Bart was sitting on his bed, his game still playing on his phone, but he had lost focused. He apparently hadn't been as careful as he had thought, since Lisa had apparently been onto him. For how long, and how much she knew, he had no idea. At least now she thought he just got himself a girlfriend. He laughed out loud, alone in his room, at the thought of it.

Among the frequent notifications on his phone for his birthday, Bart almost didn't notice a phonecall. He checked the screen almost too late – a hidden number was calling. His throat dry, but grinning, he picked up at the last second, having a pretty good idea of who it was.

"Hello?"

"Happy birthday, Bart," the familiar deep voice spoke.

"Wow, thanks, Bob," he replied sarcastically. "Do you need to keep your number hidden to wish me a happy birthday?"

"I like to have the upper hand, you should know that."

"I didn't know you were a control freak," he mocked.

"You'll find there is plenty you don't know about me."

"Yeah?" Bart rolled his eyes. Like he didn't know him well enough already. "I know you're a pretentious snob who thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants."

"Quite spot on, from your perspective," Bob laughed. "I have to hang up, I'm afraid. It was merely a quick call for this... special day."

"So, you still on your boring trip?"

"Yes, but I should be on my way back very soon. I'll see you then, perhaps."

"Alright, whatever. Next time, you could show me your number, you don't have to be this shy," Bart grinned widely, attacking Bob with his own words from his last phonecall.

"If you're good."

Bob hung up, leaving Bart with small shivers down his spine at those last words.

.

Because he had to work on his birthday, Bart was hoping for some favors, but his colleagues gave him none. He even asked his boss if he got double-pay for his birthday, but he was kindly reminded not to push it. He thought he should have just asked for his day off altogether, but he didn't bother suggesting it, so instead he had to struggle through the waves of customers until Milhouse came to pick him up after his shift ended. When he got into his car he noticed his best friend was looking a bit too excited, but he felt rather disappointed when he realized they were going to their usual bar, where they used to hang out back when he wasn't the only one without a job.

"The bar, really? That's your big surprise?"

"Heh heh, you'll see."

As they entered the bar, Bart saw that everyone was here, all his friends, even the ones from elementary school had turned up. They all wished him a happy birthday, making Bart feel all warm inside. It was refreshing seeing all those familiar faces after all the unknown he'd been facing lately. It was all going pretty well despite his tired state, at least until he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Bart?"

He turned around and was dumbfounded. His ex-girlfriend was in the crowd of people, looking her best for the party, a bottle of beer in hand.

"Hey, Angela... Wh-wh-what are you doing here?" He forced an awkward smile.

"Hah, I feel really welcome, thanks!" She laughed sarcastically and looked just as awkward. "Milhouse invited me over. Thought it was weird, he didn't even tell me he was throwing your birthday party..."

"He invited-" Bart frowned, looking aroung for his blue-haired friend who, of course, was nowhere to be found. "Who does he think he... He didn't tell me you'd be here – no offense, though."

"Oh. Well, that's... embarrassing," she said sheepishly and sighed, taking a chug from her drink. "I get what's going on, he figured it'd be a good idea. So, what have you been up to?"

"Uhm, a lot, actually," he started, grabbing a beer from the counter to occupy his hands. "I got a job in a café, so that's something."

"Oh wow, well, congratulations," she replied with mild happiness. "That must be a big change for you, right? So how's it going?"

Bart shrugged with modesty. "I just showed up at the right place at the right time, I guess. I just hope to save enough money to get my own place someday."

"Alright, that's awesome! Heh... Well, I don't know what Milhouse expected from this, but I should tell you right away, I've got a boyfriend. I don't want you to... you know, get any ideas..."

Bart was taken aback. "Wha- oh, no! Don't worry about it," he laughed awkwardly. "That's cool for you..."

"Are you sure?" She asked incredulously, watching Bart as he gulped down his bottle of beer.

"Yeah, you know, I've kinda got something going on, too... I think?" Bart stumbled on his words. He wasn't sure why he told her that, he wasn't even sure how to describe it.

Angela snickered. "You think?"

"Yeah, I mean... We're not really dating, but yeah, there's someone, but- it's just fun, you know. It's not like..."

She raised an eyebrow mockingly. He had no idea what he sounded like on the outside, struggling like that. Probably grasping at straws. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, you're just sleeping around. It's fine, you know, you don't have to tiptoe around me like that."

"Yeah... Don't tell anyone, though. He's not exactly someone I'm supposed to... you know."

"Oh, he?" she blinked in surprise. "So, it's a guy?"

Bart mentally slapped himself, he had already said too much. "Uhm... yeah."

"Is that why you look so embarrassed?" She laughed. "Because it's a man? It's fine, you know, but you never told me your were bisexual."

Bart found himself puzzled, opening another bottle. Was that what he was? He had never thought about other guys in a sexual way before, Bob had simply shown back up in his life and brought with him all kinds of unwanted feelings and desires he was still struggling with. It wasn't like he was staring at other guys, it was just... him. Still, her casual reaction was kind of a relief.

"No, no, no. I mean, yes, but there's more to it. Please," he implored her in a hiss, "please just don't tell anyone, not even Milhouse!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez, don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Hey, if you're happy, it's all good." Angela looked around in discomfort. "Well, I'm going home, sorry about... all this."

Bart was speechless as he just watched her leave. His whole work day behind him, the loud music thumping in his ears, Bob out of town, Milhouse trying to play matchmaker and his ex-girlfriend turning up, it was all too much and Bart just wanted to get blackout drunk. Gulping down beer after beer, he stopped paying attention to the world around him. He wondered if Bob would take advantage of him in his drunken state. Knowing the man, he would probably find it too disgraceful, too low even for his standards. He was a criminal with class, Bart thought, giggling at the bar by himself.

"So, how'd it go?" Milhouse eventually walked over to him, looking just a little too chirpy for his comfort. Bart just glared at him, feeling his anger building up with alcohol.

"What the hell, man?!" He shouted, staggering and holding onto the counter for balance. "That was your b-big surprise? You just invited my ex! Like she wasn't the one who dumped me! Or maybe you f-forgot about that?"

"Erm-uh, well, I figured, since you found a job and all..."

"Well, what? You sh-should've asked me if I wanted her to come! Then I would have said no!"

"Why not? Did you find someone else already?"

"No!" He snapped back. "But she did! Man, that was so embarrassing..."

"Sorry, Bart. I just figured she could give you another chance..."

"Another ch-chance? Shit, man. Really? You know, I don't- I don't need your help to get someone. No, thanks," Bart grumbled, trying to walk straight but tripping on his own leg.

"Hey, easy now- Wait, what's that?" Milhouse asked after catching him, accidentally pulling on the collar of Bart's shirt. "Is that... a hickey?"

"Wha- that? No, that's... I stubbed my err... shoulder," he spluttered, hastily covering it back up.

"Are you sure? It does look like a-"

"It's not, alright? You-you know what? I'm going home. Just, take me home."

Riding in the passenger's seat of Milhouse's car, Bart was too wasted and mad at him to talk. It probably made his best friend really uncomfortable, but he didn't care about that as he was also focused on not throwing up the little he had eaten all day.

With his help, Bart managed to get to his house, and he staggered to his bed where his world finally stopped spinning and he fell into a deep sleep. He would have one hell of a hangover the next day.