Scarlett and I were up in my room studying when we heard a bunch of commotion coming downstairs.
"What's that?" She asked. It took a few minutes, then I recognized the voices, and before I could say anything, my door flew open, and there they stood.
"Hey, cuz, did you miss us?" Austin asked with a devilish smile.
I looked at Scarlett. "Scarlett, meet the hellions."
She gave me a look and looked at them before we heard more yelling, "Welp, got to run," Nik said as the three of them took off down the hall with Junior hot on their heels.
"They seem interesting," she said.
"The hellions being here can only mean one thing," I mentioned.
"What's that?" Scarlett questioned.
"Their parents need a break," I said as I got up from the bed. She followed me.
We came down to see the other guys wrestling with the hellions. It didn't take long for them to wreak havoc once they arrived. The thing with the hellions is that they were hellions and were a little crazy. We were hoping they would grow out of it, but that still hasn't happened yet.
Where the double trouble twins like pranks, the hellions were more physical.
Junior's phone rang, and he answered it. All we could hear was his side of the conversation.
"Hello? Yeah, they're here. Did you think this was the best idea? No, I get it. They did what? Oh, so you send them to me! Seriously? And therefore, Mom made you get fixed. Yeah, I'd like to see you try old man! Yes, you are old! Because Mom said so! Yeah, that's what I thought. They're only here for the weekend, then have to go back! Because we have classes, and so do they. Yeah, we'll see you on Sunday," Junior said, ending the call.
Junior looked at the three of them. "So, which one of you idiots care to explain why you got suspended for fighting again?"
The three of them looked at each other. Then I zeroed in on Nik, who seemed more nervous than usual. Austin talked, "It's nothing," Austin said.
"Oh, it's something. Don't hand me that bullshit. Start talking," Junior barked at Austin.
"It's nothing, Junior, just drop it," Mack said, her voice rising.
"I will not drop it! Not when you three show up and start causing havoc when you're not here for five minutes!" Junior snapped.
Junior hammered away at them, but they refused to tell him what happened, always saying it was nothing or they were defending the family. He wasn't buying it, and neither were we. The only thing was, Nik was quieter than usual.
As Junior argued with Austin and Mack, Nik finally couldn't listen to their opposing anymore and blurted, "They were defending me!"
Junior stopped and said, "What? Why?"
Nik clinched his fist and whispered, "Because the kids at school were picking on me."
Junior walked over and said to Nik, "Why were you getting picked on Nik? You usually do the picking. What could be so bad that you would let them get to you and get yourselves into trouble for it?"
As Junior hammered at him, Nik finally snapped, "Because I'm gay! Okay! They were picking on me because the other kids found out!"
Junior took a step back, shocked as were the rest of us and tears streamed down Nik's face.
"Forget it! You and everyone else wouldn't understand," he said, taking off upstairs.
Austin looked at him, "Good job, bro." He walked away and went after Nik.
"I didn't know," Junior said. "Mack?"
She sighed, "No one did. Nik finally came out to us and was planning on telling Mom and Dad, but didn't get a chance before we got suspended and shipped off to you. Kids at school found out and wouldn't let up."
"What about the double trouble twins and RJ?" Junior asked.
"They don't know. Nik wanted to tell them when he was ready. All they knew is what we told them. Junior, you need to talk to him. He's terrified, and it worries Austin and me," she begged him.
"What do I even say to him?" Junior asked.
"Why not be a big brother and support him?" Scarlett asked Junior. "Look, I know it's a shock, but he feels alone, and other kids being mean doesn't help him."
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I will love Nik no matter what but it surprises me," Junior said.
"I think I have a suggestion to your little dilemma," Scarlett smiled. We all looked at her as she made a call. Then she hung up, "Go talk to your brother because I have someone coming to help."
Junior nodded and walked upstairs.
Mack looked at us, "Anyone got any food?"
Junior knocked on the door, "Austin, can I talk to Nik alone for a moment?"
"Yeah, sure," Austin said, getting up and leaving.
Junior took a seat next to Nik on the bed.
"You probably think I'm a crybaby," Nik said, wiping his face.
Junior put his arm around Nik's shoulder, "No, I think you're having a rough time of it. So, care to explain to me?"
"I knew something felt different when the other guys were talking about girls, and I didn't think about them that way. I didn't understand why, but I didn't feel attracted to any girl. Then one day, I was hanging out with this guy, and we became friends. The more we hung out, the more I felt this attraction to him. I tried to deny it until one day he kissed me. The kiss surprised me, but I gave in and kissed him back. I wanted to explore it a little more to make sure and realized I like guys. Then someone at school found out and started making comments. Austin and Mack took exception, and we all fought, but eventually, I had to tell them the truth. They were understanding about it and promise not to say anything until I did. Junior, they've been protecting my secret and risking getting suspended," Nik explained.
"When did you realize you were gay?" Junior asked Nik.
"The middle of freshmen year," Nik said, shifting his eyes downward.
"Oh, boy," Junior sighed.
There was silence for a minute, then Junior looked at him, "Look, Nik, I don't know what to say to help you."
"Maybe you don't, but I can," a voice said, coming from the doorway. Junior and Nik both looked up at the guy leaning next to the door frame.
"Who are you?" Junior asked.
"Leo Monroe, Scarlett's older brother, well, gay older brother," Leo grinned.
Junior and Nik looked at each other, and Junior waved Leo into the room. They all talked. Leo explained that his coming out and how his family supported him, but he explained every family was different. He told them everything he went through in school and how it led him to almost committing suicide, but it took his family's love and support and a lot of counseling to understand there was nothing wrong with being gay. Leo was happy with his decision and said if I didn't take, he would do "hit" that, making the two of them chuckle.
After an hour, we saw the three of them come downstairs, laughing.
"Well," Scarlett asked.
"Oh, Nik will be fine. He will need a lot of support. If I were still in high school, I would so ask him out. He's such a cutie," Nik grinned. Scarlett giggled while the rest of us stood there.
"Oh, relax, you guys. He's kidding. Plus, Leo has a boyfriend who is the captain of the football team here," she said.
"Got to jet, Scar. I'll see you both at dinner in two weeks," he said, kissing her on the cheek.
He left, and Junior looked at all of us, "We have to come up with a plan to tell Mom and Dad when they get here Sunday."
"Are you sure about this, Junior? You do know who our father is, don't you?" Austin asked.
"How bad could it be?" Junior asked, and we all gave each other looks. With Frazier, anything can happen.
Sunday arrived, and Nik was pacing back and forth. He was so nervous, and we tried to calm him down as much as possible. Then we heard a knock at the door. As I opened the door, Nik fell backward and passed out.
Marissa and Frazier looked at Nik on the floor as Frazier said, "Well, that's a new one."
Junior and I helped Nik up, and they came inside the house. The rest of us left the four of them with their parents so they could talk to them. We hid behind a wall so we could hear what they said.
"How was the weekend?" Marissa asked.
"It was fine," Junior said.
"Did you find out why they got suspended?" Frazier asked.
"Well, funny story. Well, not funny, ha, ha, but I'm hoping you can find some humor," Junior said, trying to find the words.
Frazier and Marissa looked at each other, "Why do I feel like this will be interesting. Especially if Junior is stammering."
"With Junior, it could be anything," Marissa shrugged.
Junior looked at the hellions and then at his parents and finally said, "Nik is gay."
Marissa and Frazier looked at each other, then back at them, silently.
"I don't know if this is good or bad," Liz whispered.
"Uncle Frazier silent is never a good thing. It can mean two things. Either he's plotting, or he's pissed," Elijah whispered back to her.
"Okay, the peanut gallery can come out since we can hear you are talking," Frazier said to us.
"How? We whispered," Elijah said, walking into the living room with us.
"Because you're not that good, genius," Frazier said.
"Dad?" Nik said.
Frazier turned his attention to Nik, "Is that all?"
Nik looked at the others then back at Frazier, "Yeah."
"For a second, I thought you would tell us you three burnt down the college," Frazier smirked.
We all looked at him as Nik said, "Didn't you hear what Junior said? He said I was gay."
"That? Yeah, I heard what your brother said," Frazier replied.
"And?" Nik asked.
"And what?" Frazier questioned.
"Are you upset?" Nik inquired.
"Why would it upset me?" Frazier asked.
"Well, because you're you," Nik said to Frazier.
"Yes, I'm me, and you're you, and we're one big happy family," he said grinning.
"A Barney reference? Really?" Junior said.
"You liked Barney when you were little, and we had to get stuck listening to that stupid purple dinosaur hours on end, so sue me," Frazier remarked.
"But what about Nik being gay? Are you okay with it?" Mack asked.
"Ohhhh, that. Yeah, I'm fine. I would be more shocked if you told us you liked girls," he said casually.
"What?" The four of them exclaimed.
"What your idiot father is trying to say, is we already knew Nik," Marissa added.
"You did?" Nik asked incredulously.
"Uh, huh," she said.
"How did you know before I knew?" Nik asked.
"It's easy when I hear show tunes coming from your bedroom full blast and find a stack of playgirls in your bedroom. Most boys usually hide playboys," Frazier grinned.
We all looked at Nik, and he shrugged, "Micheal turned me on to them."
Mack gave him a look, "Who's Michael?"
"Well, shit. I wasn't to say anything," Nik sighed.
"Who's Micheal, Nik?" Mack demanded an answer from her brother.
"This will be good," Drew said, rubbing his hands together. We all looked at him, "What? Pay attention to people. It's about our dear Nik."
Mack rolled her eyes and stood up, "Who's Micheal?"
"Michael Blackwood," Nick sighed.
"What?" Junior said.
"The," Austin said.
"Fuck," Mack said.
Frazier looked at Marissa, "Houston? We have a problem."
"How could you? You knew how much I liked him," Mack screamed at Nik.
Nik stood up, "I didn't know until we started hanging out! Plus, I'm not to say anything."
"I will never forgive you for this, Nik!" Mack ran upstairs, crying.
"Well, it seems like a fine mess you got yourself into Son," Frazier smirked.
Marissa got up and smacked Frazier upside of the head, "Now is not the time for jokes, you idiot. I'll take care of this." She went after Mack. While the rest of us talked and eventually Marissa calmed Mack down, but she was still mad at Nik. Not because he was gay, but he stole her crush.
They eventually left, and we all plopped down on the couches. Leave it to the hellions to leave us exhausted, and it was only the weekend.