Debbie stopped licking the envelope and looked at Justin.  Justin was pretending like he couldn’t see the look she was giving him and kept putting the letters inside the envelope.

“What do you mean you are moving?”  Debbie asked.

“I mean, I’m moving.”  Justin told her.

“Where?”  Debbie asked.

“New York.”  Justin told her.

“What the hell for?”  Debbie asked.

“Daphne’s there and she said she had enough space in her apartment.”  Justin told her.

“What’s wrong with here?”  Debbie asked him.  “What about school?”

“I can study there too, Deb.”  Justin told her.

“But…I don’t want you to go.”  She told him.

“I’ll call you everyday.  I promise.”  Justin told her.

Debbie took a deep breath not sure what to tell Justin.  She didn’t want to lose the blonde.  She had grown accustomed to him.   She knew she loved Justin like she would love a son.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”  Justin asked her.

“What do you want me to say, Sunshine?”  Debbie asked.  “That I’ll probably tie you to the bed so you can’t leave.”

Justin laughed.

“Do you have enough money?”  Debbie asked.  “Things are a lot more expensive over there.”

“I know Deb.  I’m going to be okay.”  Justin assured her.

“I don’t want you to go.  Vic and I are going to miss you so much.”  Debbie told him.

“You guys are going to be okay.  Vic is going to be okay and so are you.  You can take care of Michael instead of me.  He needs you too, you know.”

“Michael is going to miss you.  You are like the brother he never had.”  Debbie said.

“I know.”  Justin said.  “He called me a weird freak because I didn’t know who captain Astro was.  Now he is on a mission to teach me everything about comics.”  Justin said smirking.

Debbie laughed.

“Morning.”  Vic said smiling.  “What’s going on here?”

“Justin is leaving.”  Debbie informed her brother.

Vic looked at Justin from his feet to his head.

“In pajamas?”  Vic asked.

“He’s moving to New York.”  Debbie said exasperated.

“Oh really.”  Vic said as he sat down.  “Why?”

“Daphne is there.”  Justin said, trying to give them a big smile.  “I miss her and I don’t want to be a bother anymore.”

“You are not a bother, Justin.”  Debbie told him.  “We love to have you here.”

“Yeah.”  Vic said.  “Are you sure there are not other reasons why you want to leave?”  Vic asked.

“No!”  Justin yelled, then in a calmer voice said.  “I mean no.”

Debbie and Vic looked at each other.  They communicated silently with each other.  Something was up with Justin and they were going to find out one way or the other.

***

Brian moaned and smiled a little.  He looked down at the trick who was sucking him off and caressed the man’s face before he pushed him back to do his job.  Brian closed his eyes and enjoyed the blow job.  He grabbed the tricks shoulders and came with a gasp.

“That was good.”  Brian told him zipping his pants.

“Don’t you want to fuck me?” 

“Not really.”  Brian told him.

“Asshole.”  The trick whispered.

Brian smirked and walked out of the backroom.  He really wanted to fuck Justin but the blonde had been avoiding him.  He didn’t know what was going on anymore.  One minute Justin was on him like a leech and the next he was running for the hills.

“Have fun?”  Ted asked when Brian reached the bar.

“Tons.  Don’t be jealous, Theodore, it does your heart bad.”  Brian said.  “Not that I care, of course.”

Ted glared at him before he took a sip of his beer and moved next to Emmett.

“Where is Michael?”  Emmett asked.

“He had a date.”  Brian said.

“With Justin?”  Ted asked.

“Why would he have a date with Justin?”  Brian asked frowning.

Brian’s mind ran amuck and visions of Michael and Justin together flashed in front of his eyes.  He shook his head, trying to clear it of thoughts like; Justin and Michael together, of killing Michael, of punishing Justin to no end.

“What is it to you if they do?”  Emmett asked smirking.

Brian shrugged.

“He wouldn’t.  Justin has a boyfriend.”  Brian told them.  “He wouldn’t do that.”

“Justin has a boyfriend?”  Ted asked, looking at Emmett.

Emmett smirked and put his drink down.

“That’s funny because when I asked him, he said he didn’t.”  Emmett said.

Brian shrugged.

“I know he does have someone.”  Brian said.  “Can I have a beer?”  Brian asked the bartender.

“So, you and Justin are friends.”  Emmett stated.  “I forgot.  How was it that the two of you met?”

“I never told you.”  Brian said and smirked.

“Hi.”  Some guy said as he stood in front of Brian.  “I’m Kyle.”

“No names.”  Brian told him as he put his beer down and started dragging the trick away.

“And I guess we’ll never know.”  Ted said.  “At least not tonight.”

“You know that I asked Justin that same question and he just ignored me completely.”  Emmett commented.

Ted shrugged.

“I think they are hiding something.  Don’t you?  Maybe they are secret lovers.”

“Maybe you are drinking too much or watching a lot of TV.”  Ted told him.

Emmett shook his head as he picked up his drink again.  He was going to find out sooner or later what was going on between Brian and Justin.

***

Michael was about to say ‘hi’ to Justin when he saw the boy walking towards him but instead his eyes almost budged out of his head and his mouth dropped open.  He watched as Justin lost his balance and the tray he had crashed onto the floor.  They were all empty plates but some of them broke.  Everyone at the diner stopped to look at what had happened.

“Justin, are you okay?” Debbie screamed.

“I’m sorry.  I kind of lost my balance there.”  Justin told her.

Michael was by his side, putting his hand on Justin’s shoulder.  He frowned when he felt how hot Justin was but didn’t say anything.

“Are you okay, honey?”  Debbie asked.

“I’m just a little tired.  That’s all.”  Justin assured her.

Debbie told Justin to sit down and to rest before she moved away to clean up the mess.  Justin frowned and closed his eyes, trying to make his breathing go back to normal.

“Are you okay?”  Michael asked.

Justin nodded but kept his eyes closed.

“I’m just tired.  I stayed up all night drawing, kind of lost track of time.”

Michael nodded and chewed on his toast.

“So when are you leaving?”  Michael asked.

“In a week.”  Justin told him.  “I already saved some money.  I’m going to be okay, you know.”

“If you say so.”  Michael told him.

“Are you mad too?”  Justin asked.

Michael shrugged.

“It’s your life.”  Michael said.

“That’s what Brian said.”

“When did you talk to Brian?”  Michael asked.

“Like two days ago.  I called him and told him I was leaving.”  Justin said.  “I should go back to work.”

“Do you want Ma to tie you down?”  Michael asked.  “Rest a little.”

Justin frowned and stayed sitting down.

“I called Brian and he didn’t answer.”  Michael said.  “He’s been acting so fucking strange.  He’s been drinking himself into a stupor.”

Justin’s gaze landed on Michael.  He was worried.

“Why do you think he is doing that?”  Justin asked.

Michael shrugged.

“I have tried to talk to him but he just ignores me.”  Michael said.  “You should talk to him.”

“Why would I do that?”  Justin asked.

“He listens to you.”  Michael said.  “I have noticed that.  How long have you guys known each other?  He never talked about you before.”

Justin swallowed.

“It was some time ago.  Look, I have to go.  I promise to rest more, okay?” Justin said as he got up.  “Hey, maybe we could see one of those movies that you like so much.”

Michael nodded with a little smile.  He watched Justin for a while and was sure, now more than ever, that there was some big secret between Justin and Brian.  Every time he asked either of them how they had met, they would run away like they were being chase.  He would find out what was going on sooner or later.

***

Justin came down the stairs as quickly as he could when he heard the phone ringing.  He picked it up and smiled when he heard the voice at the other end.

“Daph, what are you doing?”  Justin asked.

“I’m calling you.”

Justin rolled his eyes.

“I can’t wait to be there.  People are driving me nuts here.”  Justin told her.

“It can’t be that bad.”  Daphne told him.

“Daphne, I’m serious.  Everyone is starting to ask a bunch of question.  They are freaking me out.”  Justin told her.  “They want to know why I’m leaving.  Emmett thinks that Brian and I are lovers and Michael won’t stop hanging around me, asking so many questions.  Debbie is starting to think that there are ulterior motives.”

“There are.”

“Shut up, Daph.”  Justin told her giggling.

“Relax, in just six more days you are going to be here with me.  It will be great.”  Daphne assured him.

Justin smiled and nodded.  He wanted to stay, but knew he couldn’t.

“Justin?”

“What?”  Justin asked.

“Do you want to leave?”  Daphne asked after the silence.

“Of course, Daph!”

“Seriously, Justin.”  Daphne said.

Justin took a deep breath as a tear made its way down his face.

“No.  I want to stay.  Don’t get me wrong, Daphne.  I love you and I love spending time with you, but I don’t want to leave him.”

“I understand, Justin.  I really do.”  Daphne assured him.  “Maybe if you told him…”

“No, Daph!  I don’t want to ruin his life.  Look, I’m going to take care of this baby just fine.  I will be okay.  I just can’t do it here.”  Justin told her.

“Okay, Justin.”  Daphne relented.

“I can’t wait to go meet Paul.”  Justin said, changing the subject.

Daphne giggled.

“He’s so great.”  Daphne assured him.  “You are going to love him.”

“Does he know about me and my situation?”  Justin asked.

“Yeah.  He understands, Justin.  He’s so great.”  Daphne told him.

Justin smiled and nodded.

“Look, I have to go.  Paul just got here with some groceries.  I’ll call you around seven.”  Daphne said.

“Okay.”  Justin told her.

“Bye.”  Daphne said.

Justin hung up and turned to go back to his room.  He never noticed Vic sitting at the far end of the table kitchen.