***Connor’s POV***

                “Come on Connor! We’re going to have a fun time tonight,” Luka promised as we walked towards our lockers together.

                I was nervous about a sleepover with Blake, but as long as I stuck with Luka, what could go wrong? Okay, no. Connor, don’t even ask that. Because then everything will go wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong. Like, eating your grandma because you thought she was a raisin wrong.

                Hm, maybe I should get some sleep for once.

                Luka opened his locker and began to exchange his books. A piece of paper slid out of his locker and landed at my feet. I bent over to pick it up, wincing at the pain in my back.

                I snatched the paper and handed it to Luka before he could notice that my back was hurting me. My mom might as well have stuck the laundry basket into my back. She had really hurt me this time.

                I pushed the thoughts out of my mind as Luka turned around, that smile that I loved on his face, brightening my own mood. He shut his locker and bounded over to me, kissing me deeply.

                “I love you,” he said, his smile getting brighter.

                “I love you too,” I said, kissing him again.

                I turned as Blake and Felix came up to us. Blake was nodding his head along whatever music was playing out of his iPod.

                His eyes met mine and his expression darkened. “Do you still love me? I am dying to know. Or did you forget what we shared? Out of sight, out of mind, I was never even there,” he sang.

                “But don’t tell your other man, he’s not a part of the plan,” I sang casually, hiding my smirk when his expression darkened even more.

                “Sleepover tonight! Look happy Blake!” Luka said, skipping over to Blake. He pushed the corners of Blake’s mouth up and Blake laughed, swatting Luka’s hands away.

                “I am happy Luka. How can I not be? I get to spend the night with my best friends,” he said, smiling widely at us. He gave me a smug look.

                The bell exploded and the four of us headed off to class together. When the end of the day came, Luka followed me down to my car and we got in together.

                “Tell me that you’re ready, ‘cause I don’t want a hit and run! This ain’t no drive by love, don’t want no hit and run!” Luka sang along with the radio as I pulled out of the parking lot.

                He paused and glanced at me. “Connor, are things between you and Blake better now?” he asked me timidly.

                I reached over, taking Luka’s hand in mine and squeezing it gently. “I guess so, Luka. I hope so,” I said honestly. I just wanted Blake to leave us the hell alone already.

                Luka smiled, looking honestly happy. “Good! I hate it when friends fight. And you and Blake have been best friends for forever,” he said.

                I smiled at Luka since I didn’t have anything to say to that. I reached over and turned up the radio as Born This Way by Lady Gaga came on. Luka and I sang along with the music until I had pulled into his driveway.

                We got out as Blake’s car pulled into the driveway. Blake and Felix got out and came over to us, laughing together.

                “What’s so funny?” Luka asked curiously.

                “Nothing, nothing,” Blake said, shaking his head.

                Luka gave them a confused look before shrugging and dragging us all inside. We went up to his bedroom and he pulled out his air mattress.

                “I’m setting it up now so that we don’t forget to do it later,” he said as we watched the air mattress inflate.

                “Aw, does that mean I have to share the air mattress with Felix?” Blake whined. Felix pouted and smacked his arm.

                Luka giggled and nodded. “Yes, you do. Only Connor gets to sleep in my bed with me!” he said, wrapping his arms around my waist and smiling up at me. “Because he’s my wonderful boyfriend!”

                Blake’s eyes flashed, despite the smile still on his face. I wrapped my arms around Luka, hugging him to myself.

                “Do you guys want to go ride around on the four wheeler? We can go two at a time,” Luka said once the air mattress had been blown up.

                We all shrugged and nodded, following Luka outside. He pulled the four wheeler out of his garage and put a helmet on.

                “Who’s going with me first?” he asked.

                “I will!” Felix said, bounding over and grabbing the other helmet. He strapped it on and hopped on the back of the four wheeler with Luka. Blake and I watched as they disappeared around the side of the house.

                “So Connor, when are you finally going to admit that your parents abuse you?” Blake asked me simply.

                I stared at him and shook my head. “Cut it out. How many times do I have to tell you that my mom and dad don’t abuse me? They never would,” I said, glaring at him.

                Blake smirked. “Really? Your mom wouldn’t, you know, hit you with a laundry basket and pretend you weren’t even there? Your dad wouldn’t kick you and act like he didn’t even see you?”

                My face paled and I stared at him, suddenly afraid. “What are you talking about?” I asked shakily. How did he know about that? There’s just no way he cou-

                “My phone.” My words came out choked, echoing in my ears. “You put my phone in the basement. You set that up. It was you who called me from a restricted number. You planned that.”

                “I didn’t know they were going to do that to you. But, well.” He shrugged and pulled out his iPod, flicking through it before holding it out so that I could see the video of my mom ramming me into the wall and my dad kicking me, both pretending I wasn’t even there.

                My hands began to tremble, that horrible pounding potent in my head. I felt sick to my stomach as I watched my parents hit me.

                “Delete that,” I whimpered. “Dear god Blake. This isn’t funny. What the fuck is wrong with you? Delete that!”

                “I know it’s not funny, Connor. And I can’t wait to show this to Luka. To let him know everything. That you’re abused by your parents, that you had an affair with me, and that you used us just to feel noticed,” he said, his tone getting more furious with each word.

                “Delete that!” I begged, my knees weak. I honestly felt like I was about to be sick. I can’t believe Blake had taken a video of that and was threatening to show Luka.

                “Even if I did, I already have it saved on my laptop,” Blake said with a shrug. “And you can be damn sure that I’ll show Luka this video. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, hell, maybe not even by the end of the week. But when I want to show him, I will. And what if Luka tells someone? Luka’s dad is a cop, isn’t he? If Mr. Ellis finds out you’re being abused, he could take you away from your parents. Then I’ll tell Luka about the affair. You’ll lose everyone Connor. Then you’ll really be an invisible boy.”

                I dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms around myself and trembling violently. “Stop it,” I begged.

                “I never understood your fear of being alone, Connor. Now I get it. Your parents pretend you don’t even exist. Your own mom and dad, who you were so close with just a few years ago, before…well, before you know what. Is that why you’re with Luka, Connor? Because you’re afraid of being alone?”

                “No!” I shouted, trying to stop my eyes from watering. “No, it’s not why I’m with him! I love Luka!” I had been with Luka since before the incident that tore my parents away from me. That made me the invisible boy at home.

                Were my parents part of the reason I had gone to Blake? Yes. They were. But I had developed feelings for Blake as well. I’d always had small feelings for him, and the affair just showed me how much he meant to me.

                But now I wanted nothing more than to hit him. To break that stupid iPod of his. Break his laptop. Hell, break him. I hated him right now.

                “When this is all over, you’ll be alone Connor,” he said, smirking.

                I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing my temples with my trembling hands. My breathing was ragged as I tried to fight off my emotions. How had this happened? How had my life gotten so twisted?

                I forced myself to stand up before Luka and Felix got back. I didn’t want Luka to worry about me anymore than he already did.

                “I mean it Blake. This is going too far,” I snarled.

                “Gee Connor, I’m so sorry. I forgot, lying to someone just so you can use them for sex isn’t going too far,” Blake said innocently.

                “What do you want from me Blake?” I asked desperately.

                “I want you to hurt, Connor. I want to see you heartbroken and alone. It’s the least you deserve,” he said coldly.

                I glared at the ground, shoving my trembling hands in my pockets so that Luka wouldn’t notice them. I could hear the four wheeler coming around the side of the house.

                Sure enough, Luka and Felix appeared a few seconds later. They climbed off of the four wheeler, smiling and laughing.

                “Who’s next?” Luka asked brightly.

                “Connor can go next,” Blake said, smiling cheerfully.

                I took the helmet from Felix, hoping to god that they wouldn’t notice my still trembling hands. I sat down on the four wheeler and realized too late that Blake had tricked me yet again.

                “Connor? Come on, put your arms around my waist so we can ride,” Luka said, smiling at me from his helmet.

                I gulped and wrapped my arms around his waist, locking my hands together. Luka froze as he felt my violently shaking hands against his waist.

                He started up the four wheeler and drove around to the side of his house, out of sight of Felix and Blake. He stopped the four wheeler and I slowly pulled my hands away from him. He took his helmet off and spun so that he could face me.

                “What’s wrong?” he asked immediately.

                “Nothing. I’m just cold,” I lied.

                “Connor, what’s wrong?” he demanded.

                I kept the helmet on so that Luka couldn’t see my watering eyes. I never cried, but my emotions were boiling over right now.

                Blake wasn’t just going to ruin my relationship. No, he was going to ruin my entire life as well. He was going to take my boyfriend and parents from me. If he showed Luka that video, Luka would tell his dad. They would take me out of my house and charge my parents with child abuse.

                Sure, I could get sent off with a relative. But the treatment would be the same. Ignored. I would always be the invisible boy in my family. Not even worth recognition. Just some unseen force in the way as my family moved about.

                Still, I didn’t want to get taken away from my mom and dad. No matter how they treated me, no matter how much I despised being at home…they were still my parents. The ones who had lovingly raised me right up until…

                I felt Luka’s hands on the helmet, ready to take it off of my head. I gripped his hands and shook my head at him.

                “Luka, I’m okay,” I said. “You know I don’t eat right. My blood sugar must be low. That’s all.”

                Luka bit his lip. He held my shaking hands in his tightly. “Connor, you can talk to me if something’s wrong. Did Blake say something to upset you?”

                I shook my head at him again. “No, Luka. Blake didn’t say anything. I’m fine.”

                He bent his head, kissing my hand. He straightened up and nodded at me before pulling his helmet back on, turning around.

                I wrapped my arms back around his waist and he started up the four wheeler. We rode around for a little before he dropped me off. I watched as Blake climbed onto the back of the four wheeler, wrapping his arms around Luka’s waist.

                I clenched my fists tightly as his arms snaked around MY boyfriend’s waist. The four wheeler took off and out of sight.

                “Hey Connor, is something wrong between you and Blake? I mean, he said nothing was, but I don’t know. He’s seemed…different lately,” Felix said nervously.

                I glanced at him and shrugged, sitting down and leaning against the house. “Nothing happened between us, Felix.”

                “Connor, what’s happening? First you were acting weird, now Blake is acting weird. You guys are scaring me and Luka,” Felix said, sitting next to me and looking at me in concern.

                “I’m not acting weird,” I said defensively. “I’m perfectly fine. And I don’t think Blake’s been acting weird.”

                My mind flashed to that video again and I began to chew on my lip. Would he really have the balls to show Luka something like that?

                And the answer was yes, yes he would.

                Luka and Blake reappeared. Luka rolled the four wheeler into the garage once Blake had gotten off of it. The two came over to us, and Luka held his hand out to me.

                I took it and he pulled me to my feet, wrapping his arms around me. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

                “I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile for his sake. I leaned down and kissed him gently.

                He rested his head on my shoulder and I wrapped an arm around him. Blake watched us, a casual expression on his face. He looked up, meeting my eyes.

                His eyes were screaming at me to enjoy this while I could. He was going to do everything he could to ruin my life and my relationship with Luka.

                “Let’s go get something to eat before you get dizzy again,” Luka said, pulling me inside. Felix and Blake followed us into the house and the kitchen.

                We sat down at the table together as Luka began to look through his cupboards in search of food. He pouted, apparently finding nothing.

                His dad, Paul, entered the kitchen and glanced at Luka curiously. “What’s up with the pout?” he asked, going over to Luka.

                “We don’t have anything to eat, and I don’t want Connor to get dizzy again!” he said, his pout getting deeper. He turned and gave me a stern look. “All this frustration because someone doesn’t eat right!”

                “Sorry, sorry,” I said with a sigh.

                “I’ll make you guys some quesadillas. While I do that, why don’t you go in the basement? If Connor’s feeling dizzy, being in a cold basement might help him feel better. And Connor, you really should start eating better,” Paul said, giving me a concerned look.

                “I’m trying,” I said, standing up. Felix and Blake copied me and we all followed Luka down to his basement.

                “Hm…what is there to do in the basement?” Luka asked, looking thoughtful.

                I looked around the basement, memories coming back to me. Memories of a time back before we had lost our virginities. Back before I had cheated on Luka. Back before any of us realized we were gay. Back before we even understood attraction.

                Memories of the simple days, when we were just little kids who were bored on a rainy day. We used to use a blanket to strap ourselves into a rocking chair down here, and pretend it was an amusement park ride. We would tilt the rocking chair back until it almost touch the ground, and then we would fling it forward, screaming with childish joy.

                But that was before everything had gone to hell. Before I had ruined my relationship with my best friend, and soon, my boyfriend.

                I grit my teeth. No, I wouldn’t let my relationship with my boyfriend get ruined. Blake wasn’t going to take Luka away from me.

                I had lost my best friend and my parents. I couldn’t lose Luka, too. He was all I had left. I loved him so, so much. I wouldn’t be able to handle losing him. He was the only person I loved that was still mine. That loved me back.

                “Connor?”

                I jumped and looked over at Luka. “Yea Luka?” I asked.

                “You look…distracted. What’s on your mind?” he asked, coming over to me.

                “You,” I said honestly, pulling him into my arms. “You and how much I love you.”

                Luka blushed, a shy smile on his face. “You’re adorable Connor!” he said, kissing me. He giggled and his smile got a little wider.

                I smiled down at him. I didn’t like to see that concerned look in his eyes. The upset look was even worse. And lately, I felt like those were the only looks he ever gave me anymore. It felt good to see him blushing and smiling like that again.

                “Hey, lovebirds, can we actually do something?” Felix asked jokingly.

                “Oh! Oh! We can play air hockey! Come on Connor, you and I can take turns and face off against Blake,” Luka said, dragging me over to the air hockey table.

                I chuckled and wrapped my arms around his waist as he and Blake began to play against each other. Luka smiled happily at me, kissing me before turning his attention back to the game.

                We played until Paul called us up for dinner. We went upstairs and sat down, eating quesadillas hungrily.

                After we ate, we went to the living room, playing cards and watching movies until we were tired. We went upstairs and changed. I crawled into Luka’s bed with him while Felix and Blake got situated on the air mattress.

                Luka turned off the lights and jumped into his bed, curling against me comfortably. I smiled and kissed him.

                “Hey Connor, you know, we haven’t had a sleepover at your house in a really long time. Remember when we used to watch movies in your basement until we passed out down there?” Blake’s voice came from the darkness.

                I bit my lip, glaring at the spot on the floor where I knew he was. Still, Luka was having a fun time, and I wasn’t going to let Blake’s taunts or my mood ruin that.

                “Yea, I remember,” I said with a shrug, even though he couldn’t see me.

                “We should do that again sometime soon,” he continued.

                “Yea, yea!” Luka cried eagerly. “We haven’t stayed at your house in a really, really long time Connor! I miss when we used to go out on the pool deck with milkshakes. And going in your basement to watch movies and play on the Wii until we were tired. Can we do it again soon Connor? Please?”

                “Your parents were always okay with it. They still are, right Connor? I mean, you guys had the fallout, but you said everything was fine now,” Blake said. I could imagine a smug look in his eyes.

                “Everything is fine, right Connor?” Luka spoke quietly, so that only I could hear him.

                “Of course everything is fine with my parents.” I spoke out loud, answering both Luka and Blake.

                “Then we could come over, say, tomorrow. Right?” Blake asked.

                “Yes! That would be so much fun!” Luka squealed.

                “Yea…sure,” I said, trying to sound normal. “My house, tomorrow.”

                Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT. Why did I just agree to that? They couldn’t come over to my house! What if my parents ran into me while they were there? And just the way they would act would be enough to tell Luka that I had been lying all along. Shit, if they came over tomorrow, Blake wouldn’t even need that stupid video of his.

                “It’ll be so much fun Connor,” Luka said, placing his hand on my chest and cuddling his body against mine.

                I put my hand on top of his and bit my lip. “Yea. So much fun,” I mumbled. I had to find a way to get out of this before they found out the truth.