"Shit, man, you need to ease up."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one having a stick jammed inside your body."

"It only lasts for a couple seconds, Anton! It's not going to hurt as much as you think it'll hurt."

"Yeah, because you've done it before, right?"

"Would you stop being such a pussy and listen? There's nothing to be afraid of. First, they moisturize you, and then they look for a place to stick their shit into you. It'll be quick and over with before you know it."

"...I don't know..."

"Look, I'm pretty sure you've gone through worse stuff than this. Just calm down. At least it's not a thousand of them at once."

"Well how'd you feel when you did it for the first time?"

"I...cringed...but that was only for a second. You're just being too paranoid."

"...Okay, okay, fine! I'll do it! But only because—YOW!"

Jack kicked open his bedroom door and shrieked, "GO DO YOUR STUFF ON YOUR OWN BEDS!"

Cody and Anton turned towards the newcomer with surprised looks on their faces. They were both sitting on the bed cross-legged with a bowl of croutons between them.

"...Can we help you?" Anton finally asked Jack.

"...This is my room," Jack deadpanned. "What are you doing in my room? What are you doing in this house?"

"Anton's overreacting about this flu shot he's getting in a few days," Cody explained. "Apparently it's his first time getting one, and he's thinking that it's going to hurt like hell, even though it won't. For some reason, he's not believing me when I say it's nothing."

"Yeah, because it's you and you could be trying to trick me for all I know!" Anton defended, prompting Cody to roll his eyes.

"I still don't see why you have to have your discussion in my room," Jack remarked.

"I broke a vase so my mom's mad at me right now. I needed to get out of the house," Anton informed. "And I'm not risking having a private chat in Cody's bedroom."

"So... You guys just came here because you figured you couldn't stay at either of yours? Like this place is some kind of third option?"

Anton shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah."

"I was and still am wondering why exactly Anton thought something would go wrong at my place," Cody stated dryly.

"Like I said, it's you! Who knows what you would pull?!"

"What could I possibly do?!"

Anton was about to retort when Jack cut in, muttering, "Probably something along the lines of what I thought you guys were doing when I eavesdropped on the other side of the door before bursting in here?"

"What'd you think we were doing?" Anton inquired, completely oblivious alongside Cody.

"...Never mind. Anyway, you should leave," Jack suddenly announced, pulling Cody and Anton off his bed and pushing them out of the room. "You ought to conclude your argument on the walk home."

"Hey, wait—" Anton tried to protest, but Jack slammed the door shut.

Cody scoffed. "Wow. Rude."

Jack opened his door again, then added, "By the way, why did Anton scream ouch right before I came in here?"

"Oh, we were eating croutons, and I just took one when Cody suddenly hit me," Anton replied, rubbing his head and glaring at Cody. "I don't even know what I did."

"You took the crouton that I wanted!"

"They're all the same!"

Jack raised an eyebrow at the ensuing argument, then shook his head and closed the door again.

"Aw, come on!" Anton complained. "The least you could do is give us the bowl!"

...I don't even know what this is, just jump to the next chapter (Or review. Whatever floats your boat).