"Surprise," a pair of arms wrap around me when I turn the corner, and I almost scream, only relaxing once I recognize the voice.

"Jace!" I shove him away. "I nearly had a heart attack."

He laughed at my reaction, "I'm sorry, don't be mad at me." He reaches out to pull me back when I start walking away from him.

"You need to get your priorities in order if that's the thing you think you should be apologizing for."

"Aw, Heather...you're not still worried about that picture, are you? I told you, that was Ethan's, not mine."

"No, it was just hidden in your room for the hell of it, right?"

"So, you don't trust me?" Jace crosses his arms.

"How am I supposed to even begin trusting you when you keep lying to me?"

"All of this over a silly little picture? So your friend's a slut, why is that my fault?"

"It's not just about Alison, Jace. You are incapable of being honest with me!"

"Name one time I wasn't honest with you..." He challenges me.

"You mean other than now?" I raise my eyebrows at him, "How about that sleazy bar girl? Or the fact that you will literally do anything you can to avoid telling me what happened between you and Leo."

"You've gotta be kidding me," he shook his head, "there is no relationship without trust, Heather...."

"I guess there isn't," I back away from him.

"I love you..." he speaks under his breath, almost making it impossible for me to hear him.

"You're only saying that now because I'm leaving."

"Aren't you going to join us?" Peyton smiles at me. So fucking pretty.

"I don't know, you two look like you've got this," I nod toward where she's making pizza with Zach.

"Come on, you can spread the sauce," she says slyly.

Are you trying to seduce me?

"Alright..." I smirk and walk over to her.

"Here," Peyton steps behind me, placing her hands on my arms and guiding me as I smooth the tomato paste over the dough. "Just like that..."

"Peyton," I breathe out.

"Yeah?" She says lowly into my ear as her arms wrap around my waist.

"What are you trying to do to me?" I say through light laughter.

"We're just making pizza, boyfriend," she said deviously and let her hands roam down the front of my body, only stopping once she got to my pelvis.

"People talking and touching like that are usually making more than just pizza..."

"Is pizza not enough for you?" She peeks her head around me so that I can see her face. Her conniving expression only confirming the fact that she likes to tease me.

"Anything from you is good enough for me, Peyton,"

"And that's why you're my favorite boyfriend," she smiles as she pulls away from me.

"Yeah? Then when are you going to take me seriously and dump that college douchebag who stole you away?"

"Aw, he didn't steal me away from you," Peyton says in amusement. "We're together now, aren't we?"

"Yeah, you, me, and Za-" I look over to where he was previously standing. "Wait, where'd he go?"

"Probably off to call whoever he's been talking to so much lately."

Evan. Peyton doesn't know about Evan.

"I'm going to go check on him. I'll be back, okay?" I speak assuringly which only makes her giggle. I'm assuming it's because I'm even pretending she cares whether I am here or not. I'm not her med-school boyfriend after all.

I tread lightly down their carpeted hallway, and sure enough, I hear Zach talking softly on the phone, almost too low for me to hear him. "Do you think you can sneak out? Only my sister is home right now, and she won't care if you come over." He chuckles, "No, she won't check on us, she's not my mom. She'll just think we're playing video games or something." What else would you be doing..."Cool, I'll see you when you get here, bye." Zach hangs up the phone, and when he emerges from the corner he was hiding in, he jumps at the sight of me.

"Big plans?" I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Uh— no, not really," he denies. "Evan and I are just going to hang here and play some video games," Zach shrugs nonchalantly.

"Oh, really?" I say unconvinced. "Like the way I tell my mom the girl in my room is there to study?"

"Ha...ha," Zach laughs uncomfortably. "You're not going to tell Peyton, are you?"

"And out you? Are you kidding?"

He sighed in relief, "Thanks."

I nod and back away, letting him know he was free to run off and do whatever he wanted now.

Peyton was no longer in the kitchen, and the pizza was already in the oven. The smell of fresh, buttery popcorn mixed in with the smell of melted cheese, and I followed the sound of the tv in the living room only to find her laying on the couch.

She sat up when our eyes met, "took you long enough," Peyton complained.

"Were you really waiting for me?" I ask, though getting the answer I want isn't likely.

"Duh," she teases. "Who else am I going to watch this movie with?"

"Your other boyfriend, perhaps," I said puckishly, but join her on the couch anyway.

"Yeah, well, he's not here," Peyton smiles slyly as she cuddles into me, placing my arm over her shoulder so that she can lay against my chest. She giggled a bit, and I wondered if it's because she can hear my heart racing.

"Peyton?" I interrupt the movie during the title sequence.

"Yes, Leo?"

"Will I ever have a shot with you?"

Peyton looks up at me with a kind smile on her face. Levity braided into her expression as she spoke, "What do you think?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"Knock Knock," I said as I tapped on her open door.

"Trevor?" She seemed surprised to see me.

"The man, the myth, the legend," I smirked.

"If Ethan sent you to-"

"No one sent me," I interrupted her. "I'm here to give you these," I take the polaroids out of the inside pocket of my suit jacket. "I took them from Ethan."

"...thanks," Alison says skeptically. I nod in response as she goes through the pictures one by one. "Where's the rest?"

"There's more?" I say in honest confusion. "That's all he gave me...what's missing?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. I bet he was dying to show you those ones," She rolled her eyes.

"I'd love to help you locate them, If only I knew what the hell you were looking for," I huff in frustration.

"Of course you want me to say it," Alison shakes her head in disgust. "The one with my legs spread, the one with me..." she sighs and lowers her voice, "the one with me fingering myself."

I raise my eyebrows in amusement as I smirk at her, "naughty little Alison..."

"Shut up," she groaned.

"I had no idea you were like that," I speak admirably. "No, Carey didn't share that picture. Trust me, I would have remembered."

Alison looks up at me with a sad expression before looking down again, "he never liked me, did he? It was all fake?"

I nod and give her a sympathetic smile, "sorry, Al."

God, I didn't feel apologetic until I got here. Suddenly, I want to repent and stuff...maybe give her a hug or buy her a puppy...maybe be genuinely sorry when I'm not even the one who hurt her.

"I should have known...the love I want is only real in movies."

"Don't say that," I sigh and sit next to her on the bed. "Guys are assholes. We're the fucking worst, and we know it. But, one day, you'll come across a guy who will do whatever it takes not to be an asshole for you."

Alison laughs and nudges me lightly, "Sure, whatever, only Cinderella gets Prince Charming."

"Should I start calling you Cinderella then?"

"Cinderella would never be dumb enough to be in the situation I'm in," Alison states, "But maybe sleeping beauty would...she did prick her finger on that thingy."

"Aurora was hotter anyway, and an actual princess before the prince."

"You know your fairytales, Bailey," She says proudly.

"I do," I chuckle.

"But still...she'd be asleep to this day without her prince."

"True loves kiss?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Yes," Alison nods.

"Then fine," I grab her face in my hands and lean into her, placing my lips on hers and feeling her heart race when I held her closer. Her hands rested on my chest, and she hummed blissfully into the kiss when my tongue delved in her mouth.

Oh, how lucky she is that I'm playing prince and have decided to respectfully not rip her fucking clothes off.

We pulled away slowly, and I could see the surprised adoration on her face.

Her eyes scanned over me, lingering for what felt like the longest seconds of my life. Yet, her gaze was warm, and her voice came out hushed as she uttered: "...what was that for?"

"To wake you up..."

I spritz some cologne on my shirt and cough a bit as I choke on the scent. I snagged it from some store I saw on my way home one day when I took the long route. Evan always smells so nice...like cake icing and fabric softener.

Loud knocking disturbed my thoughts, and I gasped when I realized that it was probably Evan. I raced out of my room and down the hall to answer the door before Peyton.

"I've got it, I've got it, " I said quickly as my hand wrapped around the doorknob.

"Zach!" Leo whisper shouted. I didn't even know he was still here...

"Yeah?" I say worriedly as I approach him in the living room. Peyton is asleep on his lap and the tv is playing "Love Potion No. 9," which I know he hates.

"...Can I meet him?"

"Oh— okay," I nod hesitantly before leaving to let Evan in.

He smiles when he sees me.

I smile back involuntarily...

His arms immediately reach out and pull me in for a hug. The smell of lavender fabric softener fills my senses as I snuggle into his sweatshirt. His chin rests against my head to remind me of the slight height difference.

"Hey," he finally says.

"Hi," I breathe out. "A friend wants to meet you...only if you don't mind. If you don't want to, that's fine, I'll tell him to forget it."

Evan chuckles, "A friend of yours is a friend of mine."

My face heats up at the way he looks at me, so I avoid his gaze and take his hand in mine, only letting go when Leo comes into view. Though he knows, part of me still thinks I should hide.

"Ehem," I clear my throat to get his attention.

Leo's eyes scrutinize Evan from head-to-toe, but he doesn't say a word.

"Hey, I'm Evan, It's nice to meet you," Evan politely introduces himself with a charismatic smile and extends his hand for Leo to shake.

"Leo," He accepts the gesture, and a wave of relief falls over me.

"Alright, we're going to head to my room now," I gently push Evan back toward the hall. "Enjoy your sappy movie," I say jokingly, and Leo scoffs in response.

"Hey, Zach-" he calls out.

"Hm?" I peer past the wall.

"Not bad," Leo mouths and gives me a thumbs up.

I shake my head in amusement and then follow after Evan.

I find him lying on my bed with a sci-fi comic in his hands, he glances over at me when he hears the door shut and sends me a smirk.

"What?" I smile.

"He's cute," Evan shrugs.

"Yeah? He pretty much just said the same about you." Evan bursts into a fit of laughter, setting the comic book down so he could clutch his stomach. "Don't get too excited, he's into my sister." Though, never in a million years would they actually end up together.

"That's okay," he patted the spot beside him on my bed, and I obliged by laying there. "I'm into someone else too..."

A smile crept onto my face, "yeah? Well, good for them."

"Really good for them," Evan said lowly.

My eyes lingered on him as his fingers swiftly lifted my shirt up enough to expose a bit of skin, but just so that he could see what he was doing.

They then worked over to my jeans, unbuttoning them so he could slip his hand in.

I nervously lifted up, trying to back away from his touch.

"Whoa," I spoke through light laughter.

He chuckles, "want me to stop?"

I shook my head and leaned back against the headboard, Evan still next to me. His hand under the material of my boxers now...tightening around me as he stroked up and down, slow enough to have me raising up and trying to meet his movements.

My eyes fell shut and I hummed, balling my hands into a fist as I tried to refrain from touching him back. My heavy breaths turned to quiet moans, and I almost felt embarrassed— but Evan spurred me on, biting gently on my neck and whispering against my skin.

I was getting closer and closer, my abdomen tightening as I sighed. Why does this feel so much better when he does it?

Evan's thumb brushed over my tip every time his hand dragged over me, I gasped and curled my toes, relishing in it. His pace increased along with my breathing. I cursed and moaned as he went faster. Tugging the louder I got, he hummed proudly while I grasped onto his shirt.

I went short of breath, clinging to him with one hand and gripping my sheets with the other as I came, groaning, panting, and coating his fingers.

He kept going slowly until my body calmed just to make sure the job was done.

Thank you

and oh, my god.

I looked over at him and tried to read his expression, his eyes met mine and he smiled before leaning in to kiss me.

To think...I would still be satisfied if that was all we did.

I kissed him harder, my fingers finding their way into his hair while he chuckled at my eagerness.

"You're hot, you know that?" He said lowly before returning his lips to mine one last time.

I instinctively pulled my shirt off as soon as he removed his hand from my jeans. "Oh, uh— here...for the mess," I handed it to him and he nodded in thanks. "How long are you staying for?" I asked when he stood up from the bed to toss the now-soiled shirt.

"For as long as you want," Evan shrugs...every move he makes done with subtle confidence.

"My sister doesn't get up until after twelve. You can sleep here and leave in the morning...if you want," I try to imitate his nerve.

Evan smirked in response, my eyes glancing over his body as he pulled his shirt over his head and skimmed his jeans down his waist, leaving them both on the floor before crawling back into bed with me.

I felt his hair against the bare skin of my back and his arms wrap around me.

"So that's a yes?" I laugh at how he cuddled up to me before reaching to turn off the lamp on my bedside.

My final thoughts being: I'm not gay, I just like Evan.