“So, Brian, how’s Leighanne?” Howie asked. “Heard you and her had a small argument.”

“She’s good,” Frick answered. “Also, we settled the argument last night and made up.”

“If you know what he means,” A.J. chuckled, with an evil glint in his eyes.

“Bone, shut-up!” I grumbled. “It’s none of our business what he does with his wife.”

“It is so!” A.J. protested. “We’re his brothers! We deserve to know what goes on!”

“Never mind, if you’re going to be an idiot about it,” I muttered. “Besides, you don’t seem to care about what Kevin and Kristin do in their bedroom or how they ‘make up’, as you like to call it.”

“That’s ‘cause it’s Kevin,” he replied simply. “No one wants to know what he does,not even his own cousin!”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that remark,” Kevin said as he entered the room. “Also, Nick’s right, it’s none of your business what goes on in anyone’s bedroom. If it was, well, then, we’d be asking you, A.J., every day, just exactly went on in yours.”

Go Kevin!

A.J. looked away somewhat embarrassed.

“Point made, Kev,” he mumbled.

Frick laughed. “I’d sure say it was made.”

I dared to look at him, and remembered how we used to kid around like that all the time.

Damn I miss him.

“Nick, you’ve a staring problem or something?” A.J. asked suddenly.

“No. Why?”

“You’re sitting there staring at Brian, again,” he stated.

“I am not!” I protested. “I’m just thinking about something really hard.”

“There’s a first,” I heard Frick mutter.

“Look. Just ‘cause I’m blond and the youngest, doesn’t mean I’m an idiot!” I shouted, jumping up. “You’re blond too, and can be just as dense at times!”

“Here we go with the ‘you’re blond too’ thing again,” Frick said annoyed. “Jeez. How many times are you going to use that damn line?”

“Until it damn well learns to stick in your stupid head!” I returned angrily. “You’re no God sent angel yourself, you know!”

“And the sparks begin to fly once more,” Howie said under his breath.

“Damn straight they’re gonna fly Howie!” I snapped. “I’m sick of him treating me like shit ‘cause of what happened a few years ago!”

“You deserve to be treated like shit, as you are shit!” Frick retorted. “You just don’t wanna admit it to yourself!”

“I said I was sorry!” I screamed. “Was that not good enough for you? Jeez. All I wanted was to hang with my best friend!”

“You don’t have a best friend,” Frick growled. “You never have and never will. You don’t deserve one!”

I was taken back by his words, and stood there completely shocked, looking like the idiot that I am. I snapped out of my daze, and hurried out of the room before I broke down in front of him and the other guys. I finally found my room and stumbled in, collapsing on the floor next to the bed.

Damn him! Damn him to hell! How can he not see that I still care? Damn!

Interruption:

As you can see, I was terribly upset by his words. I never thought he could hurt me that much, ever. I always figured that deep down he still cared about me, but I guess I was wrong. Dead wrong. I’d wish he’d died during his surgery, but I won’t and can’t, because I still care so much. I guess I’ll always care about him, no matter how cruel he is to me. He was my first and only friend. Okay, the other guys are my friends, but never meant as much to me as he still does. That was in 1998, 2000 was worse. Way worse.