Andy
I walked sadly up the stairs to my room. Bill was asleep on the floor and Ashley was curled up on the spare bed, crying.

“How long has he been on the floor?” Ashley just shrugged.

“Ash, I know you miss your sister but you can’t keep moping around.”

“Andy, I just need time. How dense are you?”

“I’m not dense. I just hate seeing my best friend so upset. Normally, it’s you talking me up to girls or cheering me up after my mom ditches me for work.”

“Well for once, can you think about someone else?”

“I am thinking about you. That’s why I’m trying to cheer you up?” He sat up on the bed and looked at me.

“Have you ever thought to just listen to people instead of just trying to make them laugh? Sometimes all we need is someone to talk to.”

“But you can’t possibly stay sad forever. I’m not trying to make you laugh or make you feel like I don’t care, I just want you to realize that you don’t need to mope about. Being upset or sad isn’t what Mirta would’ve wanted you to do. She’d want you to be happy.”

“Andy, saying sweet stuff like that doesn’t always help.” I was about to reply when I heard Bill whimpering in his sleep. I walked over to him and bent down. He was frowning and looked so scared. I sighed and lay down next to him on the floor.

“Ashley, you think that if I tell Bill what’s up with me he’ll open up?”

“I think he would. You got to make him comfortable.” He was right and I knew it. I am going to fix what’s broken, even if it means telling him.

Bill
It was so dark. No one around me had faces and they just walked pass me. The only person who had a face was my father and he was smiling devilishly at me. I turned to run but somehow got in front of me.

“Get away from me.” I wanted to say but the words didn’t come out. They just came out as nothing but plain air. He got closer and I kept backing up but I couldn’t get away he was going to get me. Then another face peered up, it was Andy’s. I screamed for him to help but my voice wouldn’t work. He just kept walking right pass me. I was invisible to him. I looked down and saw a gun. I picked it up and placed it at my temple and pulled the trigger.
***
“Bill, wake up!” My eyes opened and I was face to face with Andy. I jumped back and he sighed.

“It’s okay, I’m here. You were having a nightmare.” He deadpanned. He sat down on the floor next to me and stared into my eyes. I looked away and he scooted closer.

“What was your nightmare about?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You know Bill, earlier, Ashley and I had our first ever argument but he made some valid points. I have been holding things back from you and I never listen to what you have to say.” He sighed again and looked at the carpet beneath us.

“Bill, the reason I was in the hospital is because I was born with a clot in my brain caused by an unruly blood vessel. The night I went in, it ruptured and caused me to have a seizure. I wound up getting surgery but according to the doctors these ‘seizures’ could happen for the rest of my life. I didn’t want to tell you because I just didn’t want you to think I was weak or that all I cared about was I. You are so important to me and I wanted you know you could come to me and tell me anything and I will listen. But I realized, with Ashley’s help, all I was really doing was putting up walls and pushing you away. I really like and I am sorry if I made you feel like you are not welcome in my world because to be honest you are the first person that I have actually opened up to besides Ashley.” He wiped his eyes and that when I noticed he had been crying.

“I just feel like when I tell people things they don’t care and won’t even bother to listen to me. I’ve learned a long time ago that sometimes people don’t matter. My mother taught me that lesson, because if I mattered to her she’d be doing all she could to listen to me. She and I haven’t talked to each other in person in eleven years. Now I just listen to music and draw.” I looked at Andy and he seemed genuinely hurt and guilty. The way his eyes got sharper because of his tears and the way his eyebrows knit together. He was truly a beautiful man. I hesitated at first being that this isn’t something I do, I leaned in and kissed him. He seemed shocked at first but then his hands wrapped around my thin frame. I pushed him down onto the carpet and his tongue and mine had a fierce battle in between our mouths.

“Ahem.” We stopped and looked up to see Ashley with his arms crossed across his chest smirking.

“I would say get a room but you’re already in one.” He joked. Andy smiled and we gently parted and he helped me stand up.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“9 am.”

“C—can we go to my mother’s house? I really want to talk to Tom. I feel like he was just so hurt by the way I’ve been treating him.”

“Sure, I mean it’s Saturday and we have absolutely nothing to do, I mean do you have something or somewhere you need to be, Ash.”

“My mom is moping about because of Mirta’s death so I’d much rather not be there right now. I am just now getting over it, I just need some time so I don’t mind heading to your mom’s place.”

“Okay, so we’ll get showered and dressed. Bill, there are eight bathrooms in this house, you can choose whichever one you want. Just avoid the one across the hall, unless you like seeing my mom naked in which case I’d have to punch you.”

“I don’t I mean your mom is a beautiful woman but I’m gay and I am not attracted to women in any way. Any guy who is worthy would be lucky to have her date them.”

“Okay, relax I was kidding. I know you’re gay, apparently so am I. Here, you can use the one attached to my room and I’ll take the one down the hall. Ashley, you can use the one downstairs.”

“Okay.” After what seemed like hours, we were finally walking down the Pennsylvania streets to go to my mom’s house. Andy held my hand and he was like my reassurance. I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. I guess over time, he stood by my side and helped me learn to walk on my own. Just like Tom used to. I remember when I was being picked on in Pre-school Tom told me not to let those bullies pull my hair, I never listened and he used to protect me. He was always there to protect me, why did I ever push him away? He was my big brother and no one could replace him. I wanted so badly to hug him and tell him that I loved him and that I would like to start over. I want us to have a good relationship as brothers. I wonder if he will ever forgive me.

Notes

There you go, my pretties.