Chapter 12

Joey sighed wearily. "Chris, do you think there's something wrong with him being gay?"

Chris kicked at a rock before sighing and following Lance inside. He found the younger blonde lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, lost deep in thought.

"Lance," Chris said. "I just wanted to...to say I was sorry for all the things I said about you...I didn't really mean it...it's just the way I was brought up, and you surprised me...but I really don't have a problem, it'll...it'll just take me a little while, to...to figure some stuff out in my head."

"What happened to you, Chris?" Lance asked softly, sitting up.

"Something happened to make you feel that way. I know you're not the kind of person to hate a group of people like that."

"I think something did happen," Lance replied. "But I won't push you." He stood up to walk away.

Lance shrugged. "I told you. Knives. Got attacked by a...gang," he said. He turned back around, hearing Chris' sharp intake of breath. He was almost across the room when he heard his voice again.

"My friend was murdered a couple years ago." Lance spun around. "He'd been...raped and then killed. He wasn't even gay, he was straight." Lance walked back towards Chris. "He got attacked by a gay guy on his way home one night. Raped, beaten...and shot."

Chris continued. "I never really felt the same way about homosexuals again. I was so angry at the guy for killing Derek...hurting Derek...and I thought that I should've prevented it."

Lance's eyes widened. The name Derek sounded familiar to him.

"He was such a good guy...and to have that done...I kind of became prejudiced. I'm sorry, Lance, I know you're not like that, I know you wouldn't do anything like that. I don't expect you to forgive me...but..."

"I forgive you, Chris," Lance interrupted, pulling him into a hug. "I told you, worse has happened. And I'm sorry about Derek. No one deserves that." He was glad Chris was in his arms because he knew his face darkened. "But I'm sure he's happy," Lance said, offering as much as he could.

"Actually," Justin continued. "You did me a big favor. I've been wondering if there was something wrong with the hoop. I was right! It should be about 10 feet forward and 5 more feet to the left!" he said brightly.

"But you won't hurt me! You're the shy one!" Justin said, running away.

"And you're the cute one. So cute I just want to...beat the crap out of you!"

"Typical fifteen year old," Chris said, coming by and rolling his eyes.

"What would you know? You act like you're five!" Justin retorted.

"Oh, you're just getting everybody pissed off at you now, aren't you?" Chris began running after Justin. Lance laughed, satisfied, and sat back in his chair. A pair of eyes watched his every move.

"My mom wanted me to get this religious thing for her...um...friend or something...wanna come?"

They all got into a car and drove to a small store. "You guys coming?" Justin asked.

"Figures," Joey muttered. Lance smacked him lightly on the arm. They all ended up going in.

Justin furrowed his brow. "I don't know. I don't even know why I agreed to come here..." He stopped, thinking. "I think she wanted to get her a necklace she saw one day."

Justin finally found what he was looking for and went to the counter. Lance followed behind him, eyeing everything the store had. Then he saw who was behind the counter. His eyes widened and he started choking on the gum he was chewing.

"Fine," he managed, still looking at the person behind the counter. Then he started to chuckle.

Justin looked at him oddly. "Lance? I'm sorry..." he said, turning to the guy behind the counter. "He's not usually like this..."

"Great," the guy said, looking at Lance with a grin on his face. JC was patting his back, because Lance was still choking on his gum. He rung up Justin's purchases. "Here," he said, handing the bag to Justin. Justin took it and thanked him.

Lance finally got himself under control. "I'm gonna go talk to the guy, and make sure I didn't scare him too much," he said.

Lance ignored it and went to see the man behind the counter. "I should've known you'd be here," he said, smiling.

"Where else would I be? I had to check up on you somehow," he replied. "So you're quiet now, are you?"

"So are you going to be inhabiting any other stores, or are you gonna stick to religion?"


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 12 "How do you feel now, Chris?" JC snapped. "I...I don't..." Joey sighed wearily. "Chris, do you think there's something wrong with him being gay?" "No," Chris whispered, looking down. "Then tell him that," Justin said. Chris kicked at a rock before sighing and following Lance inside. He found the younger blonde lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, lost deep in thought. "Hey Chris," Lance sighed. "Lance," Chris said. "I just wanted to...to say I was sorry for all the things I said about you...I didn't really mean it...it's just the way I was brought up, and you surprised me...but I really don't have a problem, it'll...it'll just take me a little while, to...to figure some stuff out in my head." "What happened to you, Chris?" Lance asked softly, sitting up. Chris blanched. "What?" "Something happened to make you feel that way. I know you're not the kind of person to hate a group of people like that." "N...nothing happened," Chris protested. "I think something did happen," Lance replied. "But I won't push you." He stood up to walk away. "Wait." Lance turned around. "What happened to you?" Lance shrugged. "I told you. Knives. Got attacked by a...gang," he said. He turned back around, hearing Chris' sharp intake of breath. He was almost across the room when he heard his voice again. "My friend was murdered a couple years ago." Lance spun around. "He'd been...raped and then killed. He wasn't even gay, he was straight." Lance walked back towards Chris. "He got attacked by a gay guy on his way home one night. Raped, beaten...and shot." "Oh my goodness, Chris..." Chris continued. "I never really felt the same way about homosexuals again. I was so angry at the guy for killing Derek...hurting Derek...and I thought that I should've prevented it." Lance's eyes widened. The name Derek sounded familiar to him. "He was such a good guy...and to have that done...I kind of became prejudiced. I'm sorry, Lance, I know you're not like that, I know you wouldn't do anything like that. I don't expect you to forgive me...but..." "I forgive you, Chris," Lance interrupted, pulling him into a hug. "I told you, worse has happened. And I'm sorry about Derek. No one deserves that." He was glad Chris was in his arms because he knew his face darkened. "But I'm sure he's happy," Lance said, offering as much as he could. "You think so?" "I know so." ****** "Lance! I didn't know it was possible!" "What?" "To be THAT bad at basketball," Justin said. "Shut up, Justin!" "Actually," Justin continued. "You did me a big favor. I've been wondering if there was something wrong with the hoop. I was right! It should be about 10 feet forward and 5 more feet to the left!" he said brightly. Lance glared. "You better run, Curly," he said. "But you won't hurt me! You're the shy one!" Justin said, running away. "And you're the cute one. So cute I just want to...beat the crap out of you!" "You think I'm cute?" Justin batted his eyelashes. "Typical fifteen year old," Chris said, coming by and rolling his eyes. "What would you know? You act like you're five!" Justin retorted. "Oh, you're just getting everybody pissed off at you now, aren't you?" Chris began running after Justin. Lance laughed, satisfied, and sat back in his chair. A pair of eyes watched his every move. "HEY!" Justin called to Lance. "What?" "My mom wanted me to get this religious thing for her...um...friend or something...wanna come?" "Who else is going?" "All of them, we're gonna go eat afterwards," he said. "Sure." They all got into a car and drove to a small store. "You guys coming?" Justin asked. "I'm game," Lance said. "Figures," Joey muttered. Lance smacked him lightly on the arm. They all ended up going in. "What did your mom want?" Lance asked. Justin furrowed his brow. "I don't know. I don't even know why I agreed to come here..." He stopped, thinking. "I think she wanted to get her a necklace she saw one day." "Couldn't get it anywhere else?" Chris asked. "Guess not." Justin finally found what he was looking for and went to the counter. Lance followed behind him, eyeing everything the store had. Then he saw who was behind the counter. His eyes widened and he started choking on the gum he was chewing. "Lance? You okay?" JC asked worriedly. "Fine," he managed, still looking at the person behind the counter. Then he started to chuckle. Justin looked at him oddly. "Lance? I'm sorry..." he said, turning to the guy behind the counter. "He's not usually like this..." "Oh really?" the man sounded amused. "Yeah...he's normally quiet. Anyway, I'm all set." "Great," the guy said, looking at Lance with a grin on his face. JC was patting his back, because Lance was still choking on his gum. He rung up Justin's purchases. "Here," he said, handing the bag to Justin. Justin took it and thanked him. Lance finally got himself under control. "I'm gonna go talk to the guy, and make sure I didn't scare him too much," he said. "All right," Justin said, looking at him weird again. Lance ignored it and went to see the man behind the counter. "I should've known you'd be here," he said, smiling. "Where else would I be? I had to check up on you somehow," he replied. "So you're quiet now, are you?" Lance nodded. "I'm being good," he said. "Yes you are," the man laughed. "So are you going to be inhabiting any other stores, or are you gonna stick to religion?" "Who knows where you'll find me?" "You're crazy, Nikolas," Lance said. "Absolutely crazy."