Blue Monday

Chapter 3 - Cherry Pie

***GIDEON***

On Sunday morning, everyone's back at Balthazar to make sure all their clothes and belongings are packed for the long journey home. There are three buses to take us back, depending on where we live - one bus goes to Vegas, another to San Francisco, and the third to L.A. There are a few who live in other places, though, but they're all close enough to Balthazar that they don't even need buses - like Fresno or Bakersfield. Or, in Paul and Aron's case, on the outskirts of Coldfire Creek.

I say goodbye to Juliet as she gets on the L.A. bus, then join Luca and the Snow boys on the San Francisco bus, as well as Kyle. As with each of the previous times we've all gone back home, Gabe hunkers down in a window seat, his hood up, trying to sleep. I probably only see him because he's sitting next to Alex, who's wearing blue jeans and a red T-shirt emblazoned with a black-and-white winged cross. I'm reminded of the tattoos he and Gabe both have - we all got to see them eventually after they went and got them on their birthday weekend.

"So where were you last night?" I ask Gabe as I settle into the seat behind him.

"Do you really want the juicy details?" Gabe asks, turning and grinning at everyone around him, and even slinging a wink Kyle's way.

Alex turns to me and says, "He'd give you the juicy details with the slightest provocation. Luca, remember when we went for sushi last month, and Gabe started doing that disgusting anecdote about the chopstick trick or whatever?"

"I've almost managed to forget," Luca says, grimacing. "So fucking rude, dude."

"And he says I'm the cheeky bastard," Alex laughs. No need to ask him about juicy details - it's pretty clear, from the semi-catatonic look he had on his face when he came back to Balthazar this morning to grab his bags, that he got laid for the first time last night.

The bus pulls away. I stay silent, unsure if I should add to the conversation - right now it seems like they're mostly talking guy stuff. I mean, I'm a guy too, but more often than not I find myself sitting back and observing the ways they interact. I need all the practice I can get, because it doesn't come so naturally to me yet. But I'm getting there, especially since I'm always joining them in athletic stuff. I know it sounds so ridiculously hyper-masculine, but we're all enjoying ourselves working out, playing basketball, whatever. Although I'm always playing on the shirts team, never skins, because I'm not too keen on showing off my still-feminine-looking breasts, smaller though they are after five months on T.

"I know I'm gorgeous, Gideon, but can you please stop staring at me? It's bad for my skin."

I blush and avert my gaze from Kyle, whom I'd been absentmindedly looking at for a little while. Believe it or not, I'm almost jealous of Gabe for getting to tap that beautiful ass. Wait a minute - when did I start looking at Kyle? Now I'm confused. And so fucking embarrassed.

Gabe forks a pair of devil's horns at me with his fingers, as if to say, "Hands off, bitch!" Alex practically falls over laughing. Luca does the same at first, then he eerily wipes his face clean of all expression as he says, "Dude, we know you can do better."

The two-hour bus ride finally ends at eleven, and I share one last round of bro-hugs with the guys. As I leave the bus, I crane my head to try and spot my dad - he's way in the back of the group of parents/guardians gathered at the Maguire Mall parking lot in San Castiel. Alex and Gabe's mom is closer by, and I actually get to meet her. She's about my height, olive-skinned, hazel-eyed. Aside from that last feature, Alex looks almost exactly like her. Strangely, she reminds me of a teacher at Spellman's Independence High back on Earth. What was her name...Ellery? Erickson? Something with an 'E,' but I can't really remember.