Chapter 2: IBB

Greg's eyes started to slowly flicker open as he moaned under his breath. He looked around at the familiar scene and his eyes widened.

"Calm down, buddy," said Nick with a small chuckle. "You passed out so I brought you to my place. Don't freak out on me or nothing."

Greg thoroughly observed the scene. It was only Nick's living room. It was pretty clean for the most part.

"Oh," Greg half mumbled.

"Dude...have you heard anything I've said to you for the past three weeks?"

Greg looked down, realizing his place in the situation. Remembered Nick hated him. Everyone did.

Nick bent down on his knee so he was eye-level with Greg. "Have you?"

Greg looked away.

"I can't take this," he finally said.

"Why can't you take this? What can't you take?"

"You. Everyone! Pretending. All...pretending."

"Pretending what, G? What are we pretending?"

Greg started to sit up.

"That you care...about me."

Nick smiled to himself, sadly.

"That's not true. That's not true at all. Why would you think that...well. Look, you messed up, it doesn't mean we hate you or anything. We're not mad at you. You're our friend and we want to know what's wrong with you." Nick paused. "Look at you, man. Dressed in drag. New haircut, new piercings...I don't even want to know if there's a tattoo. Why are you changing so much?"

"I thought people would see me different...change their mind about me. I don't know. Maybe it was just something to do...you guys don't hate me?"

"We could never hate you, Greg. Never."

"Really?"

"Really. I don't want you to ever have to think that." Nick re-examined Greg's skinny body. "Go get a shower. You need one. Seriously."

Greg smiled and walked off to the bathroom.

He locked the door behind him and stared himself in the mirror.

His hair was short and spiky...as it was before he had taken the time to grow it out. It had many colours such red, blonde, brown and black. A silver ring wrapped itself around the left side of his bottom lip along with two silver rings in his left ear. His clothes were the same as earlier: a black "Nirvana" tee and ripped jeans. Over all, he looked like a pain in the ass punk.

With a light sigh he stripped his clothes off and got in the shower.

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Nick sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. Greg really did think he hated him. Did he come on that strong?

"Feel any better?" asked Nick as he noticed Greg walk into the room.

Greg moaned and sat down in the chair opposite of Nick.

"Kind of...I guess I feel pretty stupid...look at me."

"Why do you say that? You look fine. Just... different."

Nick thoroughly examined his young friend. He still had on his jeans but no shirt. His body was tiny. Tinier than he remembered. Probably tinier than it was mere weeks ago. He guessed Greg had probably lost his appetite. Then... he saw it. On the side of Greg's hip. The initials D.T. scarred into his flesh. It still hadn't fully healed.

"Do you need a shirt or something?"

"Huh? Oh... no. I'm fine. It's just really hot. Hace calor. I'm fine."

"Want something to drink?"

"Sure. Um, got any Coke?"

Greg sniffed.

"Yeah..."

Nick stood up and went to the fridge.

"Thanks."

Nick nodded as he sat back down with the glass.

"Aye, I gotta piss."

"You know where the bathroom is."

Greg stood up and started to walk away. Then he saw it. The "IBB" everyone had been talking about. Carved nice and large into his back. What a scar to have. What did IBB mean?

Minutes later Greg returned.

"Did you ever figure it out?"

"Figure what out?"

He snuffed again.

"The erm...IBB..."

"Oh.. yeah. I did."

"What-is-it?"

He sniffled once more.

"I'll be back."

Nick frowned. Hadn't that Deryck been bully enough to poor Greg?"

Greg snuffed again.

"You catching a cold?"

"Probably..."

Greg rubbed his eyes. They were dilated. Very dilated. Greg surely couldn't be doing...

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A/N: Next chapter is to be titled COKE! sorry it took SO FRIGGING LONG to update.

review and i'll write more.