Chapter 4

Reece did not know how long he had been out but staring at the white walls surrounding him was enough to know where he was. 

“Hey, I see you're up” a nurse walks in, pushing a cart filled with tablets and injections. Reece shifts uncomfortably on the bed, he has always been scared of injections, he tries sitting up but is abruptly forced back to the bed. 

His heart spiked up rapidly seeing the deadly cold gaze of the man above him. Reece did not know when he walked in, or if he had been in the room to begin with. He had not taken the leisure to glance around. 

“It's done,” the nurse soon announced, placing the empty injection back on the cart.

 “These are some drugs you are to take and directions are written on the back” Before the nurse could hand out the plastic full of tablets to Reece, the hands above him had grabbed them.

 Reece gulf down a huge lump not knowing what else to do. This was not the scene he had been hoping to wake up to. 

“We leave in a few minutes ' Aryan Turker announced walking over to the balcony. Reece wanted to make a run for it but his body was in so much pain. He glanced over to his ringing phone by the table. He carefully stretched out, taking the phone in hand.

 “What do I tell them?” he questioned himself but before he could answer the man from the balcony was back and staring down at him.

 “Aren't you going to pick?” he questioned but Reece was at a loss of words. He reluctantly swipes the green button. 

“Hey, Frida... Sorry, I..” “Where is he? Where did that devil take you?” Frida demanded not waiting for Reece to finish his words. 

“What devil are you talking about?” Reece asked impatiently. The last he wanted was for his friends to get wind of what transpired between Aryan and him.

 “Where is Aryan Turker? Where did that bastard take you, Reece, has he done anything to you? You should not be with him” Reece turned to the man standing before him with his hands in both pockets. 

Aryan Tucker was a new name to him, but he did not think the same situation applies to his friends. While he was introverted, Frida and Clark were not. 

“He.. he left me at the hospital and I don’t where he is” Reece lied through his teeth. “That's good” he could feel the relief from the other end.

 “Is something wrong Frida?” Reece asked but Frida just denied.

 “Why did you faint? Which hospital are you in? We are coming over” she announced.

 “No need to come over. It was just from the effect of yesterday. I am already on my way home, see you at school” Reece dropped the call before more words could be said from the other end. 

The man his friends desperately wanted him to stay away from was standing right before him, he did not know if he should laugh or cry at his misfortune. 

“Who are you?” was the only line he could come up with. So much was going through his head, but no matter what he wanted to ask, Reece wanted nothing more than to know the man before him. 

“Aryan Turker” Aryan replies nonchalantly with a dangerous smirk. Reece did ot like his smile, it not only gave him the creeps but somehow it was drawing his mind back to the happenings of the previous night.

 “I want to go home,” Reece said out loud, turning away from Aryan. History was one class he could skip, no.. he loved history but now he hated its teacher. 

“I am taking you home” Aryan replies carefully, taking him into his arms like he weighs nothing. Reece was not comfortable, but tossing and turning was not a better option. His experience of the previous night was enough to know the man was one of action rather than words. 

Reece held on to his neck, tucking his head deep into his chest wishing the stars from the hallway would go away. 

Once they were in the parking lot, Reece lifted his head as Aryan helped him into the car, buckling his seat belt before walking over to the driver's seat. 

“Do you want to pick up a few things?” Aryan asked, taking Reece aback. They were heading to his home, he did not have reason to pick a few things when he wanted nothing but to be as far away from this man as possible.

 “No '' Reece bluntly replies, staring out the window. 

“Then we should go shopping, I barely got you what you needed for today, I've got nothing more of your size at home” Reece turned to Aryan his eyes threatening to pop out just staring at the man before him. 

“You don't need to buy anything… I am not going with you. I have a home and a family who wants me home” Reece yelled angrily, tears threatening to fall. “Are you sure they do?” Aryan asks back.

“Yes… Shelly wants me home” Reece replied calmly. Aryan did not say more. Reece returns his eyes to the road watching everyone go about what they want except him. 

Reece did not want to cry before Aryan, the wind blowing through his face was making it hard to mask his pain.

 Indeed he wasn't sure if they wanted him home, yes he had not been lying when he said Shelly wanted him but he wasn't sure his elder brother and his parents wanted him home. Reece carefully took out his phone and yet again there was only a message from Shelly. 

“Don't come home, Mark Logan is staying the night” Reece's body suddenly trembles, his phone falling to his legs. 

He had barely escaped being rapad the last time by his brother's best friend and here he was stranded between an ocean and a desert. Home was not an option and staying with Aryan was a dreaded thought he dared not think of.

 “Anything wrong?” Aryan asks, seeing the boy’s hands trembling. 

“No… nothing” Reece replies trying to sound as okay as he could but his voice betrayed him.

 “You can tell me, Reece, I won't hurt you” Aryan reassures but Reece only scoffs.

“Yeah right... Says the man who bent me over against my will.”