Missing in Action

Chapter 010

They ended up being asked to stay in for the night, although with the promise that as long as they brought sufficient security and stayed on the nicer parts of town, sightseeing was in the program for the next day. With it being an unusually warm evening for the season, the four boys had decided that fresh air and fewer security cameras sounded like a treat and retreated to the garden where waiters set them up in a pavilion with refreshments and the bodyguards stayed far enough away to be unobtrusive. Out of hearing range, so long as they didn't raise their voices, but well within sight.

Jon had been rambling away about something inane, but had broken off a few seconds ago, leaving the four of them in comfortable silence to sip their lemonade and nip at their fruits and chocolates as darkness began to fall. "It really is nice out here," Ryan finally stated when the silence started to feel a little oppressive. It was odd. He had never been the type to need talk or noise around him to be comfortable, but here, in this role, he needed it. Not only did silence leave him too vulnerable to his own thoughts, but he also seemed to get nervous when it was silent for too long. Especially with the too-thoughtful looks Spencer had been giving an abundance of lately. With a conversation going, even if he was heading it, somehow it still felt like he was under less scrutiny. When there was no response beyond nods and relaxed hums, Ryan took a deep gulp of the lemonade, thinking hard for a moment to pick out a subject. "Okay," he said after a moment. "Something fun... state a random fact about yourself that none of the others know about, how about that?"

Jon, who had suddenly gotten rather pale, stuffed apiece of fruit into his mouth so that he wouldn't have to answer rightaway. Of course, since Spencer and Brendon were both nodding andchewing their lips in deep thought, it didn't matter how long he tookto chew and swallow; he was still the only one who looked like he hadan answer. Clearing his throat, Jon sat forward and leaned his elbowson the table. "Alright," he said, rather quietly, and kept his eyesfirmly locked with Spencer's. "I'm just saying this because you guysalways want to know more about my parents and shit, so listen up." Jonpaused, considering what he was about to say, and then pressed forward."Well, I haven't lived with-- or even heard of-- my parents for years.I don't even remember them very well. I've lived with my grandparentsfor most of my life." The silence that followed made him smile. "It'snot a very big deal," he shrugged.

Spencer, rather than make Jon feel worse-- if he did feel bad about not knowing his parents at all-- jumped in. "Well, umm... I've seen Jon naked!" he announced, grinning at Jon's gasp and Brendon and Ryan's laughter. He chuckled a bit himself, patting Jon's arm and glad to see that some of the tension had dissolved. "But seriously, uh... I don't really have many secrets except that... I never really wanted to follow in my father's footsteps. I mean, I would do anything for Brendon, and I will join his council if he ever asked me, but it was never my first career choice." He bit his lip, almost afraid to see Brendon's reaction to the news. When he heard his best friend's voice, though, he was relieved that he didn't sound angry.

"I think you should do whatever you choose, Spencer," Brendon said, smiling. "We're pathetic, you know," he said, smirking, now. "Not telling each other these things. Really, now. We've known each other for far too long to be keeping secrets." Of course, in saying this, Brendon was being more than a tad hypocritical. He looked at Ryan and raised an eyebrow. "What about you?" he asked, trying to get out of telling them anything-- or at least have time to think of something unimportant.

And suddenly Ryan had to mentally slap himself. How could he have thrown a challenge like that out without preparing for it to come back and bite him in the ass? He bit his lip, thinking hard. He didn't want it to be a lie for some reason. That would just feel pretty much completely wrong. But that left him with the challenge of finding something from his own life that sounded like it might be true for Ryan Hastings as well. Which meant something of no consequence. He searched his memory for a few moments before stumbling across something that made him wince and nearly laugh out loud at the same time. "Okay... less sentimentality, more fun," he stated with a lopsided grin. "Hmm, well, back home, when I was young, the summer before I turned eight, I think, I spent a lot of time at my neighbours'. They had two daughters, one was my age and my best friend and another thing that made it attractive was the fact that while my parents never seemed to really be around, their mum was always there and really doted on us.