Chapter 1 – it all started

It had all started with Mikes 21st birthday bash, Rob and Brad were sitting on the sofa with their girlfriends, Sophie and Melanie, watching MTV hits, Chester was in the kitchen drinking a bottle of Jack Daniels. Where as Mike was in the garden trying to get the Bar-B-Q going for the food to be put on for cooking. Chester staggered into the garden to see Mike standing there at the Bar-B-Q and he had to look away from him because it was too much torture, the tears stung his eyes as he turned away and he walked straight into Rob who was quite taken aback by the sudden wave of tears coming from Chester.

“Chester, mate, what’s up?” Rob whispered quietly dragging Chester away from everyone to a quiet part of the garden.

“Nothing, dude, just got something in my eye that’s all” Chester replied looking away unable to look Rob in the eye.

“Come on you really think I’m going to fall for that?” Rob said “I saw the way you was looking at Mike.”

“It’s nothing, man, just leave it.” Said Chester starting to get angry now that Rob was invading his personal mind space.

“Alright, man” Rob said throwing his hands up “but if you wanna talk things over you know where I am” he said walking away to go and get a burger and a beer.

At that moment in time Chester felt like the only person in the whole world who felt this way about someone he cares so much about, but Chester thinks to himself he can’t push him into anything that can be resolved in a different way, Mike means to much to him he couldn’t do something like that to his best friend.

“Hey, buddy, you okay?”

Chester breaks his trail of thought and snaps back to reality realizing that in fact Mike is standing in front of him with a face full of concern.

“Yeah, man, just got a bit of smoke from the Bar-B-Q in my eye and made my eyes water that’s all” Chester replies.

“You sure? Because it didn’t look that way to me” Mike said now wishing that Chester could confide in him and to tell him what’s wrong

“Yeah I’ll be alright in minute” Chester said again unable to look Mike in the eye like he has many times before, because it brings back a sudden rush of emotions that consumes Chester because all he wants to do is drown those deep chocolate pools.

Chester has felt this way for many months now he has gone from denial to shock and back again and he has come to a conclusion that he is actually bi-sexual now he knows the rest of the guys have no hard feelings about anyone’s sexuality especially Mike. Mike would be the type of person that wouldn’t judge you on your appearance or your sexuality he would take you as he finds you, and Chester is glad Mike took him for the uniquely insane person that he is. He always thought about him even when he was making love to his wife Talinda, which he thought was not fair on her, he realized that his marriage was over the day that Mike came into his life and when Linkin Park was born.

By the time the party was over Chester had had a little too much to drink and Mike decided it was best if he stayed with him just until the morning.

“Nah dude I’m fine” Chester slurred a little uneasy on his feet almost walking into the doorframe.

“I don’t care what you say your staying here for tonight and you can go home in the morning” Mike said a bit more anger in his voice than was meant, but it was the only way that he could get Chester to listen to him without it involving a punch-up between two best friends

“Alright dude just to shut you up I’ll stay” Chester agreed

“Right glad we got that sorted” Joe said seeing the look in both Chester and Mike’s eyes

“We’ll come round tomorrow for a jamming session if you like” Phoenix said changing the subject

“Alright dude see you tomorrow” Mike replied seeing everyone out Chester shouting out goodbye to everyone from the bathroom after throwing up.

After Mike had shut the door Chester came out of the bathroom looking a little white feeling much better after throwing his guts up three times.

“Feeling better are we?” Mike asked

“A bit but not a lot” Chester replied

“Mike look I don’t know how to say this but………” Chester began

“Look man don’t worry I feel the same way too” Mike said

“WHAT?” Chester said in utter amazement

“I should not have given you that jack Daniels man what was I thinking?” Mike said

“oh right okay” Chester replied breathing a bit too heavy “I’m gonna crash” thinking he should tell Mike just how he feels when he is dry soba, instead of having alcohol still flowing around his system.

“Yeah alright man night” Mike said as he was walking upstairs toward his bedroom

“Night” Chester replies