Kevin was getting some things together, just an overnight bag, ready to leave.

I checked my watch. His flight was at twenty to six and it was already five.

"Are you sure you aren't gonna be late?"

Kevin shook his head as he walked out of the bathroom, a small zipping bag with his shaving kit in his hand. "No, I'm right on time."

I shrugged. "Okay."

He placed it in his bag, zipped it up and looked up at me. "I'm sorry you can't come."

I gave him a small smile, knowing what he meant. I was going to say my good byes here, since I wasn't allowed to go to the airport with him. It hadn't been much of a shock when he told me. I had been expecting it. What had been a surprise was that, apparently, I couldn't even go to the parking lot. I was isolated in the room.

He walked towards me and embraced me. His arms went around my waits while mine tangled around his neck. I placed my head on the crook of his neck and smelled his essence. He smelled like oranges and cologne.

"I love you," he whispered against my hair and I could feel his smile. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm gonna miss you, you know?"

I smiled at the words. "I know." I paused, not sure of what to say. "I'll miss you too."

He placed a soft kiss on my hair, and then pulled away from me, kissing me on the lips. "Gosh, I'm gonna miss you."

I smiled at him. "It's gonna be alright. You'll call, right?"

Kevin nodded, soft green eyes gazing at me. "Of course. I'll call you as soon as I hit ground, and then tonight."

"Okay, see, everything it's going to be alright." I tried to smile reassuringly, but I wasn't sure if it was working.

I hadn't asked much about his mother, quite worried he'd have second thoughts about going to talk with her. But I had to accept that I was slightly worried. As far as I knew, she was a religious woman, and I didn't know how she'd feel about her son being gay.

He caressed my cheek with the back of his palm and I leaned into the touch, my eyes closing the slightest.

"I love you," he whispered while my smile softened.

"Gosh, I love you too."

He gave me one more kiss before pulling away and walking towards the end of the bed and picking up his bag. He slid it up his arm and smiled at me.

I joined him by the door. I kissed him before he opened the door and we both walked into the living room area.

"I'll call you."

"I know."

"I'll tell you everything tonight."

"You're gonna tell her right now?"

He nodded. "I want to give her some time to think about it with me in the house. We'll probably talk more tomorrow morning,"

"Okay."

"I should be back before three, for the interview."

"I'm probably staying here in the hotel."

Kevin nodded. He offered his hand and I took it, squeezing his gently. "I'll see if I can come to the hotel before going to the interview."

"Don't push it."

"I wanna see you first."

I smiled at him, enchanted. "I know, but if you've got things to do..."

"I'll just try."

"Okay."

He leaned over and gave me one last kiss. This time, I caressed his cheek lovingly before pulling away. I opened the door for him. He smiled at me, walking through and pausing under the threshold.

Green soft eyes glanced at me and I knew what he meant without having to say it.

"I love you to," I mouthed and Kevin nodded.

Carl walked towards Kevin and picked up his bag from him. Kevin thanked him, turning around and walking down the hallway.

I took two steps forward, leaning against the frame of the door my eyes fixed on Kevin's back. The elevator bell rang and they entered it. Kevin stood there, his back against the far wall, looking at me, and I smiled.

"I love you," he mouthed and before I could answer the doors were sliding close.

My heart seemed to drop a notch in my chest, and I swallowed hard.

It was surprising; I was missing him already.

*****

I had barely had ten minutes on my own, my book on my hands as I lay flat on my stomach on the couch in the living room when the door opened.

"You alone?"

I lifted my eyes to look at the head peaking through my door. "Yes?"

Kate sighed and walked into the room. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"You wouldn't have."

She shrugged. "Well, yeah, I would have. He's leaving and all."

"It's not like I'm not used to it, you know?"

She pushed my legs off the couch and I had to sit down not to lose my balance. "I thought I'd keep you company."

"I was doing rather fine on my own, thank you very much."

She didn't seem to listen to me, because she checked her watch. "Five thirty."

"I know."

"You don't wanna watch TV?"

I raised my book for her to see.

She tilted her head, her eyebrows rising. "So?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm trying to read, you know?"

Again, she didn't listen. Picking up a pillow, she settled on the couch and turned on the TV. I let out a long sigh and figured I might as well watch TV with her.

*****

We had been doing a little bit of nothing for about three hours before the guys started pouring down like rain and into my room.

I frowned when Howie entered, sitting down by Kate's side and flipping the channels. I shrugged when Nick followed and picked up another pillow, sitting on the floor by my legs.

Brian was next, and I only tilted my head. But by the time Alex and Amanda arrived, both eyebrows seemed to have morphed into one.

"Not meaning to sound harsh or anything, but what are you guys doing here?"

Alex was the first to answer. "We're gonna have dinner dude, what else?"

I checked my watch. It was already nine. Gosh, Kate and I had been watching two movies at the same time, flipping from HBO to Cinecanal and haven't realized time had gone by.

"Oh." I felt like an idiot.

It was funny, really, the way the boys were used to having dinner together -- and breakfast and lunch -- like a family who only see each other in those gatherings, when they actually spend almost every hour together.

But I wasn't going to be the one to complain, so I got a jacket, my wallet and my key card and went down to the van with them.

"Kevin called?"

I nodded at Brian's question. He had called about half an hour ago. He had gotten to Lexington safe, I knew that, and now I was more worried about what would happen in his house.

"Don't worry," Brian said, squeezing my shoulder. "Really."

I smiled and nodded, but I didn't feel as confident as Brian did.

We had dinner in a nice restaurant, and we were able to spend all that time without one single soul recognizing the boys. It was almost a miracle. And maybe it had something to do with the style of the restaurant.

Nothing cheaper than a hundred bucks and we had wine with dinner. I felt like I had graduated and this dinner was my reward.

When we got back, it was already a little over eleven.

I have no idea where it came from, but I heard Howie suggesting, "We should call room service?"

I frowned. "Didn't we just have dinner?"

Alex laughed. "Not for food man." He shrugged nonchalantly, then he tilted his head to the side, one eyebrow rising. "You've never gotten drunk, right?"

I feared answering it, but I shook my head anyways.

An evil smile crept his features and he took off his glasses with one swift movement. "Well," Alex said, "we should change that, don't ya think?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Yeah, we should," Brian said, grinning from ear to ear.

Nick had already walked towards the phone and was calling room service while I looked at them with a frown on my face.

"Oh boy," Howie said, turning on the stereo and going to the kitchen area, "we're gonna corrupt Kevin's boy."

Kate rolled her eyes. "He has drunk before."

"But never gotten drunk, really plastered, off his ass drunk." Alex grinned. "There's a difference. Oh, Nick, don't forget Tequila."

"And some whisky!"

"A pitch of Daiquiris for me," Amanda said with a smile.

"Lots of Tequila," Alex added.

I turned around and looked at Kate, confusion plainly written in my eyes.

She placed her arm around my shoulder and shrugged.

I let out a long sigh, scratching my left eyebrow. I could just feel the headache.

*****

I laughed, shaking my head as I leaned over and picked up my glass.

Lifting the small glass, I looked at it. Tequila. I really liked Tequila. I had never known I'd like Tequila.

"Matt?"

"I really like Tequila, you know?"

Kate chuckled, her hand moving to my own. "You should stop trembling."

"I'm not trembling."

She tilted her head to the side. "Oh, right, then it's spinning around."

I looked at my hand. "It's not spinning around."

She thought about it for a second. "Oh... then it's me whose spinning around."

I laughed and she followed. I heard a sound on my left and I turned to look at Alex and Nick doing a competition. I wondered how many glasses of Whiskey they had drunk by now.

"So, drink it!"

I did as Kate told me and swallowed the small glass in one gulp. I felt the liquid burning my throat, but it still tasted good.

"Lemon?" She said, offering a slice of lemon.

I shook my head. "You know what Richard says about lemon. It's stupid to eat a lemon after the tequila, if what you want is to feel it in your throat."

"Yep. I remember." She paused, then added. "Lemon?"

I shook my head again and wondered if she hadn't asked the same thing only second before.

"Matt!"

I felt an arm that went with the voice and turned to stare at Brian, only inches from my face.

He tilted his head and stared at me with deep blue eyes. "I think we're a little too close."

I nodded, and then pulled away a little.

"Want?"

I picked the cigarette from Kate's hand, giving Brian my undivided attention for about a second before my head started spinning again.

"Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt..." Brian leaned his head against mine and let out a long sigh. "You know, you're almost my cousin."

I frowned at his words. "Kevin and I aren't married."

"No, but you will?"

That surprised me in two seconds flat. I turned around and realize it wasn't a good choice to move so quickly. I held my head in my hands, looking at him through squinted eyes. "What do you mean?"

"He really loves you, you know?" He nodded, picking up his glass once again. "He really does love you. Not like he did Greg..."

I frowned slightly when I head the name. I wasn't very fond of that man.

He shook his head, taking another sip. "Nope. He loves you a lot more."

I swallowed thickly, the liquor suddenly going down and my head clearing, if only just the slightest. "How do you--?"

"I've known about Kevin the longest. He only told me. He didn't really told me, but he told me, and he only told me. I really do know how to keep a secret. He told me, yes sir, only me."

I smiled at him, rubbing my temples as my head was starting to hurt. "I know you're good with secrets."

"Yep. And he told me he loves you, and he never lies to me. Nope. Never. He really does love you Matt, my cousin."

I grinned, and then turned to look at Kate as she placed her hand on Brian's chin, holding his cheeks tightly together.

"Brian, my friend, you're really a piece of work."

"How so?"

"Well, let me tell you..."

I didn't hear the rest of the conversation as I stood up and walked towards the other side of the room, where Alex and Nick were trying to figure out who could drink more and stay up the longest.

After God knows how many drinks, the boys stood up and Nick ended up on the floor.

"YEAH!!! I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!"

Amanda just rolled her eyes as she picked up her pitch of Margaritas.

"Assholes."

I laughed as Amanda shrugged.

"They do that all the time," she told me.

"Really?"

"Yes, ever since Nick could drink," she winked at me. "Which isn't that long ago, let me tell you."

"Jerk," Nick told Amanda from the floor.

"Moron."

"Jackass."

"Pork."

"Slut."

"Well, at least I look like a cute bitch, fatso."

Nick shot Amanda the finger, his hand on the table. I looked at him, slightly concerned. He had fallen about three minutes ago and he just kept sitting there by the table.

"Nick, are you alright?"

He nodded, running his fingers through his hair. "Yeah."

I frowned. "Then why won't you stand up?"

"Because I don't know if I can." Nick paused, seemed to think about it before standing up ever so slowly. When he was slightly straight on his two feet, he turned to me and grinned. "See? I'm good."

"You still lost," Alex said, coming from behind and placing his arm around Amanda's shoulder

Nick just rolled his eyes.

Alex gazed over at me for a moment, one eyebrow raised. "Why are you standing?"

I frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"You've drank like... seven shots of tequila, you should be in the bathroom puking your guts out."

Kate shook her head as she joined us, placing her arm around my waist. "He's tipsy. See? His cheeks are all red, and he's been laughing for nothing, and he isn't standing straight."

I looked down at my feet. I was resting my weight on my right foot, the other one crossed at my ankles and almost leaning against Kate, who was doing very much the same.

"Yep." I declared with a big smile. "I'm tipsy."

"That's not enough. You ought to be drunk."

I looked at my watch. "It's only midnight. We still have time."

Midnight.

Midnight. That made me wonder. There was something that I should remember... I knew there was...

"Oh, Kevin should have called by now."

Alex's eyes widened. "What? Didn't Kevin call already?"

"Yeah, but he said he'd call after he talked with his mother. He said he'd call tonight." I giggled, Kate following me. "He said he'd call."

Running his fingers through his black hair, Alex took one last drag of his cigarette before putting it out with the tip of his shoe. "Shit."

"Something wrong?"

"Hell, yeah," Alex told Kate. "Kevin's gonna call. Oh, shit, he's gonna kill me. I know, he's gonna fucking kill me."

"What do you mean?" I picked up Alex's glass of scotch and smelled. It didn't smell any good. I shrugged inwardly then poured it down in one shot.

"Arg!" I said, holding onto the table as I felt my throat burning like I had poured liquid steel down my trachea.

"Don't do that!"

Brian laughed. "J, I thought the point of all this was to get Matt drunk."

Alex turned around and glared at Brian. "Not when Kevin is calling any minute now."

Brian, too, looked surprised. "He's calling? Matt, is he calling?"

I nodded, my head starting to hurt, just as much stomach, and I wondered why in the world were they having such a hard time believing me. "Yes, he is. Why? He can't call?"

"Oh, shit," Brian said, hiding his face in his hands. "We're toasted."

"Why?" Howie asked, coming from the kitchen area and throwing Alex a small bag, which Alex caught in the air.

I frowned as I saw Alex placing the back in his pocket.

"Kevin is calling," he said, lightening up another cigarette.

Seeing Alex smoking reminded me that Kate was smoking, and took the cigarette from her hands.

"Hey," she complained, but got another one from her pocket and lit it up.

"I don't know what the big deal is," Kate said after a moment.

"He's going to kill us, that's what."

I was about to answer Nick when the phone rang. I walked towards the small table by the side of the couch, slowly as not to trip on my own feet.

"No!" Alex said, startling me. He walked towards me, the phone on its fifth ring already. "What are you going to tell him?"

"What? Well..."

"You can't tell him you've been drinking."

I lifted an eyebrow. As far as I could tell, I had been talking rather slurred. "Alex, I can't--"

But my words died down as the phone stopped ringing.

"See?" I shook my head. "Now Kevin's gonna think I left the room or whatever."

"You can't tell him."

"Alex--" I closed my eyes slowly, my head starting to hurt. It felt like my eyes couldn't focus on something without a pounding in the back of my skull.

"You can't."

"I'm not gonna lie."

Just then, the phone stared ringing again and I picked it up after the first ring.

"Hello."

"Matt?"

"Hey Kevin," I said, trying to sound as natural as possible.

I could hear him frowning all the way in Lexington. "Is something wrong? I called a little while ago and you didn't--"

"Oh, yeah, I didn't pick up. Sorry, you beat me to it." I frowned. "Well, no actually, I just didn't reach the phone in time."

"Everything okay then?"

"Yep. Everything it's fine. No prob. Don't worry."

"Matt, you sure you're okay, you don't sound okay."

"Nah, I'm fine." I turned around, the phone cord tangled around my middle finger. I lifted my hands, looking right at Alex.

See? It meant. I'm fine.

Alex only nodded.

Meanwhile, Kate rolled her eyes, making circular movements with her hand by the side of her ear, her index finger stretched, her eyes gazing over at Alex.

I laughed at the implication, took a step forward and miscalculated. The phone when down with a loud thud, and I scrambled to pick it up.

"Shit, shit, shit," Alex muttered under his breath.

"Matt? Matt, you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I told him as I sat down on the couch, the phone on my lap. I bit my lower lip hard, feeling the liquor rising from my stomach, through my trachea and into my larynx. "Hmm..."

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

Alex let out a long sigh. Maybe they would be all right after all.

"You sure?"

I thought about it. "Well, no actually. The boys don't want me to tell you that I've been drinking, but I don't know why."

"What?!"

I pulled the receiver away from my ear; Kevin's voice was so loud. "Kevin..."

"You've been drinking?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"Matt, don't..." Alex said with a shake of his head and hiding his face in his hands.

Kevin's voice lowered two octaves before he continued speaking. "Are they there?"

"Who?"

Kevin let out a soft sigh. "The boys, are they there?"

I nodded. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong honey, I just wanna know if they are over there."

"Yep. They are here."

"Good. Could you put... Alex on the phone?"

I nodded. "Sure. Love you." I turned around and extended both the phone and auricular. "Alex, Kevin wants to talk with you."

"I'm dead," Alex said as he walked towards me.

I chuckled slightly, hiding my lips behind my hand as Kate and I giggled.

*****

Alex took the phone and grimaced and he spoke into the piece. "Kevin--"

"What the hell are you doing, getting my boyfriend drunk?"

"Kevin, dude, everything is fine."

"He's slurring every fucking word."

"He's only had a couple of drinks."

*****

I heard Alex tell Kevin I've only had a couple of drinks and I frowned. I would have figured it was much more.

"Nine," I said loud, but Alex shook his head.

*****

"What did he say?" Kevin asked on the other side of the phone line.

"Nothing," Alex said, giving Matt a pointed look. "Nothing."

"Did he say nine?"

"Nope. Nothing. He said nothing."

"I heard him say nine."

"You must have misunderstood him, bro, coz, really. He said nothing."

"I don't think so."

"Well, I'm closer and I'm sure he didn't say anything."

Kevin let out a long sigh. "What has he been drinking?"

"Nothing much..."

"What?"

Alex thought about it, then just run his fingers through his hair. Might as well go down with a bang, right? "Tequila."

"You gave him tequila? Don't you know he doesn't drink?"

"He's never had the oportuni--"

"Fuck the opportunity! He said he doesn't like drinking."

Alex snorted. "Well, he liked Tequila."

"Alex, fuck, how could you--?"

"Look, the boy it's old enough to know what he wants. If he wants to drink, then there's nothing you can do or say--"

"I'm not saying he can't drink."

"Well, it sounded like that to me."

"I didn't say that," Kevin's tone rose, and he was starting to feel a headache coming his way. "How could you get him drunk?"

Alex laughed almost nonchalantly, even though he grimaced just the slightest. "I just gave him a couple of glasses."

*****

I turned to look at Kate, my hand in my head. "My head hurts."

Kate nodded, a grimace in her own face. "I know."

I felt something coming up from my throat and placed my hand on my mouth. "God, my stomach hurts."

She smiled softly at me, and started rubbing my forearm up and down. "It's the alcohol."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that."

I finished my cigarette then took hers. When I took a drag, I felt my stomach turning and groaning inside.

"Oh, shit," I muttered, feeling bile in my throat and on my lips and run to the bathroom.

*****

Alex watched Matt making his way towards the bathroom, with a small pained face.

He heard the younger man retching even as he sat on the living room.

"What was that?"

Alex let out a soft sigh. "What?"

"That! I heard something."

"I didn't hear anything."

"You're lying Alex, I know it." Kevin thought for a moment before he closed his eyes. "Matt is throwing up, isn't he?"

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding. "Yep."

"Is he alone?"

Alex shook his head. "No, Kate is with him." He heard someone else retching, before scrunching up his nose. "I think that's her."

"She's been drinking too?"

"Yep. A pitch of Margaritas with Amanda and quite some Tequila as well."

"Alex, shit, you know they don't tend to drink--"

"Yeah, well, they gotta start somewhere, don't ya think? What better place than right here with us?"

Kevin had to give Alex that. "They could get sick you know."

"They haven't drunk that much."

"What if they get alcohol poisoning or something?"

Alex wanted to chuckle, but decided against it. "We've drank tons more than them and we've never gotten that."

"That's different."

"How so?"

"Because neither of you were my boyfriend," Kevin said softly, almost muttering it under his breath.

Alex let out a soft sigh, understanding Kevin's concern. "Look," he said just as softly, his defensiveness evaporating into thin air. "He's fine, alright? He had a little bit to drink, but he's fine. He was fine until a minute ago. Quite the chat box and giggling like a girl, but he was fine. He hadn't even thrown up."

Kevin nodded and was grateful Matt was okay, or as all right as he could be after drinking so much Tequila. "Look, it's past one over there, right?"

"Yeah."

"Put him to sleep, alright? Tell him I'll call him back sometime around noon tomorrow." Kevin let out a long sigh. "God, take him to bed, tell him not to worry and... tell him that I love him."

"Okay. Got it Train."

"Don't let him drink anymore."

"I won't."

"Bye."

"Bye," Alex said, filling himself relaxing as he hung up. He walked towards the bathroom and both Kate and Matt were sitting down on the floor, they heads against the toilet.

Nick was rubbing Matt's back while Howie was with Kate.

"They okay?"

Howie nodded. "I think they threw up everything now. We should take them to bed."

"Yeah."

Nick picked up Matt, placing the younger man's arm around his shoulder, Alex helping with the other arm.

"Alex..."

"Everything it's okay Matt," Alex said slowly, a small smile on his lips.

"Is Kevin mad?"

"Nope. He told me to tell you that he loves you and that everything it's alright."

Matt smiled slightly; closing his eyes sleepily, his forehead all sweaty.

Nick and Alex placed the young boy on the bed, pulling the covers over him.

"Do you think we should take off his pants?"

Nick nodded, unbuckling Matt's shorts and taking of his shirt. Clad in only boxers, Nick let him sleep.

Howie placed Kate on the bed and looked at her. "Amanda!"

"I knew you'd call," she said as she walked into the bedroom and shushed everyone out. "I'll finish here. You guys clean up outside."

The boys did as told and Amanda left Kate only in her underwear. She kissed the young girl good night, took one glace at Matt before leaving the room.

"Do you think they'd mind sleeping together?"

Nick shook his head at Brian's question. "Nah, they've done it before."

"How was Kevin?"

Alex turned to look at Amanda before answering. "Pissed as hell, but I already knew that. He was more worried Matt would get sick."

"That's sweet," Amanda said, picking up the pitch of Margaritas and pouring it down the drain, taking a small sip first.

"He really does love Matt, doesn't he?"

Brian nodded, sure of his answer at Howie's question. "Yeah."

"You should know," Howie said with a small smile. "You called Matt your cousin."

Brian frowned. "I did?"

"Yep. Like ten times. You kept saying that Kevin was going to marry him and God knows what else."

Brian bit his lower lip. "Well, at least Matt it's too drunk to remember anything."

Nick nodded, holding his head in his hands. "Shit, my head hurts."

Amanda looked around before sighing. "This is as good as the place it's going to get. Let's go."

The guys placed everything on the small counted on the kitchen area and left, closing the door after them and dieing to reach they own beds as well.