Take Me From This Pain, Kevin's story

Jason followed Kevin into their Spanish class and dropped down into his seat. He grinned reassuringly at Kevin as they took their books and homework out. Kevin tried to smile back but it wasn\'t reaching his eyes. Jason knew he was worried about Brian being with Matt. He was also disturbed by the fact that he would soon be leaving his brother behind with a guy who used to think of him as a punching bag when he\'d just found out that Brian had planned to commit suicide the whole time. That had to be rough. Jason couldn\'t help wondering if maybe he was helping the wrong brother, as he and Brian shared a sick secret in common. But it was too late now as Brian was bonding with Matt in a way that he never would with anyone else, and Jason was already too much in love with Kevin to be able to concentrate on Brian\'s delicate state.

But did Matt truly understand what an undertaking he had? He said that he did but Jason doubted it sincerely. Who could be ready for that type of experience? Gina had worked a long time to gain Jason\'s trust. And she\'d never hurt him before. Though Brian was bonded to Matt, he was far from ready to trust the guy after what had gone down over the last year or so. And it was clear that Matt\'s feelings for Brian were changing at a startling pace and in an uncomfortable way. Jason new desire when he saw it and Matt was beginning to reek of it. He hadn\'t mentioned it, but Jason knew that the two shared the same bed last night. Brian looked too rested and those kinds of nightmares only left you alone when you weren\'t alone. He sighed as he wondered how Kevin would have taken that news. Not well, he knew.

Kevin sat stoically next to Jason and contemplated the amazing events that had transpired in a twenty-four-hour time span. His brother was now living with Matt Henshaw, bully extraordinaire. He was living with his best friend and his sister. They were all about to go live in Connecticut and leave his brother here in California with Matt alone. His apparently suicidal brother, that is. And Matt was now vowing to keep Brian from doing anything stupid. Does anyone else find something wrong with this synopsis, he wondered? He knew that Brian wouldn\'t go with him because he was hoping to steer Gary in the wrong direction, but the gut couldn\'t be diverted the year and a month it would take Kevin to turn eighteen.

He looked over at a worried Jason and sighed. He felt as if he had no right asking his best friend and his sister to just pick up their lives and move. But the two hadn\'t even given him a choice. Jason had called Gina earlier and explained the situation about Gary and the money, as well as Matt\'s dad. She said she was fine with moving again and Jason agreed. Kevin just looked at him like he was nuts. Who would do this for their friend? Granted they were best friends, but they didn\'t even know each other for a full school year yet. And Gina didn\'t really know him at all. Yet she was willing to pull up stakes and move across country to keep him away from his stepfather. Kevin found it hard to believe because no one ever treated him and Brian like that before. No one ever gave without asking for something in return, something Brian always seemed to have to give. It was unnerving.

Kevin pulled out a sheet of notepaper and started scrawling on it. Jason couldn\'t read what it said, but he had a feeling he would soon find out. He turned the page of his book to at least try to appear as if he was paying attention. Who wanted to be called on in Spanish class unawares? Suddenly, the folded notepaper was flipped onto his desk and he opened it carefully so as not to be noticed by the teacher. He read it quickly:

Jay.

Do you mind if we skip study hall and eat lunch with my brother today? I just want to spend as much time with him as I can before we go.

Kev.

Jason smiled at the periods after their names. That was cute. He looked over at Kevin and nodded. Kevin smiled back gratefully and turned back to the lecture. They handed in their homework a few minutes later and left the class for the lunchroom. They walked slowly passed their study hall and skulked past before the teacher could see them. Once in the room, Kevin frowned at the scene in front of him. Brian was sprawled on the floor with a tray of food around him.

\"I KNEW I shouldn\'t have trusted Matt,\" he growled starting over to his brother.

Jason looked at Matt\'s face and stopped Kevin, pointing. A taller kid, with Matt and Brian apparently, was bending down to help the smaller boy clean up the mess. Matt had started to help too when he suddenly rose and pinned some skinny kid up against a table. They couldn\'t hear what was said but the malevolent look was enough to explain that Matt hadn\'t done it.

Kevin watched Ryan Trevors get up and take the tray away. There was a lot more food on it than Brian usually bought. Ryan threw the Tray\'s contents in the trash then went back on line, much to Kevin\'s shock. Jason propelled Kevin to the same line, a few students back. While Kevin was still lost in thought, Jason ordered for both of them and paid for the food.

\"Hey!\" Kevin finally spoke up as Jason handed him his chicken parm meal.

\"What?\" Jason asked innocently. \"Can\'t a guy buy his best friend lunch once in a while?\"

\"Not when said best friend is mooching off him,\" Kevin pouted walking towards his brother\'s table.

Jason smiled as he followed, glaring at the skinny kid when they passed by. He didn\'t need to, though. The kid looked mortified.

\"Hey,\" Kevin\'s voice broke the reverie.

Brian looked up and smiled at his brother and Jason as they took seats next to him at the table. They both had trays piled with food, something he suspected was Jason\'s doing.

\"I thought you had study hall,\" Brian said excitedly.

Jason noted Ryan and Matt\'s amused exchange. It was good to see that Matt had talked Ryan into leaving Brian alone.

\"We blew it off to have lunch with you,\" Kevin shrugged. Then he looked closer at his brother. \"What happened to your clothes? Hey, I don\'t remember that shirt in your wardrobe. I didn\'t notice it earlier. Whose clothes are they?\"

\"Oh, uh,\" Brian blushed.

\"The shirt\'s mine,\" Matt offered. \"I thought he needed something heavier than he was going to wear.\"

Matt\'s shirt? This was already getting too weird. What did he think, Brian was his now? Oh, this is creepy. He looked Matt over as he silently nodded. Could Kevin leave Brian with this guy? He still wasn\'t sure.

\"Jason, I set things up with my dad,\" Matt said to the other boy. \"Your sister can call him any time today to get the details. I think he\'s even getting her a raise. They need another good family law attorney anyway.\"

\"Cool!\" Jason smiled. \"Thanks, Man.\"

\"I still don\'t know about this,\" Kevin spoke up. \"I don\'t like the idea of us being separated.\"

\"I\'ll be fine,\" Brian insisted. Matt said he\'d watch me.\"

Jason looked at Matt and saw the light dawn in his eyes. Well, if he wasn\'t aware of his own attraction to Brian before, he certainly was now, Jason thought grimly. He wasn\'t entirely sure if it was a good thing or not either. Jason looked over at Ryan and saw him studying Matt as well. That was interesting. Maybe two guardians were necessary in this case. Ryan knew more than he was letting on, Jason was sure. Well, there was no turning back now. For better or for worse, Matt had custody of Brian.