The grey stone skipped across the surface of the pond.

"Dangit."

Zac watched as it sunk under on the 6th skip.

Picking up another rock, he threw it harder this time, but to his dismay, noticed that force was no way to do anything. The rock plunked loudly then cast it's way to the bottom.

"This is useless."

He picked up a handful of rocks and chucked them as hard as he could across the water.

"Damn things."

He turned away from the pond, his hands jammed tightly in his pockets.

Scuffing the dirt under his feet he stood for a moment, looking at the scene in front of him.

Trees were everywhere. Big green dark looking trees. The kind that had been here for a long time, you could tell. All around them on the ground lay layers and layers of dead leaves and twigs. Here and there a bush popped up, a small patch of foliage.

He and his brothers had come here quite often, of course that was the old days. A time where they knew how to have fun with each other. A time where they knew…or at least thought they knew, nothing would split them.

Then came along this girl, quite addicting to all three and she was only supposed to 'belong' to Taylor. How cheap does that sound. Sounds like she's some sort of object, like a rat in a trap.

In either relevance, she managed somehow to get in between them. At the time, seemingly impossible. Taylor had only been 16, Isaac 18, Zac was even then only 13. So then how can some girl twist a few of the most important people in your lives to the most disliked and unwanted?

Simple.

Jealousy kills everything.

It wasn't just that though. No, there were other things. Things that had their place, too. But Zac now being 15, and 16 in 4 months, there had to have been a lot of things in between then and now to cause so much distress.

Zac glanced up at the high limbs, a lock of hair dropped from behind his ear, causing him to pull his hand out of his pocket to fix it.

"Damn hair. Should have cut this crap a long time ago."

He looked once more around then started up a slope heading home.

The quote un quote forest he was now in was merely a extremely large grove of trees. In the middle sat a little piddly-dink pond that was only there about 4 months of the year. The trees had stood in Tulsa for ages, something like that big forest over in Germany. What was that called? Oh well he thought. All he knew is it was big, and it was a big part of his history, just as was the forest over in good old Deutschland.

He figured this would be, at the very least, close to the last time he came here. It held to many things, significant things, memories, and happiness, things that always stayed with places like that. So he decided that it would be best if he forgot it (little to his discomfort however, you don't forget things like that.) and picked some new place to think. A new thinking spot where it was his. Not Taylor's, not Isaac's. His.

He strolled up the path towards the fence and stopped once more.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he sighed.

"One hell of a loss."

Jogging the last few steps to the tall chainlink, he jumped, making it halfway and climbing the rest up. Throwing his legs over he dropped to the other side.

"By ol buddy."

Zac tipped a pretend hat and turned around, walking across the large patch of green grass they called a park.

He walked to a pay phone that stood on the wall of a gas station across the street, and held it. Pulling out a calling card he punched in the numbers.

He traced lines on the wall with his fingers while the phone rang on.

"Kate! Hey."

The girl at the other end gave a loud laugh.

"I told mom you were going to call me any minute now for that ride."

She chuckled on one and, while Zac smiled on the other.

"Well? Can I have it then?"

"Sure kid. That'll be 5 bucks."

"Very funny."

"Yeah, I'll be there in a few, you at the park?"

"Mmmhmm. Where you left me this morning."

"So you did stay there all morning?"

"No Kate, I went home, then came back, and am now asking you for a ride."

"I'll be there in 5 alright?"

"Yup."

The two hung up the phone.

Leaning against the brick wall, Zac pulled out his wallet.

"Ooo, money!"

He let out a surprised remark and reached in for the 10 dollar bill.

"Dr. Pepper here I come."

Taylor slammed the door to the washing machine shut, receiving several wary glances from other laundromat occupants.

"What?"

He looked at them all with an irritated look.

Pulling open a dryer, he shoved the load of laundry in.

Noticing one of his socks was a foggy blue color, he picked it up, holding it in front of his face.

"I don't have socks this color."

He quizically stared at it for a moment.

"That's because you put all your darks in with your whites you nimrod."

Taylor frowned.

"Really? I didn't know it would do that."

"To many years of mommy doing your laundry Tay. Way too many."

He flashed his friend a scowl and stuffed the rest of the wet clothing in the dryer.

Putting three quarters in, he slammed that door too, then walked to on of the uncomfortable plastic chairs they had in these places.

"Don't be in such a pisser dude. It'll get better."

"Brent, listen to me. My mother says she doesn't want to speak to me, I have no job, when I left, my sister claimed my dog as hers, my roomate just moved out, and I'm single. The next thing I know I'll run out of quarters and I'll have to hang my wet 'laundromat cleaned' laundry in my living room furnished with one of those plastic lawn chairs."

Brent smilled plainly.

"Like I said, it'll get better. It sure as hell can't get worse."

Brent smiled.

"Thanks bud, that was the greatest pep talk I've heard."

"Hey, what can I say Tay, it's my calling."

"Don't quite your day job."

Brent tapped his fingers on the edges of the chair.

"What about asking Zac for some temporary cash?"

Taylor rolled his eyes.

"Zac? What planet do you come from Brent, hellooooo, knock knock, anyone in there?"

"Yeah Zac. I'm right here dude, I think you should ask him."

"Oh yeah. And tell me to kiss his ass, then drown myself in 2 table spoons of bleach? I don't think so."

"So go to your mom's place while she's not there. Your bigger then him."

"Oh yeah. Let's play a game Brent, we'll find out if we can make Zac hate his brothers anymore! Besides. Zac's bulked out. It wouldn't be so easy to just take it."

"When was the last time you talked to him anyway?"

Taylor sat a moment in thought.

"Let's see, it's now July….2 months ago."

"Mmm. Ike?"

Taylor shook his head.

"The day before he moved out."

Brent sighed.

"Taylor that was 8 months ago."

"You think I don't know that? Fuck I don't."

"Don't snap at me Taylor."

Taylor sighed and leaned back in his chair. Brent had to be the one person he didn't bitch at.

"Like I said, I realize I haven't talked to him, Okay?"

"Yeah sure. "

"Don't tell me I should either."

"You should."

"What's your reason. Everyone else says it's cause I'm his brother. Zac said…"

"I thought you haven't talked to Zac."

"I used to fuckin' live with…. "

Brent spun in his seat.

"Don't snap at me Taylor."

Taylor stood up.

"Fine! Screw this conversation then! It's over.

He stormed out the door to Brent's car, climbing in and sulking in the passengers seat.

---

"Thanks for dinner."

Tammy glanced up from her spaghetti.

"No prob bud."

Isaac forked in another mouth full and chewed quietly.

"You don't look so good bud."

"Would you."

"Probably not."

Isaac shook his head.

"This school thing is just killing me. Really. I come home every day and forget to eat."

Tammy reached across the table and combed his hair with her fingers.

"Look. Maybe what you need is a break? Like, you and me should just take off for a week, leave it all behind."

"There's consequences to that."

"I know there is babe. I know it too. But still."

Isaac shook his head.

"I can't. I took these summer courses for a reason, I gotta finish them."

She rested her fork on the edge of her plate.

"Well. Do what you want. I'm always here you know that. If you decide we should go somewhere… "

"I'll let you know."

She smiled.

"So, how did I do?"

"He grinned and shoved a mouthful of salad into his mouth."

"Perfect."

She giggled.

He chewed and swallowed.

"I have to run to my mom's house tomorrow, she said she had some stuff she wanted me to move. I think it has to do with Avery's room. Something like that. She said she'd do dinner if we went. "

"That was nice of her. So what time do you want to go over then?"

"I don't know yet. She said she'd call me when Zac left."

"Okay. I'll make desert?"

Isaac laughed.

"Mom said she'd do it."

---

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