Just Different

Chapter 20

Mike watched his friends as they fiddled around with his instruments. Mark laughed and tried playing a song on Mike's PRS, Fiore smiling and taking pictures with his camera.

"If you keep moving, these are gonna keep coming out blurry," Fiore said as he took another picture of Mark.

"Just adjust the settings. You can do that right?"

"It's not that simple," Fiore laughed. He let his camera hang from his neck ad he faced Mike. "You sure you don't wanna get in on this? You look way cooler holding that guitar than Mark does."

Mike shook his head, "I'm good. This is also pretty funny to watch."

Fiore shrugged and then walled across the room to the small fridge that was up against the wall. "Jeez, when will you restock this thing Mike."

"What are talking about? I refill it every week!" Mike laughed as Fiore took out a soda can and popped it open.

"It's either always Joe or Mark sneaking more than they should," Fiore smirked playfully.

"Hey!" Mark frowned. "I don't do that."

"Well it sure as hell isn't Fiore, Rob or Brad," Mike said laughing. Mark and Fiore exchanged looks, giggling.

"Yeah, Brad's gotta watch his weight to keep looking pretty. He won't looked primped up like Bennington," Mark snickered as he put Mike's guitar in the guitar rack. He and Fiore snickered and Mike raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Then they stopped. "Oh shit," Mark mumbled. "You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The rumors," Fiore said, then he clamped a hand over his mouth. "No. No no no. Nevermind you never heard anything."

"Well now I wanna know," Mike said in a slightly concerned voice.

"Okay so I heard from Lorenzo, who heard from Ben, who heard from Heidi, who said Sam told her that Brad...might...be gay," Mark rambled. He looked ashamed as he told Mike, had face turning red. Mike stared at the two other teens.

"What?"

"Sam heard from somewhere that Brad is gay."

Mike sighed and rubbed his brow. If the rumor rooted from Sam, then she most likely got the idea from Chester. This was what Chester was doing. He knew Chester was planning to do something to them and this was it. But how was Rob tied into it?

"You know Sam. She hangs with Chester, who hates me...and Brad and Joe. A lot. Didn't you guys think that maybe he made some shit up?"

Mark held up his hands in defense. "Not really, but there's more."

"Like what?" Mike asked sighing.

"Everyone's noticing he's spending more time with someone else. Other than Elisa."

"Who?"

"Rob."

Mike chewed on his lip. Rob? What did this mean? What was Chester doing? Mike didn't get any of it.

"You okay?" Fiore asked, eying Mike.

"Just trying to process this," Mike muttered, chewing on a nail.

"Well like you said man, they're probably just rumors. Don't get too caught up with it."

"Yeah, sure."

***

"You wanted to talk?" Rob asked nervously. Mike nodded. Mark and Fiore had left already. Mike called Rob to come over the second they left. So now it was just Mike and Rob in Mike's basement.