Aiden and Daniel were on their way over to Roy’s. As he drove, Daniel told Aiden about what he found out about Mark.

“Why would he dye his hair brown?” asked Daniel in frustration as he turned onto Roy’s street.

“Who cares? Maybe he just…I don’t know, decided to try a new look.” Roy didn’t understand why this was so important to Daniel because Daniel never told him about the dream. Ok, fine, this boy happened to look nice and have blonde hair. But that’s it! Blonde hair doesn’t automatically mean Mark is the boy from his dream. He’s an ass, for God’s sake, and Daniel can hardly be with him for five minutes before he forced himself to stop from ripping his head off.

“Yeah, I guess,” said Daniel, stopping before Roy asked why Daniel cared so much.

They parked under a tree and moved to Roy’s house. The knocked on the door.

“Why is this bothering you so much?” asked Roy as they waited.

Danget, thought Daniel, I went too far. Lie. “It’s an anomaly.” Roy looked like he was buying it, but he needed more. “Anomalies bug me, you know that.” And Roy did know. They were hardly able to hide anything from each other because they were so good at interrogation. They could both spot a lie from far away, but sometimes they just didn’t act on it. They often joked about fighting crime together.

Roy opened the door, salutations were exchanged, and they walked in. Aiden and Daniel both stopped when they noticed that they had a guest in their group.

“Jade,” said Dan surprisingly. “Um…hi.” Aiden stood stiff. A girl in his presence?

“Hi, Daniel,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” he said politely when he really wanted to strange Roy for ruining their boy’s night out. “How are you?”

“Actually, I kind of have to use the rest room. Where is it, Roy?”

Roy directed her, then turned back to the guys. They stared at him.

“What?” Roy asked innocently again.

“What?!” exclaimed Aiden. “I thought it was our guy’s night out. The name is superfluous if there’s a girl!”

“Well, she was really sad about stuff and she didn’t want to be alone tonight, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt too much if she hung out with ust.”

Aiden and Daniel exchanged glances. They weren’t pleased, but what could they do?

“Alright,” gave up Daniel, “but only because you obviously have a thing for her. Far be it from us to suppress a relationship.” Roy blushed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The night passed hopelessly.

The entire time, Roy and Jade were flirting. They talked and talked and talked some more, all while the occasional giggle would come out from somewhere in their general direction. Roy essentially left Aiden and Daniel to their own devices while he allowed his attention to soak up in Jade’s presence.

“Don’t get me wrong,” said Daniel. He wasn’t afraid of Roy hearing because they had to call his name four times before they could get a response. “Jade is a nice girl, but…”

“But she’s stealing our best friend,” finished Aiden.

“Not stealing, per say,” said Daniel, “more like…keeping him to herself.”

“Stealing,” said Aiden flatly.

“It was supposed to be our night!” exclaimed Daniel getting up to get another soda. “We planned it for the three of us, not for the two of us and the two of them!”

“I’d say you’re jealous,” smiled Aiden as he joined Daniel for another soda as well. “I’d say you’re more angry at him for getting her instead of you.”

“Listen,” said Daniel, ready to lay down the law, “She’s nice, she’s pretty, but she’s definitely not my type.”

“It’s been so long since you’ve had a girlfriend, how can you possibly have a type?”

“I have one,” said Daniel indignantly, “I just haven’t found the type in a really long time.”

“Then get a new one! Come on!” pleaded Aiden.

“What about you, I don’t see you pimping down the streets.”

Aiden stuttered, “Don’t change the subject!” Daniel laughed as Aiden tried to change the subject, “So…so what about that Mark ass?”

“He’s blonde, and I don’t know why he would hide it,” said Daniel, looking thoughtful again.

“You think too much into things sometimes, Daniel. He just wanted to try a new look, he didn’t apply the dye correctly and it came out prematurely. It probably looks all uneven and gross, so he wore a hat for the past two days. Not much of a mystery, is it?”

“No,” sighed Daniel, “I guess not. I just want some dirt on him so that I’ll have something to hang over his multicolored head, you know? Just to know that…that I have some power of him if he tries any funny business!”

“Sounds like fun,” said Aiden, “I almost wish I had an arch nemesis. Everyone needs one!”

They laughed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The weekend passed slowly enough. Saturday was spent doing research for the project that Mark just had to have done before the week started. There were a lot of interesting facts and opinions. As it turned out, homosexuals weren’t entirely subjected to pain and misery under the hand of society. Lots of homosexuals, in fact, found refuge in very accepting towns and neighborhoods where homosexuality wasn’t necessarily encouraged, but it wasn’t sneered or frowned upon either. It was simply a way of life, like a different religion; not everyone agreed with it, but accepted that it’s what these certain people believed in. Though Daniel still considered himself straight, it was comforting to know that, hypothetically speaking, if he were to lean towards homosexuality, he could find refuge from sneering eyes. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

His half of the deal was sent to Mark and he was left with the rest of the weekend to loaf around, play basketball and watch TV. Maybe he would go to the mall later with Aiden. He felt relaxed and completely at his leisure to do as he pleased.

The calm before the storm.