I can't believe Mr. Gonzales put me with Darrius Mitchell. Is he not aware of how much we hate each other? He is the reason I don't really talk to his brother Marcus in public because if I did he would flip.

Let me explain our history. When Darrius and I were in elementary school together, we were tight for the first couple of years. We had every class together and his Aunt knew my parents very well from parties and PTA meetings. He was my best friend and so was Chris. We were the three musketeers the teachers use to call us.

Then in the 5th grade, I had a different classroom. That's when I met Michael Fordman, the richest kid at the school. I didn't really know who he was but Darrius and Chris did. I should have listened to them because a few days after hanging with Michael, he told me the only way he was ever going to be friends with me was if I showed Darrius my penis. As a kid, I thought nothing of it but I was still nervous because I had to do it on the playground. Once at recess, I did what he told me to do but I was so nervous I peed on Darrius. That was our first fight of many.

I think about that day a lot and I'm still friends with Michael until this day. However, I still feel a ping of regret every now and again but it disappears every time I think about all the awful things Darrius has done until this point.

"Hey," Michael waved his hand in my face and I knocked it away. He pushed his blonde hair out of his eye to see if I had responded to him. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I forgot I was even sitting with my friends and teammates at lunch.

"Oh I'm sorry," I said and Michael spoke, "You need to get your head out of the gutter. I mean you need to think about how you're going to get another partner for chem or you're going to be stuck with big lips over there."

Just as he said it the entire table turned over to Darrius's that was filled with members from the basketball team and Marcus. Darrius seemed like what happened earlier was a brush off his shoulders as he laughed with his friends. My friends redirected their attention back towards me as Michael asked, "So what's the plan?"

I sighed and said, "It doesn't matter. Mr. Gonzalez is never going to change his mind about it so I might as well give up while-"

"He can't force you to be with him Caleb," My friend Evan stated. Michael and I had met Evan during baseball as freshman. He was new to the team just like us and we instantly clicked. He had the fluffy dirty blonde hair that girls would fall all over for and a charm teachers would give in to. He didn't really need it seeing as how he was smart but used it when he had to. He has been a great friend but he had become a bit more distant since last year.

"Evan it's fine," I told him placing my hand on his green polo shirt, "He needs me to pass the class, so he won't kill me just yet."

He grinned and then I caught him looking over at the table again but his eyes weren't on Darrius. Michael sighed heavily, obviously wanting attention to be on him now.

"So my birthday is coming up and you guys know what that means," He paused for dramatic effect because we all knew what he was about to say, "Party time bitches!"

Oh yes, Michael's birthday bash that everyone will be talking about for the rest of the year. Even though his birthday wasn't until like the middle of October, he still liked to tell us ahead of schedule so that we could be his good little minions and spread the words. Now don't get me wrong I love Michael like a brother but seeing as he was the only child to the state's richest people, he was destined to be the state's spoilest child. At all times attention had to be on Michael and if it wasn't he made sure it was.

"Why are you telling us when it's not until October bro," Evan asked taking a bite of his salad. The table went silent as Michael stared at him with daggers. I grinned and just sat back as I knew Michael was about to explode on Evan.

"Unlike some people, I like to plan ahead and I just thought with you guys being my best friends that you should know first," Michael stated through gritted teeth. Evan swallowed and said, "Okay,but still it's too early for that shit, school just started and I rather hear about my assignments rather than some party."

My eyes opened wide at Evan's statement. Last year he would have been all over trying to help Michael with his party but it seems like now he wants nothing to do with it. Michael's glare sharpens as the tension around the table became thick. I slowly got up making my way towards the water fountain. As I went to turn around, I collided into someone.

"Watch it white boy," A student a few inches taller than me said pushing me out the way of the fountain.

"Hey," I pushed him back and he lost his footing. He had light chestnut skin and he wore this grey hoodie with his pants hanging so low that I could see his underwear.

"You didn't just touch me!" He yelled but I wasn't fazed. Then he grins and says, "You ain't even worth going back to jail for. But watch yo back pretty boy. I ain't done with you yet."

He walked off bumping me in the process. Even though my brother taught me to never quiver at a threat, his words struck as more of a promise. A hand touches my shoulders and I turn to see Marcus standing next me. His curly hair was stylishly all over his head with his camera wrapped around his neck. I saw concern in his hazel eyes as they stared back at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked me and I nodded.

"It was just some wanna be thug trying to harass me," I grinned, "Reminds me of your brother."

"NO!" He exclaimed folding his arms together, "My brother is nothing like Deonte Jones."

Who is Deonte Jones? I doubt he was worse than Darrius. However, considering the way Marcus looks concerned I may be wrong. Speaking of the devil, he came strolling over towards us and I immediately slipped away from Marcus. Every time I even get remotely close to Marcus, Darrius is always there to "save" him from me or telling me to leave his brother alone.

I approached my table and I heard Evan and Michael still arguing. I didn't know the other two guys very well , I just knew they were friends with Michael but they seemed pretty cool. Evan was the one that noticed me first as I came closer. He got up quickly and grabbed me by my arm and practically dragged me out into the hallway.

Once we were there, I could sense that what he was about to say wasn't about the party. He seemed almost petrified and nervous as he heavily breathes. I lean against the lockers as he paced back and forth in front of me before I asked annoyed, "Dude, what's going on? Is it Michael? Are you in trouble?"

"She's pregnant," He expressed and I shook my head to make sure I heard him correctly.

"I'm sorry what?" I asked him again. Then he finally stopped pacing and took a huge deep breath. He looked me in my eyes and repeated, "Gabrielle is pregnant."

My eyes opened wider than ever before. I continued to look at my best friend. He was about to be a father and the only thing I could ask was, "How?"

"Well Caleb, when a guy and a girl get together-," He begins sarcastically and I give him a no nonsense glare. He sighed and I could see his face become weary, "Look, I don't know. Like one night I thought since she was on the pill that everything will be fine, but come to find out she stopped taking the fucking things a month before. She lied to me for a fucking month!"

He smashed the palm of his hand into a locker and the sound made my ears ring. He put his back against the hard metal and just lazily slid down them. He was really angry on top of every emotion I could read coming off of him, but the main one was fear. A kid was a huge responsibility and they were too young.However as a friend I had to be supportive. So I sat right next to him and said, "Look whatever you decide to do then I'm with you 100%. I mean you and Gabi love each other and –"

"No we don't," He stated cutting my sentence short and making my head spin to the point I just said, "What? You're together all the time and she acts like she can't get enough of you."

"Look Caleb, I haven't told anyone this and I feel like I'm getting to the point I just want to say fuck what people think," He expressed and now I was really interested in what was going on in my friend's mind.

"Dude like what do you mean," I asked him and he was about to say something until Marcus came out into the hallway with Chris. They looked in our direction and Marcus smiles while waving as Chris glared. I waved back but I didn't miss what Evan said next because it had my brain doing a 360.

"He's so beautiful," He stated in a whisper. I quickly turned towards him almost breaking my neck.

"What did you just say?" I asked surprised, "What he? Marcus or Chris?"

Evan became silent looking anywhere else but me. Then he finally confesses, "I like Marcus. Ever since he walked into our art class when we were sophomores. "

I wanted him to say he was joking because this wasn't right. Evan Campbell can't be...gay? He is the charmer, the guy we turn to for girl advice, the guy who was dating one of the hottest Latin girls in school. But as I read his face and saw no hint of a joke, I almost fainted. He begins to shake me but I couldn't really understand. I had showers with this guy, slept in the same bed with him too. How could this be possible?

"Caleb, are you okay?" He asked still shaking me. I didn't know how I was feeling. On one hand I wanted to punch him and asked why did he lie but on the other hand I wanted to tell him that I accept him. So I did both. I looked straight at him and punched him in his arm. I pushed myself up off the floor and stood over him as he held his aching limb.

"Man you could have said you didn't want nothing to do with me instead of trying to break my throwing arm!" He yelled at me but that wasn't the reason I did it.

"How could you lie to me?" I asked him, "I mean we have been friends for four years. I understand not telling Michael but why didn't you tell me?"

He looked up at me with his eyebrows furrow and said, "You're not mad at me because I'm gay?"

I sighed and said, "I don't care who you like. I care about the fact that you lied to me Evan. You could have trusted me."

He sat up straight on the wall. He looked at me and grinned, "I was scared man. I thought you would try to beat my ass or something."

"Try?" I joked and he laughs as I sat back down next to him, "Does Gabi know?"

"No," He put his head down answering, "I tried to break it off a few days ago and she sprung this on me. God! What am I going to do Caleb? I'm still a kid myself and I don't know anything about being a dad."

"My brother didn't either but he still did it," I mentioned. My brother had to take care of me after our parents died when I was 10. That was a really hard year seeing as that's the year I and Darrius became enemies. My brother was 18 at the time and he had to quit college. It all worked out but it was still a rough couple of years.

"I don't think she's gonna want me to be in her life if she find this out though," Evan explained.

"She can't keep you away from 'em, that's totally unfair man!" I voiced, "She didn't make 'em by herself!"

For a moment we sat there trying to figure out everything but time wasn't really on our side as the bell ringed loudly echoing through the hallway signaling that lunch and second period was over. We pushed through the crowd of kids coming out the cafeteria to go get our things from the table.

"Hey Caleb," Evan said as we walked side by side in the hallway, "Don't tell anyone okay?"

I looked at my friend and nodded. He gave me the same nod and walked off to his class. Today was just the first day of school and today had just been hectic.

I wonder what would happen by the end because this year has definitely started off with a bang!