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 gulps 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 for 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 thing 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 applied to his friends. While he was introverted, Frida and Clark were not.
“He... he left me at the hospital, and I don’t know 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 it.
“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 not 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 a reason to pick up 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 raped 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.”
Reece stormed out of the penthouse, not minding where he was going. At this point, he only wanted to calm down and be as far from Aryan as possible. But as he walked into the night, he soon realized there was nowhere to go, and his legs led him back to the one place he wanted to stay away from. The lights were still on and on, Aryan sat on the porch, staring back at him. Reece swallowed his pride and walked back inside. They had dinner and went to bed without saying a word to each other. The following days continued in the same pattern, and before Reece realized it, a week had passed. The school was no longer a safe ground. Aryan was humiliated at every opportunity. He walked in on traps and his locker was constantly filled with paper items and balloons containing words. But despite it all, he kept his cool. He did not waver, nor did he accept this assigned fate. Coming home on a Friday, he opened the door only to find the house empty and a note on the fridge. “I will stay the nigh
Reece walked through the hallway but unlike usual days it was too quiet for his liking. Everyone was on their business unlike talking and whispering about the recent happenings of Aryan. Reece quickly walked to his class and like always he walked over to the back not taking a glance. “Where is the teacher? I thought they weren't around to lay us off so easily?” a student asked and Reece couldn't help but wonder the same. Aryan had no other plans before class. “I heard he was summoned to the office. We all know Delora isn't lying about him being the father of her baby so it is time he steps up and man up to everything.” Reece could only listen and do nothing. Time went by and soon Aryan made his way in. he was quick to finish with the lesson of the day and as the bell went off he was out the door before the first students. Aryan Turker walks into the proprietor's office and there is Delora seated every so comfortably. “Have a seat son” Mr Catwell says out so ever pleasingly. Aryan
The car window was pounded so hard. Reece jolted from the car seat staring out the window. From outside he watched Aryan call out to him. Reece sat upright unable to comprehend what was happening. Within a blink, Aryan was dying in his arms and now here he was standing out the window pounding on the window. Reece; 's hands quickly went to the door as he opened it for Aryan. “Were you sleeping?” Aryan asked and Reece could only stare as his lips moved. “You died,” he whispers. Aryan chuckles, staring at the boy before him. “Who died?” he asked but Reece's lips quivered and tears sprang from his eyes. Aryan could see the pain and the hurt from within them. “You died..in my arms and I couldn't do anything about it. She killed you” he sobs some more as Aryan takes him into his arms. “It was only a dream. I am not dead, I am here with you” he assures but Reece just clutched on hard to his shirt not willing to let go. “It's okay. I am not going anywhere” Reece let Aryan go as he walke
It's been a week since Aryan Turker was suspended but it was now time to bring him back. History was not a subject anyone could teach, the students were behind and it was soon time for the winter break. Aryan walked into the campus and without a doubt, every eye was on him. It was not uncommon so he quietly made his way to the teacher's area. “Hello,” he greets before taking his seat. Everyone was suddenly quiet but that was not his concern. “Hey.. rough morning huh?” mis Lavender says taking a seat close to him. “Not really. Just got here” he replies. It wasn't a bad morning for him but he could tell it was for her. “Did you do it?” she suddenly asked Aryan to raise an eyebrow at her. “Did what?” he asked. “Oh don't play me for an Aryan fool. Everyone is talking about it. It is all the teachers and students talk about so tell me the truth, did you have sex with Delora?" First Aryan did not have a record of when they had gone to first name basis but chose to ignore that he stared a
Dinner at the Mcrocals was quiet as Ray dished out his food, not daring to look up at his parents who had their eyes stationed on him. “What's happening?” Shelly suddenly asked not to be able to keep up with the opaqueness. It was getting at her and the sudden silence was not helping. “Why did you untie Reece?” their mother suddenly asked, throwing Shelly off guard. “Reece.. Why shouldn't I have one?” she asked not sure why they were suddenly talking about the son no one liked. “You shouldn't have done that, Shelly. Ray is your brother and you should be by his side. You can't support Reece over Ray” Mrs Mcrocal stated. Shelly drops her cutleries to the table staring back at her parents. For the longest time she had pondered on the reason they hated Reece so much but hearing them now it was clear. “Why can't I help Reece? If Ray is my brother, isn't Reece my brother too?” she asked, but Ray hissed loudly, dropping his cutlery hastily and staring at his baby sister. “You should le
Reece wasn’t interested in talking with Aryan, but he couldn't hold back as they took the wrong turn. “Where are we headed?” he asked, staring out at the familiar street to his house. “To pick up your remaining items” Aryan announced, keeping his eyes on the road. “Why? I don't want to go back. I think I have everything I need at your place” he argues but Aryan was not taking it. He kept calm and glued his eyes on the road. The car soon pulled up in front of the Mcrocal residence. Reece braced himself before stepping out of the car as he made his way up to the front door. “We can go shopping, just pick your books,” Aryan recalled from the car. Reece smiles before knocking on the hard door. He waited patiently hearing the voice of his mother answer from within the wooden door. Watching the door open and the face of his mother come into view, Reece forced out a smile. “Mom” he greeted but only got an angry hum. “What do you want here? Aren't you satisfied with what you did to my son