“Uh…What just happened?” I asked in confusion.

                “Oh man Kory! I am so, so sorry about Trace!” Brandon cried, looking angry, apologetic, and embarrassed all at once.

                “Oh, don’t worry about it Brandon! I’m just trying to figure out what the hell just happened,” I said, looking at the couch where Trace had been sitting a moment earlier. Someone needed a nap more than I did!

                “Kory, honey, why don’t you go to bed? You look exhausted. Maybe Trace was tired too. I’m sure he’ll apologize to you in the morning,” mom said with a small, encouraging smile.

                I nodded and then remembered there was other stuff in the car. I opened my mouth to say I’d finish unpacking the car, but Brandon shook his head at me.

                “Go to bed Kory. You look dead on your feet. I’ll get the rest of the stuff out of the car. Don’t even worry about it!” he said with a smile. “And I’m really, really sorry about Trace’s behavior.”

                I waved my hand in dismissal and yawned. “It’s fine Brandon. Seriously, don’t worry about it at all! My mom’s right; Trace was probably just tired. Goodnight guys!” I said and hugged my mom tightly.

                She smiled and kissed my cheek before releasing me. Brandon ruffled my hair again and gave me a one armed hug. “Goodnight Kory. If you need anything, our room is the one on the opposite end of the hall. Don’t hesitate to wake us up. If you need the bathroom, it’s the door directly next to yours. Trace’s bedroom is directly across from yours. Sleep tight!” he said and released me.

                I gave a slight wave before heading upstairs. I glanced at Trace’s bedroom door. I could slightly hear music playing and fought back the urge to go into his room and try to talk to him. For one, I didn’t need to make this situation any worse. And for two, I was just way too tired right now.

                So, I went into my new bedroom. I shut off the lights after stripping down to my boxers and setting up the bed a little.

                I jumped onto the bed, pulling the covers up to my chin comfortably and squeezing my eyes shut. My body felt heavy, and my head sank onto my comfortable pillow. I let out one more yawn before drifting into a nice sleep.

                                                                                                ***

                Something shone in my eyes and I groaned and rolled over. “Pull up your pants Aiden,” I moaned and pulled my pillow over my head.

                “Aiden? Who the hell is Aiden?”

                I jumped up in shock and let out a little scream. I looked over and realized that the thing that had been shining in my face had not been a sexy boy’s glamorous reproductive part, but instead the sun shining through my window. 

                “Sorry Kory. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Brandon said, laughing.

                “Uh…Hi Brandon! Aiden is…uh…he’s definitely not a sexy guy from my school or anything…he’s…my…Barbie Doll! Yea, I didn’t have a Ken, I had an Aiden,” I babbled nervously, barely registering what I was saying.

                Brandon raised an eyebrow at me and cocked his head to the side. “So, you sleep with your Barbie Doll whom is lacking pants?” he asked, an amused look entering his eyes.

                “Barbie Doll? The hell did you get that idea from?” I asked. There is no way I actually said Barbie Doll, right? I wasn’t that stupid! …Was I?

                “I got that idea from you. You just told me Aiden was your Barbie Doll,” Brandon said and laughed when my face heated up.

                “Just…uh…Don’t tell my mom!” I groaned as I threw the covers off of me and stood up. I looked down and gasped.

                “Where did my pants go?!” I cried, looking around the room. I was dressed in only my boxers! I never slept in just my boxers!

                “Kory, you took them off last night along with your shirt,” Brandon said patiently and pointed at my clothes, which were crumpled on the floor. My face heated up even more. “Uh…right. I’m still a little disoriented from the move,” I said and laughed at myself as I grabbed my jeans and slid them back on.

                “Yea, I can understand. Well, your mom wanted me to wake you up so that you didn’t sleep in too late. I just made lunch. Come on down and eat,” he said with a friendly smile.

                I ran a hand through my no doubt messy hair before following Brandon out of my new bedroom. My eyes caught Trace’s open bedroom door and I mentally groaned as last night’s “introduction” came back to me with painful clarity.

                Hopefully Trace had just been tired. Maybe he would be in a better mood this morning. Well, this afternoon since I had apparently slept through the whole morning.

                We went down the stairs and into the kitchen. My mom was sitting at the kitchen table with Trace. Trace, again, didn’t look up as we entered the kitchen.

                “Go on and take a sit next to your mom, Kory. I made some Kraft Mac&Cheese,” Brandon said as he moved to a cupboard. I sat down next to my mom and Brandon handed me a bowl, napkin, and spoon.

                I thanked him and scooped myself some lunch, beginning to eat it somewhat hungrily. Trace would just have to wait. I mean, come on! Food was a little more important than being on good terms with my new stepbrother, right? Yea, I knew my priorities.

                I finished eating and Brandon slid me a glass and some chocolate milk. I poured it and drank thirstily, washing my lunch down. I rubbed my bottom lip against the glass when I was done drinking.

                “Thanks Brandon!” I said happily now that I was officially done with my lunch. I looked down at my dirty dishes and back up to Brandon. “Where do I put my dishes?”

                “I’ll handle them for now Kory. Once you get settled into the house more, then I’ll show you how to take care of your laundry and dishes,” Brandon said, standing up and taking my dirty dishes from me.

                Mom snorted. “His laundry is what he keeps me around for,” she said and I smiled innocently at her. She raised an eyebrow at me and I couldn’t help but drop my eyes to the table.

                “…Maybe,” I mumbled and she nodded at me. “Stop reading my mind!” I whined and crossed my arms, pouting at her.

                “Seriously? Can you shut up for, like, five freaking seconds?” Trace snapped in annoyance. I glanced at him in surprise. I had forgotten he was here at all. Whoops.

                “Uh…sorry,” I said with a small smile.

                “Trace, calm down. Just be nice to Kory. Why don’t you take him to meet some of your friends or something? I’m sure he would appreciate it,” Brandon said with a sigh.

                Trace made a disgusted face at his father and glared at me. “No way. This weirdo can get his own friends. Besides, I’m not a babysitter,” he growled.

                “Trace, stop it!” Brandon said angrily. He pointed at me and glared at Trace. “That is your stepbrother. He just moved here and he doesn’t know anyone. He’s going to be living in this house from now on, so you might as well get used to it. Show him around the town and introduce him to your friends.”

                “No, I’m not going to dad. He’s annoying,” Trace snapped and stood up. He dropped his dirty dishes in the sink before shooting me another glare and leaving the room. I listened as he went up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door angrily.

                “I am so sorry about that Kory! I don’t know what has gotten into that boy!” Brandon said furiously, glaring at the ceiling.

                “Whoa, don’t take it out on the ceiling Brandon. The ceiling didn’t do anything to you,” I said with a frown.

                Brandon sighed and gave me a weak smile. “Trace will come around. He’s just…I don’t know. Moody, I guess. Must be his time of the month.”

                I laughed a little and mom pouted. “You wouldn’t make fun of it if you bled from your privates for a week each month,” she grumbled.

                “Mom, that’s just…ugh. Not a table conversation. You can’t bleed for a weak and survive. It’s just weird,” I said in disgust. Ugh. This was exactly why I was gay.

                Girl parts were just…blah. How can something bleed for a weak and not die?! It just wasn’t natural. It went against the laws of…well, it went against the laws!

                I plead the 5th! That means I have the right to remain silent. I plead the 53rd! That means I have the right to bleed out of my reproductive part for a whole damn week and still survive.

                No. Just no.

                “I’ll keep in mind that you think I should be dead next time I pay your phone bill Kory,” mom said simply as she stood up.

                “That’s not what I meant!” I whined, my hand slapping my jean pocket where my phone was. Huh. I must’ve never taken my phone out of my pocket last night. Well, I guess it was good mom hadn’t washed my jeans. It wasn’t very good for a cell phone to get put in a washing machine, I guess.

                I sighed and stood up from the table. I glanced at my mom and Brandon as they talked and began to clean the dirty dishes. I mentally sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I guess it was time to go talk to my stepbrother and see if I could get him to like me.