Teenage Dream

by Lucy Samb

You/ Darren Criss fanfic. The story is about your life with Darren in high school, college and professional life among friendship,love,fights,comings and goings and how you both go through serious stuff such as bullying,suicide,discrimination and life itself. It starts when you meet Darren, a guy of your school in St. Ignatius College Preparatory who never noticed you, a loser.

53. Green eyes

A/N: Hello amazing people! How are you doing today? Are you still recovering from seeing Darren twerking? Oh yeah, that was hot and also funny and awkward, so I definitely loved it. And well… Today I do not have that much to say! Only to thank you a lot for wishing this story a happy anniversary! So I'll start answering the reviews right away!

alicegursk: I love it you're almost always the first to review a new chapter, Alice! What? The hideous cliffhangers returned! Well, maybe only in that occasion, I missed them. An old lady! Can you believe it? But... Not all the old ladies are wicked. Just... Just think about... I can't come with any example right now. But, you should keep trusting old ladies! They're sweet and cute and they cook the best meals. But what would THIS old lady do to Darren, eh? And oh, Brian... I think things will change with him and Freckles soon, so don't worry. Freckles will always be made for Darren as well as Darren will always be made for Freckles, no matter what happen in between. I am the most precious? Really, Alice? No, you're the most precious girl! We are the most precious, okay? Okay. I love you!

Vcriss: It was your birthday too? Happy, but very happy birthday, belated, super belated! I really hope you had a great one! I wish I could have known it by that time so I could have dedicated that chapter to you or maybe have done another little something! But... I will send you a huge virtual cake as a gift anyways. Now, imagine you have a cake in front of you and make a wish again! I think I would have cried too, I mean, it's Darren! And yes, I did see Darren's interview on Conan! What he said about Cory was one of the most wonderful things he could have said in those rough times for everybody... I think it was very accurate; we have to remember all of his good things and keep smiling because that's what he would have liked to see. And Lea's speech at the TCA was so soulful that honestly it made sob a little. She just showed what being strong really means.

raniagleek: Hi, Rania! I can call you Rania, right? Well, first off I want to welcome you and thank you a lot for reading my stories! I'm really happy to know that you read the three of them and that you like them! So thank you a lot! Everything you said is just one of the nicest things that someone can tell me, seriously, you have me grinning like a dork! No, no writing skills! I just... No, I was never good at writing but I do love writing, it makes me happy; that's why I'm doing this! Well, I do have to keep my promises of updating every other Saturday! I mean, it's the least I can do to thank all of you for reading my stories and showing me your constant support! And thank you very much; I still cannot believe I've been writing this story for a year now! It's just unbelievable! About Darren's professional life... Well, the idea is to write about it, I definitely want to write about it because I already know how I'm gonna end this story, like I already have the structure in my mind of how the story is gonna develop; the things that I write may change with new ideas or with your ideas, but the structure is still. (I suck at explaining! haha). So yes, you'll get that part of the story but... no, it's not gonna be soon; I still haven't written it. I'm currently writing chapter 62 and a lot of things have to happen before writing the professional part. Besides, I was thinking that I'd like to end this story in chapter 100... That would be like great, because I've never ever written something so long! I'm just a little bit afraid that you can get bored of reading the story with so many chapters! And no, thank YOU! You're totally awesome and thanks again for your very nice words!

nicole: My draco-nicole! It's been a year, really! I FIND it crazy! And, admit it! You love Hufflepuffs because you find us very adorable! Not! haha. Alright. I don't know what's happening to me today. I can't find the answer. You're clumsy? Let's be best clumsy friends, then! Oh, oh, oh! I got a present! I got a present! Puppy, puppy, puppy, puppy! Oh, a book... No, it's not a book! It's a colorful chatty fishy! And it can survive out of water! I totally did not see that coming! Who has a fishy that can talk and survive out of water? I do! Now I can't stop singing 'These fishes in the sea they're staring at me'. But I have to keep in mind that the fish is not in the sea! Dumb me. Who do you think it is? Well, you'll see in this chapter. Yes, remember what Voldy said! It's a journal! A journal, not a diary! Diaries are for girls. Exactly! Brian is the only one who is hurting himself. And yes, Freckles someday will find it out and... I already wrote it... It's interesting the way she finds it out, I think. I really missed those cliffhangers! Unfortunately I haven't written much more of them. I'm seriously thinking that maybe I could write another totally different story that would be only mystery... But that would be so hard to do and I'm just lazy and not creative enough. Well, butterflies kisses and hugs your way, my son- reviewer draco-nicole! Less than three and high five!

amritsoomal: Thank you a lot Amrit! I can't believe it's been a year! It's completely insane! I think I never wrote something very long as this story is! But, but, but... Let's forget about it because I have something to say here... Happy belated birthday! I really hope you had a fantastic one, despite your cousin's wedding that was on your birthday! But weddings are great and fun, and there is a lot of delicious food... I think, to be honest I've never attended a wedding. Sad reality. Anyways! So you got your birthday and a wedding, that's a bonus, right? And you got an X-Men marathon! OH! I love X-Men, I really love it! I still haven't seen the last Wolverine film, so you gotta tell me how it was! Well... I really hope you liked Brian's texts; I remember when you didn't like him! haha... He is cute, but no... He won't get her. No, I'm not trying to kill you! That woman is trying to kill Joey and Darren! Why, though? And who is that woman? You'll find it out now! I just missed those kinds of cliffhangers, didn't you? Oh-oh! What if February is Joey's hook up? Wouldn't it be interesting? No? Okay. I'll be more than happy to include that Bruno Mars song to the story! So take it for granted, I already know when I'm gonna include the song. I just love that song. I really like Bruno Mars! Alright, I'll think the way Darren can adopt the baby fat panda! And I'll make sure to make it be cute and adorable! Glee marathon, I should do that when I get free time! Ah! That would be amazing! Oh yeah! I got a mega ass box of popcorn and candy floss! And just because I'm badass and idiot, I'm gonna mix them anyways! Someday I'll find the way to be amazeballs! haha.

PotterHead62: hahaha... Didn't you miss those kinds of cliffhangers? I did! Well, don't you worry... There won't be many of them in the next chapters! So now... It's time to find out what happens!

MeMi83: I'm really glad you liked what Brian wrote about Freckles! I thought it was the best way I could write about Brian's feelings, because, after all, he wants to be a writer, so this is like his way; just as for Darren is with music. And yes! I also wanted to explain why Brian can't just tell Freckles what he feels, but that isn't the whole thing, there are more reasons why he can't tell her, but you'll find it out in other chapters. There are just many things about him you don't know yet. And yes, I wanted Freckles to show him that sometimes things can have other perspectives that sometimes we cannot notice. Well, I recently wrote how Freckles finds out Brian's feelings… But maybe it won't be so wonderful, yet it could be interesting, I think. I hope to not regret later! But it'll have something cute, somehow. And yes… Then we have that cliffhanger… everything was going too slow, too cute, too sweet… I had to make a plot twist to make it interesting… After all, I missed those scary (?) cliffhangers! And your questions are so accurate! Who is that woman and why was she aiming Darren and Joey with a gun? Is she connected to W? You'll get your answers in this chapter… Yet, something will remain in secret until like… four chapters later… I love plot twist and adding layers to the characters! Well, it's something I'm learning how to do, how to make you discover an entire character little by little and not all at once. Maybe in my future stories (if I ever write another one) I'll make it that way. And yes, it's been a year! I still cannot believe it, it passed so fast! And aww, thank you very much for your words, Memi, really! Thank you for appreciating my effort and noticing that I love writing this story, well, writing in general! It's like… This is something new for me, because I just dared to start writing two years ago because I really needed it for things of life… It's like my way to release the stress and other bad things, so it makes me happy and I found it out just two years ago. And it makes me even happier to know that out there is someone who is willing to read the things I write, despite everything, and that person is you! So you know how much it means to me and for that I say thank you!

Caroline Boeira: Of course you got a chapter dedicated to you! I wouldn't forget it! It was the least I could do, I mean, you always supported me and I'm very thankful for that, Caroline! And besides, it's pretty hard to give someone a virtual present, so I thought this could be one way, right? I hope you had a totally awesome birthday! Yes, a year! Ahhh! It's crazy, I can't believe it! It passed really fast as you said!

wujoka: Krusty's voice! What a way to start the conversation! That was amazing! Oh yeah! We rule the world, it's us, not the usa! Did you hear it, world? Happy one year! Yes! Crazy thing! But… Oh dear! It was your birthday? Let me sing for you, my friend! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday my totally awesome friend, happy birthday to you! How you dare to cover your ears! I know I'm a terrible singer, but do not do that! But wait, I'm not finished, I still need to say one more thing: Woot-woot! Alright, maybe someday I'll record my voice reading it to you. But maybe. It's the hardest thing I'll have to do, so I have to think. Oh no! No, no, no! Dammit, I know you said that you liked when old people smiled at you, but… No! Don't think I did this on purpose! I wrote this chapter months ago! You should keep trusting old people, they are nice and they cook the best meals. This old woman that appeared is just one of thousands! Brian's old mom? Maybe! Well, if no one mentioned you when you said that on snap chat is because they're idiots… Or a though son of a bitch, as they would say on Starship! And I'm also totally fan of Harry Potter, and of course of AVPM, AVPS and AVPSY! Like, I don't know how my life was before that. Ah! Joe Moses as Snape is like the best thing ever! He is one of my favorite characters on the show, besides (of course) the very hot Joe Walker as Voldemort and Umbridge, Joey Richter (I love him so much) as Ron and Lauren Lopez as Malfoy (Geez, she's amazing)… I just, I love them all; but those four are my favorites. 'That's absurd'; that is magnificent, extraordinary, superb… I just… I'll start picturing it every time I write it! Maybe my subconscious wrote it because I was thinking about Joe Moses' impression of Snape. Starkid all the way! Take it easy, Hogwarts; it's been totally awesome. Tears, so many tears, so much pain! Damn. I didn't want it to end, but I have to dance, Voldy (or Tom Riddle) taught me that! When life sucks, just dance! I wish I could be like Ted Mosby! Oh my god, How I Met Your Mother reference! I loved it! No! Oh dear, no, I'm not good at maths. But alright, if you say so, I'm good at it (though I secretly may hire a person to do the math for me). Well, you are right… Screw those haters! I'll need your help with that boot to kick ass, so you better be ready! But seriously, though, thanks for saying I'm a good writer! I am trying to be, not a professional, but just good enough to keep writing fanfics if I ever keep writing! Okay yes, you can give me tasks to do because you're my friend. So I'll work on it, I'll try to be more open and just tell other people what's happening to me, and yes, I want you to work on it too! I find this interesting to do, that we both start doing it! If we can get it, then we'll deserve a huge Nutella cake. What do you think about it? Oh yeah, yes, yes! Nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all! I'm just laughing my ass off right now! We both love the Simpsons! How amazing is that? D'oh! Let me correct myself… Totally awesome! It seems we share many things already! Homer is my favorite. Always. Excuse me, Homer JAY Simpson. Are you from Africa? Like… Really? What country? Ahhh! I love that I have a friend from Africa! Hahaha! "Uh, the last time I checked I wasn't pale' Kick their ass! Okay… I just want you to know when I write 'I got pale' or things like those, it's just because it's a way to say… Damn, I got super scared or shocked! I think people all over the world adore Darren, people of different cultures, different languages, skin tone, facial features, believing, and well, all of that… That's why this is amazing! Don't you think? And well, in Argentina we have all the kind of weather! There's this city called Ushuaia where it's super but super cold (it's called the end of the world), then we have this city called La Quiaca that is very but very hot… And then you have this city where I live (No, not Buenos Aires) that is not super cold but is not super-hot either! Thank you a lot for saying that I could send you my concerns or problems through mail! Letter friends? I like that idea! You can do it too! Now, now, until next time my friend!

Zahra Ayoub: Zahra! I don't know where to start. I'm really sorry for your loss. I honestly can understand that you feel like crap these days because what you're going through must be one of the hardest things that one can live. You can always take the text for your own and give them other significance, I'm glad you did and I'm glad it helped you somehow. I just want to give you something else, something I wrote some time ago, and I'd like you to read it, if somehow it can help you; maybe not help you totally but at least a little bit. I'll tweet that text to you. I just want you to believe that people will be always alive as long as we remember them, even if they are not in this world any longer and regardless of what we believe, religiously talking. Sometimes only something insignificant, like a retrieved object or a smell, is enough to bring to our mind someone who is already gone. They're gonna be always alive in our hearts, that's something I learned when I lost my grandpa. We just gotta remember the good things about them, the precious moments we shared together and just be thankful for having shared a part of our lives together. If you ever feel like you can't stand the pain of having lost someone who meant a lot to you, just see a picture of him and think that all he wanted for you was happiness, so give him what he always wanted for you. Yes, those are just words, and I know that in real life it hurts too much and it's probably one of the hardest things to do, but it'll get better, you just have to believe it and... Well, in my case I tried to smile again and say 'I'm doing this for you, grandpa'. And it felt good when I got to smile for real, not a fake or forced smile, an authentic one. And that did not mean I forgot him, it meant that I understood that he was still there, somewhere, in my memory, but mostly my heart. I just hope someday it works for you too. And, although I'm not always there, if you ever need to talk to someone, you can send me a DM on Twitter or a Private Message on this page. And I know you'll find a way to help yourself overcome it… Sometimes we have weird ways to do it, and you should try all of them until you find one way that is comfortable for you and truly helps you. For me it's writing. Not necessary this fanfictions, just writing for myself. I honestly write to help myself, to discover myself and to understand things I can't understand, well, just as I wrote in that chapter. But there are other ways: music, painting, drawing, going for walks alone, finding your own place where you can be alone and just think, travel, reading, spending time with other people, and… helping other people; this may sound like something that does not help, but it helped me so it may work for you too; help people with the littlest things, it doesn't have to be something great; when you do something for another one in a selfless way, it brings you some kind of joy that is irreplaceable, it's a weird feeling and definitely one of those positive feelings. I really hope you can find the way to smile for real again; don't rush it, tough, let it flow naturally, I believe someday you'll be able to do so and you'll be able to say 'I am happy'. Now, I hope that I can help you at least a little with what I'll tweet you. I wish you real happiness, health, lots of love and support and one of those comforting hugs, just reminding you that despite everything life is beautiful and you do deserve to be happy.

vicky: You know? I really think you gave me a good idea. I gotta admit that I may like seeing Freckles and Brian together, just not forever, but at least something… Maybe they deserve it! So, maybe, I could grant your wish if you only picture me as a Genius on a lamp. I gotta be blue! Go blue! Haha, alright, I guess I'm in a silly mood today. Yes, as you said, I think it'll be hard for Brian to just forget Freckles and move on… So, I'm considering about getting them together, it'd be interesting to see what Darren thinks about this and how the relationship between Freckles and Brian is. Hey, you're good at convincing people! Aww, I'm glad you liked Brian's book! It's like… I think Brian shows his feelings through words and Darren through songs; two of the most amazing things that exist! Music and books! Ah! I know life is treating him so bad. To be honest, Brian is somehow inspired by a real person I know (actually he is a mix of a lot of people I know), and that person has a heart of gold, yet suffered a lot, even worse things happened to this person. So… It's like bad things happen to good people and that's what I wanted to show… Not precisely that, but how that person can be happy despite the bad things in life and how, after struggling and fighting, things get right as the person really deserves. Things will get better for him, it's a promise; he'll be happy… Only that maybe not so soon… There are still a LOT of things about Brian and his life that you still don't know and you'll find them out in different chapters… In this one you'll know a little bit more of him. Oh, oh, oh! About the woman… Maybe she's Brian's mother who was 'dead'; or maybe not… It'll be interesting… I don't wanna spoil it, though. And maybe… maybe… You'll know why that woman is threatening Darren and Joey with a gun! Yes, I saw that video! It was really wonderful and he is so right! We all should keep smiling because that's what Cory would have wanted! And we just have to remember all the good things of him, as Darren said! I loved it. Oh! My favorite quote? Geez, that's a hard question! I have a lot! But maybe now (I'm sure I could change it in any moment), I'd say is this one: "I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, 'This is what it is to be happy'". It's pretty simple, as you can see; but if you think about it, it says a lot with few and simple words. Because that is happiness, happiness is not about great and huge things, real happiness is about those little things in life that sometimes we barely appreciate: All the beauty around us, the people who love us and we love, those new landscapes that will make a beautiful memory in us, and those very known landscapes that bring us back all the memories of all the things we felt, experienced and did in each one of those places. Because sometimes we think that happiness is about making dreams come true, and yes, but it's not all… at the end, I believe that returning (or remembering) to some place with certain people where we were happy but we were unaware of it (like when you grow up and return to the town you lived in your childhood or some any other place that had so much significance in our lives) is what will make us smile and say 'Wow, I was happy'. I don't know, I have too much to say, but it'll be long. Also, I'd want to add this one 'You must be the change you wish to see in the world', because it's just so true and is the one quote that makes me want be a better person and do nice things for others without expecting anything in return, because maybe if people see what I do, more people will do it and it'd be beautiful to see a world in which everybody is kind and make those little things that maybe can change a life. I just dream of a world in which hate or bad things don't exist… Maybe it's impossible, but I can try to practice it myself (it's super hard sometimes, to be honest). And well, I could also talk about it, but I don't wanna bore you with my thoughts and all of that! What is yours?

Gleekof1: Yes, cliffhangers all the way! Yay! Haha. Anyway, you won't get them so often, so don't worry! Your friend is nerdy and tall, that really seems like Brian. Let me think about one… Right now I'm not being very creative, but I'll think about one during the week! It's just that nerdy… It's really cute; I love nerdy guys, so it gotta be a cute nickname! Or do you prefer a funny nickname? You said it thousands of times and I smiled like a real fool those thousands times! Seriously, it's really nice to know you think that about my writing! Like geez! I hope to never disappoint you! Because if you keep reading this story, you have to be ready to read a lot of more chapters and I think it'd be pretty hard to make you think the same throughout all chapters!

Well guys, that was all for today! I want to wish you all lots of love and happiness. And always warm fuzzies! Until next time!

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Teenage Dream – Chapter 53 – Green eyes.

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The old woman was still aiming me and Joey with the gun. I slowly put my phone in the pocket of my jeans again, without taking my eyes off her. Awful memories popped in my mind when I saw that gun aiming me; I remembered the time Jim aimed me with a gun that night that fucked up everything and basically changed everything in my life. I thought I was never going to be aimed with a gun again, but I was wrong. Panic started to take over my whole body. My body was trembling and my heart was beating really fast because of the panic. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, I couldn't do anything at all; I was like paralyzed and my brain wasn't functioning.

"Yo! Open the door!" The woman demanded nastily, looking at Joey. Joey was also paralyzed because of the panic, so he was acting by instinct.

"Do not!" I yelled frightened.

The woman walked to me rabidly, took me by the arms strongly in a way I couldn't do any kind of movement, and placed the muzzle of the gun in my temple. I felt the cold gun in my temple and I closed my eyes in fear, as my body started trembling even more and my heart started beating even faster. When I opened my eyes, Joey was looking at me very disturbed and aghast.

"Open the door or I'll shoot him." The woman said wickedly.

"We... We don't have many things you can steal... I'm sure... I'm sure we can fix this another way... I... We... Please..." Joey stammered very scared as the woman pressed, almost buried, the muzzle of the gun in my temple.

"I said open the door." The woman said again very wickedly.

Joey nodded and opened the door with his trembling hands. The woman forced me and Joey to get into the apartment. She didn't stop aiming me with the gun. Once we entered our apartment, the woman forced Joey to lock the door and all the windows, she forced Joey to close the curtains while she was holding me strongly, still pressing the muzzle of the gun against my temple. Damn shit, if she wanted to steal our things and rob the whole apartment, why the hell wasn't she doing it? I just wanted her to do it and leave; I wanted to stop feeling the cold gun against me that was bringing me those awful memories. But no, she forced us to sit on the couch as she remained standing, aiming us with that fucking gun. Damn, she should just rob everything and get the fuck out of here.

"Are we safe here?" The woman asked and neither Joey nor I answered. "Is there any chance somebody else can hear us?" She asked again but Joey and I remained silent, feeling very scared, without taking our eyes off the gun. "Answer, goddammit!" The woman yelled altered, stepping closer, firmly aiming the gun to us.

"No one can hear us." Joey answered with trembling voice. "Just take everything you want and leave, please. We won't call the police." Joey said scared, still with trembling voice.

The woman looked fixedly into our eyes, frowning and very serious. She didn't seem to be a homeless woman; she didn't seem to be a poor woman; she looked more like a wealthy woman. Then why would she want to rob our stupid cheap things?

"I'm not here to rob your whole apartment." The woman said softening her voice, but still aiming us with the gun.

"Do you... do you want to... do you want to kill us?" Joey stammered in fear.

"That was the plan." The woman answered.

I looked down really disturbed. Joey did the same than me. Fuck. Why? Why would someone want to kill us? Why was this happening? This was worse than any terrible nightmare. This needed to be a nightmare. How were we going to get out safely from this situation?

"Who of you is Darren Criss?" The woman asked and my heart skipped a beat in fear when I heard her saying my name. Why did she know my name? I was panicking. Of course I didn't answer and so didn't Joey. "Answer or I'll shoot both of you!" The woman yelled rabidly.

I couldn't say it was me. If I said my name, she would shoot me. She was looking for me. She wanted to shoot me. What was I supposed to do? I was scared like hell and I couldn't do anything about. My heart was beating really fast and I was having difficulties to breath. Why would someone look for me? Why would someone want to see me dead? I couldn't understand anything. How come this came to happen? How come I was actually in this kind of situation that I thought it only happened in movies? But I needed to answer because Joey was here. If I didn't answer, the woman would shoot him too. And Joey, apparently, had nothing to do.

"I am." I finally answered with trembling voice, looking down very aghast. I noticed how the woman stepped closer to me.

"Why do they want you?" The woman asked and I frowned in confusion, still uneasy.

I couldn't think about anything, my brain wasn't working. Why was she asking me things? What was she talking about? Nothing made sense. I didn't know what was happening. Damn, she should just shoot me and end of everything. Shit, this was a torture. What was this? I wanted to wake up, but I was already awake.

"I won't shoot you." The woman said but I couldn't trust because she was still aiming me with the gun. "I only want to know why they want you."

"Who? I don't know what you're talking about." I answered with trembling voice, still looking down disturbed. "Who wants me?"

"Someone who said you deserve to die." The woman answered and I pursed my lips as I wanted to cry because of the fear. Why would someone think I deserve to die?

"I don't know who. I don't know why someone would want it. I don't understand anything. What have I done? Why is this happening? What do you want from me?" I asked with trembling and cracked voice, now looking at the woman as tears were falling down my face.

The woman looked at me with eyebrows downwards, as if she were afflicted to see me like that. Who was that woman? Why would she look sad for the fact I was crying? Why did she seem to be caring about my fear and distress? Why if she was still aiming me with a gun? The woman looked down for a little and then looked at me again and sighed. She finally stopped aiming me.

"Someone is forcing me to shoot you, someone who wants to see you dead for reasons I don't know. That person threatened me to kill my son if I didn't shoot you. I'm here because my mission is to shoot you to save my son's life. I need to protect my son." The woman said with cracked voice, now looking at me altered as she aimed me with the gun again.

I looked down and I started gasping in panic as tears wouldn't stop falling down my face. I was going to die. I knew the woman was going to shoot me. I knew she was going to kill me because she was trying to save her son's life. Why? Why me? I didn't even know who the person who wanted to see me dead was; I didn't know who this woman's son was and what I had to do with her son.

"I don't want to shoot you, but you have to understand this is about my son's life!" The woman exclaimed edgily, still aiming me.

"I... I'm sure... I'm sure there must be other way to fix this... Just... Don't shoot him." Joey suddenly said with trembling voice.

"I can't risk anything. I'm only sure that my son will be safe if I shoot him. I have no other option." The woman said shrilly, very altered and out of herself. I was still gasping trying to recover my breath.

"Please, don't kill me. I haven't done anything wrong. I don't wanna die, please." I begged very desperate, looking into the woman's green eyes, sobbing like a little scared boy, and I certainly was, a scared boy.

"I'm sorry, but I have no options." The woman said with cracked voice and teary eyes, apparently very disturbed. I could notice she didn't want to do it, but she was forced. I just didn't want to die.

"Please, don't." I begged very desperate while still sobbing uncontrollably.

I curled up in a ball on the couch; wrapping my arms around my bended legs and burying my head in my knees; as a way to feel a bit protected, even if I knew this wasn't going to protect me. I was trembling because of the panic, the desperation, the fear, the nervousness.

"What do you have to do with my son? Why you?" The woman asked apparently distressed.

"I don't know! I don't even know who your son is!" I sobbed while still curled up, trembling and gasping; not being able to look around. I wanted to disappear.

"This is my son!" The woman exclaimed loudly, really jittery.

I didn't know why she was saying that. Maybe she was showing me a picture, but I couldn't see it because I had my eyes closed and I was burying my head on my knees. The woman walked closer to me and she forced me to look up. When I looked up I could see the picture she was holding with one hand while she was aiming me with the gun with her other hand. I saw the picture and I frowned. It was an old picture that was surely taken years ago because it was a faded photo. In it there was a boy about twelve years old; but I recognized him because, even if he looked different now, there were features that he still conserved. With only twelve years old, he was tall, he had broad shoulders, straight hair, and he had perfect teeth. But mostly I recognized him because of his green eyes, the same green eyes that the woman in front of me had.

"Brian?" I asked astonished.

"Yes, Brian! He's my son!" The woman exclaimed in between tears. "What do you have to do with him?"

"We're friends. Brian is my friend." I answered still in shock. I noticed Joey was also in shock.

Then I looked suspiciously at the woman. She was Brian's mother; but I remembered perfectly what Freckles and Brian himself told me about his mother. She abandoned him when he was eight and he's never ever seen her since then. Why would she appear right now? Why would she defend her son's life after she abandoned him without caring about his son? Neither Brian nor Freckles mentioned me that Brian has seen his mother again and this was something that Freckles would have told me. For Brian, his mother was an absent mother and his mother was his father; Freckles told me he never could consider his biological mother as such. But now his mother was here, defending her son's life as if she were a caring mother all of a sudden; she was even willing to kill someone else to save her son. What was this? There was something suspicious.

"Why do you have to shoot me to save Brian? Why would someone want to kill him? Who is this someone who has forced you to shoot me and who has threatened you to kill Brian?" I asked gingerly and suspiciously.

"I don't know. I was only forced to do this sort of mission. The person refused to tell me his name. He showed me current pictures of my son being spied; it was the proof that he's going to kill him if I don't do this mission. He called this mission the revenge." The woman answered with trembling voice, frowning, distressed, and finally putting down the gun. "I can't shoot you. I can't shoot a friend of my son. But the person is gonna kill my son if I don't do this!" The woman said breaking into tears. Joey looked at her stunned as I looked at her still a bit suspicious. "I've already lost him once and I always regret it. I don't wanna lose him forever." The woman said crying in a sorrowful way, covering her face. I knew what she was talking about and she seemed to be honest. She really seemed to be repentant of having abandoned Brian.

"Haven't the person said anything about him?" I asked gingerly.

"No, he only used the pseudonym W." The woman replied and I froze in panic. W was behind all of this shit. W was back for real and it was worse than the last time.

"Have you seen the person?" I asked with trembling voice.

"Yes." The woman answered.

"How did he look like?" I asked in an eager way.

"He was tall... I don't know... He was blond, young, had blue eyes... I don't know." The woman answered altered.

"Jim." I whispered to myself, astonished.

Now I was sure that it was Jim; that fucking asshole was back to fuck up everything one more time. A rage took over my whole body. I wanted to punch him for having fucked up everything. He was threatening Freckles; he wanted to see me dead and he was also threatening Brian and he wanted to see Brian dead. Because I knew that the main problem for Jim now was Brian. I knew that even if Brian's mother shot me, Jim would shoot Brian anyway. And truth was Jim was playing dirty, he was playing with dangerous things; now it wasn't only about bullying, he was aiming to kill people. He was sick and demented.

"Listen, you can shoot me if you want." I said and Joey looked at me abruptly as if I were crazy, as the woman looked at me frowning in confusion. "But if you shoot me, the person who makes himself call W, whose name is actually Jim, is gonna kill Brian anyway; because your son is also in Jim's blacklist of people to kill. I know this because I know who Jim is. He's a damn asshole who fucked up my fucking life and your son's best friend's life in high school." I said very rabidly only by the fact of thinking about Jim. Brian's mother looked at me troubled and afflicted. "So options are either you shoot me right now knowing that Jim is gonna go for Brian anyway to kill him, or you don't shoot me and you help me to find Jim to kick the crap out of him to never mess up in our lives again." I said firmly looking into Brian's mother eyes. She remained silent for a long time, very thoughtful.

"I won't shoot you and I'll help you only if you bring my son here so I can see him again." The woman answered.

"Deal." I said firmly and Brian's mother nodded. "May I know your name, Mrs. Clerk?" I asked and her eyes filled in tears when she heard the way I called her.

"Marnie." Brian's mother answered.

"We have a deal, Marnie." I said again and she nodded, wiping away the few tears that fell down her face. "But maybe you'll have to wait to see Brian again. Now it's 4am in the morning. Is tomorrow afternoon alright for you?"

"Yes!" Marnie exclaimed loudly and almost desperately, with tears in her eyes again.

Brian's mom and I exchanged our phone numbers and then she left our apartment. Joey looked at me still very stunned for the situation recently experienced and he demanded me an explanation. I only explained him all I knew so far because of the fact he deserved to know because he was here when all of that happened. I forced him to swear that he was going to stay out of this and when, after a long time, he accepted, we went to our respective bedrooms to get some sleep. But I couldn't sleep. I needed to talk to Freckles and tell her all that has happened. She needed to know, just as Brian needed to know. His mother was back, after all; but to be honest, I had no idea how Brian was going to react about this; because for him, his mother was just a person who abandoned him, so it was surely going to be tough. I dialed Freckles' number.

"Darren, what the hell? It's 5am in the morning!" Freckles answered the phone call with sleepy voice and very moody.

"I have new information about W." I said.

"I'm listening." Freckles stated very intrigued and awake all of a sudden.

I started telling Freckles all that recently happened since we left the Blind Pig and how an old woman started following us. I told her everything: about the gun, how she forced us to open the door of our apartment, how she forced then to lock the door and windows, how she knew my name even if I had no idea who she was, how our conversation was and how she ended up confessing that she was forced to shoot me but she didn't want, that W was the one who forced her to do this, and I told her the description the woman told me about W. I told her everything, except the part that the woman was Brian's mother.

"That's Jim." Freckles said in a whisper, concerned.

"Exactly. Now we know that Jim is the asshole who's behind all of this." I said.

"I knew it. Is the woman still there?" Freckles asked.

"No, she left." I replied.

"Darren, how you dare! You let go the one person who can bring us to Jim! She could have told us where to find him to bring him down!" Freckles exclaimed upset.

"Okay, two things about that..." I said warningly. "First off, I'll see the woman tomorrow, we have a deal and she'll help me to find Jim. Then... You shouldn't be so fearless as to take this as though it was only a matter to find Jim. Listen, it's not like in high school; it's not only about threatening text messages, it's not only about punching a person in their face. We're talking about Jim as a heavy and dement person who is thinking about breaking in apartments as he did with Brian, and about killing people as he want to do with me and Brian. So it's not that easy and you should keep it in mind." I said in all seriousness.

"Hold on, why did you say that Jim wants to kill you and Brian? I mean, yes, he forced someone else to kill you and that's terrible; but why would you mention Brian? Jim never messed with Brian, except for that time he broke in his room; but after that nothing else has happened. Why would you say that Jim wants to kill Brian too?" Freckles asked very confused and suspiciously.

"Are you sure Jim hasn't messed up with Brian since that time?" I asked.

"Sure, he never told me that something weird was happening." She answered.

"Okay, I want you to remember that day we went to Brian's room after Jim broke in. Do you remember how Brian was and how he was basically forcing you to stay out of that because it was a problem only between him and W and he didn't want you to end up hurt? Do you remember how he forced you because he was worried about you?" I asked.

"Yes, I remember." Freckles answered.

"Then, what makes you think that Brian is gonna tell you if he happens to receive a threat? He won't tell you, Freckles; and not because he's lying to you but because he's surely thinking that not telling you is the way to protect you. I'm pretty sure he kept receiving threats and he hasn't told anyone. I know he's trying to find Jim by himself without involving others. Haven't you noticed how tired and haggard Brian looks lately? Haven't you wondered the reasons?" I asked in a rhetorical way, to make Freckles think about this.

"You're right. Brian would never tell me and he indeed looks tired and haggard. But maybe it's because of the other problems he has, Darren. I don't know... Brian... He should tell me!" She exclaimed a bit frustrated.

"He won't and he shouldn't. If I were him, I wouldn't tell you either; considering how stubborn you are sometimes. You'd do things without thinking that would end up in a bad way and Brian knows that, so it's obvious why he hasn't told you anything." I said in all honesty.

"Okay, maybe you're a little right. Still, I don't like at all the fact he hasn't told me." Freckles said a bit annoyed. "Anyway, you didn't tell me why you're so sure that Jim wants to kill Brian as well. Has Brian told you something?"

"No, he hasn't told me anything at all." I answered in all honesty. Now it was time to explain Freckles about Brian's mother and I didn't know how she was going to take it. "The old woman who came over here isn't a random woman. Do you have any suspicion of who she is?"

"Err, no I don't know. Do I know her?" Freckles asked intrigued.

"No, I think you don't. But you know some things about her." I answered.

"No, I have no idea who she is. Come on, tell me already!" Freckles exclaimed impatiently.

"She's Marnie Clerk, Brian's mother." I finally answered and after it there was a long, awkward silence.

"Darren... Brian's mother is dead. If this is one of your jokes, it isn't funny." Freckles finally said, very serious. I frowned very astonished, what was this? I was sure she was Brian's mother. How come Freckles was saying she was dead?

"What? No, this isn't a joke. I swear it was Brian's mother, she told me. What are you talking about?" I asked gingerly, still astonished.

"Darren, she died 7 years ago because of drug overdose. There's no way it was Brian's mother. She has lied to you." Freckles said concerned.

"No! I swear she hasn't lied! It was Brian's mother! She even showed me a photo of Brian when he was twelve. That was Brian, and that was an original photo. Freckles, it was Brian's mother. No, no way she's dead, she was right here hours ago, talking to me." I said nervously and flurried.

"Darren, no. She couldn't have been Brian's mother. Brian's mother is dead. I've even accompanied him to her grave. She's dead, Darren, and this isn't funny." Freckles said jittery.

"But she has his same eyes! They have the fucking same eyes! And the photo... The boy in the photo was Brian! I swear." I said very disturbed and confused.

"Darren, for fuck's sake, Brian's mother is dead, understand it! There's a grave with her name engraved: Marnie Anne Clerk. You've been lied to." Freckles said exasperatedly. "Maybe it was an ambush that Jim has planned. He could have found an old woman with green eyes just as Brian and he could have given her an old photo of Brian to make you believe she was Brian's mother. Please, Darren, tell me that you haven't given away any kind of information in front of her. Tell me that you haven't given her any important private information." Freckles said edgily.

"No, no I haven't given away anything at all. I just gave her my phone number and, of course, she knows where I live." I answered now feeling scared again. Yes, this was surely an ambush. How stupid I was! How couldn't I have noticed it was an ambush?

"Damn, Darren! You need to be very careful now. You shouldn't have given her your phone number. Why have you done it? Now Jim is gonna start sending you threatening text messages." Freckles said worried.

"Don't worry about it; I've already received a few. Jim already knew my phone number." I confessed because Freckles still didn't know that. And of course I wasn't planning to tell her, because the text messages were about her and Brian.

"Why haven't you told me? We promised to tell each other if we found new things about Jim!" Freckles exclaimed a bit angry, but then she sighed. "Anyway, I can't say anything. I haven't told you another thing that has happened to me, I haven't had the chance to do it before." Freckles said and I frowned.

"What? What happened?" I asked very curious.

"Last Sunday morning I was training and someone started following me. The person was about to attack me, but fortunately another person appeared; so the person who was going to attack me, ran away. I'm sure it was Jim the one I saw." Freckles told me.

I started feeling even more scared and edgy. This situation was getting worse and worse. Jim was around. Jim was in Ann Arbor and he was harassing Freckles and Brian, and now also me. And Freckles didn't seem to be so scared when she should be. She should be scared because Jim was really demented and she couldn't understand the severity of this situation. Even if she was confident and brave now, she wasn't capable of dealing with people like Jim.

"Freckles... You need to be careful. Do not go outside alone; it's not safe for you." I warned in all seriousness.

"I can deal with Jim by myself. I'm not afraid of him, he can do the shit he wants but he won't beat me." Freckles said in a very confident way.

"No, Freckles, you can't. You can't deal with him by yourself. I admire your positivism and your confidence, but Jim is not playing in an innocent way. He's involving guns and a lot of bad things with which you can't deal. So stop talking that way and face this reality, is very important for you to understand the severity of this situation." I said very firmly and roundly.

"Whatever, Darren, you don't know of what I'm capable and more when they mess with the people I love. Jim has changed, well, I've changed. If he doesn't want to play in an innocent way, I won't do it either." Freckles said very determined.

"What are you saying, Freckles? What? Are you gonna start bringing a gun with you from now on? Listen to yourself; you don't want to be like him." I said a bit incredulous.

"No, I don't want to be like him; but I don't want him to mess with the people I love either. So he won't get it. You can disagree with me, you can choose not to support me, but that won't stop me from doing what I think is what I have to do." Freckles said determined again and I sighed. She couldn't be so stubborn.

"See? For things like those Brian doesn't want to tell you anything of what is happening. Stop being so stubborn, Freckles. If we're telling you to stop being like this, is because we care about you and not because we don't want to support you. Please, stop. I'm not telling you to give up on this thing about finding Jim, because I also want to find him and punch him straight in his face; but I'm telling you to stop thinking that you can face Jim by yourself because you'd end up in a bad way and nobody wants that for you." I said very worried.

"Whatever, Darren." Freckles answered annoyed.

"Fine, just be careful, Freckles, I beg you." I said sighing when I realized it was like a lost case.

"You should be careful too, Darren... About this woman who is making herself call Brian's mother. If you contact with her again, be careful, do not give away anything and try to get information about Jim if you can." Freckles said.

"Yes, right. I will." I said. "Well, I guess I should get some sleep. So... Bye, Freckles."

"Bye, Darren. See you soon." She said and I hung up.

I left my phone in the nightstand and I snuggled up in bed, trying to sleep. But I couldn't because I was thinking about the woman I saw hours ago who told me was Brian's mother. She truly seemed to be his mother, they were so similar... But Brian's mother was dead. Who was this woman and why she seemed to really care about Brian? Because she didn't seem to be lying. Or maybe I was just a fool who believed everything.

---

After you finished the phone conversation with Darren, you sat on the couch, not able to sleep again. It was almost 6am in the morning and now it didn't have sense to go to sleep. You couldn't stop thinking about Jim and the woman who pretended to be Brian's mother. Jim was playing dirty, with dark and vicious things. Playing with the name of someone who was dead and guns was terrible. And Darren and Joey almost were shot; they were so lucky they could manage the situation. And it wasn't that you weren't scared, you were; but you wanted to keep safe the people you loved and for that you wouldn't be frightened. You needed to know if Brian kept or not receiving threats; because Darren was right, Brian wouldn't tell you anything because he didn't want to worry you and he didn't want you to take action about this. But you needed to know, so you, sneakily and trying not to make any noise, walked to the bedroom. You didn't turn on the lights and you walked to the nightstand. You took a look at Brian to check if he was sleeping or awake. It was hard to notice if he was sleeping or not because he never snored while sleeping, unlike other guys. You had to walk really near his bed to look at his face. It was really dark but you could distinguish his closed eyes; he was peacefully sleeping and you had to bite your lips not to laugh because he was hugging the pillow. Come on! A guy hugging a pillow while sleeping? It was funny. Anyway, you stopped staring at him like a stalker to grab his phone which was on the nightstand. When you attempted to grab his phone, you hit your hand with the nightstand and you had to bite your tongue not to make any kind of noise because of the pain. You automatically looked at Brian to check if he has noticed it; but no, he remained in the same position with his eyes closed. Now you finally grabbed his phone and looked at Brian one more time before leaving the bedroom. You walked to the couch and sat. This was wrong, but you needed to know. But you quickly figured out that his phone was blocked and it had password. Shit. What could be his password? You needed to guess his password; you really needed to read his text messages. Think, think, think. Maybe the numbers that spelled his favorite book? You tried it with 3674264729 that spelled Dorian Gray, from the book The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. But no, it wasn't. His dad's name? You tried with 43674925375 that spelled George Clerk. No, it wasn't. Damn, you only had one more try. Oh damn. Think, think, think. Maybe you could try with the way Brian called you; so you tried with 78669. Yes! Yes, now it was unblocked! Lucky you! Why would Brian use your nickname, though? Maybe because no one would ever think it could be his password. Anyway, you didn't waste your time thinking about why Brian had your nickname as password, you started reading all the text messages from his inbox. And there you found the anonymous text messages. He has received a lot of text messages, about two or three per day; he received those text messages every day. All of them were really wicked and perverse; they were even worse than the ones you received in high school. Most of them were about his dad; Jim was threatening him with his dad because he knew his dad was Brian's weak spot. Jim sent him several text messages telling Brian that he was watching his father and he knew about everything that his dad was doing; Jim even sent pictures of Brian's dad being spied; Jim threatened to kill his dad and make it look as an accident. Of course Jim also threatened Brian with the money and how Brian would never get the chance to get the money and job to save his father. He threatened to break into the room again, to make something that would cause Brian's expulsion from college, to kill him. Jim also threatened to hurt and kill you; Jim threatened a lot to do something bad to you. You and his dad were the main object of threat. College, money, job, Darren, and other Brian's friends were the second object of threat. Darren was completely right. Brian has been threatened a lot and you didn't even know. Now you could fully understand why Brian always looked tired and haggard and he looked way older than he was. Everything because he was going through real shit alone; and he was keeping it as a secret because he didn't want to worry anyone else. And Brian would keep smiling, being cheerful and nice while inside he was worried as hell; because Jim's threats were really rough. How could Brian even bear all of that by his own? Yes, he told you he couldn't open up himself because of everything that happened to him; but if he didn't talk to someone about all of this, he would explode. It was impossible to bear all of what Brian was enduring. Why would Jim want to destroy Brian? Which were the reasons? Why was Brian the main bullied person now? Was it only because he tried to stir in the past? That wasn't a strong reason to be bullied the way in which Brian was being bullied. There was surely something else. What could Brian have found out to be bullied this way?

"Brian... What do you know that no one else knows to deserve this?" You whispered in the silent living room.

He surely knew a secret about Jim; a secret that Brian hasn't mentioned you because most probably it was very important and telling you was going to cause you troubles. What could be that secret? It couldn't be the secret about whether or not Jim appeared that night in the hotel room to threaten Darren; it was for sure a more important secret. Brian mentioned you that he had been investigating everything in the web. Maybe in the laptop he had information about Jim. You left Brian's phone on the couch and you walked to Brian's laptop. You turned it on and you started inspecting all of his folders. Most of the things he had were about college and digital photos of his father, you and some travels and landscapes. Then you found a folder that was called J.A. That was Jim's name: Jim Adams. You quickly opened it and you found a lot of files: photos, notepads, newspapers articles, documents, addresses and phone numbers, among other things. Why would Brian have all of those things that seemed to have no relation to Jim? Brian started investigating about Jim only because he was trying to research about what happened that night in the hotel room; but this seemed more like an investigation about a criminal or something. You opened a photo because you recognized the place: it was the hotel room in which you and Darren spent the last night together in high school. It was a photo that seemed to be taken from a security camera, so the definition wasn't so good. There was a person dressed in black in the parking lot, walking to the hotel building. You tried to zoom the photo, but the definition was so crappy that you couldn't distinguish the face of the person. What if this was Jim and what Darren said was true? What if Jim really appeared that night and forced Darren to leave you? If it was like that and Jim was the one in the photo, why wouldn't Brian tell you that Darren was telling you the truth? You closed the photo and you were about to open another photo that was also taken in the hotel, this time from the hotel reception. But something stopped you abruptly and made you jump in fear. Brian's phone started ringing in the very silent room, it was an alarm. You quickly turned off the laptop and ran to the couch to turn off the alarm. Damn! Hopefully Brian didn't hear it. Your heart was now beating fast because of the adrenaline and you wouldn't stop looking at the door of the bedroom to see if Brian woke up or not. Apparently, he didn't wake up. You exhaled in relief and thought that you were lucky because you could have been caught. Brian couldn't know that you've been checking his phone and laptop. You needed to pretend that you didn't know anything or he was going to get mad at you and Brian being mad at you was the last thing you needed. Brian was the closest friend you had and your biggest support, so you couldn't stand being distant with him. You placed Brian's phone on his desk to make him think he forgot it there last night. You checked the hour, it was 8 am. You tried to forget about everything you've seen and read and decided to focus on spoiling Brian; he needed to receive affection after the night he spent; and he always spoiled you whenever you were feeling bad, so you wanted to do the same for him today. You made breakfast for two, so this time you were going to wake him up with breakfast in bed. Of course the breakfast you made wasn't as good as the breakfast Brian made for you, because Brian was a fucking genius in cooking and you were not; but at least it looked presentable. You walked to the bedroom with the tray, praying not to be clumsy as always so you wouldn't screw the surprise. You walked to Brian's bed and left the tray on the nightstand. You were about to wake him; but, instead, you remained looking at him. You were feeling like a sort of criminal for wanting to wake him because of the peaceful way he was sleeping. It's been a while since the last time you saw him sleeping so peacefully. He actually seemed to be quiet and not stressed as always. You sat on the edge of his bed and started looking his face; he didn't notice you did it. You slowly started stroking his soft hair while looking at him with a warm smile. Why were you lately feeling so weird while being near Brian? Brian finally opened his eyes very slowly and looked at you with his sleepy green eyes. He smiled at you and rubbed his eyes which were puffy because of the way he cried last night. Then he looked at you again and he let out a short giggle.

"I surely look like Ren Hoek when sick." Brian said, his voice husky with sleep and you laughed softly.

"Of course not. You look beautiful even with those puffy eyes." You said kindly, leaning to kiss his forehead. "Come on, give me room in bed."

"Okay, boss." Brian said hoarsely, laughing softly and moving to give you some room.

When he moved, the blankets also moved, exposing his bare chest. You couldn't help staring his toned chest as a stalker. You knew you should stop staring, but for some reason you couldn't. Why would you feel like this if you've already seen his bare chest millions of times? Brian apparently noticed because he covered with the blankets again. He was surely thinking you were a sort of perverted.

"Sorry, I'm still not used to sleep with a t-shirt." Brian apologized and you finally looked into his eyes.

"Oh, no! Don't worry about that, it's not as if I've never seen you without a t-shirt." You said.

Suddenly the memory of you sitting on Brian's lap while kissing him fiercely, touching his bare chest and trying to touch his crotch that day you were feeling lonely, popped in your mind and you felt extremely embarrassed. You wanted to forget that embarrassing memory.

"Hey, if I'm making you feel uncomfortable, you could hand me a t-shirt from my closet. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to... you know..." Brian said when he noticed you were blushing.

"Brian, really, it's okay. I just remembered something; but I don't mind that you're not wearing a t-shirt, that's absurd." You said firmly now. "Anyway! Good morning, beautiful boy." You said placing the tray with the breakfast on you.

"Oh, what a surprise!" Brian exclaimed cheerfully looking at the tray with that wide and bright grin you haven't seen in a while. "Both things, the way you called me and this breakfast in bed." Brian commented while sitting in the bed. "What is the reason I got this pleasant surprise?" He asked happily, smiling widely with bright eyes, taking a toast to eat. You didn't answer and instead you remained looking at him.

"How can you be so happy and cheerful?" You asked curiously, thinking about all the things that were happening to him. Brian turned his face to look at you frowning.

"What? Should I feel sad because my best friend brought me breakfast in bed, something I was certainly not expecting?" Brian asked a bit confused. But he knew why you asked it, he wasn't fool; so you didn't answer and remained looking at him. Brian, sensing he was kind of forced to answer, turned his face and looked down, sighed and smiled faintly. "I may be going through shit and I may be feeling bad; but when you do things like this, when you smile or do something nice, when you just show me that you care; then I have no reasons to feel bad. You make me feel happy, and you make me forget all the bad. So when you see me cheerful, it's because I really am. There you have your answer." Brian answered still looking down and you looked at him with a sweet smile, feeling moved by his words.

"You're the cutest thing ever, Bri." You said grinning as you leaned to give him a buss on his cheek. Brian turned his face to look at you and he smiled back. "I didn't know I had such power to make you feel happy."

"We've already talked about this. You're powerful and magical!" Brian exclaimed as if he was amazed, looking deeply into your eyes and then he started giggling softly when you started laughing out loud. "You should share with me a little of your power." Brian commented while eating a toast.

"Oh, but you already have your own power." You said smiling in a saucy way.

"Do I? May I know what kind of power I have?" Brian asked curiously, with an amused smirk, while eating the toast.

"Besides the power of spitting the toast crumbs in my face..." You said amused, cleaning your face with your sleeve as Brian was laughing out loud, covering his mouth full of food not to spit it in your face again. "You have the power of bringing joy to people, especially me, with your lovely charm and sweetness. You even have the power of making people feel special; but I hope it only works on me, otherwise I'd feel jealous." You said as if it was a secret and then you giggled softly. When you looked at Brian, he was looking fixedly into your eyes with the particular twinkle in his green eyes.

"I had no knowledge that I had such great powers, so don't worry, I think that my powers only work on you, something that makes me glad." Brian answered with a sweet grin.

"See? Again! You're making me feel special again! Stop using your powers, Brian!" You exclaimed loudly and Brian burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Brian exclaimed still laughing. "I'll try to control my powers; I'm still a beginner on this!"

Brian and you kept talking and joking while having breakfast. You thought that it was a good idea to have brought him breakfast in bed and surprise him, because he was really cheerful, smiley and lively. He hasn't been like this in a long, so it was really nice to see him so happy, as though he really forgot all his bad. Not even his puffy eyes were making him look sad, because the brightness in his eyes were showing that he was indeed joyful and he looked really handsome while being so cheery. Seriously, how would the girl he loved reject a guy like Brian? If she ever did, then there was no better logical explanation than assuming the girl was insane. When you finished breakfast, you placed the tray on the nightstand and, instead getting up to do normal activities as any other normal person would do on a Saturday, Brian and you decided to lie down in bed. You were wrapping your arms around him and placing your head on his chest, as he was holding you in his arms; both of you silent, apparently thinking about random things, as though the two of you were in parallel worlds. You were thinking how weird you were feeling by being with Brian like this. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, though; it was weird, as though you were enjoying being this close with Brian more than you should. Like, lately you were all the time trying to be close to Brian, trying to take advantage of every moment you could touch his hair, wrap your arms around him, caress his skin, kiss his cheek, look into his eyes, see his smile and lips, and mostly feel his touch. It was wrong, it was very wrong because you were feeling as if you were like using him to feel the affection you needed to feel because you weren't used at being alone. But when Brian started running his fingers through your arm, just as he knew you loved, you realized that you really enjoyed his touch; not because you needed someone to caress you, but because it was his caress, you enjoyed his caresses. You felt a bit scared when you started to think that maybe you could be falling for your best friend. This couldn't happen; you couldn't fall for Brian because he was like your brother. You've been best friends for so long and you didn't want to ruin your friendship because you were feeling stupidly confused. Maybe it was a fleeting feeling; yes, surely it was going to fade away soon. But then Brian started rubbing his chin in your head and you felt a need to caress him, to touch his chest. You tried your best not to do it and, instead, you looked up to look into his eyes surreptitiously. He was staring the ceiling with his gaze lost, he seemed to be thoughtful, so he didn't notice you were looking at him. It was really a bad idea to look into his eyes because now you couldn't take your eyes off his green, bright and very beautiful eyes. And it was even worse when, in your attempt to take your eyes off his, your gaze focused on his lips. You wanted to kiss him and this feeling made you feel very scared that you finally looked away. This didn't last, because minutes later you were looking into his eyes again. Brian, after a while, looked down and his eyes met yours. You, instead looking away, remained looking deeply into his eyes.

"Sunny, there's something I want to tell you. You asked me to be honest with you and since I'm trying to change and be able to open myself up and stop feeling cowed by my feelings and thoughts... I think there's something I want to tell you." Brian whispered still looking into your eyes.

He was nervous; you knew it because you could sense his heart beating fast against you. Maybe you should be like him and stop being afraid of your feelings and confess how weird you were feeling while being so close to him. So you were also nervous because you didn't know how he was going to react, but maybe he deserved to know. After all, you were always insisting that you should be honest with each other.

"There's something I want to tell you too." You finally said, feeling very nervous but determined to be honest with him. Brian frowned slightly apparently curious.

"Okay, you go first, then." Brian said looking fixedly into your eyes. Your heart started beating really fast because of the nervousness, but you took a deep breath, sure that it was now or never.

"I think I love you." You whispered and Brian frowned in confusion and astonishment, without taking his eyes off you.

"What?" He asked gingerly.

You, panicked because apparently Brian didn't like what you said, automatically regretted your words. He truly seemed to be very dumbfounded; so you quickly realized that it was a terrible idea to have said it and it was going to be even worse if you dared to tell him that you were feeling confused and maybe you were feeling something else for him. You were so stupid. What you were about to confess was so stupid; you weren't even sure and you were about to ruin your friendship.

"Just that I think today I forgot to tell you I love you." You said quickly, trying to fix what you said. Fortunately you didn't say 'I think I'm in love with you'. Brian smiled, apparently relieved to hear that.

"I love you too." Brian whispered with a friendly grin.

"So..." You said quickly, trying to change the stupid and awkward conversation you started. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Umm, yesterday, when I went for a walk… Well, umm, I was like… I was very thoughtful, you know, thinking about everything that has been happening… And umm…" Brian started babbling.

He was truly nervous and telling in person something that apparently seemed to be private was surely being very hard for him; so you held his hands, he looked at you and you smiled kindly at him. You fondled his hands with your thumbs as a way to let him know that it was okay, that he shouldn't be nervous, that you were willing to listen to him and you weren't going to judge him for anything. Brian remained in silence for a while, surely trying to calm down, and then he took a deep breathe.

"Okay, lately I've been thinking a lot about my mother; you know, when I explained you why I couldn't be so open when it comes to talk about my deepest feelings or thoughts, I started thinking about my mother and I started remembering things and asking me other things, like why she abandoned us or if she ever cared about us… In short, I've been thinking about her and it hasn't happened in a long. You know I never got to grow fond to her, because I was very young when she stopped being part of my life." Brian started explaining with his gaze lost, staring the ceiling while you were looking fixedly into his eyes in silence. You knew you shouldn't say anything because he was telling something really private and if you dared to interrupt him, he was probably going to stop telling you something that maybe he needed to say. "But… But I was thinking that maybe… Maybe I did grow fond to her, only that all these years I tried to convince myself that I did not. She was my mother, after all; good or bad, she was my mother, and when you're only 8 years old, you don't know how a good mother is and how a bad mother is, she is your mother and you love her. Yes, I remember that she was never too interested in being with me, on taking care of me or on trying to give me all that a boy of 8 years old needs. But I was 8 and I thought that was how a mother was supposed to be, I always thought she loved me only that her way of showing me that she loved me was very different from the way my dad showed me. I thought it was normal for a mother to love the way she did, always so indifferent; I thought it was normal." Brian said still staring the ceiling.

You noticed how his eyes suddenly turned into sad eyes; yet his voice wasn't chocked and he didn't have teary eyes. He was being really open to you and you appreciated this very much, because this was the first time he took the initiative to start talking about himself, about something private of himself. This was the very first time he was telling you, in person, some of his deepest feelings; and what he was saying was something sad.

"Point is I loved my mother, even if she wasn't like any other mother is with their kids. She was my mother and I loved her. When she abandoned us, I thought… I thought she only decided to take long vacations, because I heard a very rude dispute between her and my dad, so I thought she wanted to take vacations to bring… to bring me and my dad a present to make up for the dispute. As days passed by, I couldn't understand why my mother wasn't coming back; I couldn't understand why she wasn't returning if she already had been in vacations for a long time. I remember I asked my dad why mom wasn't returning with the present for us; that day my dad explained me that mom wasn't going to come back any soon. Anyway, I was still thinking that my mother was going to come back someday from her vacations with a present for me, because I thought she loved me and she only wanted to surprise me; so I spent every day looking through the window of my bedroom just to see if she appeared, so I could be the first one to hug her. It wasn't until one day in elementary school when my classmates called me forlorn that I understood that my mother was never going to come back because she abandoned me. She didn't even say goodbye, she just disappeared out of my life with no explanation." Brian said with cracked voice and he let out a silent tear.

You were already sobbing in silence because Brian never told you his complete story of how it was like to lose his mother, and this was really heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking that a little boy of only 8 years old had to go through something really terrible that was abandonment. You always thought that Brian never loved his mother and for him his mother was never important because his dad has done everything for him, so you never thought this could have been so tough for him. But it was and he never said a single word about this, in 12 years he never said a single thing of how he always felt about this. Brian fortunately wasn't looking at you, so he didn't know you were crying in silence.

"When I realized this is when I truly started feeling bad. I was feeling unloved and I thought I deserved it because it was me the one who had done something wrong that made my mom walk away from me. There was always emptiness inside invading me, as though a part of my life was missing. And when I started feeling like this, my dad's illness started to get worse and happened what I explained you in the note. I lost my mother, I didn't want to lose my dad as well, so I had to hide my feelings and pretend I was fine, for the sake of my dad. I pretended it so much that I ended up believing my own lie, until one day I figured out that I was really fine; that I didn't need my mother because I actually never needed her, because ,what could she give me? She never gave me anything at all in my childhood, and I knew this because after a while I found out how a true good mother is supposed to be and my mother was none of that. Sure there was a time she was like a good mother, but it didn't last too much. I never understood why my mom was like that with me; I always thought that everything was my fault. I thought it was my fault that my mother abandoned us, that my mother was never good when she was still with us, that she and my dad had a lot of disputes; I always thought it was my fault. And I had been thinking it until I turned 12 years old; I had been thinking it was my entire fault for 4 years, until my mom died. It was when my mother died that my father confessed me why mom never could be good." Brian said with sad voice and eyes full of tears.

But he didn't cry. You thought that maybe he couldn't cry because he's already cried so much for his mother that he didn't have any single tear left to cry. Yet he was sad because he was remembering everything that happened to him in the past; about something that maybe he hasn't talked in while with anyone. You knew the feeling of abandonment because somehow you've been there too; but what you knew about it was nothing compared to what happened to Brian; at least you knew from the beginning the reasons why you've been abandoned for your father or even Darren; Brian never knew, at least he didn't know for 4 years. And 4 years is a long time and more at the age he had to suffer it, because it's the time when you're starting to create your personality, when you're starting to grow up, when you need the most the support of both of your parents. When you thought about this, you cried even more, always in silence. You really didn't want Brian to see you crying because you didn't want him to think that you were feeling pity for him. He was being impressively open with you and you were fully amazed because of this; you appreciated this more than normal because now you knew this was hard for Brian and you knew that you were probably the first one to hear this from him; this was a great proof of trusting now that you knew that secret about him.

"My dad explained me that mom never could be good with us because she was a complicated woman with lots of troubles, emotional and mental troubles. My dad explained me that she wasn't always like this, that there was a time she was good and she was the most lovely and amazing person. My dad explained me that my mom loved me, but she never could show it to me because of her emotional troubles. But I was 12 years old and I had to grow up all of a sudden because I had to be the support for myself for all those times I was feeling devastated, so I demanded a better explanation, I demanded to know the ugly truth, the cruel reality. My dad refused for a long time, until I made him see I wasn't like other boys my age, that I was different and that I was mature enough to deserve to know the truth. This made my dad feel bad, but he accepted this fact and he told me everything. So my dad told me that my mom had suffered an accident when she was dating my dad; I don't wanna go into detail, but my mother and her family was assaulted when they were in vacation and she saw how the criminals murdered her parents; only she and her older sister were safe because their parents forced them to hide in a closet. Since then my mother started acting in a different way and she started having emotional troubles that led her to have also mental troubles. She started seeing a psychiatrist, but it didn't help so much. She always had the support of my dad, but it was never enough. Then she got pregnant by accident; that was me. My mom, because of her troubles, was about to abort me; she visited someone who used to make illegal abortions, but my dad caught her in time to stop her. He tried to convince her not to do it; yet, during all pregnancy, she tried to take me out of her in different ways. I don't wanna go into detail about it because it's kind of rough; but you know what sometimes women do when they want to produce a natural not so natural abort. She never could because my dad was all the time watching her and he could always stop her in time. And then I was born. My mom never breast fed me, never changed my diapers, never bathed me, never soothed me when crying, never took me to a doctor; my dad had to do it all because my mother refused to believe she had a baby, that she had a son. It wasn't because she was cruel, it was because she had too many problems herself; she couldn't even take care of herself, therefore she couldn't take care of another person. My dad was the one who taught me my first steps, who taught me my first words, who taught me how to use the potty and who taught me how to eat. He told me that my mother never looked at me until one day I walked to her and I said her name; my dad told me that in that moment, my mother looked at me and she cried, since that time she started noticing me. He said that since that moment, my mom changed for better and she returned to be the person she used to be before the accident. He told me that my mom was being a great mother, as he always imagined she could be; of course I don't remember any of that, because I was only 1 year old. But I do have pictures and videos that prove that my mom was a true good mother one time." Brian said with a slight smile, yet with the same sad eyes.

You really couldn't believe he wasn't crying while you were sobbing in a very disconsolate way. Everything he was saying sounded terrible to you. If you already adored Brian's dad because of all he has done for his son; now you adored him even more. You've never heard about such dedication from a dad to a son. And it was terrible to know that Brian found about this cruel truth when he was only 12 years old; he was too little to know so many hideous things. No matter how mature he could be, he was too young to know it all. If someone told you this at your age, you'd feel completely broken; and Brian was only 12. Brian finally noticed you were crying because this time you couldn't cry in silence because it was breaking your heart. He looked at you and you tried to wipe your tears away, quickly. Brian kissed your forehead and held you tightly in his arms, as if he was trying to reassure you. You couldn't believe he was reassuring you while you should be the one reassuring him, because this was his story not yours. He ran his fingers over your arms and you rested your head in his bare chest.

"Don't cry, Sunny." Brian said softly.

"I'm sorry; I don't want you to think that I feel pity because I don't… It's just… I never thought… This…" You said weeping, trying to control yourself. Brian kept patting your arm with one hand and he stroked your hair with his other hand.

"I know, Sunny. I know you don't feel pity for me and I appreciate that. And I know you're crying because this is kind of rough; but trust me, you shouldn't cry because it was a long time ago and I'm fine, I really am. I just don't like when I see your tears unless they're tears of joy; so show me your smile, because I'm telling you I'm fine and I appreciate you're listening to me; show me your smile because I love when you smile." Brian said placing a hand on your chin to raise it so you could look at him. He was smiling very sweetly and you looked at him with eyes full of tears, but you smiled for him. "Thank you." Brian whispered kindly as he kissed your forehead.

"I truly appreciate that you're telling me this, Brian. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. Thank you for trusting me." You said while fondling his cheek very smoothly.

"No; thank you for listening. Even if this doesn't concern you, you're listening, so thank you." Brian said with a very affectionate grin, placing a hand on the wrist of the hand with which you were caressing his cheek. He kissed that hand and looked at you with bright eyes.

"I'll always listen to you, Brian. Whenever you want, whenever you need and whenever you don't want but I force you." You said with a short giggle while still shedding tears. When you heard Brian's chuckle, you smiled at him. "Sorry, I've interrupted you. I'd really like if you keep telling me." You said and Brian nodded with a grin.

It was very moving the way he was truly thankful because you were listening to him. You wondered how many times he tried to talk to someone about this but he never could find someone to trust to tell this; or how many times he just needed someone to prove him that someone cared enough to listen and support him; someone to talk to about his troubles and memories without feeling he was being a bother. You felt extremely thrilled to know you were that person for him.

"Well, my mom was doing right her role as mother until I turned 5, when I started kindergarten. In that time I wasn't at home all the time and my dad was at work; then my mom was alone at home and being alone made her lose her way. In those times of loneliness, my mother used to think about the accident. My dad didn't realize this until one day he didn't go to work to spy my mom and find out why she had been acting in a weird way lately. Then he found out that her emotional troubles drove her to do drugs to succumb the pain she was feeling; it was a way to escape from her reality. She was on heavy drugs such as heroin. Because of the drugs her thinking was unclear, she tended to lose some of her memory, her decision-making and self-control were deteriorated, she wasn't eating properly and she looked haggard. I thought this was normal because at that age I couldn't understand anything, but the drugs were killing her. My dad took her to a drug rehab and told me she took vacations; but after days, she escaped and returned home; she was so desperate to stay at home that my dad tried to help her by his own. But heroin is a terrible and awful drug, it's one of the most addictive substances; it's a real shit terribly destructive. She couldn't leave the drugs. One day my mother abused them, so my dad had to take her to hospital. When she recovered, my dad and she had that last dispute I heard, before she disappeared. She changed her family for drugs. She abandoned me for heroin. After 5 years of taking drugs and before I could say goodbye to her, the drugs took my mother away; she died because of drugs. I've never had the chance to see her one last time. My last memory of her is when I saw her leaving home with her suitcases from the window of my bedroom, thinking that she was going to take another vacation. Those were really long vacations." Brian said with cracked voice and he finally broke into tears but in silence.

You hugged him very tightly as he wrapped his arms around your waist. You placed his head on your chest so he could cry all he needed to cry. He snuggled up to you as a little kid and you started stroking his hair to reassure him. You imagined that Brian was snuggling up to you as though he was that little boy of 8 years old who needed the comfort he never got. Now you were also crying because you were picturing the little Brian of 8 years old, looking through his window at his mother leaving, full of hopes that her mother will return soon from her vacations with a present for him. You pictured that innocent little boy and you saw this grown boy who was still waiting for his mother to return from her very long vacations, now knowing that the vacations weren't going to end and knowing that his mother was never going to come back for him to say their last goodbye or to see his mother at least one more time. Brian was a grown boy now, but inside him, very deep in his heart, there was still this little boy of 8 years old who never could heal the wound of being abandoned by his mother. You knew that the little boy of 8 years old was still there and was still part of him because he never could talk to anybody about this, so it was like a stage of his life he never could fully overcome. And you realized it exactly in the moment he broke when he finished talking; even if he didn't mention it, you knew it and he surely knew that you knew it. You moved a little to look into his green teary eyes, placing both of your hands on his cheeks. You felt something really weird when you looked into his green eyes; there was something different in his eyes; you thought that you were looking into the eyes of that little and innocent boy who was just trying to find the consolation and reassurance he needed so badly in that time; you thought you were looking into the eyes of that little boy who was afraid of being abandoned again, who needed to be sure that someone was going to stay to never draw away.

"Look into my eyes and know that I'm not gonna take long vacations because I'm here to stay with you always, come what may. Thank you for telling me and thank you for considering me a trusted person; I promise to never disappoint you." You whispered affectionately, looking deeply into his green eyes in despair.

Brian sobbed when he heard your words, not in a distressed way but in a grateful way, apparently moved by your words; then he pulled you into a very tight hug, burying his head on your shoulder as you were rubbing his back.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Sunny. You have no idea what it means to me, thank you." Brian started saying repeatedly in a very thankful way.

"I love you, Brian." You whispered while still rubbing his back.

You kept hugging for a long time until Brian could calm down. It came a moment when Brian stopped sobbing and this was the time when he parted and looked at you with a warm smile. He kept looking into your eyes for a really long time with his green eyes, which had that twinkle. When you noticed the twinkle in his eyes, you realized that those were the same eyes than before, they weren't the eyes of that little boy; but there was something new, it was gratitude. Then he shifted his gaze and he looked down as he pursed his lips. You looked at him curiously, frowning slightly because of the sudden change. There was something else, you knew it, and you knew him.

"What's wrong, Brian?" You asked softly, holding one of his hands.

"Umm..." Brian babbled nervously and you looked at him even more curious and confused. "There's something... There's something else, the reason why I wanted to tell you what happened in my past... I mentioned you that in all these years I haven't really thought about my mother and what happened before she disappeared, but since I wrote you that note and I mentioned you my mom... I've been thinking about her... And... Please, don't think I'm crazy, although it might sound crazy, just don't..." Brian rambled nervously and you held both of his hands now.

"Bri, relax. I don't know what you want to tell me, but whatever it is, I won't think you're crazy; so, relax." You said softly and gently. Brian nodded and sighed.

"When I went for a walk yesterday night, I started thinking about my mother and since that moment I realized that actually I could never fully overcome the abandonment of my mother. I always thought I didn't miss her because she was never part of my life and she was never my real mother. But truth is that all these years I needed the love of my mother; even if my dad gave me it, I needed a mother; and even though she wasn't always there, even though I could share so little time with her, even though I didn't know her so much; I loved her and I always felt there was an emptiness inside me that could never be filled; I always needed the advice of my mother." Brian said still looking down, frowning slightly and feeling distressed. "And yesterday night I wasn't feeling good. Yesterday night I felt like I needed one of those moments when your mother sits next to you and gives you an advice you need. And I felt, for the first time in years, that I needed my mom." Brian said with cracked voice, still looking down. You looked at him sadly and you brushed your thumbs across his hands. "I knew I wasn't going to get it because she's not here anymore. But I needed her so badly. So... I was sitting in this bench and I was alone, there was nobody around and I wasn't feeling good. I was crying alone. And then I saw my mom, I haven't recognized her at first because she looked different from as I remembered. She sat next to me and she started talking to me; she started giving me those advices I needed. She even rubbed my back to reassure me. And it felt so effing real, I could feel her touch. I still hadn't recognized her, but I let her do it because something seemed familiar. When I stood up to leave, she called me in a way only she used to call me; she called me boogersnot. When I heard that, I finally realized that she was my mother, that I was talking to her, that she was back. When I turned around to look at her again, she wasn't there anymore. Everything was in my mind, but it felt so real. For a moment I thought that I had her back right when I needed her. And this is when I realized that I could never truly overcome her abandonment. And I needed to talk to you because I really needed to vent all that I've been holding back all these years that I didn't want to admit. I haven't realized how much I needed my mom to the point I've imagined her last night in a way that seemed very real, she seemed to be real." Brian said kind of disturbed, shedding some tears, still looking down.

When you heard this you didn't think he was crazy; when you heard this you started feeling flurried and aghast. A chill ran all over your body when you heard this. You, automatically, remembered the phone conversation you had with Darren early in the morning. Brian mentioned that he saw his mother and it felt very real, he even felt her touch and when you picture something in your mind you cannot feel the touch of someone; and Darren told you that he saw Brian's mother, that he has talked to her, that she was alive. What if Brian's mother wasn't dead? What if she was still alive? What if she was back? What if Darren really talked to Brian's mother? What if Brian really talked to his own mother? No, you even accompanied Brian to his mother's grave; she was dead. But both Brian and Darren have seen her and even talked to her. You were a complete mess and you wouldn't stop wondering things. You didn't know what you could say to Brian now, you couldn't think about anything; you just needed to know who that woman was and if she was really Brian's mother or not. When Brian looked up, you were still feeling disturbed.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Brian asked kind of distressed when he saw your face.

"Not at all. You're not crazy. Actually what you felt and saw and pictured, it's really normal. I also picture things like those sometimes. You're not crazy, Brian." You answered trying to sound convincing. Brian nodded and looked down again. "Brian, do you have a photo of you and your mother? I think I've never seen her before, and I'd like to see her." You said and Brian looked at you frowning slightly.

"Yes... Yes, I have one photo." Brian said and you looked at him fixedly, really wishing he could show it to you. "Umm, okay, let me look for it." Brian said and you nodded.

Brian crossed over you to get out of the bed and stand up. You looked at him very intently while he was looking for the photo in his closet. He pulled out a gray box you've never seen before. You couldn't see what was inside because he was like trying to hide it, apparently he was feeling ashamed. Maybe it was a box that contained a lot of things about his mother, like the box you had in which you used to hide your journal. He pulled out something, closed the box and saved it in the closet again. Then he walked to you again, with a photo in his hands. He sat next to you and first he observed the photo alone. You looked at him intently and you noticed he was frowning, he was surely remembering the image of his mother last night because he had disturbed and sad eyes. Then he handed you the photo and you took it.

"This is my mother and that's me, when I was four." Brian said pointing the photo.

You observed the photo very intently. Brian was standing on a chair with a birthday bonnet, in front of a huge cake with four candles; and his mother was standing right behind him, holding him. It was Brian's birthday for sure and he was about to blow out the candles. Brian was really little and he was very cute and adorable; his bright green eyes seemed to be bigger in his little face; his eyelashes were even longer; he was smiling widely, showing all of his tiny teeth; and he had chubby cheeks as any other little kid. He was truly adorable and completely innocent and he was handsome since he was a little kid. How could someone have ignored that lovely little boy? Then you looked at his mother. She was a really beautiful woman, she really looked like a model, and in the photo she seemed to be truly happy and lively. You remembered that was the time in which she was doing a good role as mother, according to what Brian said. She had long, wavy light brown hair; she was also smiling widely, showing all of her perfect teeth, placing her cheek against Brian's chubby cheek; she had a mole in the corner of her lip; and she had exactly the same bright green eyes than Brian. Brian's eyes were a replica of her mother's eyes. Brian took after his mother more than his father. They both seemed to be really happy together; how could that have ended up so badly?

"Your mom was truly beautiful." You commented, still looking at the photo.

"Yes, she was. Dad told me she was one of the most desirable women in his time." Brian said with a short giggle.

"And you were adorable, so adorable that I wish I could pinch those cute cheeks." You said smiling softly and you heard Brian's giggle again. "Seriously, look at you! You were always so handsome, I can tell."

"Thanks." Brian said shyly.

"Oh, look at your eyes, Brian. You have exactly the same eyes as your mother had." You commented.

"Yeah, I've got my mom's eyes." Brian said while looking at the photo with you. "Everybody says that I'm a replica of my mother, with the personality and hair of my dad."

"I agree with everybody." You said.

You finally looked at Brian. He was still staring the photo with a soft grin and bright eyes. He didn't seem to be sad, probably because the photo was so beautiful and they were so happy. You rested your head on his broad shoulder as he wrapped an arm around you while still looking at the photo. You thought it was unfair that the little boy in the photo had to suffer a lot after the photo was taken. You looked at Brian again and you felt a new kind of love for him; maybe it was just another kind of feeling, but you had no better way to call it than love; it was a feeling of admiration and fascination for him, for a little boy who was truly hurt but yet could keep smiling and be happy. You leaned and kissed his cheek. He looked at you and grinned as you smiled warmly back at him.

"Be right back, I'll go to the bathroom." You said softly and Brian nodded as he took the photo.

You stood up and walked outside the bedroom as Brian kept staring the photo. You walked to the bathroom and you locked the door. You quickly pulled out your phone and decided to text Darren.

To Darren: Darren, maybe the woman with who you were last night could really be Brian's mother, later I'll explain. First I need to be sure. You told me you exchanged your phone numbers, so I need a favor.

Fortunately, it didn't take so long to get Darren's answer.

From Darren: What has made you change your mind? What kind of favor?

To Darren: Later I'll explain, it's a long story. Ask the woman what the way she used to call Brian is and ask her to send you a picture of her. I need to check if she's truly Brian's mother.

From Darren: Alright, I'll just need few minutes.

To Darren: Thank you, Darren.

You sat on the toilet, very impatient to get Darren's reply. Brian couldn't suspect that you weren't really using the bathroom, so Darren needed to hurry. You were nervous. What if she was Brian's mother? What would you tell him? Should you tell him something or not? When your phone buzzed again, you looked at it desperately.

From Darren: The way she used to call Brian is boogersnot. And here's a picture of her.

When you read the right answer of how she used to call Brian, you shivered in astonishment. Now you were afraid to open the picture that Darren has sent, but you had to do it. When you opened the picture, you saw an old woman in her forties, with long, wavy light brown hair; a mole in the corner of her lip and the same green eyes than Brian. Even if she looked different because of the age, that was Brian's mother. His mother was alive, you couldn't believe this. You were in shock.

To Darren: Darren, she's Brian's mother. I can't believe it. She was supposedly dead; but she is Brian's mother, I'm 99 percent sure.

From Darren: Is she? Fuck, Freckles. You have to bring Brian here; he needs to see his mother.

To Darren: No! No, we can't do that. It'd be too shocking for Brian. He's still hurt since his mother abandoned him and he thinks his mother is dead. We can't do that. Damn, what are we gonna do now?

From Darren: Freckles, you really have to bring Brian here because there's something I haven't told you.

When Darren told you why you had to bring Brian there; when he explained you the pact that he and 'Brian's mother' have done, when he explained you that he was kind of forced to reunite her and Brian together so she wasn't going to hurt Darren, when he explained you what Jim forced Brian's mother to do; you were feeling a bit upset and a bit concerned. You had to take Brian to Darren's place. This wasn't good at all, you weren't sure of how Brian could react, and you knew that Brian wasn't ready for that; not after the emotional outburst he has been feeling and experiencing the last days. But you had no options and at least you were going to be with him and you weren't going to let him break; you were going to be there for him, to comfort and support him. You came back to the bedroom and you spent hours trying to convince Brian to go to Darren's place with the excuse you both needed to clear your minds and just have a good time; you were feeling like a betrayer for telling this lie to Brian. Brian, of course, didn't want to go because he wasn't feeling so good and he wanted to be here, comfortable in his own room. But, as always, you managed to convince him because he always ended up doing what you wanted; you felt even worse for that. He changed his clothes and you forced him to dress up in a moderately good way, with the best of his few clothes. After a while, you were knocking Darren's door. You were extremely nervous because you knew Brian's mother was already there; and Brian was looking at you a bit suspicious. When you heard steps walking to the door, you held Brian's hand, intertwining your fingers with his. Brian, over again, looked at you suspiciously; yet, he kept holding your hand and you weren't planning to let out his hand. Darren finally opened the door and he smiled widely, but nervously.

"Hi, guys!" He greeted cheerfully and then he shifted his gaze to your holding hands, apparently a bit confused, uncomfortable or nervous; you didn't know.

"Hi, man!" Brian greeted just as cheerful and you didn't even answer.

Brian attempted to let out your hand to shake it with Darren's hand, but you held his hand even tighter; you didn't want to let out his hand. Brian looked at you frowning but he didn't insist to let out your hand, so he shook his free hand with Darren's hand.

"Come on, guys, come in." Darren said and he stepped aside to let you in.

Brian attempted to walk in, but you pulled him back again. Brian, one more time, looked at you frowning, confused and suspicious. Your heart was beating really fast and you were feeling terrible because you knew this moment could change so many things and you weren't sure how Brian was going to feel. Darren looked at you very fixedly, as telling you with his gaze that you had to do this and it wasn't time to regret. You looked at Brian deeply into his green, now confused, eyes.

"Brian..." You whispered and you felt Darren's gaze fixed on you. "Whatever it happens, don't let out my hand."

"Okay..." Brian answered bewildered, frowning in confusion and suspicion.

You nodded, closed your eyes, took a deep breath and opened your eyes again; trying to calm down. Your heart was still beating fast and you were still freaking out; but you walked in, still holding hands with Brian. When you walked in, you saw Brian's mother. There she was, she was definitely Brian's mother. She was the same person you saw in the photo: the same hair, the same mole in the corner of the lip, the same green eyes. She was looking at Brian thrilled, with teary eyes and open mouthed; she was seeing her son again after years. You finally dared to look at Brian. He was in shock, pale and very disturbed; with his green eyes wide open, open mouthed and frowning. You sensed how he started trembling while looking at her missing mother who he thought was dead. This wasn't a good idea and you knew it from the beginning. You basically betrayed your best friend. Brian was completely aghast.