"Do you girls want a ride or you going to meet me there?" I asked turning to look at them.

"Go to your favorite place for a little while. We'll come get you when moms' got dinner ready, okay?" Teia said giving me a sad smile. Nodding, I said "thanks. I'll see you guys later." As they turned to walk towards Koras' car, I heard Teia telling her about my favorite spot. Before I could turn and head to my truck, I heard "so, you're leaving again without a word." Closing my eyes for a second, I took a deep breath and turned to face Fay as he leaned against the tail gate of my pick up.

"I didn't realize I needed to tell you where I'm going. It's not like we're dating or anything. Last I checked, you were seen in front of the entire school orally fucking Caroline in the cafeteria not half an hour ago. So, sorry if I don't think I need to tell you where I'm going" I said pulling my emotionless mask into place so that even he couldn't read me.

"Don't do that. You know I prefer girls. So, why make it feel like you're mad at me for cheating when we're not even dating or anything. Besides, I didn't come out here to talk about that. I want to know what is going on with you, why are you acting so different?" he asked standing up to walk over to me.

"Why am I acting different? You find out I'm gay and the next day you immediately have a girlfriend. And somehow you don't link the two together? How can you not figure out those two things are related? Were you so focused on sucking face with her that you didn't use your brain for anything else? Como no puedes verlo tu eres razon por la que estoy actuando diferente" I yelled before storming passed him and climbing into my truck. Tears streamed down my face as I peeled out of the parking lot heading for my favorite place. Reaching the cliff, I climbed out of my truck and marched up to the edge before plopping down on the ground, hugging my knees to my chest, and crying my eyes out for the second time in two days. A few seconds passed before my phone rang "Friends Don't” by Maddie and Tae telling me Teia was calling. Answering the phone, I immediately heard Koras' voice "are you okay? I felt your anger and distress as we left the school. What happened?" Sobbing, I took a shaky breath and said "after you guys walked away, I was confronted by Fay leaning against my truck. He wanted to know why I was acting different and I got mad that he couldn't figure it out. So, I yelled at him getting so mad I switched to Spanish at the end before storming to my truck and peeling out of the lot."

"Do you want us to come get you?" she asked gently.

"Nah, I just need some time. Come get me when dinner is ready as planned" I said taking another shaky breath.

"Okay, call if you need us. Even if it's just for more group hugs" she said comfortingly.

"Thanks, I'll do that" I said before hanging up the phone. As I sat there contemplating my life and trying to decide whether or not to continue with this stupid crush or force myself to move on an unexpected voice came from behind me.

"Please tell me you're not contemplating jumping?" My step dad said from somewhere behind me. He'd been married to our mom since Teia was one and I was two after both their original mates died. So, we both just know him as our dad even though we understand that he's not biologically our dad.

"I'm not but how did you find me?" I asked confused as I turned to look at him. Chuckling, he said "well, there is a GPS locator in your truck but as it turns out all I had to do was ask your sister since she was really worried about you."

"Oh, I take it Kora is comforting her at the moment so you volunteered to come get me" I said turning back to look at the view.

"Yes and no. I did volunteer but because I too am worried about you not because someone needed to come find you. Your sister told us everything and I wanted to make sure you're working through it the right way" he said gently before taking a seat beside me. Rolling up my sleeves, I showed him my forearms and said "if by right you mean getting angry instead of hurting myself, then I guess yeah. I actually yelled at him dad. I've never done that before. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you kiddo. Your feelings are so strong that it physically hurts to know he's with someone else and that makes you angry. Then he starts questioning you about why you changed all of a sudden and that only makes you more angry. I understand, trust me I'd be the exact same if I'd ever had a thing for Emanuel" dad said pulling me into a side hug as he tried to comfort me. Switching to Spanish, I said "lo amo, como realmente lo amo papa."

"Hmmm... Tal vez ustedes realmente son companeros como su madre y yo habiamos sospechado" he said thoughtfully.

"No papa, no creo que podamos. Nunca he visto su marca a pesar de que lo he visto casi desnudo varias veces" I said as another tear escaped. Wiping my tear from my cheek, he gently said "y si esta escondido como el tuyo, hijo?"

"Es posible, pero de verdad crees que somos amigos, papa? Sera por eso que duele tanto?" I sniffled looking up at my dad as a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"No lo se, hijo, pero eso explicaria tus fuertes sentimientos por el" he shrugged as another voice joined us from behind.

"No importa lo que pase con Fay, todavia te amamos mi bebe" mom said coming to sit on the opposite side of me.

"Mami, como nos encontraste y por que estas aqui? Donde estan las chicas?" I asked my mother as she wrapped an arm around me as well. Switching back to English, she answered "I came because I was worried and I heard when your sister was telling your father where you were. The girls are still at home, warding off an unwanted visitor for now. I know you're not ready to talk to him after blowing up on him just a little while ago and so do the girls. So, they're running interference and I've already rerouted the GPS on your phone to read that you're in your room for now."

"Gracias mami. Sorry, you're right I'm not ready to talk to him. I thought I was ready to talk to him about yesterday when I got to school this morning and then I saw him with his new floozie. It broke my heart and made me mad all at the same time. So, I ignored him most of the day. Then when lunch time came, he confronted me about it as I was getting ready to head to the cafeteria. Luckily, Teia intervened and I got out of talking to him when I was getting really angry and emotional. Then he was sucking face with the harlot in the cafeteria and the girls tried to shield me from it but it's like I could feel what he was doing. I'd seen it before and even felt it at times but never to this extent. It physically hurt and Kora could tell. She gave me an out and I took it hiding on top the gym until she and Teia came to find me. As we were leaving school, the girls had just walked off towards Koras' car and Fay spoke when they were out of ear shot before I turned to see him leaning against my truck. He wanted to know why I was acting different and I yelled at him for not putting two and two together to come up with four. I was so angry and upset that Kora felt it even at a distance. I know he’s worried but I'm still angry with him" I told them about everything that happened today that had me on the brink of a depressive episode as my phone began ringing “Man of Steel” by Brantley Gilbert which is his set ringtone. Hitting the end button, I switched my phone off before asking “you both have your phones in case the girls need us right?” Chuckling, mom said “of course sweetie, not that I’d actually need that you know.”

“Yeah, sorry I’m not exactly thinking straight right now” I said looking at the now silent device resting in my palm.

“You know you are going to have to talk to him eventually right?” dad asked nudging my shoulder.

“I know but I’m not ready. I was barely ready to talk about yesterday this morning and then he really screwed that one up. Now I’m not ready to talk about either incident. I’d rather not talk at all the rest of the night but I still want to get to know Kora. So, I’ll participate in that. Maybe we should just have Teia teleport the two of them and dinner here since Kora would eventually learn about this place” I said glancing between my parents who just nodded before mom said “they’re on their way and I told them to be sure to cover their scent to keep from being tracked since it’s harder but not impossible to track teleportation.” A few seconds later, we heard a popping sound and Kora say “well, that’s certainly a new way to travel” before Teia giggled and said “yeah, we don’t do it often but tonight’s a special case though.” Turning around, we watched them walk towards the edge of the cliff before mom and dad got up to help set up the picnic style dinner while Kora came over to talk to me.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked sitting down next to me.

“No, but talking to mom and dad helped some. I hate conflict and even more so when I’m involved. I think this is maybe the fourth time Fay and I have fought about anything in the twelve years we’ve known each other. But it hurts more this time than any other fight we’ve had and I don’t know why” I shrugged as yet more tears escaped my eyes.

“I’m glad they helped some and I don’t know about you guys being mates but it might be possible. I know I feel a lot more for Teia than I do for anyone else and it’s been happening since I met her. She told me you were, in her words, ‘a lover not a fighter until he’s pissed then watch out’.” she laughed at the odd expression Teia had used as she reached up to wipe my tears away.

“Yeah, she comes up with the weirdest sayings but she’s not wrong. I may not look it but I have three black belts each in a different discipline” I shrugged wiping my eyes.

“Oh, that’s scary. I’ll try my hardest not to piss you off then” she laughed again.

“No worries, even if you do, I won’t use them on family. It’s mainly for self defense since I look weaker than I actually am” I chuckled as mom called out “kids, come eat.”

“Si mama, ya vengo” I called back as Kora gave me a funny look. Standing up, I extended a hand to her and said “our family speaks our native Spanish when we’re home mostly because it’s comfortable. Though, what Fay said about me earlier is usually true too. I usually only speak Spanish when I’m home, really upset, or want to have a semi private conversation with Teia and now you.”

“Oh, okay. Teia said you speak fluent French too, why is that?” she asked as we walked over to the blanket where the rest of our family was seated. Taking a seat, I said “Fay is a Louisianna native and speaks fluent French. Sometimes he doesn’t realize he’s doing it. So, I learned to be able to follow when he was talking to me.”

“You say he’s a native like you all aren’t?” she posed the question as a statement but we all knew what she was asking.

“We moved to Louisianna about twelve years ago after their father and I got transferred here for work” mom said as she dished out plates of food.

“Technically dear, I'm their step father but since Maria and I have been married since they were one and two respectively, they just know me as their dad. They've known the truth for a few years now but that doesn't change anything for us” dad smiled as he looked around the blanket.

“Oh, so where are you all from originally?” Kora asked accepting a plate of food.

“California. Are you a native or did you move here from elsewhere?” Teia asked curious about her mate.

“Actually, I’m a transplant too. I moved here to live with my grandparents after my parents died in a plane crash when I was three. I’m originally from Georgia” she smiled before taking a bite of her food.