After he swallows Garret says "I can pay for my own tacos," making Porter laugh.

Garret can't deny that he's actually having a good time, this is so much more than he's ever imagined and yet still, it didn't feel enough. He isn't sure why he's doubtful, Porter is single and he's nice, what more could Garret want?


Porter's phone rings on the table as they're eating and they see Harper's name, answering "hey Harp"

"Is there a reason you're at Demarcos when there's food and drinks here?" "No specific reason"

"All right well Elia's here asking for you" "Tell him to go home"


"You're on speaker asshole!" Porter hears Elia's voice

Taking the phone from his ear Porter says "be right back" then leaves the table. "Harper give him the phone"


"Demarcos huh?" Elia asks when Harper hands him the phone "What do you want, Elia?"

"Is there someone with you? Is that why you've been ignoring me?"

"I wish that were any of your business but it's not. Please get out of my house I don't want you there by the time I get back" he hangs up.

Taking a breath to calm himself down, Porter walks back sitting across Garret, "sorry about that." "Everything ok?"

Porter nods lying "just Harper being annoying"

"We're pretty much done here if you need to go home." "No, I-"

"It's ok Porter, this was nice but let's be real even if you somehow figure out how to be who I need, there's still one big problem."

"What's that?"

"I'm not who you need Porter, and I feel like whatever this is you're doing isn't really about me. You can have whoever or whatever you want"

"Garret-"

"No, I'm telling you that you don't have to prove to yourself that you could get me, even if this happened without me telling you the truth I'd still be skeptical. You, Porter Jackson, can have whoever you want, it'd never make any sense as to why that's me."

—

While their parents are downstairs away from the noise Harper's in her room blasting music, something she knows annoys Garret. Unable to focus on his homework Garret stands from his desk having had enough.

Opening his door he crosses the hall to his sister's room banging on her door, "Harper!" He calls out and she ignores him, he knocks a couple more times then decides to just walk in.

"Hey!" She jumps from her bed, "get out of my room"

Walking to the speakers Garret turns the music off "what's your problem?!" He barks "you know that drives me nuts"

"Get the hell out!" She shoves him till they get to the door, "never touch my stuff again! And while you're at it stay away from Porter!" She slams the door in his face

Finding what she did disrespectful Garret yells, "Porter is not your damn property I can talk to him if I want! It's not my fault he's not in love with you!" He walks to his room then turn to shut his door but Harper opens hers

"What'd you just say?" She glares at him

"It's so obvious Harp, you're in love with your gay best friend" "Shut the hell up"

"Deny it then! I mean seriously who's this overprotective over someone they can't have?"

"Oh right because he doesn't want you, I'm obviously in love with him too? Just take the fucking hint he doesn't want to be with you Garret, so move on!"

"Why couldn't you let me figure that out?! What the hell are you protecting?"

"Your delusions dumbass!" She yells "Porter does not want you get that through your head!" "Right because he wants you, you look so pathetic, Harper! He's gay!"

"I DON'T WANT HIM!" She barks walking closer "not all of us are you"

"Hey what's going on?" Their mom walks up the stairs followed by their dad, "why all the yelling?" "Nothing" Harper denies

"No, not nothing" Garret says, "because of Harper I spent years denying myself something I could've

had, so I want her to tell me why?"

Garret looks at his little sister "why didn't you let me tell Porter the truth?" "Truth?" Elaine looks between her children, "what truth?"

"Garret likes Porter honey" her husband answers

"He does?" She looks at Garret, "you do?"

"It doesn't freaking matter!" Harper chuckles "Porter doesn't want him"

"Is that even your decision?" Garret asks her "I mean since you think for him"

"Harper it's not up to you to decide for Porter, if they like each other it should be up to them to figure it out."

"He doesn't-" realizing they're all probably against her, Harper says "you know what? Do whatever you want" she walks away shutting herself in her room.

"You ok?" Craig asks

"I'm great" Garret smiles "I have to finish my homework so..." he walks away too shutting his door, leaving Craig and Elaine in the hall confused.

"How'd you know Garret likes Porter?" "He told me, they even kissed"

"What!" They walk away "tell me everything."

Spending the next few days not talking to his sister and avoiding Porter, Garret feels like he's back to square one. All the hard work he did to be ok with Porter and trying to get over him, he's acting like someone with a crush again.

During lunch, he walks into the A/V room expecting to find his friends but it's empty, taking out his phone he calls Reggie. "Hey" he answers

"Hey, where are you guys? I'm in the room"

"Alexis and I made an executive decision to have lunch in the lunchroom today" "Why? We agreed-"

"No you did and we just went along with it, but it's tater tot Thursday man! Don't deprive us of the tater tots!"

"You're already eating them, aren't you?"

"Gar I can't resist their delicious potatoey goodness" Sighing "whatever"

"Come to the lunchroom! What's the worst that can happen?" The answer to that question is

literally never good.