Balzs pov

I can't wait until this school year starts. The day it starts is 6 months since my last gauge size-up so I can stretch the again. Also my best friend Ryans friend is moving back to town. Our emo gang will have two new members. Woah. I'll have 6 friends at school. This is weird.

Today Ricky's mom is leaving like she does every couple of days, so I'm going to have Ryan bring Ghost and his older brother Chris come with me to Ricky's. I grabbed my phone off my night stand and looked for Ryans number. I already called Ricky this morning but this was a surprise. He doesn't know that I'm coming over. He doesn't know that Ryan will be there. He doesn't know who Ghost is. He doesn't know that Ghost has a hot older step brother.

After 3 rings I gave up on calling Ryan and I was not in the mood to be wait. I threw my hood up and pulled on my black vans. I ran down the stairs grabbing my keys off the counter and shoving my phone into my pocket. My mom was already at work so I just left, walking threw the small forest between the back of me and Ryans houses. I walked up onto the back porch and pulled a chair over from the outdoor table. Stepping up from the chair, I climbed onto the bay windows roof. I pushed up on the window as hard as I could giving me just enough room to make my way through. As soon as my foot hit the floor of Ryans room I mentally died. I could see someone sleeping in the guest room, across the hall. Fuck.

As quietly as possible, I shimmied the rest of the way through the window. I stumbled over the clothes that were all over Ryans floor. He needs to clean badly. I poked him a few times and he gently rolled over, not at all surprised to see me.

"Josh what the hell. Did you even text me?" He whisper yelled in his raspy morning voice. I just nodded.
"Get up. We're going to surprise Ricky. We need to go pick up Ghost and Chris."
"Balz Ghost is sleeping in the guest room and Chris is awake and down stairs. They stayed over last night."
Yay this is so much easier then having to go pick them up even though they only live one town over.
"Kay I'll go wake up Ghost then go down stairs with Chris. Start getting ready."
"Kay" Ryan murmured and sat up, still under his blankets.
I made my way across the the mine - field of shit on the floor then at my last step, I tripped on a sweatshirt. I fell face first into the hall way making a loud *thump* noise. I could see through the guest bedroom door and I saw Ghost roll over. Damn is that even a dude. I quietly popped up off the floor and shimmied back to where Ryan was sitting up in bed with his eyes closed.

I whispered yelled "DUDE IS GHOST A GIRL"
he shook his head no
"WHAT THE HELL IS HIS NAME THEN" I continued to whisper yell
"Uh I don't know. Like Devin or something" Ryan murmured, rubbing his face
"Oh kay then" I said in slightly defeated voice.

Ryan threw his blankets off his lap getting up from his bed. I turned back to Ghost who was rolling around frantically in the bed. I carefully made my way over to him, trying not to spook him. I sat on the very edge of the bed and lightly shook his shoulder. Almost immediately he sprung up from the bed. He was breathing heavy and panting slightly. He pushed the hair that was stuck to his forehead up and out of his face.

"Goodmorning" I said at full volume with an almost fake looking smile.
"Uh oh hi.... who are you" Devin managed to say between pants.
"Oh I'm Ryans friend I came to wake you guys up so we could go surprise my other friend Ricky. " I said continuing with the wide smile.
"Oh okay. I need half an hour to get ready but I'm up for it." He said still gasping for air slightly.
"I'll go get you a cup of water. Are you okay?" I cautiously asked.
"Uh yeah it was just a dream. Thanks " He quickly replied, still having trouble breathing.

I popped up from the bed and quickly walked to the stairs. I slipped my sneakers off and grabbed them by the laces before starting down the wood stairs. My goal was to not wake up everyone. As I reached the bottom stair, and pivoted my body, I could see the top of chris's body, over the island. I took my opportunity and slid across the hard wood floor. I slammed my bottom ribs into the edge of the island, getting slightly winded. Chris turned around and I was slightly taken back by his appearance.

Chris had black hair the was shaved on one side, and the shaved half was died royal purple. He had three lip piercings, and the start of a new tattoo. From the back all I saw was a guy with black hair wearing a black sweatshirt. Looking closer at Chris's eyes that were staring at me, he had thick eye liner rimming them and thin little eye brows drawn on. His eyebrows were straighter then I am.

"Hey um so I'm Josh. You can call me Balz. I'm Ryans friend. Don't worry I snuck through the window." I said suddenly remembering that I had to grab a glass of water for Ghost.
"Okay uh well I'm Chris. I'm Ghosts older step-brother" he said carefully, as if he didn't know if he should trust me
"Hey Chris can you grab me a glass off the top shelf in the cabinet you're right in front of." He was obviously taller than me and asking him to get the cup would keep me from having to stand on the counter.
"Mmhmm. Any one of them" he questioned opening the cabinet door.
"Yeah then just toss it to me" I said, ribs still aching. I dropped my shoes on the bar stool that was tucked under the island.
"Here" Chris said handing me one of the black and white speckled glasses.
I took the glass and then swung open the fridge, putting the glass under the water button thing.
"Come with me" I said, Chris looked slightly taken back by my tone. He looked at me like he wanted me to explain.
"Your brother is hyperventilating upstairs. The waters for him. Hurry the fuck up." I said the last part cautiously. His jaw dropped and he sprinted past me. He reached the stairs and started taking them two at a time.

I sprinted after him but as as I reached the top of the stairs, Ryan popped out of no where with a towel wrapped around his waist. I almost crashed into him and dropped the glass if I had not stopped in the speed of light. Ryan then dissappeared into his bed room as I ran to the guest room
to give Ghost the water. As I quickly pushed the door open, I saw Chris sitting there holding the half naked Ghost. I cautiously opened the door the rest of the way. I placed the cup on the bedside table and mouthed to Chris who was staring at me, 'Whats wrong'. He stood up and laid Ghost down on the bed.

"Balz...it's not my place to tell you this but Ghost is just scared of what you think of him." Chris said, sounding like he wanted to sink into oblivion.

"What! Why? No he's cool and stuff! Why would I not like him!?" I huffed out, not knowing exactly I should take the accusation.

"Okay well Um...Uhh....so Ghost is a guy...like he has a dick...but he likes to dress like a girl sometimes. Not exactly a drag queen. He isn't transgender. He's something else...Please don't hate him or me for this. I'm sorry that you had to get involved in this" Chris huffed out in almost one breath.
"DUDE its cool. He's pretty hot as a human in general don't worry about it though. The secrets safe" I said with more excitement then I should've.

Thanks for reading. This chapters for my friend amber. So long and goodnight. Mama destroya signing off.