I feel tears form in my eyes.

  "BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH" I hear him laugh.

  He's laughing at me. I feel the tears slip down the sides of my face from the edges of my closed eyelids. My body is tense, as hard as stone. I lost another person.

  I hear his laughter suddenly stop.

  "I already knew," he says with a calm tone. "I found out a while ago actually. You talk in your sleep. I didn't mean to laugh but I thought it was something serious. I thought you killed someone or did someone illegal that he caught you doing something and was using it over your head. You being gay should never be something to be ashamed of and honestly it kind of made us closer without you even knowing.

  I feel his hand land on mine as he pulls me up, so I am sitting up. I wipe the tears from my eyes and open them. I still don't look at him. I can't believe he knew and didn't tell me. He didn't leave when he found out either. He bent over and hugged me still being careful of my wounds.

  "I'm Bi" He whispered in my eye.

  My eyes widen. He pulled away and looked at me with a small smile on his face.

  "You being gay was a surprise but it was the best thing ever. I finally found someone who could understand me on a deeper level" He said, his smile growing. "I'm not trying to write off you being gay like no big deal but DUDE we like DUDES. I'm so happy you finally told me. I've been waiting for you to come clean to me for what feels like ever now"

  He is smiling and even laughing a bit. I couldn't help but smile when he gets all upbeat and excited like this. He is always chill and laid back so seeing this side of him is a nice refresher.

  "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but to be fair you didn't tell me either....so I call that even," I say lacing my voice all innocent and putting on an innocent face.

  "If you weren't hurt right now I'd tickle you." He said smirking

  "Never been so happy to be hurt," I say with a smirk of my own

  He shakes his head and starts picking up the supplies that ended up on the floor during my escape attempt. I forgot all about my wounds until I noticed how gently he hugged me. I watch him pick up the supplies and process everything that has happened. He finishes and goes to pick up my hoodie before stopping and looking up at me. I nod for him to continue.

  "I am going to have to take it off," He says sympathetically.

  I swallow hard and slowly nod again.

  He slowly lifts my hoodie and I take my left arm out and slowly pull my right one out and he continues to lift it over my head. When my head comes out I inhale deeply at the look on his face. I feel scared. I've seen that same look on Hank's face but never this bad. He looks ready to kill. I look down at my own chest and arms and realize it does look pretty bad. You can see all the scars Hank gave me along with the fresh beating from both Jack and Hank. My right arm looks the worst. It is black and blue and swollen badly. If someone told me something inside of it was broken I wouldn't be surprised. I look up again and see his piercing gold-hazel eyes staring back at me. The look is so intense. After a long minute of staring he grabs different supplies he found in the nurse's office and starts patching me. He is extremely gentle with each touch. I do hiss every now and again from the pressure of whatever he wipes on a wound. When he goes to grab my hoodie from next to me he stops mid-way and looks at something. I follow his eyes to my left wrist. He grabs it quickly and looks it over. I forgot to hide the cuts. There are cut marks from the middle of my arm down to my wrist. He looks up at me and back down. He goes to start wrapping it up.

  "If you ever want to talk about it I'm here." He says softly as he continues to wrap it. "I won't force you"

  "O-ok" I whisper

  Once he's done he grabs my hoodie and hands it to me. I slowly put it trying not to move the bandages and my hurt arm too much. Once I'm done I stand up.

  "RIIING"

  I hear the bell go off again. We missed two classes. Simply great. I sigh.

  "I guess we better get going," I say

  We head to history and walk in. We aren't late but just barely. Our teacher Mr. Reforrea doesn't even look at us as we walk in. The class was boring. Liam and I texted through it since we already know what we need to do for homework. People think we are slackers, but we are A+ students the only thing F worthy about us is our attendance. During lunch we rebandage my wounds and just talk eating the lunch they serve. The rest of our classes went like the last one until music. That is my favorite class of the day. Mr. Hamlet is the best teacher ever. I wish he would teach all of our classes. Liam likes him just as much as I do. We sit at our usual spots and wait for Mr. Hamlet to tell us what we are doing today.

  "Alright class, today we will be working on something a little different than normal. I have a project for all of you" He says casually

  "noooooo" the students all say under their breath except for Liam and me.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Yes Yes, I know everyone is excited to find out what it is. You will each write a song about your life." He says excitement laced in his voice.

  I felt my excitement deflate. I just want the ground to swallow me up. Write a song about my life. He can't be serious! Which part should I write about? Hank maybe Jack? or cutting or having to take care of my sister alone hmmm I don't know I'm sure I can add my dead mother in there somewhere! I didn't hear anything he said after that. I didn't even realize we were supposed to get up and get the paper and pencils on his desk. Liam came over to my desk and dropped a sheet of paper and a pencil on it.

  "You don't have to write something now. We have a month to get this project done." He said in a faint voice.

  I didn't even respond. I just sat there blankly staring at the white sheet of paper. I ended up doing that the whole class until the bell rang and I grabbed my stuff and walked out. I have to pick up Aria anyway. Liam followed me not saying a word. It was a comfortable silence. When we got to Aria's school we went to her exit. I spotted her talking to her teacher. The teacher saw me and I guess told Aria since she turned to me and ran over while waving goodbye to her teacher. She came over to hug me and then Liam.

  "How about I take Aria and we do some fun stuff while you go somewhere quiet and work on your song" He suggested.

  I looked up at him.

  "Yay Yay, that sounds fun! You write your song, big brother!" she says happily jumping up and down at the idea.

  "I don't know...You have already done enough for me today." I say scratching the back of my head.

  "Come on Cal you need a few hours to yourself. Besides you are off of work today as well so you are all good!" He says slinging his arm around my shoulder. "Plus I'm not taking no for an answer"

  "I agree," Aria says still dancing around excited

  "Alright fine," I say knowing I can't win

  "Great," he says pushing me forward making sure not to touch any of my wounds. "See ya"

  I sigh. Taking one last look at them before walking down the street. It's been a while since I didn't have to do anything. I pull out my phone and notice it's 3:25 pm. I guess this might actually be alright. As long as Aria and I get home before 6 pm this can work. I walk for a while not really having a destination than I come across an old park I used to go to. I stand in front of the gate like it's the gateway to hell. I have to face this one way or another, so I walk in. I look around the small park. No one seems to be here. I spot the small playground and walk to it. I touch the monkey bars and the slide I feel the soft mats under my shoe. I stop when I see the bench. Our bench. I walk over to it and sit down. I gaze at the park for a while until I guess I fell asleep since I woke up and the sun it already set and it's now dark. I quickly pull out my phone and see it's 5:30 pm. Oh no, we are going to be late. I see missed calls and messages from Liam. I don't look at the messages but I quickly call him. It rings for a second before it answers.

  "WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" He says in one quick burst

  "Yes I'm sorry I fell asleep and I didn't realize," I say just as quickly. "Where are you guys?"

  "We are at my house. I was just about to go out looking for you. Aria had a full-out panic attack when she saw how late it was and how you weren't answering. She is fast asleep right now. She ended up crying herself to sleep." He said with a sad tone.

  "I'm so so so sorry! I can't believe I fell asleep. I was so inrespon-" I began to say before being cut off

  "It's alright. I'll meet you at your house with Raven. I'll be there soon hurry!" He says before hanging up the phone.

  I put my phone away and run as fast as I can. I will never make it if I take the city streets so I cut through back alleys. Right when I was about to leave one of the back alleys I heard voices and stopped in my tracks.

  "-Shipment coming two nights from today," One voice said

  "How much?" Another asked

  "100,000 dollars. It's new-grade weapons. Most power yet." Said the first voice.

  I turn around to go back the way I came but I hear voices coming from behind me as well. I'm trapped. I feel myself shaking. I need to get out of here. The voices from behind me are coming fast and they will see me if I get too close. The voices in front of me were getting in cars and seemed to be leaving but I didn't have time to wait for them to leave if I didn't move now the people behind me would find me. I stand up and run for it. I'm guessing the people from behind me saw me since I heard them yelling at them for me to stop. The men in front must have been alerted someone was there because once I exited the alley they had guns ready. I didn't get shot but the guys behind me weren't so lucky. I heard their bodies hit the ground and more gunshots continuing to go off. I felt one fly right over my head. I didn't notice the guy blocking my way until it was too late. I ran right into him. I fell backward. The gunshots stop. My heart is beating a million miles per hour. My breath coming out in puffs I look up. He is handsome. He looks like he has a lot of money. His black suit shone in the darkness. Even in the dark, you can see he was a work of art. If I wasn't just shot at, I might be having a gay panic right now. I feel my wounds throb, but I don't think I reopened anything. He grabs at me, but I snap back to attention and roll to the side and get up. I didn't notice the knife in his hand until he swung it at me. I stumble back and notice he isn't blocking the way. I make a run for it. I hear his knife swing again, but I don't feel it get me. I keep running I don't stop. My wounds screaming at me to stop but I don't. I make it to my house, and I see Liam and Aria standing there waiting. I open the gate and run to them. Once I stop, I take a deep breath trying to catch my breath.

  "Woah there. You alright? Where even were you? You know what tell me later. Aria ate dinner at my place. I have to go before my mom kills me for not telling her I would be late." He says quickly running towards the gate. Aria and I watch him run off. I grab her and pull her inside. Hank isn't here yet, so I run upstairs with Aria and push her into the bathroom.

  "Take a quick shower and head to bed," I say closing the door before she can respond.

  I wait outside reflecting on my day. I hear the shower go off and she talks out of the bathroom. I go inside and pull off my clothes slowly making sure not to irritate the wounds any more than I already have. I unwrap my wounds as quickly as I can and start the water getting inside. I wish I could stay in here and just relax but I can't because Hank will be home any minute and the last thing I need is getting a beating naked. I clean myself up quickly and get out. I have my backpack in here. I open it and notice that there is first aid supplies in my bag. When did he do that? He is too sneaky for his own good. I rewrap my wounds and get out of the bathroom making sure to get all my stuff and go into my room which was really a pantry that is now my bedroom. As I put my close on I hear the door open. I hear it slap shut. I jump and my breath quickens. He's home. I put my ear against the door and listen. I hear him walk over to the living room. I hear him stop walking so I'm guessing he is on the couch. I relax a bit and head over to my bed and I slowly get down and lay down. I look up at the ceiling for a while knowing once I sleep there will be a different kind of torture waiting for me. I fall asleep.

  "CALLUM GET DOWN HERW" I hear Hank yell slurring his words a bit making me snap awake

  My body tenses.