I Could Never Love My Brother's Best Friend, I Hate him.

"So what happened Friday night? You and Phoenix disappeared after I left you." Chuck asked as we walked to lunch. I felt my cheeks start to heat up. Not in embarrassment, but in anger.

"Nothing." I muttered walking a little faster. Chuck caught up with me.

"Whoa, what's the matter?" He asked.

"It's nothing. But I could ask you the same thing. What happened to you? I couldn't find you anywhere." I said trying to change the subject. Thankfully it worked, and he started to blush.

"I-I was hanging out with someone." He mumbled, almost embarrassingly.

"Oh really? Could this someone be a guy that I know?" I raised my eyebrow in question, smirking.

"Ok, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to be mad." He said.

"I promise." I smiled. He held up his pinky.

"Pinky promise." He said.

"What are we, 6?" I rolled my eyes, but nonetheless, wrapped my pinky around his.

"Ok, so the guy I was hanging out with... was Shane." He bit his lip waiting for me to yell or be angry.

"Cool." I smiled.

"Wait, there's more. We were wort of... making out."

"That's great." I said still smiling.

"Wait, you aren't angry at me?"

"Angry? Why would I be?"

"Well... I thought you liked him."

"And I thought he was straight. But he's not, and you obviously like him, so go for it." I shrugged. I had a couple days to deal with this news, so I was sincerely happy for Chuck.

"You don't know how much that means to me." He sighed smiling.

"Well, who am I to deny happiness to my best friends? Besides, you two would look cute together."

"Yea, right." He mumbled, suddenly sounding upset.

"Chuck? Is everything alright?" I asked.

"Look, Shane... he doesn't want anybody to know about this. About me and him or him being gay at all."

"So you guys are keeping your relationship secret?"

"Actually, we don't have a relationship. He can't risk anyone finding out."

"Wait, why?"

"He could get a scholarship next year for UCLA, he doesn't want the scouts to find out he's gay and not give him the scholarship."

"They can't do that." I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter. I mean, it's not a big deal or anything." He shrugged.

"Chuck-"

"So, you never answered my question. Where'd you and Phoenix go on Friday?" He interrupted me.

"Phoenix took me home. I was kind off drunk, and Phoenix was afraid something would happen to me if he didn't get me out of that party." It wasn't a lie. We did go home. I just didn't tell him what happened after I got home.

"Well that's uncharacteristically nice of him." He said confused.

"Yea, nice." I scoffed quietly. Chuck gave me a weird look, but I just smiled at him.

(After school)

I was at my locker gathering everything that I would need for my homework. Today was a long day and all I wanted to do was go home, do my homework, and relax. I've managed to avoid Phoenix all day, which I was thankful for, but I had a feeling I'd have to see him once again before the day was over with.

Once I had all of my stuff, I turned to walk outside to River's car. Just as I turned, I saw Chuck running up to me. He looked scared almost.

"Teal!" He yelled stopping in front of me.

"Chuck what's wrong?" I asked.

"Phoenix and your brother are fighting!"

"What?!" What the hell?! Phoenix and River fight! Sure they've gotten in arguments, but what friends don't, but they've never actually hit each other. I followed Chuck towards a huge crowd. We pushed our way through. There in the middle of the crowd, were Phoenix and River, fighting.

"What the hell is going on?!" I yelled at Shane who was trying to pull, River away from Phoenix. I ran over to Phoenix and tried to do the same.

"Let me go! I'm gonna fucking kill him!" River yelled before Shane could answer.

"Oh like you could ever kill me!" Phoenix yelled back, struggling in my arms.

"Phoenix, I swear to god, if you hurt River, I'll fucking kill you myself!" I yelled, making Phoenix stop struggling, instantly. River might not be able to kill his best friend, but Phoenix knew I was already pissed beyond belief at him, and if I wanted to, I would kill him. River, unfortunately, took Phoenix's sudden stop of movement, to his advantage, he broke Shane's hold, and tackled Phoenix to the floor.

"You stupid fucking asshole!" River yelled, punching Phoenix as Shane and I both tried to get River off Phoenix.

"It wasn't my fucking intentions!" Phoenix yelled back, flipping River over so that River was on the floor now.

"Both of you stop it right now!" I yelled. Phoenix looked ready to kill River, but he didn't. Instead, he stood up and backed off.

"All of you, go away! Now!" I yelled at the crowd. They, broke apart, grumbling and sending glares my way for breaking up the fight.

"Now, will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?" I asked once the crowd dispersed.

"You should know. You're the one that let him do it." River spat at me as he stood up from the floor. Shane moved in between River and Phoenix, just in case one of them decides to throw another punch.

"What is he talking about?" I asked Phoenix. He wouldn't look at me.

"Phoenix told me what happened on Friday. He said that you were pissed at him and he wanted to do something to show how sorry he was. He didn't know River was standing behind him." Shane explained. My eyes widened as I looked at River, then at Phoenix.

"You told him? First your brother, then Shane. How many other people are you going to tell?! Why don't we just let the whole fucking world know that you fucked me?!" I yelled at Phoenix.

"I didn't tell anybody else." Phoenix tried to reasure me.

"Why would you do it Teal? You knew he was only going to use you. He only wanted you because you're the only girl that didn't want him. I thought you were smarter than that." River glared at me. I looked at him. He thought I wanted this? He thought that I let it happened? I looked back at Phoenix. He had his eye closed, almost waiting for River to start hitting him again once he knew that Phoenix took advantage of me while I was drunk.

I looked back at River. The hate in his eyes, had never been directed at me, until this moment. River had never been so angry with me. I wanted him to know that it wasn't what he thought and that I didn't even know what was going on at the time. I wanted him to not think of me as another slut that fucked his best friend. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. To tell him that I was drunk when I told Phoenix I wanted him. I just couldn't.

"I guess I'm not. I liked Phoenix and he said that he liked me too. I guess, I didn't want to believe that he was telling me a lie." I whispered, looking at the ground.

"Teal-" I heard Phoenix start to say.

"No. It's alright Phoenix. I don't even care anymore. I still hate you, you still hate me. Its the way it has always been and the way it will always be." I looked up at Phoenix.

"But Teal-"

"I'm sorry River. You're right, I should have known better." I interrupted Phoenix once again. With that I turned and walked away.

"Teal wait!" Chuck yelled after me as he ran to catch up with me.

"What Chuck?" I asked, not stopping.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked pulling on my arm, to stop me.

"Because there was nothing to tell." I said looking at the floor.

"Nothing to tell? Teal, my best friend lost her V card to the guy she supposedly hated. How is there nothing to tell?" I looked up at Chuck. He looked at me with betrayal in his eyes.

"Chuck-"

"No. Don't tell me that it was none of my business. I'm your best friend. We tell each other everything, especially about things this big. Hell I told you about Shane and I."

"Chuck, please-"

"You know what? If you can't tell me something this huge, then maybe we aren't as best of friends as I thought we were." He glared at me.

"Chuck, just listen. The reason there is nothing to tell, is because I don't remember." I said, tears starting to brim my eyes. All traces of anger and betrayal were gone as Chuck stared at me with wide eyes.

"What do you mean, you don't remember?" He asked.

"Just what I said. I don't remember."

"What did Phoenix do? Did he drug you? because I swear to god if he did-"

"No. Phoenix didn't do anything to me. It was my fault. After you and Shane disappeared, I couldn't find River, so Phoenix had to stay with me. He wouldn't let me dance because he was afraid he would lose me and I'd get hurt. So we stayed in the kitchen and to pass the time, we started a drinking game. We tried to see who could drink the most shots. After my fifth one, I didn't remember anything.

"When I woke up Saturday, I was in my bed, with my clothes off. Phoenix was being so nice to me, he even brought me breakfast in bed. I guess, he thought that I remembered what happened and that I truely did want it. When I asked him how I got in my bed, he told me he put there. I could tell he was a little upset, but I didn't know about what. Then I asked how my clothes got off and he said that he didn't know and I must have took them off after he left. I didn't find out until that night. Phoenix left his phone at my house and his brother Jacob texted him. I couldn't resist the urge, I had to see what it was about. Jacob said that Phoenix should tell me what happened and that I should take a morning after pill. I guess it all made sense then." I explained.

"Oh Teal." Chuck looked like he was about to cry himself.

"It's ok. I mean, I had to of told Phoenix I wanted it. I mean he wouldn't have done it if I didn't say I wanted it. People tell are more likely to tell the truth when they're drunk, so maybe I did want it." I shrugged.