Marvin didn't say anything to me the rest of the time we were there. Once we got in the car, I carefully whispered everything that had gone down to Sheppard who nodded and smiled and frowned like this was actually an interesting story. 

Mom and Dad thought we had all gotten along swimmingly. I let Sheppard share his time more than I shared mine so they didn't know I basically called out Marvin. 

I hadn't thought about what would happen after we got back from Thanksgiving break, but it was surprising what did. I guess I was expecting another stupid word or term written on my locker or Braden's. But it was empty. 

I stared, the hallway alive around me at the clean locker. Nothing. I glanced around, expecting an ambush. But nothing. Jason and a few others walked past me with the nastiest glare they could do. But didn't trip me, or punch me, or yell names at me. 

I watch them leave and jump when someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around hastily, but it's only Braden.

"Oh my god, Braden, you scared me!" I place a hand on my chest and breath deeply.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little on edge too. They didn't write anything on my locker, did you?" I shake my head and Braden frowns, "What could they be planning?"'

"I..." I hesitate but go ahead and say it hoping it won't jinx me, "I don't know if they are planning anything? Right now at least."

Braden's eyes are wide and give me a look as if I were insane, "What? Are you crazy?"

"No, listen," I shut my locker, "I went over to Marvin's house for Thanksgiving, not knowing it was his house. And, woah, can his mom make some good stuffing. Not the point, the point is his Dad made us hang out and I may or may not have broken one of his walls? I'm not sure, I got him to get emotional about losing Rey Dyke as a friend, then I called him out for what he and Jason have been doing and gave them a piece of reality."

"Which was?"

I shrug and we start walking class, "That I had to learn to stand up for myself otherwise I wasn't going to live longer. I gave him some LGBT youth suicide facts and I think that scared him."

"Holy shit, Barkley," Braden is not one to curse very often, "Do you really think you've scared them away?"

I shrug again and look forward, "One can hope."

I wave him goodbye and keep walking to my class.

I couldn't believe my eyes anymore. After not seeing anything on my locker, and now. Rey still looks pretty emotionless, but that fact that he's talking to anyone is shocking. The fact that it's Marvin talking to Rey, had me stopping in the middle of the hallway.

Neither of them looks particularly annoyed about talking to each other, but I also don't really see happiness in their expressions. Are they talking to each other willingly? 

I stay next to a locker as if I were waiting for someone, and watch them converse. Rey is slightly taller than Marvin, and thicker with muscles whereas Marvin is a lanky type. 

Rey looks stiff, and Marvin looks nervous. Poor boys, they look so awkward. Anyone a mile away could see they aren't close anymore, and how they haven't talked in years. They need help easing the conversation.

I stride over, dodging people to make my way to the pair. It feels nice being taller than Marvin, even if it is by a ich or two.

"Hi boys," I smile brightly at them. 

Rey glances down, his face slack and emotionless, "Barkley."

Marvin's screws up his face, "You know each other?"

I pat Rey's arms arm and give a smug look, "I like to think I'm best friends with his sisters. Did I forget to tell you that as we bonded last week? Dang, it must have slipped my mind. What are you two talking about?"

Marvin looks at Rey before turning back to me, crossing his arms over his chest, "Nothing."

I laugh, "Nothing my ass. You two look like you've got sticks up your butt over here. All stiff and emotionless. Well, I mean more you Marvin, because stiff and emotionless is kind of Rey's brand at the moment," I see Rey's eyes flicker up as if he were about to roll them.

"We're just talking about...freshman year," I can tell Marvin is nervous and hesitant to let me know they're reconnected.

But bluntness is my specialty, "Wow, you two are talking about the good old days when you were best friends. I get it, I love it. Let's hear why you want to be friends again, Marvin," He scowls at me and I wave him off, "Come on, chop chop. I know you're emotional and shit. My locker was spotless this morning, even if Jason didn't look too happy about it. Emotions, memories, bonding," I toss my hand's in the arms and Rey dodges my flying limbs.

"Why did he say something to you?" I'm not how I feel about Marvin being concerned for me.

"I'm not talking about me, we're talking about you-who. You miss him, say it."

Marvin rolls his eyes, "Rey, how do you're sisters stand him?"

Rey looks down at me and I smile, he turns back to Marvin and shrugs, "He's ok. When he rambles it kind of funny."

I poke Marvin's arm and try not to look too much into Rey's words, "See? Suck on that, bitch. Now spill. I'll leave if you talk to him."

Marvin looks between Rey and me, carefully considering to walk away or dump his heart out. I knew what it was like, to be unsure if you should continue or stop and save yourself from the possible heartbreak.

"Fine. Rey, would you like to go to lunch so we can talk without a Barkley near?" I squeal at Marvin's invitation.

Rey nods and I clap my hand with a large smile, "Fantastic! I'm so glad we've come to this. Also, tell Jason he's allowed to fuck with me, but leave Braden alone."

Then I walk off to class with a satisfied smile.

~~~

 I pop another pretzel in my mouth and keep scrolling through Twitter. Some people are twitter genius like Chrissy Teagan. Others are the opposite. I won't name names but he's too powerful for his own good.

"Did you hear Whitney Algar is pregnant?" I turn my head towards Reagan and raise my eyebrows.

We're laying on her bed on our phones and the Kardashians playing in the background. I don't know what we'll do, but this is probably the extent of it.

"I don't know who that is, but it sounds like that bitch is fuuucccckkkkeeeddd," I'm not a fan of babies, what can I say?

Reagan rolls her eyes but still giggles, "That's so obnoxious. She's a junior, her boyfriend is Russel Dyson, a hotshot basketball play now a baby daddy."

I hmm and turn back to my phone, "Of course its a basketball boy. The should know when to shoot their shot and when not to, god."

Reagan bounces up into a sitting position and laughs hard. I can't help but I snicker along with her.

"You are so dirty minded, Barkley! oh my god!" But she's still laughing so I know she doesn't care as much as she's acting.

"Hey, you love my dirty mind and honesty. It's how we are such amazing friends," I smiley smugly and she rolls her eyes again, laying back down.

There's a knock at the door breaks of us our giggles, and Rey pokes his head through, "Hey, mom wants to know if Barkley's staying for dinner?"

Reagan looks at me and I groan, "Hell yeah. Alana's cooking is my death," He nods but before he leaves I shout, "Wait, Rey, wait! How did lunch with Marvin go?"

Reagan glances at me with a confused look and looks back at Rey, "Lunch with Marvin? Since when did you a Marvin become friends again?"

Rey sighs and steps a little more forward from behind the door, "Barkley did something because he came to me this morning and asked me to lunch."

The look at me and I shrug, "My dad works for his and they want us to be friends or something. And rather than let him yell queer at me like at school, I made him open his heart up and admit he misses our baby, Rey. What did you guys talk about?"

Rey sighs again, "He wanted to know why i...became distant."

Reagan shoots up in the bed, "Did you tell him?"

I don't understand what's going on anymore, it almost seems like I've disappeared and the conversation is just Reagan and Rey now.

"No. I told I couldn't tell him yet but apologized because I know it must have been horrible when I just stopped talking to him. I think maybe we'll slowly grow a friendship, but I doubt it will ever be the same again. We've just grown in different ways."

Reagan nods and Rey disspears back behind the door again, leaving just Reagan and me.

"What was he talking about? The reason he became so distant from his friends?" My eyebrows are furrowed together and Reagan bites her lip.

"Barkley, it's not my place to tell you, i'm sorry. Only a few people know, and Rey has to decided if you get to know too. It's nothing agaisnt you, it's just what he feels most comfortable with." 

Reagan lays back down and we go back to doing what we were before Rey walked in. But my mind is preoccupied with questions and images of Rey.

What happened that changed him so much?