I'm so proud of myself, this is the third (THIRD) chapter I've written and published in a row. I've finally defeated my writer's block for this story hehe >:DD /pos

Warning for mention of pew-pew devices. Stay safe <3

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Seeing Scott and Zach acting so lovey-dovey with each other during drama club made Jimmy beyond furious. Who was Zach that he could treat Scott the way he did, then turn around three days later and act like nothing ever happened? And why would Scott just go along with it? It made no sense whatsoever.

"Did Scott really go back to Zach?" Fwhip asked, disgust dripping from every word that came out of his mouth. He and Jimmy made up just before practice started, and they were sitting together while Ms. Gold and Mr. Harding worked with the other cast. "God, talk about a whore."

Jimmy wanted to object the title, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Scott didn't want anything to do with him, so why should he be involved with Scott at all?

Fwhip sighed. "Honestly, though, what a dick move," he said. He shook his head and tossed a fruit snack in the couple's direction. "I was actually beginning to hope you two would get together."

"Really?" Jimmy said, perking up a bit now. That hope was long dead at this point, but somehow it still made him feel kind of happy. "Jeez, if only I didn't fuck everything up..."

"Well, maybe if you talk to him, you can fix it."

Jimmy stared at Fwhip for a moment. "Yes, let me go talk to the guy who hates my guts and wants to never see me ever again," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes when Fwhip threw a light punch at his arm.

"Listen, just try it, okay?" the ginger slumped in his seat. "Trust me, it'll work better than you think it will."

Sighing, Jimmy shrugged. "Maybe..." He glanced over at Scott who was giggling as Zach tickled his sides. An overwhelming feeling of jealousy washed over him at the sight. It wasn't fair. Zach didn't deserve Scott. "Is it bad that I want to strangle Zach?"

Fwhip snorted. "I think everyone wants to strangle Zach," he joked.

Scott and Jimmy had been called on stage to practice the first kiss scene, and Jimmy wanted to cry more and more as the seconds passed.

Jimmy hesitantly took Scott's hand as directed by the script, and Scott looked away as Jimmy recited, "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Scott was very obviously cringing at every half-assed word. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," he said sourly, a hidden meaning behind the rehearsed line, "which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss."

Jimmy's heart ached. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." Scott flashed Jimmy a mean smile.

"O then, dear saint," the blonde's voice quivered slightly as he spoke and he was reminded of when he first joined the drama club, "let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake."

Taking a deep breath, Jimmy prepared himself dor his next line. "Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take." As rehearsed several times before, Jimmy lifted his hand to rest on Scott's cheek, though it didn't make it there before Scott was swatting him away.

"Woah, woah, woah," Mr. Harding stood up, waving his hands around. "Scott, you're not supposed to bat his hand away."

Scott let out a pouty sigh. "I don't feel comfortable kissing Jimmy," he excused himself. "I have a boyfriend, first of all, and Jimmy's just..." He spared Jimmy a disgusted glance before looking back at Mr. Harding. "Frankly, he's just not a good kisser."

Mr. Harding sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do about this now," he said. "And it's been too long since we last rehearsed this scene."

"Can't Zach and Jimmy switch roles?" Scott asked, his tone evilly innocent. "Zach has all of Romeo's lines memor-"

"Hold on," Jimmy interrupted, "I get that you're all pissy and shit, but I am not switching roles. Do you know how long it's taken me to remember all of these lines?"

Scott glared at Jimmy. "Was I talking to you?"

Jimmy huffed. "You were talking about me."

"Well, I didn't ask for your opinion, thank you very much."

"And I didn't ask for your attitude, princess," Jimmy said before he could stop himself. In the audience, he could see Fwhip pull his hood over his head and cover his face wifh his hands.

Scott let out a sarcastic laugh. "Princess?" he echoed. "Are you kidding me?"

Jimmy shook his head, waving his hands about. "No, no, that's not what I me-"

"No, I know what you meant," Scott said, rolling his eyes. He looked away and sighed. "I quit." He jumped off the stage and grabbed his belongings. "Have fun finding another Juliet!" he shouted as he walked out of the theatre.

Jimmy's head turned at the sound of slow clapping.

"You really are just a wonderful person," Zach spat before taking off and calling after Scott.

The blonde stared sadly at the doors. "I didn't mean to..."

*   *   *

"This is the Rivendell State Police Department, how may I help you?" a female voice said down the phone line.

Joel sighed, leaning against the wall. "I'd like to report a missing child," he said, grimacing at the words. He didn't want to do this at all. It would only end up in Grian having to back with his mother, which was the last thing Joel wanted for the poor boy.

"Do you have a name for the missing child?"

"Grian Gotts."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before the woman spoke again, "When was the last time you saw him?"

Joel closed his eyes. "A day and a half ago, I think."

"Mmkay." The woman paused again. "Are you Matteo Gotts?"

"No, I'm, uh... I'm a friend," he said honestly. I suppose it would be best that I don't lie. He contemplated for a moment telling the lady about Grian's parents. It wouldn't hurt... But then again, they'd probably put him into foster care. "He was staying the night over at my house and he was gone when I woke up in the morning."

"Alright. Are you able to get into contact with either of his parents?"

"No."

"Okay. I'll call his pa-"

"No, don't do that," Joel blurted. Suddenly, his heart felt like it was going to break through his ribcage the way it was pounding inside his chest. "Uh-" What do I say now? They're going to take him away. I'm going to lose him. I can't lose him-

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't call his parents?" It difficult to tell over the phone if she was concerned or annoyed.

Dammit, what do I tell her? "Uh... um..."

"Sir, may I have your name, please?"

That made Joel panic even more. He wasn't supposed to be living by himself. He wasn't eighteen yet. They're going to take me away, too.

"Sir?"

"Uh, J-Joel Smallishbeans," he stammered. He felt his eyes begin to water. Why did I call? he thought hopelessly. I shouldn't have called, I'm so stupid-

There was a staticy sound of clicking on the other side of the line. "Can you confirm your date of birth, please?"

"June twenty-nine."

"And the year?"

"O'five." Please, don't-

"Oh." The operator let out a soft hum. "Who do you live with, Joel?"

Joel bit back the urge to groan. "This isn't about me," he said. "My friend is missing. I don't know where he could be" -keeping back sobs that threatened to break free was more than difficult- "and I don't want him to be put into foster care because his parents are abusive-" He covered his mouth to muffle a cry and let himself sink to the floor.

"I need you to take deep breaths for me, okay? Ready? In..." She took an audible breath in when she paused, listening for Joel at the same. "And out..." She released the air and so did Joel. They repeated this a few times until the operator was sure Joel was okay. "Do you know if he has his phone on him?"

"I think so," Joel murmured.

"Alright. If you'll give me his number, we can call him and track his location, okay?"

Joel nodded. "Okay, sure." Joel told her Grian's phone number and less than two minutes later, the woman spoke again.

"The call is being received from a neighborhood not far from here," she said. "Would you like if we sent an escort to bring him to the station?"

"Yeah." He's okay. "I can drive up to meet you there." He's okay.

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"So, uh..." Mumbo looked between Scar and Grian almost uncomfortably. "Scar, you were the one who wanted to have this conversation," the blackette blurted. "You say it." He crossed his arms and turned his bright red face away.

Scar's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, too. "W-well, um..." He looked at Grian, who was more confused than anything. "M-Mumbo and I were won-wondering if-"

"Do you want to be our boyfriend?" Mumbo said. His sudden blurt made the other two jump.

Grian could feel his face heat up at the question. "Wha-"

"We want to date you." Mumbo was speaking almost like Grian couldn't understand English, and that just made him more confused.

"...Both of you?"

The two nodded in perfect unison.

Grian shifted in his spot on the sofa and looked away. "Isn't that... wrong?" he asked quietly. I want to be your boyfriend-

"Wrong?" Scar and Mumbo looked at each other.

"Why would it be wrong?" Mumbo asked.

Grian shrugged, not looking up at either of them. "Mum always said-"

"Oh, to hell with her," Scar huffed. He crossed his arms over his chest and puffed his cheeks out. "Everything she says is stupid and dumb, and she's an idiot. I don't get why you listen to the things she told you. It makes no sense."

The youngest of them glanced up at Scar. "I just..." He stopped himself to take a second to process what Scar said. It's not bad, he realized. "It's a good thing, then? To date more than one person at once?" At Scar's nod, Grian's lips formed a silly, happy smile; the first real smile he'd shown in a while. "Okay."

Mumbo lifted himself up on his toes. "So..."

"Yeah," Grian breathed. He felt himself relax. "I want to be your boyfriend."

Scar smiled. "Both of us?"

"Both of you."

There was a split second of complete silence before Grian hopped up off the sofa to throw himself onto the other two, wrapping one arm around each of their necks as they fell backwards. The taller two landed on their behinds with an 'oof' before giggling and hugging Grian back.

The joy didn't last too long.

A knock on the door stole their attention.

Scar looked at Mumbo. "I thought you said your parents aren't supposed to get home until the weekend," he said worriedly.

Mumbo shared the same tone of concern. "I thought so, too." He pecked a quick kiss on Grian's head before heading to the door. "Hell- Oh." He looked nervous when he opened the door. "Um, hi?"

Scar didn't seem to be able to see who was standing outside, but Grian recognized the uniform the man wore. It was the police.

Grian had had "run-ins" with the police before. They were never pleasant. Most of them were because his mother had called the police when Grian would run away to stay with Jimmy and Lizzie or Joel. Sometimes she would call them and accuse Grian of trying to hurt her when she was drunk. That always ended with her getting sent to the county prison for a day or two. And there were a few times that he would call the police himself because his mother threatened to shoot him.

"Do you have a Grian Gotts here?" the man said, and Grian'a anxiety spiked even more.

Mumbo glanced back at Grian. "Uh..."

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Woahhhh, cliffhangerrr. Never seen one of those before /j/lh

There isn't much left of this book to go before it's over, and that's kind of exhilarating to me in a really weird way? It's crazy how it's been almost 7 months since I published the first chapter, but it's even crazier how I didn't even have 20 followers when I started writing it and now I have 150. That's insane. You guys are so awesome, I love you all so much <333 /gen/pos