Morning came much too fast for the teens. They spent most of the night talking over the pluses and minuses of the two contending bands, Two X Two and Ramblin' Rockers. They had both decided early on that the Sticky Fingers band was not even close to being in contention for the gig. Now it was close to ten AM and they still were not in agreement on how to select the band for the dance.
"How are we gonna decide, Collin?" declared Ryan. "This is much harder than I thought it would be."
"Yea, I know what you mean. Both bands are really good. And I know you're having a hard time over seeing Cheri in one of them. You know you really never explained about her and you," asserted Collin while looking at his friend.
"Hey, she and I know one another from school. Remember, she IS in some of my classes at school," a defensive Ryan spoke out.
"Well, you could have fooled me by the way she was all over you last night. She practically put her tongue in your ear when she was whispering to you, hehehe. And boy did you blush when she kissed you. I bet she was putting the moves on you hoping you'd vote for her group. I bet she'd never have done that to you if you hadn't been one of the people who will decide the winning band," a more accusatory Collin spat out at what he thought was his best friend.
Ryan couldn't believe what he had just heard. He felt Collin was accusing him of leaning towards Cheri and her band just because she kissed him and gave him her phone number. He had known her ever since junior high and she was one of the girls who chased after him back then but hadn't anything to do with him other than talk to him at school. Ryan was beginning a slow boil.
"Fine! Think that way. At least I have a girl who likes me!"
With that said Ryan realized he didn't mean to say it that way but it was too late. Collin was pissed at hearing his friend say what he did and he took off out of their shared bedroom with Chief quickly following behind.
Ryan immediately jumped up and went looking for Collin but found he wasn't in the hallway or in the bathroom. He went down to the Theater and then over to the pool locker room and still no Collin. Ryan tried to figure out where his friend, NO his best friend, could have gotten off too. He continued to search throughout the mansion but had no luck, so he decided to check one last place, the Study. Ryan didn't want to go there first in case Collin wasn't there and then he'd have to explain what happened to his Big Bro. This time he knew he'd have to explain if Collin was NOT there.
Slowly walking through the hall leading to the Study, Ryan had hoped he'd here Bro and Col talking and then he knew he wouldn't have to do too much explaining. At least in theory, he hoped. Peaking around the corner of the door he heard Mr. Ken talking on the phone so he tried to sneak a better look inside the room.
"Lose someone, Ryan?"
He'd been caught and now he had to answer. "Yea, sort of," uttered Ryan. Then he decided to come clean and he sat down and told his Bro what happened upstairs.
"I see," was all Mr. Ken replied.
"Bro, what am I going to do? I like having Collin as my BEST friend. He and I are like two peas in a pod. I … I should say we, get along so well together. It's as if he were my 'twin' brother to me. We enjoy so many of the same things and we can anticipate each others thoughts and … and what we'd do and say next, sometimes. Yes, I have a lot of friends but with Collin there is something else. I tried to explain it to him a few weeks back but couldn't. I feel the same way about … well about you, too, kind of. What I mean to say is I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost him for some stupid reason or another. He is a constant in my life. Just as you are Bro. Right now I feel so … so lost without him and I feel like shit! I don't know how I will ever be able to explain to him I didn't mean to say it the way I did. Damn!"
Unbeknownst to Ryan, Collin was just outside the Study. When he left the bedroom he went directly down to the Butler's Pantry and told Momma Maria not to say anything to anyone about where he was. He told her that he needed time to be alone right then. Then he got to feeling bad at the way he acted and went to find his Bro. Upon reaching the Study he heard Ryan talking and began to eaves drop. He knew that wasn't right but he had to know what Ryan was saying and by then he had practically heard everything Ryan had said, especially the last part about being his 'twin' and him being 'lost' without Col.
Collin was now in a quandary. He knew he shouldn't have stayed and listened and now his dilemma was how to enter the room and act like he was hurt from what Ry had said. As soon as he thought that, he knew immediately that was wrong. He knew he felt the same way about his friend, NO his BEST friend and he had to do what was right.
"Hi! You looking for me?" remarked Collin to no one in particular as he entered the Study.
Hearing the voice and turning around to eagerly find his 'lost' buddy, Ryan jumped up and ran to his Best Friend and hugged him as if he hadn't seen the boy for ages. The two stood there together hugging and apologizing to each other as Ken sat there at his desk looking on. Then there was heard the banter of "You first." "No, you first." "No you go first." "No you!" By that last one Ken had heard enough and coughed loud enough to get their attention.
"How about I go first?" a smiling Bro said to the two standing lads.
"Please have a seat, you two." And after hearing that, the two friends became alert and turned and sat down in the soft leather chairs and gave their undivided attention to their Big Bro.
"Boys, I was wondering when you two would have your first 'fight'. Now hear me out. You two have been attached at the hips for so long now this was bound to happen. From what I know of you two, you are the best friends to one another that there ever was. Up until yesterday there wasn't anybody who could come between you. Even with all the guys coming over to swim and then all the boys and girls helping out with the Holiday Parties … there still wasn't anyone who even appeared to upset the equilibrium you two have. Then, in the blink of an eye, a pretty young thing gives one of you some unwanted attention and 'bingo bango' there it is, friction between two Best Friends. I know this is all a big misunderstanding because a girl is involved and believe me any time a beautiful woman gets between two great friends, shit happens!"
That last statement made the boys laugh and the tension in the air was finally broken. This time Collin spoke up and apologized for standing outside the door and listening to Ryan talk to Mr. Ken. He asked Ryan to forgive him for running away from his past. Ryan told him he did forgive him and right then asked Collin if he would forgive him for being such a jerk over a girl. He went on to apologize by saying he went too far about bringing up the girl saying it wasn't Collin's fault he only knew the few girls who helped with the parties. The two Best Friends then shook hands and then looked at Ken and said together, "We need help!"