Brian smirked. He knew this all too well. His experience and observation of girls, ...they were very predictable in most cases especially when it came to liking someone and their sudden mood changes. Brian figured it couldn’t be that much different with boys. Brian beamed inwardly at the idea that just popped into his head.

"Try something with me here, okay?" Brian asked.

"Um, okay." Nick said not sure just what Brian was going to do.

"When you were at Justin's house how was he acting?" Brian questioned as he leaned forward with a determined knowing look in his eyes.

What did that have to do with anything? "Well, he was all... friendly. Kinda nervous but nice."

"Okay, now, did his mood change at all during your time there?" Brian looked intently at Nick.

"Uh, when I got back to his room after being on the phone with Paris. Before I left he was doing all the math problems perfectly. But when I got back it's like he only did two or three. His body was stiff... as if he wanted to punch something or someone. Like there was a war brewing inside of him." Nick remained silent for a few seconds. "Why?"

"Where did you go to talk to her?" Brian asked. The more Nick revealed the more his suspicions were making sense.

"Um, out in the hallway..."

"On the same floor as his room?"

"Uh, yah."

"Did you leave the door opened?" Brian raised an eyebrow.

"I closed it a little bit but for the most part... yah it was opened." Nick frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Brian looked at Nick waiting for the light to dawn on him. Any moment now.

Nick looked at Brian. Nick looked into his own mind. He recalled the events of that night at Justin's place. The pride bracelet. He heard Brian's voice telling him that Justin likes him. This morning Justin looked... pissed. That night... Justin looked pissed. The door was opened. He was in the hallway on the phone with his girlfriend talking about... Wait a minute. Brian couldn't be suggesting what he thought he was suggesting... was he? Nick thought to himself as he looked back at Brian.

Brian's lips slowly curved upward as he saw the wheels turning in Nick's head... as he saw connections being made behind his wide eyes. Brian saw the way Nick's eyes widened even more at the realization that what Brian had suggested could in fact be true. He nodded his head to tell Nick that it could quite possibly be the reason of Justin's behavior. It had to be. It fit everything perfectly.

"He over heard the conversation!" Nick exclaimed and then suddenly blushed. "Oh god!"

Brian laughed. "Now you know why he acted the way he acted this morning and that night," Brian pointed out.

Nick rested his forehead on the table. "Yea... he thought the reason I was so tired... the reason I hadn't slept the previous night was because... because he assumed I had sex... that I slept... with my... her!"

Bingo. "Yea," Brian said as he brought his left hand and rested it on Nick's back. Gently rubbing soothing circles over his back Brian continued to talk. "So, did he like your hair?"

Nick groaned. Leave it to Brian to always change the subject. Lifting his head up he smirked. "Hmmm. I think he noticed the hair cut but he probably decided to check me out BEFORE he said anything about the hair." Nick laughed.

Brian chuckled. "Smooth. The kid's got game!" Brian stated, impressed.

"You think he's jealous?" Nick asked.

"Of course. Remember that time before you and Amanda, heck, even that time before you and Paris... remember those times when ya'll were just friends... how they would be happy one second and then you say something along the lines of 'I'm busy tonight, so I can't make it,' or 'I'm going over to a friends house,' remember their reactions after that? Remember what they thought you were going to do or with whom?"

Nick laughed. "Why didn't I see it!?"

Brian stuck his tongue out at Nick and put him in a headlock as he ruffled his hair.

* * * * * * * * * *

Justin sighed. This had to be the longest day of his life. Ever since he snapped at Nick in the morning he felt even more miserable. While traveling from one class to the next Justin had kept a look out for any signs of Nick so that he could apologize. Every time he saw someone with a mushroom cut blonde hair his heart would race but then he reminded himself that Nick no longer had that type of hair style. His hair was in spikes now. So, he kept a look out for someone with spikey blonde hair and when he noticed a few that somewhat resembled Nick his hopes were crushed. Needless to say he hadn't seen Nick, at all, since morning. Maybe he was avoiding him? Justin thought to himself. He wouldn't blame him if he was. It's all perfectly understandable. Nick must think he was a nutcase going through PMS or something with the way he'd been acting.

Justin cringed at the echo type noise that resonated in the staircase as he way made his way down to the floor his homeroom was on. He brought his hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache forming.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nick watched as the minute hand tauntingly took at least an eternity to go from one second to the next. It was 2:29 P.M. and 45 seconds. 46 seconds. He sighed. This class was taking forever to end. Quickly looking away he made sure he had gathered all his belongings. Looking back at the clock, 10 seconds left. He narrowed his eyes. Everything was conspiring against him.

Ever since the end of sophomore lunch at 12:15, after his talk with Brian, Nick felt like his world was in extreme slow motion either that or he was at hyper speed. Everything was taking too long, everyone all of a sudden seemed to talk really slow, and the classes were never ending. It's not that he hates the classes he's taking... it's just that he wanted to get to Justin's homeroom and have him be excused from P.M. homeroom. He was eager to spend some alone, quality time with the younger boy. Wanting to see if what Brian said and observed was true. Basically he wanted to have some fun and have Justin admit, not necessarily that he liked him, but SOMETHING... anything.

*Drrriiiiiiing*

Nick cringed at the shrill sound of the school bell but was at the door in an instant and out of it before the first 'dring' even finished. Walking...jogging... he managed to avoid the traffic of students that would at any moment filter the halls and made his way up to the second floor. It wasn't until he was leaning on the wall by Justin's homeroom right by the door did Nick let himself breathe.

He waited patiently as the students from the last class emptied the room and other students who had homeroom in this class enter. He smiled politely at the students that greeted him as they passed by.

Nick was looking inside the classroom when a deep voice greeted him. Turning his head to the left Nick's frown turned into a smile when he saw who it was.

"Hey Lance," Nick greeted. "How's freshman year going for ya, so far?"

Lance stared at Nick for a moment before responding. "Oh, it's going.... You cut your hair!"

Nick laughed. He'd been getting that same bugged eye look and statement all day. It's like no one's ever seen a guy with spiked hair before. "Yea, I did," he said unconsciously running his hand through it. Ever since Brian gave him a noogie causing for his perfected gelled hair to soften and not hold together he didn't care the condition his hair was in.

"It's different but you look good," Lance said and then blushed as he realized what he'd said.

Nick shot Lance a look and noticed the slight blush appear on his cheeks. Him too? He thought to himself. "Uh, thanks," he said and then remained silent for a few seconds. "So, you doing good in your classes? Did you join any clubs?"

"Oh, yah. My classes are fun and teachers are great. I got above 90's in all my quizzes and tests, so I'm doing well. I joined the 'Computer & www. Club' and I'm thinking about joining the choir or maybe the genesians.

Nick nodded his head. "That's awesome. My best friend is in the choir and he absolutely loves it. I'm in Genesians and it's always fun! Yea, you should definitely do something like that."

"Yah, I think I will," Lance said. "What are you doing here? Don't you have to go to homeroom?"

Nick smirked and wrinkled his nose. "Yea, I do have homeroom but I never go. Student Council perks."

Lance laughed. "Lucky!"

"Hmm," Nick said shrugging. "I suppose." They continued talking for a few more seconds about the classes Nick was taking and if would recommend any teachers for Lance. It wasn't until Nick was finished that Lance asked the question floating around his brain.

"What are you doing here then?" Lance asked, confused.

"I'm waiting for someone," Nick said and straightened up just as he spotted Justin walking towards them.

"Oh," Lance paused as he wondered who. "Who?"

Just then Justin passed them not really paying attention to anyone around him.

"Excuse me," he said as he took a quick glance at Lance and made his way between the two people.

"You're excused, Timberlake," Nick said in an amused tone.

Justin immediately stopped and lifted his head. It couldn't be... could it? Looking to his left he saw one of the guys from his homeroom and PE class and then he looked to his right and saw Nick standing there with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Nick?" Justin all but squeaked. "What are you doing here... again?"

Nick shrugged and then nodded at Lance. "Just talking to Marshall's freshman brother, you?" On the first week of high school for the new freshmen a 'senior brother' is assigned. It was done so that the seniors would give pointers and advice to the newcomers and the freshmen would have someone to go to if and when they needed help for whatever reason.

Justin faced Nick but looked back at the man behind him before looking back at Nick. "Uh, I'm," Justin looked down and noticed he had one foot inside his homeroom and the other in the hall. "I'm half way into homeroom."

Nick and Lance laughed. "The last part was a rhetorical question," Lance said.

Justin blushed. Stupid, stupid, stupid. God, was he so stupid!

Nick smiled as Justin blushed. "Yah, hmmm, you never told me who your senior brother is," Nick said as he realized it.

"I didn't?" Justin questioned, picking his head up and looking into Nick's thoughtful eyes.

Nick shook his head.

"Oh, um, it's Shane West. You know him?" Justin asked just as his homeroom advisor arrived.

"Yah, I do. He's in Genesians with me," Nick said as Justin moved towards him so that Mrs. Russell could pass through. He gently and discreetly placed both his hands on Justin's arms when the younger boy moved closer to him.

Justin's body tingled and he couldn't help the small smirk that graced his face. That little bit of physical contact was more than enough to fuel Justin and his fantasies.

"Hello, Nickolas," Mrs. Russell greeted him with a warm smile on her face.

Nick took his hands off of Justin and shoved his left hand in the front pocket of his school slacks. "Hey Keri," Nick greeted her back. He followed her into the room and stood by her desk. Lance and Justin following him a few seconds later.

Justin looked between them, his advisor and Nick, wondering how they know each other.

"It's been a while since I've seen you," Mrs. Russell said as she put her things down on her desk. "Where have you been hiding?"

Nick rolled his eyes. “Where have I been hiding? Haven’t seen me in a long time? What are you talking about? I saw you THIS morning AND if I’m not mistaken I also saw you last week, not once, but twice. The first time was at the faculty/student council meeting and the other time was at the Halloween party,” Nick finished as he crossed his arms and quirked an eyebrow.

Mrs. Russell rolled her eyes but chuckled at the same time. "Yea, yea..."

"Uh huh, so, what were you saying again?" Nick questioned with a smirk on his face.

"Whatever. What are you doing here, now, anyway?" Mrs. Russell asked as she rested her hands on her hips.

Nick pretended to be hurt. "What? Now I can't come and visit my favorite teacher in the whole wide world?"

Ms. Russell rested her left hand on her hip and gave Nick a "uh huh!" look in which Nick began to laugh.

"Here for Justin. Tutoring," Nick simply said. "You think you can let him go?"

Mrs. Russell slightly pouted. "You've been hogging him all week, Nickolas. The only time I get to see him is during A.M. homeroom!"

"You'll get over it," Nick chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you won't miss him."

"Hey!" Justin interjected. "I'm right here, you know!"

Mrs. Russell laughed. "Eh, I can live without the whining. Take him!" She made shooing motions with her hands.

"Aye aye, Cap'n," Nick said giving a mock salute and grabbing Justin's arm. "With pleasure! See you later, Keri. You too, Lance. Bye!" Nick called out as he dragged a pouting Justin down the hall towards the elevator.