‘You wanna tell me what the hell that movie was supposed to be?’ Baekhyun asked on the way home from Chanyeol’s that evening.

‘Who knows?’ Sehun relied. ‘Chanyeol says Stanley Kubrick is the greatest director of all time and his movies are required viewing, even the bad ones.’

‘Huh.’ Baekhyun thought about it for a moment. ‘People in L.A. are clearly bizarre.’

‘Can’t argue with that,’ Sehun agreed. And Baekhyun doesn’t even know about the vampires! He reminded himself.

The image of Yuri’s face leaped into Sehun’s mind, and he shoved it away. He’d got used to doing that since he met her. But it was harder than usual today, because of the memory of the kiss that didn’t happen.

‘Hey, when did you leave Michigan?’ he asked, forcing his mind away from Yuri. ‘Why didn’t you call me before you turned up?’

‘I did,’ Baekhyun said. ‘I thought you Californians all had your cell phones surgically attached to your hands, but you didn’t even pick up.’

Sehun took the turn through the tall iron gates of DeVere Heights. ‘When did you call?’

‘Just yesterday,’ Baekhyun said. ‘Thought I’d give you a heads up, but when you didn’t answer I figured I’d just surprise you.’

I can’t believe it, Sehun thought. Baekhyun was the one who called when I was about to kiss Yuri. Somehow, it always seemed to come back to Yuri. ‘I didn’t recognised the number. It wasn’t the Frazer area code.’

‘Yeah, I got a new cell,’ Baekhyun told him. ‘It’s from where my mom lives now, in Chicago.’

‘You’ve been staying with your mom?’ Sehun asked, surprised.

‘Nah. I went to see her a couple of months ago, but she was mostly busy with her new boyfriend.’ Baekhyun drummed his fingers nervously on his lap, and Sehun could hear the bitterness in his voice. Baekhyun still hadn’t forgiven his mom for leaving. ‘But hey, she sprang for a brand-new phone and I don’t have to pay the bills. So it’s all good.’

Sehun didn’t know what to say. Obviously it wasn’t all good. But they were Baekhyun’s issues to deal with, and he didn’t want to make things any harder on his old friend.

Baekhyun let out a long sigh and leaned his head back against the seat.

‘How long have you been on the road?’ Sehun asked. ‘It must’ve taken days to get here.’

‘Only two days,’ Baekhyun said. ‘I got lucky. Guess I don’t look so much like a serial killer that people won’t pick me up.’

‘You look more like a serial killer than usual,’ Sehun told him with a grin. ‘I know Coach Salzman isn’t letting you in the pool with that hair.’

‘Nah, I quit the team,’ Baekhyun said.’ The relay was lame without you, anyway.’

Sehun was too surprised to answer. He and Baekhyun had been on the swim team together since seventh grade. He’d known things were kinda bad with Baekhyun lately, but he’d never thought the guy would change that much.

Although… Sehun couldn’t stop himself from thinking about what happened the last time he saw his friend. When the Ohs had left Frazer, Baekhyun had been pretty messed up.

‘I know what you’re thinking,’ Baekhyun said.

‘What are you, psychic now?’ Sehun joked.

‘No, I just know you. You’re thinking about what happened,’ Baekhyun said. ‘At your going-away party.’

‘Yeah.’ Sehun slowed as they approached his street. ‘Well…’

‘Look, I screwed up,’ Baekhyun said. ‘I know I did. But I didn’t think… I mean, I thought I could still show up and you’d be happy to see me. Am I wrong?’

‘Of course you’re not wrong,’ Sehun replied. ‘But you took my car, man! You went joy-riding in my car while you were stoned. You could’ve totalled it – or, even worse, yourself or somebody else.’

‘I know, but I didn’t,’ Baekhyun said. ‘I’m fine, the car was fine, and nobody else got hurt. It was a stupid thing to do and it will never happen again. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ Sehun replied, feeling relieved to have got that little issue of his chest and sorted out.

He pulled to a stop in the driveway and turned off the engine. The house glowed welcomingly in front of them, its lights shining brightly against the dark November sky. Luna paced back and forth on the porch, talking on her cell phone. None of them got very good reception inside.

‘This is it. Mi casa es su casa and all that,’ Sehun said with a smile.

Baekhyun reached for the car door handle, then hesitated. ‘I just want you to know… I don’t hang with those guys anymore – the ones I brought to your party. And as for the drugs? Well, let’s just say that I could be on one of those public service commercials being all “my life is perfect now that I’m clean”.’

Sehun laughed, but he had a hunch his friend’s life was far from perfect. He knew Baekhyun wouldn’t have shown up in Malibu without a single change of clothes otherwise. He couldn’t help wondering if Baekhyun was hiding something.

‘Holy cow, is that Luna Who Smells?’ Baekhyun suddenly bellowed. He bolted from the car and rushed towards the house.

‘Oh my god!’ Sehun heard Luna squeal. ‘Sunny, gotta go.’ She hung up her cell and flung her arms around Baekhyun. ‘Baek the Byun!’

Sehun laughed as he headed up the driveway. Luna and Baekhyun had given each other nicknames when they were all little kids. Baekhyun picked Luna up and spun her around, and Luna laughed like a maniac. Sehun knew Baekhyun had been her very first crush when she was little. And though she had grown out of that, she still looked psyched to see him again. He was kind of like a second big brother to her, and Baekhyun had always treated her like his kid sister.

He’s probably missed the whole family since we’ve moved, Sehun realized as he watched them. After his parents’ divorce, Baekhyun spent a lot more time at the Ohs’ house. They were more of a family to him than his real one. So it made sense that he’d want to come to them for Thanksgiving. Maybe it was as simple as that, Sehun thought, running up to the porch to join Baekhyun and Luna.  Maybe Baekhyun didn’t have anything to hide at all.

Maybe.

*Note – Sehun finding out he got ed by Baekhyun! Mwahaha! Gold!
Poor Baekhyun is from a totally broken family.