Safety (tags Katy)

[Jefferson Davis McIntosh]

Jeff's room. Just imagine it's messier and has 'Bama stuff everywhere

Jeff sprawled out across the foot of his bed, dipping oreos in the bowl he'd filled with Texas Pete. He wasn't technically supposed to have food in his room, but he hated having company anywhere the rest of the family might go. Not that his mother or sister were much prone to knocking, which was why he kept his door locked most of the time. Fortunately, they were otherwise occupied at the moment -- his father said they were trying to convince the principal to start up a new club, something to do with some TV show or something. Jeff didn't care, and hardly stayed to listen, thrilled to be free of their meddling for once.

Not that either woman would have bothered him too much with Katy over. She was one of the safest people he could bring home, which was why she was one of the few he actually did. They'd both moved to California right around the same time, and while she didn't share his enthusiasm for Alabama she at least understood what he was talking about, which was more than could be said for many of the other students at Silver. He didn't quite get why she'd begun asking to be called Grace, and dressing like she was in competition with Varina, but then girls were kind of strange sometimes. Actually, so were boys now that he was thinking about it; people were just strange in general. At least she wasn't annoying.

"Oreo?" He offered, nudging the open package toward her. "I'm so glad it's the weekend. Do we have to go back to school on Monday?"

[Katelyn Grace Walker]

“Thanks,” Kate replied, grabbing an oreo and dunking it in the bowl. She would never have imagined oreos and hot sauce to make such a good combination, but Jeff had proven to be correct. She had been a fan since he first introduced her a few years back, and though she much prefers Frank's Red Hot, Texas Pete will do. She took a bite and munched on the spicy chocolate delicacy while Jeff complained about school.

“I know,” she said, swallowing the snack. “I wish it could just be basketball and volleyball all day, I'm sick of classes.” Of course, she knew that was the exact opposite view of her brother, Parson. He would much prefer to study, study, study, forsaking the idea of athletic endeavors. She felt the crumbs at the edge of her mouth and wiped them away with the back of her hand.

“Hey, gimme that 'Bama pennant, I need to wipe my mouth,” she teased. She was glad to have friend as interested in college sports as she was, though being an Alabama fan didn't win him any points. Still, it was a fun little rivalry they had. “I mean, they're like the napkin of the SEC anyway, so it shouldn't make a big deal. She grinned and grabbed another oreo before rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling.

Kate decided to ask what she had been thinking since Jeff had called her up a short while ago. “So why'd you sound so weird when you called?” It had sounded like boy trouble, something she knew nothing about, but she didn't want to speculate. She also didn't want to pry, as she didn't want Jeff returning the favor and asking her about boys at all. She had only recently come to the conclusion that boys just weren't for her, and she didn't know if she was ready to let anyone else in on that fact. It just seemed... scary.

[Jefferson Davis McIntosh]

"Touch my Bama stuff and die." Jeff warned, though he knew she was only teasing. Unlike Varina, Katy was respectful enough not to go through his belongings uninvited.

Had it really been that obvious? He supposed it probably had been; he tended to broadcast his emotions for anyone to read, if they were so inclined. Many people failed to do so because he was quieter than some of the other emotional types, but that didn't mean he was doing a very good job hiding anything. He was glad that most people didn't try, though, as he hated that kind of scrutiny.

"Winnie wants me to go see some Jonas Brothers concert with her. I got hit in the face by a volleyball. Is that good enough?" He asked, dropping his oreo into the Texas Pete and cast his gaze toward her.

"Ummm. I take it that look means no, it isn't good enough." He interpreted, fishing his now mostly orange oreo out of the depths of the bowl and shaking it in the vain hopes it wouldn't drip all over his floor. "I saw Zach at the store. He's a bastard. Apparently Quentin beat him up." He added in what were meant to be more cheerful tones. He figured this much was safe to admit, as everyone knew they'd been friends but were no longer. He'd never divulged the reasons, though he wasn't entirely sure why he was keeping Zach's secret. Telling everyone would have been sweet, sweet revenge.

"How's your weekend been so far?"

[Katelyn Grace Walker]

Though a Jonas Brothers concert sounded horrible, and a whack in the face with a volleyball was no fun (that was something she had experienced many a time), Kate knew there was something more to Jeff's demeanor, and she wasn't buying his attempts to cover it up. Luckily, she didn't even need to say anything, and the look she gave him scared the boy straight.

“Oh,” she said when Zach was mentioned. There wasn't really much more for her to say, since Jeff never really divulged what happened between the two. They were good friends, then they weren't. Kate often wondered if Zach was anti-gay or something, since the end of the friendship seemed so sudden. It was almost like a break-up. She was about to inquire on the subject, but Jeff deftly fired a query at her.

“God, Parson's home for the weekend.” She closed her eyes and groaned, sick of having to put up with the weirdo she was forced to call a brother. “Wittow baby couldn't stay away from Mommy!” she joked in a mocking tone. She hated how much he still got babied. He was 19, he was an adult! He shouldn't be having their parents do his laundry or cut his hair. He was such a freak. “I was glad you called, anyway. I don't wanna be home.” She exhaled, thinking about the rest of the weekend. Let's be miserable together. You tell me what happened between you and Zach, and I'll bitch about the big doof, and maybe later we can get pizza or something. Maybe I can even just crash here.” It wouldn't be the first time, and though some moms would be worried about their daughter staying at a boy's house, Kate was lucky her mom read Jeff's mom's blog, and so knew he was gay. “Sound like a good weekend plan?”

[Jefferson Davis McIntosh]

"It sounds like an excellent weekend plan!" Jeff agreed happily. He particularly enjoyed hearing other people's sibling woes; it made him feel less alone knowing that other people were similarly vexed. "We just need to hope that Parson and Winnie never decide to hook up, they'd have unbearable children."

It was only after agreeing to her plan that he realized the first part of that had included telling her about Zach, and while he had definitely wanted her company he hadn't planned on spilling all his secrets. He'd just wanted to hang out with someone he didn't want to hit.

"Ummm." He tried to figure out the vaguest explanation possible that wouldn't arouse her suspicions. "I went to the store and Zach was there and he saw me. Thinks I want to talk to him still or be friends again or some shit." He decided not to mention that he'd spoken first, as facts would have ruined his attempt to be the injured party in this encounter.

"That's it, really. He's an ass. So, Parson is home for the weekend why? Doesn't he know he's supposed to be out carousing and trying to escape his parents? Can I trade places with him? He can do sophomore year all over again and I'll do college. As long as he does all the actual work part." He added as an after thought.

[Katelyn Grace Walker]

“Don't ever give me that mental image again!” Kate cried, stick out her tongue in disgust. “Eeaugh!” She rolled back over onto her stomach and mock-vomited. “I might puke all over your carpet. But then it would match with your 'Bama stuff.” She giggled and grabbed for another oreo. She had already had way too many, and her mouth was starting to burn, but one more couldn't hurt.

Curiosity was getting the best of Kate. Jeff was being secretive, a little too secretive for her liking. They were friends, and they should be able to share all kinds of stuff. Everyone knew he was gay, so it wasn't like it was his one big secret. Then again, she had her own similar secret, and she hadn't told him. But still, she had to press on. “So he wants to be friends, be friends. I mean, what did he do that was so bad?” She dipped the oreo lightly this time, but when she put it in her mouth it still had a mean burn to it. “Whew, okay... I think that's it for me.”

At the mention of Parson again, Kate tried to bury her head in the floor. “Ugh, he doesn't 'carouse,' or do anything fun for that matter. It's a waste of time to him.” Kate couldn't fathom the way her brother's brain functioned. It was like it was all the logic and reasoning with absolutely no room for anything besides that. “Oh, he could do all your schoolwork in like five minutes, but then 'you wouldn't learn anything!'” The last part was said in imitation of her brother's nasally voice, an impression Kate had gotten pretty good at over the years.

“I don't know, though. High school's not terrible.” Her eyes drifted across some of Jeff's Alabama paraphanalia. “I mean, if skipping grades means I become like Parson, keep me where I am. And I like the stuff that comes with high school, just not the stupid learning part.” She sighed and let her head flop onto the floor. “I just wanna shoot hoops, is that too much to ask?”

[Jefferson Davis McIntosh]

Jeff chomped fiercely down on his oreo. "I don't want to be friends!" He said, snarling as best he could with a full mouth, then, "Whaddaya mean what did he do?" He asked incredulously before remembering that she really didn't know, as only himself and Zach were privy to that knowledge.

"He fucked up!" This probably wasn't quite the explanation she was looking for, so he helpfully added, "His stupid ass apologies are too fuckin' late. If I never see him again it'll be too soon. He's just...he wasn't....he isn't....dammit!" He mumbled, turning scarlet. He wasn't entirely certain where he'd been going with that, so he turned his attention back to his oreos. His mouth was much better off occupied with food than talking; less chances to prove he was an idiot that way.

He had to laugh when she imitated her older brother, spraying oreo crumbs everywhere. "Point. I would have to fire you if you became like Parson." He grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and pushing the bowl of Texas Pete toward the wall with his foot. "And it is too much to ask. We're supposed to be learning shit so we don't have to rely on sports or whatever for money. Which is dumb, sports make lots of money!" That was assuming he was good enough to play at the professional level, and he knew that decent skill in high school was no guarantee of a career. But he could stubbornly hold out hope, and did. He wanted to at least play in college before getting stuck in a cubicle for the rest of his life.

"Wonder if it's safe to go downstairs..." He mused. He didn't know when Varina and his mother were supposed to be back; with any luck they'd stay out long enough for Kate and Jeff to grab food unmolested.

[Katelyn Grace Walker]

Kate did her best not to laugh as small black crumbs flew from Jeff's mouth. He seemed genuinely upset, and she was sure laughing would not make him feel any better. The problem was, she wasn't sure what would actually help him out. “I guess it just seems you're being pretty hard on the guy,” she offered, hoping it wouldn't just set him off more. Kate wasn't sure if she'd ever seen Jeff this upset, but she wanted to get to the root of the problem, which was whatever Zach did.

However, “he fucked up” wasn't much of an answer. Did he out Jeff? No, he was out way before their split. Perhaps he was the source of some ill-founded rumor. Kate tried her best to think of every bad thing she'd heard about Jeff, but she couldn't think of many other than the ones obviously started by his sister. No one was going to believe Jeff was a huge fan of Lance Bass.

He just... he wasn't... he isn't... what? Jeff's vagaries were driving Kate nuts, and she wasn't about to take any more of it. “Alright, Jefferson, you better stop hiding something from me or... or I'll tell Varina you really like Will & Grace!” Her index finger pointed straight at the boy, and her face was completely serious. She wasn't joking, and she knew that Varina's incessant torture was Jeff's kryptonite. He would spill the beans or face a few weeks of flamboyant Jack McFarland constantly on the television.

[Jefferson Davis McIntosh]

"You wouldn't!" Jeff couldn't believe that Kate would truly be so cruel as to encourage Varina, but the look of determination on her face said that she would be perfectly happy to help his sister if he didn't actually tell her everything.

He glared down at his shoes, reluctant to enlighten her. Zach was a jerk, but it was up to him to come out on his own. The threat of Will and Grace was worse than he could bear, however, so he muttered, "Fine! I guess it won't hurt....just don't tell anyone!" He ordered, giving her a sharp but brief look before returning his gaze to his shoes. Varina and Helen were always on him to buy a new pair, but he loved his scuffed up trainers too much to replace them until they well and truly fell apart on him.

"Zach wants to stay in the closet. He wouldn't even admit he was gay when we were making out. He said he was experimenting. I didn't want to be an experiment. Apparently telling me he's decided he really is gay is supposed to make me want to not punch him in the face. But he still wants to stay in the closet so he can just fuck off." He mumbled all this very fast and directed it more toward the ground than Kate, but he figured that managing to say any of it aloud without choking was a victory.

"Don't tell him I told you." He added plaintively.

[Katelyn Grace Walker]

“I won't tell, jeez!” Kate was starting to get excited to hear her friend's story. When he told it, however, her mouth could only hang open in awe. She didn't know what she was expecting Jeff to say, but it sure wasn't that he and Zach had a secret relationship, or that Zach had broken his heart. Not even Kate had noticed that they were more than friends, and though a lot of people at school mocked the blond haired boy for his cooking abilities, thinking it was too feminine for any straight boy, no one had actually known he might like guys.

Except Jeff, apparently. And Kate had forced it out of him. “I'm sorry, I didn't... I won't say a word. I promise.” Kate felt like a complete ass. Zach obviously didn't want people to know his secret, something she could completely understand. It didn't seem like Jeff could. Maybe his emotions just got in the way, thinking their relationship was bigger than that. But if Zach wasn't ready to tell anyone, he wasn't ready.

“It's gotta be hard on him,” she offered, really hoping Jeff might take a second to consider the other side. “I mean, there are a lot of people who don't get it. And as irritating as it may be, you have a family that completely loves and supports you. Not everyone has that.” She had no idea what her parents would think if she ever tried to tell them. Her dad might be okay, but her mother was a different story. Kate already seemed to disappoint the woman as it was.

Her eyes drifted downward as she became lost in her own thoughts, and she absent-mindedly grabbed one last oreo to nibble on. Black crumbs fell to the carpet, but Kate didn't even notice. Her eyes were glazed over imagining what situation would ever cause her to crush her mother so. But if some girl ever wanted to date Kate, and be open about the relationship...

What would she do?