Bentley groaned when he heard someone banging on his bedroom door. It had to be five in the morning. The house had better had been burning down at this point for anyone to feel the need to disturb his slumber. The banging sounded again, and Bentley rolled onto his back, pulling the covers higher over his body.

“Who is it?”

The doorknob turned and Mr. Edwards stuck his head inside the room. He was wearing his coveralls for work and a dark ball cap. “It’s move out day. You asked me to wake you up at nine. I did. You went back to sleep.”

Bentley let his head fall back against the pillow. How was it past 9:00 in the morning? It felt like he’d just gone to sleep. “What time is it now?”

“Half past ten.” Matthew stepped into the room. “Kit and those sibling friends of yours just came in. I’m leaving for the shop. Make sure you don’t forget anything. I don’t want you to have an excuse to keep showing up.”

“I don’t need an excuse to keep showing up,” Bentley said. He sat up and stretched. “I’ll be crashing over every once in a while. I know you’ll miss my company.”

Matthew deadpanned before turning to leave. “Don’t break anything.”

“Wait!” Bentley got up, tossing the covers away and hopping out of bed. He approached Matthew at the door and humbled himself.

“I feel like I never really got to tell you how grateful I am for all of this, Pops. You didn’t have to be so kind to take me in, and once you did, you didn’t have to spend time with me and teach me so many things. I’m never going to forget this. Thanks.”

Matthew nodded to him for a moment, and finally, he replied, “I don’t know how serious I can take this until you put some pants on, son.”

Bentley looked down at his emoji boxers before smiling.

“I will miss you around here, though. Behave yourself on your own. Remember the things we talked about,” Matthew told him.

Bentley nodded. “I will, Sir.”

They shared a respectable handshake and Mr. Edwards was on his way. 

After he left, Bentley looked around on the air mattress for his cell. On the screen was a missed call from Kit, his mother, and a string of text messages and various social media notifications. Bentley wondered how he slept through all of it. Sure, yesterday was his first official day back at the ramps, and he did work hard in the gym, but he didn’t think it was enough to make him feel so exhausted.

He turned around and pulled on his sweats one leg at a time as Kit, Noah, and Jonah barged into his makeshift bedroom. Jonah grinned at him, approaching and wrapping Bentley in a hug before he could even pull his pants up all the way.

“Benny! Oh, how I’ve missed thee.”

“You saw me Thursday,” Bentley teased, pushing his friend away. He got enough room to pull his sweat pants up and smiled at Kit; his gorgeous boyfriend in short cut jean overalls with a bright yellow t-shirt underneath. His Converse sneakers were brand-new. He looked way too cute to be helping someone move into their apartment.

“Hey,” Bentley said.

Kit winked at him. “I see you’re ready to seize the day…”

Noah cleared his throat. “What – am I invisible?”

Bentley smiled. “Sorry. Hello, Noah. How are you?”

“I had plans today,” Noah said. “I was supposed to hang out with my girlfriend. I do have a life, contrary to popular belief, but because I’m a fantastic friend, I sacrificed that time to come and help you. But, I was under the assumption that you’d be packed already. Why would I think that?” Noah gestured around Bentley’s very messy bedroom, highlighting the fact that not a thing had been put into a box. “Why would you be ready by the time we got here so we can get this show on the road? Why would I be so naïve?”

Jonah smirked at his little brother as he waited for the end of his rant. “Are you done?”

Kit smiled.

“Just because you have nothing better to do doesn’t mean I don’t, Jonah.” Noah turned to Kit. “You’re on my side, right roomie?”

Kit nodded. “Actually, I am. Bentley should’ve been packed already. He knew that we were coming at 10:30…”

Bentley couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh, please. Has anyone actually ever met Noah’s girlfriend?”

Jonah shook his head. “I sure as hell haven’t. I don’t think she’s real.”

“She’s real.”

“She better be,” Kit answered. “I’ve been hanging out at the library instead of going back to the dorm because you’ve needed alone time.”

Bentley scoffed. “Alone time to jerk off.”

“I have a girlfriend!”

“What’s her name?” Jonah asked. “Where’s she from?”

Noah hesitated. He crossed his arms once more. “Why am I getting the third degree? When she and I are ready to tell people, we will. Until then, maybe Bentley should pack so we can get this over with.”

Kit chuckled a little at the looks of disbelief Bentley and Jonah were giving Noah. “Okay, okay. Seriously, Bentley – you need to pack. I’m going to go in my room and watch TV in the meantime.”

“I’ll join you,” Noah said.

Bentley pouted, pulling his shirt on and rushing to stop Kit before he could leave. “Wait… wait…do I get a kiss?”

Kit kissed his cheek and smirked at the unamused look it earned him. Bentley wasn’t pleased. “When you’re done, and when you’ve brushed your teeth, I’ll kiss you,” he trailed off until Noah wandered off down the hall, “wherever you want…”

Bentley’s eyes went wide. He bit his lip and nodded, slapping Kit on the ass before letting him go. “Deal.”

Kit smiled before disappearing to his room with Noah. Jonah shook his head, obviously entertained.

“Oh, Benny. I don’t know what to do with you, bro.”

Benny grabbed a bag to start tossing clothes into. “Whatsoever do you mean, JoJo?”

His friend only smiled for a moment, but eventually, he pushed his green hair to the right side and shrugged. “You’re whipped. You’ve been dating, what? Thirteen minutes?”

“Twenty-seven days,” Bentley answered. “And Bella had you writing her English papers before you two even got together. You’re not one to judge about me being whipped.”

Jonah nodded, in no rush to deny that. “You’re right. I’m so whipped, I know what whipped looks like from a mile away. You bought a new car to impress him. I’m not on that level.”

“Actually.” Bentley gathered all his jeans and tossed them into the bag. “I bought a new car because I wanted a car.”

Jonah nodded. “Yeah. Sure. Can you seriously afford a Bentley? Maybe I need to learn how to do BMX or something. Shit. That car is a fucking beaut. Where are you even parking it around here? This is Carson.”

“Trust me. I know.” Bentley reached for a pair of Adidas and returned them to their box. “I parked in Uncle Don’s garage. I can afford it for now, but I’m definitely going to need some more bank just to feel secure. Kit’s dad reminded me a few extra digits in the bank mean nothing. He made me watch a documentary on MC Hammer and Mickey Rooney. That can be gone in the blink of an eye and I definitely don’t want to be in debt.”

“What are you going to do?” Jonah asked. He started to help by folding up the cover on Bentley’s air mattress.

Bentley stood up and shook his head. “Bae actually designed merch for my brand. We’re going to have that up and running soonish. And I’m going to get my name out there through interviews so I can make money on the side until competition season rolls back around.” He stretched a bit. “I can’t believe Davidson had me dropped from XCM.”

Jonah nodded. “I know man. He’ll get his. And Kit showed us the merch designs. Can’t wait to help you guys promote it. About these interviews…”

Bentley cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’ve agreed to go on Sami Perez Live this week. I’ll talk about the release of the merch, drag Victor Davidson for filth, and discuss the web series I’ll be doing for YouTube. The more hits, the more revenue.”

Jonah rubbed his chin. “Sounds foolproof, but knowing Sami Perez, she just wants you to talk about your relationship. I doubt she’d care about BMX.”

“True, but the show is live. I’ll just get it to segue into a conversation about my career.” Bentley picked up the blanket and thought to put it in the wash before returning it to Mr. Edwards. There may’ve been a time or two where he let his hands roam underneath the cover while Kit said very nasty things to him on the phone, and he didn’t want it to be left that way. Fuck. Maybe he’d just take it with him. He tossed it into a box. “Kit isn’t a big Sami Perez fan, but I already agreed to go on the show. Hopefully he’ll see the vision.”

Jonah nodded. “Maybe until then, slow down on being a baller?”

Bentley laughed. “I swear I haven’t done anything crazy beside the car purchase. You people can calm down!”

“That’s how it starts. Then you’re owing millions in taxes and listening to Can’t Touch This.”

He shook his head. “Whatever. I’m going to get dressed and we can head over to my mom’s place. I don’t have a lot to pick up from there, but my PlayStation misses me a lot. I miss it, too.”

“We are spending the night at your new place tonight, right?” Jonah asked. “Frankie won’t mind.”

Bentley thought for a moment. “Kit and I are probably going to be loud. As long as you don’t mind that.”

Jonah laughed. “Get some, bro.”

??

They got to Bentley’s childhood home in Santa Barbara around 12:45. Mrs. Williams and Ariel met the four boys at the door, and Bentley hugged and kissed his mom hello as well as he could as he clutched Kit’s hand in his. The sight made Kit smile proudly. He was happy that things could turn around for them.

Ariel nudged Bentley in the forehead, hugged Kit, laughed when Jonah bear hugged her, and then politely said hello to Noah. Noah nodded to her and waved before stepping inside the home. Kit looked away from them and shrugged.

It was hard to believe he had a girlfriend. The poor kid was so awkward.

“I keep telling you that you don’t have to move into some fancy Santa Monica condo. You’re more than welcome to move back here with us.”

Bentley smiled at his mother. “Thanks again for the offer, but I’m a man now. I can’t let you take care of me forever.”

“You’re 19,” Ariel said. “Calm down.”

“She’s right,” Clarissa added.

Bentley looked at Kit and shook his head. “I’m good for now.”

“Would you fellas like anything to drink?” she continued.

“Lemonade if you have,” Jonah said.

Noah stuffed his hands into his pocket and mumbled, “Same.”

“I’ll take a glass of water, please.” Kit walked a little farther into the home and was in awe. It was an absolutely stunning Georgian Colonial home with mid-century modern inside. Bentley’s parents must’ve worked hard for this place, because it definitely showed. As Kit walked in and looked around, he smiled at the artwork on the wall. “What a lovely home. I can’t believe you ran away from here.”

Ariel laughed softly. “Spoiler alert: you’re dating an idiot.”

“Don’t you have a … gee, I don’t know, a life? Get out of here.” Bentley tossed a sofa pillow in her direction, but Noah caught it. Ariel stuck her tongue out.

Kit laughed at them. “Well, it’s lovely nonetheless.”

Jonah went to sit on the couch, spotting two large decorative boxes on the coffee table. “What’re these?”

Ariel smiled. “Oh, yeah. I promised Kit I’d show him embarrassing pictures of Bentley as a kid, so I asked mom to have them out. Wow, I almost forgot.”

Bentley rushed over to them, but Kit pushed him out of the way and onto the sofa. Bentley laughed, pulling him into his lap.

“Wait. I should get my hour worth of cuddles first, don’t you think? Or did you forget that part of the deal?”

“I think we should look at photo albums first and then cuddle later.”

Noah turned his attention to Ariel and smiled. “So, what were you up to before we got here?”

“Watching Dragon Ball Z reruns,” she answered. “If you get bored, come upstairs.” She sauntered off and Noah nodded, watching her go.

“Okay,” he answered. He then continued staring; his bottom lip tight between his teeth.

Kit glanced back at the exchange and stared at Noah, and Noah’s eyes went wide when he noticed. Before Kit could imply anything, Bentley spoke and distracted him.

“Are you going to laugh at me? I had a very large head when I was little.”

Jonah nodded, moving away from them and onto his own chair. “He ain’t lying.”

“I won’t laugh at you.” Kit opened one of the boxes and reached inside. Not only were there photo albums, but also knickknacks of Bentley’s and Ariel’s from when they were small. Kit found macaroni artwork and school certificates. He smiled at an old GI Joe action figure.

“That belonged to my dad. He said it’d be worth a lot one day.”

“Your father was the ultimate hoarder. Everything had value to him.” Clarissa walked back into the room with everyone’s drink orders. Kit thanked her with a smile, watching as the woman looked around as she held on to the last glass.

“Where’d Noah go?”

Jonah looked up. “Hm. He must’ve gone upstairs with Ari.”

Kit looked around the room to see if anyone else had found that weird. Apparently, it was just him.

“I’ll leave it here,” Clarissa said, putting the glass of lemonade on a coaster. She headed back towards the kitchen. “It’s Annabelle’s birthday tomorrow and I’m in charge of making 150 cupcakes for the staff. Just holler if you need me.”

“Okay, ma.” Bentley dug in the box. He pulled out one of the albums and sat back. “Let me just go through these and make sure they’re safe.”

“That’s cheating. Give it here.”

Bentley sighed. He pulled Kit closer to him, letting Kit get comfortable as he opened the album.

“Oh, look at you!”

Bentley kissed his neck. “I’d rather look at you.”

Jonah rolled his eyes and stood to his feet. “Welp. I’m going to go help your mom with the cupcakes. I’d rather work than watch this.”

Bentley stuck his middle finger up. “Goodbye.”

“He’s right. You’re corny.” Kit looked through all the pages of Bentley’s baby photos. He hadn’t lied about that head, but he was so freaking cute. There were pictures of him with his little stuffed animals, him smiling in the bath, him running with a football almost bigger than him, but Kit’s favorite had to be Bentley in his father’s arms. Looking at Brian helped Kit realize what his boyfriend would look like in another fifteen years. Their smiles were identical.

“The embarrassing stuff comes later,” Bentley said. “In the next couple albums. There’s Ariel puking on me, and me at peewee football with split pants. You’ll love it.”

Kit laughed. “No spoilers. Come on.”

Bentley kissed him again. “Sorry.”

They took maybe twenty minutes to go through all the albums, and it only made Kit fall even harder for him. It felt like he was getting to know Bentley better just by seeing him growing up.

“I totally would’ve had a crush on you when I was little. You were adorable.”

Bentley seemed proud of that statement. “Yeah, I was a little heartthrob back in the day.”

“I bet.” Kit looked through the last album, recognizing the background in one of the photos. “Oh! I forgot you told me you’d been to Cedar Point!”

Bentley looked over Kit’s shoulder and smiled down at the picture. “Ah. I remember having a lot of fun there. Dad won his competition and we got to go to the theme park. I remember not wanting to leave and my father having to promise me ice cream if I agreed to go to the airport.”

Kit laughed at the story. “That’s adorable. Remember the story I told you about meeting the love of my life and giving him the friendship bracelet Tawny made me? That happened at Cedar Point.”

Bentley rolled his eyes. “Can you stop calling the little shit the love of your life? How do you think that makes me feel?”

“He gave me a ring pop, Bentley. When did you give me a ring pop?”

Bentley smiled, pulling Kit forward and kissing his lips. Kit closed his eyes and allowed Bentley to take control. Bentley snuck his hand under Kit’s shirt. He rubbed over every muscle, caressed his nipples, then slowly reached around to squeeze high on his thigh. Kit gasped into his mouth.

“See. I don’t need to give you a ring pop.” Bentley winked before settling back. “I can make you do that.”

Kit smirked. He looked around to make sure that Bentley’s mother was still in the kitchen and hadn’t walked in on that little episode. “Touché.” He sat up and put the album back before nosily going through the rest of the box. There was an old pocket watch that Kit guessed had been passed down from a grandparent, and an old set of keys. Kit was about to ask what it was for when he laid eyes on something that looked familiar.

He reached for it.

K - Best Friends Forever - T.

Kit could not believe his eyes. The bracelet in his hand was small enough to fit around the wrist of a second grader. It was orange, pink, and green – Tawny’s favorite colors. It literally had their initials on it: K and T. Kit turned back to look at Bentley; his boyfriend busy looking at his phone.

“Jeez. I can’t believe our Halloween selfies went viral. I know I’m cute, but fuck.”

“Bentley…”

He looked up and quirked an eyebrow at him. “Yeah? What’s that?”

Kit stared at him. “Is this yours?”

Bentley sat up and took the bracelet from him. “Hm. I don’t know. ‘K- Best Friends Forever-T… I don’t know? Could be Ari’s, I guess.”

Kit stood up and took it back. He opened Facetime and dialed Tawny, waiting patiently for her to answer. Bentley watched curiously, obviously confused.

“Hey baby!” Tawny wore a white facial mask and had her hair wrapped in a towel. “I just started watching This is Us since you won’t shut up about it. What’s up?”

“Look at this. Does this look familiar to you?” Kit held the bracelet up to the camera in front of him, just as Bentley squeezed his head into the frame and smiled.

“Hey Tawn!”

Tawny smiled. “Hey, Benny! She changed her focus to the bracelet and her eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute… isn’t that the bracelet I made you when we were in kindergarten? It looks just like it. The one you told me you gave away to some knuckleheaded boy at Cedar Point. How’d you even find it?”

Ariel and Noah came downstairs. Noah watched her walk towards the kitchen as he took a seat near the windowsill. “What’re you guys doing besides not packing?”

Kit held a finger to his lips. He got all the confirmation he needed. He turned to Bentley who still didn’t seem to be following along. “Bentley had it,” he said to Tawny. He looked back at her on screen. “He went to Cedar Point when he was… how old?”

The gears in Bentley’s head seemed to be spinning now. His eyes got real wide. “I was… like eight? …Wait. That’s the bracelet? So I’m the dickhead kid you gave it to?”

“Language,” Clarissa said from the kitchen.

“Sorry, Mom.”

Tawny gasped on screen. “NO WAY.”

Kit smiled. “Can you believe this is the idiot I gave my friendship bracelet to? All because he gave me a ring pop.”

“Are you two fucking with me?” Tawny rolled off her bed and onto the floor, carrying the phone with her. “You can’t be for real! Oh my fucking goodness.”

Noah smiled at them. “What’s going on?”

Bentley’s jaw was still dropped. “Bro… wait, baby. So… you’re saying –”

“Oh my goodness, Bentley.” Kit laughed. “We met at Cedar Point when we were children! You have my old bracelet, Bentley.”

“And he gave you a ring pop. So does this mean you two have been engaged for ten years?” Tawny asked, laughing on screen.

Bentley grinned. “Yes.”

Kit laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Wow. I can’t wait to tell my father this one. I wish I could tell my mother. She asked me if I was sure I wanted to give you my bracelet after I handed it over so easily.”

Ariel walked back into the room and sat next to Bentley. “Who met who when they were children?”

Noah shook his head. “Kit and Bentley, I think. I don’t know. They won’t answer me.”

“Oh fuck. I remember now!” Bentley stood up and laughed. “I asked your mother if I could give you the ring pop because I thought you were cute. She told me you were shy but I could ask…”

Tawny shrieked on the video chat and Kit laughed at her. “I’ll call you back.”

“Bye, boys!”

“Bye.” Bentley began to pace.

Clarissa walked back into the living room – the small woman giving her eldest a stern look. “What’s with your language under my roof, young man?”

“I’m sorry! Kit and I … Cedar Point! We met!” Bentley gestured between the two of them and Kit laughed as he tried to process it all. Bentley looked at him, now.  “If you don’t believe in soulmates after this, something is seriously wrong with you.”

Kit couldn’t help his grin. “I can’t get over the fact that you’ve been calling yourself a d-head all this time.”

“Shut up…” Bentley rubbed tiredly at his eyes. “I met your mom. You met my dad. This is wild.”

“It’s crazy.” Kit looked over to Clarissa. “This was my bracelet. My friend made it for me when we were in kindergarten and I met Bentley at Cedar Point in Ohio. For some reason, I thought he was cute and let him have it.”

“I gave you a ring pop, remember? Tawny’s right. We’re technically married.”

Jonah walked in, licking frosting off his fingers.

Clarissa smiled. “What are the odds? Everything makes sense now…”

“No way…” Ariel’s jaw dropped. “I remember you! Bentley kept crying when we had to leave all over you.”

Bentley stared at her. “I didn’t cry that much.”

“Only two out of the three hours home,” Clarissa responded. “And that’s why your father seemed so familiar to me! I spoke with him and your mother that day. This is so incredible! Maybe we can get you two on Ellen!”

Kit grinned. His head was beginning to spin. The fact that their parents had met, and that they had met. Wow. It was blowing his mind.

Bentley cleared his throat. “I honestly only cried a little.”

“This is insane,” Noah said. “It definitely makes me believe in soulmates.”

Ariel smiled at him before turning her attention back to Kit. “For the record, he cried a lot.”

Kit laughed as he looked down at the friendship bracelet and shook his head. “I cannot wrap my head around this. Maybe we should give this to Mikey. He’d like it.”

Bentley nodded at the idea. “I agree.” He smiled at Kit and bit his lower lip, playing with the bracelet he now wore around his wrist. “I’m going to go upstairs and pack a bit so I don’t hold you guys up any longer.”

Kit smiled at him and nodded.

Noah stood up and stretched. “Do you need help?”

“Sure.” Bentley walked over to Noah and threw an arm around him. “Come on, Kit.”

“I’m going to help Mom Dukes with the cupcakes,” Jonah said, heading back in the kitchen. Clarissa reminded Kit to apply for The Ellen Show before following behind him, and Kit began to put the albums away.

“You two are really cute,” Ariel told Kit. She smiled when he looked up at her. “Even if you hadn’t met when you were little, which is mind boggling to me. You’ve changed Benny for the better and I’m here for it.”

Kit stood up and smiled back. “You two are cute, too.”

Ariel seemed confused. “What do you mean?”

“You and Noah.”

Her face blanched white. “Wha-”

“Don’t try it. He looks at you the way I’m positive I look at Bentley. With a bit of drool in the corner of his mouth and hearts for eyes. It’s our secret for now, but… do you plan on telling your brother?”

She eventually caught her breath and nodded. “Well, I’d like to. Noah thinks Bentley will toss him out a window and then pick up one of the shards of glass and stab him with it. He literally told me that.”

Kit tried not to laugh. “If I were Bentley, I’d be thrilled that my sister is with one of my best friends! He should be able to trust Noah, right?”

“You aren’t Bentley. You are someone who has a brain and thinks reasonably.”

Kit gestured for her to follow him, speaking as they went towards the stairs. “I think you two should say something before you get caught. Give Bentley the chance to accept it before he walks in on it, you understand where I’m coming from?”

She sighed. “I do.”

They went upstairs and Ariel stopped him before they could head to her old room, which was where she put all of Bentley’s old shit. “I have a question.”

Kit smiled. “Sure. What’s up?”

“Do I get to plan the wedding?”

He rolled his eyes and walked away. Ariel laughed.