"Take the tickets, Josh," Mike ordered, following Josh around the house.

"No." Josh would always answer.

"You want to go, Josh. Take the tickets,"

"No."

Catching up, Mike grabbed hold of Josh's arm, "I know you want to go," He said, slapping the tickets into Josh's hand, "Lets go."

Staring at the tickets, Josh let a heavy annoyance sigh and reluctantly took them, "Okay," He said softly, "But why are you so adamant I go?"

Stepping back, Mike slowly took a seat on the couch trying to find the right words, "Look, Josh, I think I know what's going on..."

"What do you mean?"

Shaking his head, Mike stood and took Josh's hands reassuringly in his own, "You and Drake... you two had a 'thing' didn't you?"

Josh knew he wasn't going to be able to lie, but it wasn't going to stop him from trying, "What?!" He nervously chuckled, taking his hands back and stepping back to pace, "No! Come on, Mikey, we're brothers!" The look on Mike's face spoke volumes; he wasn't buying it. Josh knew he was easily read and over the years Mike had became a pro. Slumping back onto the couch, Josh squirmed, "Yeah," He whined softly, "Yeah, we did," He looked over to study Mike's face, the expression unchanged, "Well, you going to say anything? Call me names? Anything, just don't sit there, man..."

"All I can say, Josh... all I can think is you're step-brothers, so it's at least not blood, but..."

"But?"

"Why didn't you just tell me? Don't you trust me?" Stabbed Josh in the heart, "I would have understood. I would have understood a lot more about your attitude toward him... toward me..." Shoved the knife in deeper.

"Mike," He choked, "I-I do have feelings for you..."

"No," Mike slapped his hands to his thighs and stood, "No, you still have feelings for Drake and you're denying it by saying you have feelings for me," He tried to smile, but Josh's defensive stance had him taking his own.

"How can you say that? You make it sound like I've been leading you on-"

"Josh, we've been 'friends' for three years..."

"So you're saying you do think I was leading you on..."

"Well, in a way... yeah..."

"Still no word from Josh?" Frank asked, narrowly dodging a balled up piece of paper, "Take that as a no..."

"I knew he'd do this," Drake said softly. The hurt in his tone sending a pang through Frank's chest, "Don't know why I bother anymore," Walking over to Drake, Frank stood over him, a beaming smile forced across his face, creeping Drake out, "What? Dude, you're freaking me out here. I'm hurting and you're smiling, what gives?"

"What if I told you we've been given the okay for a quick stop-over in Walla Walla?" Frank said quickly, bracing himself for the explosion of celebration from Drake.

"So we can do it?! We can stop in Walla Walla?!" Drake said excitedly, his leg beginning to jump and shake.

"Yes-" Frank said reluctantly when Drake cut him off, quickly jumping up and punching his fists into the air.

"YES!"

"But..." Stopped the celebration cold.

"Damn it, Frank! What now?"

"They said we'll be cutting it close. Probably too close..."

"How close?"

"Like we better find a way to land the plane on the stage-close..."

"You know what, Frank?" He said with a pat to Frank's shoulder and so seriously it made the hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand on end.

"Wh-what, Drake?"

"I really don't give a fuck."

It was becoming and all too familiar sight; Josh staring blankly at his laptop. He tried to think of how to tell Drake he'd be going, but that Mike would be there too.

And how after a very long, very serious talk, it boiled down to he truly did in fact have feelings for Mike and he hoped Drake would understand. Or at least have figured out by now things were going to be different.

He'd begin to type, just to pull away from the keys as if they were going to snap his fingers off, You don't have to tell him anything. Just that you are going to be there, you don't even really have to tell him about Mike. Just say,

Hey, Drake! How's it going? Sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to you, school and all. Thanks for the tickets! Mike and I can't wait to see you!

Josh

SEND.

"Shit!" He cried, grabbing at the screen as if he could pull the email back, "The hell did I just do?! Josh you idiot!"