Once I'd dropped off Lexi, I'd used my dad's tow truck company and told them where to find Trevor. Then I drove out to the interstate to find Trevor's beat-up SUV near the exit for the university.

My cousin stood outside the car with one earbud in his ear and the other dangling down on the hood of the car. He wore a dark blue hoodie with the logo of his swim team and sweats. His hair was shorn short with a lightning design shaved into the side. I pulled over in front of him and stepped out of my truck.

"What up?" Trevor grinned. "Long time no see, Christian-Porter."

"You too, Murphy-Porter," I said.

Trevor and I were thrown together time and time again growing up. He was six months older than I was, and our mothers were close. I played football while he was a swimmer.

"You know both our mamas have their divorces now," Trevor said. "Who says we have to stick these long last names that tie us to Dad's we don't even like."

I chucked. "I can't have Dad issues this summer since I have to live with him."

"Mama said that," Trevor said. "Which is how I knew you were in the area. I didn't want to call Frank, seeing as I haven't spoken to him in like six years and all my friends aren't in town cause it's summer."

"Well, I called Frank's tow truck company," I said. "So, my dad is going to be involved."

Trevor sighed, and we both suffered through the tow truck's arrival. Then I got a call from my dad. I explained the situation, and he told me to bring Trevor on by the house.

The tow truck company told Trevor they could have a new tire on his truck, and they could take a look at his shaky transmission. It would take a day or so before they'd have a diagnosis.

We ended up in my truck and driving back to my father's house since Trevor didn't have anywhere to go. When I opened the door, I found my half-siblings running around.

"Parker!" Georgia pulled on my leg. "Parker!"

"Slow down," I said, craning my neck into the living room. "Is Dad here?"

"Parker, is that you?" Lizzie called from the couch.

"That would be why the munchkins are screaming my name," I said. "I have a friend with me."

"Oh," Lizzie said. "Well, bring them in so I can meet them. Unless it's Lexi again. I already met her."

"Who's Lexi?" Trevor asked as he followed me into the family room.

Lizzie and my father sat on the couch side by side. Lizzie bounced Luna on her knee as the television blared.

"Parker," Dad said. "And is that Trevor? It's been forever, dude."

"Hey, Uncle..." Trevor searched for the right moniker awkwardly. I mean Franklin... or is it Mr. Christian?"

Dad smiled. "You can still call me Uncle Frank. Are you staying the night? We have a guestroom."

"Of course," Lizzie smiled. "Or, if you're more comfortable, you can stay in Parker's room or on the couch in the playroom."

"It's too much, Mrs. Christian," Trevor said.

"Oh no," Lizzie said. "You're practically family, so call me Aunt Lizzie."

Lizzie showed Trevor up to the guest room, and I made a quick phone call to my aunt to tell her that Trevor was staying with me. Fortunately, I got the answering machine, which was better than listening to my aunt go into hysterics over the topic of her ex-husband.

Lizzie had run off to set out extra towels in the bathroom down the hall, and I found Trevor staring at the paintings of sailboats on the walls in the guest room.

"This place, dude," Trevor said. "Wow."

Somehow without saying any more, I knew exactly what he meant. My father lived in a palace compared to the apartment we lived in. Trevor, his brother Brady and I all shared a room there, and my father had enough rooms for each of his five children, including two that didn't live with him, and he still had a spare guest room.

"Sorry about your car," I said.

"I think I'm billing your dad at this point," Trevor said. "I hate to imagine what we're having for dinner."

"Don't hold out hope," I said. "The only thing my father doesn't have is a wife who can cook."

"Trevor, honey," Lizzie knocked in the doorway. "There's a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom. The towels are laid out with a fresh bar of soap. Is there anything else you need?"

"Lizzie, we're fine," I said.

"Well, if you need anything, just holler," Lizzie said.

I watched Lizzie go and sighed. Trevor grinned, jumped on the perfectly made bed, and threw a pillow at me. I caught it with one hand.

"You been holding out on me," he said. "Why haven't we ever come to sweet Aunt Lizzie and loaded Uncle Frank's crib during the semester instead of eating food from the university cafeteria?"

"You know why," I said. "I wouldn't be here if I had another option."

"You could easily find another place," Trevor said. "This was the easiest option."

I threw the pillow back at him hard. He caught it with two hands and grinned. Glaring back at him, I sighed.

"You're right," I said. "Yeah, maybe part of me wants to finally make peace with all of this. Sure, this house is uncomfortable and flashy, but he's my dad. He cares about me."

"At least you think your dad cares," Trevor pulled off his hoodie. "You have that. Guess what? Not everyone does."

"Trevor, I'm sorry," I said.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come here," Trevor got off the bed and stormed towards the door.

I followed him down the hall and chased him down the stairs. Dodging Hayden and Georgia running around the living room, I caught up to Trevor at the front door.

"I'm sorry," I said. "If you don't want to stay here, I can call some friends. These theater kids in my workshop are nice. I can call Lexi, and she can find a place with one of them."

Trevor whirled on me. "Who is this Lexi you keep mentioning?"

"Lexi Thaxton, the theater director, assigned her to help me out," I said. "She's on the track team."

"Thaxton?" Trevor's frown deepened. "You know Lexi Thaxton?"

"Yeah," I said. "You do too?"

"I've seen her around," Trevor said. "We had an English class together a while back. She's a nice girl."

"She's got some good friends," I said. "They've all been so welcoming to me. I'm sure they could put you up if you don't feel comfortable staying here."

Trevor looked between me and the foyer of the house. I heard footsteps behind me, and my dad set a hand on my shoulder.

"Everything okay, boys?" He asked.

"Yeah," Trevor said. "Everything is fine, Franklin."

"Trevor," my dad said. "I completely understand if it makes you uncomfortable to stay here. I know we haven't talked in a long time, and your relationship with your father..."

Trevor blanched. As a general family rule, we didn't discuss fathers. Especially not Trevor's deadbeat Dad.

"Call Lexi," Trevor said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'll meet you at the truck," Trevor said.

And with that, my cousin turned around and walked out of my father's house. My dad tried to follow him, but I moved between him and the door.

"We don't talk about Rayner," I said. "Ever. Don't follow us."

Following Trevor, I made sure to let the door slam behind me. Trevor was waiting for my truck. I unlocked the car, and we both got inside. Then I started driving without any particular destination.

I turned on the music and we sat in silence. I'd call Lexi later after we both cooled off. I just stared at the road and drove.

It was Trevor who broke the silence finally after ten minutes. "I nearly called him when I broke down instead of you."

"You need to stay away from Ray," I said. "I thought you knew that. That you were through with him. All of you."

"I don't want to discuss this," Trevor said. "But yeah, I'm jealous. You hit the jackpot. Your dad's loaded and mine is..."

I still remembered the night when Aunt Layla showed up with Trevor and Brady just after midnight because Ray had changed the locks. Brady was crying because Ray destroyed his baking soda volcano for the science fair.

I'd let Trevor in my room that night and given him the other half of my earbuds to try to tune out Brady crying in Shayna's room. We ended up listening to cheesy eighties rock ballads until we'd fallen asleep.

"We all do," I said. "Both of us have bad fathers. Mine left and started a new family, and yours... well, do you want to talk about it?"

Trevor sighed. "Just get me away. Far away."

I finally pulled into the drive-thru of a fast-food joint. Trevor and I ordered some chicken strips and pulled up to the next window to wait for them to give us our food.

I texted Lexi while we were waiting. She let me know that she'd pass on my number and that Maddox would be texting me soon.

By the time a boy in a neon pink hat with a chicken on it was handing us our food, Maddox had texted me the address. Within five minutes, we pulled up to the small house with a peeling paint job and a green front door.

"You sure your friends aren't going to be put out by this?" Trevor asked.

I smiled. "These are good people. Come on."

Trevor followed me up the drive. I knocked on the door, and a moment later, Maddox and Chase answered with wide grins.

"Hey Maddox, Chase," I said. "This is my cousin Trevor."

"Nice to meet you," Maddox said. "Come on in. We didn't have a ton of time, but I laid down a sleeping bag on the couch in the basement."

"Thanks," Trevor said. "It's really cool of you to do this."

"I'm always here for my theater family," Maddox said. "We can get you whatever you need."

"Come on in," Chase said. "Follow me."

Chase led Trevor in the house. I traded phone numbers with Maddox and thanked the big guy once again.

"Hey dude," Maddox said. "It's cool. We all have bad days. Sometimes we just need a change of scenery. You need a place to crash too?"

I sighed. "Staying with my dad is weird but I think it's good for me. Trevor just didn't need the reminders that I'm lucky, and he's got a deadbeat dad."

Maddox smiled. "But he's got an amazing cousin. You got him what he needs. We'll see you at tech rehearsal tomorrow for set building, and then my party is at ten before the cast list gets dropped at midnight."

"I'll be there," I said.

I climbed back into my car and turned on my phone. There was a new message from my sister.

Before today the idea of my sister seeing me onstage was borderline humiliating, but with these guys at my back, I had a feeling even if I was the worst actor in the world, they'd find a way to life me up.

I typed my response just before I drove back home.

Hey Friends!!! Sorry for the delay but I'm back. I just got done with my summer class which took me away from the internet for a little while. This chapter was also challenging. I nearly scrapped it entirely so I hope you like it. Who's your favorite character so far? Let me know in the comments. Also not sure when the next update is going to be because I'm currently working on an overhaul of a couple of chapters from Before the Curtain Opens. If you want more Parker (and his sister) head on over and check it out.

---- Eliana