I just noticed something went wrong uploading this chapter, don't know what happened. But hopefully you like the real chapter :)
TJ and Vince rang the doorbell. They were greeted by a very excited Mikey: "Hello, my wonderful friends. Please enter my home to celebrate the joy of life." "Hey Mikey, how are you man?" Vince replied, as he walked into the decorated house, "Long time, no talk." "Yeah Mikey, it's good to see you! Congrats to your 17th birthday." TJ added. Mikey beamed at the words of his old friends and led the two boys to the living room, were already people were seated.
Gus and Bailey sat together on the couch holding hands. On the other side of Gus sat Gretchen. She was talking about her newest project to the couple who had trouble to keep up. Standing next to the couch were three boys from the drama club who were performing a play of some sort. And finally there was a boy walking around with snacks who occasionally joined the conversation. TJ didn't recognize him as the boy approached them. "Hey guys, you want some mini-pizza's or veggie burgers?" "Veggie-burgers? No way, I'll take the pizza!" TJ responded with a look of horror on his face. The boy laughed and said: "You must be TJ, and you" he said as he turned to Vince, "must be Vincent." "Just call me Vince. But, who are you? I don't recognize you from school." Mikey was looking nervously to his old friends. He cleared his throat and started explaining.
"Well my dear friends, there is something I need to tell you." TJ and Vince looked at each other with confusion in their eyes. Both just shrugged and looked expectantly to Mikey. Mikey took the boys hand and continued: "This is Nathaniel. He came to me after my performance three months ago at the theater. We started hanging out and know he has been my boyfriend for almost two months now." TJ looked from Nathaniel to Mikey and back in shock while Vince shook Nathaniel's hand and congratulated them. "You can call me Nathan if you like, Mikey is the only one who calls me Nathaniel." Nathan said grinning to the boys in front of them. Mikey looked worried at TJ who was still quiet. "TJ? Are you alright? Is there a problem?" "You.. you have a… a boyfriend?" TJ stammered, "No, no this can't be. Almost two months you said?" Mikey turned paler by the minute. He had known his friends for a long time, but they never really discussed issues like this as they were kids. Of all of his friends, he never expected TJ to have a problem with homosexuals. Holding the handing of Nathaniel tight he started to defend himself and his boyfriend: "Well yes TJ, I do have a boyfriend and we are together for almost two months know. If you don't agree with this, it will make me very sad, but it won't change my mind."
TJ looked at the couple in front of him and started laughing. When he finished, he noticed Mikey's face and started to ramble. "Change your mind? I would never do that. I just, how could I not have known about this? We are still friends right? You should have told me. No, I should have known. I'm sorry Mikey, I am a terrible friend. I should talk to you more. And not just to you, also to the rest of the group. I never see you guys anymore. Well maybe Vince, but…" While TJ was rambling on about being a bad friend, Mikey started smiling, happy his friends didn't mind he had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend. Vince just looked at TJ and shook his head, not even bothering to make him stop. Nathan just looked astound and asked: "Does he always talk this much?" Vince shrugged and said: "Yeah, it happens sometimes." Then he turned to TJ and slapped him " Yo Teej, you okay man? You are talking nonsense again. Just congratulate them and shut up." TJ looked annoyed at Vince, but did as he was told. "Congrats you guys, sorry for rambling." "No problem TJ. I am just happy you understand." Mikey responded.
The boys all sat down and started talking to the rest of the guests. Soon the bell rang again and Mikey cheered "That must be Ashley!" and went to the door. TJ's good mood disappeared when he heard those words. Although he was looking forward to see Spin again, he didn't want to see her with a date. It didn't take long before Mikey came back followed by Spin and Steph. TJ's mouth nearly fell open when he saw the girl he had loved for so long. She was wearing a crop top that revealed her tanned shoulders and stomach, a tight black skirt, and black high heels. She wore a dark-red lipstick and her mascara brought out her eyes. Vince elbowed him lightly in the stomach, which brought him back to earth. Stephanie was waving them over so they could give their gift together. Mikey's eyes went wide when he opened the gift and he nearly crushed Spinelli when he hugged her. "Thank you so much, Ashley. Nathaniel and I will love it." Mikey said, after he put her back on the ground. "No problem, Mikey. I knew you would like it. And it's from the four of us, not just me." Spin answered. "I know Ashley, and I am all off you grateful. But only you could have picked this marvelous present." She just smiled widely.
The following hour everybody chatted and laughed with everybody. Stephanie freed Gus and Bailey from their conversation with Gretchen. They took the opportunity to talk to someone who wasn't hard to understand, in this case the guys from the drama club. Spinelli was talking to Nathan, while Mikey jumped at the chance to catch up with TJ and Vince. Mikey told them all about when he realized he was homosexual and how Nathan had asked him out. After a while TJ noticed Spinelli sitting alone, as Nathan was walking around with snacks while chatting with everybody. So when Vince started telling stories of him and Stacey, TJ stood up and went to sit next to Spin.
"Hey," TJ started, "are you enjoying yourself?" "Actually, I was." TJ didn't know how to respond, so he decided to with a simple "Oh". Spinelli just stared at him and TJ felt naked, as if she could see right through him. To fill up the awkward silence TJ asked the first question in his mind: "So were is your date? You got stood up by a boy again?" He soon regretted this. Spinelli reacted with an angry "No." "So where is he than?" "Not that it is any of your business, but she is right over there." Ashley replied while looking at Steph. TJ's mouth dropped for the second time that evening, all thanks to his Spin. "You and Steph are dating? I thought you were just friends." Spin shrugged. "We are, I wasn't serious when I said I had a date." TJ led out a relieved sigh. "Although," Spin continued, "sometimes I wonder if we are just friends. I mean we're so close, I guess you could see us as a couple. Well minus the sex." With an evil grin she added: "Maybe it's time to take our relationship to the next step." "Oh, you wish Ash. You couldn't handle me and you know it." TJ looked around in shock. Stephanie had been standing behind TJ without him knowing. "Oh, I could handle you just fine." Spinelli countered with pride. "Well alright then darling, lets go. TJ you can come, I think you would like the show." Steph said with mischief. "NO!" TJ yelled.