Tan slowly wakes up to the sound of music, he opens his eyes and his sights land on Sven dripping wet with a towel around his waist looking in his closet. He looks over to Sven's computer on his desk where the music is coming from, sitting up he continues to watch Sven as he wipes his eyes. Sven turns seeing him and he smiles "good morning" he greets Tan"Morning" Tan replies in his tired morning voice"Sorry if I woke you up, I like to listen to music when I get ready""It's ok" Tan yawns stretching "how do you feel?""Threw up a shit ton earlier and besides a headache, I'm good." Sven watches tan sit at the end of the bed putting his shoes on "thanks for last night.""You're welcome" Tan stands after tying his shoes "any chance you could give me a ride home on your way out?""Um, I was actually thinking if you weren't busy today maybe you could come to Bradley with me for tryouts, if you still want to? I remember you asking last night before I blacked out""What else do you remember
"How do I know this is an A paper?" The boy asks standing outside behind the school with Baz"I'm an A student" Baz replies keeping an eye out so everyone who walks by doesn't notice them, "where's my money?""80 fucking bucks" he hands over the money, "if I don't get an A I'm kicking your ass."While he's alone Baz fans out the money to count, as he's counting he feels a pair of eyes staring. Looking up from his hands Baz looks directly at the person, standing a distance away smoking his cigarette Damien doesn't avert his eyes or bother looking away, he wanted Baz to see him staring. Shoving the money in his pocket Baz walks away.Ewan Basilton isn't a nerd but that doesn't make him popular, with not many friends and already an outcast for being the vice principal's son, Baz didn't know how else to get excitement in his life so selling papers gave him a leg up. No, he didn't need the money but he liked being needed for something, and he tries to never disappoint, well except his pare
"You ever climbed a tree before?" Baz pauses their game asking Damien "When I was a kid, why?" With a grin, he replies "because I have something to show you, put your shoes on we're going outside.""But I'm about to win," he points at the screen and Baz shrugs. Getting out of bed both boys puts their shoes on, they leave Baz's room heading for the front door. "What's happening?" Damien asks as they're in the driveway walking to the side of the house "That," they stop at the giant tree on the side of Baz's house "see that branch?" He points and Damien looks up nodding "well it hangs on the roof that we like to sit on and smoke, I don't know why it never dawned on me but I think if you can climb the tree, you could have unlimited access to my room." "No more sneaking me in or waiting for your parents to not be around," Damien nods liking the idea, "all right" he agrees."Exactly so get up there and see if you can do it... or should I try it first?" "You first," he pushes Baz forwar
"To commemorate us getting back together I'm going to do you a huge favor," Silver says rushing up to me as I'm unloading my bag into my locker. "We're together?" I ask "Not like that Baz, as friends! We're friends again and I want to celebrate that." I can already feel the determination "Oh god, celebrate?" I zip my bag putting it on my back "Listen you, me, tonight, huge party at it doesn't matter's house, I pick you up and we go have a fucking blast!""Uh..." fuck that, "no but thanks," I turn to walk away but Silver grabs me turning me back "Baz please it's one party it won't kill you," "I know that and I don't care, I'm not going." "Why not?" "Because I know you! If I go to a party with you I'll be left alone, while you have all the fucking fun with your other fucking friends." That came out of nowhere and Silver frowns clearly offended, "look you're it for me all right? But I know I'm not for you and that's fine I've made my peace with it-""Baz stop that's not true" she
"Do you have your phone?" "Yes" "Is it charged? Like fully" "Yes... I think" "That's not funny Ewan" my mom sits on my bed interrogating me as I get ready, "do you have money?" "Yes mom my debit card is in my wallet, I'm gonna be fine" "I don't know if I trust that Silver" "My best friend?" "Well, what kind of person dates a bully? Just doesn't make sense" I knew I shouldn't have told her about that, "are you sure dad and I can't drive you?" "No mom" I sit next to her about to put on my shoes, "Silver's picking me up." "I'm just trying to make sure you'll be ok" "Are you?" I come up from my shoe to look at her "or are you micromanaging me because someone took a video of me and put it on the Internet?" She's been on a warpath since that happened begging me to turn Eddie in but there's honestly no point, he'll always be who he is. I'm just shocked for the time being he's left me alone. "You sure you don't want dinner before you leave?" "I'm fine mom" I get up and my phone d
"All right I'm sober, ready to go?" Silver asks as I'm standing alone and the party dies down, I nod and she asks "what happened out there with Damien?" "Nothing we started smoking a second time but his friends called him and I haven't seen him since" "Damn I'm sorry Baz" she rubs my back "No, it's fine let's go." Silver and I leave after she tells everyone goodbye, when we get to my house she slows down "think they'll be mad you're an hour late?" "I don't think so my mom already sent a long paragraph about the importance of curfew" "Seriously?" She laughs "Yeah" I take out my phone showing her, "I'll see you Monday?" Silver nods "thanks for coming with me" "Sure drive safe ok?" We hug "I love you Baz," she says as we're letting go "Love you too" I get out of the car walking to my gate. As I'm digging in my pockets for my keys I hear "hey" behind me "Holy shit!" I jump quickly turning around "Damien?" It's dark but I see him very clearly "Sorry didn't mean to scare you"
Waking up before Damien the next day I gently get out of bed, walking out of my room I shut the door behind me and head for the kitchen. When I walk in I see my mom blowing into her mug of coffee "morning" I greet opening the fridge, not hearing her reply I turn and look at her "I said good morning." "I heard you" she drinks her coffee. "How much would it have killed you to reply to one of my many texts last night?""You sound like a jealous girlfriend" I grab some orange juice shutting the fridge "Ewan I'm trying to be serious, how do you expect to be trusted when you're doing things like this?" "Mom I missed one hour stop acting like I betrayed you" "Betrayal of trust is still betrayal Ewan." Sighing "fine then sorry" she walks away not acknowledging my apology, "did you hear me I said I'm sorry" "I heard you" I see her back heading for the living room. Pouring some creamer in a cup I add coffee and stir, afterward, I walk back to my room to find Damien still in deep sleep. S
Spending most of my morning making googly eyes at Damien when he wasn't looking, my mom's words replay in my head a lot. Watching Damien interact with his friends I realize how much he rags on them, and they wrestle a lot. One thing I don't get is how Damien and Eddie are even friends Damien is such a dick to him, but we all know Eddie deserves it so the others don't say anything. As I'm eating during lunch my phone rings and I see his name pop up in a text, opening it I read 'done watching me?' Looking up I search the lunchroom until I find him staring with a soft smile.'I don't know what you're talking about' after I send it I watch waiting for him to open it, seeing him try not to chuckle at his phone he begins typing."So I have good news, bad news, and worse news" Silver sits in front of me causing my attention to shift from Damien to her, "Which one do you want first?" Getting distracted by the text Damien sent I say to her, "combine them" As I'm typing she says "turns out N
Still, without a way to contact Damien, I sit in my room impatiently waiting, leaving the window open for him I sit at my desk trying to do homework but failing miserably. I just got him back for 2 seconds and it's been 5 hours since I saw him. What the fuck else could've happened between then and now? Getting up I walk out of my room heading to the kitchen for a drink, staring at my phone as I walk around my house I'm almost to the kitchen when the doorbell goes off. "I'll get it" I reply being the closest to the door, walking over I turn the knob and freeze. Damien smiles as soon as he sees my face, "what are you doing?" I ask in a lowered voice "Is this not ok?" He asks walking in, "really wasn't in the mood to climb the tree""I-" "Who's at the door Ewan?" my mom comes from the kitchen asking. Stopping when she sees Damien and I standing there, "oh" this is happening way too fucking fast! Realizing I'm not going to say anything Damien walks to my mom, "Hi Mrs. Basilton my name
It's been rough I'm not going to lie, yes I know the truth now and sure I should be calm but I think I'm more worried than I was before. The thought of Damien in foster care scares me, and he might never come back, what if they make him switch schools? And I know he can't contact anyone who isn't family, but I just want to hear his voice, I need to know how he really is. Jaded and checked out of class I sit there but my mind is elsewhere. "Baz?" I hear the faint sound of my name but I'm too far dazed to focus on it. "Baz!" The person barks and I jump to find my teacher standing in front of me, realizing I'm sitting in English lit, I shift in my seat trying to make it seem as if I've been paying attention, and my teacher says "you need to focus Baz." "Sorry," I sit up straight."Now," she starts as she walks back to the front of the class, "Amber said that she thinks Ulysses' dream is the main symbol that moves the story, do you agree Baz?" I don't need to focus to tell her how wrong
Do it! Just do it Baz, this isn't about you or her, it's about Damien and you need to know where he is. No one else can tell me besides Eddie, and since he'll never say 2 words to me, my best bet is to make Silver ask him for me. Knowing her schedule as if it were my own, I wait outside her social studies class before lunch, when it's finally done everyone starts walking out and I don't see her until everyone's gone and she's the only one left still packing up. Walking in as the teacher leaves, the door shuts and we're alone. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Silver doesn't see me until she turns Looking around she realizes we're alone "hi," she smiles even though I'm maintaining a straight face."I need help and I can't really go to anyone else with this" "Okay" "That's the only reason I'm coming to you nothing else" "I understand" "Seriously I mean it this isn't me giving you another chance, or thinking about it. Me talking to you is purely circumstantial." "I get it Baz,"
"I don't know I heard it was a fight," "A fight? With who?" "Not really a fight more like he got jumped by guys from Mesa High.""Damien got jumped?" I eavesdrop on the girls sitting at the lunch table behind me Turning around I ask, "are you guys talking about Damien Allen?" They nod, "who told you he got jumped?" One of them answers "some girls from the cheer team," of course, there are no bigger gossips in this school than the fucking cheer team. It's Tuesday and still not a single word from Damien, yesterday I was pissed but now I'm kind of worried 'You got jumped are you ok?' Why am I even bothering he's not going to answer. What the fuck am I supposed to do? Go to his house? Oh my god, should I go to his house? No that's crazy I can't just show up to his house if he's ignoring me. You did it before idiot... but that was different something is clearly wrong, and if it's not with us then it has to be with him. I'm not going to believe he got jumped until I talk to him thoug
"Ewan?" I hear my mom's voice as she softly knocks on my door "are you awake?" "I am now" I answer opening my eyes, Sticking her head in with a smile "good morning" "Morning" I reply "Dad and I are going out for breakfast and maybe go to the museum, would you like to join us?" "Um," I think about it and answer "sure I'm not doing anything better" "Great!" She grins "we're leaving in 10 so go brush your teeth and get dressed" She walks out and I sit up yawning, getting up I check the time on my phone it's almost 10. Leaving my room I walk to the bathroom picking up my toothbrush, as I'm brushing my teeth the doorbell goes off and I wonder who it could be. Not minding it I continue brushing After a minute I hear my mom call "Ewan!" "What?!" I shout back from the bathroom "Someone's here for you" me? Who the hell could that be? Rinsing my mouth I walk out of the bathroom going to the door to find Damien standing there with my mom behind him shutting the door. I stare at him st
"HOLY SHIT I WON!" I jump out of the chair throwing my controller down "I WON! OH MY GOD!" Jumping up and down I don't focus on the scream "YESSSSSS" I cheer hopping around my room "What's going on?" My mom opens my bedroom door confused by the screaming, "why all the yelling?" "Mom" I rush to her grabbing her hand pulling her to my desktop "look! I've been playing this online tournament for the last 5 weeks and I actually won! Against like a bunch of people" I explain while showing her the screen Reading the popup because I'm too distracted to do it, she says "well it says here you have to call that number since you're the winner, have you called?" "What no I was too busy winning!" I can't believe I fucking won and the only person I can tell is my mom who doesn't give 2 shits about video games."Well is there a prize" As I open my mouth about to answer I stop, I don't know how they'll react when they hear about the money. I shouldn't tell them until I actually have the money, rig
Days later...Walking out of the bathroom my mom catches me before I make it to my room, "hey honey" she stops me in the hall by standing in front of me. "How was your date with the college boy?" "It wasn't a date mom just coffee after school" "I know but how'd it go? Meeting for the first time, what'd you guys even talk about?" "Um he mostly talked but it was fine" "Think you'll go out again?" I shrug "maybe" then walk past her. Heading for my room my heart stops the moment I walk in "Jesus!" I jump seeing Damien just standing there. "You have to at least text me you're coming I'm too young for a heart attack" "You actually went out with that girl's brother?" He asks ignoring my comment "You say actually like I wasn't supposed to" "No just surprised didn't think you'd do it," why because you give me everything I want and need, so I don't have to go find it from someone else? "Well I did and it was fun, he actually invited me to a party this weekend and best part he lives alo
Here's a synopsis of my weekend, after blocking Silver everywhere she showed up to my house multiple times begging to talk to me, but I already told my parents not to let her in. Deciding to climb the tree she tries to come in through the window, but I locked it and ignored her, I haven't said a word to her yet because I'm not even sure what I want to say. I'm tired of her betraying me and I know for a fact that I'm completely done with her, the problem is convincing her of that. Monday morning I walk into school unprepared to see either of them, it feels like I'm going to spend the rest of my high school life avoiding these people. It'll be hard staying away from Silver because she knows all of my hideouts, and wouldn't you believe I see her standing at my locker waiting. Groaning I turn before she sees me and just go to class without my books. "Good morning class" my teacher starts, "before we get started why don't you guys pass up your homework so I can collect them," everyone st
Hearing the doorbell I sigh relieved heading towards it, as soon as I open the door Silver gasps "oh my god!" Her jaw drops and she grins "you look so good Baz!" "You too" "Oh I know" she walks in, "if this dress doesn't get me the attention I want tonight I'm gonna set it on fire.""Hurry and let's go before-""Picture time!" My mom walks to us holding her phone, "oh my god you guys look so cute get close""Mom we have to go we're going to be late" I roll my eyes annoyed, she's been doing this since I got dressed."Just one picture please it's not every day I get to see my son going to homecoming," yeah and it'll never happen again. I know what you're thinking, why would I ever agree to Silver's stupid ass plan? It won't work and I'm just wasting my time, well it's not much of a waste when you have nothing but time, and I'm tired of sitting around I need to start making shit happen and this is how. At least that's how Silver put it when she explained her plan. "Trust me there's n