Waking up Tan looks over hoping to see Harris, but sees pillows and an empty space instead. He sits up and runs his hand in his eyes to wake him up, Tan grabs his phone looking past the 57 missed calls from his parents he stares at the time. 10:36 am. Tan stands up, walks to the bathroom, and gets ready for the day.Standing in the middle of Harris's giant penthouse alone Tan thinks about searching everything to know more about Harris, but Harris is such a mysterious man Tan might find something he can't unsee.Instead, he walks to the kitchen to find something to eat, wondering around in the kitchen his eyes land on a paper on the counter with his name written in capital letters, TAN. Picking up the paper he unfolds it to find a noteI didn't want to wake you up so I wrote a note instead- Tan smiles -I should be home by 3 so hang in there. Make yourself comfortable you're free to anything, if you need help with anything my doorman Jerry can help, I told him to expect you. Can't wait
Harris sits at his desk working when all of a sudden Tan's father walks in "hey Harris got a minute?" He asks sadly sitting down not waiting for Harris to answer "I need your help with something."Putting his pen down Harris focuses on Scott sitting across from him "okay""Tanner talks to you a lot does he ever mention anything about running away from home?" Harris's heartbeat picks up as he tries not to panic "we haven't seen him in two days, he won't answer his phone or texts.""N-no he doesn't" Harris gets nervous "he mostly talks about you and your wife"Sighing Scott shakes his head "I swear that kid is going to freaking kill me, he doesn't come home Thursday night and we see him for like 10 minutes yesterday, now he's disappeared. Not before lying to us about where he'd be. Shiela and I asked his friends and they swore they didn't know anything, which is probably a lie since he tells them everything""What are you going to do?""I don't know, Sheila's freaking out so I spoke to
"You're never leaving this house again!" Tan's mother barks when he walks into the house"Music to my ears" Tan rolls his eyes as he drops his bags walking to his room"Where were you?" Shiela asksTurning around Tan stares into his mother's eyes "do you care? Do you really care?" She thinks about the question and the answer is yes but she's not sure enough to say it out loud. "I'm too tired for this" Tan walks away "let me know when the tyrant gets home so we can discuss my punishment" Tan slams the door and locks it.Taking off his jacket and shoes Tan climbs in bed and slowly starts to sob as he thinks about Harris, how much he's royally fucked up and couldn't even beg. It's only been an hour and Tan misses Harris so much, he misses the way Harris smells, how perfect his hair was, and his smile. It was all over, and for Tan, it was way too soon.On Monday morning after a long and difficult weekend, Tan throws on a baggy sweater and jeans walking out of his room with his bag on his
"Dad I left a message with Amy for you" Tan walks to his father's car after school"I know""Then why are you here?""Because I don't care, it's time to go home.""I care! This isn't your life dad and I may just be a kid to you but I have responsibilities believe it or not." Tan raises his voice as his father is about to get back in the car. Scott turns back around "I don't know why you and mom want to ruin my life but I have one and I'm trying to live it. I go to school, I get decent grades, I'm head of the freaking yearbook committee dad! Me! But you don't see any of that. Tanner's late all hell breaks loose, Tanner's not home watching us fight all night, what madness!" It was obvious Tan's had enough "I'm going to go to my yearbook meeting then hanging out with my friend after, if that's not ok with you then you're gonna have to physically get me in that car dad, and I can promise you it won't happen quietly."Scott stares at his son standing up for himself "home by 9" he couldn't
"Will someone punch me in the face if I ever volunteer to work with Tommy Johnson ever again?" Tan walks over dropping at the lunch table where his friends are after 45 minutes of failing at taking pictures of Tommy."Was he that bad?" Lin asks rubbing his back as Tan lays his head on the table feeling like a failure"He wouldn't smile, and he stood in the same fucking spot the whole time like a telephone pole! No matter how much I said Tommy smile or do something else with your body, boy would not move!" He complains to his friends as he steals food off their trays"That sucks dude, when I took pictures of Sven this morning he was such a breeze" Erica gloats"Yeah?" Tan scolds her "maybe it's because Sven's actually a genuine person with a great smile. While I got stuck with a fucking robot that had a stick jammed so far up his ass, it was causing him to malfunction!" Tan rants"Calm down it's not Tommy you're mad at""No, but I'm also pretty fucking mad at him too" Tan turns on the
"HE'S MARRIED!" Tan paces back and forth in his room like a lunatic, he doesn't know what to do with this information, who does he tell? Can't text his friends, or talk to his useless parents, or Harris himself.Tan has searched the deep web for Harris and all he's found were articles on his work and a web page about his lawyering, besides being a lawyer it's like Harris Wheeler doesn't exist."How was school?" Scott asks as they eat at the table"Stressful I didn't have my camera today to take pictures for the yearbook""You're taking pictures for the yearbook?" Sheila looks over at himDropping his fork Tan stares back and forth between them "I have been the head of the yearbook committee all year, Erica and I took all the pictures in it. Why did you guys buy me a camera if you didn't know what I needed it for?" Realizing his parents aren't going to say anything due to the fact that they're eating and not even looking at him he asks "can I go to my room? Or do you guys need me to wa
"Hey, are you busy right now?" Sven walks in standing behind Tan as he sits on the computer in the yearbook committee room."You mean as I'm editing these pictures right now for the yearbook?" Tan asks sarcastically "not at all what's up?" He stops what he's doing and turns to Sven "woah you're really sweaty" he makes fun of him"It's a mix of working out and nerves" Tan watches as the sweat glistens down his arms, and the muscle shirt he's wearing covers nothing."Nerves?" They walk out of the room and stand closer"I'm freaking out about tonight" Sven whispers"Why? You've played a bunch of games before""This one's different people are gonna be watching""Like they usually do?""No Tan I mean the scouts they're coming and I don't think I'm ready""Sven since you became captain of JV they've won almost every game, you single-handedly turned those losers around" Sven chuckles at Tan calling his teammate losers, "and I know you're ready with all those practices and literally carrying
"Thanks a lot!" Tan yells at Lin as she's talking to Erica and Ronnie in Sven's backyard"That's not how I pictured you saying that" she turns to him"What happened?" Erica asks"Lin and I made a deal that if I talk to Sven and make him feel better she'd talk to Cyrus""What's the problem? We just saw her talking to him""She even got his number" Ronnie adds"Yeah, I did bitch!" They all cheer her on and start to high five"Good for you!" Tan yells getting the attention back to him "but Sven just kissed me upstairs!""What?!" They all ask shocked"We were talking in his bed and there was a moment and he kissed me" Tan explains"You were in his bed?!""Tanner Milton I said to make him feel better""Those weren't very clear instructions!" Tan panics "now he kissed me and I'm gonna make it weird""You don't have to," Ronnie says"It's Tan he's gonna make it weird" Erica chuckles"Thanks so much, Erica! None of you are helping! What do I do?""Avoid him?" Lin guesses"Yeah that's smart yo
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