Chapter 22

Nick POV

"Where the hell are you?" I bellow into the phone.

"I'm at school on the bench near the gym," I hear the breaking voice reply. I panic grabbing my jacket that was laying lazily on the stones, slightly wet because of how close I was to the sea.

"I'll be there soon, okay? Don't go anywhere," I don't stop for him to reply. I sprint not letting my racing heartbeat get in the way of me reaching him. I stumble and trip multiple times but I don't stop. I won't stop. I reach school in a record-breaking time, even though the beach is slightly far from my school. I can barely breathe by the time I get outside the gym, but I decide to ignore the fact that I want to eject my lungs. Or how my breath sounds like a dying tractor trying to start up.

I can see him sitting on the bench half asleep. His bruises are decorating his body. I can see him looking into space. He is always daydreaming, I smile even under these dire circumstances he can always find a way to make me smile. I approach him gingerly, I can't believe I left him at school by himself. I should have been here for him and where is Jared? If I'm not here I expect Jared to be here for him. I shake my head I can't start blaming anyone else by myself. I just needed time alone, I'm so fucked up after forgetting my the anniversary.

"Adien?" He looks towards me, he has this tired look on his face like he's so done with life, like he can't even be bothered to be done with it. I cry inside, my insides cooking with guilt.

"Hey, Nick" He spoke as if he doesn't believe that I'm actually here like he's seeing things. "I didn't think you'd come," he laughed, it wasn't a humorous laugh it was a sad laugh one of the laughs you laugh after watching a sad movie and seeing an unfunny funny joke. Like steel magnolias, the movie that makes you cry and laugh at the same time.

"Of course I came. Why wouldn't I?" I asked before realising. He must think I don't like him because I haven't been talking to him for a while. Another guilty pang stabs me in the stomach. He replies with a sad smile, it seems to hurt him when he moves and talks. I don't talk instead I get him on my back and carry him, effortlessly he's so light he actually weighs the same as a 10-year-old. he seems to be enjoying the ride as I catch him smiling multiple times in the reflection of store windows. But eventually he walks, stumbles alongside me.

I don't actually know where I'm taking him so I'm shocked to find that I lead us to the beach. I never take anyone to the beach with me, it was me and my..., parents' favourite place when they were alive anyway.

"I've never been here," Adien croaks, coughing a few times in the process. I lead him to the hidden part of the beach, where not many people know about.

"It's a very old beach. Not many people go to it." I explain placing Adien on the sand at the same place I always sit. We sit in a comfortable silence for a while, no one needed to say anything. All we have to do is listen to the howling wind and the sea battering the cliff beside us as if asking the cliff for entrance.

"Who did this to you?," I asked angrily unable to contain my fury. Whoever he is, I'll never let him hurt him again. I'm so angry I hope that someone will be there to pry me off of him because I'll kill him. I'll kill him for what he did to Adien. He doesn't say a thing for a while, I almost think he won't talk at all.

"It doesn't matter," Adien whispered wincing at the action.

"Don't you dare. You have to tell me! How could you not tell me, I was so worried about you" I spoke a little too harshly. Rougher than it was supposed to come out.

"Don't you dare lecture me. How can you have a go at me when you've been ignoring me? How do you think I've felt these past few days, I thought we were friends. You... and my mum is all I have. I don't have friends like you do. I can't go up to anyone and have a conversation or have them be interested in me. I don't have multiple girls falling over themselves for me. But you do, you can do all these things because you are popular, you're liked. So don't you dare think that you can lecture me on not telling you things. You have a perfect life" He finishes his rant, looking exhausted after, blinking back tears.

I sigh before getting up and kneeling in front of him. I slowly unbutton his shirt seeing the bruises and caress each of them gingerly. It doesn't seem to hurt him. He closes his eyes and sighs deeply. He's beautiful.

"My mum and dad died when I was 12. I've been living in a foster home ever since. I haven't told anyone except Jared and Angel. They're the only people who know. I'm scared of telling other people because... I'm ashamed. Ashamed of not have a family. I'm fake, half of the people I'm 'Friends' with aren't even my friends. So people don't know me, they think my life is great, but it's just as fucked up as everyone else's." I finish slightly relieved that I told someone...no I feel relieved because I told Adien. I feel like I could tell him anything. He's always seen past my facade, always seen me for me.

"I'm you're family now. You have nothing to be ashamed of," Then he doesn't say a thing he just looks at me in the eyes. I look back. Losing myself. I wrap my arms around him pulling him toward me, I feel a rush of hopelessness as I can't stop myself. I feel his soft lips brush against mine, leaving me hungry for more. Our shaking lips finally connect as a rush of warmth hits me and I feel liberated. I finally realise I've been wanting this for a long time. My craving for the comfort of his lips has finally been quenched. My heart races with joy. For the first time, I feel...I feel like I love someone, not a petty crush but actual love. The kind of life-changing love that shakes your world upside down. It lasts for a minute but it feels like a heavenly lifetime. Fireworks bursts from my chest, it's like a flower blossomed in my heart.  I raise my hand to hold his face, wanting to hold all of him, he shivers under my touch.

Our memorable moment comes to an abrupt end as Adien reels back. Eyes burst open looking mortified. As if he just woke up from a dream and realised it was all wrong. I went too fast, he's not ready. I hurt him, I can't expect him to forgive me so quickly.

"What? What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" I ask terrified of the answer. He looks around unable to catch my eye. He is looking everywhere but at me.

"I need to get home," He whispers getting up and grabbing his wet and sandy shirt, that was laying beside us watching the recent scene. I jump up with him not able to find the words to protest. "I'll see you tomorrow..."

"I was thinking that you would hang out with me."

"I don't feel like it today...I'm not feeling well," he utters almost inaudible.

"Please, I really need a friend today"

"I needed a friend today, but I guess sometimes friends let you down," he shrugged tears glistening in his eyes.

"You can't just pretend what just happened didn't just happen" I shout referring to the...Kiss. "Friends don't kiss each other like that,"

" I don't know okay. I can't get emotionally involved, I need to forget about it. "

"No, you can't"

"Watch me!" he screamed turning his back and walking away. I've never seen someone speed walk like that. I panic trying to find something to get him to stop being mad at me for ignoring him these last few days. I let him down, but I don't know who else to go to.

"...It was the Anniversary of my parents' death...That's why I didn't come to school today." I sigh finally getting Adien's full attention. This new information making him turn around and look up to me immediately. Finally catching my eyes. "I shouldn't have ignored you, I just couldn't make myself face you. I know that's not much of an excuse bu-"

I'm abruptly stopped mid-sentence by Adien crashing his lips on mine

Bliss.