Sugarcane Chronicles Volume I: One and Lonely (ryden)

Plan B(rendon)

Kellin left after a week of playing Super Mario Galaxy and bad covers of good songs. I didn't even see him glance at a house while he stayed.

Ryan had basically avoided me the whole week Kelly was there. Well, avoided my house, I should say. He seemed completely fine at lunch at school and when I would go over to his house. I didn't say or ask anything about it because I'm a good  boyfriend and respected his privacy (but he never gave an explanation why he didn't like Kelly (must've been an animal instinct thing (but I still didn't get it))).

So February turned into March and Ryan still showed me a different album every day. My favorite part was that we talked about it afterwards while laying on his bed (one time he played me a Jonas Brothers album (I didn't know how I knew every word)).

The new world history class had a big announcement in the second week of March. The whole class, if permitted by our parents, would be sent on a class trip to London, England for two weeks. Everybody in the class freaked out, but when I glanced at Ryan, he looked like he had been expecting this. He told me why on the walk home.

"I've been asking the school to do this since freshman year," he said. "They had me help them plan it, actually."

"Oh," I said. I looked down at my feet and our linked hands as we walked. "That's about four years, right?"

He nodded, furrowing his eyebrows. "Yeah..."

"And Daniel left for England five years ago..." I looked up at him. "Am I correct?"

"Oh," he said, quietly, finally understanding what I was getting at. "Look, Brendon..."

I dropped his hand and looked away. "No. I-I get it. You want him, not me."

"Brendon, it's not like that at all. I want you, in every way possible." I rolled my eyes as we slowed our pace. "You mean everything to me, Brendon, and I never want to lose you."

Damn, he was believable. I stayed silent, trying to think of what I could say.

"I love you, Brendon." He placed his hand on my shoulder. "You know that."

"Yeah, but..." I debated whether I should continue.

"But what?"

But I feel like you said it just because I did. To keep me as company until you dump me for Daniel.

"Nothing," I said instead. "I just don't want to be led on." I looked up at him. "I need to know I'm not just a plan B."

He took a breath. "Brendon..." He swallowed, grabbing my hands. "You could never be anything but my one and only. I love you and I can't believe you could think otherwise."

I looked up at him and he looked so sincere, so honest. I couldn't do anything but say, "I love you, too," and kiss him.

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When I got home, I gave my parents the permission slip and Mom did some research about it (but Dad just signed it and went to watch TV). She told me that the school was paying for the hotels and the sights we were seeing, but the rest we had to do on our own. It was two weeks long starting Friday and ending Friday, both being flying days, and were the same week(s) prom (and the blink concert).

Mom signed the permission slip and told me she would give me some cash for the trip and help me pack.

I called Ryan to see what Pete and Jon had said and he told me they both signed it. He told me Pete was super enthusiastic about it and actually signed up to be a chaperone for the trip.