten and five. "Then I discard." I laid the nine on the discard pile face down, "And I'm out."

"Five points."

"Zero." I added, smirking as I wrote down our scores.

Jason sighed, "And you were going to get mad at me for--,"

"KELLY!" That was Brianna.

Jason sighed, "And the drama queen strikes again."

"Game over?"

"Until I break them up." Jason replied, "Watch Maddie and Ev?" He asked, standing up and heading towards the stairs. I nodded, looking over at the two younger Cross children.

Maddie climbed into my lap, "Hi Chad."

I smiled at the little girl, her blue eyes shining in the dim basement light, "Hey kid."

"Damnit Brianna!" I heard Jason yell. Jason never yelled, Brianna must have really pissed him off. Which isn't easilly done.

Once Jason came back down the stairs he sighed, collapsing on the floor in front of me, "Have some more kids Mom!" He exclaimed, obviously exasperated.

I laughed, "They aren't all bad Jay."

"You have an older sister and an older brother. I have five younger siblings and another on the way."

"So?"

Jason sighed again, "Apparently Kelly stole Brianna's something or other. I wasn't really paying attention,"

I shook my head, "Jason, you're the best big brother in the whole world."

He laughed, "I know."

I kicked him lightly in the side, "Come on, get up."

He sighed, merely rolling over, "I don't wanna."

I whispered to Maddie, "Go get Jason up." She smiled, jumping from my lap onto her brother's back.

I was in hysterics as Jason sighed, "Real nice Chad." I smiled, "I know."

"What time is it?" Jason asked, looking up at me.

"Um..." I looked at my cell phone, "Four thirty."

"Hopefully my parents will be home soon." Jason replied, "I'm sick of being Daddy Jason."

"But you're so good at it." I teased.

Jason flicked me off, "Fuck you."

"Now, now Jayjay. Watch your language."

He looked at the little girl on his back, "You didn't hear that."

"For a price."

"Smart kid."

"Shut up Chad." Jason snapped, before looking at his sister, "What do you want?"

She put her hand to her chin, pondering his question, "You have to play with me whenever I say. And no protesting."

Jason sighed, "Fine."

I laughed, "I say again, smart kid."

Jason glared at me. "Shut up. I say again."

I looked at him, opening my mouth to say something when my phone rang.

"Who is it?" Jason asked.

I looked at the screen, "Who is it always?"

"I'd answer it."

"But..."

"Would you rather piss him off?"

"Good point," I muttered, answering the phone, "Hello?"

Okay, there's chapter one. How do you like it?

Thanks to ChaylorFnficPrincess, imjustagirl0077, and sccrchic1432 for reviewing.