《Ash doesn't die》


 Observations

    ¡® And, that makes 20 of them who want to get outside of this messy place.¡¯


    This was what Ash was thinking the entire time in the Cafeteria. This was what he would do in the cafeteria ever since he joined high school. He would take his lunch, go to any chair that isn¡¯t taken, and observe other students while silently munching on his food.


    Not that he wanted to, that is.


    His real name was Asher, but his parents would call him Ash. No one at high school did though, and he didn¡¯t want anyone to do so either.


    He was forced to go to the Local High School by his older sister. ¡®What an insolence¡¯, he would always hear his parents talk about her like this.


    And he didn¡¯t know why.


    The only thing he knew was that his sister had a fight with his parents and ended up living alone in a nearby city. And there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with that, but his parents would always end up whining why she would always control Ash.


    Ash didn¡¯t care, he just agreed with her suggestion because he wanted her to stop explaining, ¡®Why this is the best high school for you¡¯ and ¡®You should study here because of this and this reason¡¯.


    ¡®What were the reasons again?¡¯, Ash thought while holding back a yawn.


    His train of thoughts were cut off when a slightly childish yet male voice asked, carrying his food tray packed with all sorts of food, while also pointing to the seat next to him, ¡°Hey Asher, if you don¡¯t mind, Can I sit here?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ash replied while looking at his food.


    ¡®Jason, eh? I bet he came here to tell me how much he loves the food here.¡¯ Ash thought while eating.


    Jason was a classmate of his. Black hair in a bowl-cut, black round eyes, and an aura with vibrant colors. He had a childish voice, and Ash would always seem to think, ¡®Does he actually have a voice like this or does he pretend that?¡¯


    But he would always come to a dead end.


    He was again interrupted by Jason¡¯s voice, ¡° Fried rice and juice? That¡¯s all you¡¯re gonna eat?¡±


    Ash looked at him, Jason was bending over his food and asking with a concerned expression, ¡°Yeah¡±, he replied with a bored voice.


    ¡°You know you should taste the new item here in the cafe. You might not guess it, but they¡¯re introducing sushi here! Can you believe it? I mean it might be okay for a japanese school but here? In America?¡± Jason started the convo, with what he was the best at, food.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Ash said while sipping the juice with the straw.


    Then Jason blabbed about the food in the cafe and how much healthy food is served here, and on and on.


    But Ash was looking at him. ¡®He has his feet pointing towards that table, or more specifically, towards Lucas. Jason fiddles with his index finger when he finds something disgusting. He also tends to ruffle his hair when he tells a fact. But he has a bowl-cut, and there isn¡¯t much hair to ruffle. Wait, is he insecure about his hair?¡¯


    Ash was now finished eating but was sitting there because Jason was still spilling out facts. One thing Ash knew about himself was that he was a good listener. A Really good one.


    He would not waver until the other person had stopped talking.


    A huge laughter erupted through the cafe.


    And Ash knew the source.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that it¡¯s true! You actually got caught while pranking your own lil bro?! W-When?!¡± A boy on the other side of the cafe was standing on his chair, laughing hysterically, and pointing towards a boy sitting across from him.


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    ¡®Lucas¡¯. Ash heaved a long sigh.


    Lucas was the topper of their class. He had really dishevelled dark-brown hair, and brown eyes.


    Such curious eyes of his were the reason every teacher liked him. He would always ask weird and absurd questions during classes, but the teachers didn¡¯t mind.


    Well, some of them didn¡¯t.


    On the other hand, Ash was a top-scorer too, he was always placed third or fourth in the exams, not that he wanted to achieve more than what he already was.


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but think about everything he knew about Lucas, ¡¯He always is placed first in every class, whether it¡¯s sports, academics, or music. He has a bright aura but I feel like something is missing in him. Like he is hiding something, or maybe I¡¯m overthinking?He always wears his uniform without a tie, and his shoes are un-polished and dirty from all the running classes before lunch. I think he doesn¡¯t care about impressions, huh¡¯.


    His observation was again interrupted when the bell rang, indicating the end of lunch break.


    Ash stood up, picked his empty food-tray, and made his way to the cafe-counter to hand it back.


    He would always walk slowly but steadily, like every step of his was measured, precise and calculated.


    His day would be planned, and he liked it that way.


    Once he made his way back to class, he sat down at his desk, and looked at it.


    ¡®Clean and tidy.¡¯ Ash thought as he internally praised himself for his manners.


    He looked around, ¡®Jason is now blabbing about food to William, another foodie, and Lucas is¡­nowhere to be found here. Great.¡¯ Ash sighed while thinking of the scolding he and his classmates would¡¯ve to suffer because of Ash bunking classes.


    Yeah, Lucas may be a topper, but he was more like a care-free boy. He would bunk classes, go to the Arcade with his friends during school, and still would get great results. That¡¯s why teachers didn¡¯t find a reason to scold him but the other students.


    The school passed by quickly after that. The teacher scolded them, sure, but it was over now.


    Ash was waiting for the bus when he heard a familiar voice.


    ¡®Sis¡¯. Ash looked over to her sister making her way through the crowd while apologizing for the rush.


    That¡¯s right, his family was famous for their good manners, of course, he was taught them at a young age too.


    He was taught to say ¡®Sorry¡¯ when he bumps into someone, if someone is irritated at him, if someone is staring at him or the other way around.


    Likewise, ¡®Thank you¡¯ was meant to be said when someone helps him, someone listens to him, or someone asks him how he is.


    Lily was her older sister¡¯s name. ¡®She is nothing like a lily, she isn¡¯t soft-hearted. She always has a razor-sharp tongue, eyes like a predator and an aura of a manipulator. I wonder, was she always like this or did something happen to her?¡¯ Ash thought, as he didn¡¯t live with her for longer than a year.


    He was just 5 years old when Lily left the home.


    He didn¡¯t remember the details, and his parents didn¡¯t talk about the matter.


    All he remembered was someone screaming at the top of her lungs, someone crying and someone shouting.


    ¡°ASH!¡±


    Ash startled for a bit and then saw Lily shaking him from the shoulders and then quickly bombarded with tons of questions.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Were you just spacing out?¡±


    ¡°Did you eat lunch today?¡±


    ¡°Were you just about to go home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ash replied while slightly pushing Lily¡¯s hands away from him.


    ¡°Eh? And ¡®Yes¡¯ is the answer of which question exactly?¡± Lily crossed her arms.


    But then Lily started to drag him along and the next thing Ash knew, he was sitting in an amber-themed cafe and Lily was sitting across from him.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Ash asked with a bit of annoyance.


    ¡°Because I wanted to spend some quality time with my lil bro, that¡¯s why!¡± Lily almost shouted and began to ruffle Ash¡¯s hair, which added more to Ash¡¯s annoyance.


    ¡°I want to go home, Mom will be worried.¡± Ash pushed Lily¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about her, she still controls you huh?¡± Lily said, her expression changing abruptly.


    ¡°No, I just want to go home. It was a long day.¡± Ash said remembering the teacher¡¯s scolding.


    ¡°Okay man, but still, I just wanted to know, Is dad behaving¡­okay?¡± Lily asked, with a concerned voice.


    ¡°Yeah, what about him?¡± Ash suddenly became curious.


    ¡°Oh, nothing, just tell me if he behaves¡­differently than usual, ¡®kay?¡± Lily said.


    ¡°No, tell me if something is wrong.¡± Ash leaned closer to Lily.


    ¡°I¡­just don¡¯t want dad to control you, that¡¯s all. You know, he is a really cruel man. He threw me out of the house bag and baggage. He is only like the way he is, because he wants you to obey him. He is going to¡­.shut you down if you disrespect him.¡± Lily said in a low voice, her brown hair shadowing her eyes.


    ¡°You are wrong. He doesn¡¯t control me, he just¡­.asks me the way things would work better, that¡¯s all.¡± Ash replied, his hand placed on the table trembled a bit, but Lily didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡®Why is Lily talking about dad? He doesn¡¯t behave the way she is saying. What is she up to?¡¯ Ash thought.


    ¡°Asher, you don¡¯t know him the way I do, he is going to probably throw you out of the house when you¡¯re of no use to him.¡± Lily¡¯s hand made its way to Ash¡¯s.


    ¡®Is something going on between these two?¡¯ Ash thought, his heart beating way faster than usual.


    ¡°Did something happen? Why did dad throw you out of the house when I was five?¡± Ash asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.


    ¡°No, nothing happened. The time will come when you¡¯ll know about what happened between us. Ash, just tell me if he behaves differently towards you, you think you can do that for me?¡± Lily squeezed his hand tightly.

 People change..?

    Recap:


    ¡°You are wrong. He doesn¡¯t control me, he just¡­.asks me the way things would work better, that¡¯s all.¡± Ash replied, his hand placed on the table trembled a bit, but Lily didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡®Why is Lily talking about dad? He doesn¡¯t behave the way she is saying. What is she up to?¡¯ Ash thought.


    ¡°Asher, you don¡¯t know him the way I do, he is going to probably throw you out of the house when you¡¯re of no use to him.¡± Lily¡¯s hand made its way to Ash¡¯s.


    ¡®Is something going on between these two?¡¯ Ash thought, his heart beating way faster than usual.


    ¡°Did something happen? Why did dad throw you out of the house when I was five?¡± Ash asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.


    ¡°No, nothing happened. The time will come when you¡¯ll know about what happened between us. Ash, just tell me if he behaves differently towards you, you think you can do that for me?¡± Lily squeezed his hand tightly.


    ¡°Fine. Now I¡¯m going home.¡± Ash stood quickly, bid Lily good-bye, and went home.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 2:


    ¡°Are you home, honey?¡± Ash¡¯s mom asked when she heard the voice of the main door opening.


    ¡°Yes mom.¡± Ash replied while looking at his mom, she had features an awful lot like Lily.


    ¡°Was school good?¡¯ His mom asked in a loud voice because of the TV show broadcasting.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ash replied while walking the stairs to his room.


    Then Ash went to his room and changed.


    He always liked being tidy. Messy study tables weren¡¯t really his thing. His room consisted of a single bed, a book-shelf at its right, and a small study table at its left.


    His room resembled him a lot.


    Clean, observed, minimalist.


    He then waited for the dinner.


    Because he wanted to observe why Lily was so curious about dad.


    He wanted to see for himself.


    Then the long awaited moment arrived.


    Ash heard the loud banging of the main door, and someone scolding.


    ¡°Daddy''s home!¡± Noah running through the hall, almost tripping over his own feet, screamed.


    ¡°Oy! Look where you¡¯re going, you stupid child of mine! And don¡¯t scream in the house, or you¡¯re grounded, you hear!¡± His dad screamed back.


    Noah, Ash¡¯s and Lily¡¯s little brother. He wasn¡¯t even born when the Lily-leaving-home incident happened. He only knew there is a big sister of his, who is living in another city because of studying, and that¡¯s it.


    ¡®Dad never shouts when he comes home, especially at Noah. What on Earth is happening?¡¯ Ash thought while making his way to the lounge, for the dinner.


    He knew his father for, basically his whole life.


    ¡®I never found dad controlling me or any other stuff Lily mentioned. He is always in control, his business of shipping products worldwide, himself, his family, everything is¡­okay. Well except for Lily. Dad always seems angry when it comes to Lily. Like there was this one time when Noah asked about her, and dad almost snapped at him.¡¯ Ash shrugged at the memory, while standing at the doorstep of the lounge.


    He saw his father, black straight hair, shoulder-length and black onyx eyes. His aura was always like cool wind, but almost menacing, like it¡¯ll crush anyone or anything that comes in his way.


    Ash looked like him.


    A lot.


    The only difference was his hair wasn¡¯t as long as his dad¡¯s.


    ¡°You, what are you doing staring at me like that?!¡± His father, named Luke, exclaimed. His deep eyes bore into Ash¡¯s slim form, he was wearing blue sweatpants, and white T-shirt, his hair wet and sticking to the sides of his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for staring. Should we eat dinner or are you going to take a bath first?¡± Ash asked quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, take your brother with you and eat. I¡¯m going to rest. I had to deal with some pretty crazy supply chain disruption- wait, why am I telling it to you? You probably don¡¯t know it anyway.¡± Luke said sarcastically, while making his way to the study.


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    And Ash¡­.was dumbfounded.


    ¡®Did dad just insult me? I mean I don¡¯t know these chain disruptions dad was talking about, but still, he was definitely not himself today.¡¯ Ash thought, his eyes darting towards his dad¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°Come on Noah, time to eat.¡± Ash said, while forcing himself to tear his focus on something else.


    ¡°Ah, I wanna play, no time to eat!¡± Noah shrieked, while getting away from Ash.


    ¡°Come on, Noah, don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± Ash began to move forward to Noah, who was only seven at the time.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After dinner, Ash was about to go back to his room, when his mom called him.


    ¡°Asher, daddy¡¯s calling you in his study!¡±


    ¡°Ooh, Big brother¡¯s in trouble!¡± Noah circled around Ash, while also jumping up and down.


    ¡®What does dad wanna talk about?¡¯ Ash thought while ignoring Noah¡¯s actions. He made his way to the study.


    When he was in front of the door of the study, he thought, ¡®I wonder if something is wrong, or if it has to do something with Lily maybe? No matter, I¡¯ll see for myself.¡¯


    Without further ado, Ash knocked at the door, thrice.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Luke said, and Ash was easy to guess that he had a hint of anger in his voice.


    Ash pushed the door open, and saw his father.


    Sitting on a big easy chair, with a table in front of him covered in all sorts of stuff, papers, and empty mugs.


    Book-shelves and a red rug underneath.


    Yellow lights, with an amber ceiling.


    ¡®It sure looks¡­dramatic.¡¯ Ash thought, taking in his surroundings.


    ¡°Do you need anything dad?¡± Ash asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.


    ¡°Yes, Asher. Now, what I¡¯ll ask you, reply truthfully.¡±


    And even Ash¡¯s angels knew that Luke called him ¡®Asher¡¯ when he was mad.


    ¡°..Okay.¡± Ash managed out.


    ¡°Did you meet with Lily today?¡± Luke asked, barely keeping his cool.


    ¡®Lily? So it does have to do something with her. Wait, dad doesn¡¯t even mention Lily, so why now?¡¯ Ash thought.


    ¡°No.¡± Ash blurted.


    ¡®Why on earth did I say No?! I was supposed to tell the truth. Oh god, I¡¯m in big trouble now.¡¯ Ash mentally scolded himself, ¡®Mind as well bear with it now, no time to deny it.¡¯


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Luke angrily stood up, with hands slammed on the table.


    ¡°Um..dad, did something happen?¡±


    But before Ash could tell him the truth, and he would gladly tell him, because there was something in him telling him to run, anywhere, somewhere, just¡­away from him.


    There was something in him, telling him that, today, Dad was not the same.


    Luke came towards him, angrily mumbling about something, and the next thing Ash knew, his father was jerking him from the shoulders.


    ¡°You fool! I told you to tell me the truth, Now¡­did you meet her today, or not?!¡± He had a dangerous edge to his voice.


    ¡°I¡­ did. Yes, I met her.¡± Ash was somehow getting shivers.


    ¡°Why? Why did you meet her?!¡± Luke screamed, now pulling Ash upwards from the collars of his shirt.


    ¡°Be-Because she''s my sister.¡± Ash blurted, his face inches away from his dad¡¯s.


    ¡®Why is dad acting like this?! He never acts like¡­¡¯ And then Ash remembered, ¡®Is dad behaving¡­okay? Asher, you don¡¯t know him the way I do, he is going to probably throw you out of the house when you¡¯re of no use to him.¡¯


    As much as he hated remembering Lily¡¯s words, he knew dad was acting differently.


    He knew his father never shouted, or acted this angrily.


    ¡®Sure, dad gave me advice to stay away from her, everyday, rather harshly, but he never pulled out the physical card. He never even touched me like he is now. Hell, he is actually suffocating me, I can¡¯t breathe, Come on Asher, Breat-¡¯


    ¡° I told you to stay away from her, dammit! Why can¡¯t you listen to what I tell you? You¡­ You¡¯re actually worse than your sister!¡± Luke screamed, while shaking Ash from the collar, until his teeth rattled.


    ¡®I can¡¯t breathe, I can¡¯t-¡¯ was the only thing Ash could think.


    He didn¡¯t know his dad was this angry, he never saw him like this.


    No, He didn¡¯t even want to see him like this.


    So, why now?


    Then he heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re suffocating him, Luke! Leave him be!¡± His mom screamed while looking at the scene unfolding in front of her.


    Luke seemed to gain his senses, it was like he could see again.


    He saw a hand holding Ash up, and shaking him to the point he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Screw that, it was his own hand.


    He quickly left hold of Ash¡¯s collar, and Ash fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    His mother worriedly hurried towards her son, who was bending over the floor, and coughing.


    ¡°Are you okay, honey?!¡± She inspected her son¡¯s battered form.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­o-okay, mom.¡± Ash replied, now finally being able to breathe.


    ¡°Luke, what were you doing to Ash? What happened?¡± His mom asked.


    His dad ignored her mother¡¯s inquiry, and said in a low voice, ¡°Asher, if I ever find you went to talk with her, I¡¯m gonna rip you apart. Are we clear?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Ash blurted out, and his mom asked him to go to his room.


    Ash walked to his room, and he could hear his mom and dad arguing about something, they were really, really loud.


    He went and sat on his bed, holding his throat, he thought,¡¯ What happened, dad, never, behaves like this. Lily said to tell her if Dad acted differently towards me, so she knew somehow. Should I tell her?¡¯


    But then Ash played the entire scene in his mind.


    From his dad asking him to shaking him.


    And, To the last line.


    .


    .


    ¡®If I ever find you went to talk with her, I¡¯m gonna rip you apart.¡¯


    .


    .


    ¡®Why did dad say it? He..he never acts like this. Forget Lily, I would never tell her after dad¡¯s threat. God, he was scary.¡¯ Ash shrugged, and laid down.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After putting Noah to sleep, I went to the kitchen.


    My son¡¯s can be such a pain sometimes. Like Noah, who wants to play and play, and doesn¡¯t wanna go to sleep. He started school last year, but he never actually takes an interest in studying, if you ask me.


    Asher and Lily are such good students, actually Lily was so good, her teacher asked me to enroll her in the national university only 1% students can apply to.


    I was on my way to the kitchen, when I heard someone shouting. It was Luke.


    Luke doesn¡¯t even get angry that much, so what happened?


    He also skipped dinner, and he rarely does that, so something is definitely wrong.


    I hurried my way to his study, and then I remembered, Ash was there too.


    Did it have to do something with him?


    I was only too worried to think.


    I went and saw, Luke was holding Ash up like if his weight meant nothing to him, and Ash was having difficulty breathing.


    What the heck?!


    I immediately stopped Luke, and sent Asher to his room.


    And Luke said something about¡­Lily?


    Wait, did he meet Lily by any chance?!


    Oh no, now Luke is going to be harder to calm down.


    It¡¯s gonna take a lot of work and effort.


    And the next thing I knew, Luke was screaming at me because of my failure in raising Lily, the wrong way.


    Actually, he¡¯s at fault.


    And, I¡¯m gonna make him realize that.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The King of Bullies

    ¡°Big brother¡­?¡±


    Ash suddenly shut his eyes open, and they darted towards the door.


    Noah was standing there in his night suit, a stuffed bear in one hand, and the other hand squeezing his shirt.


    Hard, that his knuckles were white.


    ¡®He is scared.¡¯ Ash let out an exasperated sigh, and sat up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Noah?¡± Ash asked, although he knew what was he scared of.


    ¡°Big brother¡­they are loud.¡± Noah said, his eyes puffy from the little amount of time he slept.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Ash said, while mentioning Noah to come closer.


    Noah came to him with little steps, he was hugging the stuffed animal at the same time.


    He then sat on Ash¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Ash asked, while looking at Noah.


    He looked like a perfect combination of mom and dad.


    Black hair, and brown eyes.


    ¡®Innocent¡¯ people thought whenever they looked at his face.


    ¡°I was sleeping, but then I woke up, mommy and daddy are loud.¡± Noah told Ash, shrugging.


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡®It will be wrong to tell him that dad and mom are fighting, and he has never seen them this loud. I should probably tear his focus on something else.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to school tomorrow?¡± Ash asked, ruffling Noah¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t wanna.¡± Noah pouted.


    ¡°Noah, school is important. Don¡¯t you like learning new stuff?¡± Ash asked, tilting his head a bit.


    ¡°No.¡± Noah huffed.


    ¡°Then the teachers?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°The playgrounds?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I like my friends!¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± Ash asked quickly.


    ¡°I like my friends ,they¡¯re so cool. I have this friend who knows how to make paper butterflies!¡± Noah told Ash, overly-proud at his friend.


    ¡°A paper butterfly?¡± Ash asked, clearly confused.


    ¡°Yes, and you don¡¯t know how to make them, and my friends tell me their brothers play with them, and you don¡¯t play with me. Ne, big brother, tell me, do you have friends?!¡± Noah was now out of breath.


    ¡°Noah breathe first. And for your question, Yes, I do. I have many friends.¡± Ash replied, proud.


    ¡°What are their names?¡± Noah asked, curious.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Ash breathed out.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have friends, why did I lie to him?! I mean, I¡¯ve pretty good relations with every classmate, but I don¡¯t clearly have a best friend.¡¯ Ash facepalmed.


    ¡°Big brother, tell me!¡± Noah jumped.


    ¡°They¡¯re too many, besides, Noah, what are friends even for?¡± Ash blurted out.


    ¡®What are friends even for?! Great job asking a seven year old child about it, Asher! Couldn¡¯t have been better, man!¡¯


    ¡°Friends are¡­.to share¡­stuff?¡± Noah replied, now realizing he actually didn¡¯t know himself.


    ¡°I guess?¡± Ash questioned again, now both of them staring at each other, dumb-founded.


    ¡®I think mom and dad are done, I don¡¯t listen them anymore, or maybe because I¡¯m on the second floor?¡¯


    ¡°Noah, mom and dad are done, you can go to sleep now.¡±


    ¡°Eh?! Why were they even fighting?¡± Noah shrieked.


    But before Ash could reply, Noah said again,


    ¡°I know, because you caused some trouble! Right, big brother?¡± Noah asked, now standing up.


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    ¡®That makes things easier for me to explain. Thanks, Noah.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡± Ash replied, his index finger on his chin.


    ¡°Did you do something bad? Did you fight with your best friend from school?¡± Noah asked, worried.


    ¡°Ah, no. Nothing like that. Don¡¯t worry. Now go to sleep.¡± Ash replied, facepalming once again.


    ¡°Okay, big brother, next time we meet, I¡¯m gonna tell you what friends are for, Okay?¡± Noah did a thumbs up.


    ¡°Next time we meet? Noah, we basically live together, remember? And for the question, alright.¡± Ash said.


    But Noah was nowhere to be found.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    It was a long day, a bit chilly, actually.


    A good day for school.


    But Ash was too engrossed in his thinking.


    ¡®It was such a long day yesterday, and seriously, I slept only a bit. After Noah went to sleep, mom and dad actually started fighting again. And Noah came back.


    So much for getting a good night¡¯s sleep.


    He came and I had to deal with his friends'' questions so much, I thought my brain was gonna explode.


    But gladly, he slept. In my bed. At my place.¡¯


    Ash thought, and heaved a long sigh.


    Luke and his wife were not talking like usual, and Noah overslept to the point he had to miss school.


    Ash had to make his own breakfast, because his mom was so engrossed in her ¡®fighting trauma last night¡¯ that she kinda forgot that she has two sons to send to school.


    And Luke¡­went to the office early. Even before the sun had risen.


    Talk about family drama.


    ¡®Luckily, nothing is gonna go wrong today. I¡¯m gonna make sure of it.¡¯ Ash cracked his knuckles, a fierce determination visible in his eyes.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Well, so much for a normal day.


    The day started great, and then came the teacher, and he obviously scolded the class, gave them a 1000-word essay to write, and also extra homework, because of Lucas.


    Lucas bunking class.


    ¡®Great.¡¯ Ash thought, his hand holding his chin, eyes darting into every direction of the class.


    He was currently in the classroom, after lunch with Jason, and he obviously told him about how much the ratio of healthy food is important and all that stuff.


    And now he was finally free.


    ¡®Only one session to go, and then home.¡¯ Ash looked over to the door.


    Lucas was coming through the door, his usual appearance, his dishevelled brown hair, brown eyes, a uniform with no tie, and unpolished shoes.


    Yep, he didn¡¯t care about how much his classmates had to suffer because of his mistakes.


    Besides, he didn¡¯t even have to work hard for that, he was basically the topper.


    And now, he was coming, a bunch of other students around him, and him laughing hysterically at some lame joke he was telling, but no one else around him was laughing at his joke, but his carefree demeanor.


    ¡®Whenever he is around, there is laughter erupting, and he is never alone. I guess he really hates being alone, huh?¡¯ Ash looked over to him.


    Lucas was coming, and he had to pass by Ash¡¯s seat to go to his own seat.


    And he actually wasn¡¯t looking ahead but sideways to one of the students he was telling a joke to.


    ¡®At this point, if he doesn¡¯t look, he¡¯s gonna trip, or worse, he¡¯s gonna hurt the pinky of his right foot, by bumping against my table.¡¯ Ash thought, seriously taking into account how much pain the worse case will cause him.


    ¡®I gotta alert him!¡¯


    ¡°Oy¡± Ash managed out, although he strongly doubted his voice could¡¯ve reached him amidst all the laughing around.


    But it was too late.


    Lucas had hurt the pinky of his right foot, by bumping against the desk.


    ¡°Crap, it hurts!¡± Lucas screamed, now sitting, and acting cautious not to touch his hurt pinky.


    His lackeys laughed at him.


    How sad.


    ¡®It must¡¯ve hurt.¡¯ Ash thought, while looking at Lucas.


    ¡°Are you okay? Here.¡± Ash asked, while offering him his hand to stand up.


    ¡°Man, you should¡¯ve alerted me!¡± Lucas complained, while standing up, taking Ash¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I did.¡± Ash was now sitting in his chair.


    ¡°Huh?! When?¡± Lucas asked, pointing at Ash.


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Eh, better question! Who are you?!¡± Lucas asked in a loud voice, taking into account that Ash had just ignored him.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t know me right! There¡¯s no way- This man, he is the topper, and I came third place this midterm, and we even shaked hands at the stage. He¡¯s gotta be kidding-¡¯


    Ash mentally laughed at Lucas¡¯s stupidity.


    ¡°I am Ash-¡± Ash hadn¡¯t even completed his name, or his introduction, when he saw Lucas was already dragged away by the other students, they were saying to Lucas,


    ¡°Man, you gotta go first!¡±


    ¡°Why did you even ask him who he was?¡±


    ¡°He is a nobody, dude¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t even famous. You deserve better.¡±


    ¡®Typical.¡¯ Ash thought while sitting down.


    He was used to this. People were ¡­ so cold with him.


    Not that he was any better.


    His classmates knew he was like this.


    Quiet, observant, cold.


    They thought Ash loved being like that.


    His classmates never talked to him like they did with other students.


    They were right, he wasn¡¯t famous.


    He wasn¡¯t even what they called a good guy.


    He would always avoid conversations with others.


    He would sit alone, he would eat alone.


    And he liked that, but seriously, sometimes he even thought, ¡®Would it make a difference to what I am now, if I had actual friends, and I hung out with them like others do?¡¯


    But then he would say to himself, ¡® I doubt that.¡¯


    Ash now waited for the day to end, it wasn¡¯t what he would call a ¡®normal day.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®Finally, I¡¯m gonna go home.¡¯ Ash thought, his tensed muscles relaxing a bit.


    The last session was over, and Ash was making his way to the main gate of the school.


    The school itself was prestigious. Big steel doors, furnished classrooms, air-conditioning, gardens, gyms, music classes, nothing was off the charts.


    He was a few steps away from the gate, when someone bumped into him.


    ¡°Look where you are going.¡± He quickly gained his balance, and looked sideways, to see who was the lucky person to bump into him.


    ¡®Oh god, I¡¯m gonna regret it now.¡¯ He suddenly thought while looking at who he was.


    ¡°What did ya say?!¡± The boy who bumped said, looking at Ash like he was the one at fault.


    ¡°I said, look where you are going.¡± Ash replied coolly, but he knew he was messed up.


    Other students started to gather around them, like it was a good old puppet show.


    ¡°He said it again!¡±


    ¡°Man, he got some nerves!¡±


    ¡°He is doomed now.¡±


    ¡°No matter, he¡¯ll regret questioning him.¡±


    They started to speak in hushed tones, but loud enough for Ash to hear.


    ¡®I¡¯ve always got some pretty good ears, I hear people from miles awa- Not helping Asher, just think how to get yourself out of this mess!¡¯


    The boy stepped closer, towering over Ash with an amused expression. ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, talking back to me like that. Do you even know who you¡¯re messing with?¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes scanned the boy. His senior by one year, but doesn¡¯t change the fact that he was like the king of bullies from the entire school.


    Broad shoulders, blonde hair, hazel eyes, an aura like a storm cloud.


    The moment he entered a room, it felt like the air thickened, almost pressing down on everyone around him.


    His presence was loud, even when he wasn¡¯t speaking, like a ticking bomb that made you wonder when it was going to go off.


    Blake would always move like he owned the place, and everyone else was just in his way.


    His eyes had a sharp, calculating gaze, always scanning for weakness, for the next target to beat.


    ¡®Blake isn¡¯t just a bully; he is the kind of guy who thrives on control, he is enjoying this¡ªa little too much. But who am I kidding? This is Blake, and he looks ready for a show.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s mind raced. He could feel his muscles tense up again, his body preparing for the who knows what.


    But showing fear now would only make things worse.


    ¡°Yeah, I know exactly who you are,¡± Ash replied, keeping his voice steady. ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the fact that you should watch where you¡¯re going.¡±


    Blake¡¯s eyes narrowed, a dangerous look crossing his face.


    His hand shot out, grabbing Ash by the front of his shirt and yanking him closer. ¡°You think you¡¯re funny, huh?¡±

 Encounter...Again

    His hand shot out, grabbing Ash by the front of his shirt and yanking him closer. ¡°You think you¡¯re funny, huh?¡±


    Ash could hear the murmurs around him grow louder, and for a moment, his mind wandered to the idea of just punching Blake.


    ¡®Bad idea.¡¯ he thought.


    ¡®Blake¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t just built on intimidation; he is tough, and he has numbers on his side. And I am¡­just some normal kid, who hasn¡¯t even punched anyone his entire life.¡¯


    Blake''s lackeys, Liam and Carter, snickered from behind him. ¡°Dude, this kid¡¯s got a death wish,¡± one of them muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you to beg for mercy, dude.¡± Blake¡¯s voice had dropped to a low growl, his grip tightening.


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his cool exterior.


    He wasn¡¯t about to give this guy the satisfaction of seeing him break.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re the one people ¡®respect¡¯ because of what you do? Let me clear that for you. People don¡¯t respect you, they are afraid of you, you doofus.¡± Ash replied, now mentally praying that Blake leaves him be.


    ¡®I only wished for a normal day.¡¯ Ash let out a sigh.


    Ash felt Blake¡¯s grip tighten on his shirt, pulling him closer, his breath catching in his throat.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re clever, don¡¯t you?¡± Blake growled, his voice low, dripping with menace.


    Ash tried to keep his cool, but his chest started to burn.


    Blake wasn¡¯t just yanking him around anymore¡ªhe was squeezing, his knuckles digging in, making it harder to breathe.


    The crowd¡¯s murmurs faded into background noise as Ash''s mind focused on one thing: getting air.


    ¡®What is with all these people these days trying to suffocate me? Man, I hate this.¡¯


    His heartbeat quickened. His head started to spin. Every muscle in his body tensed up, screaming for oxygen.


    ¡®I¡¯m not going down like this. I¡¯ve had enough.¡¯


    Before he could overthink it, Ash¡¯s fist shot up.


    He didn¡¯t plan it.


    It wasn¡¯t some grand move.


    It was pure instinct.


    His knuckles connected hard with Blake¡¯s jaw, the sound sharp enough to cut through the murmurs.


    For a split second, everything froze.


    Blake¡¯s eyes widened in shock as his head jerked to the side, and his grip on Ash¡¯s shirt loosened.


    Ash gasped, stumbling back a step, his chest heaved, and the pounding in his head started to fade.


    ¡®I¡¯m done for.¡¯ Ash thought, catching his breath.


    Blake, clutching his jaw, was stunned.


    The crowd, which had been murmuring moments ago, went completely silent.


    No one expected that.


    Not from Ash.


    Not from the quiet, keep-to-himself kid.


    Ash stood there, panting, his fists still clenched, adrenaline surging through him.


    For the first time, Blake didn¡¯t look as invincible as he always did.


    He blinked, still processing what just happened, before slowly straightening up.


    ¡°You little¡ª¡± Blake spat, rage visible in his eyes now.


    ¡®Bullying in American schools is common. No one talks about it openly, but everyone knows the rules.


    There¡¯s always a Blake in every school. It¡¯s like the system¡¯s designed that way. They push, shove, beat you down with words or fists, and half the time, teachers pretend they don¡¯t see it.


    They tell you to ignore it or walk away, but I know it. It''s like survival of the fittest, and if you don¡¯t stand up, even if it¡¯s just once, you drown in it.¡¯ Ash knew what he was getting himself into, but Blake started it.


    This wasn¡¯t going to end well.


    But Ash didn¡¯t flinch.


    The students around them stared in disbelief, whispering now.


    ¡°He really punched him¡­¡±


    ¡°No way, Asher actually-¡±


    ¡°Blake¡¯s gonna lose it!¡±


    Blake wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes locking onto Ash¡¯s with a cold intensity. ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Ash to hear.


    ¡°Hey, hey, fellas, what¡¯s wrong here, eh?¡± A cheerful voice interrupted.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes shot up to the voice.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    And Ash was almost grateful for it.


    He needed a distraction.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got better things to do than start a fight with him,¡± It was Lucas. He was standing in front of the gate too.


    His eyes flicked toward the school gates. ¡°There¡¯s always a teacher hanging around outside after classes, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡®Wow, Lucas is kinda smart. Blake might have the upper hand here, but the last thing he would want is to get busted in front of everyone. Why didn¡¯t I say something like this?¡¯ Ash scolded himself, while equally impressed by Lucas.


    For a moment, Blake stood there, but then a smirk positioned itself back on his face.


    ¡®His feet are pointing towards the gate, and he has stopped rolling his shoulders like before as if he was getting ready for round two. This actually worked.¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m in a good mood today, runt,¡± Blake sneered. ¡°But don¡¯t think you¡¯re off the hook. I¡¯ll see you around.¡±


    With that, Blake turned on his heel, motioning for his gang to follow him. They scurried off, laughing like they¡¯d already won.


    The crowd that had gathered began to disperse, whispering and exchanging glances, clearly disappointed they didn¡¯t get the brawl they were expecting.


    Ash let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. His hands were still shaking slightly from the adrenaline.


    ¡®Crisis averted¡­ for now,¡¯ he thought, watching Blake disappear through the gate.


    ¡°Man, that was crazy close. Say, why did you make him mad?¡± Lucas asked, now coming closer to Asher.


    ¡®Oh right, he¡¯s still here.¡¯ Ash thought while looking over to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I caused. And thank you for your help.¡± Ash said, while keeping his voice steady.


    Lucas chuckled.


    Ash opened his mouth to say thank you again, but before he could say anything, Lucas¡¯s expression shifted.


    In a flash, Lucas stepped forward, and with a swift, unexpected motion, he punched Ash across the face.


    Ash stumbled back, his eyes widening in shock. ¡°What the-?¡±


    ¡°Hey, listen!¡± Lucas said, his voice firm. ¡°You need to chill out. You can¡¯t just go around picking fights with guys like Blake. It¡¯s not worth it. This isn¡¯t some action movie. You think this makes you tough?¡±


    For a moment, Ash felt a mix of frustration and appreciation.


    ¡®Maybe Lucas has a point. I can¡¯t fight every battle, especially not with someone like Blake lurking around. Still, he hit me. And he¡¯s gonna pay.¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ash replied, forcing not to look like a maniac.


    With that, Lucas nodded and continued, ¡°Ash, next time I won¡¯t save your butt out there, got it?¡±


    Ash was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Ash is not my name.¡± Ash replied.


    ¡°You did say it earlier.¡± Lucas said, just stating facts.


    .


    .


    ¡°I am Ash-¡±


    .


    .


    ¡®That was because you didn¡¯t listen, idiot.¡¯ Ash was a bit annoyed.


    ¡°Well, my real name is Ash-¡± Asher stopped when he saw Lucas sprinting towards the door, waving good-bye at him.


    ¡®Here he goes again. Well, isn''t he a good listener?¡¯ Ash thought, while making his way to the door.


    As he was waiting for the bus, he recalled what happened between him and Blake.


    He knew Blake wasn¡¯t the type to let go. He was the type to hold grudges.


    And he knew Blake wasn¡¯t going to let him off this easily as he did today.


    ¡®Guess I¡¯ll keep my head lower these days.¡¯ Ash sighed, as he heard the loud honking of the bus.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Honey, will you get the groceries?¡±


    ¡°Okay mom. Just let me clean my study table.¡± Ash replied loudly, hoping Noah wouldn¡¯t listen.


    Noah was home today, as his friends said they won¡¯t be going to the playground together to play, as they were busy.


    And whenever he was home, heaven knows he would be as restless and upset as a kid who has no toys.


    Ash was now sitting on the couch and tying his shoes. He was acting very silent so Noah doesn¡¯t listen or he will want to go too.


    ¡°Honey, the list of the groceries is on the dining table, take it and don¡¯t forget to bring all of them!¡± His mom exclaimed from the kitchen.


    ¡®So much for being silent. Noah will come out any minute now-¡¯ He sighed.


    ¡°Big brother!¡± Noah shrieked, grinning widely, and running towards him.


    Ash looked over to him.


    ¡°Big brother, take me, take me!¡± Noah requested, standing next to the doorstep.


    ¡°Noah, it¡¯s hot outside. Besides, I won¡¯t take long.¡± Ash replied, trying to toll Noah away.


    ¡°Ash, it¡¯s not hot outside, and the list is pretty long. If Noah wants to go, take him too.¡± His mom, now wiping the water off of her hands with her apron, said smiling.


    ¡° Yeah, mommy, you tell big brother!¡± Noah exclaimed, fist bumping the air.


    ¡°No Noah, I am going alone. That¡¯s final.¡± Ash replied, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Awww, big brother, I¡¯ll behave, I promise! Please, preetttty please?¡± Noah requested, stopping the way to the main door.


    ¡°..Fine. Go get ready. If you take long, I¡¯ll go without you.¡± Ash finally gave up.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take long. Don¡¯t go without me!¡± Noah said while running towards his room.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®Man, that¡¯s trouble walking.¡¯


    Ash was now walking towards the supermarket, with Noah happily skidding beside him.


    When he saw Carter and Liam, Blake¡¯s lackeys, walking towards them.


    ¡®Man, this is trouble, if they see me, they¡¯re probably going to shove me into an alley or beat me up or something like that, but with Noah, I can¡¯t risk it. I need to come up with a plan.¡¯ Ash thought, his mind running wild from all the choices he can make at the time.


    ¡°Big brother, ugh, my shoelace is¡­.stupid!¡± Noah shouted, jumping up and down, furious at his shoes.


    ¡®Shoelace¡­? Ah, what a perfect plan!¡¯ Ash thought, while looking at Noah¡¯s shoes.


    The difference between Blake¡¯s lackeys and Ash was only a few meters.


    ¡®I¡¯ll just sit down and bend to tie Noah¡¯s shoes, and my face will be out of their view. They¡¯ll pass by and I¡¯ll stand up.¡± Ash mentally praised himself.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was scared of Blake¡¯s lackeys.


    Although they were trouble, and really good at beating people up, both physically and emotionally, Ash had heard they were the top brawlers after Blake.


    Not that Ash was scared of them, of course he wasn¡¯t.


    But Noah was there with him too. He couldn¡¯t risk his life. He couldn¡¯t imagine what they would do to Noah if they found out he was his little brother. After all, they had no mercy.


    Ash was sitting in front of Noah, and bending his head lower, so that his features were out of anyone¡¯s view.


    Liam and Carter could only see his back, and they didn¡¯t know who he was.


    ¡®Nothing is gonna go wrong. If only they don¡¯t see my face after passing by me, I¡¯ll live. And luckily, I¡¯m gonna tilt my face the moment their eyes dart towards me.¡¯ Ash internally smirked at what an amazing plan he had come up with.


    He was tying Noah¡¯s shoelaces, while mentally counting seconds Liam and Carter would pass by him and Noah.


    ¡®One¡­, Two¡­, Three¡­, Four¡­,¡¯ Ash saw Blake¡¯s lackeys pass by him and Noah, at the same moment, Ash tied the final knot on Noah¡¯s shoes, and stood up.


    Only that he didn¡¯t.

 Saved? No-No-No

    ¡®One¡­, Two¡­, Three¡­, Four¡­,¡¯ Ash saw Blake¡¯s lackeys pass by him and Noah, at the same moment, Ash tied the final knot on Noah¡¯s shoes, and stood up.


    Only that he didn¡¯t.


    ¡®I knew nothing would go wrong-¡¯ Ash thought when he felt something tug at his shoes, and the next thing he knew, he was falling on the ground, his muscles tensing at the moment of impact.


    ¡°Big brother!¡± Noah exclaimed, his voice heavy with concern and worry.


    ¡®What happen- Ughhhh, Stupid shoelaces!¡¯ Ash internally screamed, immediately recognizing why he had fallen.


    What happened was, everything was going smoothly. Until Blake''s lackeys finally passed by him, and Ash was done pretending.


    He finally stood up, but his own shoelaces weren¡¯t tied, and he tripped over them.


    So much for going smoothly.


    Ash immediately stood up, tucking his shoelaces inside his shoes, tilting his head front so that they didn''t see his face.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Your shoelaces are untied, kid.¡±


    Many voices emerged from his surroundings asking him to be careful and look where he is going.


    ¡®Man, I¡¯m toast now.¡¯


    ¡°Big brother, are you hurt?¡± Noah asked, suddenly looking a bit too worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m -¡±


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the runt who challenged Sir today?!¡± Someone shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Screw that, it was Liam.


    ¡°Noah, come on!¡± Ash took a hold of Noah¡¯s hand and started to hurriedly walk away, dragging Noah with him.


    A part of Ash wanted to assure if that someone was Liam, he wanted to see if the universe was just playing with him, and he hadn¡¯t heard this voice. If he was just hallucinating it.


    It¡¯s almost ironic, how your fate plays with you sometimes.


    How your fate shows you things you never wanted to see, and forces you to accept them.


    Maybe, it was all nothing but a coincidence.


    Maybe, he was assuming things.


    Ash was also fighting the fact that maybe he didn¡¯t hear this voice. Yes, this voice was the reason Ash suddenly started to sprint towards the exit.


    The exit that doesn¡¯t even exist.


    ¡®Maybe, I assumed I heard this voice, I need to see if it¡¯s actually Liam. I did fall-¡¯ Ash looked to the side to see the source of the voice.


    One eye contact was all it took him to assure his mind.


    ¡®It is Liam, and he actually saw me, and Hell, is he fast or what?¡¯ Ash now was running at full speed, Noah running along with him, and Liam and Carter sprinting at their heels, while also shouting for Ash to stop.


    ¡°Hey stop, you runt!¡±


    ¡°Ooh, are you scared?!¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Today was one heck of a day.


    I was in the supermarket with Carter, to buy the things Sir asked us to.


    He can be such a crybaby sometimes. Ever Since he got beaten by his junior, he is walking left and right.


    He might not show it, but I know that junior cracked his shield of confidence, he carries it everywhere with him.


    He is now acting bossy, and pouring his anger on us. Even asked us to buy his house groceries, who even does that?


    But I know he does. He has to buy it himself, since his father is a politician and is rarely home.


    His mother is an old hag, has been sick for over a decade, and isn¡¯t getting better nor is dying.


    Sir lives alone, his mother at the hospital, his father at his office or business tours to other countries.


    But sometimes, Sir shows there is someone else in charge. Like he is just some puppet, and the main master of our bully-group is someone else, someone we don¡¯t know.


    Or at least I don¡¯t.


    I hate it when he orders us to do his stuff, but no matter.


    I¡¯ll fulfill his needs, so he¡¯ll do mine.


    I need power too, for my own purposes, and I¡¯ll go to any lengths to do so.


    I¡¯ll even go barefoot if I have to.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Talking of foot, that guy in front of me has his shoelaces untied, but he is tying some other kid¡¯s shoes.


    Isn¡¯t he trying to be nice, eh?


    I don¡¯t have to waste my time on that idiot-guy-behaving-kind and alert him to tie his shoes, let¡¯s just finish this stupid grocery list and go back.


    But when I passed by him, he fell because of them.


    What a Loser.


    Carter looked over to him and I did too, and I caught a glimpse of his face.


    ¡°Hey, Isn¡¯t that the runt who challenged Sir today?!¡± I shouted at Carter, because of the noises of the vehicles around us.


    Carter didn¡¯t respond. He continued to look at him.


    But then after a few moments, he looked back.


    We made eye contact.


    It was him, the junior who squared a blow on Sir¡¯s face.


    And at that moment, I knew I had to beat him up for what he did.


    Sir was going to pay me extra attention than stupid Carter if I beat that idiot up, and so I chased after him.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®Crap, crap, crap- I''ve got to do something. Take Noah to safety, barge into the supermarket, and hide somewhere. Or maybe beat them up? Crap, this is bad. This is terrible, horrif-¡¯


    ¡°Big brother, wh-why are we r-running?!¡± Noah loudly asked, while looking at Ash¡¯s face.


    ¡°Noah, run. No time to- ah! explain!¡± Ash replied while jumping off a small pebble.


    Liam and Carter were still running towards them, with Noah, asking stupid questions like why were they chasing after them, and why were they running? Were they racing?


    ¡®Ah Noah, bless your soul, you¡¯re so naive. How do I tell you that we are in big trouble?¡¯ Ash thought when the gates of the supermarket came into his view.


    Ash opened the doors of the supermarket, chill air of the air-conditioners brushed past him. Ashpushed himself and Noah into the nearest food cafe.


    ¡°Noah, sit here, and-¡± Ash was interrupted.


    ¡°Big brother, why are those two people chasing after us? Did we do something bad?¡± Noah asked, his voice slightly trembling.


    ¡°No, They are just some¡­classmates.¡± Ash did his best to assure Noah.


    ¡°Then why are we running from your friends?¡± Noah asked, tilting his head a bit.


    ¡®Ahhh! Noah, just shut up and understand, you are ¡­ in trouble.¡¯


    ¡°Listen, you just stay here, and I go to meet them, okay?¡± Ash replied instead.


    ¡°I wanna come too, there are so many people here, I don¡¯t wanna stay here.¡± Noah replied, his eyes full of¡­ fear.


    ¡°No. You stay here.¡± Ash stood up and started to walk away, while ignoring Noah¡¯s angry protests.


    Once he was out of that food cafe, he thought.


    ¡®Now that Noah¡¯s safe, I need to take care of Liam and -¡¯


    ¡°Hey! Peek-a-boo! I found you!¡±


    Carter exclaimed, while jumping from a nearby alley.


    ¡®Okay. What the he-¡¯ Ash started to run towards that very same alley Carter came from. He had a plan this time, and it was going to work.


    He knew it would.


    ¡®Hey, where are you going?!¡± Carter shouted while chasing after Ash.


    The moment Carter entered the alley, he was welcomed by a huge bowl of sand. Ash had just thrown an entire bowl of sand on Carter, that he took from the construction area nearby.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s in my eyes! What the hell did you do, stupid! You¡¯re gonna pay!¡± Carter shouted, at the same time rubbing his eyes.


    ¡°Why are you after me? I know I hurt Blake¡¯s gigantic ego, but come one, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± Ash asked, keeping watch on Carter, as he walked backwards step-by-step.


    ¡°You, You¡¯re gonna-¡± Carter was interrupted when Ash took a hold of his collar.


    ¡°I said, Tell. Me.¡± Ash asked again, his voice had a dangerous edge to it.


    Carter smirked.


    ¡°You know, Sir was pretty busted when you punched him. Not that I care. But, you know what, Sir is pouring his anger on us, and I¡¯m pretty mad about it, So you¡¯re gonna come with us, apologize to Sir, and he won¡¯t be angry at us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? And who¡¯s gonna make me apologize?¡± Ash asked, mockingly.


    ¡°Liam.¡± Carter replied coolly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like your little brother? Eh?¡± Carter¡¯s smirk grew wider.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡®There¡¯s no way on earth Noah is in danger. He is safe at a caf-¡¯ Ash tried to assure himself, but his heart was beating erratically in his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re really stuuuupid. Don¡¯t you wonder where Liam is?¡± Carter asked, clearly impressed by how stupid Ash was.


    ¡®No. He was safe- He was okay-¡¯ Ash¡¯s mind was running wild.


    ¡°Well, let me tell you, Liam is in that food cafe your brother was in. What was his name, ¡­Noah, I presume?¡± Carter smirked again.


    ¡®No, there¡¯s no way- there¡¯s no way-¡¯


    Ash was furious.


    He wanted to take Noah to safety, that¡¯s why he played along. He wanted to keep Noah safe. He wanted to make sure Noah was safe and sound. He wanted to make sure Noah stays with him forever.


    Noah was meant to be his first priority.


    Ash was wondering, why did he think that they wouldn''t go after Noah? He should wake up.


    This is America. No one plays safe and by rules.


    Everyone plays dirty. Everyone plays¡­.with death.


    American schools were really bad.


    They had no law, or maybe they didn¡¯t follow them.


    No one was supposed to get hurt, Ash would always think. But now he knew.


    This world has no cats vs dogs. If it was, then cats would die.


    There are only dogs vs dogs. And Ash knew.


    He had to play dirty too, to keep him safe. To keep Noah safe.


    A sudden rage suddenly surged through Ash¡¯s body. He was mad, and he was guilty.


    He was gonna make them pay.


    ¡°If you even touch him, you will-¡± Ash¡¯s voice was trembling with anger.


    ¡°Touch him, you say? I bet he is with Sir right now- Paying the price you were meant to pay-¡± Carter was suddenly stopped, no, he was forced to stop, when he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his head.


    Ash had just hit him with a brick.


    Carter was now on the ground, unconscious, and his temple was slightly bleeding.


    And Ash was shocked. He couldn¡¯t possibly hear what he had to say next.


    He didn¡¯t want to listen to it.


    Ash¡¯s hand was shaking, his breath was hitching every now and then, and his mind was¡­foggy.


    His mind was foggy and it was running with countless ¡°what-if¡¯s¡±.


    ¡®What if everything Carter said¡­was true? What if Noah is with Blake right now? What if Noah is¡­¡¯ Ash thought, his breath stopping at the last what-if.


    Ash was for once in his life¡­scared.


    Not for himself.


    For Noah.


    He started to sprint towards the market door, and then for the food cafe, and then his mind stopped working.


    He couldn¡¯t feel people talking around him.


    Chatting, laughing.


    He couldn¡¯t feel the cold air brush past him.


    He couldn¡¯t see. He couldn¡¯t feel.


    He couldn¡¯t speak. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of him.


    Of Noah.


    He was sitting right there, but not alone.


    Liam was with him.

 I wanna hurt hum so bad

    He was sitting right there, but not alone.


    Liam was with him.


    Ash ran towards Noah.


    ¡°Noah!¡± Ash called out to him while running towards him.


    ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re back!¡± Noah shouted back, he jumped from his chair, but he couldn¡¯t move.


    Liam was holding Noah¡¯s arm.


    ¡®How dare he hold Noah captive, by force? I mean, for the love of god, leave him or I¡¯ll kill you for real.¡¯ Ash wasn¡¯t buying it this time.


    Ash was now bending in front of Noah and holding him by the shoulders, black eyes worriedly darting over every corner of Noah¡¯s form to check for injuries, ¡°Are you okay? Did he hurt you?¡±


    Liam had an evil smirk positioned on his face.


    ¡°No Big brother, I¡¯m okay. Your friend is very nice.¡± Noah chuckled while pointing towards Liam.


    ¡®Am I glad or what?¡¯ Ash let out a breath he didn¡¯t knew he was holding.


    ¡°So, Where is Carter, huh?¡± Liam asked, his hand now letting go of Noah¡¯s arm.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be wrong to tell him what I did to Carter in front of Noah, let¡¯s just do this with you too, at some other place, Liam, what do you say, eh?¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s just talk¡­somewhere else?¡± Ash asked his eyes not to waver from Liam.


    ¡°Privacy, huh? Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Liam stood up, ruffled Noah¡¯s hair, and followed Ash, who was walking to a far-off table of the very same food cafe.


    Once they reached it, Ash faced Liam.


    ¡°So, you gonna tell me where Carter is or what?¡±


    ¡°...Leave us both, and I¡¯ll tell you, sure.¡± Ash replied so coolly, as if he was bored¡­or maybe tired.


    ¡°Leave you?¡± Liam chuckled as if it amused him, ¡°No, junior, it doesn¡¯t work like that. You mess with Sir and then hell knows what you did to Carter, and now you want me to leave you be?


    Liam was now holding Ash from the arm, and dragging him out of the market.


    ¡°Hey, where are we going?!¡± Ash was starting to have a faint uneasiness arousing from his chest.


    ¡°Somewhere ¡­ alone.¡± Liam replied smirking, tightening his grip on Ash¡¯s arm, his nails digging right into it.


    ¡®He¡¯s probably gonna beat me up or something, but Noah is still in there.¡¯ Ash was not feeling good about this.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into Ash¡¯s mind.


    Ash smirked.


    ¡°Fine, if you want it, then let¡¯s go to where Carter is, okay?¡± Ash jerked Liam¡¯s hand away from his arm, and started to move into the same alley he left Carter.


    ¡°Oh yeah, sure, where Carter is.¡± Liam sarcastically replied, while walking behind Asher.


    They were now in that alley, and the moment Liam saw Carter¡¯s sprawled figure on the ground, he rushed towards him.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell did you do to him?!¡± Liam shouted while bending over Carter, seeing a big bump on his head, bleeding.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Ash was getting back step-by-step, and picked up a brick.


    ¡®This is America, and people play dirty. There are bullies, no one stands up to, and I know very well what I¡¯m getting myself into. I¡¯m only protecting myself, and Noah. I don¡¯t wanna suffer the way I did in elementary school. I wanna stand up and face them. But I don¡¯t wanna hurt peo-¡¯


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you answer me?!¡± Liam rushed to Asher and grabbed him by the collar.


    He then punched Ash on the face. Twice.


    ¡®It hurts. But he started it, I don¡¯t wanna hurt people, I don¡¯t wanna hurt him-¡¯


    Ash was on the ground, bleeding from the nose, with Liam on top of him, punching him and shouting at him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer you runt?!¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Carter?!¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t wanna hurt people, I don¡¯t wanna hurt him-¡±


    ¡°Answer to me!¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t wanna hurt people, I don¡¯t wanna-¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll kill your brother!¡±


    ¡®I¡­ wanna hurt him.¡¯


    And at the same time, Ash picked up the brick that was on the ground, and forced all his might into that one smash and aimed at Liam¡¯s temple.


    He hit him.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Liam hissed in pain, and fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    His temple was bleeding, and he was fighting for his consciousness.


    ¡®I gotta go. Take Noah with me, and leave.¡¯ Ash could hardly think.


    He had just hurt people.


    People who deserved it.


    Or maybe they didn¡¯t.


    Maybe the world wasn¡¯t cruel.


    Or maybe it was.


    Ash let go of the brick, and ran to the food cafe.


    Liam was shouting for him to come back but he didn¡¯t.


    Once Ash was in the cafe, he pushed past the door open, and his eyes searched for Noah.


    Noah was sleeping.


    On the chair, his head on the table.


    Ash suddenly went and told that man that Noah was with him.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. Noah will be okay. H-He is my first priority. I¡¯m his gua-guardian.¡¯ Ash was out of breath.


    ¡°Hey are you okay, kid? Your face looks all bruised.¡± That man asked Asher, concerned.


    ¡°O-Oh, yes. I fell earlier.¡± Ash blurted.


    ¡®Right, my face¡­ That Liam punched me many times.¡¯


    ¡°If you say so.¡± The man left after saying this.


    Asher then picked Noah up, and quickly left the market, when he felt something ruffle in his pocket.


    He took it out.


    The Grocery list.


    ¡®Right. I still have to buy them. But¡­.my face hurts, Noah is sleeping on my shoulders, and Liam and Carter may still be around. But mom¡­¡¯


    ¡°Remember to buy all groceries, okay honey?¡±


    ¡®Screw that. I¡¯ll just tell mom that the market was closed.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    I¡¯m mad. That¡¯s all I am right now.


    How dare that junior punch me in the face?!


    I¡¯m supposed to be in charge at all times.


    I¡¯m supposed to be strong and invincible.


    But, Damn it!


    That junior¡­ made things harder for me.


    Harder for me to explain to my master.


    Well, I¡¯m just gonna wait until Liam and Carter come back with my groceries, and I¡¯ll take them both to the master, they¡¯ll explain it.


    ¡°Sir, Liam and Carter are-!¡±


    ¡°Finally, those slowpokes took all day to buy my groceries. Ask them to come inside, I¡¯ve to take them somewhere!¡±


    ¡°But sir, Liam and Carter are-¡±


    ¡°They are what? Tell me or do you wanna get beaten up?!¡±


    ¡°They are in the hospital, they are hurt!¡±


    ¡­What?


    ¡°What the heck happened?! Who can hurt them?¡±


    ¡°That junior-¡±


    Oh no.


    He didn¡¯t. He has to stop.


    He is messing things up for me to explain!


    He is gonna pay.


    I¡¯m gonna tell the master about him and then he¡¯ll know what to do.


    Yes, the master will surely beat him up.


    Or Kill him.


    Because¡­


    He deserves it now.


    He deserves to be dead.


    He deserves a slow, painful death.


    And I¡¯m going to make sure he gets it.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Defeated

    This day was going okay.


    ¡®Yes, yesterday was a mess. I didn¡¯t buy groceries, I got interrogated by what happened to my face, and ooh, don¡¯t forget dad asked. I told him that I fell, which actually happened, so, anyway, this day is going way better compared to yesterday.¡¯


    Asher was currently in the cafe, with Jason sitting across from him, and blabbing about food, while eating¡­food.


    ¡°Hey Ash!¡± It was undeniably Lucas.


    ¡®That bastard- I told him my name isn¡¯t Ash¡¯


    Meanwhile, Jason choked on his food.


    ¡°Ash?! When did Lucas get close enough for nicknames?!¡±


    Lucas was standing in front of Ash, and bending to see what he was eating.


    While Jason¡­was shocked to hear Lucas called Asher, ¡®Ash¡¯.


    Then Lucas replied, ¡°Oh hey, bowl-cut! You see, I met Ash yesterday. And you know what? He is a preeetty boring guy.¡±


    ¡®...What?¡¯


    Jason chuckled, and Ash rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Hey, hey, Ash! You eat fried rice at lunch, huh? Well guess what, Me too!¡± Lucas jumped.


    ¡°..Okay.¡± Asher responded and continued eating.


    ¡°Man, you¡¯re rude. Don¡¯t ignore me, hey!¡± Lucas was now shaking Ash from the shoulders.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ash again replied, stopped eating and looked over to Lucas.


    ¡°Hey, I heard, that Blake guy is pretty mad, and he is looking for you. Did you do something bad?¡± Lucas suddenly changed the topic.


    ¡®Looking for me..? I know I did bad to his lackeys, but they deserved it.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah. I hit his lackeys with a brick.¡± Ash replied.


    Jason choked on his food.


    Again.


    ¡°You hit them with a brick?!¡± Jason and Lucas screamed together.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ash looked at them, Jason was nervously eating at his nails, and Lucas was in deep thought.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lucas asked, his eyes full of¡­worry and something else, Ash couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Why?¡± Ash half-smiled. ¡°Well, because they deserved it.¡±


    And then Ash stood up and left the cafe, Jason calling for him to come back.


    ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡®If Blake is looking for me, I should-¡¯


    ¡°There you are brat!¡± A heavy voice called out.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think they would come this soon.¡¯


    Ash saw Blake, smirking, coming towards him.


    Four other students were with him.


    ¡°Hey. I was looking for you everywhere!¡± Blake¡¯s smirk grew wider, almost a bit menacing.


    He was now in front of Ash, the heights undeniably differing.


    ¡®What should I do? Run back, face them? I know I can¡¯t beat Blake this time, he has other students with him. And from the look of it, they all are really strong.¡¯


    ¡°I want you to come with me, brat!¡± Blake said, but he was already dragging Asher along with him.


    ¡®...I¡¯m in trouble big time. No escape, no help.¡¯ Ash couldn¡¯t free himself from Blake¡¯s forceful grip.


    The next thing Ash knew, he was in an empty classroom, and other students and Blake were with him.


    ¡°So, are you ready to die?!¡± Blake smirked,  his voice dripping with mockery, the door clicked shut behind them, sealing off the outside world.


    Ash stumbled slightly but quickly regained his footing.


    He looked around, noticing the emptiness of the classroom, the blank walls and rows of desks seemed to close in on him.


    ¡®No way out. I¡¯m really in it now.¡¯ he thought, a bit nervous.


    But Ash had one way to defend himself.


    In his pocket, he had a rock.


    Ash smirked.


    ¡°Why the hell are you smirking, you making fun of me?!¡± Blake growled.


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    Blake stepped closer, his gang flanking him like vultures ready to pick apart their prey. ¡°Thought you could just hit my guys and get away with it, huh? You think you¡¯re some kind of tough guy?¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart raced.


    What is toughness anyway?


    Is it about fists, or is it about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the odds?


    Maybe it¡¯s both.


    Maybe it¡¯s knowing when to fight and when to walk away.


    But today?


    Today Ash chose to fight.


    He could have backed down, let Blake throw his weight around like he always does, but he didn¡¯t.


    He stood his ground, even if it meant throwing a rock and taking a punch.


    Sometimes, It just feels good to push back, to show that you are not just some pushover.


    He straightened up, trying to look confident, even though his palms were sweaty. ¡°They had it coming. They¡¯ve been picking on me and others for too long.¡±


    Blake let out a harsh laugh, the kind that sent chills down Ash''s spine. ¡°Aw, poor baby! Look at you, trying to play the hero. But you¡¯re just a brat who doesn¡¯t know his place.¡±


    ¡®I know exactly what I¡¯ll do. I have a pla-¡¯


    ¡°Look, brat.¡± Blake continued, a sickly sweet tone creeping into his voice, ¡°you might have caught me off guard yesterday, but trust me, I won¡¯t be the one on the floor this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Ash shot back, clenching his fists, ¡°You really have no idea what you¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    Blake¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward. ¡°Oh, I know exactly who I¡¯m dealing with. You¡¯re just another weakling trying to prove something. But you can¡¯t back up your words. I see it in your eyes.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart raced, not just from fear, but from something deeper, frustration, determination.


    ¡®What if I show him? What if I really make him think twice about messing with me?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna teach you some manners, you piece of trash.¡± Blake growled.


    As Blake loomed closer, his shadow stretched across the floor, making Ash feel smaller than he ever had.


    ¡®This is it.¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is what it feels like to be backed into a corner by someone who thinks they can control you.¡¯


    But the question was:


    Why should Ash let him dictate his worth?


    ¡®I have to protect myself. I can¡¯t keep letting him walk all over me like I don¡¯t matter.¡¯


    In that moment, Ash glanced at the small rock nestled in his pocket, a simple, unassuming object that felt like his last line of defense.


    This wasn¡¯t about violence; this was about standing up for himself


    Ash was no fool.


    He knew very well that he wasn¡¯t strong.


    He didn¡¯t know how to fight, he never did.


    This was just about showing Blake that he wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. He might not be the strongest, but he refuses to be a victim.


    With a deep breath, Ash gripped the rock tightly. He could feel the weight of it, both in his hand and in his heart.


    ¡®I¡¯m tired of being afraid. Tired of waiting for someone else to save me. If I have to throw this rock to make him understand that I won¡¯t be pushed around, then so be it.¡¯


    Blake was in front of Ash.


    Before Ash could think, Blake forced a blow square on Ash¡¯s face.


    ¡®Too late-¡¯


    Blake punched him again, and again.


    Blood gushing out of Ash¡¯s lips.


    And then Blake smirked.


    Blake¡¯s smirk only fueled Ash¡¯s determination.


    ¡®I won¡¯t let him take my power away anymore.¡¯ Despite the pain, despite Blake¡¯s warm breath on Ash¡¯s face, despite all other lackeys around him, in a swift motion, Ash pulled the rock from his pocket and hurled it at Blake¡¯s head.


    ¡®It¡¯s time to make a stand.¡¯ he thought, feeling the adrenaline surge through him.


    Ash threw it with aim.

 Please God, A normal day...?

    ¡®I won¡¯t let him take my power away anymore.¡¯ Despite the pain, despite Blake¡¯s warm breath on Ash¡¯s face, despite all other lackeys around him, in a swift motion, Ash pulled the rock from his pocket and hurled it at Blake¡¯s head.


    ¡®It¡¯s time to make a stand.¡¯he thought, feeling the adrenaline surge through him.


    Ash threw it with aim.


    Then he smirked, ¡®No matter what happens, my aim never disappoints.¡¯


    The rock hit Blake square on the head with a sharp thud. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze, the lackeys, the air, even Ash''s heartbeat.


    Blake stumbled back, his hand instinctively flying to his head, feeling the spot where the rock had landed.


    Blood trickled down from a small cut, and his face contorted with shock.


    "Blake!" one of his lackeys yelled, rushing over. Another one hovered behind, clearly uncertain, torn between helping Blake and waiting for orders.


    "You okay, man?" The concern in their voices was almost comical to Ash.


    For the first time, they didn¡¯t sound so sure of themselves.


    They weren¡¯t laughing, they weren¡¯t snickering, just worried.


    But Ash couldn¡¯t celebrate. He knew what was coming next.


    Blake¡¯s eyes, now burning with fury, locked onto Ash.


    His smirk was gone, replaced by an animalistic rage. "You¡­ you little piece of-"


    Before Ash could even brace himself, Blake lunged forward, shoving his lackeys aside as if they didn¡¯t exist. His fists clenched, his face red with anger, the calm, taunting Blake had completely vanished.


    He looked like he wanted to tear Ash apart.


    ¡°You think that¡¯s funny?! You think you can get away with this?!¡± Blake roared, his voice had an edge to it. His fists were trembling with pure anger now.


    Ash felt his knees wobble.


    ¡®That rock might¡¯ve bought me a second, but now he¡¯s furious.¡¯


    Blake took a step closer, his lackeys staying back, unsure if they should intervene.


    ¡°Look at me!¡± Blake shouted. ¡°You¡¯re dead. You¡¯re-¡± But he stopped, wiping the blood from his head.


    His eyes flickered between anger and something darker. ¡°You¡¯re gonna regret that for the rest of your life.¡±


    Ash knew he had only two choices: either fight back, even if he didn¡¯t stand a chance, or run. But something in him refused to take the second option. Blake could hit him all he wanted, but he wouldn¡¯t back down.


    ¡®Someone has to face him today, or tomorrow, so, it will be me.¡¯


    Blake¡¯s furious eyes burned into him. "You think that rock¡¯s enough?¡±


    Blake¡¯s voice was low, dangerous, and he was coming closer every second.


    And then Blake struck.


    The first punch landed hard against Ash¡¯s ribs, knocking the wind out of him. Ash gasped for air, doubling over, but Blake wasn¡¯t finished.


    A second punch slammed into his stomach, and then another to his face. The world spun around him, his vision blurred, but the pain was all too real.


    ¡®I¡¯m such a fool.¡¯ The adrenaline that had fueled him moments ago drained away, leaving behind the cold realization that he was in over his head.


    This was gonna end badly.


    And Ash had realized it.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t I run?¡¯ Ash¡¯s thoughts were jumbled, coming in fragments between the blows. ¡®I could¡¯ve run¡­ but I didn¡¯t. I just stood here like an idiot, thinking I could fight back.¡¯


    Blake grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close. ¡°You¡¯re done, brat,¡± he hissed, his breath hot against Ash¡¯s face.


    And then he let go, shoving him to the floor like he was nothing.


    Ash crumpled onto the cold tiles, his body aching from the impact. He tried to move, tried to stand, but Blake was already towering over him again. He turned to his lackeys, who had been watching in silence. "What are you standing there for? Get him!"


    Ash¡¯s heart sank.


    He had expected Blake¡¯s fury, but not this.


    One by one, the lackeys stepped forward, their expressions uncertain, but they followed orders. A kick to his side sent sharp pain through his ribs, and then another hit his back.


    ¡®This is it.¡¯ Ash thought, as the world became a haze of pain and muffled voices. ¡®This is what it feels like to be defeated.¡¯


    As Ash lay on the cold, hard floor, something inside him broke.


    Not physically, although his body ached with every kick, every punch, but deeper.


    Maybe he was wrong.


    Maybe fighting back isn¡¯t as simple as standing up and throwing a rock. Maybe bravery isn¡¯t enough.


    ¡®I thought standing up to someone like Blake would somehow change everything. But the truth is¡­ it wasn¡¯t that easy. It never is. There¡¯s a certain cruelty in the world, a certain way it breaks people down when they try to rise up.¡¯


    And as Blake¡¯s lackeys circled him like vultures, raining down hit after hit, Ash just¡­ took it.


    His body was trembling, his breaths shallow and ragged.


    But he wasn¡¯t crying out or begging for mercy.


    No, Ash was too proud for that.


    He was too stubborn.


    Maybe that¡¯s what got him into this mess in the first place.


    His eyes showed what he truly felt, regret, doubt.


    Was it worth it? Was this worth the pain?


    But as the kicks and punches continued, as his body curled in on itself in a futile attempt to shield against the blows.


    And then he remembered,


    .


    .


    ¡°You need to chill out. You can¡¯t just go around picking fights with guys like Blake. It¡¯s not worth it. This isn¡¯t some action movie. You think this makes you tough?¡±


    .


    .


    ¡®Lucas was right, I¡¯m a fool for thinking I could fight this.¡¯ he thought, drifting further away, feeling the cold embrace of defeat wrap around him. ¡®But at least I tried. At least I stood up, if only for a moment.¡¯


    And maybe, in a world as unforgiving as this one, that counts for something.


    But as Blake stood over him, smirking with satisfaction, and the others slowly backed off a bit, Ash wondered, ¡®At what cost?¡¯


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Okay, okay, good work, get back!¡± Blake clapped his hands, while appreciating his lackeys, and they all stepped back.


    Blake took a step closer, his shadow swallowing Ash whole. ¡°Let me make one thing clear.¡± he said, lowering his voice to a dangerous whisper. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a little brat in my way. Don¡¯t think for a second that throwing a rock changes anything. Next time, I won¡¯t go easy on you. You¡¯ll regret crossing me.¡±


    The threat hung heavy in the air, and Ash felt the fear crawling back into his chest.


    ¡®What did I expect? That a rock would scare him off?¡¯


    Blake leaned down slightly, his face inches from Ash¡¯s. ¡°Just remember this moment. Next time, think twice before you try to act tough.¡±


    With one last look, Blake straightened up and turned on his heel, his lackeys following him suit, pushing the door open. ¡°Oh, and good luck explaining this to the teachers.¡± he called over his shoulder, a hint of mockery lacing his words.


    As the door swung shut behind him, Ash felt a mix of anger and relief flood through him.


    ¡®I¡¯m a fool, I should stop.¡¯


    Ash lay there, utterly spent, each breath feeling heavier than the last. The world around him was fading in and out of focus, and he could barely register anything around him.


    ¡®So this is how it ends.¡¯ he thought, the darkness closing in. ¡®Just lying here, forgotten.¡¯


    Ash really wanted to chuckle at his dramatic thought, but he knew it wasn¡¯t wrong.


    The silence wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, and for a moment, he welcomed it. But then the sound of the door creaking open pulled him back from the brink.


    ¡°Hah?! What happened here?¡± an unfamiliar voice asked.


    Ash tried to move and look up, but his body felt like it was weighed down by lead. He heard footsteps coming closer to his battered form, the sound sharp and urgent.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± The student asked, bending down to peer at Ash¡¯s face, slight concern etched across his features.


    Ash forced his eyes to focus, and as they adjusted, he recognized him.


    ¡®Alex.¡¯ Ash remembered.


    Alex was a senior, a member of Blake''s class and the class representative.


    Blond hair, black eyes, round glasses, and a slim body.


    His aura was like a warm light cutting through the darkness. It was calm yet unwavering, a gentle force that somehow made Ash feel a little safer.


    Alex radiated confidence, not the kind that screamed for attention, but the kind that said, I¡¯ve got your back.


    ¡®How does he do that?¡¯ Ash wondered.


    He always seemed like the kind of guy who had everything together, juggling responsibilities with a smile.


    What a tough job he had, right?


    But right now, Ash couldn¡¯t muster the strength to respond.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Alex asked, his voice steady and soothing.


    Ash managed a slight nod, a flicker of acknowledgment, but it took all his energy.


    ¡°Good.¡± Alex said, relief washing over his features.


    He quickly moved to sit beside Ash, the warmth of his presence a contrast to the chill that surrounded him.


    ¡°Here, drink this.¡± He handed Ash a small bottle of water, unscrewing the cap and tilting it gently to Ash¡¯s lips.


    Ash drank.


    ¡®I¡¯ve always heard that Alex stands up to Blake and his lackeys, and that he is also against the trend of bullying in this school. Wonder how he knew I would be here. It¡¯s my first time meeting him in person.¡¯ Ash thought while drinking water.


    It was cold and soothing, and Ash found a bit of courage in him.


    After he finished drinking, Alex helped him sit up.


    ¡°So, did Blake do this?¡± Alex asked, while taking into account the bruises on Ash¡¯s face and arms, and his dirty uniform.


    ¡®Ah, don¡¯t remind me of him-¡¯


    ¡°I know, Blake can be such a jerk sometimes, and he has got to stop acting like he owns this school, or he¡¯s gonna pay.¡± Alex answered his question himself.


    ¡®Heh, sometimes?, No-No, Blake is a jerk all the time.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so rude. I¡¯m Alex, and I believe you are..?¡± Alex asked, smiling.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m Asher.¡± Asher now realized his throat was hurting.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Asher,¡± Alex said, his smile warm and inviting. ¡°So, did Blake really do this?¡±


    Ash nodded slightly, still feeling the sting of his bruises.


    ¡°Yeah, I figured he might¡¯ve been the one,¡± Alex said, shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s a real piece of work. But you shouldn¡¯t let him get to you. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± Ash muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He stared at the floor, feeling the weight of frustration and exhaustion settling in his chest.


    ¡®The least thing I want now is to get a lecture, I want a nap, and a warm cup of-¡¯


    ¡°Hey.¡± Alex said gently, ¡°I get it. It¡¯s tough.¡±


    Was it really?


    Was it really that hard to keep on pushing, to try?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Ash trailed off, unsure of what to say.


    The thought of facing Blake again felt daunting.


    Alex leaned closer, his expression earnest. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡±


    Then he continued, ¡°There was this one time when Blake bullied me too, and you know what?¡±


    ¡®Now he is gonna say something like, ¡®I stood up for myself, and happily ever after¡¯, but I don¡¯t wanna listen to that crap right now-¡¯


    ¡°It really sucked.¡± Alex chuckled.


    ¡°...What?¡± Ash certainly wasn¡¯t expecting this outcome.


    ¡°It sucked, and I hated it. And I won¡¯t say it is easy. But I¡¯ll let you in on a secret, okay?¡±


    Alex leaned closer.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Blake hates it when someone stands up to him, you know? He feeds on fear. The catch is when you face him, be fearless, and he¡¯ll stop messing with you.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work.¡± Ash replied, remembering the first time he had an encounter with Blake.


    ¡°Yeah, it sounds silly. But it works, and I''m living proof of it.¡± Alex pointed towards himself.


    ¡®This guy is seriously¡­.stupid.¡¯


    ¡°And next time you face Blake, show you don¡¯t care, or you can tell me if he threatened you-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ash abruptly halted.


    ¡°..No what?¡± Alex asked, confused.


    ¡°Nothing like that happened.¡± Ash managed out, thankful to Liam and Carter they didn¡¯t mention Noah to Blake.


    ¡°Okay, but still, if people like you back down, others won¡¯t stand up.¡±


    ¡°People..like me?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Yeah, people like you.¡± Alex knocked on Ash¡¯s chest with his index finger, ¡°People like you, who suffer pain silently, who show they don¡¯t care, but do actually, people who are wise, and at the same time¡­stubborn and dumb.¡±


    ¡®Was that a compliment?¡¯


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Ash asked, tilting his head a bit.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s an admirable quality, Asher. And seriously, be proud of yourself for that.¡± Alex was now standing up.


    Ash looked at him, his black onyx eyes sparkling a bit.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you to the nurse¡¯s office, okay?¡± Alex asked, jerking the dust off his shirt.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t move¡­yet.¡± Ash replied, a bit embarrassed and accepting defeat.


    ¡®I¡¯m such a loser, just move.¡¯


    ¡°O-oh, then I¡¯ll help you. Just lean on me.¡± With a firm grip, Alex supported him, urging Ash to shift his weight onto him.


    ¡®Great job at embarrassing yourself, Asher!¡¯


    As they made their way to the nurse¡¯s office, Alex said to Asher, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about the teachers, I¡¯ll handle it, and just¡­don¡¯t face Blake today, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ash replied, a bit flustered.


    ¡®With that, one day of suffering is finally over, 8/10 for damage, 1/10 for personal space. Not bad, Asher, not bad.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®I get it. I look terrible right now, but please, stop looking at me like I¡¯m a delinquent or something like that.¡¯


    Ash was currently walking back home from school, and people were throwing at him all kinds of glances; concerned, disgusted, and hateful.


    Ash tightened his hold on the straps of his white backpack, and thought, ¡®I¡¯m so glad Alex didn¡¯t stick with me until I reached home, God, that was uncomfortable.¡¯


    And then Ash waited, because he knew the moment he¡¯s gonna enter home, there would be chaos.


    ¡°ASH!¡±


    Ash suddenly startled and looked over his shoulder.


    ¡®Oh god, please, no! Lily, of all people?¡¯


    He quickened his pace and behaved like he didn¡¯t even hear her.


    ¡°ASH!¡± Lily wasn¡¯t giving up either, she was running at full speed, concern etched on her face.


    Ash stopped in his tracks.


    ¡®Might as well face her now, or she¡¯s gonna follow me to the house.¡¯


    Lily had finally caught up to him.


    ¡°Oh my God! Asher, what happened?! To your face?!¡±


    ¡°Nothing of much importance.¡± Ash replied, mentally laughing at himself.


    ¡°Did dad do this-¡± Lily asked in a whisper.


    ¡®Lily, there are other things cruel in this world than dad-¡¯


    ¡°For god¡¯s sake Lily, dad is behaving okay. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I am going home, I¡¯ve had a rough day already.¡± Asher replied, rather harshly, and started to walk without waiting for her response.


    ¡°Hey Wait!¡±


    But Asher was already walking away from her.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Oh my god! Asher, what happened!? To your face?!¡±


    As forced himself to stop chuckling because of how familiar Lily and his mom were.


    ¡°Nothing, I just fell.¡±


    ¡°You what! You fell on that day in the market, and today too?!¡± His mom wasn¡¯t buying it.


    ¡°...Yeah.¡± Ash blurted.


    ¡®I should stop worrying her and lying to her. Thank god Dad is on a business tour overseas, or I was gonna get it for real.¡¯


    ¡°You should really start being more careful, do you fall very often-...¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not hungry, I¡¯m going to rest.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± She exclaimed at how reckless Asher was.


    But Asher was already in his room, his mom¡¯s scolding heard only as a background.


    He threw himself on the bed.


    His face was bruised, but thanks to the first-aid, he was feeling okay. His arms were bruised too, but his sleeves did a good job covering them.


    His head was pounding, and his right leg was throbbing with pain.


    He was feeling sleepy thanks to the medicine from the nurse.


    ¡®Man, If this is gonna happen every now and then, then I¡¯m going to get grounded-¡¯


    Ash thought while he welcomed the darkness engulf him, and drifted off to sleep.

 Great Imma gonna die

    ¡°So¡­you look terrible.¡±


    Jason choked at his food.


    Lucas and Jason were the first people in school who asked him what happened after he met Blake.


    Thanks to Asher¡¯s communication skills, he nailed that.


    ¡°I went¡­and we fought for a bit¡­.and then I came back.¡±


    ¡®This is literally what happened, and I mean, screw the details.¡¯


    ¡°Are you okay now?¡± Jason asked, while looking at him.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ash replied, while looking at the lunch in front of him.


    ¡®This food is going to get cold if they don¡¯t shut up-¡¯


    ¡°Man, you just love getting into trouble, don¡¯t ya? I told you to stay safe, didn¡¯t I?¡± Lucas asked, his eyes twitched.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ash said quickly.


    ¡°Eh?!¡± Jason shrieked, ¡°Why did you go alone there? I mean, I didn¡¯t want to go, but still, you should¡¯ve brought a teacher or someone else?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to.¡± Asher replied, quite amused by Jason.


    ¡°So, are you gonna give up now?¡± Jason asked, mentally praying that he does.


    Jason was afraid of Blake too, that¡¯s why he was asking Asher to quit.


    ¡°...No.¡± Asher replied, stopping himself from rolling his eyes at Jason¡¯s obviousness.


    ¡°But you should!¡± Lucas and Jason said at the same time.


    ¡°Can we drop this topic?¡± Ash sighed.


    ¡°..Sure, man.¡± Lucas said while going back to his table, but his expressions looked kind of disturbed.


    ¡°So, did you eat the sushi from the cafe?¡± Jason was back to his normal self.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake has to stop.


    Yesterday, I came in time when Asher was laying there beaten and battered, but sometimes, it¡¯ll be too late.


    I¡¯m going to confront Blake right now.


    Alex was passing through a gallery, wind brushing past his hair, the light finding its way through the window.


    But Alex was too caught up in his thinking to actually enjoy his surroundings.


    Alex was once bullied by Blake too, but unlike some others, he stood up to him.


    Not because of himself, but because he was the class rep, and it was his duty to keep the atmosphere of his class calm.


    Where every student stays calm, instead of tensing on the sight of a certain figure, Blake.


    Alex was now outside a class, bickering from inside enough to verify who was inside the very classroom.


    Blake and his lackeys.


    Alex went inside.


    Blake¡¯s eyes darted towards him.


    ¡°Blake,¡± Alex called out, his voice firm but steady. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    Blake turned, his usual smirk plastered on his face. ¡°Oh look, the class rep wants a chat. How cute.¡±


    The tension was thick. The whole cafeteria seemed to notice the confrontation now, whispers spreading like wildfire.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Blake,¡± Alex continued, stepping closer, his jaw tight. ¡°This bullying crap has to stop. It¡¯s not just Asher, it¡¯s everyone. You think you own this school, but you¡¯re just a coward hiding behind your gang.¡±


    Blake¡¯s smirk faded, replaced with a cold glare. ¡°Careful, Alex. You don¡¯t want to make this your problem. Keep your nose out of things that don¡¯t concern you.¡±


    ¡°It concerns me when you¡¯re hurting people,¡± Alex shot back, his voice raising just slightly. ¡°You think picking on someone smaller than you makes you tough? That¡¯s not power, that¡¯s weakness. Real strength is knowing when to walk away, Blake.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Blake stood up.


    Blake took a step closer to Alex, the sneer back on his face. ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like one of those heroes from the movies, Alex. Too bad this isn¡¯t a movie. This is real life. And in real life, the strong survive.¡±


    Alex wasn¡¯t backing down.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Alex said, his voice lower now, but more intense. ¡°Strength isn¡¯t about how many people fear you. It¡¯s about how you use your power to lift others up, not tear them down. You don¡¯t scare me, Blake. And you won¡¯t keep scaring people forever.¡±


    Blake¡¯s face twisted with anger, his fists clenching. ¡°You think you¡¯re some kind of hero? You wanna save the school, Alex?¡± Blake spat. ¡°Let¡¯s see how tough you really are when I knock you off your high horse.¡±


    For a moment, it seemed like Blake might swing at Alex right then and there, but Alex stood his ground, unshaken.


    ¡°Think about it, Blake,¡± Alex said quietly. ¡°Is this who you want to be?¡±


    There was a beat of silence before Blake scoffed, turning away with a sharp laugh. ¡°Stay out of my way, Alex,¡± he muttered. ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t be so nice.¡±


    He walked off, his gang following behind.


    Alex stood there for a moment, watching them leave before letting out a breath.


    He won¡¯t understand.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, the events of the day replaying in his mind like a broken record.


    How Jason said to give up, and Alex asked him to keep going.


    But Alex was the one who stirred something in Ash.


    The idea of keep going.


    ¡®Could I do that?¡¯ Ash thought, feeling the weight of the idea settle in his chest.


    He closed his eyes, trying to imagine it, himself, standing tall, defending the kids who were too scared to speak up, just like Alex.


    In his mind, it looked like something out of an action movie.


    But reality wasn¡¯t like that, was it?


    Lucas¡¯ voice echoed in his head.


    .


    .


    "This isn¡¯t an action movie, Ash. Stay safe."


    .


    .


    Ash sighed, rubbing his temples.


    He knew Lucas was right. This wasn¡¯t some heroic battle where the good guy always wins. People like Blake didn¡¯t just back down because someone told them they were wrong.


    ¡®But if I don¡¯t do anything¡­ Then what? Do I keep letting him walk all over me? Walk over everyone else?¡¯


    The thought of doing nothing, of just staying silent, made his stomach twist.


    But the idea of standing up, of making himself a target again, wasn¡¯t any better.


    He wasn¡¯t like Alex.


    He wasn¡¯t fearless.


    He was just¡­ Ash.


    A guy who barely survived being a target by the king of bullies.


    ¡®If I stand up for others, will I be strong like Alex? Or just foolish, like Lucas thinks I am?¡¯


    A part of him wanted to believe that he could make a difference.


    That standing up, even in small ways, was better than doing nothing at all.


    But another part of him, the part that remembered the pain, the punches, the way Blake''s fist had felt against his face- knew how much it would cost him.


    ¡®Is it really worth it?¡¯


    That¡¯s right, is it really worth it?


    He sighed again, sinking deeper into his pillow.


    The question gnawed at him.


    What did it mean to be strong? Was it about fighting back, or about choosing your battles? Did standing up for others make you brave, or just reckless?


    His thoughts swirled like a storm in his head.


    He didn¡¯t know what to think anymore. Maybe Lucas was right, maybe this wasn¡¯t a movie, and the good guys didn¡¯t always win. Maybe being strong was about surviving, not about fighting back.


    But then again, if no one stood up, how would anything ever change?


    ¡®It¡¯s not about being a hero.¡¯  Ash thought, staring up at the ceiling. ¡®It¡¯s about not letting people like Blake win.¡¯


    But at the same time, the fear of what would happen if he did stand up crept back in.


    He had tasted what it was like to face Blake''s wrath, and it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to feel again.


    ¡®Maybe I¡¯m just fooling myself.¡¯ he thought. ¡®I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯m barely keeping it together.¡¯


    The silence of the room seemed louder than his thoughts now, wrapping around him as he lay there, torn between wanting to be strong like Alex, and wanting to stay safe like Lucas had warned him to.


    ¡®What if I¡¯m just not cut out for this?¡¯ Ash wondered, feeling the weight of indecision press down on him. ¡®What if¡­ standing up only makes things worse?¡¯


    Ash shifted under his blanket, the conflicting thoughts still swirling in his head.


    The idea of standing up to Blake, face to face, still terrified him.


    But what if there was another way?


    A quieter way. Something that didn¡¯t involve fists or confrontations in front of the entire school.


    He pulled the blanket down just enough to peek out at his desk across the room.


    His notebook was sitting there, open to a half-finished page of doodles.


    That¡¯s when it hit him.


    ¡®What if¡­ I didn¡¯t have to do it directly?¡¯ Ash thought, sitting up in his bed. ¡®What if I just¡­ wrote him a note?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t much of a plan, but the idea was growing in his mind.


    He could write something anonymous. Something that would freak Blake out enough to back off. No physical fight, no public standoff, just words.


    Words were powerful, right?


    ¡®It¡¯s not about being brave or anything, just¡­ making him think twice.¡¯


    Ash swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed his notebook.


    His hands felt jittery as he flipped to a blank page, a strange mix of excitement and doubt bubbling up inside him.


    He could threaten Blake.


    Not outright, but subtly, enough to make Blake wonder who was behind it, enough to make him paranoid.


    ¡®I¡¯ll tell him to stop the bullying. Maybe say something like¡­ ¡°I know what you¡¯ve been doing, and it needs to end. If you don¡¯t, there will be consequences.¡± Yeah, that could work.¡¯


    He scribbled a rough draft of the note, each word making him feel a little bolder.


    But then, as he finished the last line, doubt crept back in.


    ¡®What if this just makes things worse?¡¯


    He stared at the paper, biting on his lower lip.


    It was a risky move.


    What if Blake found out it was him? What if the note wasn¡¯t enough to scare him? He wasn¡¯t exactly some mastermind who could pull off elaborate schemes.


    This was a far cry from standing up to Blake like Alex did. But¡­ maybe it could work.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m threatening his life or anything. Just¡­ giving him a warning. Maybe it¡¯ll make him back off. And if he doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s me, I¡¯ll be safe, right?¡¯


    Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him. What if Blake just laughed it off? What if he got even angrier?


    Ash wasn¡¯t sure he could handle another round with Blake and his lackeys.


    He sighed, running a hand through his hair.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a great plan,¡¯ he admitted to himself. ¡®But it¡¯s better than doing nothing, right?¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, but it was something.


    At least he wouldn¡¯t be standing by, waiting for Blake to come after him again.


    Maybe this note, tucked into Blake¡¯s backpack or slipped into his desk, would shake things up. Maybe it would make Blake second-guess his actions.


    But as Ash folded the paper and slipped it into his school bag, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was walking a very dangerous fine line.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just hope this doesn¡¯t backfire.¡¯ he thought, lying back down and staring at the ceiling again, his mind already racing with what might happen next.

 Putting the plan to work

    The next day, Ash sat in the cafeteria, staring blankly at his food.


    The usual hum of chatter and clattering trays surrounded him, but his mind was elsewhere, still stuck on the note tucked away in his backpack.


    He hadn¡¯t decided when or how he¡¯d slip it into Blake¡¯s bag or desk, but it was there, a quiet reminder of the plan.


    He poked at his sandwich, taking a small bite, trying to act like everything was normal. But his eyes kept drifting toward the entrance.


    He didn¡¯t want to see Blake. Not today. Not with everything swimming in his head.


    Maybe he just wanted to assure himself that Blake won¡¯t act like the jerk he is.


    But, of course,  Blake swaggered into the cafeteria, his lackeys trailing behind like shadows.


    His voice, loud and obnoxious, cut through the cafeteria noise.


    "Move it, you idiot." Blake barked, pushing William, Asher¡¯s classmate, out of his way as he made his way to a table.


    William stumbled slightly but didn¡¯t say anything, just shot Blake a sharp glare as he straightened himself.


    Blake didn¡¯t even notice- or didn¡¯t care.


    Ash''s stomach clenched.


    Lucas had told him to keep his head down, that this wasn¡¯t an action movie where the hero always wins.


    And yet, William was a tough guy.


    But even he wasn¡¯t making a scene. He just let it happen.


    Ash bit his lip, a knot forming in his chest.


    He could feel the small folded note in his backpack, and the urge to do something, anything, bubbled up again. But his feet stayed glued to the floor. He didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t speak. He just watched as Blake and his gang scurried to their usual spot.


    For a moment, everything seemed normal, but then Blake¡¯s voice boomed again. This time, directed at some poor junior who had apparently made the mistake of sitting too close to his table.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem, punk?¡± Blake growled, towering over the smaller kid.


    ¡®Man, when will I ever eat lunch without any distractions?¡¯


    He watched as Blake shoved the junior, sending his tray clattering to the floor.


    The kid stammered something, clearly terrified, but Blake wasn¡¯t having it. His lackeys circled around like wolves.


    ¡°Stand up when I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Blake snapped, grabbing the kid by the collar and pulling him to his feet.


    The entire cafeteria went quiet, eyes darting between their food and the scene unfolding before them.


    ¡®Not again...¡¯ Ash thought, very well remembering what happened when Blake grabbed him by the collar.


    ¡°U-Um, Si-Sir, I..I¡¯m s-sorry, Please let m-me go?¡± That kid asked, his voice almost a whisper.


    Blake laughed, ¡°HAH?! You talking back to me?!¡±


    ¡°U-Uh, s-sorr-¡± He stopped when he saw Blake dragging him out of the cafeteria, his goons snickering as they followed.


    Ash could hear the kid¡¯s weak protests echo down the hallway as the doors swung shut behind them.


    The cafeteria slowly returned to its usual noise, but it felt different.


    Tense.


    Uneasy.


    Ash let out a shaky breath, feeling a wave of shame wash over him.


    Alex said he wanted guys like him.


    He should¡¯ve done something. He should¡¯ve said something. But he didn¡¯t. He just sat there, like everyone else.


    He glanced over at Lucas, eating normally with his other friends, but his features were tense, disturbed.


    Ash wondered how he could just let it go.


    Why didn''t he stop Blake like he did when he stopped Asher.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But then again, maybe Lucas was right. Maybe this wasn¡¯t a battle worth fighting.


    Ash sighed, his eyes drifting back to his food.


    He was still torn. Between wanting to stand up and not knowing how. Between wanting to stop Blake and fearing what would happen if he did.


    ¡®I can¡¯t just sit here forever.¡¯ he thought, feeling the weight of the note in his bag again.


    But what could he really do? Would a note even make a difference, or would it just make things worse?


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After lunch, Ash shuffled out of the cafeteria, his mind still replaying the scene from earlier.


    He couldn¡¯t shake the tension that sat heavy on his chest, like a weight pressing down with every step.


    ¡®I should throw that note away, it won¡¯t make any difference whatsoever. I should go back to studying and obser-¡¯


    As he wandered down the hall, he noticed a group of students gathering near the school grounds.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± someone whispered nearby, their curiosity piqued.


    Ash, curious, followed the crowd.


    His heart sank when he saw what they were all looking at.


    There, in the middle of the grounds, Blake sat sprawled in a large, makeshift easy chair, legs stretched out like he owned the place.


    Like he always did.


    His lackeys, predictably, were standing in front of him, but something else caught Ash¡¯s attention.


    The junior from earlier.


    The kid was on the ground, barely conscious, his clothes dirtied and his face swollen from the blows he had clearly taken.


    Blake''s lackeys were still at it, kicking him and shoving him around, each hit landing with a sickening thud.


    Ash stopped in his tracks, the scene unfolding before him.


    ¡®Blake¡­.He is gonna kill everyone in this school if he keeps on doing this. But what can I do anyway?¡¯


    The crowd around them wasn¡¯t helping either. Some students watched in curiosity, others looked away, pretending not to care. Some passed by like it was a casual routine.


    But no one stepped in.


    No one stopped it.


    Blake glanced over at the junior on the ground, a sneer pulling at the corner of his mouth.


    "Didn¡¯t I tell you not to talk back?" His voice was low, almost casual, like he was commenting on the weather, not ordering a beating.


    Ash clenched his fists, feeling the frustration and helplessness welling up again. He had never seen Blake go this far before, at least not in public. He felt sick to his stomach.


    ¡®Is this what happens when nobody says anything? When everyone just watches?¡¯


    The kid was trying to get up, but each time he did, Blake¡¯s lackeys knocked him back down.


    It was cruel.


    It was pointless.


    Ash could feel the little threatening note in his backpack, swirling like it was a magical pen to heaven.


    His heart asked him to stand up, to do it, but his mind told him that he wasn¡¯t strong.


    He cannot go in front of the entire school and ask Blake to stop.


    He was not Alex.


    But how long could he just sit back and watch?


    ¡®What if it was me again?¡¯ he thought, his mind racing. ¡®Would anyone help me?¡¯


    Blake caught sight of Ash in the crowd.


    Their eyes met for just a second, but it was enough to send a cold shiver down Ash¡¯s spine. The corner of Blake¡¯s mouth twitched, amused.


    Ash froze, his feet glued to the ground, heart pounding in his chest.


    He could feel that familiar sense of dread creeping up his throat.


    He knew Blake would never change unless someone made him, but that person¡­ it couldn¡¯t be him. Could it?


    The junior on the ground groaned, his voice weak.


    The sound broke Ash¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do this anymore¡­ I can¡¯t just keep watching.¡¯


    The weight of the note in his backpack felt heavier than ever.


    ¡®I¡¯ve to do it. No, I need to. I¡¯ve no other choice.¡¯


    And then Ash turned on his heel and started walking towards his classroom.


    Thanks to Blake, all the hallways and classrooms were empty, the students silent audience of the show.


    ¡®No Asher, Go back like a good boy. Don¡¯t force yourself to face him.¡¯


    ¡®But Am I really, really, a good guy?¡¯ Ash asked himself.


    He wasn¡¯t nice to other people.


    He didn¡¯t take care of other people¡¯s feelings, he wouldn¡¯t take them into his account.


    He considered only himself to be his first priority.


    Right, he wasn¡¯t a good guy.


    But, he was doing this to protect others.


    But others won¡¯t know it was Asher who was doing it.


    So, yeah.


    Maybe he wasn¡¯t a good guy to other people, but actually, he was.


    ¡®I¡¯ll just do it. Forget the details.¡¯


    Ash was now outside Blake¡¯s classroom, he had already taken the note out of his own backpack.


    It was folded neatly in Ash¡¯s pocket, and he started to walk towards Blake¡¯s desk.


    There was no one around, no one in his classroom, no one in the hallways.


    Ash took a deep breath.


    ¡®I¡¯m really gonna do it. I¡¯m really gonna put myself in harm¡¯s way to save others.I¡¯m really gonna pretend to be a lame hero, but hey, I¡¯m gonna do good at my job.¡¯ Ash wondered, and then chuckled.


    He took out the note and put it under Blake¡¯s desk with trembling hands.


    This wasn¡¯t easy, yet here Ash was, testing his luck.


    ¡®Done, now god, please, let the fate play out on my side, this once, then I won¡¯t ever test it.¡¯ Ash mentally prayed, while making his way to the classroom.


    He met no other student on his way, which satisfied his tensed form greatly.

 Real Fear

    I hate it when people talk back to me.


    I hate it.


    Why don¡¯t these weaklings understand that I¡¯m the boss here?!


    I¡¯m supposed to be in control, to keep those brats under me.


    And yet, some just don¡¯t give up, they don¡¯t listen.


    Blake was on his way back to class after beating that junior up.


    He had left him in a terrible state, all bruised and unconscious.


    He had asked his lackeys to stop hitting him when the victim passed out.


    Now, he was walking to the class, almost furious, face contorted on why some students didn¡¯t listen to him.


    He was now cleaning the books from his desk, when he saw a note, folded neatly, under his desk.


    He was confused


    ¡®Huh? What is this stupid piece of paper? Must be some kind of note I took during class.¡¯


    No matter what kind of personality Blake had, he was pretty good when it came to studying.


    His favorite subject, English.


    Although, his vocabulary was filled with all the bad words and curses, he actually loved english, the verbs, the adjectives and everything in between.


    He tucked that note in his pocket.


    Whenever he would take a note during class, he would re-read it on his way home, on the bus.


    Not that he actually went home, that is.


    He would take the bus to his home, eat something after arriving, and then leave to spent the day with his delinquent friends, and once in a week, he would meet up with boss.


    Only Blake, Carter and Liam knew the main boss of the gang, no one else.


    ¡®Stupid Bus, Is it gonna take all day to arrive?¡¯ Blake thought at the bus stop.


    But as if summoned by his thoughts, he saw the bus coming right towards him.


    He went inside and sat on the window seat.


    A high school girl sat next to him.


    Blake took a look at her, blond hair in a high-bun, bangs shadowing her eyes, brown eyes, and headphones.


    ¡®Ah, just forget her, she is listening to some stupid music. Best, if I read the note I took, besides, I¡¯ve to meet up with master today.¡¯


    Blake took the note.


    He opened it.


    But when he read it, his heart stopped, his head spinned, and sweat popped out on his forehead.


    ¡®T-This isn¡¯t the stupid note I took, this is¡­..a threatening letter.¡¯


    He read it again, as if his eyes deceived him the first time.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Blake, don¡¯t think you can get away with this, stop for once. Stop this bullying trash right now. If you don¡¯t, there¡¯ll be consequences. And if curious to find out what consequences, do it again. Bully and beat someone up, torture someone again. I. Dare. You.¡±


    .


    .


    .


    ¡®This isn¡¯t real. W-Who in the hell is threatening me? Who¡­?¡¯


    Blake was curious to find out, but something in him told him to relax for a bit.


    Asher didn¡¯t know, but his letter did something.


    Blake was kind of¡­.disoriented at what had happened.


    ¡®I¡­I¡¯ve to tell Boss about it. No¡­.he will beat me up if I do that. He always asks me not to go overboard, but still, some freak is threatening me. I¡¯ve to do something myself.¡¯


    Blake was gonna keep himself away from bullying others for a day or two.


    Or maybe, his curiosity would take the better of him, and he will do it.


    He¡¯ll accept the dare.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The next day, at the end of the school, Ash was walking towards the school gate.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if that letter worked or not, but I haven¡¯t heard if Blake bullied someone today, although if he had, it would¡¯ve spread like fire.¡¯


    ¡°Punk. Who do you think you are to stare at me?!¡± Blake¡¯s voice was impossible to be unrecognizable.


    Many students whispered and saw behind.


    Asher also stopped in his tracks.


    He looked over his shoulder.


    Blake was grabbing a student by his collar, and yanking him closer.


    The student was horrified, and mumbled, ¡°I-I was¡­.U-Um, ¡­.I was not looking at you.¡±


    ¡°You lying to me?¡± Blake asked and smirked.


    ¡®Looks like my letter didn¡¯t do anything. Blake is still too caught up in his superiority complex-¡¯


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Blake then punched that guy straight in the face.


    ¡®Oh man, now he is really asking for it.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s right freak, whoever you are, see, I¡¯m not scared of your threat. Really, do whatever you can!¡± Blake shouted and dropped that guy, who quickly scurried away.


    ¡°A threat?¡±


    ¡°What is Blake talking about?¡±


    ¡°No, Who is he telling it to?¡±


    Many students whispered in hushed tones upon hearing Blake¡¯s declaration.


    Ash listened too.


    Blake was now moving away from the spot he was standing on, a smirk confidently placed on his face.


    He had actually done it.


    He had actually done what he might not had if Ash hadn¡¯t asked him to.


    ¡®That¡¯s right Blake. You asked for it.¡¯


    Ash started to walk away, his mind racing from several thoughts on what he should do to prevent Blake¡¯s further violence.


    Ash didn¡¯t want to fail.


    He was going to win this little war he had brought on himself.


    He was gonna find out what Blake does after school, where he goes, when he sleeps, everything.


    He was going to act like a stalker today.


    Because, hey.


    Everything is fair in love and war, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After school, Ash sat in his room, staring at the ceiling. His heart was pounding from what had happened earlier with Blake.


    ¡®So, the note worked... sort of,¡¯ Ash thought to himself.


    Blake clearly hadn¡¯t taken the warning seriously, though. If anything, he was daring someone, Ash- to stop him.


    But this was far from over.


    Ash pulled out another piece of paper from his desk drawer. He tapped his pen against the surface, thinking.


    The letter in Blake¡¯s backpack had rattled him, but now Ash had to push harder.


    He had to let Blake know that someone was watching him, following his every move.


    ¡®You wanna play games, Blake? Fine. Let¡¯s play.¡¯


    With a determined sigh, he started writing.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    A couple of hours later, as the day started to fade into the evening, Ash slipped quietly out of his house.


    His plan was set.


    Blake and his lackeys had a routine, meeting up at a small cafe near the school after hours. It was their usual hangout spot, where they plotted, laughed, and likely compared notes on who they had terrorized that day.


    Well, Ash thought that.


    Ash¡¯s heart raced as he approached the cafe.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if this was a smart idea, but at this point, seriously, Ash couldn¡¯t think straight.


    The cafe was small and tucked away on a corner, dimly lit from the inside.


    Ash could see Blake and his group through the window, seated at their usual table, laughing loudly as they sipped on sodas and munched on fries.


    Perfect.


    Ash took a deep breath, clenching the note he had written earlier in his hand.


    ¡®I am not going inside, No, I cannot risk being seen. But at least I know where Blake sits, always at the far end of the cafe.¡¯


    He waited until the coast was clear, then quickly slipped around the side of the building to the back door.


    He peeked inside, seeing the cafe staff distracted.


    ¡®This is my chance.¡¯


    In one swift motion, he crept up to their table, sliding the note between the ketchup bottle and a stack of napkins. His heart pounded in his ears as he backed out, disappearing into the night.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Inside, Blake was laughing at something one of his lackeys had said.


    He reached over to grab the ketchup when his hand brushed against a piece of paper.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± he muttered, grabbing the note and unfolding it.


    His eyes narrowed as he read:


    .


    .


    "I know what you did at school. No, I saw that. Stop while you still can, Blake. You¡¯re clearly testing my patience here. Oh, and see what I left you at home.¡±


    .


    .


    Blake crumpled the paper in his fist, his face darkening with irritation.


    ¡°Who keeps leaving me this crap, and what does he mean he left me something at home?¡± Blake growled, his eyes darting around the cafe as if the culprit would magically appear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Carter asked, noticing the change in Blake¡¯s expression.


    Blake slammed the note onto the table, smoothing it out for his gang to read.


    ¡°Some idiot thinks they can scare me with this.¡± Blake sneered. ¡°Like I¡¯m supposed to be scared of a piece of paper.¡±


    Liam leaned in to read it. ¡°Dude, this is kinda creepy. Someone¡¯s following you.¡±


    Blake scoffed, trying to hide his unease. ¡°Let them follow me. Whoever this is, they¡¯re too chicken to confront me directly. Hiding behind notes like a coward.¡±


    Carter glanced at Blake, his brow furrowed. ¡°What if it¡¯s serious? I mean, if someone¡¯s really watching-¡±


    Blake cut him off, ¡°Shut up, Carter. I¡¯m not afraid of some weirdo with a pen. If they wanna come after me, I¡¯m ready. They¡¯re the ones who should be scared.¡±


    The group exchanged uneasy glances, but no one challenged Blake.


    They laughed it off, but the tension was clear. Blake may have put on a tough face, but the truth was, Ash¡¯s plan was working.


    The seed of doubt had been planted, and it was growing.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Meanwhile, Ash stood across the street, hidden behind a tree, watching Blake and his lackeys through the window.


    His hands were trembling slightly from the adrenaline.


    ¡®That¡¯s right, Blake. You have no idea who you¡¯re messing with.¡¯


    For the first time, Ash felt like he had a bit of power in this situation. He wasn¡¯t the weak one anymore, cowering in fear while Blake ruled the school.


    No, things were different now. He was going to take control, little by little, until Blake¡¯s whole world came crashing down.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Later that night, as Blake walked home alone, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone was watching him.


    His usual confidence faltered as he glanced over his shoulder, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.


    Nothing.


    But the feeling wouldn¡¯t leave him.


    For the first time in a long time, Blake felt vulnerable.


    So, he ran.


    He ran towards his home, and once reaching the said place, he stopped at the doorstep.


    Blake¡¯s heart pounded as he stood at the doorstep of his house, he was doubling over, catching his breath. His chest heaved, and his throat was dry.


    The note had rattled him, but the last line, "See what I left you at home.", that was what truly stuck in his mind.


    ¡®What did that freak leave here?¡¯ Blake thought, swallowing the lump in his throat.


    He then stood straight.


    He wasn¡¯t used to feeling this way- scared, nervous. He was Blake, the one who caused fear, not the one who felt it.


    And then Blake caught something.


    A note on the doorstep.


    It was plain white paper, with his name written in bold, black letters.


    For a second, Blake just stared at it, frozen.


    His mind raced through all the possibilities. Was it another letter? A prank? Or something worse?


    With a deep breath, he knelt down and picked it up.


    His fingers trembled as he tore it open. Inside was a single piece of paper, folded neatly.


    He unfolded it and read:


    .


    .


    "Bet you were scared, huh Blake?"


    .


    .


    His grip tightened around the note, his knuckles white with tension.


    Blake¡¯s gaze flickered to the door again. For the first time in his life, he didn¡¯t want to go in. His sanctuary now felt like a trap.


    But he wasn¡¯t going to let whoever this was get the better of him.


    With a deep breath, he opened the door and flicked on the light.


    He then sat on the couch, and read the letter once more.


    .


    .


    .


    "Bet you were scared, huh Blake?"


    .


    And at the end, his eyes caught sight of more word, which he had missed earlier.


    .


    "Soon.¡±


    .


    .


    Blake¡¯s heart dropped. He stumbled back, his mind spinning.


    For the first time in as long as he could remember, Blake was afraid.


    Real fear.


    Whoever was behind this wasn¡¯t just messing with him. They were serious.


    And Blake had no idea what to do next.


    But he wasn¡¯t going to let someone scare him off with a bunch of papers, that much was final.


    He walked out of the house, locked it, gave the Boss a call, saying it¡¯s urgent, and went to the meeting hideout.


    ¡®I know Boss will be angry, but I-I got no choice, this freak is losing me.¡¯


    Blake sat in the dimly lit room, tapping his foot anxiously against the cold floor.


    The note, the threats- it was all getting to him.


    This was supposed to be his territory, his school, but now, someone was playing mind games with him.


    And he hated it.


    He checked his phone for the time. It was late, but this meeting was urgent. He couldn¡¯t deal with this on his own.


    Not anymore.


    The door creaked open, and Blake straightened up as a shadowy figure stepped in, closing the door behind him.


    The Boss.

 The boss is a real piece of work

    The door creaked open, and Blake straightened up as a shadowy figure stepped in, closing the door behind him.


    The Boss.


    ¡°Hey¡­ I need to talk to you about something serious,¡± Blake said, his voice lower than usual, the fear he¡¯d been pushing down starting to surface.


    He never wanted to appear weak in front of the boss, but this was different.


    The figure said nothing, just motioned for Blake to continue.


    Blake swallowed hard and started. ¡°Someone¡¯s been sending me notes. Threatening me. They said if I keep messing with people, there¡¯d be consequences.¡±


    The figure remained silent, waiting for Blake to get to the point.


    ¡°I-I thought it was just some idiot messing around at first, you know? But it¡¯s different now. They¡¯re serious. They said they¡¯ve been watching me, and they even left a note at my house.¡± Blake¡¯s voice wavered for a second, betraying the fear gnawing at him.


    ¡°And?¡± the figure finally asked, voice calm, controlled.


    Blake clenched his fists. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is! No one¡¯s seen anything, but I can¡¯t ignore it anymore. I figured¡­ you¡¯d want to know.¡±


    The figure leaned back in their chair, the dim light casting long shadows over their face. ¡°So, you¡¯re scared now?¡±


    Blake gritted his teeth. ¡°No, I¡¯m not scared! It¡¯s just¡­whoever¡¯s doing this, they¡¯ve got something planned. I can feel it. They¡¯ve got the whole school talking. Everyone¡¯s acting like I¡¯m losing my grip. I need to stop this.¡±


    The figure stayed quiet for a moment, then leaned forward slightly. ¡°And you think I should care because?¡±


    Blake¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Because you always said we couldn¡¯t let things spiral out of control. You said that we keep order in our own way. If I let this freak get away with this, it¡¯s gonna mess with everything. People will think I¡¯m weak.¡±


    The boss sat in silence for a beat, then finally spoke. ¡°So, you¡¯ve already let them inside your head.¡±


    Blake froze, his heart pounding louder in his chest. ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°You let some anonymous coward make you run scared,¡± the boss continued, voice sharp. ¡°You let them break your focus, and now you¡¯re here, looking for me to fix your mess. Blake, I didn¡¯t let you join so you could push me down, I have my own purposes, and you¡¯ve your own. So clean your mess yourself, jerk. Or have you lost control?¡±


    Blake¡¯s hands clenched into fists. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m still in control. I just thought-¡±


    ¡°You thought wrong,¡± the boss interrupted coldly. ¡°This is your problem. If you¡¯re losing control of your people, then handle it. If you¡¯re afraid of some words on paper, then maybe you aren¡¯t as strong as I thought.¡±


    Blake¡¯s face flushed with frustration and fear. He hated being talked down to like this, but he knew better than to argue. This wasn¡¯t the kind of person you argued with.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let it get any worse,¡± Blake muttered through clenched teeth.


    The boss stood, casting a long shadow over Blake. ¡°You¡¯d better not. Because if you do, you won¡¯t just be dealing with whoever¡¯s sending those notes.¡±


    Blake looked up, eyes wide.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be dealing with me.¡±


    With that, the boss turned and walked out, leaving Blake alone in the dim room, the weight of their words heavy in the air.


    Blake¡¯s hands trembled as he sat there, replaying the conversation over and over in his head. He was furious, humiliated, but more than that- he was scared.


    Not just of the notes anymore.


    But of what would happen if he didn¡¯t get things under control.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The next day at school, Ash couldn¡¯t help but think about everything he had done.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find Blake¡¯s address- he had overheard some of Blake¡¯s lackeys talking about it before.


    But now, walking to the cafe, Ash felt a strange sense of satisfaction mixed with guilt.


    He hadn¡¯t expected his notes to actually shake Blake up, but from the way Blake had acted yesterday, it was clear something had changed.


    ¡®Maybe I went too far.¡¯ Ash thought as he absentmindedly glanced around.


    ¡®But then again, Blake deserved it. He had terrorized everyone for so long without a single consequence. Someone had to stand up to him, right?¡¯


    As Ash chewed on these thoughts, his attention was pulled toward the entrance of the cafe.


    Blake was walking in with his usual gang trailing behind him, like shadows clinging to his every move.


    But today, there was something different about Blake.


    He wasn¡¯t his usual cocky self, not completely.


    There was an edge to his walk, a tension that Ash, thanks to his observational skills, felt while a few steps away from him.


    Blake stopped in front of a student who was walking towards the door too, minding his own business.


    The kid looked up, startled, as Blake loomed over him.


    ¡°Hey, why are you in my damn way?¡± Blake growled, his voice low.


    He grabbed the kid¡¯s collar, yanking him up.


    ¡®Eh? He is still keeping that crap up?¡¯ Ash deadpanned inside.


    His mind raced.


    The kid stammered, trying to apologize, but Blake wasn¡¯t having it.


    He shoved the kid back down into his chair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± Blake hissed, his eyes dark with anger. Then he turned and walked away, his gang laughing and following close behind.


    ¡®At least he is not beating people up, and that¡¯s an improvement.¡¯


    He had rattled Blake with those notes.


    The thought of it made his heart race. If he could shake Blake up, then maybe there was a way to stop him for good. But what came next?


    This wasn¡¯t an action movie where the hero wins with fists and fancy moves.


    No, this was different.


    This was just about getting into Blake¡¯s head.


    Ash was still pondering over these thoughts, when someone shooked him by the shoulders.


    ¡°Hey Ash! Stop spacing out buddy!¡± It was undeniably Lucas.


    Ash blinked, snapping out of his deep thoughts. ¡°Wha-? Oh, hey.¡± he muttered, still a bit dazed. His mind was racing with everything that had happened and what he had to do next.


    Lucas dragged him to the nearest cafe table and plopped down next to him at the table, and right behind him was Jason, who looked far more animated than usual.


    ¡°Asher! Have you heard?¡± Jason said, practically bouncing with excitement.


    ¡°Heard what?¡± Ash asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t like how hyped they both seemed.


    Lucas leaned in closer, lowering his voice slightly. ¡°Someone¡¯s threatening Blake.¡±


    Ash nearly choked on his drink. ¡°W-What?¡±


    Jason¡¯s eyes widened like he was about to spill the juiciest gossip in school history. ¡°Yeah! Asher, everyone¡¯s talking about it. Blake¡¯s been acting all weird and jumpy, and word¡¯s going around that someone¡¯s been sending him threatening notes. I mean, how cool is that?¡±


    ¡®How do they-¡¯


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas added, nodding in agreement. ¡°Whoever it is, they¡¯ve got some serious guts. Blake¡¯s been shaking ever since yesterday, and I overheard him muttering about some ¡®freak¡¯ daring him. Dude, this person is a legend.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart raced. He tried to keep his face neutral, but inside, he was panicking. ¡®How did they find out already? Did I leave some clue behind? Is this getting out of hand?¡¯


    Jason, of course, was too caught up in his fanboying to notice Ash¡¯s discomfort. ¡°I mean, whoever this guy is, he¡¯s gotta be like a ninja or something.¡± Jason chopped the air, ¡°Silent, deadly, leaving messages for Blake like it¡¯s some spy movie. Man, I¡¯d love to meet him. He¡¯s my hero!¡±


    Lucas chuckled. ¡°Yeah, Blake hasn¡¯t bullied anyone today, and that¡¯s saying something. Whoever¡¯s behind this has done what no one else could. I gotta say, I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    Ash just sat there, dumbfounded. They were literally praising him without even knowing it. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to feel proud or mortified.


    ¡°Uh... how do you guys know all this?¡± Ash asked, trying to keep his voice casual.


    Jason waved a hand, dismissing the question like it was no big deal. ¡°Oh, word gets around. Blake¡¯s been acting off, and a few of his lackeys were whispering about it. Plus, some kids said they saw Blake freaking out over a note at his locker.¡±


    ¡®Oh yeah, I¡­did leave a note in his locker, but that¡¯s my job,...right?¡¯


    Lucas leaned back in his chair, smirking. ¡°Whoever¡¯s threatening Blake, they¡¯ve got him rattled. It¡¯s like karma¡¯s finally catching up with him.¡±


    Ash just nodded slowly, his mind spinning. ¡®Karma, huh? I guess I did rattle him... but what happens now?¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t sure if this was going to make things better or worse, but one thing was clear: the game had officially begun.

 In trouble, again. Not me, but him

    Many days passed, and things at school began to change in ways no one could¡¯ve predicted.


    Blake didn¡¯t stop acting like a bully entirely, but something had definitely shifted. He wasn¡¯t beating anyone up anymore, not like he used to.


    He would still glare, still throw around threats, but the violence that usually followed was¡­ gone. For once, Blake kept his fists to himself.


    The school buzzed with whispers about what had happened. Some students were relieved, while others were simply confused. But most of all, they were happy.


    A lot of them had grown so used to living in Blake¡¯s shadow that this sudden change felt like a miracle.


    "Did you hear?" Jason asked one day, dropping into the seat next to Ash in the cafeteria, his voice dripping with excitement. "Blake hasn¡¯t beaten up anyone in weeks. Just threats now. No one¡¯s gotten hurt!"


    Lucas stood next to the table, across from them, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to that mysterious guy. Whoever¡¯s behind those notes is a freakin¡¯ genius. They¡¯re totally inside Blake¡¯s head.¡±


    Ash¡¯s face remained neutral, but inside, he was reeling.


    ¡®Can they stop this? It¡¯s not like Blake has stopped entirely.¡¯


    ¡°Right? I bet Blake¡¯s scared out of his mind,¡± Jason continued, practically bouncing in his seat.


    ¡°The guy- whoever he must be watching him 24/7. I mean, the timing of those notes is perfect.¡±


    Lucas smirked, leaning back. ¡°I¡¯d shake that guy¡¯s hand if I ever found out who he was.¡±


    Ash gave a small, awkward laugh, trying to play along while hiding the fact that the ¡®mysterious guy¡¯ they were fanboying over was, well¡­ him.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Ash saw Alex practically running towards him with his tray.


    Alex joined their table, plopping down with his tray and giving Ash a knowing look. ¡°Hey, Asher.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Ash nodded, grateful for the distraction from Lucas and Jason¡¯s enthusiastic speculation.


    Alex shot them both a look, then leaned in slightly toward Ash. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed it too, right? Blake¡¯s been quieter lately.¡±


    Ash nodded, keeping his face carefully blank. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a lot more¡­ peaceful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind it.¡± Alex said quietly, ¡°But it¡¯s working. Whatever they¡¯re doing, it¡¯s got Blake all twisted up.¡±


    Ash felt a small swell of pride in his chest, though he didn¡¯t show it.


    It wasn¡¯t much- just some carefully placed notes to remind Blake that he was being watched, that someone was out there waiting for him to slip up. But it was enough to make a difference.


    Whenever Blake would start acting like his old self, intimidating students, throwing his weight around, Ash would leave another note.


    Sometimes he¡¯d tuck it in Blake¡¯s locker. Other times, he¡¯d slip it into Blake¡¯s desk or drop it near his seat in the cafeteria. Each note was just enough to keep Blake on edge, to remind him that he couldn¡¯t get away with it.


    And it was working.


    Ash would watch from a distance as Blake found the notes, his face paling ever so slightly, his movements becoming a little more cautious.


    He never knew where the next note would come from, or when.


    He just knew they would.


    Ash glanced over at Blake¡¯s table now. Blake was sitting there, looking tense, his eyes darting around the room as if expecting someone to be watching him.


    His lackeys were laughing at something, completely oblivious to Blake¡¯s inner turmoil.


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to take Blake down with his fists.


    But maybe¡­ maybe this was better.


    As long as Blake stayed in check, Ash would keep playing the game.


    And so far, he was winning.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash was in his room, later that noon, scribbling down notes for Blake, he had to leave them in his locker, his doorstep, his desk, his bus-seat, his cafe-seat.


    ¡®I can¡¯t stop right now. I¡¯ve to keep Blake on edge.¡¯


    Ash, after writing, plopped on his seat, and stared at the midnight-blue wall paint.


    He felt different, nowadays, while writing notes to scare Blake off.


    Sure, it was working, but¡­.Ash felt a bit too attached to it.


    ¡®I wasn''t expecting it at first. It had started out as something simple- an act of self-preservation, really. I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch Blake terrorize everyone anymore, so I took a risk, slipped Blake a note, and hoped it would rattle him enough to make him stop. And it worked, almost too well.¡¯


    Ash started to observe what was causing the way he felt attached to it. He took out a notebook, and wrote down his thoughts.


    ¡®But now, as the days went by, I started watching Blake more closely. Every time I saw him, I began noticing things I didn¡¯t before. The slight twitch in Blake¡¯s jaw when he got nervous. The way his hands tightened around his backpack strap when he walked through the halls, as if expecting another note to appear out of nowhere. Blake was scared, and I could see it in every move he made.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s pen knocked the surface of the notebook. His features looked¡­disturbed yet focused.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®At first, I told myself I was doing it for everyone else. Blake had made life at school unbearable for so many people for so long, and now that I had found a way to keep him in line, why not use it? Why not keep pushing? But the more I watched, the more I realized that it wasn¡¯t just about helping others anymore. I loved seeing Blake tremble in fear. I was becoming¡­¡¯


    Ash¡¯s eye twitched, not with satisfaction, but with anger. He wrote it down in his notebook with unease.


    ¡®...Obsessed.¡¯


    As much as Ash hated to admit it, it was true.


    The power, the control- it was addicting.


    Every note he left, every time he saw Blake¡¯s eyes widen in panic, it fueled something inside Ash.


    He started planning his notes with more precision, waiting for just the right moment to deliver them when Blake seemed most at ease. The surprise, the fear, it was like watching a play unfold.


    There were moments when Ash felt a pang of guilt, a brief hesitation as he left yet another note.


    But those feelings quickly faded when he saw the results.


    Blake wasn¡¯t beating people up anymore. He wasn¡¯t even threatening them as much. The entire school felt different.


    Calmer.


    Safer.


    And if Ash had to scare Blake a little to make that happen, then so be it.


    Ash found himself thinking about Blake outside of school. He would imagine the look on Blake¡¯s face when he found the next note, the way his hands would tremble slightly as he unfolded the paper.


    He started fantasizing about pushing Blake further, wondering just how far he could go before Blake broke completely.


    ¡®I remember, one afternoon, while scribbling down another note, my fingers moved faster than usual. The message was harsher, more personal. I hesitated for a moment, staring at the words on the paper.¡¯ Ash was writing the entire thing, fast.


    ¡®Was I going too far?¡¯


    Ash was feeling a bit guilty, but wrote it anyway.


    ¡®But then I remembered the way Blake had grabbed that junior by the collar, how he had laughed as the kid begged him to stop. And then, I wondered, Blake deserved this. He deserved to feel what everyone else had felt for so long.¡¯


    ¡®So, at the end, I folded the note neatly, slipped it into Blake¡¯s locker, and I felt¡­satisfied.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s brows furrowed, he was not liking where everything was going.


    ¡®I wanted to stop,...but the power was too sweet.¡¯


    And as much as Ash tried to convince himself that he was still the good guy in all of this, deep down, he knew he was crossing a line.


    ¡®But honestly the truth was, I didn¡¯t wanted to stop.¡¯


    Ash scribbled the last thought and then read it again.


    ¡®That¡¯s it, Asher. You¡¯re going to control yourself, and no more obsessions.¡¯


    He warned himself, and then threw the notes he had made for Blake.


    ¡®I will do it, no doubt, but not overdo it. And, that is final.¡¯ Ash thought and then went downstairs for a quick late night snack.


    ¡®I am still a good guy. I¡¯ll stop the moment I feel like I¡¯m going too far. I¡¯ll stop it.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Three days passed, and Ash held back on the notes. He left only one, a vague reminder slipped into Blake¡¯s locker, letting him know someone was still watching.


    Blake¡¯s shoulders eased a bit each day, no longer jerking at shadows or scanning every corner. For the first time in weeks, he felt like he was free to breathe. Students even noticed Blake''s change- he was still gruff and threw around threats, but it was all talk.


    He wasn¡¯t grabbing collars or talking with fists.


    Ash tried to focus on other things. His grades, Lucas and Jason¡¯s fanboying and that small sense of peace he felt when he was just¡­ normal.


    But the thought lingered. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this wasn¡¯t over.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®One, two, Buckle my shoeee, Three, Four-¡¯


    Jason had been in a good mood that evening.


    He was on his way to the gym.


    The gym that evening was filled with its usual sounds: the clinking of weights, low grunts from dedicated lifters, and upbeat music to keep everyone motivated.


    But Jason was already in high spirits, his own tune playing in his mind as he made his way toward the squat rack.


    This was supposed to be another productive workout session- and maybe a little sparring with his gym buddies later on.


    He did workout there, sure, but he also did fighting practices with some gym members there.


    He was going to the squat gear, when he spotted a familiar figure there.


    Blake and his lackeys.


    ¡®Loveeelyyyy¡¯


    Jason thought he should just go back but he absentmindedly listened to Blake talking.


    ¡°Yeah, I got another one of those freakin¡¯ notes today,¡± Blake muttered, scowling as he pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and threw it on the ground. ¡°Like clockwork now. Got one this morning, right at my locker.¡±


    ¡®OOOH, he¡¯s talking about my heeero, Imma gonna listennnn.¡¯


    Jason¡¯s thoughts were more rhythmic and lyrical.


    No matter how he talked to others, he¡¯d always sing his thoughts to himself.


    Maybe this was the result of his side hobby, other than fighting, Music.


    He loved playing instruments at home, and was a bit too shy about it.


    That¡¯s why he kept his obsession to himself.


    The gym buzzed with its usual activity as Blake lounged near the squat rack, surrounded by his lackeys, Liam and Carter, and three more of them, each listening intently as he recounted his latest woes.


    One of his friends, a lanky guy named Vic, raised an eyebrow. ¡°Man, that¡¯s messed up. You tell the boss about it yet?¡±


    ¡®The B-Boss?!¡¯ Jason¡¯s interest piqued.


    The whole school knew Blake was the top of the food chain, or at least, everyone thought he was.


    Blake had never mentioned answering to anyone before, and hearing him refer to a ¡°boss¡± was as jarring as it was intriguing. Jason¡¯s mind raced with curiosity.


    ¡®Blake had a boss? Who could possibly keep him in check?¡¯


    Blake rolled his eyes, scoffing as he kicked the paper across the floor. ¡°Yeah, I told him. You think he cares? All he did was laugh and say, ¡®Handle it yourself.¡¯¡±


    His voice dripped with bitterness as he leaned back, crossing his arms. ¡°Typical. Boss only steps in when things are ¡®out of control¡¯, or when he feels like slapping me around just for the fun of it.¡±


    The others chuckled nervously, glancing at each other.


    They all knew that whoever Blake was talking about had him under his thumb, even if he¡¯d never quite admit it.


    Jason ducked slightly behind one of the weight machines, listening closer as the conversation continued.


    ¡°So, who is this guy, anyway?¡± Vic asked, nudging Blake with a grin. ¡°This mysterious ¡®boss¡¯ of yours who keeps you in line? You see, I¡¯d love to meet that bastard.¡±


    Blake¡¯s face darkened slightly as he glanced around, his eyes flickering with a mix of frustration and caution. ¡°It¡¯s... well-¡±


    ¡®Man, if I get to know who that boss is, I¡¯ll drop the juiciest gossip in school. Oh yeah! Imma gonna listeennnnn.¡¯


    Jason took a step forward, accidentally bumping into a loose dumbbell on the floor.


    The clink of metal echoed through the gym, and Blake¡¯s head whipped around, eyes narrowing as he scanned the gym floor.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Blake growled, standing up and looking in Jason¡¯s direction.


    His lackeys followed behind.


    ¡®Mannnn, Imma in big troubleee.¡¯


    Jason winced but forced himself to step forward, attempting to look casual as he walked into view. ¡°Relax, Blake.¡± he said, trying to keep his tone light, although he was panicking hard inside. ¡°Didn¡¯t eavesdrop on your little therapy session. I swear.¡±


    Blake immediately recognized Jason. ¡®One of the weaklings¡¯ bastard friend¡¯, he¡¯d call Jason whenever he¡¯d see him alongside Ash.


    And Ash had already made his face carved into Blake¡¯s memory, too well.


    Blake had found out later from someone that his name is Asher.


    Blake¡¯s eyes darkened, and a twisted grin spread across his face. ¡°Therapy session, huh?¡± He stepped forward, sizing Jason up. ¡°You must have a death wish. I¡¯d suggest you tell me how much you have listened.¡±


    Blake was internally freaking out and praying that Jason shouldn¡¯t have heard that there is a boss, and he isn¡¯t the real deal.


    Blake actually didn¡¯t even know who Jason was, but if he had listened to any bit of info Blake was blabbing to his lackeys, then Jason was important to him.


    Jason straightened, meeting Blake¡¯s gaze with a hint of hesitation, and continued, ¡°Um, Duh? I listened to every woe you told your therapists?¡±

 Fighting with him

    Jason straightened, meeting Blake¡¯s gaze with a hint of hesitation, and continued, ¡°Um, Duh? I listened to every woe you told your therapists?¡±


    Jason forced himself from rolling his eyes at how stupid Blake thinks he is for not listening to his weakness, and that there is a ¡®Boss¡¯ who should be taken into account too.


    Blake¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, upon realizing that Jason must¡¯ve heard about the boss too.


    Jason, on the other hand, saw the disbelief in Blake¡¯s eyes, and said in a cheerful voice, although he already had one before, ¡°A Boss Blake?¡± And then he looked at his lackeys, who looked equally as discerned as Blake.


    Then Jason continued, ¡°Juicy gossip, people.¡±


    Blake¡¯s grin faltered for a moment, his friends exchanging uneasy glances.


    Blake¡¯s eyes flashed with something close to panic, his jaw clenching.


    Jason had noticed- Blake was genuinely rattled.


    So the great Blake, top-of-the-school food chain, wasn¡¯t exactly top-of-the-food-chain. There was someone else above him, and Jason could practically feel the leverage slipping into his hands.


    ¡®A ¡°Boss¡± for Blake? Man, I really hit the jackpot here! I¡¯ll tell Lucas as soon as I get outta here and then we¡¯re gonna make posters about it and we¡¯re gonna paste it everywhereee in school, so my hero knows!¡¯ Jason thought, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he caught Blake¡¯s uneasy glance toward his lackeys, who were shifting uncomfortably.


    ¡°So, Blake, who¡¯s this mysterious ¡®Boss¡¯ of yours?¡± Jason leaned in with mock interest, his voice light but his eyes sharp.


    He was pushing Blake¡¯s buttons and savoring every second of it. ¡°I mean, I just want to know who¡¯s really running the show around here. I mean, I know there is one, so mind as well tell me ¡®who¡¯, am I right or what?¡±


    Blake¡¯s expression darkened, and for a brief moment, Jason caught a flicker of something- maybe fear or frustration.


    But Blake quickly masked it, flashing Jason an empty smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Oh, you think you¡¯re funny, don¡¯t you? You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re messing with, kid.¡±


    Jason fought the urge to roll his eyes at Blake¡¯s weak attempt to reassert his dominance. ¡®Kid? You gotta be kidding me. This guy¡¯s quaking in his sneakers and still acting like the big boss.¡¯


    Blake¡¯s lackeys shifted uncomfortably, glancing between their leader and Jason, clearly uncertain.


    Jason noticed how they all seemed equally unnerved by the mention of the mysterious ¡°Boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know exactly what I¡¯m messing with,¡± Jason replied, leaning back casually. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re the one with the death wish, not me. Must be tough dealing with this, huh? Thinking you¡¯re the top dog, only to have someone yanking your leash.¡±


    Blake¡¯s composure slipped, his fists clenching as he stepped closer. ¡°Listen here, you little rat. You¡¯ve got no idea who you¡¯re messing with. If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll keep your mouth shut about what you heard.¡± Blake¡¯s voice was low, menacing.


    Jason met Blake¡¯s gaze, swallowing the lump of nervousness that had crept into his throat. ¡®Stay cool, don¡¯t back down. You got this, You got thi-¡¯ he told himself. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, forcing a grin. ¡°I think I¡¯d make a pretty sweet gossip gravy for your ¡®Boss.¡¯¡±


    Blake¡¯s face twisted with a mixture of anger and desperation, and for a split second, Jason saw him hesitate. That was all Jason needed. ¡®Gotcha,¡¯ he thought.


    Without warning, Blake shoved Jason hard, his frustration finally snapping. But Jason was ready, staying on his feet as he regained his balance. ¡°Touchy, aren¡¯t we?¡± he taunted, his voice dripping with mock innocence.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Blake hissed, but Jason saw the desperation in his eyes.


    Blake wanted to shove him into a corner, and beat him, but he had better things to worry about.


    Like how he¡¯s going to tell the boss about some random kid who¡¯d heard Blake bad mouthing him behind his back, and, yeah.


    That¡¯s pretty much it.


    But still, Boss had never told Blake to keep quiet about his existence, only that he shouldn¡¯t go around telling people about him.


    Well, Blake hadn¡¯t told people right?


    They just¡­listened?


    So much for a quick and true excuse.


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    ¡°You should get the hell outta here if you want to talk again. And if I catch you telling other people, I¡¯m gonna rip the flesh outta your skinny bones.¡±


    ¡®Man, it¡¯s really getting on my nerves.¡¯


    Jason raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. ¡°Oh, wow, big words, Blake,¡± he then leaned in and covering his mouth a bit, as if telling to hide a secret, ¡°Big words for someone who has lied to everyone in existence about how damn strong he is, but in fact, he isn¡¯t even the real deal.¡±


    He leaned back, just to have a look at Blake¡¯s disoriented features, and then continued.


    ¡°Guess what? The thing is, You did all the talking yourself. The whole ¡®boss¡¯ bit and you getting smacked around? That was all you, my guy.¡±


    Blake¡¯s hands clenched, and Jason could see the veins in his neck straining as he struggled to keep his cool. The desperation flashing across Blake''s face made Jason''s grin stretch wider.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s funny?¡± Blake¡¯s voice dropped to a growl, but Jason caught the wavering beneath it.


    ¡°Oh, absolutely,¡± Jason replied, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. ¡°Thinking you¡¯re afraid of someone, It¡¯s¡­adorable, really.¡±


    ¡°You wanna die?!¡± Blake hissed, looking around quickly as if the walls might have ears.


    ¡®Looks like Blake is actually afraid, another point! I¡¯ve to tell my hero-¡¯


    ¡®Ooh, touched a nerve there, did I?¡¯ Jason thought, his grin only getting wider.


    Blake took a step forward, fists tight, and lowered his voice. ¡°If you ever breathe a word of this, I swear, I¡¯ll make you regret it. You won¡¯t even recognize yourself when I¡¯m done.¡±


    Jason took a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Oh, yeah? Sounds intimidating. But look, Blake, I didn¡¯t come here to, you know, become minced meat. I just came to work out.¡±


    Jason thought he was finally saved, and turned back, when he heard Vic scoff and whisper to Blake, although it wasn¡¯t really a whisper, ¡°What? You gonna let this guy go on? Blabbing about the ¡®Boss¡¯? Want everyone to know that you really aren¡¯t the real de-¡±


    Blake interrupted, ¡° You think I¡¯m weak, huh?!¡±


    ¡°No, all I¡¯m saying is you should at least tell this guy to keep his mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°Yeah man.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. This guy deserves it.¡±


    ¡°You know, he had it coming.¡±


    The others joined in too, which only fueled Blake¡¯s fury, and so he stepped forward and addressed Jason with a challenging voice, ¡°Come back here, jerk.¡±


    Jason exhaled, dropping his shoulders in exasperation. ¡°Alright, Blake, how about this? You and me, right here. Fair and square. No buddies swooping in for the assist.¡±


    Blake narrowed his eyes, the hint of a sneer forming. ¡°You think you can take me?¡±


    Jason shrugged, trying to hide his nerves under a layer of confidence. ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t spend all those hours at the gym just to sit on the sidelines. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    A few people in the gym began glancing over, sensing the tension, and they quickly cleared space as Jason and Blake squared up.


    Jason¡¯s heart pounded, but he forced himself to focus on Blake¡¯s stance, his movements, every little tell that might give him an advantage.


    He knew a few moves from practice, enough to defend himself- and maybe, just maybe, enough to teach Blake a lesson.


    Blake wildly came forward which reminded Jason of a warrior who goes to a war. This made him chuckle, but he quickly regained his focus.


    Blake threw the first punch, a wild swing that Jason sidestepped, returning with a swift jab to Blake¡¯s side.


    Blake grunted, stumbling back, and for a moment, surprise flashed across his face. Jason grinned, capitalizing on the opening and landing another quick punch, this time to Blake¡¯s shoulder. The crowd around them murmured in surprise as Blake faltered, blinking away the shock.


    Blake threw another punch, and Jason sidestepped, delivering another hit to his side. Jason couldn¡¯t help but smile ¨C he was actually keeping Blake on his toes.


    ¡°Oh, come on, Blake. Is that all you got?¡± he taunted, his adrenaline pushing away his nerves.


    Blake¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± With a roar, he charged again, and Jason blocked, countering with a right hook that caught Blake square on the jaw.


    Blake stumbled back, a flicker of genuine panic crossing his face as his lackeys looked on in shock.


    ¡°Wow,¡± one of them muttered, ¡°Blake¡¯s actually losing.¡±


    Jason¡¯s heart pounded as Blake struggled to stand, but just as he was about to turn away, a strong grip grabbed him from behind.


    ¡°Hey, let go! What happened to ¡®fair and square¡¯?¡± Jason spat, glaring at Blake.


    Blake smirked.


    ¡°You should know by now, there¡¯s no such thing as fair around here. You thought you were tough?¡± Blake¡¯s voice was shaky, trying to reclaim his ego, as he brushed the blood from his lip. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see how tough you are now.¡±


    Jason¡¯s stomach twisted as Blake cracked his knuckles, stepping up with a malicious glint in his eyes.


    He could only watch as Blake swung, the impact exploding against his ribs, sending a jolt of pain up his side. He fought to break free, but the lackeys¡¯ grip was unrelenting, and Blake landed another punch, this one connecting with Jason¡¯s jaw, forcing his vision to blur.


    With a vicious grin, Blake approached Jason, who was struggling against his captors but failing to break loose. Blake again landed a brutal punch to Jason¡¯s ribs, making him gasp as pain shot through his chest.


    Jason¡¯s mind was spinning, the pain growing sharper with every hit. His ribs felt like they were on fire, and he tasted blood in his mouth. Still, he kept his gaze steady, even as darkness crept into the edges of his vision.


    Blake stepped back, breathing heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow with a smug grin. ¡°Next time you wanna run your mouth, remember this.¡±


    Jason¡¯s head throbbed, his body aching with every attempt to move.


    ¡°Hey! This isn¡¯t a-¡±


    ¡°Stop them!¡±


    ¡°Stop him!¡±


    Many voices emerged, as the gym and some faculty members came running upon seeing two teenagers fighting.


    One on the offensive, and one barely keeping his eyes open.


    Blake was forced to get back, but he brushed their hands off. He took a side glance at Jason.


    Labored breaths, blood gushing out of his lips, and battered form. His lackeys weren¡¯t now holding him up-straight, the reason for which Jason was shaking like a leaf, and he was feeling his knees wobble.


    ¡°Next time¡­You¡¯re not getting it easy, you bastard.¡±


    ¡®I lost. No- I was winning, but his allies came and¡­ but I¡¯m still a worthy sidekick. Yeah.¡¯


    With that, Jason¡¯s body waved for a bit, and he fell to the ground.

 In the hospital

    The next day, Ash sat in his usual seat on the bus, gazing out the window as they passed row after row of buildings. He hadn¡¯t left any notes for Blake today, breaking his streak for the first time in weeks.


    Somehow, it felt odd- almost like something was missing.


    But he brushed it off. ¡®I can¡¯t let myself get too carried away. A break¡¯s probably a good idea.¡¯


    The bus hummed along, and he thought back to lunch.


    It had been a rare, quiet one, with Jason absent and Lucas busy with his own things.


    There¡¯d been no bickering, no Jason and Lucas fanboying, and no juicy gossip. Just Ash, sitting alone, picking at his food.


    ¡®Maybe Jason¡¯s out sick,¡¯ he thought absently. ¡®But Jason rarely misses school. Maybe he is out finding his hero.¡¯


    Ash chuckled sarcastically.


    The bus came to a stop, and Ash made his way down the steps and onto the sidewalk.


    After reaching home, he went inside. Luke was on another business trip overseas, Noah and his mom were out visiting their aunt in a nearby city.


    They weren¡¯t going to come any sooner.


    Ash tossed his backpack to the chair and slumped down onto his bed, rubbing his temples as exhaustion washed over him.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯m exhausted. I really want to take a nap, and then I¡¯ll have to make dinner for myself. Now¡­what should I eat?¡± He sighed, already dreading the effort it would take.


    Cooking had never been his strong suit- that much he knew.


    Whenever he was home alone, he¡¯d usually rely on takeout to survive. But today, he¡¯d forgotten to pick anything up on the way back.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll take a shower, then a little nap, and then...noodles. Yeah, noodles are easy enough.¡±


    His eyes drooped as he thought about it, the comfort of his bed slowly inviting him. He sprawled out, enjoying the soft, inviting feel of the blankets beneath him.


    ¡°Man, this feels good.¡±


    But just as he was about to drift off, a sharp, loud sound pierced through the silence of the house, jarring him awake.


    His eyes flew open, pulse quickening as he tried to make sense of the noise. He sat up, glancing around the dim room, his senses on high alert.


    ¡°The phone¡­right.¡±


    Shaking off the haze of sleep, Ash reached for his phone on the nightstand, groaning inwardly.


    ¡®Heh?¡¯


    When he saw the caller ID, it was Lucas.


    ¡®Lucas..? He never calls me. Forget that, where did he even find my number¡­.?¡¯


    He picked up the call.


    ¡°Ash?¡±


    ¡®It is Lucas, where did he find my number¡­? Screw how, I''m gonna ask him right now.¡¯


    ¡°Where did you find my number?¡± Ash asked, not thinking of manners anymore.


    No, he was too exhausted for that.


    ¡°Oh thank god, it¡¯s Ash! Are you home?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice shouted in an absurd way.


    ¡°...¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t respond, since Lucas didn¡¯t tell him the details.


    ¡°...Oh, Man, Did you forget?! We exchanged numbers that day before?¡±


    ¡°We- What?¡±


    Ash frowned, trying to recall, and then it hit him.


    So much for ¡®exchanging numbers¡¯.


    Jason and Lucas had started a little group chat for ¡°Operation Hero Sidekick¡± when they¡¯d both become obsessed with Blake¡¯s mysterious stalker, calling him their ¡°hero.¡±


    They¡¯d pulled his number from the student attendance list, somehow convincing him to join their crusade against Blake.


    Not that Ash ever contributed to the chat.


    Jason and Lucas messaged almost every five minutes with some new theory or ¡°sighting¡± of their so-called hero, and though Ash mostly ignored it, he¡¯d sometimes felt a bit...glad.


    Like maybe, somehow, he wasn¡¯t totally left out of their antics.


    ¡°O-Oh right.¡± Ash finally replied.


    ¡°Sooo, are you home?¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was urgent.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± He asked.


    ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯


    ¡°Um, have you heard about Jason?¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was almost tense, Ash could feel it in his voice.


    And one thing Ash could confidently say about Lucas was, he was hardly ever tense.


    ¡°No? What¡­happened?¡± Ash was not liking the way this convo was going.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ so, Jason didn¡¯t show up at school today, right? And- well, it was pretty serious, Ash.¡±


    ¡®Serious? Fight?¡¯ Ash''s thoughts raced.


    ¡°...¡±


    Lucas hesitated, then sighed. ¡°Blake. He ran into Blake at the gym last night.¡±


    Ash¡¯s stomach dropped. He¡¯d kept Blake under a careful radar, like the quiet yet inevitable clockwork of those notes- every morning, always the same way.


    He never let up. And now, the one time he hadn¡¯t sent anything¡­


    ¡°What¡­exactly happened?¡± Ash asked, his voice quieter, the sense of guilt deepening.


    ¡°From what I heard from a friend, Blake and his crew started it- picking at him, you know, taunting him. Jason tried to ignore it at first, apparently, but then things got heated. And Blake¡­¡± Lucas trailed off for a moment, his tone rougher now, ¡°...he just wouldn¡¯t stop. It was five against one. I mean, Jason held his own for a bit, but Blake had his lackeys hold Jason down so he could go at him.¡±


    A flood of guilt washed over Ash, and he shut his eyes for a moment, gripping the phone tighter.


    ¡®The one day I skip a note, and this is what happens,¡¯ he thought bitterly.


    He hadn¡¯t been there when it mattered. He could almost hear Blake¡¯s mocking voice echoing, like it was laughing at him through all of this. ¡®Should¡¯ve kept going¡­ I let my guard down.¡¯


    ¡°Ash? You still there?¡±


    Ash took a shaky breath, forcing himself to respond. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Sorry, I¡¯m¡­ processing.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s voice softened. ¡°It¡¯s messed up, I know. Jason¡¯s in the hospital now. I was going to head over there and see him. I thought maybe¡­ you might want to come too?¡±


    Ash swallowed, feeling a mix of anger and determination settle in his gut.


    This wasn¡¯t something he could just ignore. ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, his voice steady, ¡°I¡¯ll come.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s relief was almost tangible over the line. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll text you the address.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ash murmured, his mind already racing through a hundred thoughts.


    For now, there was only one thing on his mind- getting to the hospital. And from here on out, he wouldn¡¯t be skipping any notes. Not again.


    ¡®Guess I¡¯ll be skipping the noodles, one nap, and mental health problems.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash arrived at the hospital, his thoughts heavy but his pace quick.


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    He pushed through the glass doors, feeling the chill of antiseptic air wash over him, a constant reminder of where he was. He glanced around, and there, just by the waiting area, was Lucas, looking impatient but relieved when he spotted Ash.


    Ash stepped to him, nodding at Lucas, who returned a small smile that barely hid the worry underneath.


    ¡°Glad you came,¡± Lucas murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s go. They told me Jason¡¯s room is down the hall.¡±


    ¡®Right, he must be waiting for me.¡¯


    Together, they navigated through the maze of corridors, their footsteps echoing off the sterile tiles. When they reached the room, Lucas gently pushed the door open, and they both peeked in.


    Jason lay propped up on the hospital bed, his arm in a sling, a few bruises visible on his cheek, and bandages wrapped around his forehead.


    But he didn¡¯t look as bad as Ash had expected. Instead, Jason grinned broadly at them, eyes gleaming with the same spark they¡¯d come to expect.


    ¡®So, he looks too cheerful for someone who just fought with someone and nearly got all his ribs broken.¡¯


    ¡°Boys! Welcome to my humble abode!¡± He raised his good arm in a mock flourish, looking entirely too pleased with himself given the circumstances.


    Ash blinked, surprised. ¡°You look¡­ not terrible?¡±


    Jason laughed, and Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s Jason for you. No one can keep him down.¡±


    While Lucas plopped down next to him on the bed, too casually, and smacked him on the good hand.


    ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t a humble abode! This is a¡­¡± Lucas hummed, then continued, ¡°This is a medical prison!¡±


    Ash seemed like everything was out of context.


    ¡®A medical prison? Wait, where do I sit?!¡¯


    Ash quickly dragged a chair and seated it on one side of Jason¡¯s bed.


    ¡°So, my fellow worthy sidekick! Mind telling us what happened?¡± Lucas asked, looking as if he was some kind of a henchman for a pirate.


    Jason leaned back, looking almost relaxed, like he was lounging in a cafe instead of a hospital bed. ¡°Alright, so, here¡¯s how it went down,¡± he started, a glint of excitement in his eyes as he relived the scene. ¡°I was just minding my own business, right? You know, just there to work out-¡±


    ¡°And maybe overhear a thing or two?¡± Ash asked, completely unaware of their reaction, their eyes popped out of their sockets, mouths gaping, and then Jason shedding a fake tear at Ash¡¯s sarcasticness.


    ¡°...Maybe?¡± Jason said.


    Lucas snorted, nudging Jason¡¯s arm again. ¡°Uh-huh, sure. The ¡®innocent bystander¡¯ act. Classic.¡±


    Ash watched the two of them banter, caught between amusement and confusion. ¡®Okay, so he¡¯s in a hospital bed and still has the nerve to mess around like this?¡¯


    Jason grinned, unfazed by Ash¡¯s and Lucas¡¯s mockery. ¡°Anyway, I accidentally overheard Blake running his mouth about, well, I can¡¯t tell here.¡±


    ¡®W-What?¡¯


    ¡°Man, not cool! You were just about to tell us something, I can clearly tell that from the shores away, so tell us, please!¡±


    Lucas asked, over and over again.


    ¡°My worthy hero sidekick, I was just about to tell you, all I was about to ask was, you should lean in a bit, since walls do have ears~¡±


    Ash and Lucas leaned in, both clearly curious at what Jason was about to tell.


    Jason leaned in, lowering his voice as if they were conspiring in the middle of a heist. ¡°Okay, you two, brace yourselves, because I¡¯ve got news. Big news. This whole mess with Blake? Turns out he¡¯s not the actual mastermind. There¡¯s someone else.¡±


    ¡®H-He¡¯s kidding, right? Right? Ahahahahahaha-¡¯


    While Lucas seemed unfazed for a split second and then, he almost tripped over, nothing.


    ¡°What do you mean?!¡±


    ¡°Heh tell me Jason, tell me!¡±


    Lucas asked, nudging Jason.


    Ash and Lucas then exchanged wide-eyed glances.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Ash asked, leaning in, his curiosity piqued despite himself.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Jason said, eyes glittering with a strange excitement. ¡°I overheard Blake calling someone his ¡®boss.¡¯ And get this- he didn¡¯t seem thrilled about it. It¡¯s like this boss is the one pulling all the strings.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s eyes widened with excitement. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying there¡¯s, like, a secret boss?! Someone who¡¯s even got Blake under their thumb?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ve been sending the notes to the wrong man, then. Ahahahahah- but still it¡¯s too unreal-¡¯


    Jason nodded, looking entirely too smug for someone lying in a hospital bed. ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s just like those crime shows. Blake¡¯s only the big fish in the small pond. There¡¯s a shark out there.¡±


    Lucas and Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    They just glared at Jason, wide-eyed.


    ¡°You know the guy likes to talk big, but this time, he was just about to spill who was the boss.. So I figured I¡¯d get in close to hear more.¡± He paused, eyes widening dramatically.


    ¡°Sooo, tell us, who is it?!¡± Lucas asked, leaning in a bit.


    ¡°Yeah, who?¡± Ash asked, this was suddenly becoming a bit too like a big game.


    Then Jason leaned back, and slapped himself on the forehead, and said, sobbing fake, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my hero! I couldn¡¯t do this one job- And¡­I¡¯ll accept any punishment you bring upon me!¡±


    ¡®....Eh?¡¯


    ¡°Nah man, don¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°Yes my worthy sidekick! I might have made it a little obvious, cause then Blake saw me lurking and got all riled up.¡±


    Ash cracked a smile. ¡°Yeah, ¡®a little¡¯ obvious. So you just strolled into their conversation? Idiot.¡±


    Jason shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. ¡°I thought I was doing great until Blake turned around and spotted me. Next thing I knew, his lackeys were all like, ¡®He heard too much!¡¯ And then the ¡®you deserve a beating¡¯ talk started.¡±


    Ash shook his head, caught somewhere between disbelief and sympathy. ¡®The guy seriously got himself cornered just to hear Blake complain? That¡¯s either bravery or, well, complete recklessness.¡¯


    ¡°So, they dragged me back to Blake, who looked pretty pleased with himself.¡± Jason paused for effect, his eyes gleaming as he continued. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t about to go down without a fight. I threw out some taunts, told him to go ahead and hit me, but that he should do it fair and square, right there in the gym.¡±


    Lucas whistled, giving Jason a look of admiration. ¡°That actually took guts, man. I¡¯d be shaking.¡±


    Jason¡¯s grin faltered a bit, and he lowered his voice. ¡°Yeah, maybe. Honestly, I was terrified. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might just jump out on its own. But I kept talking because I knew if I looked scared, they¡¯d just go for me.¡±


    Ash glanced away for a second, feeling a pang of guilt. ¡®All this happened when I stopped sending those notes. If I didn¡¯t, maybe Blake wouldn¡¯t have tried anything. But still, a boss? Ahahahahaha-¡¯


    ¡°But I did manage to land a punch or two,¡± Jason continued, looking a little too proud for someone with multiple bruises. ¡°And then, Blake went down for a moment. Thought I actually won there for a second!¡±


    Lucas laughed, shaking his head. ¡°Except then his lackeys grabbed you and turned the tables, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Jason exclaimed, nodding as though Lucas had been there to see it. ¡°They yanked me up and held me, and before I knew it, Blake was back on his feet, and he was angrier than ever.¡±


    Jason sighed, looking more sheepish now. ¡°After that, well¡­ let¡¯s just say they made sure I wasn¡¯t getting out without a few ¡®battle scars.¡¯ But hey, at least I know I got under Blake¡¯s skin. And now we¡¯ve got some dirt on him and his so-called ¡®Boss.¡¯ And also, Blake was injured enough that he is¡­in this same hospital.¡±


    ¡®What? Then should I give him a piece of my mind here orrr-¡¯


    Ash took a breath, feeling a bit guilty but also sympathetic.


    He¡¯d walked right into that mess just to satisfy his curiosity and get some information they didn¡¯t have before. And Lucas, of course, laughed along, shaking his head but clearly impressed.


    ¡°Well, next time you go after Blake,¡± Lucas muttered, and Ash felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips, ¡°maybe try not to get all your bones rattled in the process?¡±


    Jason grinned, wincing as he shifted in the bed. ¡°Oh, forget that, man. We¡¯ve got some juicy gossip, and we should, as worthy hero sidekicks, tell our other fellows about it, whaddya think?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, I forgot about that part.¡± Lucas said, taking out his phone.


    Half an hour later, Ash excused himself.


    Lucas decided to stay a bit with Jason, which had clearly uplifted Jason¡¯s mood. While Ash would¡¯ve done the same, but duty calls.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have a piece of paper with me, so I¡¯ll borrow one from the counter, but I can¡¯t go inside myself,¡¯ he thought, pacing his steps. ¡® I¡¯ll give it to the nurse somehow¡­ But will the nurse even go along with it?¡¯


    When he reached the reception counter, he casually asked for a piece of paper, hoping he didn¡¯t look too suspicious. The receptionist handed him a small pad, and Ash quickly jotted down a short note.


    Satisfied, Ash folded the paper carefully and tried to figure out how to get it into Blake¡¯s room. He scanned the hallway and spotted a nurse preparing a few items on a tray. A plan slowly pieced together in his mind, though he couldn¡¯t quite ignore the butterflies of anxiety in his stomach.


    ¡®Okay, Asher. Just play it cool. She¡¯s just doing her job, and you¡¯re just¡­ helping her do her job a little more theatrically,¡¯ he thought, chuckling nervously to himself. Timing his approach, he cleared his throat just as the nurse was about to turn down Blake¡¯s hallway.


    ¡°Um, excuse me,¡± Ash said, smiling politely. ¡°Could you, uh, give this to whoever''s in Room 512? Someone, um, asked me to leave him a message earlier, but I¡­ I can¡¯t go by myself.¡±


    The nurse raised an eyebrow but shrugged, adding the note to the tray with the rest of the supplies. ¡°Sure thing.¡± She said before heading off down the hall.


    Ash watched her disappear around the corner, the thrill of his little mission buzzing through him. ¡®Heh. There it goes. If Blake even reads that, he¡¯ll probably go nuts trying to figure out where it came from.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The Boss, that jerk, why did he call me when I¡¯m clearly trying to heal from all that happened last night?


    Blake shifted uncomfortably, pacing in the dimly lit hallway as he cursed the Boss under his breath.


    He had just found another note in the tray the nurse brought him, and he was really thunderstruck.


    He had told the Boss about it immediately, but the Boss summoned him to the hideout, out of the blue.


    He hadn¡¯t thought that whoever was sending him notes would send him to a hospital room!


    That¡¯s right, he was playing it safe, but he didn¡¯t want anyone other than his lackeys to find out that there is a boss, who is actually in control.


    ¡®Nothing,¡¯ Blake would think, ¡®Nothing is worth it. Because the Boss is going to beat him, wherever and whenever he wants to.¡¯


    The note¡¯s message was different this time, short and sharp, almost taunting


    .


    .


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve stopped watching? No, Blake. Everyone knows you¡¯re not in control. Everyone knows¡­ that You¡¯re going to break soon.¡±


    .


    .


    ¡°Who does this guy think he is?¡± Blake muttered, glancing around to make sure no one overheard him.


    It wasn¡¯t just the Boss calling the shots from the shadows that was unnerving- it was the fact that someone else had the nerve to sneak messages to him even in his hospital room. The same hospital room where he¡¯d been lying, bruised and humiliated, thanks to some wannabe kid, who probably spread the word of the Boss¡¯s existence.


    ¡®Just my luck,¡¯ he thought bitterly. ¡®And now this mystery note-passer is probably laughing at me from somewhere. As if the Boss isn¡¯t enough.¡¯


    Blake¡¯s jaw clenched as he reached the hideout.


    He knew what awaited him behind that door- the same thing that happened every time he ¡°failed¡± or didn¡¯t cover his tracks well enough.


    Each step down the hallway felt heavier than the last, his muscles still throbbing from the last encounter. The familiar dread settled in his chest as he opened the door.


    The Boss was waiting inside.


    He barely got a step into the room when he was met with an impatient glare. The Boss was seated, his gaze sharp and cutting through Blake like a knife. ¡°Well? Care to explain what happened?¡± the Boss asked, his voice dripping with disdain.


    Blake opened his mouth, fumbling for words. ¡°It was just¡­ some kid,¡± he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. ¡°I had it under control. He shouldn¡¯t have heard anything important-¡±


    ¡°Under control?¡± The Boss cut him off, his expression hardening. ¡°Under control doesn¡¯t get you in a mess like this, Blake. That ¡®some kid¡¯ heard more than you think.¡± He rose from his seat, the anger in his eyes undeniable. ¡°Do you have any idea what could happen if word got out?¡±


    Blake swallowed, feeling his confidence crumble. ¡°I-I swear, Boss, I¡¯ll make sure he keeps quiet. No one else will know.¡± He tried to stand his ground, but his legs were like jelly. His mind kept flickering back to that note.


    That stupid, cryptic note.


    The Boss¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°This is a waste of time, Blake. Everyone already knows. If you can¡¯t handle things, I¡¯ll find someone else who can.¡±


    Before Blake could respond and brace himself, the blows began, each one harder than the last.


    ¡°If you think you shouldn¡¯t be replaced, then show me that maybe you aren¡¯t as pathetic as I think.¡± The Boss said, in between blows, ¡° Or I¡¯ll show you how dealing with me feels like.¡±


    ¡®Right, Real good advice, jerk.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Days passed in a weird blur.


    Ash was back at it, leaving those notes that always threw Blake off, making him question everything and everyone around him.


    Meanwhile, Jason was still recovering in the hospital, and Lucas took every chance to visit him, bringing snacks and sharing wild stories to keep him entertained.


    Ash, on the other hand, didn¡¯t bother visiting Jason in person. Instead, he¡¯d call him sometimes to check in or get updates through Lucas.


    Back at school, things were different too. Blake had been lying low, avoiding confrontations. For once, he wasn''t the one dragging anyone down, and the rumors about this "boss" figure were everywhere, like an itch everyone was dying to scratch. Students whispered in the halls, sharing theories about who this shadowy figure could be and what he might be doing to keep even Blake under his thumb.


    And as much as Blake hated to admit it, even he was starting to get spooked. The notes, the whispers¡­ this whole thing was beginning to spiral beyond his control.

 Dads apology?!

    ¡°So, are you coming home soon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Your aunt¡¯s a bit ill, so I intend on staying a little longer with her.¡±


    ¡°...And Noah?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, Noah¡¯s skipping school, so I¡¯ll send him back with your father today. Make sure you keep the house clea- He- Th- Not- Ph- Vo-¡±


    ¡°Okay, Take care.¡±


    ¡®Oh, The house is clean, I guess. But dinner?¡¯


    Asher had come home the next day from school, hoping he¡¯d see his mom home, and would actually eat some real food. But his shoulders slumped on seeing no one home. So he asked her.


    And now, he was more exhausted on hearing he would¡¯ve to make some real food, since his father and Noah were coming home.


    Noah couldn¡¯t make food, obviously, but his father?


    He never saw him setting his foot in the kitchen.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll see some recipes on how to make something actually nutritious. Oh, and that something should not be noodles. Yeeeah.¡¯ Ash cheered depressingly, since he knew of cooking nothing but noodles.


    Half a day had passed.


    Ash was lying on the couch, and scrolling through his phone, to find a good recipe.


    Nutrition-wise, taste-wise, and not potatoes-wise.


    But he could find nothing.


    ¡®Eggs? No eggs at home, sorry. Okay, next, onions? Well, I don¡¯t know how to cut onions. Curry? Ew, No. I don¡¯t like curry.¡¯


    Well, more like he couldn¡¯t find anything that he could make without any aid.


    ¡®Guess it¡¯ll be noodles again¡­¡¯


    Ash jumped from the couch, in order to see if he had any instant noodles at home, but a sudden voice cut through.


    The doorbell.


    ¡®Eeeh!? They came this soon!¡¯


    Ash quickly saw through the see-through glass on the door.


    Luke checking the time on his watch, as if he had somewhere important to go to, and Noah was happily skidding and singing,... god knows what.


    Ash opened the door, and stepped aside.


    ¡°Took you long enough, Ash.¡±


    Luke said, while coming in, his eyes darting towards Ash.


    ¡°Big brother! Good mornnning!¡±


    Noah was currently taught by his mom about basic manners, since they were very important in their family, but Noah remembered only ¡°Good morning¡± and ¡°Please¡±.


    ¡®Good morning? Man, it¡¯s evening.¡¯


    ¡°Good evening, Noah, Dad.¡±


    Ash said while closing the door, and looked back, only to find no one.


    ¡®Well that means dad is in the lounge and Noah is in the room.¡¯


    Ash thought while heading towards the lounge.


    Luke was sprawled on the couch, loosening his tie with one hand, and taking out his phone with the other, when he saw Ash entering in the lounge.


    ¡°Was your business trip okay?¡± Ash asked while sitting on the edge of the couch.


    ¡°It was alright, Ash.¡±


    ¡®Man, what should I ask next?!¡¯


    ¡°So, are you hungry?¡± Ash asked, mentally praying that Luke answers with a ¡®No¡¯. Well, otherwise, he would have to make something, fast.


    ¡°Yeah, Starving. What¡¯s for dinner?¡± Luke asked, stopping the scrolling on his phone, and looking at Ash.


    Ash gulped.


    ¡°...What¡¯s for dinner?¡± Luke asked again, his mind wandering on the only thought he doesn¡¯t want to be true.


    ¡®I¡¯m in trouble, big trouble. I¡¯m in trouble, big troubl-¡¯


    ¡°There actually is¡­something for dinner, right Ash?¡± Luke asked again, his phone now on the table, and his eyes observing painfully the features Ash was making.


    Ash gulped again.


    ¡°..Big brother? What¡¯s for dinner? I¡¯m pretty hungry.¡±


    ¡®Great, just great. Noah, what a perfect timing you have-¡¯


    ¡°..Noah, did you go to the kitchen?¡± Luke asked Noah, sitting up.


    ¡°Yeah, daddy. But the kitchen is as clean as my friend¡¯s teeth. NOTHING¡¯S FOR DINNER, I think.¡±


    ¡®As clean as what? No time for that! Man, what should I do?¡¯


    Noah was standing on the doorstep, Luke was sitting up, and both were looking at Ash.


    ¡®Hah! Stop looking at me like I¡¯m supposed to make dinner! It¡¯s not my job!¡¯


    ¡°Sooo, nothing¡¯s for dinner?¡± Luke asked again, as if asking to confirm the situation.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Ash murmured, defeated.


    ¡°Nothing?!¡± Noah asked, his eyes popping out of their sockets.


    ¡°Not a single piece of bread crumb.¡±


    ¡°Then, what should I eat? I¡¯m hungry!!!¡± Noah asked, looking at Luke, who was scatching his chin, eyes closed.


    ¡°There are noodles, if you want to-¡± Ash genuinely asked, but was interrupted.


    ¡°No noodles, please. Real stuff, please.¡± Noah replied, sitting next to Luke.


    ¡®Enough with the please, please?¡¯


    ¡°Then I can bring takeou-¡± Ash was interrupted again.


    ¡°No takeout, please.¡± Luke asked this time, cracking a smile.


    ¡®Did I hear right? Dad said no?! But he can eat takeout, no problem!¡¯


    ¡°Sooo¡­?¡± Noah and Ash asked at the same time.


    ¡°Sooo¡­.we make real dinner, right now.¡± Luke declared, folding his cuffs, and standing up.


    ¡®Heh like he knows how to make real dinner.¡¯


    ¡°Does daddy know how to make dinner?¡± Noah asked in a whisper, wanting only Ash to hear it, but unfortunately Luke listened too.


    ¡°Of course daddy knows how to make dinner. He is an expert in making¡­uh¡­rice. Yeah, rice! Daddy loves making rice!¡± Luke told, clearly impressed by himself.


    ¡®..Rice?¡¯


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah, rice! I¡¯m with you daddy! Come on, big brother, let¡¯s make rice!¡± Noah exclaimed, pulling Ash¡¯s hand, and forcing him to follow Luke, who was heading towards the kitchen.


    ¡®I guess, I¡¯ll come by. But I don¡¯t know how to make it.¡¯


    Fifteen minutes had passed, with the three in the kitchen. Luke was checking and gathering all the ingredients required, Noah helping him, and Ash sitting on the dining table.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to work since everything else is complete!¡± Luke exclaimed, fist-bumping the air. Noah following him suit.


    ¡°Dad sure seems¡­.enthusiastic today, doesn¡¯t he? Wonder what happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll complete the other things, while Ash will help cut the vegetables.¡±


    ¡®Eh?...As long as I remember, rice requires Onions, and I don¡¯t know how to cut any.¡¯


    ¡°Okay Ash? Here are the onions and tomatoes.¡±


    ¡°But what will I do daddy?!¡± Noah was clearly terrified of the idea of being no help.


    ¡°Uh¡­You¡­You can tell us all the things that happened when you went there, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okayyyy!¡± Noah replied, while taking his seat on the dining table.


    ¡®But What do I actually do? I don¡¯t know how to cut onions!¡¯


    ¡°Ash. Get to work.¡± Luke finalized and turned to the stove.


    ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t know how to cut onion-¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Okay, you cut the tomatoes, and then I¡¯ll teach you how to cut ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°But, why don¡¯t you cu-¡±


    ¡°I want you to, that¡¯s why. I want you to know how to cut onions. Besides, it¡¯s not hard, I promise.¡±


    Ash looked over to him, he was cutting other vegetables, and his eyes darted over to Noah every now and then, to make sure he doesn¡¯t fall.


    Ash started to cut the tomatoes, while thinking.


    ¡®Dad¡­.He always seems in control. Like nothing is a problem for him. I know dad scolded me before when I met Lily, but still, he hasn¡¯t scolded me after that. I mean, he has been harsh at times, but never pulled out the physical card again.¡¯


    Ash looked over his shoulders, to him, again.


    ¡®Sooo in control. Dad is always so calm and cool, like nothing exists that he can¡¯t handle. And honestly, I always thought dad dislikes me, because of my meet-up with Lily, and because of some other things, but I guess I might be wrong. No parents hate their children, right? Oh, I¡¯m done with the tomatoes.¡¯


    ¡°Dad? I¡¯m done with the tomatoes.¡±


    ¡°...WAIT! I¡¯M COMING!¡± Luke exclaimed, because of Noah.


    Noah was talking at full volume and telling what happened, every tinsy bit of information he had gathered.


    ¡°Are you done? Okay, so get the knife. And stand like thi-¡±


    Luke replied, shifting Ash from the shoulders slightly.


    ¡®E-Eh?¡¯


    ¡°And THEN, I ASKED MOM THAT I WANTED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, AND SHE SCOLDED ME AND SAID, ¡®HOLD IT IN!¡¯¡±


    ¡°I GET IT NOAH! NOW PLEASE SILENCE FOR A BIT?¡±


    ¡°Okay, daddy!¡±


    ¡°Okay Ash, now start to cut it okay? Slowly and ¡­like this.¡± Luke demonstarted it, and handed Ash the knife.


    ¡°Like this..?¡± Ash asked, cutting one little piece of onion.


    ¡°Exactly! Now, was it that hard?¡± Luke clasped his hands, and went to the stove,


    Ash tried his best to mimic his dad¡¯s movements, slicing the onion as carefully as he could. The sharp, stinging scent of onions filled the kitchen, and he blinked against the tears prickling his eyes.


    ¡®How does Dad handle this so easily?¡¯ he wondered, glancing over to where his dad was stirring a pot on the stove, humming lightly to himself.


    Luke was so absorbed in the meal prep, and the way he moved- casual yet focused, made Ash pause. Ash couldn¡¯t help but feel a little¡­ well, a little impressed.


    ¡®Maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad to learn from him after all,¡¯ he thought, hiding a smile.


    ¡°Daddy, Daddy!¡± Noah chimed in from his perch at the table. ¡°Why do you stay out of home all the time?¡± He scrunched his nose at the onions Ash was struggling with.


    Luke chuckled, shooting Noah a glance. ¡°Daddy has work to do, Noah. When you get older, you¡¯ll understand.¡± Then he looked at Ash and added, ¡°Plus, your big brother¡¯s learning some chef skills here- might come a day when he makes you dinner all by himself as well as does work, like daddy does.¡±


    Ash averted his eyes from him but felt a strange warmth at the thought.


    ¡®Cooking for Noah, and handling work?¡¯


    ¡°Noah, come here, buddy. You can help stir this pot, while I see Asher, okay?¡± Luke called.


    Ash watched as Noah jumped down, eagerly rushing to his dad¡¯s side.


    Luke handed him the ladle, steadying Noah¡¯s little hands as he showed him how to stir slowly. There was a gentleness in his father¡¯s movements, the way he patiently corrected Noah, the way he laughed when Noah splattered sauce on the counter.


    ¡°Careful, little chef,¡± Luke said with a grin. ¡°We don¡¯t want to eat your masterpiece off the floor.¡±


    Ash found himself smiling, too.


    ¡®This... feels good,¡¯ he thought, the kitchen alive with warmth and the scent of the simmering pot. His dad didn¡¯t look so serious, so strict- he looked relaxed, maybe even¡­ happy.


    As he kept chopping, Ash thought back to all the times he¡¯d wondered if his dad really cared about him. If he even noticed the little things that made Ash, well, Ash. But right now, in the hum of the kitchen, he realized that maybe he¡¯d misunderstood. Maybe Dad showed he cared not by saying it but by doing things like this, by making sure they were together, teaching them, laughing with them.


    Luke glanced over, catching Ash¡¯s eye. ¡°Almost done there with the onions, Asher?¡± he asked, his tone light.


    Ash looked down, surprised to see he was nearly finished with half onion. ¡°Yeah, almost,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Hey, careful there, I don¡¯t wanna bet that someone¡¯s going to lose a finger today.¡± Luke said, a smile positioned itself on his face as he went back to checking the pot.


    Ash¡¯s heart swelled a little at those words.


    ¡®Maybe Dad isn¡¯t so bad at all,¡¯ he thought, finishing up the last bit of chopping.


    After two hours of successful learning, and a bit of scolding, the three were now sitting on the dining table, hot sizzling pot at the centre.


    ¡®Finally, the dinner is ready.¡¯ Ash thought while taking a glance at the kitchen.


    And it looked terrible, as if a child had made all the food.


    Dirty dishes on the counter, sauce splattered, and little pieces of onions on the floor. Well, Ash knew that¡¯d happen, afterall, they were no experts.


    Ash took a small bite, savoring the warmth and surprisingly good taste. ¡®Not bad,¡¯ he thought, feeling a little proud of their ¡°team effort.¡±


    Across from him, Noah was happily blowing on each spoonful, his eyes wide with excitement as if they¡¯d just served up a five-star meal.


    ¡°Careful, Noah. It¡¯s hot,¡± Luke reminded, nudging Noah¡¯s plate a bit closer to the center of the table. He was watching them both, a small, relaxed smile on his face, his usual stern expression softened. For a moment, the kitchen chaos, the rushed chopping, even the onion tears were worth it.


    Ash felt a quiet satisfaction settle over him.


    ¡®So, this is what it feels like,¡¯ he thought. They didn¡¯t eat like this often- together, laughing, trying something new.


    His father was usually on business trips. But today, it felt good.


    He glanced at his dad, who was too busy offering Noah more rice to notice, but Ash felt it anyway.


    At the end of the day, that¡¯s what they were, incomplete, but all the same, family.


    And it wasn¡¯t perfect; the kitchen looked like a battlefield, and Noah still had bits of sauce smeared on his cheek. But right here, right now, it was enough.


    Ash cracked a smile.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The three of them moved to the lounge after dinner, each sinking into the couch in satisfied exhaustion.


    Noah curled up beside Ash, fiddling with a small toy, his eyelids drooping as the room settled into a cozy silence. Luke leaned back, arms stretched out along the couch, gazing at nothing in particular, a calm look on his face.


    After a few minutes, Noah¡¯s breathing evened out, and he was out cold, nestled against Ash¡¯s side. Ash glanced down at him, unable to hold back a small smile.


    ¡®Guess all that excitement wore him out,¡¯ he thought.


    Luke caught Ash¡¯s gaze and chuckled softly. ¡°He¡¯s a handful, isn¡¯t he?¡± he said, keeping his voice low.


    Ash nodded, ¡°You could say that.¡±


    A comfortable silence hung in the air for a bit, then Luke caught a glance of Ash.


    ¡®Dad¡­looks like he wants to talk about something, he keeps on looking at me, god, that¡¯s uncomfortable.¡¯


    Luke glanced at Ash, his face thoughtful. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you. About¡­ that day, when you met Lily.¡±


    ¡®Oh man, I don¡¯t wanna. But dad never brought that up, so why now?¡¯


    Ash tensed slightly, taken aback. ¡°Oh,¡± he murmured, looking down at his hands.


    Luke let out a soft sigh, his gaze fixed on the room ahead. ¡°I never handled that right. You know, with you meeting her, the way I reacted¡­¡± He paused, shaking his head slightly, before turning his attention back to Ash. ¡°I owe you an apology for that.¡±


    Ash looked at him, surprise mixed with something he couldn¡¯t quite name. ¡°Dad, I-¡±


    ¡°Just listen for a minute,¡± Luke said gently. ¡°Lily¡¯s my¡­ daughter, just as much as you and Noah are my sons. When you met her, I was furious. Furious that Lily is going to fill your head with all that stuff about how she left, and¡­ maybe she¡¯ll ask you to¡­hate me.¡±


    ¡°..Dad, No- she didn¡¯t. She only¡­¡±


    ¡®Well, she did tell me she hated dad, and¡­¡¯


    ¡°I know, Ash. She hates me. And do you know how hard it is for me to tell myself that my own daughter, my first-born, hates me?¡± Luke asked in a hushed tone, his face contorted.


    He looked at Ash, who looked shocked.


    He then continued, ¡° Every night, before going to sleep, I¡¯ve to remind myself that I¡¯m a terrible father. The day she met you, I was angry, at what will happen if you listen to her, and go on with her. If you¡­.leave..me too, Asher.¡±


    ¡®Hah?! So, that was the reason?¡¯


    ¡°I was wrong for how I acted back then. I guess I thought I was protecting you from her¡­¡± He trailed off.


    Ash felt a sudden warmth in his chest, a mixture of relief and gratitude. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know you were trying to do that.¡± he admitted, his voice quiet. ¡°I thought maybe you were ¡­.angry at me and you¡­hated¡­her.¡±


    Luke shook his head, the sadness in his eyes softening. ¡°Never angry. Maybe hurt, maybe a little scared of what I didn¡¯t understand. But angry? No. I never hated her, or you. I never did.¡±


    They sat in silence for a moment, the unspoken words lingering, each of them taking it in. Ash¡¯s thoughts swirled, his heart settling.


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t hate her. He doesn¡¯t hate me.¡¯


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°How did you- How did you know she met me? That day?¡± Ash asked, feeling his heart beating erratically.


    Luke gave a small, sad smile. ¡° Lily came to meet me in my office, when I¡­asked you at night. She told me that you met her.¡±


    ¡®Oh, so that was what happened. Still, dad seems¡­.not..strict, I kind of ¡­love that. I should ask him what happened between them, Quick, Asher. ¡­.No, I don¡¯t want dad to snap now.¡¯


    He reached over, resting a hand on Ash¡¯s shoulder, his fingers squeezing gently. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Ash¡­ for everything. I¡¯m here, for whatever you need.¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s proud¡­of me?¡¯


    Ash felt his father¡¯s words sink in, filling spaces he hadn¡¯t realized were empty.


    Luke ruffled his hair, a rare, warm gesture, before rising.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep, you should too.¡±


    Carefully, he lifted Noah into his arms, the little boy¡¯s head resting on his father¡¯s shoulder.


    As they disappeared down the hall, Ash leaned back, letting the warmth settle.


    ¡®Maybe things will be different now. Maybe he really means it.¡¯  The thought brought a quiet peace, and he found himself, for the first time in a long time, feeling whole.


    ¡®Still, I feel so great now that I know dad isn¡¯t angry with me. He doesn¡¯t hate Lily, and also, he¡¯s proud of me. Man, how will I even sleep tonight?!¡¯

 Lucas...?

    ¡°Ash!? You¡¯re so late! Hurry up, slowpoke!¡±


    Asher jumped, startled, and looked over his shoulder. Lucas was running toward him, waving his arms in a mix of urgency and mock frustration.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna be late! Hurry up! And I am not that loud that you need to get all jumpy!¡± Lucas called, his voice booming across the nearly empty hallway.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, you are loud,¡± Ash replied, scoffing. ¡°But anyway, what¡¯s the rush? There¡¯s half an hour before classes start.¡±


    Lucas gasped. ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t read the messages?! We literally told you in the ¡®Operation Hero Sidekick¡¯ group?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t read messages.¡±


    Lucas scoffed, and then continued, ¡°Jason¡¯s coming back today. He got discharged yesterday, so he¡¯s coming back today!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay what?! You¡¯re dragging me behind, walk quickly!¡± Lucas snapped.


    ¡°You are the one who is slowing me down here, Lucas.¡± Ash shot back.


    ¡°Oh, so I¡¯m the one who¡¯s slowing you down. Sorry to pop your bubble Ash, but you literally stopped to tie your shoelace twice.¡±


    They continued bickering as they finally headed toward their classroom, Lucas getting in a few more playful jabs about Ash¡¯s supposedly ¡°lazy pace¡± and Ash countering with equally teasing remarks about Lucas¡¯s ¡°hyperactive impatience.¡± By the time they reached the room, Jason was already waiting outside, leaning against the door with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his face, no bruises on his face anymore.


    ¡°Nice of you two to show up,¡± Jason chuckled, pushing himself off the wall. ¡°Thought maybe my worthy hero sidekicks ditched me to get extra study time in the library or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, because that sounds like us,¡± Ash shot back, still thinking if he had to win the little convo competition he had with Lucas.


    Jason¡¯s mouth fell open, and he dramatically clutched his chest. ¡°Who are you, and what have you done with the real Asher?! Sarcasm? That¡¯s not the Asher we know!¡±


    Before Ash could reply, Jason grabbed Lucas¡¯s shoulders and gave him a small shake. ¡°Lucas! Tell me this isn¡¯t real! Our good-natured Asher would never dish out sass.¡±


    Lucas laughed, putting on an exaggerated look of horror. ¡°I know, man! It¡¯s like he¡¯s been body-snatched or something. Next thing we know, he¡¯ll get famous for his sarcasm.¡±


    ¡°Stop please,¡± Ash said dryly, deadpanning.


    They burst out laughing as the bell rang, shuffling into the classroom. Throughout the lesson, Lucas occasionally shot Ash a teasing look, to which Ash responded with averting his eyes, and Jason made an over-the-top show of checking if Ash was ¡°still himself.¡±


    Asher was having a ¡®normal day¡¯ and this is what he only needed.


    By the time lunch rolled around, Ash was still smiling. The morning had flown by with Lucas and Jason¡¯s teasing, their constant jabs reminding him how much he¡¯d missed their chaotic energy.


    As they made their way to the cafeteria, Lucas nudged him. ¡°So, Mr. Sass Master, think you¡¯ll keep up the attitude? Or was that a one-time thing?¡±


    Ash shrugged.


    ¡°Oh-ho, watch out, world!¡± Jason threw his arms wide as they walked. ¡°We¡¯ve unleashed a new Asher. The sassier, improved model!¡±


    Ash smiled, and Jason looked at him with wide eyes.


    Then he continued, ¡°-a model that¡¯s definitely going to break some hearts with those sharp comebacks!¡± Jason laughed, dramatically fanning himself as if he were swooning over Ash''s newfound confidence.


    Lucas rolled his eyes, grinning. ¡°Right, because that¡¯s what we all need, more attention on Asher and his oh-so-charming attitude.¡± He nudged Ash playfully. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget about us little people when you¡¯re famous for your sass.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just remember who helped you get here,¡± Jason added, winking. ¡°We¡¯ll be your loyal sidekicks, living off your fame.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Ash chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°You two would probably just end up embarrassing me on live TV.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re good at what we do!¡± Lucas shot back, puffing out his chest as if he were a proud peacock. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.¡±


    ¡°True friendship right there,¡± Jason agreed, nodding dramatically. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the importance of entertaining the masses.¡±


    After a bit of back-and-forth, Ash leaned back, watching Lucas and Jason with a smile, realizing that maybe this was what he needed all along- a good day filled with laughter, sarcasm, and the people who made school life just a little more bearable.


    ¡®Great life, eh, Asher?¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    At the end of the school, Jason and Lucas still tagged along with Asher to the bus stop.


    Ash liked being around enthusiastic people, he really did. But this?


    This was too much.


    Right now, Asher had had enough. He was mentally exhausted by the constant chatter, the teasing, and the boundless energy Jason and Lucas seemed to carry with them. He enjoyed their company, he really did, but sometimes their enthusiasm felt like it could drain the life right out of him.


    As they reached the bus stop, Jason finally threw his hands up in surrender. ¡°Alright, my grand journey with you ends here,¡± he said, grinning ear-to-ear. ¡°Rest well, mighty Asher and lightning Lucas- for I¡¯ll come back tomorrow!¡± With a casual salute, Jason turned and jogged off, waving behind him.


    Ash breathed a quiet sigh of relief.


    But just as he thought he¡¯d get a moment¡¯s peace, Lucas turned to him, a mischievous smirk on his face. ¡°Oh, Ash?¡±


    ¡®What does he want now?¡¯ Ash mentally groaned.


    Lucas crossed his arms, still smirking, said, ¡°You¡¯d better show up early tomorrow, Or else, I¡¯ll show up at your place, dragging you out of bed if I have to.¡±


    ¡®Someone please tell him he¡¯s terrible at making jokes?¡¯


    Ash shoved his hands in his pockets, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lucas scoffed, and then said, shaking his head, ¡°Ash, it would be great if you listen to me.  ¡®Cause I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m a terribly early riser. I¡¯ll literally come and personally-¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to let him brag about anything else.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡®The last thing I need is Lucas barging into my morning routine.¡¯


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lucas said, throwing up his hands, though the grin on his face said he might still consider it.


    As Lucas left, Ash¡¯s thoughts shifted, his mind going to something, or rather, someone else. Blake.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He¡¯d been leaving notes in Blake¡¯s locker every morning for the past week, a small gesture that was keeping Blake on his toes.


    If Lucas decided to join him on his early mornings¡­well, that plan would go straight out the window.


    With a small groan, Ash made a mental note to set his alarm just a little earlier.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash was just finishing up his breakfast, his mind still half-asleep and mentally preparing for another day.


    ¡®Homework? Check. Breakfast? Check. Books? Check. Blake¡¯s note? Check. Great work, Asher. Great work. Now I¡¯ll get that note in Blake¡¯s locker in a jiffy.¡¯


    Asher would usually go back two hours before school starts, since Noah¡¯s school started one hour before his, so he woke up with him.


    It was a great excuse for going school early and transferring Blake¡¯s note to his locker or the desk.


    He would do it without any distraction.


    His fork froze mid-air as he heard his mom calling out from downstairs.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here to accompany you to school!¡±


    ''Eh?'' He blinked, trying to register it. ¡®Someone¡¯s here to¡­what?¡¯


    Excited voices echoed up from the hall- a mix of Noah¡¯s unmistakable giggles and another voice that Ash instantly recognized.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me. That- That Lucas, he came, didn¡¯t he?¡¯


    With a sigh, he left his plate and headed downstairs, already feeling the beginnings of irritation bubble up.


    As he walked into the living room, he found the scene almost comical: Lucas, in all his loud morning energy, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, chatting with Noah, who looked completely delighted.


    His mom stood nearby, listening with a smile as Lucas animatedly explained something that had Noah in stitches.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Ash said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What¡­ are you doing here?¡±


    Lucas looked up, feigning an innocent expression. ¡°Oh, Good morning sleepy-head.¡±


    ¡®What? Did he just call me-¡¯


    Asher¡¯s cheeks flushed crimson red.


    ¡°Sleepy-head?¡± Noah asked, tilting his head. ¡° What is a sleepy-head?¡±


    ¡°Haha, Ash! Your friend is hilarious! Looks like he knows you on core! Look! Ash¡¯s blushing! Awwwww~¡± His mom doubled over, laughing hysterically.


    ¡®That¡¯s enough. I won¡¯t allow Lucas to come and just assume things and embarrass me!¡¯


    ¡°W-Why are you here?¡± Ash¡¯s fists crumpled into balls.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember inviting me? That¡¯s wild, Asher.¡± Lucas replied, faking a tear.


    Ash narrowed his eyes, while his mom hid a laugh behind her hand. ¡°So, this is one of your friends from school?¡± she asked, smiling at Lucas.


    Before Ash could respond, Noah tugged on Lucas¡¯s arm, his eyes wide with excitement. ¡°Big brother¡¯s friend?¡±


    Ash hesitated, glancing at Lucas, who held back a grin. ¡°Yeah,¡± he finally said, though he tried to sound as casual as possible.


    The moment he said it, Noah cheered, clapping his hands.


    Lucas flashed Ash a playful smirk as if he¡¯d won some unspoken battle.


    Noah tilted his head at Lucas. ¡°Do you like games?¡±


    ¡°Do I like games? Oh, buddy, I love games,¡± Lucas replied, going right into a conversation about all the ones he had played.


    Noah was practically bouncing, completely taken by Lucas¡¯s stories.


    Ash groaned internally. ¡®This guy, he- he¡¯s really going to slow me down than- Ah, Damn it!¡¯


    Ash crossed his arms, trying to keep his voice down but unable to hide his irritation. ¡°Lucas, seriously, why are you here? I told you to forget it when you said you¡¯d come.¡±


    Lucas shrugged, entirely unfazed. ¡°Oh, come on, I know you would be late anyway,¡± he replied with a grin.


    Ash felt his mom¡¯s eyes on him, disapproval clear on her face. ¡°Ash, don¡¯t say things like that,¡± she nudged him gently. ¡°If your friend wants to come over and help you get to school, it¡¯s sweet of him.¡±


    Ash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. ¡®Sweet, sure¡­ but now how am I supposed to leave Blake a note at his locker with Lucas tagging along?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Lucas and Noah were deep into an intense conversation about their favorite video game characters, Noah hanging on Lucas¡¯s every word. Lucas was practically putting on a one-man show, and Noah, his eyes wide, laughed at everything Lucas said.


    Ash exhaled sharply and grabbed his backpack. ¡°Alright, Lucas,¡± he said, forcing his voice to be casual, ¡°if you¡¯re so eager to get me to school, let¡¯s go. Now.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Dude, wait!¡± Lucas chuckled, but Ash had already thrown his backpack over his shoulder and was halfway to the door.


    He dragged Lucas outside, glancing back to make sure he was following, then shut the door behind them.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind, that-¡¯


    The moment they were a few steps away, Ash whirled around, narrowing his eyes at Lucas. ¡°You do realize I wasn¡¯t actually serious about you coming over, right? I don¡¯t need a personal escort to school.¡±


    Lucas just laughed, utterly unbothered. ¡°Come on, why are you so mad about it?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you to come over to my house at five in the morning, and just blab about stuff you don¡¯t know.¡± Asher was referring to Lucas saying Asher is a sleepy-head on core.


    Lucas looked at him, wide-eyed, ¡° But I wanted to go with you. Is that a bad thing?¡±


    ¡®Yes. Yes, it is you-¡¯


    ¡°...Okay, enough. Now I don¡¯t want you to come escort me everyday to school, are we clear?¡± Ash started to walk, his grip on the straps of his backpack tightening.


    Lucas pouted, ¡°Not fair, Ash.¡±


    ¡°It is fair. And stop pouting like a kid.¡± Ash shot back.


    ¡°Why?! I¡¯m a kid, you know, gonna turn sixteen next year.¡± Lucas confidently puffed his chest.


    ¡°Yeah, your age may be increasing, but actually, you¡¯re just an overgrown child.¡± Ash sighed.


    ¡°Eeeek?!¡±


    With that, they reached the bus stop, and Ash couldn¡¯t give Blake a note that day. So he made a mental note to give him one in the evening, if, he hopes, Lucas doesn¡¯t tag by again.


    He really hopes it doesn¡¯t happen.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, pleaseeee-¡¯


    The next day, Ash woke up two hours before, did his usual routine, and headed downstairs with the same chatter he heard the day before.


    ¡®I really hope I¡¯m hallucinating things, and ¡­ voices.¡¯


    But sure enough, there was Lucas, chatting casually with Ash¡¯s mom at the breakfast table. Ash¡¯s irritation bubbled up, especially with Lucas¡¯s endless smile.


    Lucas turned to Ash. ¡°Morning, sleepyhead! Ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Ash¡¯s voice had an edge, and everyone in the room observed, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°...To pick you up?¡± Lucas questions, eyebrow raising.


    ¡®This- this guy is really-¡¯


    ¡°Ash! It¡¯s adorable of your friend to come and help you go to school! Besides, I¡¯m less worried when you¡¯re with him, you know? It really helps!¡± She said, walking towards Lucas, and patting him on the head.


    Lucas seemed to really enjoy that.


    ¡®Oh mom, when will you understand?!¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s big brother''s best coolest friend!¡± Noah shrieked, running over to Lucas.


    ¡°You bet I am!¡± Lucas stood up, ruffling Noah¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re such an admirable teenager. You mom did a pretty good job raising ya! Where do you guys live? I''d love to meet her!¡± She questioned, bending over to pick the dirty dishes from the table.


    Lucas stopped.


    And Ash saw that glint of sadness in his eyes, passing ever-so-lightly, and then disappearing.


    ¡°...She died when I was born.¡± Lucas said, forcing a smile.


    ¡®O-oh?¡¯


    Ash¡¯s mom straightened, her face dropping slightly. ¡°Oh, sweetheart, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±


    Lucas shook his head, brushing it off with a light laugh. ¡°It¡¯s alright, really. I didn¡¯t know her, so I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m missing much, you know?¡± He tried to shrug it off, his smile returning as he ruffled Noah¡¯s hair again, turning the mood light as though nothing had happened.


    Ash took a long, slow breath, thinking it through.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how to navigate Lucas¡¯s sad revelation, it wasn¡¯t exactly in his nature to know how to deal with emotions like that. But seeing Lucas bounce back so quickly, a soft grin on his face, made him feel a flicker of relief.


    Ash straightened, deciding to skip any probing questions. ¡°¡°Right, Lucas,¡± he interrupted, keeping his tone brisk. ¡°We should get going if we don¡¯t want to miss the bus.¡±


    Lucas flashed him a grin, picking up his bag with a light-hearted shrug. ¡°See, that¡¯s why you need me, someone has to keep you on schedule!¡±


    Lucas gave Ash¡¯s mom a final grin. ¡°Guess we¡¯d better head out, Mrs.Luke. Noah, tomorrow, I¡¯m going to bring you the games I told you about, yeah?¡±


    Noah beamed, nodding enthusiastically. ¡°You got it, big brother¡¯s bestest friend!¡±


    But as they left, Ash''s thoughts were elsewhere.


    ¡®So much for getting a moment alone to pass Blake that note¡­.¡¯ It was starting to feel like Lucas had no plans of letting him out of sight. ¡®Tomorrow, maybe. Or tonight.¡¯ he mused, letting out a small sigh as they headed for the bus stop.


    If Lucas kept tagging along, his carefully laid plans would be slipping further away each day.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Three days had passed.


    The routine still carried on, Lucas would drop by Ash¡¯s home everyday in the morning, and Jason would tag along with him after school.


    Which in turn, only slowed Ash¡¯s strategy.


    He was supposed to leave Blake a note every morning, which now seemed impossible.


    Blake would still talk big, but not with fists.


    Not anymore, which Ash considered to be a big improvement.


    But now, after three days had passed, without any notes, Blake was slowly coming out of his den.


    He had thrashed a student at school today, at lunch, which screamed for Ash to continue his little act to keep Blake on his toes.


    But Ash couldn¡¯t find the time to do so.


    Not with Jason and Lucas tagging along.

 9-1-1 Call?

    ¡®Maybe that freak jumped off a roof, or died in a car accident. No matter, both are perfectly fine for me.¡¯


    Blake was internally really happy that the freak had stopped sending him cryptic notes.


    It was really getting on his nerves, but now three days had passed, and he hadn¡¯t received any.


    Blake leaned back in his chair, a self-satisfied smirk settling on his face.


    ¡®Finally,¡¯ he thought, ¡®no more of those weird, pointless notes.¡¯ For three days now, he''d walked up to his locker only to find... nothing.


    And every time, he¡¯d felt a rush of relief. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. No more cryptic messages to mess with his head.


    ¡®Maybe that freak finally got the hint,¡¯ he muttered under his breath, enjoying the thought.


    ¡®Maybe he got the idea and crawled back into whatever hole he came from.¡¯ The absence of those stupid notes had done wonders for his mood.


    Tonight, Blake had plans to celebrate. He and his lackeys had already started talking about a small get-together, nothing huge, just enough to blow off some steam.


    As he walked through the halls, he could already picture it: loud music, stupid jokes, and that glorious feeling of being in control, of not having to deal with whatever game the "freak" was trying to play with him.


    Blake''s grin widened as he spotted his friends waiting for him by the lockers, ready for their usual after-school routine. He clapped one on the shoulder. "Ready to kick back tonight?"


    They shared knowing grins, his friends nodding eagerly. Blake was ready to enjoy it to the fullest.


    Finally, he thought, things were going his way. No cryptic notes, no interruptions- just him, his lackeys, and a well-deserved night of fun.


    He was back in control.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash moved quietly toward Blake''s house, glancing around the dimly lit neighborhood. It was silent.


    ¡®Perfect.¡¯


    The folded note in his hand felt heavier than it should. He hadn¡¯t managed to slip one into Blake''s locker at school for days, thanks to Lucas¡¯s constant tagging along, and Jason wasn¡¯t any better either.


    So, he¡¯d decided to drop it by his house tonight, hoping he could go unnoticed and get back quickly.


    The house itself was dark, and a strange silence hung around it. He crouched at the doorstep, quickly placing the note just by the door.


    ¡®Simple, in and out,¡¯ he thought, turning to leave. But a faint sound caught his ear¡ªthe unmistakable murmur of voices. He froze, then slowly edged around the corner of the house, following the voices down the street.


    He was about to leave when he heard muffled voices from the alley nearby. Something about the tone, low and sinister, made him pause.


    ¡®Is this voice¡­Blake¡¯s?¡¯


    A few steps closer, and Ash¡¯s stomach clenched. Down a narrow alley, Blake leaned casually against a wall, cigarette in hand, a smirk on his face.


    He looked confident.


    Dangerous.


    In control.


    He edged closer, heart thudding in his chest, until the scene came into view.


    Blake¡¯s two lackeys were looming over a small group of high school kids- two of them, pressed against the grimy alley wall, faces pale with fear. One boy stammered something, trying to back away, but one of the lackeys shoved him hard, knocking him against the brick.


    Ash knew, curiosity killed the cat.


    That¡¯s why, he made sure to stay out of view.


    Ash¡¯s pulse quickened, a mix of anger and disbelief surging through him.


    ¡®What is Blake even doing, terrorizing random kids at this hour?¡¯ He had known Blake was arrogant, maybe even reckless, but watching this unfold?


    It was worse than he¡¯d imagined.


    Ash started to audio-record the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t know why he did it, it just seemed better than doing nothing.


    One of Blake¡¯s lackeys shoved a boy against the wall, smirking as he yanked the boy¡¯s backpack off and rifled through it. Liam cracked his knuckles, leaning in close to another kid who was nearly in tears.


    He smirked, grabbing the front of the kid¡¯s jacket. ¡°You know the drill. Hand over your cash. We don¡¯t have all night.¡±


    The kid¡¯s voice shook. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have anything,¡± he mumbled, looking down, clutching his empty pockets.


    Blake, lounging against the wall a few feet away, let out a scoff and flicked the ash from his cigarette.


    He pushed himself off the wall, rolling his shoulders as he strolled closer, his gaze cold and assessing.


    ¡°See, that¡¯s the problem.¡± He drew something from his pocket, his fingers flicking the small blade open with a cold, metallic click.


    The boy¡¯s eyes widened in horror, and so did Ash¡¯s.


    His stomach dropped.


    ¡®A dagger? He¡¯s really going that far?¡¯


    Blake held the blade lazily, tilting it in the dim light. ¡°Now,¡± he said, his voice smooth but menacing, ¡°maybe if you think hard enough, you¡¯ll remember where you left that money. Wouldn¡¯t want things to get¡­ messy, right?¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, Blake? Where did you get a dagger, man?!¡± Carter pressed.


    ¡°Shut it, punk. I bought it.¡± Blake answered, dismissing the question.


    One of the kids started to shake, pressing himself further against the wall, his wide eyes glued to the knife. ¡°Please¡­ I really don¡¯t have anything,¡± he whimpered, voice barely audible.


    Ash¡¯s mind whirled, panic and anger flooding his veins.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t just bullying. He¡¯s actually going to hurt them.¡¯ He could feel his heartbeat racing in his ears, drowning out every sound but the pounding of his pulse.


    ¡®Think, Ash. Do something.¡¯


    Yeah, thinking.


    Thinking was good, it always helped him.


    Ash bit his lower lip, and then he breathed.


    Breathe in, Breathe out.


    Count to five.


    Breathe in, Breathe out.


    In a flash of desperation, he scanned the ground around him. A loose brick lay half-buried in the dirt a few feet away. He reached for it, fingers brushing over the rough surface, but he hesitated. ¡®I can¡¯t take on all of them¡­¡¯


    But he didn¡¯t have to.


    With a deep breath, he picked the brick and hurled it hard against the nearest dumpster. It clanged, echoing through the alley with a loud, jarring bang.


    Blake whipped around, eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he snarled, his hand tightening around the dagger¡¯s hilt.


    His lackeys flinched, exchanging uneasy glances, bodies tensing.


    Ash ducked back, barely daring to breathe as he pressed himself flat against the wall. He had to buy those kids time. ¡®Keep them distracted¡­ just long enough.¡¯


    Blake growled, taking a few menacing steps toward the sound. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for games. Show yourself!¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart thundered as he weighed his next move. He could imagine the kids, eyes wide, realizing this was their chance.


    Then, with a burst of courage, they bolted.


    The lackeys cursed, lunging forward, but the kids were already out of reach, sprinting toward the mouth of the alley.


    Or that¡¯s what Ash thought.


    One boy had dashed towards, out of view, while the other tripped, which fueled Blake.


    He stepped forward, and grabbed the boy.


    ¡®Shoot!¡¯


    Ash cursed under his breath, hoping that the ruckus might be enough to scatter them- or, at the very least, distract them. But Blake¡¯s grip on one of the boys tightened instead, his fingers digging into the kid¡¯s collar as he roughly yanked him back.


    ¡°Alright, very funny,¡± Blake sneered, his voice laced with a quiet threat. ¡°Whoever¡¯s out there, I¡¯m giving you one chance to show yourself. Otherwise¡­¡± He leaned closer to the boy he was holding, a twisted smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Things are going to get¡­ interesting.¡±


    The kid struggled, his face pale and streaked with sweat, but Blake¡¯s hold only tightened.


    Ash¡¯s thoughts spiraled, panic rising as he tried to work out his next move.


    ¡®What do I do now?!¡¯


    He forced his mind to sharpen. Every muscle was tense, his hands shaking as he scanned the alley for anything that could help, anything to get the kid out of Blake¡¯s grasp without having to step into view.


    ¡®Well, no kidding, but my mind is blank. But I do have an idea.¡¯


    Ash pulled out his phone.


    ¡®I did make a short recording of them, but now, Blake? Things truly will get¡­interesting.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s fingers trembled as he dialed 9-1-1.


    He didn¡¯t dare speak, knowing his voice could give away his position, but he had an idea.


    He tapped the speaker button, holding the phone up high so the dispatcher¡¯s voice would carry down the alley.


    ¡°9-1-1, what¡¯s your emergency?¡± The calm, professional voice echoed off the walls, cutting through the silence.


    Blake and his lackeys froze mid-step, their heads whipping toward the sound, faces paling. Blake¡¯s confident smirk faltered, his gaze darting around the shadows.


    But it gave the boy enough time to free himself from Blake¡¯s already loosening grip, and so he ran.


    ¡°Hey, stop!¡±


    Liam¡¯s voice shot through, but Blake didn¡¯t waver.


    ¡°Who¡­ who¡¯s doing that?¡± he hissed, his voice low and tense.


    ¡®Crap, I¡¯ve to run!¡¯


    The dispatcher continued, undeterred, ¡°Hello? Is someone there? We¡¯ve received your call.¡±


    Blake swallowed, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes. He motioned sharply to his lackeys. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Blake! Besides, this place reeks.¡±


    Liam made a stupid attempt to comfort Blake and smooth his anger, but it didn¡¯t work.


    Ash was already walking fast, no, he was sprinting towards the end of the street, hoping no one followed him.


    But Blake and his lackeys, without another word, turned and bolted out of the alley, leaving behind only the faint smell of smoke.


    As soon as they were out of sight, Ash ended the call, letting out a long, shaky breath. His pulse was still racing, but relief washed over him.


    ¡®Hehe, Did I pull that?¡¯


    Ash stopped, hands on his chest, as his heart pounded fast.


    ¡®I did, didn¡¯t I? Man, who would¡¯ve thought I could call 9-1-1?!¡¯


    Ash looked at his hands, now slightly shaking.


    He decided to go back home, and as a matter of fact, get outta this place.


    Because Liam was true, it reeked.


    ¡®I sure hope 9-1-1 doesn¡¯t track and chase me home, thinking maybe I was kidnapped or something like that, but still, man, stop shaking!¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake walked home alone, his footsteps echoing in the quiet street.


    His jaw clenched, tension radiating off him in waves. Whoever had dared to mess with him in the alley- whoever had been bold enough to call 9-1-1- was going to pay.


    As he neared his house, he reached into his pocket, feeling the crumpled bills he''d scraped together. It wasn''t much, definitely not enough for his cigarette habit, but it would do for now.


    His dad had been stingy with his allowance lately, sometimes, even forgetting he even exists, and Blake was tired of begging, tired of having to find his own way to get what he wanted.


    As he climbed the steps to his front door, he saw something strange.


    A small, folded piece of paper rested neatly on the doorstep.


    Blake paused, his gut tightening.


    He glanced around, half expecting to see someone watching from the darkness, but there was nothing. Only the note, waiting for him.


    Swallowing hard, he bent down and picked it up. The paper felt strangely cold in his hand as he unfolded it, and the message inside was written in dark, slanted letters:


    .


    ¡°Cut the crap, Blake. Someone¡¯s watching. ¡±


    .


    .


    A shiver ran down his spine as he read it.


    His first instinct was anger, but as he looked around the empty street again, a deep unease settled over him.


    Who could¡¯ve left this here?


    He shoved the note into his pocket, his fingers still trembling.


    As he felt the uncomfortable prick of fear crawling up his back, he thought that whoever left this note would be the one who stopped him earlier.


    Blake took a slow breath, forcing himself to shake it off.


    Whoever was messing with him would regret it.


    He¡¯d figure out who was behind this, and they¡¯d pay for even thinking they could scare him.


    But as he slipped inside his house, the note¡¯s words echoed in his mind, lingering like a shadow he couldn¡¯t shake:


    Someone¡¯s watching.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Next day after school, Ash trudged down the main road.


    Today had taken its toll- mentally, physically, and in every way possible. His head throbbed, thoughts swirling with everything he¡¯d done, everything he¡¯d experienced yesterday.


    Not to mention, Lucas¡¯ and Jason¡¯s never-ending debate on who is the most worthy sidekick.


    ¡®I just want to go home, crawl into bed, and block out the rest of the world. Yeah, maybe I¡¯ll just skip dinner tonight,'' he thought, stifling a yawn.


    The idea of seeing anyone else, his mom, Noah, or even his dad- felt exhausting. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for pleasantries or explanations.


    A nap. That was all he needed.


    Right when he was sitting on the bench at the bus stop, letting down his yawn, he looked around.


    That¡¯s when he saw a figure crossing the road from the opposite end.


    Lily.

 Ill destroy him

    Lily.


    Ash slouched deeper into the bench, his stomach twisted. ''Just great,¡¯ he thought, burying his face in his hands for a brief moment. ¡®All I wanted was to get home, but no, that¡¯s asking too much, isn¡¯t it? Can¡¯t I get a single day to myself?¡¯


    He took a breath, resigning himself to the fact that she was heading his way.


    He sat up and tried to look halfway composed as she approached, her expression hard to read as always.


    She strolled up to the bus stop and, without a word, sat down beside him on the bench, crossing her legs. ¡°Hey, Ash! How ya doin¡¯?¡±


    Ash stopped himself from saying ¡®Terribly, I am exhausted, and tired, and wanna go home and eat something sweet and soft-¡¯ and replied with a stern, ¡°Fine, What about you?¡±


    Lily shrugged, ¡° Like always, I guess. Busy day, looks like you¡¯re tired, is everything okay?¡±


    Ash blinked, surprised by the unexpected question. ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered, leaning back. ¡°Could say that.¡±


    ¡®Still as cold as ever, I see. I wonder what happened, her eyes look so serious and¡­sad.¡¯


    She smirked faintly, eyes fixed on some distant point across the road. ¡°Same here.¡±


    There was something oddly perspective, and maybe judging, in her tone, like she was thinking over things she wasn¡¯t going to share with anyone.


    Typical Lily.


    ¡°So,¡± Ash said, breaking the silence, ¡°what brings you here?¡±


    She shrugged, not looking at him. ¡°Just¡­ felt like dropping by. Checking things out.¡± She paused, as if debating something, then added, ¡°Not like anyone really expects me, though, right?¡±


    Ash shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to respond. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wondering where this was going.


    She always had this way of dropping comments that left people feeling off-balance.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Ash continued, his mind swirling with the things his dad told him, ¡°It¡¯s just, you never contact us, and such.¡±


    Lily scoffed, then started to idle with the loose bangs, slightly shadowing her eyes, ¡° Yeah, as if anyone wants me to. Besides, I don¡¯t have anyone¡¯s number.¡±


    Ash blinked, then asked, ¡°You seem¡­.maybe, uh¡­frustrated about something, is everything okay?¡±


    Her jaw tightened for a split second, and then she let out a sharp laugh, bitter and humorless.


    ¡°Frustrated? You are too good, Ash, at reading people,¡± She paused, crossing her arms. ¡°Dad called me yesterday,¡± she said, her tone edged with anger.


    Ash looked at her, startled.


    ¡®E-Eh? Dad called her!? Dad did sound like he was sorry for what happened, I think that he was genuinely concerned for her.¡¯ Ash¡¯s mind wandered to the day his dad openly shared how he felt.


    .


    .


    ¡°Lily¡¯s my¡­ daughter, just as much as you and Noah are my sons. She hates me. And do you know how hard it is for me to tell myself that my own daughter, my first-born, hates me? Every night, before going to sleep, I¡¯ve to remind myself that I¡¯m a terrible father.¡±


    .


    .


    ¡°I never hated her, or you. I never did.¡±


    .


    .


    ¡®Dad had actually reached out?¡¯


    ¡°He¡­ he called you?¡± he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said with a tight smile, one that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Wanted to know if I¡¯d come back. If I ¡®needed anything,¡¯ whatever that means.¡± She clenched her fists, ¡°And what¡¯s he going to do, huh? Pretend like he didn¡¯t push me out in the first place?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°He¡¯s a damned bastard, that¡¯s what he is,¡± she spat, her voice low but laced with venom. Ash flinched, feeling the weight of her words settle heavily in his chest.


    He knew she was angry, but hearing it put so plainly, so full of bitterness, left him at a loss.


    ¡°Wants me to know he loves me,¡± she continued, her voice mocking. ¡°Stupid of him to think I¡¯d believe him in the first place. After everything¡­¡±


    Ash glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.


    He could see her fists clenched, her knuckles white, her shoulders rigid with tension. This wasn¡¯t just anger- this was pain.


    For a moment, he wondered if he should defend their dad, try to explain, try to make her see that maybe things weren¡¯t as black and white as she thought.


    ¡®Maybe I should tell her, that- that dad doesn¡¯t hate her, and¡­¡¯


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± he started, then hesitated, feeling his throat tighten. He took a breath, willing himself to speak. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to¡­ make up for it? I don¡¯t know, Lily. But, uh, maybe he wants to fix things.¡±


    Lily laughed, a harsh sound. ¡°Huh, don¡¯t tell me you actually believe him, do you?¡± She shook her head, glancing over to him, ¡°It¡¯s too late, Ash. Way too late for apologies, for ¡®fixing things.¡¯ You don¡¯t just get to break someone and then decide to put them back together like nothing happened.¡±


    Ash looked down, hands folded neatly in his lap. He wanted to tell her that maybe it wasn¡¯t too late, that maybe she could find a way to heal, to let go.


    But he knew better than to say it. He knew that sometimes, words weren¡¯t enough to mend what had been broken.


    They sat in silence for a while, the sounds of passing cars and distant voices filling the space between them.


    Ash wondered if there was anything he could do, anything he could say that would make her feel less alone, less angry.


    Finally, he broke the silence. ¡°Lily, you know¡­ Dad doesn¡¯t hate you.¡±


    She scoffed, a smirk tugging at her lips. ¡°Right. Sure, Ash. And I bet he told you that, too, didn¡¯t he?¡± Her voice was laced with bitterment. ¡°You know, for someone who says he doesn¡¯t hate me, he sure has a strange way of showing it.¡±


    Ash hesitated, choosing his words carefully. ¡°No, I mean it. He¡­ he talks about you sometimes, you know? Not in a bad way.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. ¡°That¡¯s crap, Ash. I know Dad. He¡¯s good at pretending, but he¡¯s a master at hiding what he really thinks. Why do you think I left in the first place?¡±


    Ash had no response to that.


    He knew Lily had always felt unloved from their father, but hearing it spelled out like this made him uncomfortable. He wanted to believe his dad¡¯s words, but maybe¡­ maybe Lily saw things he couldn¡¯t see.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t anyone tell me what happened?!¡¯ he thought.


    He took a breath, focusing back on her. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as simple as you think it is. Maybe he doesn¡¯t show it the way you want him to, but¡­ you know, he cares. He just¡­ shows it differently.¡±


    Lily glanced over. ¡°Dad can lie to you all he wants. But I know the truth. I¡¯m not his perfect little girl, and he never wanted me around. That¡¯s just how it is.¡±


    Ash watched her carefully, his mind spinning, trying to make sense of everything she was saying. He didn¡¯t want to believe her, but a part of him wondered if there was more truth to her words than he realized.


    ¡®Lily¡­ what happened to you?¡¯ he thought, seeing her bitterness like an open wound that wouldn¡¯t heal.


    He wanted to tell her things could be different, that she didn¡¯t have to carry all this pain. But something held him back.


    Finally, she spoke again, changing the subject abruptly. ¡°How¡¯s Noah, anyway?¡± Her tone was light.


    ¡°Uh, he¡¯s fine,¡± Ash replied, feeling slightly thrown off by the sudden question. ¡°Why?¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°Just wondering. He¡¯s cute, you know? He always was. He¡¯s still just a kid, but¡­¡± She let out a low chuckle, almost to herself. ¡°Mom and Dad must love having him around, huh?¡±


    Ash nodded slowly, feeling a sudden chill run through him.


    Lily¡¯s words felt¡­ off. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something more behind her question, something he wasn¡¯t seeing.


    ¡®Why does she care about Noah all of a sudden?¡¯ Ash wondered, trying to piece together her intentions. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that her interest in Noah wasn¡¯t innocent.


    Lily finally pushed herself away from the bench, stretching. ¡°Well, tell Noah I said hi,¡± she said, her tone almost casual. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see him around sometime.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­Okay? Lily?¡± he called out, his voice unsure.


    She paused for a moment, before she turned back to face him. Her gaze was icy, like a cold wind cutting through the air.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied, she sounded like she had already made up her mind about everything.


    Something that Ash knew wasn¡¯t good for him. For their family.


    Ash hesitated, then asked the question that had been gnawing at him for a while. ¡°Did something happen? You¡¯re planning something, aren¡¯t you? And you didn¡¯t tell me why you left.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, where Lily just stood there, her back to him, her posture rigid.


    The only sound was the faint rustling of the wind, the distant murmur of traffic. He couldn¡¯t read her, couldn¡¯t tell what was going on in her mind.


    Then, slowly, almost like a reflex, she spun around, her eyes blazing with something dark, something Ash couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Ash,¡± she said, her voice low.


    Ash made eye-contact.


    ¡°And I hope you never do.¡±


    Her words hit like a slap, sharp and final.


    She didn¡¯t wait for his response, didn¡¯t give him a chance to ask anything else. She just turned away and walked off.


    ¡®What did she mean by that?¡¯ he wondered.


    Nothing made sense. He wanted to reach out, to tell her he understood, or at least that he wanted to understand.


    But she had closed the door before he even had a chance to knock.


    ¡®Why does she keep pushing everyone away?¡¯ Ash thought, the frustration bubbling up inside him. He couldn¡¯t understand it, couldn¡¯t figure out what she was trying to prove. ¡®Does she even care about anyone anymore?¡¯


    Ash didn¡¯t want to admit it, but the answer was a big, fat ¡°No¡±.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Lily sat alone in her small apartment, watching as the last rays of sunlight slipped through the blinds. She stared down at the blank page in her notebook, her pen knocking above it.


    She didn¡¯t usually write, but right now, the anger and frustration inside her needed somewhere to go.


    ¡®Damn it, not even Ash understands now. Thinks dad wants to fix things. I hate that. I hate that he doesn¡¯t want to understand.¡¯¡¯


    She pressed the pen down hard, her words messy, jagged, barely readable.


    ¡®No one understands me. Not a damn person in that house,¡¯ she wrote, her handwriting slanting as her anger grew.


    ¡®They think they can just apologize, like that¡¯s going to fix anything. Years of living under Dad¡¯s stupid expectations, trying to be his ¡®best child.¡¯ And for what?¡¯


    The memories came flooding back, sharp and bitter.


    Every time she¡¯d come home from school, exhausted, her father¡¯s voice would echo in her head, his gaze full of that endless pressure.


    .


    .


    ¡°Be my best child.¡±


    .


    .


    He¡¯d say, like it was supposed to mean something to her. Like she was some prize he could hold up to the world.


    She was supposed to be smart.


    Poised.


    Perfect.


    Everything he wanted, not what she wanted.


    And her mother? No different. Always watching, always waiting for Lily to do something that would make the family proud.


    School was supposed to be a place to learn, to make friends, but for Lily, it was a battleground. Every day, her father would look at her, asking her to bring home the highest grades, to be the student every teacher would praise.


    He wanted her to be the "best child" he could ever ask for. His expectations loomed over her. And for years, she tried to meet them, bending herself until she nearly broke.


    She clenched her jaw, her grip on the pen tightening until her fingers hurt. ¡®They took my childhood from me,¡¯ she scribbled furiously. ¡®Everything was about them. I don¡¯t think they ever saw me for who I am.¡¯


    Growing up, Lily had often felt that her parents saw her less as a person and more as an extension of their ambitions.


    But when she thought of Ash, her hand softened for a moment. ¡®He¡¯s the only one,¡¯ she wrote, her anger giving way to something quieter. ¡®The only one who didn¡¯t make me feel like I had to be something else. Around him, I could actually be myself.¡¯


    She paused, staring at the words. They sounded pathetic, even to her. But it was the truth.


    Yet, there was one exception in her life: Ash.


    Her younger brother had been the only one who made her feel like a kid. Around him, she could let her guard down, play, and laugh.


    Ash was a reminder of what childhood should have been - carefree and simple.


    She could still remember coming home from school, only to find Ash, who was only five at the time, squealing like a fan-girl, and hugging her tight.


    .


    .


    ¡°Lily! You¡¯re so gonna get it if you don¡¯t play with me! I¡¯ll¡­uh¡­¡±


    He¡¯d say, whenever he saw Lily going to her room to study. And then Lily would scoff and say,


    ¡°Oh no, Ash! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll wrestle with me?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll.¡± Ash would puff out his chest, only for Lily to cross her arms at him.


    ¡°Ash, you don¡¯t know the meaning of wrestle, do you?¡±


    ¡°....No.¡±


    And then the two siblings would crack into laughter.


    .


    .


    She let the pen drag across the page again, her thoughts rushing back to her parents.


    ¡®I told Dad once. I told him I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, that he needed to stop with his stupid expectations. And he just looked at me, all confused, like he didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. He actually apologized ¡ª as if that could change anything. As if he could just say sorry and I¡¯d magically feel better.¡¯


    She pressed harder, the pen almost tearing through the paper. ¡®Well, guess what? It doesn¡¯t change anything. It doesn¡¯t give me back the years I spent trying to be his perfect daughter. It doesn¡¯t make up for everything they took from me.¡¯


    She leaned back, staring down at the words, her chest heaving.


    She¡¯d given them everything she had, every ounce of herself, and it still wasn¡¯t enough. And now, she was supposed to just forget, pretend like none of it happened?


    ¡®Well, guess what, Dad?¡¯ she thought, her heart pounding. ¡®I¡¯m going to take something back. Something that¡¯ll make you feel a fraction of what I felt.¡¯


    An idea burned in her mind, cold and vengeful, but so clear that she almost smiled.


    Noah. Her little brother.


    He¡¯d been born after she left - she hadn¡¯t met him, hadn¡¯t seen him grow up. But she¡¯d heard about him.


    She knew he was young enough, impressionable, still innocent enough to come with her if she asked.


    Ash had grown up now, almost an adult.


    He wouldn¡¯t follow her. But Noah... he was just a kid.


    She could take him with her, bring him into her life in the city, far from the reach of their parents.


    ¡®I¡¯d finally make them feel what I felt when they expected hell out of me, forced me to be something I wasn¡¯t, and took everything from me in the process.¡¯


    She thought darkly, her jaw clenched, her thoughts simmering with anger.


    ¡®They deserve it. And Noah - maybe he¡¯ll be better off away from them too.¡¯


    She stood up, heading towards a mini calendar pasted on the wall, and held it in her hand.


    The date read: 28th of September.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be free until 01-October. Guess that means, I¡¯ll step into that hellish home on 02 October. Yeah, that sounds okay.¡¯


    02-October, that¡¯s when Lily will head home, stupid of her to even call that dumpster home. But who cared? She¡¯ll step into that home on that day, and step out of that house with Noah.


    That much was planned.

 What is he up to...?

    Ash sat at the breakfast table, absentmindedly pushing his cereal around in the bowl.


    The weekend had arrived, but any sense of relief felt distant.


    Across from him, Noah swung his legs as he waited for his toast, humming some tune he''d probably heard in a cartoon.


    Noah glanced over at their mom. "Mommy, when¡¯s Daddy coming home from his business trip?"


    Their mother looked up from her phone, offering Noah a soft smile. "I¡¯m not sure, sweetie. He¡¯s been really busy lately. But I¡¯ll give him a call and check, okay?"


    Noah¡¯s face lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Okay! I wanna talk to him. I miss him.¡± He paused, glancing over at Ash. ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t you wanna talk to Dad too?¡±


    Ash¡¯s spoon hovered over his bowl, his expression unreadable. ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± he said casually, though his mind felt far from it.


    Lily¡¯s words lingered in his mind.


    .


    .


    Wanted to know if I¡¯d come back. If I ¡®needed anything,¡¯ whatever that means. And what¡¯s he going to do, huh? Pretend like he didn¡¯t push me out in the first place?


    .


    .


    Ash stared down at his bowl, stirring his cereal without eating it. Lily had made it sound like Dad''s concern was just an act, like he was trying to fix things too late.


    Their mother¡¯s voice broke his thoughts as she spoke into her phone. Ash tensed and thought,   ¡®Wonder if dad¡¯s doing okay. Something sure is going on between the two.¡¯


    ¡°Hello?¡± His dad¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Hi,¡± his mom replied, a warmth in her tone. ¡°How are you? Did you eat breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for both questions. How are things on your end?¡± He asked, and Ash could imagine the expression he would be wearing.


    Concern.


    ¡°Pretty good, I¡¯m making toast for Noah.¡± She hummed, ¡°Noah was just asking when you¡¯ll be back.¡±


    There was a pause, then a soft chuckle on the other end. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that nice?¡± His dad¡¯s voice took on a lighter tone, the kind he always used with Noah. ¡°Sure, put him on. I¡¯d love to talk to my little prince.¡±


    Noah¡¯s eyes sparkled as he scooted closer to the phone, his small hands tapping the table in excitement. ¡°Daddy! Hi!¡±


    ¡°Hey there, Noah! How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m awesome!¡± Noah exclaimed, and Ash chuckled, his voice high with excitement. ¡°I miss you, Daddy. Are you coming home soon?¡±


    There was another pause, and Ash felt his heart tighten as he waited for the answer.


    ¡°Not just yet, Noah,¡± his dad said, sounding a little softer now. ¡° Things are really busy right now, but I¡¯m thinking, uh¡­ maybe on the 2nd of October?¡±


    Noah''s face fell slightly, but he nodded, clutching his toast as if it were some kind of comfort. ¡°Okay¡­ but that¡¯s a long time.¡±


    ¡°Noah, it¡¯s like¡­3 days. And before you know it, I¡¯ll be back, and we¡¯ll go to that park you love. Sounds good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Noah brightened, the disappointment fading from his face. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, okay?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± his dad replied with a warmth that seemed almost out of place, ¡°Big brother doing okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, daddy!¡±


    ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t tease you, prince! Or he¡¯ll get it, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry daddy! I¡¯ll take care of him!¡±


    Ash rolled his eyes, a tiny smirk tugging at his lips.


    But as he looked at Noah¡¯s glowing face, he thought, ¡®That¡¯s double standards right there. Dad would never, ever, call me prince.¡¯


    Ash felt slightly warm from thinking about it.


    The call ended with a few more words, and their mother put down the phone, sending a gentle smile toward Noah. He grinned back, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.


    Ash turned back to his half-finished breakfast, and thought.


    ¡®02 October, huh?¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    As Ash finished his breakfast, his phone buzzed on the table.


    He picked it up to see Jason''s name flashing on the screen. He sighed, already half-dreading what was coming.


    ¡°Yo!¡± Jason¡¯s voice was practically bouncing with energy. ¡°Lucas and I are heading out to hang- c¡¯mon, you¡¯ve gotta come too.¡±


    ¡®Eh, No. I¡¯m going to stay home on the weekends, doofus.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s first instinct was to say no.


    He wasn¡¯t in the mood to be social. But then, a thought struck him.


    ¡®I still need to leave Blake that note,¡¯ he realized. It was a chance to finally get it done.


    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± he muttered into the phone. ¡°But don¡¯t make it a whole day thing.¡±


    Jason laughed. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that! Meet us at the bus stop in fifteen!¡±


    Ash sighed, ¡®I can¡¯t meet him in fifteen, and leave Blake a note too.¡¯If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Jason, I won¡¯t be able to make it in fifteen, wait a bit longer.¡± Ash pressed.


    ¡°Ew, No, Asher. I¡¯m not gonna wait, duh? I¡¯ll just come to your house with Lucas to drag your lazy butt out here, ¡®kay? Besides, I know you¡¯re a sleepy-head, Lucas told me that.¡±


    ¡®W-what?¡¯


    ¡°...¡± Ash was too shocked to respond.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably sleeping, aren¡¯t ya?¡± Jason wasn¡¯t going to hold back either.


    ¡°S-Shut up. Don¡¯t come to my house, get it?¡± Ash didn¡¯t realize, but his cheeks flushed bright pink.


    Jason let out a loud cackle, clearly relishing in Ash¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Ohhh, got you, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯re totally blushing right now, aren¡¯t you, Mr. Mighty-Sleepy-Head?¡±


    Ash gritted his teeth, trying to keep his cool. ¡°I am not blushing. And I¡¯m definitely not sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Jason taunted. ¡°So, are you gonna show up in, like, an hour? Or do I actually have to drag you out of bed?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be there in, say... twenty minutes. But if you show up here, I¡¯ll make sure Lucas has to listen to your non-stop whining on the way there.¡±


    Jason gasped. ¡°Ouch, Asher! That¡¯s cold. Besides,when do I whine?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Ash muttered, stifling a laugh as he hung up.


    ¡®Those two are something else,¡¯ he thought, amused. But he knew he needed the distraction today- and maybe, just maybe, the company wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.


    He grabbed his bag, making sure he had the note for Blake carefully tucked away. With one last look around, he headed out the door, plotting the fastest route to Blake¡¯s house.


    ¡®Hopefully, Jason and Lucas don¡¯t get too impatient,¡¯ he thought, picking up his pace.


    By the time he reached Blake¡¯s house, Ash was half out of breath. He slipped the note in the same spot as before, hoping it¡¯d be noticed but not suspicious.


    As he turned to leave, he felt a strange sense of relief.


    ¡®Done. Finally,¡¯ he thought, before heading toward the bus stop.


    As expected, Jason and Lucas were already there, both leaning against the bench, chatting animatedly.


    ¡°There he is!¡± Jason exclaimed, throwing his arm around Ash in welcome. ¡°Where were you, Asher? We went to your house and you weren¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡®You-They- what?¡¯


    Lucas¡¯ eyes popped out of their sockets, and he whispered to Jason, ¡°What are you doing, dumbhead? I told you not to tell him!¡±


    ¡°Why did you go there? I clearly recall that I told you not to come.¡± Asher tried to keep his composure, which did not help with the irritation bubbling up inside of him.


    ¡®Great, now they know I went somewhere else before coming here-¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Asher dude! We just assumed you¡¯d be napping or something, and Lucas insisted we go to your house to check."


    Lucas crossed his arms, feigning innocence. ¡°You¡¯re the one who looked ready to storm into his room.¡±


    Ash let out a huff, adjusting his bag. ¡°Both of you seriously need better hobbies.¡±


    Jason chuckled, leaning in close with a mischievous grin. ¡°Oh, but teasing you is my favorite hobby, Asher! Especially when you go all red and flustered.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ash muttered, feeling his cheeks grow warm.


    He tried to ignore their snickering, focusing on the road ahead.


    Lucas stepped up beside him, an amused smile on his face. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re just giving you a hard time. After all, it¡¯s not every day we get you out of your cave on a weekend.¡±


    Ash rolled his eyes, trying to hold back a smile. ¡°You two are impossible, you know that?¡±


    Jason threw an arm around both of them, grinning wide. ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for, Asher! Now let¡¯s get going before you have any second thoughts about ditching us.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ash slumped into the seat, feeling every bit of exhaustion weighing him down.


    The restaurant was dimly lit, a welcome change from the blaring lights and screams of the horror movie they had just survived.


    He rubbed his eyes. ¡®Why did I even agree to this?¡¯ he wondered, stifling a yawn.


    It had been Jason¡¯s brilliant idea to watch the scariest horror movie in the theater, despite knowing full well that Ash wasn¡¯t a fan of the genre.


    But Jason, being Jason, had been relentless in convincing them, only to spend half the movie hiding behind his hands.


    Lucas chuckled from across the table, shaking his head. ¡°You good, Jason? Thought you were gonna have a heart attack back there.¡±


    Jason was still pale. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t that scared,¡± he protested weakly. ¡°It was just... unexpected, okay? I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that intense.¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, barely holding back a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re the one who insisted we watch it. ¡®Come on, guys, it¡¯ll be fun,¡¯ remember?¡± he mimicked, leaning back in his seat.


    Jason shot him a half-hearted glare. ¡°Hey, how was I supposed to know it¡¯d have that many jump scares? You were scared too, weren¡¯t you, Asher?¡±


    Ash shrugged. ¡°Yeah, but at least I didn¡¯t scream loud enough to make the entire theater jump.¡±


    Lucas snorted. ¡°You did, though, Jason. You screamed louder than the movie¡¯s sound effects.¡±


    Jason groaned, burying his face in his hands. ¡°Okay, okay, I get it. Stop roasting me already.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but laugh, the exhaustion momentarily forgotten. ¡°Fine... but seriously, next time, I¡¯m picking the movie.¡±


    Jason waved him off, finally managing a weak grin. ¡°Deal. Something with sunshine and rainbows, I promise.¡±


    As the conversation lulled, Ash leaned back, letting the chatter and clinking of dishes in the restaurant wash over him.


    He was tired, but a different kind of tired- one that came from spending hours with friends, from letting his guard down even for a little while.


    ¡®Not a bad way to spend the weekend,¡¯ he thought, glancing out the window at the darkening sky.


    Lucas tapped the table, pulling Ash back from his thoughts. ¡°Hey, earth to Ash. Did you listen to anyone we¡¯ve been talking about?¡±


    ¡®Eh? Nah, I didn¡¯t listen, besides, you would be talking about your hero, that¡¯s for sure.¡¯


    Ash blinked, giving a small nod. ¡°Yeah, about the hero?¡±


    Jason grinned. ¡°Means you weren¡¯t listening. I guess that means we order dessert!¡±


    Ash wondered, ¡°Why would we need a dessert, after everything we just ate?¡±


    Lucas gave him a toothy grin, ¡°I¡¯m thinking we deserve something huge after surviving that movie.¡±


    Jason rolled his eyes but couldn¡¯t help the smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Alright, fine. But you¡¯re paying.¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡± Lucas declared, waving for the waiter with a newfound enthusiasm.


    For a moment, Ash allowed himself to relax.


    Just for a little longer, he¡¯d pretend everything was fine.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    As they finished their meal, Jason checked his phone and groaned. ¡°Man, I¡¯ve got to head back,¡± he said, sliding out of his seat. ¡°Mom¡¯s already texted me like, three times. I¡¯m going to be grounded if I don¡¯t get home soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Lucas waved him off with a salute. ¡°Go before your mom decides to ground you for a week. Because without you hanging around, I¡¯d be bored outta my mind. Ash doesn¡¯t do jokes.¡±


    ¡®Man, that hurts.¡¯


    Jason grinned ear-to-ear, ¡°Sure, sure. I¡¯ll get you guys next time. Later, losers!¡± he called over his shoulder as he made his way to the door.


    Ash chuckled slowly, watching him dash off into the evening crowd.


    It felt weirdly quiet without Jason¡¯s constant chatter.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s just us now,¡± Lucas said, standing up and stretching. ¡°You good to hang out a bit longer?¡±


    Ash shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess. But don¡¯t blame me ¡®cause I don¡¯t do jokes.¡±


    Lucas giggled, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t take it to heart, Ash! I was just messing around, ya know?¡±


    They paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant, stepping into the cool night air.


    The street lights flickered on, casting a golden glow on the pavement as they made their way toward the bus station.


    The city was still bustling, the sound of cars and distant laughter filling the night.


    For a while, they walked in comfortable silence, the only sound between them being the occasional crunch of leaves underfoot.


    Ash didn¡¯t mind the silence, it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable, but still, Lucas just had to break it.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s been eating you lately? You¡¯ve been zoning out a lot.¡±


    Ash blinked, clearly exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I was just enjoying the silence.¡±


    Lucas gave him a sideways glance, clearly not buying it but deciding not to press further. ¡°Fair enough. But hey, speaking of things on my mind,¡± he began, his tone more serious now, ¡°I heard something... interesting the other day.¡±

 Red.....Bloody red

    Lucas gave him a sideways glance, clearly not buying it but deciding not to press further. ¡°Fair enough. But hey, speaking of things on my mind,¡± he began, his tone more serious now, ¡°I heard something... interesting the other day.¡±


    Ash raised an eyebrow, curious. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡®Yeah, I know, some hero crap-¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s about Blake.¡±


    ¡°... What about him?¡± Ash asked keeping his voice neutral, but it definitely rattled him.


    ¡°Nothing of much importance, I guess. Just heard some rumors from around. You know there¡¯s a boss, right?¡± Lucas shrugged.


    Ash tensed up, trying to keep his expression neutral. ¡°Yeah, so?¡± he asked, though his instincts were screaming that this wasn¡¯t going to be good news.


    ¡°Well...¡± Lucas plopped down on the bench near the bus stop, stretching his legs out in front of him as if he had all the time in the world.


    ¡°Word is, Blake¡¯s supposed to meet the guy. Big deal, apparently. You know how these things go. Rumors flying everywhere.¡±


    ¡®Why?! When?! Where?!¡¯


    Ash¡¯s heart sank, but he plopped down next to Lucas. ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡± he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, though his mind was racing.


    Lucas leaned back, resting his arms on the top of the bench, his gaze wandering to the cloudy sky above. ¡°Eh, you pick up things here and there. People talk, you know?¡± he added with a chuckle.


    ¡°...Why are you telling it to me?¡± Ash asked, his heart and mind racing way faster than usual.


    ¡°...You know Ash, I wanted to¡­¡± Lucas trailed off, leaning back casually, but his eyes never left Ash''s.


    But Ash couldn¡¯t focus on the words. His eyes were drawn to Lucas¡¯s face, to his eyes- eyes that he had always thought were a deep, warm brown.


    The moonlight cast a strange glow on Lucas''s face, making his eyes appear different, not the familiar brown Ash had always known, but tinged with a subtle, almost eerie red around the edges.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep a thing to myself, you know, so I wondered I''d tell you instead.¡± Lucas continued on.


    ¡®What¡­? Is that just the light? No... They actually look...¡¯ Ash¡¯s kept his expression neutral, not wanting to show Lucas he noticed anything strange.


    Those eyes weren¡¯t brown. They were-


    ¡°...Red,¡± he whispered, barely aware that he had spoken the word out loud.


    ¡®Bloody red,¡¯ he thought, the color so vivid it almost looked like they were glowing in the darkness, a faint glint catching on the edges.


    ¡°Uh, huh? Oh, red?¡± Lucas asked, then smiled, wholeheartedly, ¡°Yeah, I know Ash. My eyes have a red shade to them, cool, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Ash blurted.


    ¡®When did he- Why didn¡¯t I notice sooner? God, it¡¯s giving me shivers-¡¯


    Lucas gave a lazy grin, ¡°My mother had red eyes, I was told,¡± he said, his voice casual but holding an undertone, ¡°But she had complete red, but I got red and brown, from my mom and dad, get it?¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    Lucas just shrugged, as if the whole thing was no big deal. ¡°Guess I got lucky with the mix,¡± he added, leaning back and stretching his arms. ¡°But hey, you¡¯re the first one to notice it in this lighting. Sharp eyes, Ash.¡±


    ¡®Sharp eyes? No, it¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯ve never shown them like that before,¡¯ Ash thought, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. He forced a smile instead, nodding along.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I never paid attention.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lucas chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you, Ash. You don¡¯t notice things when it matters.¡±


    ¡®When it matters? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡¯


    Ash tried focusing on keeping his voice even. ¡°Alright, but... why me? Why tell me this?¡±


    Lucas snorted, ¡° Well, whaddya expect? If I tell Jason about it, he¡¯s gonna get all jumpy, and go there to meet the boss in person.¡±


    Ash nodded, ¡®That makes sense.¡¯


    ¡°But¡­don¡¯t you think I¡¯d go to see him?¡± Ash asked, despite the loud pounding of his heart.


    ¡°No. I guess not, Ash.¡± Lucas gave him a smile, ¡°You really aren¡¯t the type to¡­uh¡­do this kind of stuff.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡®Quick, Asher, ask him, when and where he¡¯s gonna meet him?!¡¯


    ¡°Uh, Will you go?¡± Ash asked, in an attempt to know where and when the event¡¯s taking place.


    ¡°Nah, besides, it¡¯s after school, you know, the sports ground faculty near the school? It¡¯s there, in a dusty old dumpster.¡± Lucas shrugged, as if he were standing there right now.


    ¡®Got it, the sports grounds faculty place, near that warehouse, and date¡­.?¡¯


    ¡°Oh, and on 02 October.¡±


    Ash tensed, ¡®02 October¡­.? Dad is coming back on that day. Oh, but who cares? It''s not like I¡¯m going to see the Boss, right?¡¯


    Looked like Ash didn¡¯t even know for himself if he was supposed to see the boss or not.


    Ash swallowed hard. ¡°Right... October 2nd, near the warehouse,¡± he repeated, hoping his voice didn¡¯t sound as shaky as he felt.


    Lucas just gave a nonchalant nod, shoving his hands into his pockets. ¡°Yeah, exactly. I thought I took things off of my mind. Hey Ash?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah?¡± Ash replied, his posture rigid.


    Lucas fixed his eyes on Ash¡¯s onyx ones, ¡°You really aren¡¯t thinking of¡­going there, are you?¡±


    ¡®Of course, I am, dumbhead.¡¯


    ¡°Um, No. You know me, I would never.¡± Ash shrugged.


    Lucas studied him for a moment, his red-tinted eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Good,¡± he said, his voice softer now, almost... sincere? ¡°Because I trust you, Ash. Out of everyone, I know you¡¯re smart enough not to get yourself involved in this mess.¡±


    Ash was too shocked to respond.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Lucas continued, leaning in just a bit closer, his gaze locking onto Ash¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can talk to about stuff like this without worrying you¡¯ll do something reckless. That¡¯s why I told you, alright? ¡±


    ¡°I... I get it,¡± Ash replied slowly, still trying to gauge Lucas¡¯s intentions.


    Lucas¡¯s expression softened, a rare, genuine smile spreading across his face. ¡°Yeah? Good. I knew I could count on you.¡± He paused, then added, almost as an afterthought,


    ¡°You trust me too, right, Ash?¡±


    The question hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Ash didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡®Do I trust him? Do I really?¡¯


    ¡°Why do you¡­ask?¡± Ash looked at his feet, as if staring at them would provide him with some kind of clue.


    ¡°Just wonderin¡¯,¡± Lucas said, then glanced over to Ash, ¡°I just wanted to know if you trust me too. ¡®Cause I do, I can do anything if it comes to my friends. If it comes to you.¡± Ash glanced at him, his orbs trembling, from what Lucas could tell.


    ¡°I¡­know.¡± Ash breathed out.


    Lucas chuckled, and then looked to the sky above, black clouds gathering, ¡°I¡¯m glad that you aren¡¯t really thinking of that. You know, I was afraid you would go there¡­because of me. And then you might get hurt¡­,¡± Lucas trailed for a bit, and then continued, ¡°And you know, stuff like that.¡±


    Ash felt a pang in his chest at Lucas¡¯s words, but he forced himself to keep his expression neutral. ¡®Why¡¯s he suddenly getting all sentimental? This isn¡¯t like him¡­¡¯


    He tried to laugh it off. ¡°Because of you? What are you, my babysitter?¡± Ash joked, though the words came out more strained than he intended.


    Lucas gave a half-smile, one that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want, but I¡¯m serious, Ash.¡±


    He turned his gaze away from the sky and looked directly at him, the intensity in those half-red eyes sending a shiver down Ash¡¯s spine. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get tangled up in this mess. You¡¯ve got your own stuff to worry about, right? No need to go playing hero for some guy you don¡¯t even know.¡±


    ¡®Is he... trying to protect me? Or just steering me away from something he doesn¡¯t want me to see?¡¯ Ash¡¯s mind raced, trying to piece it all together.


    Lucas was usually the laid-back type, the kind who never took anything seriously, but right now... he almost seemed worried.


    ¡°Yeah, I got it, Lucas,¡± Ash replied, forcing a grin. ¡°I¡¯m not planning on getting myself killed, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡®But you¡¯re wrong, Lucas. I¡¯m exactly the reckless type if it means figuring out what the hell¡¯s going on.¡¯


    But Lucas didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    He stared at Ash for a long moment, his expression unreadable. ¡°Good. I¡¯d hate it if something happened to you because of me,¡± he murmured, almost too quietly for Ash to hear.


    Ash¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Ash started, but he didn¡¯t even know what he wanted to ask.


    Maybe, ¡®Why do you care so much?¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud.


    Lucas must¡¯ve sensed his hesitation because he quickly flashed that easy-going grin again, the one Ash was more familiar with.


    ¡°Hey, enough of the heavy talk, yeah? I¡¯m just being dramatic.¡± He waved a hand, brushing it off like it was nothing. ¡°Let¡¯s just get out of here before it starts raining.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ sure.¡±


    ¡®02 October,¡¯ Ash thought, the date ringing in his mind like a warning bell. ¡®I have three days to figure this out. Three days to decide if I¡¯m going to walk right into whatever trap Lucas is trying to keep me away from... or if I¡¯m going to face whatever¡¯s waiting for me on the other side.¡¯

 Begging

    The sun was setting, casting a warm golden light through the kitchen window.


    Ash leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching Noah struggle to reach the top shelf.


    Ash had just come home from school, today dated 30th of September, which was rattling Ash from the inside.


    One and a half day remained.


    One more day, and he¡¯d find out who¡¯s the secret Boss.


    But right now, Ash decided to leave all those energy-draining thoughts in the back of his mind, and live in the present.


    No good thinking about the stuff that hasn''t even happened, right?


    ¡°Need help, Noah?¡± Ash asked, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.


    Noah turned around, pouting. ¡°Nuh-uh! I can do everything with my big body!¡±


    ¡°You got a big body?¡± Ash asked, clearly amused.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Noah flexed his tiny muscles, that he might¡¯ve seen dad doing.


    ¡°Right, right. My bad,¡± Ash said, rolling his eyes, and gesturing towards the top shelf, ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting what you wanna pick from up there?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Noah looked over there, ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    Noah then again started to continue his struggles on grabbing a pack of snacks from the top shelf.


    ¡°It¡¯s too high!¡±


    Ash chuckled as he pushed off the counter. He walked over and easily grabbed the packet that Noah had been trying to reach. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Noah¡¯s eyes lit up as he took the pack from Ash¡¯s hands. ¡°Thanks, big brother! You¡¯re the best!¡±


    Ash ruffled Noah¡¯s hair, smiling down at him.


    It was rare for him to feel this kind of lightness, this sense of calm. Ever since he came back home, things had been tense, confusing, mind racing from anything, any possibility that could happen on the 02 of October. But with Noah... everything felt simple.


    Noah dragged a chair to the kitchen table and hopped onto it, opening the packet with all his might. Ash watched him, arms still crossed.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s in an hour, you know,¡± Ash pointed out, raising an eyebrow.


    Noah just shrugged, grinning sheepishly as he stuffed a handful of chips in his mouth. ¡°Snacks are important, duh!¡±


    Ash laughed. ¡°Yeah, yeah. If Mom catches you, don¡¯t blame me.¡±


    Noah waved him off, completely unbothered. ¡°Mommy won¡¯t mind! Besides, I¡¯ve got you to cover for me, right?¡± He gave Ash a wide, toothy smile, one that was almost impossible to say no to.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Ash said, giving in. ¡°But only because you¡¯re my favorite little brother.¡±


    Noah¡¯s eyes sparkled at that, and he set the packet down for a moment. ¡°Hey, big brother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Do you have to go back to school tomorrow?¡± Noah asked, his tone suddenly softer, almost hesitant.


    Ash paused, caught off guard by the question. ¡°Yeah, I do. Why?¡±


    ¡®Where¡¯s this coming from?¡¯


    Noah was on school break, since little kids were given two weeks of holidays at that time, due to the changing weather.


    Noah looked down. ¡°I just... like it when you¡¯re home. It¡¯s fun when you¡¯re here.¡±


    Ash felt his chest tighten a little at Noah¡¯s words. ¡°I like it too, Noah,¡± he said, his voice softer now. ¡°But, you know, I have to go to school. Gotta learn stuff and all that.¡±


    Noah looked up, his big eyes shining with a seriousness that didn¡¯t quite match his tiny frame.


    ¡°Promise you¡¯ll come back every day? And not be late?¡±


    Ash chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Noah¡¯s hair again. ¡°I promise, Noah. I¡¯ll always come back.¡±


    ¡°Is it a pinky promise?¡± Noah asked, the seriousness still visible in his eyes.


    ¡®Eh?¡¯


    ¡°....What¡¯s a pinky promise?¡± Ash tilted his head.


    Noah slapped his palm on the forehead, then continued, with a grumpy expression, ¡°You don¡¯t know a pinky promise? Don¡¯t you make promises with your friends?¡±


    ¡°...No, I usually don''t. I mean¡­I don¡¯t make pinky promises.¡± Ash pressed.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you!¡± Noah turned to Ash and held out his pinky, ¡°Wrap you pinky around mine, and then it¡¯ll be a pinky promise!¡±


    ¡°Alright, so it¡¯s a pinky promise then?¡± Ash asked, holding out his pinky finger.


    Noah¡¯s eyes widened with delight, and he eagerly wrapped his tiny pinky around Ash¡¯s. ¡°Pinky promise!¡± he declared, his voice full of confidence.


    ¡°Now you can¡¯t break it, or else you¡¯ll get bad luck forever!¡±


    Ash chuckled, pretending to be horrified. ¡°Bad luck forever? Please don¡¯t, Noah!¡±


    Noah giggled. ¡°That¡¯s the rule! You better come back every day, okay? And be on time!¡±


    Ash gave him a solemn nod. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll always come back. On time, too. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Then Noah nodded, and then sat, ¡°Big brother, my friend says that promises are meant to be broken.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡®...Well, he¡¯s right, to some extent, but still¡­.¡¯


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°And then I asked daddy, do you know what daddy said?¡± Noah added, looking to Ash, who seemed to be deep in thought.


    Ash blinked, brought back to reality by the sound of Noah¡¯s tiny, serious voice. ¡°What did he say?¡± Ash asked, trying to keep his tone light.


    Noah¡¯s face lit up, like he was about to share a secret. ¡°Daddy said that real promises are like... magic!¡± He threw his arms wide. ¡°He said that when you promise someone something, it means you¡¯re giving a piece of your heart to them. So you have to take good care of it.¡±


    Ash stared at Noah, a little stunned. ¡®Dad said that? Really?¡¯


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s... actually pretty cool,¡± he admitted.


    Noah beamed, clearly pleased with himself for having impressed his older brother. ¡°See? Daddy knows everything!¡±


    Ash laughed softly. It was so easy for Noah to believe in their dad¡¯s words, to hold onto every promise like it was a precious treasure.


    ¡®Wish I could be that optimistic,¡¯ Ash thought, but he pushed the thought away.


    Noah looked relieved, like he had just secured some great and important deal. But then his expression grew thoughtful again, his brows furrowing in that way that made him look so much like their dad.


    ¡°Big brother?¡± Noah asked quietly, his voice suddenly low. ¡°Do you think Daddy will keep his promise too? He said he¡¯ll come back soon... but I miss him.¡±


    Ash felt his heart squeeze. He knew their dad had been away for a while now, caught up with work trips and business meetings that kept him away from home. But it wasn¡¯t like their dad didn¡¯t care. He always called when he could, sent little gifts, made sure to check in on Noah and Ash.


    ¡°He will, Noah,¡± Ash said softly, giving his brother a reassuring smile. ¡°Dad always comes back. You know how much he misses you too, right?¡±


    Noah¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope. ¡°You think so?¡±


    Ash nodded. ¡°I know so. He¡¯ll be back before you know it, and then you can show him all the cool stuff you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    Noah¡¯s smile returned in full force.


    ¡°Okay, big brother,¡± Noah said, jumping off the seat. ¡°But you better not forget your promise too.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Ash said, nodding. ¡°You can count on me.¡±


    Noah looked up again, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°Hey, Big brother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Can you stay with me tonight? Like a sleepover?¡±


    Ash blinked, taken aback. ¡°A sleepover? Here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You can sleep in my room! We can stay up late, and tell stories, and... and... maybe even play some games!¡± Noah¡¯s excitement was visible, his eyes sparkling.


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but smile at that. ¡°Alright, fine. But if Mom catches us, you¡¯re the one explaining why we¡¯re up past bedtime.¡±


    Noah threw his hands in the air with a triumphant cheer. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re the best, big brother!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Ash said, rolling his eyes, though he couldn¡¯t hide his smile. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯ve got a reputation to keep.¡±


    And so they went into Noah¡¯s room, with snacks and movies hidden in their hands.


    While Ash sat on the floor beside Noah¡¯s bed, Ash made a silent vow to himself: he would keep this promise.


    For Noah¡¯s sake, and maybe for his own too.


    Because if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Noah deserved a brother he could rely on, someone who would always come back home - no matter what.


    Because promises are for others to break.


    He¡¯ll make promises to be cherished, forever.


    ¡ª------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake leaned against the wall, his fingers itching for a cigarette.


    He was in the old, dusty warehouse that served as one of the many meeting spots for his so-called ¡°Boss.¡± He didn¡¯t know why he was summoned this time, but he had a feeling it had something to do with those damn notes.


    ¡®C¡¯mon Boss, hurry. I¡¯m not supposed to spend my entire damn day waiting for you to show up.¡¯


    Footsteps echoed, and Blake straightened up, his heart pounding despite himself.


    The Boss always had a way of making an entrance. There was something about the guy, his presence was unnervingly calm, commanding respect without ever raising his voice.


    The man was tall, but not taller than Blake, with a hood pulled low over his face, but it did nothing to hide the unnerving aura he carried with him.


    Blake¡¯s gaze shifted to the only part of his face that was visible - his eyes.


    Blake¡¯s breath hitched.


    The eyes were dark, almost dark brown or black, but there was a strange, faint glow at the edges, a hint of red that caught the light just right, making it look like they were burning from within.


    Those eyes weren¡¯t brown.


    They weren¡¯t black.


    They were¡­.


    ¡­Red.


    ¡°Blake,¡± the Boss greeted, stepping into the light with that usual confident stride.


    ¡°Boss.¡± Blake gave a lazy salute, not bothering to straighten up. ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡±


    The Boss let out a low chuckle, his eyes- strangely red on the edges- glinting in the semi-darkness. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure, Blake. Besides, I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡±


    Blake smirked. ¡®That¡¯s rare¡¯.


    Blake¡¯s tone turned more serious, ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing a lot of whispers about some... plans you¡¯ve got. Something about October 2nd.¡±


    The Boss raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. ¡°So, the rumors reached even your ears? I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. You¡¯ve always been resourceful.¡±


    Blake shrugged, his expression casual, though his eyes were sharp. ¡°Yeah, But I think you''re planning to set a trap for that freak who¡¯s been sending me those anonymous notes, right?¡±


    ¡°Trap is a strong word,¡± the Boss said, smiling slightly as he leaned against the opposite wall. ¡°I prefer to think of it as... an invitation. A test, if you will.¡±


    Blake¡¯s grin widened, his eyes flashing with intrigue. ¡°A test, huh? Who¡¯s the lucky guy?¡±


    The boss leaned closer, his tone serious, ¡°Wait up, Blake. I¡¯m not stupid enough to tell you now, you¡¯ll pull his hair out if you find out.¡±


    Blake rolled his eyes, ¡°C¡¯mon Boss, then when will I meet that freak?¡±


    ¡°Soon enough. On the second of October.¡± Boss said.


    ¡°For what, exactly? You trying to see if he¡¯s got the guts to face you?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± the Boss admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper.


    ¡°He¡¯s been quite the nuisance, hasn¡¯t he? Sending you those little threats, trying to keep you in line.¡±


    Blake¡¯s laugh was low and dangerous. ¡°Yeah, well, whoever he is, he¡¯s got guts, I¡¯ll give him that. But you know what?¡± He leaned forward, his expression almost victorious. ¡°I¡¯m kinda looking forward to this. Can¡¯t wait to see how he reacts when he realizes he¡¯s walking right into your hands.¡±


    The Boss¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re awfully eager, Blake. But be careful, you might end up disappointed if he doesn¡¯t show.¡±


    Blake tilted his head, considering. ¡°Nah, he¡¯ll show. I can feel it. He¡¯s the type who won¡¯t back down. And when he does, I want a front-row seat.¡±


    The Boss gave a slow nod, almost as if he were pleased by Blake¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°You might just get your wish. October 2nd, near the old sports ground warehouse. That¡¯s where it¡¯s all going to go down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Blake¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°And what¡¯s the plan? You¡¯re gonna just pop out and say ¡®Boo¡¯?¡±


    The Boss laughed, a deep, rumbling sound. ¡°Something like that. But I have a feeling he¡¯s not just going to roll over. This one¡¯s different. Clever, careful... I¡¯m curious to see what he¡¯ll do when he realizes the game is up.¡±


    Blake¡¯s smirk faltered for a split second. ¡°You¡¯re not worried he¡¯ll outsmart you, are you?¡±


    ¡°Worried?¡± The Boss gave a slow, deliberate shake of his head. ¡°No. But intrigued, yes. You see, loyalty and courage are rare in this line of work. I want to see if he¡¯s truly got what it takes.¡±


    Blake studied him, ¡°So what¡¯s the real deal, Boss? You planning to make him an offer? Or just... take him out of the picture?¡±


    The Boss¡¯s red-tinted eyes glimmered in the dim light. ¡°That, Blake, depends entirely on how he performs. If he¡¯s as brave as you think, perhaps I¡¯ll have a proposition for him. And if not... well, you know how it goes.¡±


    Blake let out a low whistle. ¡°Man, you really love your mind games, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say it keeps things... interesting,¡± the Boss replied, a cryptic smile on his lips. He pushed himself off the wall and took a step closer to Blake.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re friends or anything like that.¡±


    Blake straightened up, a challenging look in his eyes. ¡°Yeah. But I can¡¯t lie, it¡¯s gonna be fun watching that freak beg for mercy.¡±


    The Boss nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Blake¡¯s face. ¡°Good. This isn¡¯t a game for the faint of heart.¡±


    Blake shrugged, ¡°You know me, Boss. I¡¯m just here for the entertainment. If that kid wants to play hero, he¡¯s gotta be ready for the consequences.¡±


    The Boss¡¯s smile widened, his eyes glinting. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to hear. Now, go on. Prepare yourself. October 2nd is going to be... memorable.¡±


    ¡®Alright, freak,¡¯ he thought, a wicked grin spreading across his face. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re really up for the challenge. This time, the game¡¯s in our court.¡¯

 I...dont know

    The night of October 1st felt endless. Ash lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, the shadows shifting with each passing car outside.


    The quiet of the night should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.


    ¡®Tomorrow¡¯s the day,¡¯ he reminded himself.


    October 2nd.


    The date Lucas had mentioned.


    The sports ground near the warehouse.


    He turned onto his side, trying to push the thoughts away, but they kept circling back, refusing to let him rest.


    Why did he even care so much? It wasn¡¯t like he had any obligation to get involved. Blake, the Boss, all of it... none of it was his business. And yet, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had to be there. Maybe it was his own curiosity, or maybe it was the memories of the notes he had sent to Blake, forcing him to stop his bullying ways.


    Ash wasn¡¯t sure why he felt responsible, but the feeling was there, gnawing at him.


    ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t go,¡¯ he thought, closing his eyes, trying to convince himself. ¡®It¡¯s probably just a trap... I¡¯ll only get myself into trouble.¡¯


    But even as he thought that, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore it. He needed to know what was going on. He needed to see it through.


    As he rolled over to grab his phone, it buzzed in his hand. He squinted at the screen, the brightness harsh against his tired eyes.


    It was a message from Lucas.


    Lucas: ¡°Hey, you asleep yet?¡±


    Ash blinked in surprise. It wasn¡¯t like Lucas to message him this late, especially not with something as simple as that. He hesitated for a moment before typing back.


    Ash: ¡°No, not yet. What¡¯s up?¡±


    The reply came almost immediately.


    Lucas: ¡°Can¡¯t sleep either. I¡¯ve been thinking... you know, about tomorrow.¡±


    Ash felt a strange sense of relief. At least he wasn¡¯t the only one who was restless.


    Ash: ¡°Yeah... me too.¡±


    A pause. The three dots on the screen indicated that Lucas was typing, then stopping, then starting again, as if he wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    Lucas: ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m kinda curious but also... scared. I mean, who is this Boss guy anyway? You think it¡¯s worth the risk going there?¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Lucas was actually considering going?


    Ash: ¡°No way. I don¡¯t think we should go. What if it¡¯s a setup? I mean, we have no idea what¡¯s waiting for us there.¡±


    There was a longer pause this time, and Ash found himself holding his breath, waiting for the reply.


    Lucas: ¡°Huh... you¡¯re actually replying for once. Usually, you just leave me on read.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but smirk a little at that.


    Ash: ¡°Yeah, well, I can¡¯t sleep, okay? My mind¡¯s all over the place.¡±


    Lucas: ¡°Same here. But still... It''s weird, right? We¡¯ve heard all these rumors, and now there¡¯s an actual chance to see the guy who¡¯s been controlling everything from the shadows.¡±


    Ash hesitated, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He knew that Lucas was tempted, just as he was, but he couldn¡¯t let him get involved. Not if it meant walking into something dangerous.


    Ash: ¡°I know you¡¯re curious, but it¡¯s not worth it. You remember what you said, right? Let¡¯s just stay out of it. ¡±


    For a moment, there was nothing, just the blinking cursor on the screen as if Lucas was contemplating his words.


    Lucas: ¡°Alright, alright. If you say so. But... promise me something, Ash. If you ever do decide to go, you won¡¯t go alone, got it?¡±


    Ash felt a lump form in his throat. He hadn¡¯t expected that. He didn¡¯t respond.


    Lucas: ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do something stupid, Ash. I don¡¯t want you going to that place tomorrow. Do you trust me?¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart skipped. The sincerity behind Lucas¡¯s words hit him harder than he expected.


    He could almost picture Lucas saying it, his usual teasing tone gone, replaced with something... deeper, something protective.


    For the first time, Ash felt like Lucas wasn¡¯t just the guy who made his days annoying with his teasing. He was genuinely concerned.


    Ash: ¡°I trust you, Lucas. But I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I just feel like I need to know.¡±


    Lucas: ¡°No, Ash. Listen to me.¡±


    There was a pause before the next message came through.


    Lucas: ¡°I don¡¯t want you getting hurt. If you go there tomorrow, there¡¯s a good chance you won¡¯t come back in one piece. Not because you can¡¯t handle yourself, but because you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re walking into. Please, stay out of it. For me.¡±


    Ash¡¯s breath hitched.


    Ash: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go, but... I don¡¯t know what to do, Lucas.¡±


    Another long pause, and then, a final message from Lucas.


    Lucas: ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re sounding like Jason. Trust me, Ash. You just need to stay out of it. Promise me you won¡¯t go tomorrow. Promise me you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Ash sat up in his bed, staring at the screen, his thoughts swirling like a storm.


    He didn¡¯t know what was going to happen. He didn¡¯t know if he could trust that everything would work out. But in that moment, he realized just how much Lucas¡¯s opinion mattered to him. He realized that no matter how stubborn he was, or how much he felt like he needed to figure everything out himself, there was someone who cared. Someone who was asking him, genuinely, not to make a mistake.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Ash closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.


    Ash: ¡°I promise, Lucas. I won¡¯t go.¡±


    The response came swiftly.


    Lucas: ¡°Good. Now, get some sleep, alright? We¡¯ll figure this out another way, when it¡¯s time.¡±


    Ash: ¡°You too, dumbhead. Goodnight.¡±


    Lucas: ¡°Night!¡±


    Ash put his phone down, the weight in his chest finally easing. He lay back in his bed, the quiet of the night settling around him. Lucas¡¯s words kept echoing in his mind- I don¡¯t want you getting hurt.


    ¡®Should I go or not?¡¯


    Ash didn¡¯t know, but his instincts screamed at him to go, to find out who was the final boss.


    Maybe he¡¯ll stay hidden, not show himself, and find out.


    Yeah, that sounded good, he¡¯ll just stay at the sidelines.


    But one way or another, he was gonna go.


    Sure, promises were meant to be kept, but sometimes, people do what they have to, even if it means breaking them.


    Ash lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to steady his thoughts. His mind was racing, but his heart had already made its decision.


    ¡®I promised Lucas I wouldn¡¯t go, but¡­ I just can¡¯t let this go. I need to know. I need to see it with my own eyes.¡¯


    The thought of staying hidden, staying on the sidelines, comforted him. It felt like a compromise. He wouldn¡¯t get involved, he¡¯d just watch, just observe.


    No one would even know he was there. And if things got dangerous, he¡¯d turn back.


    ¡®Yeah¡­ that¡¯s the plan. Just stay out of sight. Lucas won¡¯t even know I was there.¡¯


    But even as he tried to convince himself, a part of him knew that he was about to break his promise. The promise he had just made not more than ten minutes ago. The promise that Lucas had practically begged him to keep.


    ¡®Do I really want to disappoint him? But if I don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll never get another chance to find out what¡¯s really going on.¡¯


    Tomorrow was going to be a turning point, he could feel it.


    But for now, all he could do was drift into an uneasy sleep, knowing full well that he was about to walk straight into the unknown, even if it meant breaking a promise to the one person who genuinely cared.


    ¡®Sorry, Lucas. But I have to do this.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    It was the second day of October.


    ¡®This is it,¡¯ he thought, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. ¡®Whatever happens today... I just hope I made the right choice.¡¯


    He dressed quickly, his hands trembling slightly as he buttoned his shirt. His mind was a cyclone of what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.


    What if the Boss saw him?


    What if it was a trap?


    What if Lucas found out he broke his promise?


    Ash shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. ¡®No. I¡¯ll stay hidden, just like I planned. No one will even know I was there.¡¯


    Grabbing his bag, he headed to school, silently praying that things would go his way. That he wouldn¡¯t end up regretting this decision.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The school corridors were bustling with the usual morning chaos.


    As Ash turned a corner, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the lockers.


    Blake.


    But something was off. Blake¡¯s usually confident posture was replaced with slumped shoulders, and his face was pale, eyes darting around like a cornered animal.


    He looked... terrified.


    Ash¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡®What happened to him? Did he already meet the Boss? Or is he just nervous about today? Why is he early today? I mean, I was here to pass the note, but¡­¡¯


    Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Blake quickly looked away.


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s new,¡¯ Ash thought, a frown forming on his lips.


    But he didn¡¯t approach him. Instead, he walked past, pretending not to notice.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    By lunchtime, Ash was barely holding it together.


    He sat at their usual table, his mind far away, but the familiar sounds of Jason and Lucas bickering managed to pull him back to reality.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s no way you can eat that, without getting sick,¡± Jason argued, pointing at the snacks Lucas snatched from him.


    Lucas smirked. ¡°Why, Jason? You were going to eat it, so why can¡¯t I?¡±


    Jason groaned. ¡°That, Lucas, is only healthy for me.¡±


    Ash gaze drifted across the cafeteria, and he saw Blake again, sitting by himself, staring blankly at his untouched food.


    ¡®He looks even worse now... What the hell is going on?¡¯


    ¡°Asher, you alive over there?¡± Jason¡¯s voice snapped him back, and he realized they were staring at him.


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Ash muttered, forcing a smile.


    Jason gave him a weird look but didn¡¯t press further, instead pointed at Lucas ¡°You need to tell lightning Lucas that It¡¯s not good for him.¡±


    Lucas, however, was watching Ash with a different expression, something more intense, like he was trying to read his mind.


    The moment Jason got up to grab something, Lucas scooted over, lowering his voice.


    ¡°So, did you change your mind?¡± Lucas asked, his tone casual, but there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.


    Ash stiffened, his pulse quickening. ¡®He¡¯s asking about the Boss. Damn it, does he suspect something?¡¯


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ash replied, feigning confusion.


    Lucas leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper now. ¡°You know what I mean, Ash. About today. Are you still planning to go?¡±


    Ash hesitated.


    He knew Lucas was only asking because he cared, but he also knew he couldn¡¯t back down now. Not when he was so close to the truth.


    ¡°I told you, Lucas,¡± Ash said, trying to sound nonchalant. ¡°I¡¯m not going. It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    Lucas studied him for a moment, then he sighed, leaning back. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take your word for it. But seriously, Ash... if you trust me, don¡¯t even think of going. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    Ash nodded. ¡°I trust you, Lucas. I won¡¯t go.¡±


    But even as he said the words, he knew he was lying. Because deep down, he had already made up his mind. He was going, whether Lucas liked it or not.


    Lucas gave him one last look before turning back to his food, and Ash felt guilt. But he pushed it down, focusing on the plan for tonight.


    ¡®Just a few more hours,¡¯ he told himself. ¡®And then I¡¯ll know the truth.¡¯


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The school day felt like it dragged on forever. Ash had barely paid attention in class, his mind wandering to the events of the evening. As soon as the final bell rang, he was out the door, moving quickly through the crowded hallways and out of the school gates.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Once he was home, Ash went straight to his room, tossing his bag onto the bed. He changed into something more comfortable, a black hoodie and a pair of jeans.


    He tied his sneakers with shaky hands, trying to calm his nerves. ¡®Alright, Ash,¡¯ he told himself, ¡®this is it. You¡¯ve been through worse, right? It¡¯s just another night.¡¯


    Just as he was about to leave, he heard a small voice from the doorway.


    ¡°Big brother, where are you going?¡±


    Ash turned to see Noah standing there, clutching a small toy in his hands, looking up with those wide, innocent eyes.


    Ash forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Noah. Just... going out for a bit.¡±


    Noah¡¯s brows furrowed, and he took a step closer. ¡°But Daddy¡¯s coming back today. He said he¡¯ll be here before dinner. You promised you¡¯d be here too, remember?¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart clenched. He had forgotten. His father was supposed to come back after weeks of being away. He glanced at the clock on his wall; he still had some time before his dad¡¯s usual arrival, but not much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Noah,¡± Ash said, kneeling down to ruffle his little brother¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before he gets here. I promise.¡±


    Noah looked unconvinced, but he nodded slowly. ¡°Okay... but you better be back.¡±


    Ash chuckled softly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    With a final pat on Noah¡¯s head, he slipped out of the house, the door clicking shut behind him.

 I walked into a trap

    The evening air was cool against his skin as Ash made his way to the old sports faculty ground. It wasn¡¯t far, just a fifteen-minute walk if he cut through the alleyways.


    He opted to go on foot, hoping the walk would calm his nerves. But as he walked, the anxiety only grew.


    ¡®What am I even doing?¡¯ he wondered, kicking at a stray pebble on the pavement. ¡®Why am I always getting myself into this mess?¡¯


    But deep down, he knew why.


    It wasn¡¯t just about Blake or the Boss.


    It was about standing up, even if his legs were shaking, even if he didn¡¯t have a solid reason why.


    He had always been like this- always pushing back, even against things that seemed bigger than him. Maybe it was because he hated bullies, hated seeing people get crushed under someone else¡¯s heel.


    Maybe it was because, in some cruel way, it made him feel alive.


    ¡®Yeah, right,¡¯ he scoffed at himself, ¡®playing the hero when no one asked you to. Real smart, Ash.¡¯


    But he couldn¡¯t shake the unease.


    There was something about tonight that felt... different.


    Dangerous.


    And yet, electrifying.


    It was like¡­every nerve in his body on high alert. His instincts screamed at him to turn back, to just go home and pretend he knew nothing. But something else urged him forward.


    ¡®God, you¡¯re insane,¡¯ he muttered to himself, shoving his hands deep into his pockets to stop them from trembling. ¡®Who in their right mind goes looking for trouble?¡¯


    But maybe that was just it.


    Maybe he wasn¡¯t in his right mind.


    Maybe he was done waiting for things to happen to him.


    Maybe he was stubborn.


    ¡®Whatever it is,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I¡¯ll face it.¡¯


    Because that¡¯s what he did. He might not always know what he was getting himself into, but he never backed down. And tonight would be no different.


    Ash pressed on, the sports faculty ground getting closer with each step, the sun setting, and daylight fading.


    He could feel that nothing would be the same after this.


    But then again, wasn¡¯t that what he wanted?


    A chance to break free from the shackles of his past, to prove to himself that he was more than just another kid lost in the shuffle. That he was better than the majority of his school who just let it happen.


    Tonight, he would find out what he was made of, whether he was ready or not.


    ¡®Finally.¡¯


    He sighed deeply as he approached the warehouse near the sports grounds.


    The place was old, with broken windows and graffiti-stained walls.


    The kind of place that no one would go to unless they had something to hide.


    ¡®Alright,¡¯ he told himself, ¡®Stay hidden. Stay quiet. Just watch. Don¡¯t get involved unless you have to.¡¯


    But his heart was pounding so hard, it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. As he slipped inside, his eyes scanned for any sign of movement.


    ¡®I can do this,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Just... stay calm.¡¯


    But even as he told himself that, he knew there was no going back now. Whatever happened tonight, he was in it for the long haul.


    ¡®Here goes nothing,¡¯ he thought, taking a step further into the warehouse, and pulling out a small flashlight from his pocket.


    The beam of light cut through the darkness, illuminating old crates and cobwebs, but nothing that screamed of danger, or of the Boss.


    ¡®See? Nothing to worry about,¡¯ he tried convincing himself, ¡®You were just being paranoid. There¡¯s nothing here.¡¯


    Ash heaved a long sigh of relief.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡®Maybe I should just go back,¡¯ he reasoned, the rational part of his mind screaming at him to turn around, to leave this place and forget all about it. ¡®There¡¯s nothing here but dust and spiders. I was scared for nothing.¡¯


    He took a step back, ready to leave, to put this whole thing behind him.


    But then-


    Thump.


    A muffled noise, like a struggle.


    A sound that didn¡¯t belong in an empty warehouse.


    A sound that shouldn¡¯t belong in an empty warehouse.


    Ash froze, his heart leaping into his throat.


    The flashlight trembled in his hand, the beam flickering as he turned toward the source of the sound.


    It was faint, like someone was fighting to breathe.


    ¡®What the hell...?¡¯ he thought, every muscle in his body tensing up.


    There it was again. A soft, desperate noise coming from deeper inside, from a room on the left-side of the warehouse.


    Someone was definitely there.


    ¡®Okay, okay, think, Ash,¡¯ he urged himself. ¡®You can¡¯t just barge in. What if it¡¯s a trap?¡¯


    But then, the noise came again, this time more urgent, more pained.


    ¡®Dammit,¡¯ Ash grit his teeth, knowing he couldn¡¯t just walk away now. ¡®I came here for answers. I can¡¯t back out now.¡¯


    Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the flashlight.


    ¡®Please don¡¯t be something I can¡¯t handle,¡¯ he prayed silently, every step bringing him closer to that room.


    And with one final step, he was outside the room.


    ¡®Man, I hope it isn¡¯t something that I can¡¯t handle. I¡¯ve like¡­..half an hour before dad arrives. Better if I reach before he does, or I¡¯m dead meat.¡¯


    Ash took a glance at his watch.


    5:00 PM.


    ¡®Nothing good will happen if I stand here, just see what''s ...no¡­who¡¯s inside.¡¯


    Ash heard the sound again.


    Someone was struggling, that was for sure.


    So, he decided to push past the door, just a bit, so he could peek inside.


    But little did he know, he was setting foot in a giant trap, made especially for him.


    ¡®That¡¯s right, just a little peek¡­.¡¯


    Ash pushed the door just enough to peer inside, and the door creaked open.


    Liam and Carter were locked in a fierce brawl, their breaths labored, each one trying to overpower the other.


    Liam had the upper hand, pinning Carter to the ground.


    ¡®What the¡­?¡¯ Ash furrowed his brows. ¡®Why are they fighting? Was Carter the one struggling before¡­?¡¯


    But something didn¡¯t add up.


    It felt... staged. Like he had just walked into the middle of a play.


    And then it clicked in his mind. ¡®This is wrong. I should go. I should-¡¯


    He stepped back, intending to slip away before he got tangled up in whatever mess this was. But as he turned on his heel, he froze.


    A low, mocking chuckle came from behind him.


    ¡°Well, well, well... Look who was playing the hero all along.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded in his ears as he recognized that voice.


    He spun around to see Blake standing there, arms crossed, a smirk positioned on his face.


    But what caught Ash¡¯s attention was his eyes- The look in his eyes was something between amusement and¡­thrill.


    The way his gaze locked onto Ash made it clear: this wasn¡¯t just about intimidation or power.


    It was personal.


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded, way faster than usual.


    ¡®Damn it,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This guy isn¡¯t just looking for revenge¡­ He wants to¡­He wants to rattle me from the inside.¡¯


    And the worst part? It was working.


    ¡®Well, now that he knows, no point in hiding it anymore.¡¯


    Ash swallowed hard, trying to keep his expression neutral. ¡°Blake...Didn¡¯t know you would be so scared.¡±


    Blake¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I could ask you the same, junior. Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually show up. I was starting to think those little notes of yours were all talk.¡±


    The color drained from Ash¡¯s face.


    Blake took a step closer, his presence overwhelming, his aura intimidating like always. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. You thought you were keeping me in line by sending me those cute notes? Guess what...Ash¡­I wasn¡¯t a tad bit scared.¡±


    Ash¡¯s mind raced, trying to think of a way for Blake to know his name, his nickname, Ash.


    ¡®No, this can¡¯t be happening. He¡¯s lying, ¡®cause he stopped bullying.¡¯


    Ash forced himself to stand his ground, his eyes narrowing as he met Blake¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing,¡± he shot back. ¡°If you weren¡¯t scared, why¡¯d you stop? Why¡¯d you back off?¡±


    Blake chuckled, ¡°You really think you were keeping me in check?¡± He took another step forward, closing the distance between them, his eyes gleaming, ¡°You think your pathetic little notes scared me off?¡±


    Ash swallowed hard, trying to steady his breathing. ¡°Then why...why did you stop?¡± he demanded.


    Blake paused, tilting his head. ¡°Because,¡± he finally said, ¡°I got bored. You think you¡¯re the first one to try and play hero? I¡¯ve dealt with worse than you, Ash.¡±


    Hearing his name again sent another jolt of fear through Ash. ¡®How does he know my name? My nickname, even?¡¯


    Blake¡¯s grin widened, clearly enjoying it. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. You were brave when we met, I¡¯ll give you that, but not clever.¡±


    Ash clenched his fists, trying to mask the panic rising in his chest. ¡®Stay calm. Don¡¯t let him see you¡¯re scared.¡¯


    ¡°Fine, you know it was me,¡± Ash said, forcing his voice to steady. ¡°But if you think I¡¯m afraid of you, you¡¯re wrong. I came here to see the ¡®Boss,¡¯ not to play games with you.¡±


    Blake¡¯s eyes flashed.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll get to see the Boss soon enough,¡± Blake said.


    ¡°But the Boss won¡¯t be happy with ya.¡±


    Ash¡¯s grip tightened on his flashlight, every nerve in his body screaming at him to run, to get out while he still could.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    The footsteps grew louder, and Ash squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the figure coming.


    And then, just for a split second, he caught a glimpse of red.


    A faint, almost glowing at the edges of the figure¡¯s eyes.

 Nothingness...void

    And then, just for a split second, he caught a glimpse of red.


    A faint, almost glowing at the edges of the figure¡¯s eyes.


    Ash felt as if someone had sucked all the oxygen out of the room. He felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Ash didn¡¯t dare turn around, his body frozen in place.


    But he didn¡¯t need to look to know who it was.


    ¡°Looks like you came, Ash.¡± came a voice that was too familiar.


    Ash¡¯s legs felt like they might give out from under him.


    His brain screamed at him to run, but his body refused to obey.


    It was like he was trapped in a nightmare, his limbs heavy, his mind fogged with terror. His mind couldn¡¯t think of a single logical reasoning of what he, of what Lucas- was doing here.


    Lucas stepped into the dim light, his face as relaxed as ever, but his eyes, those red-tinted eyes that Ash had noticed only a few nights ago- held a different story.


    A look that sent chills down Ash¡¯s spine.


    ¡®No¡­ no, this can¡¯t be happening,¡¯ Ash thought, his throat dry, his voice lost somewhere in the back of his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t move.


    Couldn¡¯t speak.


    It was like someone had hit a switch, shutting down his ability to function.


    Lucas tilted his head, his gaze fixed on Ash. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± Lucas added, leaning in slightly.


    Ash tried to respond, but all that came out was a strangled sound, somewhere between a gasp and a whisper.


    Blake chuckled from beneath him.


    Lucas¡¯s smile widened just a fraction. ¡°I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°W-What are you¡­doing here?¡± Ash finally managed, despite the loud pounding of his heart in his ears, despite the trembling fingers, despite his shaky voice, despite his legs threatening to buckle up behind him.


    Lucas chuckled, ¡°Oh, Ash. Wake up, will ya?¡± He leaned closer, ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? You never notice things when they matter.¡±


    Ash mind whirled, going back to the night, on the bus-stop, when Lucas told him,


    .


    .


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you, Ash. You don¡¯t notice things when it matters.¡±


    .


    .


    Ash looked at Lucas, his eyes widening just a bit, ¡®That¡¯s why he told me this? He was giving me silent signals all along, and I was such a fool, I never considered him ...I never considered him to be the boss.¡¯


    Lucas then said, almost unexpectedly, ¡°I told you to stay out of this. I told you to trust me.¡±


    Blake nudged Ash on the shoulder, whispering in a little, ¡°Told ya boss was angry.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded, his hands shook, the flashlight slipping from his grasp and falling to the ground with a loud thud.


    Ash could barely process the words coming out of Lucas¡¯s mouth. His brain felt like it was running on overdrive.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Lucas¡­ the Boss?


    No, it didn¡¯t make any sense, did it?


    The same Lucas who teased him, bickered with Jason, and ate lunch with him every day? But then there were those nights, those conversations that now seemed like warnings.


    Ash¡¯s knees felt weak, but he forced himself to stand tall. ¡°You¡¯re the Boss¡­?¡±


    Lucas¡¯s smile faltered, if only for a second, before it was replaced with that familiar smirk. ¡°Bingo.¡±


    He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms. ¡°Took you long enough to guess, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Blake snickered behind him. ¡°Looks like the hero is out of answers, eh?¡±


    Ash¡¯s chest tightened.


    Every part of him screamed to run, to get away from this nightmare, but his feet were glued to the ground.


    He could barely hear over the rush of blood in his ears. ¡®Lucas¡­ all this time, he was right under my nose. I trusted him. I thought-¡¯


    ¡°You should¡¯ve stayed out of this, Ash,¡± Lucas¡¯s voice was softer now, almost regretful. ¡°I told you to trust me, but you just couldn¡¯t let it go, could you?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Ash¡¯s voice cracked, and he hated how weak he sounded. ¡°I thought I could trust you, Lucas. I thought-¡±


    ¡°I told you to trust me, that¡¯s how simple it was!¡± Lucas cut him off, his eyes flashing with something- anger, frustration, or maybe even fear.


    ¡°I warned you, didn¡¯t I?! I said not to get involved. I tried to keep you away from all this!¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart sank further.


    This wasn¡¯t just a trap. It was a betrayal, but¡­


    Lucas¡¯s eyes, they weren¡¯t cold like Blake¡¯s.


    No, they held something else. Regret? Guilt?


    ¡®Why does he look like he¡¯s in pain?¡¯ Ash wondered.


    Blake grinned. ¡°See, Boss here was real upset when he found out you were snooping around. But me? I loved your little love letters.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t even find it in himself to glare at Blake.


    All his focus was on Lucas. ¡°If you really didn¡¯t want me involved... why didn¡¯t you just tell me the truth?¡± Ash¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.


    ¡°Because I¡­.¡± Lucas trailed off, his eyes averting towards the ground, and then after a few brief moments of silence, he looked at Ash, and then continued, with a fierce determination in his eyes, ¡°Look, Ash. The only thing you can do now is go. Leave this place and go home. Forget everything that happened-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ash said coldly, glaring at him, and Lucas flinched at the sudden change of voice, ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Ash fists clenched at his sides, ¡°Not until I get answers. Not until I know why you did all this.¡±


    ¡°Ash,¡± Lucas asked once again, ¡°Go. Leave this place. It¡¯s better to lose your way than to lose yourself.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me the first time?¡± Ash scoffed, ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡±


    Blake looked at Lucas with confused look, wondering why Lucas was giving him an offer like this, and then he remembered,


    .


    .


    That depends entirely on how he performs. If he¡¯s as brave as you think, perhaps I¡¯ll have a proposition for him. And if not... well, you know how it goes.


    .


    .


    Blake chuckled darkly, tightening the grip on Ash¡¯s shoulder, knowing how well the Boss will act now that Ash has refused his offer.


    Lucas¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°Guess you made your choice.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded. He took a cautious step back, his mind racing for an escape, any way out of this suffocating situation.


    Lucas¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver. He stood tall, like a king surveying his kingdom. ¡°I gave you a chance, Ash. And you refused it.¡±


    Lucas raised a hand, a silent command that stopped Ash in his tracks.


    Blake was standing behind Ash, his eyes gleaming. And then, with a slow, almost casual nod from Lucas, Blake¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve stayed out of this,¡± Lucas murmured, his eyes never leaving Ash¡¯s. ¡°I warned you.¡±


    Before Ash could react, he felt a sharp, blinding pain explode at the back of his head.


    The world spun violently, his vision blurring as his knees buckled beneath him.


    ¡®What... what just happened?¡¯


    There was a flash of agony, and then everything went dark. The last thing he saw was Lucas¡¯ eyes- red eyes, that fooled him for so long.


    Ash crumpled to the floor, his body limp.


    ¡®Noah¡­¡¯


    The thought of his little brother flashed through his mind, so bright, so vivid, it almost hurt.


    He remembered the way Noah¡¯s eyes would light up whenever he walked through the door, the little kid running to him with that boundless energy, like Ash was his whole world. He had promised him, hadn¡¯t he? Promised to always come home, no matter what.


    But now?


    Now, as the darkness closed in, as the pain throbbed at the back of his head, Ash wasn¡¯t sure if he could keep that promise.


    ¡®Is this it?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to die here, in this old warehouse, with no one knowing where he was. A part of him wanted to fight, to stand up one more time. But his body felt heavy, too heavy.


    ¡®I promised¡­¡¯


    The promise lingered in his mind. But it was slipping, slipping away like everything else. Ash¡¯s vision dimmed, his thoughts fading to black.


    Would he ever see Noah again?


    Would he ever see the worried look on his mother¡¯s face when he came home late?


    Would he hear Jason¡¯s annoying laugh during lunch?


    Would he hear his dad say ¡®I¡¯m proud of you¡¯ one more time?


    Would he ever hear Lucas¡¯ genuine giggle?


    Would he ever see that cold yet concerning look in Lily¡¯s eyes?


    Or was this the end?


    ¡®No, I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ But there was nothing left but silence, and the cold, hard truth that he might not make it out of here.


    For the first time, Ash was truly scared.


    Not of bullies, not of secrets, but of the one thing he couldn¡¯t control - the possibility that he might not make it back to the people who mattered most.


    And then there was nothing.

 Disaster

    ¡°Noah, sweetheart, sit down, okay? Dad will be home any minute now,¡± Ash¡¯s mom said gently, her voice soft as she glanced at the clock on the wall.


    5:30 PM.


    The minutes seemed to drag as she tried to keep herself busy.


    Noah was pacing the living room, his small feet padding softly against the floor.


    He was waiting - waiting for his big brother, waiting for his dad. She knew he wouldn¡¯t rest until they were all together, but that made two of them, didn¡¯t it?


    Ash¡¯s mom sighed, wiping her hands on the apron she wore.


    The smell of dinner filled the kitchen.


    ¡®I have spent hours preparing it, Luke was never home often; work kept him away, always traveling, always somewhere else. But tonight, he had promised.Tonight, we¡¯ll have dinner as a family.¡¯


    She thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.


    It was a rare occasion, something she wanted to cherish. Ash, her husband, and little Noah - all together, even if just for one night.


    But as the minutes ticked by, her heart couldn¡¯t help but grow heavier.


    ¡®Where are they?¡¯


    ¡°Noah, darling, come sit down,¡± she tried again, but he was too restless, too anxious.


    He kept glancing at the door, his eyes wide with hope.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon, right, Mommy?¡± Noah asked, his voice small, uncertain.


    ¡°Yes, they will,¡± she reassured him, though she grew anxious.


    ¡®Ash, where are you?¡¯


    He was usually home by now. She knew he had his own way of doing things, but he always made it back before dark.


    And then, there was a knock at the door.


    Her heart leapt, a rush of relief filling her.


    ¡®That must be him. Or maybe it¡¯s Luke.¡¯


    She quickly wiped her hands on her apron, smoothing her hair, and hurried to the door.


    ¡°Noah, stay here, okay?¡± she called over her shoulder as she reached for the doorknob.


    She opened it with a hopeful smile, expecting to see her husband¡¯s familiar face, or perhaps Ash.


    But it wasn¡¯t either of them.


    Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her standing there, her eyes cold.


    ¡®L-Lily?¡¯


    ¡°What are you¡­What are you doing h-here?¡± She asked, clutching the doorknob, squeezing the breath out of her lungs.


    She knew, deep down, that whatever reason Lily had for coming here, it wasn¡¯t good. It couldn¡¯t be.


    Lily didn¡¯t respond, her gaze flicking past her mother like she was a stranger.


    Without a word, she stepped inside.


    ¡°Lily, wait-¡± her mother tried, reaching out, but Lily was already crossing the room.


    Noah was standing just beside his mother, his wide eyes staring up at the girl who had suddenly appeared in his home.


    He didn¡¯t know her, not really, but he had heard stories - whispers of an older sister who had left, to study in a nearby city.


    Lily knelt down in front of him, her face softening for a moment as she took his tiny hand in hers. ¡°Noah,¡± she said gently, ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    Noah blinked, confused, ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± he murmured, looking between Lily and his mother.


    Ash¡¯s mom stood frozen in the doorway, her mind racing, heart pounding.


    ¡®What is she doing? Why now, why here?!¡¯


    ¡°Lily, stop,¡± she said, her voice shaky but firm, trying to regain control of the situation. ¡°What are you-¡±


    But Lily ignored her, gently pulling Noah up from the floor, guiding him to the couch. She moved with an urgency.


    ¡°I¡¯m your big sister, Noah.¡±


    Noah looked up to her, then smiled, ¡°The one who¡¯s studying in another city?¡±


    Lily scoffed, her posture rigid, ¡°Studying? Yeah, yeah.¡± she waited for a second, and then continued, ¡°Noah, do you wanna go with me?¡±


    Noah jumped off the couch, ¡°Where?¡±


    Lily glared at Noah, grabbing Noah¡¯s wrist, ¡°I am not asking. I am taking you with me.¡±


    Noah¡¯s smile faded. ¡°But... I have to wait for big brother and Daddy,¡± he said, his voice barely above a whisper, eyes darting between his mother and Lily.


    Lily¡¯s grip tightened on his wrist, her knuckles turning white. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± she snapped, ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a choice, Noah. You¡¯re coming with me. Now.¡±


    Noah¡¯s eyes grew wide, he tried to pull his hand back, but Lily¡¯s grip was like iron. ¡°B-But Mommy said-¡±


    Ash¡¯s mom stepped forward. ¡°Lily, stop it! You¡¯re scaring him!¡± she shouted, her voice trembling.


    But Lily didn¡¯t even flinch, her cold gaze fixed on Noah.


    Noah¡¯s voice broke. ¡°I... I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    That was enough to break his mother out of her shock. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Her heart pounding, she turned on her heel, rushing toward the kitchen where the phone was.


    ¡®I need to call Luke. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡¯


    Her fingers shook as she dialed the number, praying he¡¯d pick up, praying he was nearby.


    She glanced over her shoulder to see Lily pulling Noah closer.


    ¡°Come on, come on, pick up...¡± she whispered.


    In the living room, Noah¡¯s eyes filled with tears, his small hands trying to push Lily away. ¡°No! I wanna stay with Mommy and daddy! I want to stay with big brother!¡±


    Lily¡¯s voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper. ¡°I told you, Noah. They don¡¯t care about you like I do. I¡¯m taking you somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°Lily, please! Stop!¡± Ash¡¯s mom pleaded, tears streaming down her face.


    But before she could say anything more, Lily turned her head sharply, eyes narrowing as she saw the phone in her mother¡¯s hand. ¡°You think calling him will change anything?¡± she spat, ¡°I¡¯ll take him away, so you can feel what I felt!¡±


    Noah was sobbing now, his tiny hands reaching out to his mother, but Lily was already pulling him toward the door.


    ¡°Lily, please,¡± she tried one last time, her voice breaking. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. He¡¯s just a child. He¡¯s your brother.¡±


    But Lily didn¡¯t stop. She tightened her grip on Noah¡¯s hand, pulling him close. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide. So shut up!¡±


    And with that, she turned away, dragging Noah with her.


    Noah¡¯s cries filled the room, his small body shaking with sobs. ¡°Mommy, please! I don¡¯t want to go! I want to stay here!¡±


    Ash¡¯s mom lunged forward, and reached for Noah, her hands trembling as they closed around his other arm, trying to pull him back. ¡°Lily, please! Let him go! He¡¯s scared! You¡¯re scaring him!¡± she cried.


    But Lily was cold.


    Noah¡¯s screams grew louder, ¡°Please, I don¡¯t wanna go!¡±


    Just then, the front door burst open with a force.


    There stood Luke, his breath caught in his throat, his eyes wide with shock.


    He took in the scene before him, his wife¡¯s tear-streaked face, Noah¡¯s frightened cries, and Lily¡¯s icy glare.


    ¡°W-What... What the hell is going on here?¡± Luke stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he couldn¡¯t believe the scene unfolding before his eyes.


    Lily froze, her grip on Noah loosening just enough for the boy to pull free. Noah stumbled forward, his tiny feet rushing towards his father, tears streaming down his cheeks.


    ¡°D-Daddy!¡± Noah cried, his voice a broken sob as he clung to Luke¡¯s trousers, burying his tear-streaked face against him.


    But Luke was shocked.


    Yes, he had been harsh before. Too harsh. He remembered the way he used to push Lily, expecting her to be perfect, to be everything he had never been.


    She was his eldest, after all.


    He thought she needed to be strong, to set an example for her siblings.


    And when Ash came along, he¡¯d promised himself he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistakes.


    But even then, his old habits had crept in. The moment Ash met Lily, he¡¯d lost his temper, afraid Ash would follow the same path.


    He had confronted him, yelled at him, but he¡¯d regretted it almost instantly.


    Luke had apologized to Ash.


    He knew he had to do better, had to be better, especially for Noah.


    Noah, who was so small, so innocent. He was Luke¡¯s second chance - his chance to finally be the kind of father he¡¯d always wanted to be.


    Noah was his joy, his light. He was the little boy who ran to him every evening when he came home, who clung to his leg, begging for piggyback rides.


    Luke had sworn he wouldn¡¯t mess it up this time.


    He wanted Noah to feel loved, to feel safe, to feel okay.


    But there was nothing okay about the scene in front of him. His wife stood there, her face pale, eyes wide with terror, while Lily stood just a few feet away, her eyes cold and filled with something Luke couldn¡¯t quite name.


    Anger?


    Pain?


    Hatred?


    Luke took a step inside, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°Lily,¡± He finally asked, but the name sounded too foreign on his tongue, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dazed would be an understatement; Ash felt like his mind was filled with cotton.


    The first thing he noticed was that he couldn¡¯t move.


    His arms were twisted behind him, wrists bound tight to the back of a chair, his legs were similarly tied, preventing even the slightest shift.


    His head was throbbing.


    ¡®Where¡­ am I?¡¯ Ash¡¯s thoughts were faint, struggling to remember what had happened.


    He remembered Blake, a smirk on his face, the way Lucas signaled him to knock him out.


    And then¡­ nothing. Just darkness.


    He tried to lift his head, but nothing happened.


    His breath came in shallow, ragged gasps as he tried to calm himself, to focus on something, anything, that could help him get out of this mess.


    ¡®Think, Ash, think,¡¯ he told himself, forcing his mind to clear.


    But all he could think was he promised he¡¯d come home before dinner.


    And now?


    Now he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d even see his family again.


    He tugged at the ropes at his wrists.


    ¡®Dammit,¡¯ he thought, biting back a groan. ¡®How do I get out of here? What time is it, anyway?¡¯


    But before he could think of a plan, he heard footsteps approaching.


    Ash shot open his eyes.


    It was Lucas, accompanied by Blake and his lackeys, Liam and Carter. They were all smirking, like they were in on some joke Ash wasn¡¯t known to.


    Lucas stopped in front of him, tilting his head slightly. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake from your beauty sleep? You¡¯ve always been a heavy sleeper, haven¡¯t you?¡± he said, his voice calm.


    Ash took a deep breath, ¡°What time is it?¡± he asked, his voice hoarse than he thought it would be.


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. ¡°Why? You got somewhere to be?¡±


    Ash glared at him. ¡°Maybe I do,¡± he shot back. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m just wondering why you¡¯re wasting both our time by keeping me here. What do you want from me, Lucas?¡±


    Blake stepped forward, crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯re not in any position to ask questions,¡± he said, then smirked, ¡°But since you¡¯re so curious¡­ let¡¯s just say boss needed to make sure you understood your place. You¡¯ve been a real pain, Ash.¡±


    He leaned closer, his breath hot against Ash¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re done for.¡±


    ¡®Stupid¡­Stupid me. Why did I even ask them the time?¡¯


    Ash met Blake¡¯s glare head-on, not backing down even as his wrists screamed in pain. ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± he spat, looking back at Lucas. ¡°You dragged me into this mess just to tell me that I¡¯ve been a real pain?¡±


    ¡®All my life, I¡¯ve been told to stay out of trouble, to mind my own business. But sometimes... you¡¯ve to stand up, and that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡¯


    ¡°You think this is just about you being a pain?¡± Lucas whispered, his tone sharp. ¡°You think I enjoy this?¡±


    Ash¡¯s mind spinned, and he winced from the throbbing of his head.


    But all he felt was confusion and anger. ¡°Then why?¡± he shot back, ¡°If you didn¡¯t want this, why did you go so far?¡±


    Blake chuckled from the side, ¡°You¡¯re still trying to find a reason, aren¡¯t you?¡± he mocked. ¡°You want everything to make sense, but sometimes the world is more than what you¡¯re told.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded as he tried to think of a way out, anything that would buy him time.


    But his mind was foggy, ¡°You¡¯re both fools,¡± he hissed.


    ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t strength. This is just... fear. You¡¯re scared. That¡¯s why you¡¯re doing this. That¡¯s the reason you both strive for power. That¡¯s why you make sure that no one knows more than you, no one is one step ahead of you.¡± Ash¡¯s voice was steady.


    ¡°Because deep down, you¡¯re terrified. Terrified of being exposed, of being vulnerable, of losing control. So you hide.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond, while Blake scoffed.


    Ash found a little courage in him, and so he continued, ¡°You¡¯ve become desperate,¡± Ash whispered, almost to himself. ¡°You want people, you want me to trust you-¡±


    ¡°You never trusted me! You only¡­.You only listen to yourself! You think you¡¯re the right one here?¡± Lucas glared at Ash, and Blake sneered, ¡°The world isn¡¯t black and white! Sometimes... you have to do bad things for the right reasons.¡± Lucas cut off, then continued, his voice bitter now, as if he was regretting something,


    ¡°Sometimes... being the villain is the only way to survive.¡±


    ¡®Dumbhead¡­.what is he playing at?¡¯


    ¡°So that¡¯s your excuse?¡± Ash asked, almost mocked, ¡°I know you¡¯re lying.¡±


    "Maybe you''re right," Lucas whispered, "Maybe I have become the thing I once hated. But sometimes..." his voice cracked, and he quickly turned it into a growl, "Sometimes, you become the one thing you hate to protect the ones you care about."


    Ash shook his head, his head throbbing, ¡°Protect?¡± he scoffed. ¡°Is that what you call this? Hurting people, breaking them down? Where¡¯s the protection in that?¡±


    Lucas turned away for a brief moment.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know Ash.¡±


    ¡°I might not understand you, Lucas,¡± Ash said, his voice steady, ¡°But one thing I do know is you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°You know what you¡¯ve become now?¡± Ash asked, glaring at Lucas.


    Lucas made eye-contact, as if pleading Ash to tell him, as if he didn¡¯t know himself.


    ¡°You are just another bully. You¡¯ll always be just that.¡±


    Lucas shook his head, anger visible in his eyes, while Blake took a step forward, and he grabbed Ash¡¯s face, fingers digging painfully into his skin.


    He forced Ash to look up, their eyes locking, his voice a menacing whisper. ¡°Look at me, creep,¡± he growled, ¡°I want you to watch your mouth.¡±

 Lost

    He forced Ash to look up, their eyes locking, his voice a menacing whisper. ¡°Look at me, creep,¡± he growled, ¡°I want you to watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡®Yeah? So that¡¯s your weak point?¡¯


    ¡°Ash, I¡¯ll let you go. You can go live your pathetic life with everyone you care about. With your friends and family, if you keep shut about everything you saw.¡±


    Ash scoffed, and then let out a low chuckle. ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t keep shut. Everyone deserves to know that you were the one to ruin people¡¯s lives. Everyone, even Jason. He has every right to know that you were playing with us, manipulating us all the time.¡±


    Ash turned his face away from Blake, while Lucas seemed to be pondering over something, and then he turned to face Blake.


    ¡°Blake,¡± he called out.


    ¡°Yeah Boss?¡± Blake asked, turning to face Lucas. His posture rigid, his eyes bore into Lucas¡¯ red eyes.


    ¡°Ash won¡¯t understand. I need you to teach him to keep his mouth shut when he goes outside. About me, being the boss.¡± Lucas had determination in his eyes, while Ash scoffed.


    ¡°Yeah? How¡¯re you gonna do that? Beat me up? Kill me?¡± Ash asked, looking at Blake.


    ¡®I¡¯m not gonna be afraid. I¡¯ll do what Alex asked me too. Just¡­be fearless.¡¯


    Ash remembered.


    .


    .


    Blake hates it when someone stands up to him, you know? He feeds on fear. The catch is when you face him, be fearless, and he¡¯ll stop messing with you.


    .


    .


    Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets, and then faced Ash. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    Ash leaned back, despite the stinging pain in his wrists, ¡°Yeah, well-¡±


    Ash was forced to stop, when he felt someone roughly grab his collar and yank him closer, although it didn¡¯t really work, since he was bound to a metal chair.


    It was Lucas.


    ¡°Not the point here, Ash. I know you very well. You¡¯re not going to back down. So do you know what I will do?¡± Lucas hissed, his tone challenging.


    ¡°Tell me, what will you do?¡± Ash shot back.


    Lucas leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with victory, ¡°I¡¯ll kill Noah,¡± he said, voice cold.


    ¡®W-What?¡¯


    The words hit Ash. For a moment, the room spun, and all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat, loud in his ears. His mind screamed in disbelief.


    ¡®No, no, no... he can¡¯t mean that.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s hands trembled, but he forced himself to look up, meeting Lucas¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing,¡± Ash spat, his voice cracking.


    ¡°Noah has nothing to do with this. You wouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Oh, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice was a whisper, a smirk playing on his lips. ¡°You think I won¡¯t go that far? You think I don¡¯t know how much that little brother of yours means to you? One word from me, Ash, and he¡¯s gone.¡±


    Ash¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps.


    The thought of his little brother, innocent Noah, caught in whatever twisted game Lucas was playing, was enough to set his blood boiling.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that. You can¡¯t. You¡­You had fun with him, you played with him-¡±


    Ash¡¯s voice cracked, upon remembering Noah and Lucas giggling together as if they were best friends.


    ¡°I would. You don¡¯t know me Ash. I can do whatever the hell I want.¡± Lucas said through gritted teeth. ¡°You think I don¡¯t kill people? That¡¯s cute. One order, and Noah is dead for good. Just.  Like. That.¡±


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Ash¡¯s voice was barely a whisper now.


    ¡°That¡¯s why no one trusts you. You make people go through all kinds of examinations to check if they actually trust you or if they¡¯re only playing. And now look at you,¡± Ash growled, his mind was reeling with anger.


    Lucas glared at Ash, while Blake sneered from behind.


    ¡°This is you trying to control everyone because you¡¯re afraid of losing everything.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s face hardened. He shoved Ash back into the chair with a force that made it creak under the pressure. ¡°Shut up,¡±he hissed.


    ¡°You think you know me? You think you understand me?¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes blazed with rage. ¡°I might not, but you¡¯re not worth wasting my time on.¡±


    For a moment, something flickered in Lucas¡¯s eyes- regret, maybe, or something close to it. But then it was gone.


    He stepped back, signaling to Blake. While Ash looked at his feet, they were directed towards the door. And Ash knew Lucas was about to go back.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Make sure he learns his lesson,¡± Lucas said, his voice devoid of any emotion.


    Blake¡¯s grin was wide, cruel. ¡°With pleasure, Boss.¡±


    And with that Lucas went outside, leaving Blake and his lackeys- Liam and Carter behind. They were smirking, and surrounding him like hunters.


    ¡°Open his bounds, Liam. I wanna teach this piece of trash what he gets for threatening me.¡± Blake rasped, cracking his knuckles.


    Ash¡¯s head was spinning, but even as he sat there, bound and surrounded, he couldn¡¯t help but think.


    Bullies... they were everywhere, but here? In American high schools? It felt like a whole other level.


    Liam stepped closer, opening Ash¡¯s bounds from his wrists and ankles.


    Ash stumbled forward, falling to his knees as Liam shoved him out of the chair. His arms screamed in agony as the blood rushed back into his hands, and he barely had time to brace himself before Blake¡¯s fist collided with his jaw.


    The pain was sharp, immediate, and it sent him sprawling to the ground.


    ¡®Why¡¯s it always like this?¡¯ he wondered. One in five students- that¡¯s what the stats said.


    One in five kids being pushed around, picked on, or worse. There were many kinds of bullying, four were very common.


    Physical, verbal, cyberbullying and workplace bullying.


    Fists were used, true, but people found newer ways to bully others.


    It¡¯s like they¡¯re not just trying to hurt you; they¡¯re trying to erase you.


    Break you.


    Get rid of you.


    ¡°Get up,¡± Blake growled. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you.¡±


    Ash gasped as another kick slammed into his ribs. He coughed as pain radiated through his chest. The room was spinning.


    The thing that got to Ash the most was how accepted it all was. It was almost like bullying was just a part of high school culture.


    ¡®You either survive it, or you¡¯re swallowed whole. And the saddest part? Most people just... accept it. The teachers ignore it, the parents pretend it¡¯s just kids being kids. And kids just cope with it.¡¯


    Blake drove his knee into Ash¡¯s stomach, making him double over in pain.


    Ash¡¯s vision blurred, but there were questions. So many questions that haunted him.


    Why did people become bullies? Was it the parent¡¯s fault? Was it the neglect, or just the greed for control?


    He¡¯d heard some say it was because they were hurting themselves.


    Hurt people hurt people, right?


    Blake grabbed a fistful of Ash¡¯s hair and yanked his head up. Their eyes locked, and Ash saw nothing but sick satisfaction.


    ¡®But that¡¯s not an excuse,¡¯ he thought bitterly. ¡®You¡¯re hurting, so you decide to ruin someone else¡¯s life? That¡¯s just... pathetic.¡¯


    Liam joined in, his punches coming hard and fast, but he wouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream.


    ¡°Still think you¡¯re tough?¡± Blake taunted, ¡°Still think you can play hero?¡±


    Ash¡¯s lips were bleeding, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he managed to lift his head just enough to glare at Blake.


    ¡®It¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to fill some empty hole inside them,¡¯ Ash thought, his gaze boring into Blake.


    ¡®It¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to tell themselves; out of all people, that they are better than others. That they are more than others see in them.¡¯


    Blake shifted beside his calculating gaze, and he delivered a brutal kick to Ash¡¯s side, sending him rolling across the floor.


    The world was fading in and out, but through the haze of pain, Ash managed to think.


    People are so afraid of not fitting in, so afraid of being alone, they¡¯ll do anything, hurt anyone, to stay on top. It¡¯s like you can either be at the top, or you¡¯re invisible. They¡¯re afraid that without all this power, they¡¯re nothing.


    Liam signaled Carter to join too, who just snickered and did as told. They were all kicking him, while Ash tried to keep his eyes open.


    It wasn¡¯t that it didn¡¯t hurt. It did- it was suffocating.


    But¡­somewhere inside of Ash, he told himself that they were scared. They can¡¯t break Ash. It was just like in elementary school. Many students bullied Ash, well they tried to- but Ash didn¡¯t care. He wasn¡¯t a pushover.


    He knew he wasn¡¯t. So whenever someone, a student- to be precise, would go beyond his limits, Ash would stop him.


    Once, he punched someone in the face, once in the eye- he still remembered the screams of agony he had to hear, the red that gushed out of the eye.


    It made him feel alive, in some way. It made him feel like he was better than others who just let it happen.


    Blake punched him on the cheek, and Ash tasted something similar to iron- blood. He could feel his breaths getting shallower every second, and blood gushing out of his lips and nose.


    Ash¡¯s head snapped to the side, his body collapsing onto the hard floor.


    Blake kicked him in the stomach, and then kept his foot there, pressurizing Ash while smirking.


    ¡°You think you can just come in here, threaten me, and walk out alive?¡±


    Ash wheezed, trying to catch his breath. His body was screaming at him to just give up, to let the darkness swallow him whole, but his mind stuck to that act- being stubborn.


    ¡°Why... do you even care?¡± Ash managed to spit out, his voice hoarse, barely more than a whisper. ¡°Is it¡­ that my notes made¡­ a difference?¡±


    Blake¡¯s eyes flashed with something, anger, maybe inferiority. He delivered a savage kick to Ash¡¯s side, sending him skidding across the floor.


    Blake spat. ¡°Shut up, Ash. I wasn¡¯t afraid.¡±


    Ash¡¯s body sprawled on the floor, his mind drifting in and out of focus.


    ¡®Why did I come here? W-when will I go back? Will¡­I ever go back?¡¯


    No bully had ever gone this far with Asher, no one- not even Blake. But when Lucas came along, things changed.


    He set this trap for Ash. He wanted him to see for himself that the heroes don¡¯t always win. That there is more to the world except what he knows.


    He was the one to invite Blake over to see his little trick play out.


    He asked Blake to teach him a lesson.


    Blake crouched down next to Ash, grabbing his head and forcing it on the ground, a sudden pain shot through Ash¡¯s head. Intense, and painful.


    ¡°You thought I was a scaredy cat, huh?¡± Blake said, in triumph.


    He forced his head on the ground again. Liam and Carter snickered beside him, laughing.


    ¡°I¡­d-did. You¡­Y-You were s-scared.¡± Ash blurted, his arms limp to his sides, his head throbbing with pain.


    Blake laughed, cruel that is. ¡°You heard him, guys? He thinks I was scared.¡± Liam and Carter nodded, and smirked.


    He forced his head on the ground again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Ash could feel his head throbbing, his heartbeat slowing, his breaths labored and shallow.


    He felt something- something wet, on his head, Blood. It trickled down his eye, warm.


    But Blake wasn¡¯t done.


    With a grunt, he grabbed Ash by the throat.


    ¡°You will keep shut, got it? God, I hate you.¡±


    Blake¡¯s grip tightened around his neck, cutting off his air. Ash¡¯s hands twitched, but he was too weak. All he could do was stare blankly into Blake¡¯s cold, triumphant eyes.


    ¡®W-Weak. I am nothing¡­but a w-weak pathetic fool¡­¡¯


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry¡­T-The feeling¡¯s m-mutual.¡±

 Alone...Hurt

    Blake¡¯s eyes twitched, his grip tightening even more, his knuckles white. Ash could barely breathe, his chest burning.


    ¡°That¡¯s gonna make some famous last words, freak.¡± Blake rasped, shaking him violently.


    But Ash could barely hear him.


    He braced himself for another impact, when he caught a glimpse of red coming inside.


    ¡®I s-should¡­st-stop imagining things¡­¡¯


    ¡°Enough, Blake,¡± It was Lucas, he stepped into the light, his eyes narrowing on seeing Ash¡¯s form.


    Blake released his grip with a frustrated growl, shoving Ash to the ground. He barely had a moment to catch his breath before Lucas stepped forward, his shoes stopping inches away from Ash¡¯s face.


    ¡°So, any progress?¡± Lucas asked, his voice cold. Blake wiped the sweat from his forehead, glaring down at Ash one last time before stepping back. ¡°He¡¯s too stubborn, Boss,¡± Blake muttered. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a feeling he¡¯ll keep his mouth shut now.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, he crouched down next to Ash, studying him with those intense, red-tinted eyes that seemed to pierce right through him.


    For a moment, the room was silent except for Ash¡¯s ragged breathing.


    ¡°You understand now, Ash?¡± Lucas asked softly, almost like a whisper. ¡°Do you see why I tried to warn you? Why I kept you away from all this?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to protect you. From all this.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t respond, instead he stared blankly at Lucas.


    He seemed different- too different.


    He was barely able to focus on the present. His mind drifted to the thought that rattled him that time.


    .


    .


    We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we, Ash?


    .


    .


    Friends... The word felt like a cruel joke.


    He never really believed in it, not before high school. Friends were just people you kept around for company, people who would leave the moment things got tough, things got dirty. That¡¯s what he used to think, anyway.


    But then came Lucas and Jason, bursting into his high-school life with their energy.


    It was like they¡¯d taken a hammer to the walls he¡¯d carefully built around himself, cracking them just enough to let a bit of light cut through.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t mind it,¡¯ he realized. ¡®I didn¡¯t mind them.¡¯


    Lucas with his humorless jokes, always knowing when to push and when to back off. Jason with his loud opinions and even louder laughter, dragging him into conversations he never thought he¡¯d enjoy.


    They became... something he never thought he needed.


    Companions. Allies. No... friends.


    But now, sprawled on the ground, with blood trickling and limbs numb from all the beating, everything felt like a lie.


    Everything just- hurt.


    He thought he¡¯d been fighting bullies, standing up against the people who made life hell for others.


    But here he was, facing something far worse, the realization that even the people you let in could turn into monsters.


    ¡®Maybe I was stupid to believe it,¡¯ he thought bitterly. ¡®Stupid to think that this time would be different, that having someone around would make me push my limits. Would make me change my dumb mind.¡¯


    But the truth was, he liked having them around. They made the loneliness he carried feel... lighter, somehow.Stolen story; please report.


    Then Ash blurted, his throat aching, ¡°H-How could you do this? ¡­How could you expect everyone to trust you¡­w-when you¡¯ve become¡­.become this.¡±


    Lucas clenched his fists. ¡°You don¡¯t get to bark nonsense, with the way you are. You¡¯re the one who broke my trust. You never told me you passed on the notes, you never told me you were coming here. You always¡­do that.¡±


    Ash managed some energy and scoffed. ¡°Y-Yeah?...Sorry to pop your b-bubble, but I never found you th-that¡­trustworthy. You¡¯re worse¡­Much worse t-than anyone here.¡±


    Lucas snarled and glared, and then without any warning, he punched Ash on the face.


    His head snapped to the side, and he felt the blood in his mouth.


    He wasn¡¯t unaware of that pain, he had been punched many times.


    But for some wicked reason- it hurt more than before.


    It stinged.


    ¡°I figured you wouldn¡¯t tell me. So¡­Ash, I started to come to your home in the morning, to accompany you to school, and then Blake told me he stopped getting notes in the mornings. First, I thought of it as a lucky coincidence. But then it kept on happening.¡±


    Lucas turned to look at Blake.


    Blake chuckled, ¡°Yeah, Boss was always this observant.¡±


    ¡®T-That¡¯s why¡­he came. And I was a fool for not thinking he might be observing the t-timings.¡¯


    ¡°I wanted to make sure of it, that¡¯s why I came by, hanged around till noon, and so Blake stopped getting notes. I knew you were the one sneaking around, butting your nose into business that didn¡¯t matter to you,¡± Ash scoffed at that, ¡°I wonder, Ash,¡±


    Ash made eye-contact.


    ¡°Why is it always the quiet ones?¡±


    Ash blinked. That¡¯s right.


    Why is it that the quiet students are prone to doing things no one imagines they can do? Why does no one expect them to do something fruitful?


    Why does everyone think they are only comfortable with themselves, and not help others?


    Why does everyone think of them as¡­selfish?


    ¡°Why do the people who look the least to try, go that far? I had to know. So I trapped you. You thought you were special, unstoppable? But you played right into my hands.¡±


    Ash stared at Lucas, ¡°Y-You must be stalking me then, h-huh?¡±


    Lucas laughed, ¡°As if you weren¡¯t stalking Blake. Ash, no one here is a good guy. You and I both know that. But the things you do, you consider them to be good, noble actions. But the things we do, us?¡± Lucas turned to face Blake, and then looked at Ash, ¡°People get mad. We might as well look at someone, and you¡¯ll make rumors of us bullying that person.¡±


    Ash coughed, his voice hidden somewhere inside, or he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to speak.


    ¡°So, keep shut and stop, will ya? ¡®Cause we can go get Noah right now.¡±


    Lucas turned to leave, but Ash couldn¡¯t let it go.


    He couldn¡¯t let Lucas walk away with that sick look of satisfaction on his face. Gritting his teeth, he summoned whatever strength he had left.


    ¡°G-Go to hell, Lucas,¡± Ash rasped.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lucas turned to look at him, while Blake did the same.


    ¡°I said,...Go t-to hell,¡± Ash repeated, his voice barely a whisper.


    He forced himself to sit up even though his body screamed in agony.


    Lucas was glaring at Ash, his fists clenched at his sides.


    ¡°You¡­make me s-sick, dumbhead.¡±


    For a moment, it looked like he might just walk away, but then something snapped in him. Without a word, he crossed the room in a few quick strides.


    ¡°You just don¡¯t know when to shut up, do you?¡± Lucas hissed, picking up a long, heavy stick from the corner.


    Before anyone could react, Lucas brought it down hard on Ash¡¯s leg. The sound was loud, and Ash let out a choked scream.


    ¡°You are pathetic.¡± Lucas spat, as he brought the stick into Ash¡¯s leg once again, twisting it.


    Ash scoffed, and closed his eyes in a hopeless attempt to stop the pain from shooting all over the body.


    With that, Lucas left, muttering curses under his breath.


    Blake snickered, and he left following Lucas, while quickly kicking Ash on the face.


    Ash didn¡¯t had the courage to look back at them. Blood dribbled from his nose, but Ash didn¡¯t have the strength to even lift a hand to wipe it away.


    ¡®What time i-is it?¡¯ he wondered, his thoughts a mess. It could¡¯ve been hours or mere minutes since they dragged him into this nightmare, but it felt like an eternity.


    The room was spinning, every part of his body screaming in agony.


    ¡®H-How did it come to this?¡¯ Ash thought, bitterly. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought that it was¡­L-Lucas¡­all along.¡¯


    His mind kept drifting back to Lucas¡¯s words.


    .


    .


    You are pathetic.


    .


    .


    ¡®Look at me. I a-am¡­¡¯ he thought, ¡®Maybe I am p-pathetic.¡¯


    Lucas¡¯s words kept replaying in his mind, like a cruel reminder.


    Maybe he really was. Maybe he really was pathetic. Maybe everything he¡¯d done, all his attempts to stand up and be brave, were just the desperate, sad excuses of someone who was destined to lose.


    His vision blurred, the room fading into darkness. His body refused to move.


    Ash¡¯s last conscious thought was a bitter whisper to himself: ¡®...M-Maybe I deserve this.¡¯


    And then, everything went black as his eyes rolled back.


    Because in the end, nothing mattered anymore.


    He was the one left battered and broken, the one who faced betrayal.


    He was the one who lost.


    He was the kid who lost his direction in the shuffle.

 Where...am I?

    ¡®Today is one heck of a day.¡¯


    Luke came home, restless and tired, expecting to spend a quiet evening with his family, a big feast, and laughter around the dinner table.


    He might look tough on the outside, harsh even, but family mattered the most to him. People whispered behind his back that doesn¡¯t love his children, but that wasn¡¯t true.


    Sure, many parents dislike their kids, or worse.


    But the majority was the type who had a different way of showing their love to their children.


    Luke was one of them. He was the kind who always had a hard time telling his children his appreciation, or his love.


    With time, he overcame that, and despite his ego, apologized to Lily.


    But what he expected wasn¡¯t even close to what was happening in his house right now.


    Apparently, Lily told him that she was home because she wanted them to suffer, and feel the way she felt.


    She blamed them for having her childhood taken away from her.


    Luke asked her why she was here, and her answer was to take Noah with her.


    He asked her to forget the bitter past, and to come live with them, as a family.


    But her response?


    .


    .


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s okay now that you apologized? Well, it isn¡¯t. You never understood that anyway.¡±


    .


    .


    Luke felt his heart break at that moment.


    He had failed. Not as a father who provided, but as a father who should have understood.


    ¡°Lily¡­I¡¯m sorry, okay? Just¡­stop this mess-¡±


    ¡°Mess?¡± Lily let out a bitter chuckle, and then spat, ¡°You call this mess? And the way you treated me wasn''t a mess? The way you want everyone under your thumb isn''t a mess?¡±


    Lily was currently sitting on the couch, her voice bitter with hatred and anger.


    Noah was silently sitting on his mother¡¯s lap, who weren¡¯t talking, yet listening to every line filled with malice spitted out of Lily¡¯s mouth, and his dad¡¯s silent regret.


    They were all so caught up in that very moment, none of them wondered where Ash was.


    And Luke was sitting on the other side of the couch, watching his first-born cursing and blaming her parents for every misdeed that happened.


    His face was a mix of regret, guilt and shock.


    ¡°Lily, I know I made mistakes. I know I was too hard on you, but can¡¯t we just¡­ move past it? Can¡¯t we just start over?¡± Luke pleaded, his voice breaking.


    Lily¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Start over? You think it¡¯s that easy? You were too busy controlling everything, too busy with your perfect little world, to ever care about what I wanted.¡±


    Luke ran a hand over his face, trying to steady his trembling hands.


    Noah shifted uncomfortably on his mother¡¯s lap, his wide eyes darting between his sister and his father. He was too young to understand the full extent of what was happening, but he could sense something was wrong.


    And it scared him.


    ¡°Lily,¡± Luke tried again, his voice softer now. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to forgive me overnight. I just¡­ I just want a chance to make things right. For you and Ash. For Noah. We can be a family again.¡±


    Lily scoffed, shaking her head. ¡°A family? You¡¯re joking, right? Do you even hear yourself?¡±


    Luke flinched at her words, the truth of them hurting him more than he wanted to admit. He had always been strict, always demanding, because he thought he was preparing her for the harsh realities of the world.


    ¡°I just wanted the best for you,¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible.


    ¡°The best?¡± Lily¡¯s voice rose, her hands clenched into fists. ¡°The best for who, Dad? For you? For your damn image? Because it sure as hell wasn¡¯t for me. I didn¡¯t need perfection. I needed a father. I needed a family.¡±


    Her mom said, her eyes showing hurt. ¡°Lily, we were trying our best¡­ We didn¡¯t know it would hurt you this much-¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to know!¡± Lily snapped, cutting her mother off. ¡°You both were so damn wrapped up in your own world, you never bothered to ask what I wanted!¡±


    Luke sighed, then said, ¡°Lily, now we do understand. We know it hurts you, we know you¡¯re alone. We never wanted you to leave our family. You went out of your own accord. So, just, stop it. Let¡¯s just move on, like a family.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Shut your damn mouth!¡± Lily hissed.


    Noah¡¯s small voice broke through the tension. ¡°¡­ Please stop. I don¡¯t like this.¡± His innocent eyes were filled with confusion and fear.


    But it was brief. No one looked at him. She turned to Luke. ¡°I¡¯m not staying here. I¡¯m taking Noah with me, away from this toxic place. You can keep your apologies, Dad. They mean nothing to me.¡±


    Luke¡¯s heart sank. He had lost her. Truly lost her. And now, he was at risk of losing Noah too.


    ¡°Lily, you can¡¯t just take him away,¡± he said, his voice laced with desperation. ¡°He¡¯s our son too. Don¡¯t punish him because of us.¡±


    Lily stood up. ¡°I¡¯m doing what I should¡¯ve done a long time ago. Protecting him from becoming like you. Cold, unfeeling, and obsessed with control.¡±


    Luke¡¯s shoulders slumped, defeated. ¡°Is there nothing I can do? Nothing I can say to make you stay?¡±


    ¡°No, and save your crap. I¡¯m taking him right now.¡± She said, as she made her mind and moved over to Noah.


    Luke stood up, and grabbed her wrist from behind.


    ¡°Well, in that case, I¡¯m not letting you take him.¡±


    Lily looked back, and came face-to-face with her dad, his face showing fierce determination.


    ¡°I¡¯ll love to see you damn try.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®Where am¡­I?¡¯


    Black ceiling.


    Hard, cold floor.


    Everything felt unreal, as if he were floating.


    Bloodied.


    Bruised.


    Defeated.


    ¡®What¡­time is it?¡¯


    Betrayed.


    Alone.


    Hurt.


    His thoughts were sluggish. His body screamed in pain with every shallow breath he took, but his mind refused to let go.


    ¡®Why¡­am I here?¡¯


    The events started to flicker.


    Blake¡¯s laughter.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes filled with something cruel, something red.


    The sharp noise of fists meeting flesh.


    Tortured.


    Beaten.


    Silenced.


    He forced his eyes open, only to be met with darkness. The room swirled around him, cold and unforgiving. He felt his chest rise and fall in uneven gasps, each one more painful than the last.


    Then, it hit him- a memory.


    Blake¡¯s sneer. The way his hand had grabbed Ash by the throat, shoving him back down, the sound of Lucas bringing a stick down his leg, the blood he felt in his mouth and tricking down his eye when Blake had forcefully hit his head on the ground many times.


    ¡®...Lucas.¡¯


    The words echoed in his mind.


    His mind wandered to Lucas¡¯ words before he went.


    .


    .


    "You¡¯re pathetic.¡±


    .


    .


    His stomach twisted.


    And maybe¡­ maybe they were right. He should stop, and keep shut.


    Ash blinked, he was fading again, slipping back into unconsciousness, but his mind wouldn¡¯t stop racing.


    ¡®Why¡­did I even try?¡¯


    ¡®I thought¡­ I was doing the right thing.¡¯


    ¡®I thought¡­I could make a difference.¡¯


    But all he¡¯d done was invite disaster. He had been the fool, walking into the trap, thinking he was clever enough to handle it. Thinking he could stop them.


    His vision blurred again. Lucas¡¯s voice rang louder now.


    "This is what happens to the heroes, Asher. They fall. They always fall."


    His heart ached. It wasn¡¯t just his body that was broken. It was everything. His hope, his confidence, his belief in himself.


    Useless.


    Stupid.


    Pathetic.


    As he was slipping away, a face shone in his mind.


    ¡®Noah¡­¡¯


    Right.


    He had made a promise to always come back, and he didn¡¯t even know what time it was.


    ¡®Is dad back¡­? They must be¡­worried. I should go¡­back.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s breath came in shallow gasps as he forced himself to move. His body screamed in protest, every muscle ached, his leg throbbed, and his head felt like it was splitting in two.


    But he couldn¡¯t stay here. It wasn¡¯t like someone knew where he was. If that was the case, then he¡¯d gladly stay put, and wait for someone.


    Right now, no one knew. No one would come.


    With trembling hands, he pushed himself up. His arms buckled once, twice, but he clenched his fists and forced himself to stand up, leaning against the wall for support.


    His vision blurred, and his legs felt like jelly, but he stood. Somehow, he stood.


    ¡®Just one step,¡¯ he thought, swallowing hard. His breath hitched as he shifted his weight onto his throbbing leg, and his knees almost gave out.


    But he couldn¡¯t stop. Not now.


    ¡®Noah¡¯s waiting.¡¯


    Every step felt like burning hell. His ribs screamed, his leg dragged, and his head pounded, but he kept moving, he kept on urging forward.


    He didn¡¯t know how long it would take. He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d make it.


    But one thought burned brighter than the pain, stronger than the despair.


    He had to go home. He would go home.


    Because if he gave up now, if he let himself fall again, he wouldn¡¯t just be useless or pathetic. He¡¯d be a liar. And that was something Ash couldn¡¯t accept.


    One step. Then another.


    He was going home. No matter what it took.


    Everyone in the way stared at him, with concerned, worried glances.


    A few people stopped entirely.


    ¡°Hey, kid, are you okay?¡± one man called out, stepping closer.


    Ash ignored him, his feet dragging forward. He didn¡¯t have time for this.


    Another voice, softer this time. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re hurt,¡± an older woman said, stepping into his path. She had kind eyes, the kind that seemed to pull at a memory. ¡°Let me help you. Should I call someone? Your parents, maybe?¡±


    Ash stopped, his gaze lifting to meet hers. For a moment, he just stood there, his breath shallow.


    ¡®...Mom.¡¯


    She reminded him of his mother- her warmth, her concern.


    ¡®Mom must¡­be worried sick by now.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s chest ached, the pain in his ribs suffocating, but he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he muttered hoarsely, forcing his legs to move past her.


    He couldn¡¯t stop.


    The blood from his head wound had finally stopped trickling, but it had dried in sticky, dark streaks along his temple, while sticking strands of hair to his face.


    He must¡¯ve looked like a wreck- limping, bloodied, and pale, but he didn¡¯t care.


    He was almost there.


    It felt like hours had passed since he¡¯d left that hellhole, but the familiar sight of home was finally in front of him.


    His breaths came faster as he reached the door.


    ¡®They¡¯re inside,¡¯ he thought, his heart pounding. ¡®Noah, Mom¡­ Dad.¡¯


    He swallowed hard. As he moved closer, he heard his dad¡¯s loud voice. He couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying, but it seemed like he was at home.


    ¡®Looks like dad¡­is back.¡¯


    Every ache in his body screamed for rest, but he had to keep on pushing a little longer.


    With one last shaky breath, Ash knocked, three times. A sudden sound of exclaim was heard, and then someone- his mom opened the door.


    ¡°Ash! Oh my god, what happened?!¡±

 Scream...shout

    ¡®Nothing was going okay.¡¯


    Lily¡¯s voice cut through her mom¡¯s bitter thoughts.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, dad! You ruined me!¡±


    Luke¡¯s response was louder. ¡°You need to stop acting like a victim, Lily! You went on your own free will! We never asked you to go, not your mother, not me. I even apologized, so what¡¯s the big deal?!¡±


    Ash¡¯s mom pressed her trembling fingers to her temples. She glanced at Noah, curled up beside her, his small frame trembling with every raised voice.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± he whimpered, clutching her sleeve. ¡°Why are they fighting?¡±


    Her heart broke, what did Noah deserve to see it? She interfered once or twice in their furious conversation, but it did nothing to calm them down. She wanted Luke to keep his composure, but she knew he held Noah the closest to him.


    She hugged him closer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweety,¡± she whispered. ¡°They¡¯re just upset. It¡¯ll calm down soon.¡±


    But she wasn¡¯t sure if that was true.


    And besides, Lily had made her intentions chillingly clear.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Noah with me,¡± Lily had said earlier, her voice cold.


    Noah. Her youngest son.


    ¡®Where¡¯s Ash?¡¯ A sudden thought cut through, Noah said he would come back soon, but it was already two hours before.


    ¡®Where is he¡­?¡¯


    Her only hope now was Ash, maybe he would come and try to calm them down, maybe he would help a bit.


    Ash¡¯s mom clutched Noah a little tighter at the thought, when her husband¡¯s voice cut through.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just take him, Lily,¡± Luke replied, with disbelief and anger. ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to take him away from us!¡±


    ¡°I have every right!¡± Lily had shot back. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for him and for his future. To get him away from you and this toxic mess you call a family!¡±


    Noah sniffled, burying his face into her lap, his small body trembling. ¡°Mommy¡­ I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes as she kissed the top of his head. ¡°You won¡¯t, Noah. I promise. No one is taking you away.¡±


    But how could she promise that when everything screamed otherwise?


    And then- three knocks at the door.


    Noah¡¯s head shot up. ¡°It¡¯s big brother!¡± he exclaimed.


    She froze for a moment, then hurried to her feet, wiping her tears.


    Opening the door, she gasped. ¡°Ash! Oh my God, what happened?!¡±


    Her son stood there, battered and bruised, blood dried on his face, his clothes torn. He leaned on the door. He looked like he had been through hell and back.


    ¡°Ash¡­¡± Her voice broke as she reached for him.


    Noah peeked out from behind her, his voice small and scared. ¡°Big brother¡­ are you okay?¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡®What happened to him?! Who did this? Looks like he fought someone¡­¡¯


    ¡°Dammit, dad! Why are you making things harder for me?!¡±


    Ash flinched at the sound, and then, slowly, he turned his head. ¡°Mom¡­What is Lily¡­doing here?¡±


    His voice sounded hoarse, as if he was summoning all his energy to utter a single word.


    She could see it in Ash¡¯s eyes- the exhaustion, the hurt.


    ¡°Ash, please, what happened? Who did this to you?¡±


    He blinked, meeting her gaze for a second before looking away. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­but why is Lily¡­here?¡± he muttered.


    His mother placed a gentle hand on his arm, her eyes filled with worry. ¡°Ash, you¡¯re not fine. Look at you-¡±


    Inside, Lily screamed again, her words cold.


    ¡°Shut it, you old hag!¡±


    Ash flinched. His mother¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Ash¡­ please, talk to me. I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Ash moved past her, and then to the lounge, it looked like he was dragging his way there, and then he stopped at the doorstep.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    He stepped inside, his eyes scanning the scene before him.


    Lily stood in the center of the room, her arms crossed, her expression a mix of anger and hatred. Luke was sitting on the edge of the couch, his head in his hands, silent and defeated.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t want this,¡¯ Ash thought bitterly. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to come home to this disaster. I just¡­ wanted to rest. To forget.¡¯


    Forget the pain in his head, the throbbing in his leg, Lucas¡¯s words.


    ¡°I am taking Noah, and that¡¯s final!¡± Lily¡¯s voice echoed, and Ash blinked.


    ¡®Noah¡­? What does she mean by taking Noah?¡¯


    Ash turned to see his mom, who was standing at one corner of the room, tears brimming at the corner of her eyes, Noah standing beside her, his fists clenching the hem of his shirt.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Mom¡­what does she mean?¡±


    His mom flinched, as if wanting not to tell him, but then she bit her lip, and said, ¡°Ash¡­she wants to¡­take Noah with her.¡±


    ¡®What the-¡¯


    ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± He asked, although he was understanding her purpose.


    Noah ran to him, and clutched his trousers, and then whimpered, ¡°Big brother¡­I don¡¯t wanna leave¡­¡±


    Ash looked down to him, and then to his mom, ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon Noah, you¡¯re coming with me!¡± Lily snapped, keeping her gaze locked into her father¡¯s, who just sighed and stood up.


    He had hoped that the shouting would have stopped by now. But it hadn¡¯t.


    Lily was pacing now, her sharp words directed at Luke. ¡°You think you can just guilt me into staying? Into pretending like nothing ever happened?¡±


    Luke¡¯s silence was louder than any shout he could have mustered.


    Ash¡¯s gaze swept over the scene again. He didn¡¯t want to be here, didn¡¯t want to be part of this. But he was.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± The word slipped from his lips, barely more than a whisper.


    Lily froze mid-step, her head snapping toward him. Luke slowly looked up, his face etched with exhaustion and pain.


    Ash stood in the doorway, his battered form clearly visible.


    ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± Lily asked, her voice sharp but with something softer- concern, perhaps.


    Luke¡¯s eyes widened as he took in Ash¡¯s appearance. ¡°Ash¡­What happened?¡±


    ¡®I come home¡­only to find my family being torn apart by none other than my beloved big sister? ¡­Can today get any worse?¡¯


    ¡°Nothing¡­happened,¡± Ash said, keeping his gaze fixed on his dad, and then looked at Lily. ¡°What do you think¡­you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Lily flinched, and then moved closer to Ash, and grabbed his arm, then said in a softer voice. ¡°Asher¡­You understand me, don¡¯t you? Dad and mom deserve to know what I felt, right?¡±


    ¡®What¡­is she saying?¡¯


    Ash looked at his dad, who only sighed and lowered his gaze. He then felt someone tug at his trousers, he looked at Noah, who seemed like he had been scared for his life.


    ¡°Big brother, she says she wants to take me¡­with her.¡±


    Ash crouched down slightly, his trembling hand resting on Noah¡¯s shoulder. His voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. ¡°W-what¡­do you mean, Noah? Why¡­does she want to take you?¡±


    Noah looked at him with wide, frightened eyes, his small hand clutching Ash¡¯s sleeve. ¡°She said¡­ she wants to take me away¡­ to protect me.¡±


    ¡®Protect him?¡­From what?¡¯


    Ash¡¯s gaze shifted to Lily, his mind foggy with pain, his head throbbing. ¡°P-protect him?¡± he rasped, struggling to straighten up. ¡°By¡­ t-taking him¡­away?¡±


    Lily sighed, exasperated, her arms crossed. ¡°Yes, Ash. Someone has to. Look around- this house, this family, it¡¯s toxic. Noah doesn¡¯t deserve to grow up in this chaos. I¡¯ll protect him.¡±


    ¡®Protection¡­Lucas¡­ he said the same thing. That he wanted to protect me from Blake and bullies. But why¡­do people think taking things away is the same as protecting them?¡¯


    Ash looked up at her, ¡°Noah¡­is perfectly fine here. You don¡¯t¡­have to do anything like taking him away. B-Besides, he doesn¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Lily glared at him, ¡°You don¡¯t know. The moment Noah grows up, mom and dad will ruin him!¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ve had enough of this-¡¯


    Ash sighed, his leg throbbing, ¡°Lily¡­I¡¯m not ruined,¡± Lily¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You¡¯re only using Noah as a way to take revenge from dad. It¡¯s¡­not dad¡¯s fault.¡±


    Lily chuckled darkly, ¡°Yeah? You only think this because dad brain-washed you. Dad is a maniac, when will you realize it?¡±


    Luke took a step forward, his hands raised slightly as if to calm Lily down. ¡°Lily, please. I¡¯ve made mistakes, I¡¯m a terrible father - I know that. But I promise, I have no intention of ruining anyone, least of all my children.¡± His voice was steady, but there was a hint of desperation in his eyes.


    Their mother stepped in, her voice trembling. ¡°Lily¡­ I¡¯m sorry too. For everything. I know we weren¡¯t perfect, and maybe we¡¯ve hurt you in ways we can¡¯t even understand. But please, leave Noah out of this. Don¡¯t take him away. He¡¯s happy here, with us.¡±


    Ash leaned heavily against the wall, his body barely holding up, but his voice broke through. ¡°L-Lily¡­ Noah doesn¡¯t¡­want to leave. You know that.¡±


    Lily¡¯s glare hardened, her hands balling into fists. ¡°You¡¯re all just blind. Blind to what this family has done to me! Blind to what this house does to everyone who stays in it!¡±


    Ash shook his head weakly, his breath labored. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­I won¡¯t let you take¡­Noah.¡±


    Lily laughed bitterly, taking a step back. ¡°You all think you¡¯re so righteous, but everyone here knows this family is a wrecked ship! Everyone¡­hates me!¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s¡­wrong. No one¡­not even dad hates her.¡¯


    Luke¡¯s face fell. ¡°Lily, I don¡¯t hate-¡±


    ¡°Of course, you do! You are the worst, dad!¡±


    Ash looked at her, and only one word came to his mind.


    ¡®Family¡­¡¯


    Lily took another step back, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something. And then, almost like a reflex, her hand shot out, grabbing a glass vessel from the nearby table. ¡°I hate you!¡± she screamed, hurling the glass down.


    Everyone flinched. Shards of glass scattered across the floor.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Ash gasped, immediately reaching for his little brother. Noah let out a frightened scream, burying his face into their mother¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Lily!¡± their mother cried, her voice breaking. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes widened in horror, ¡°Lily, my daughter-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me your daughter!¡± Lily cut him off, her chest heaving, her hands shaking. ¡°You said you cared about me, huh dad? Well, let''s see how much you care!¡±


    ¡®...What is she playing at?¡¯


    Lily picks up a piece of glass from the ground, and holds it dangerously close to her throat- everyone in the room goes death silent upon understanding what she was about to do.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say, by a miracle, dad does care about me,¡± she said, her voice trembling, ¡°Then he¡¯ll let me take Noah. Or else, he¡¯ll see his first-born take her own life right here, right now.¡±


    Her breath was ragged. No one replied, everyone just stood there, pleading Lily to stop. Ash¡¯s heart pounded in his chest, a cold sweat breaking out across his skin. ¡®No, not like this.¡¯


    Noah was sobbing now, his face was streaked with tears, his wide eyes filled with fear. "Mom¡­ Big brother¡­¡± His voice cracked, barely audible.


    Lily¡¯s mother was trembling, her hands shaking as she reached out to her daughter, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°Lily¡­ please. Don¡¯t do this¡­ we¡¯re your family¡­ we¡¯re trying to help.¡±


    But Lily didn¡¯t listen. She stood there, the glass still pressed against her skin, her eyes wild, desperate for something, anything - to make sense of the pain, of the mess that was their family.


    "You all destroyed me! And now you want me to let you keep Noah?!" She screamed, her voice cracking.


    Luke stood frozen, horrified. His hands trembled at his sides, and his mouth opened and closed, struggling for words that didn¡¯t come.


    Ash, his own body aching with every movement, couldn¡¯t help but stare at his sister, and at the piece of glass now inches away from her throat. ¡®Why does she always have to push everything so far?¡¯ His mind screamed at him. ¡®Why can¡¯t she just understand?¡¯


    His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wanted to shout, to stop her, but the words caught in his throat. He felt helpless-


    .


    .


    You are pathetic.


    .


    .


    Pathetic, that¡¯s what he was.


    He was a mess, he couldn''t fix this. He couldn¡¯t make it stop. Every attempt he had ever made to hold things together had only made everything worse. ¡®I''m a mess, a pathetic fool.¡¯ he thought again, the words gnawing at him like a constant reminder of his own helplessness.


    It was all falling apart, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.


    And worse, the fear began to creep in.


    What if Lily actually went through with it?


    What if she really hurt herself?


    What if she took Noah?


    What if he lost them both?


    His stomach turned. His limbs felt heavy, like lead. He was too tired to think, too scared to breathe. He had no chance of winning this time, not against Lily, not against his own feelings.


    Every choice felt like a no-win situation. If he stopped Lily from taking Noah, then he''d lose her for sure. But if he let her go, he¡¯d lose Noah.


    His parents- his mom, his dad- looked desperate, pleading with Lily. And Ash... he was too broken to do anything. What if he just let her go?

 Run....fade

    Every choice felt like a no-win situation. If he stopped Lily from taking Noah, then he''d lose her for sure. But if he let her go, he¡¯d lose Noah.


    His parents- his mom, his dad- looked desperate, pleading with Lily. And Ash... he was too broken to do anything. What if he just let her go?


    The thought made his heart ache, but he couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡®I¡¯m tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of failing. I¡¯m not strong enough to save anyone anymore, least of all my little brother. If Lily thought she could protect Noah from this mess, then... maybe it would be better that way.¡¯


    But as he stood there, unable to make a single move, he felt terrible - he couldn¡¯t even save himself, let alone the ones he loved.


    No one spoke. Not a word. Noah was still clinging to their mother, his face buried in her arms as he sobbed.


    Lily¡¯s gaze shifted, eyes wild, searching for something in her father¡¯s face. "What are you gonna do?!" she spat.


    The glass pressed tighter against her skin, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice, her focus entirely on the people around her.


    Ash could barely bring himself to look at her. Her words cut through him, but what could he say? He felt powerless, like a bystander in his own life.


    In the corner of the room, Luke¡¯s face was a mixture of agony and desperation. He took a step forward, then another, his legs unsteady as he slowly sank to his knees. His hands trembled as he pressed them to the floor, and his head lowered, his entire posture defeated.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡± His voice was small, broken, ¡°I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on him. Luke¡¯s usual strength and authority seemed to vanish in that moment, replaced by a man who had lost everything- his family, his grip on control, and now, it seemed, his daughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you,¡± he repeated, his voice barely a whisper, ¡°Please, Lily¡­ don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t test me.¡±


    Lily seemed to be shocked, but then she hissed, ¡°It won¡¯t work, dad. Give me Noah, or¡­¡± She said, pressing the piece closer to her throat, close enough that it touched her neck. Tears were brimming on the corners of her eyes, but she stood tall.


    ¡°Stop¡­please.¡± Ash said, lowering her gaze.


    But no one listened.


    Ash felt hopeless. He felt pathetic.


    ¡°Stop, please!¡± Ash shouted, and everyone flinched.


    ¡°Ash¡­¡± His mom looked at him, he was now leaning besides the door.


    ¡°Lily, please! I¡­don¡¯t want this. I want us to live happily as a family-¡± Ash was shouting, his voice raspy and hoarse, but he was cut off.


    ¡°Shut up, Ash! We can¡¯t live as a family after everything that¡¯s happened! We can¡¯t pretend to be a happy family even though everyone of us here damn knows we are broken from the inside,¡± Lily¡¯s voice was now low, the piece of glass getting closer to her throat every second, ¡°There is no family for me. I¡¯ll take Noah with me so so can all shut your crap!¡±


    Luke¡¯s black eyes trembled, and then he sank his head on the ground, ¡°Lily, please! I¡¯m begging you, okay?! I¡¯m begging you to stop, please don¡¯t do this!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work, dad. It¡¯s too late.¡± With that Lily pressed the piece closer, so close that it touched her neck.


    Her breath was fast, labored, and her hands shaked every now and then, her face tear-streaked. She closes her eyes and then mutters a low, ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t came to this.¡±


    ¡®No¡­No, no!¡¯


    But Ash didn¡¯t move, his whole body refused to move, refused to fall.


    Lily pressed the glass to her throat, just enough for a single drop to spill. A crimson drop gushed out.


    And then Luke moved.


    Faster than Ash had ever seen, his father closed the distance between them, his face twisted in desperation and fury. Without hesitation, Luke¡¯s hand raised, connecting with Lily¡¯s cheek in a resounding slap.


    The force of it sent her stumbling back, the shard of glass slipping from her hand and falling to the ground.


    Lily fell to her knees, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as tears streamed down her face. She clutched her cheek, and she let out a sob.


    ¡°Lily!¡± Their mother was at her side in an instant, dropping down to wrap trembling arms around her daughter. ¡°Oh my God¡­ my princess, please, stop this, please!¡± Her voice was loud, her tears falling freely now as she held Lily close.


    Noah sat on the floor, hugging his knees and burying his face in them, sobbing. His small, muffled cries seem to cut everyone from the inside.


    But Ash stood rooted to the spot.


    He couldn¡¯t move.


    His eyes fixed on the scene before him, his mind flashing back to something he couldn¡¯t quite remember, but it was there- familiar. A memory he didn¡¯t want to recall but couldn¡¯t push away.


    ¡®This¡­ feels like I¡¯ve seen it before. S-Somewhere¡­¡¯


    He could almost hear the screams and shouting of another time, another argument, another moment when something fragile had shattered- his family, their trust, their love. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    It was like history repeating itself, only worse.


    Ash felt the weight of it pressing down on him, suffocating him. His legs felt like they would give out, but he stayed standing, his back against the wall.


    He could hear Lily¡¯s broken sobs, his father¡¯s labored breathing, his mother¡¯s murmurs of comfort.


    But it all felt distant, muffled, like he was underwater.


    ¡®N-Nothing has changed.¡¯


    Ash clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as his legs wobbled beneath him. He couldn¡¯t do this anymore. He didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡®This¡­is the same. Nothing¡­has changed.¡¯


    Lily¡¯s muffled sobs and their mother¡¯s trembling whispers of comfort, did nothing to reassure him. Luke sat slumped on the floor, staring blankly at the shards of glass scattered across the room.


    ¡®I¡¯ve had enough¡­¡¯


    Ash¡¯s heart pounded, his breathing shallow and uneven.


    He took one step back. Then another.


    No one noticed.


    No one called after him.


    He reached the door, his fingers curling around the handle. With a twist of his wrist, the door creaked open. He stepped outside, letting the cold night air hit him like a slap to the face.


    He didn¡¯t look back.


    His feet carried him forward aimlessly, but his mind was still trapped inside that house.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t stop her. I couldn¡¯t save anyone.¡¯


    He clenched his jaw, his throat burning as he tried to keep his composure. His leg throbbed, but he kept on walking.


    ¡®I thought¡­I could make a difference. I thought¡­I did something¡­good.¡¯


    The image of Noah¡¯s tear-streaked face flashed in his mind, then Lily¡¯s trembling hands, Luke¡¯s broken plea, and his mother¡¯s terrified sobs.


    He stopped in the middle of the street, his fists trembling at his sides.


    ¡®I¡¯m pathetic.¡¯


    The word echoed in his head, over and over. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d thought of it, and it probably wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    ¡®Is this what it means to be¡­family?¡¯


    He swallowed hard, his throat raw.


    And then, his feet began moving again. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, but he didn¡¯t care.


    All he knew was that if he stayed in that house a bit longer, he¡¯d lose his mind.


    Ash found himself wandering without purpose, his legs moving as if they had a mind of their own. The streets blurred into one another until he reached a familiar place- near the railway tracks.


    It was quiet here, except for the distant voice of crickets and the rustle of the wind against the grass. He stepped down a small slope, the grass felt cool, and he dropped down, his body heavy with exhaustion.


    Ash leaned back, resting on his palms, his gaze locked on the sky.


    ¡®This is better,¡¯ he thought bitterly. ¡®At least here, there¡¯s no shouting. No tears. Just¡­silence.¡¯


    He closed his eyes for a moment, but all he could see was Lily¡¯s face, her trembling hand holding that shard of glass, her tear-streaked cheeks, he heard Noah¡¯s sobs, their mother¡¯s desperate pleas, and Luke¡¯s broken voice.


    Ash clenched his fists against the grass, his nails digging into the dirt.


    He closed his eyes, remembering something, his past, gnawing at him. He didn¡¯t want to recall it, but it had been more like a core memory for him. He grew up with that familiar shouting, and screams, always echoing in his mind. Always telling him, reminding him where he belongs.


    He was five.


    Tiny, curious, clutching his favorite stuffed toy in one hand. The house had been quiet, but he heard little voices emerging from the lounge. His small feet padded softly across the hallway as he made his way toward the source of the sound.


    He had wanted to ask Lily to sleep with him that night. She was 15 then, his big sister, his protector. But when he reached the doorway, the scene before him made him freeze.


    Lily was standing in the center of the lounge, her shoulders trembling as she cried.


    ¡°Mom, please!¡± she begged, her voice breaking. ¡°Stop¡­ stop expecting so much from me! I can¡¯t do it! I can¡¯t be what you want!¡±


    Her mother stood a few steps away, her expression torn between concern and confusion.


    ¡°I just¡­ I just want what¡¯s best for you, Lily, We had no idea you didn¡¯t like it- ¡± her mother said softly, reaching out a hand, only for Lily to back away.


    ¡°What¡¯s best for me?¡± Lily repeated bitterly. ¡°You don¡¯t care about what¡¯s best for me! You only care about what makes you look good!¡±


    Before their mother could respond, Luke entered the room, his face stern and tired.


    ¡°Lily,¡± he said firmly, his tone softer than usual. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lily turned to him, her face red and tear-streaked. ¡°Stop expecting me to be your best child, dad! I hate when you do that!¡±


    Luke looked confused, ¡°Huh? Uh-Okay. I won¡¯t ever ask you to do that. I¡¯m sorry, my princess.¡±


    Lily seemed shocked at first, but then she spat, ¡°You are pretending it, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m leaving. I can¡¯t do this anymore. I can¡¯t stay in this house.¡±


    The words hit the room. And Ash stood confused, tears already brimming at the corner of his eyes.


    Luke¡¯s face darkened, his jaw tightening. ¡°Don¡¯t say things you don¡¯t mean, Lily.¡±


    ¡°I do mean it!¡± Lily shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough! I hate this house, I hate this family! I hate-¡±


    The sharp sound of the slap echoed. While Ash let out a choked scream.


    Lily stumbled and fell to the ground, her hand clutching her cheek, her sobs turning into gasps of shock.


    Their mother dropped to her knees beside her, pulling Lily into her arms. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lily¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she whispered, her own tears falling as she cradled her daughter.


    Ash stood in the doorway, his tiny heart pounding in his chest. The room seemed to close in around him, the air too heavy, the voices too loud. He wanted to run to Lily, to tell her it would be okay. But he was rooted in place, because he was¡­scared.


    Luke stood still, his hand trembling as he stared down at Lily and their mother. His face was unreadable, but his voice was low, almost broken. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    But Ash didn¡¯t wait to hear the rest.


    He turned and ran, his small feet carrying him as fast as they could back to his room. He threw himself onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow as tears streamed down his face. His chest hurt, his head hurt, and his heart hurt most of all.


    That night, he cried himself to sleep, clutching his stuffed toy tightly.


    Ash jolted at the memory.


    ¡®The same thing happened before, the same thing happened now. I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m tired of looking at the same scene unfolding, when it¡¯s always replying in my damn mind.¡¯


    He thought back to all the times he told himself he didn¡¯t need anyone- friends, even his own family. He believed it was safer that way, that the fewer people he relied on, the less likely he¡¯d get hurt.


    But then Noah came. He was so optimistic, so bright. When he came along, family became something he couldn¡¯t ignore. They were a part of him, for better or worse.


    ¡®Even when they mess up, even when they hurt you, they¡¯re still human,¡¯ he reminded himself.


    He thought of his mom. She wasn¡¯t perfect. She had made mistakes.


    His dad too- more than Ash could count. And Lily¡­


    She had made so, so many mistakes, testing him, his family. Always the odd one, always the one who wants to be protected so much, but doesn¡¯t even get appreciated.


    His head throbbed, his legs ached, but his mind spinned way faster.

 What dying...feels like

    His head throbbed, his legs ached, but his mind spinned way faster.


    ¡®Family. Everyone says it¡¯s supposed to be this unbreakable bond, this safe haven¡­The people who are supposed to have your back, no matter what.¡¯ He clenched his fists, recalling a person who taught him so much despite his young age.


    He was seven.


    He always kept his distance from other people, always tried to sit alone at school.


    He always kept his distance from other people, tried to sit alone in class, at lunch, everywhere. He told himself he liked it that way. But the truth?


    He was scared.


    Scared that if he let people in, made bonds like he had with Lily, they¡¯d leave too. And losing someone he cared about again was something he couldn¡¯t bear.


    It was lunchtime on a cloudy day. Ash sat alone on a bench outside the school, picking at the sandwich his mother had packed for him. The other kids were playing tag, laughing and shouting. He kept his head down, pretending not to care.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Ash froze, looking up slowly. A teenager stood in front of him, maybe seventeen. He had warm blonde hair and kind brown eyes. His uniform was slightly messy, the tie loosened like he couldn¡¯t be bothered to wear it properly.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you sitting here all by yourself?¡± the boy asked, tilting his head.


    Ash shrugged, looking away. ¡°Because I want to.¡±


    The boy didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he sat down on the bench beside Ash. ¡°That¡¯s not a real answer, you know.¡±


    Ash frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ want to talk about it.¡±


    But the boy just sat there, waiting. ¡°How about we share our names, Yeah? I¡¯m Jamie, and it¡¯s my last year at this school.¡±


    Ash looked at him, and then said, ¡°But that¡¯s a girl¡¯s name.¡±


    Jamie looked confused at first, but then erupted into laughter, ¡°You think so? You know it¡¯s used as a boy¡¯s name too!¡±


    Ash said, ¡°Okay. My name is Asher. And that¡¯s not used as a girl¡¯s name.¡±


    Jamie continued to laugh and then giggled, ¡°Gotcha, Asher! Sooo, what are you doing here all alone? Don¡¯t wanna play?¡±


    ¡°I do, but, I¡¯m¡­ scared,¡± Ash admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°My sister left.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, but he stayed quiet, letting Ash continue.


    ¡°She was my favorite person in the whole world,¡± Ash said, his voice trembling. ¡°But she left, and now home doesn¡¯t feel warm anymore. It feels¡­ empty.¡± He sniffled, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°What if- what if I care about someone else, and they leave too?¡±


    Before he knew it, the tears started falling, and Ash buried his face in his hands, sobbing softly.


    Jamie didn¡¯t respond. He waited until Ash¡¯s cries quieted a little, then placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± the boy said softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel scared and hurt. But you know, family¡­ it¡¯s something you can¡¯t ignore, no matter what.¡±


    Ash sniffled, looking up at him.


    ¡°Family is messy, they¡¯re the people you live with. The ones who know all your flaws but don¡¯t leave. They don¡¯t make you feel alone, even when you think they do. They¡¯re human too, Asher.¡±


    Ash blinked.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to make mistakes,¡± the boy said, his gaze far away, as if he were remembering something himself. ¡°But you¡¯ve got to try to forgive them. And¡­ your sister? She¡¯s probably feeling just as alone as you are. So don¡¯t give up on her, okay? Stay close to her. Don¡¯t let her feel like she¡¯s on her own.¡±


    Ash wiped his face with his sleeve, his small hands still shaking. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the boy said, smiling softly. ¡°Because no matter how far apart you feel, family is family. They¡¯re not perfect, but they¡¯re yours. Tell them how you feel, try to stay close to ¡®em, and protect them forever!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Lily doesn¡¯t want to stay. She said she hates us. What if I can¡¯t fix it? What if she doesn¡¯t want me to?¡±


    The boy crouched down to Ash¡¯s level, placing a hand gently on his small shoulder. ¡°Asher, sometimes¡­people in your family are going through stuff you can¡¯t always see. It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t care about you; it¡¯s that they¡¯re hurting too. And when people hurt, they say or do things they don¡¯t always mean.¡±


    Ash frowned, his tiny brow furrowing. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t understand.¡±


    The boy nodded. ¡°Yeah? You will at some point.¡±


    Ash looked at him, ¡°Maybe, I can¡¯t protect them?¡±


    Jamie chuckled and then said, ¡°You know, Asher, protecting someone doesn¡¯t always mean being some kind of hero, like in those cartoons you probably watch.¡± His eyes softened as he leaned in closer. ¡°Have you ever seen a father, or even a stranger, standing in front of someone else, shielding them? Or maybe holding a kid¡¯s hand real tight while crossing the street so they don¡¯t have to feel scared?¡±


    Ash tilted his head, nodding.


    Jamie continued, his voice steady. ¡°It¡¯s not about fighting battles or winning something big. Sometimes, it¡¯s just about being there. Being the person someone can lean on when things get rough. It¡¯s making sure they know they¡¯re not alone.¡±


    Ash looked down at his little hands, still trembling. ¡°What if they leave anyway?¡±


    The boy¡¯s smile faded slightly, his expression growing serious. ¡°Sometimes, people do leave. And it hurts. But even if they do leave, think of them in good words. Everyone makes mistakes, eh? Sometimes you gotta accept people the way they are.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Ash nodded, and Jamie stood up.


    ¡°Besides, she''s still your sister. That doesn¡¯t change. If you keep showing her you care, maybe writing her letters, calling her, telling her how much you miss her, she¡¯ll know she has a home with you. She¡¯ll know you¡¯re her family no matter where she is.¡±


    Ash lowered his gaze, hair shadowing his eyes. ¡°But do you think she misses me?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the boy said firmly. ¡°I bet she¡¯s missing you so much that she wants to fly over to you right now!¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Ash whispered.


    The boy grinned. ¡°Of course, I mean it, silly! Anytime you need someone to talk to, just look for me. Deal?¡±


    Ash nodded, his first small smile breaking through the tears. ¡°Deal.¡±


    Ash opened his eyes. He looked at the sky slowly but surely turning dark. Jamie¡¯s voice echoed in his mind, as if the boy were still sitting beside him, ruffling his hair and saying it¡¯d all be okay.


    But it wasn¡¯t okay. Not now. Not back then, either.


    He closed his eyes again.


    Protection. The word made his chest ache.


    Jamie had made it sound so simple back then: Just be there. Show them you care. But how could you protect someone when everything felt like it was falling apart? When the people you were supposed to protect didn¡¯t even want you there?


    Ash let out a shaky breath. His throat felt tight, his head pounding like a drum. ¡®Lucas said he wanted to protect me too¡­ but how? By keeping secrets? By lying to me?¡¯ His fists clenched as the thought lingered in his mind. ¡°Why does everyone think they know what¡¯s best for everyone else?¡± he muttered.


    He thought of Lily- her tears, her anger as she pressed the shard of glass closer to her neck. The way she looked at him, like she didn¡¯t need his protection, like he couldn¡¯t save her even if he tried.


    And then there was Noah, crying in their mother¡¯s arms, too small to understand what was happening but still scared. Ash squeezed his eyes tightly.


    His head throbbed harder, the pain spreading down in his entire body. ¡®I don¡¯t even have time to figure this out. Lily¡¯s falling apart, Mom and Dad are desperate, Noah¡¯s just a kid¡­ and Lucas¡­¡¯


    Lucas. That name alone made his breath hitch. ¡®Lucas, who was hiding something so huge it can change everything. How am I supposed to deal with all this?¡¯


    Then he remembered.


    He was twelve.


    It had been years since he¡¯d last seen Jamie, and he hadn¡¯t expected to run into him again. But fate had other plans.


    It was a quiet afternoon at the library. Ash was tucked away in a corner, flipping half-heartedly through a book about history- not because he was interested, but because it was something to do.


    ¡°Hey, I know you.¡±


    Ash¡¯s head shot up, his heart skipping a beat. Standing there, with a familiar grin and the same warm brown eyes, was Jamie.


    ¡°You¡¯re the kid from the school, right? What was your name again¡­ Asher?¡± Jamie asked, crouching slightly to meet his eye level.


    Ash blinked, his mind processing the sudden appearance. ¡°...Jamie?¡±


    Jamie laughed softly. ¡°So, you do remember me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Yeah, of course, I do.¡± Ash set the book aside, sitting up a little straighter. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Jamie leaned against the nearby shelf, crossing his arms casually. ¡°I come here all the time. Nice place to escape, you know? Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into an old friend, though.¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡± Ash repeated, surprised by the word.


    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± Jamie shrugged. ¡°We had a pretty good talk back then, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Ash hesitated, then gave a small nod. ¡°I guess.¡±


    Jamie tilted his head, studying him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re taller now.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I¡¯m twelve.¡± Ash cracked a smirk.


    ¡°Oh¡­yeah? Twelve really is a big age. You¡¯re practically an adult now, Mr. Asher!¡± Jamie grinned.


    Ash rolled his eyes.


    Jamie then continued, ¡°Still sitting alone, though, huh?¡±


    Ash¡¯s face heated slightly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­quiet here.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Jamie smirked but didn¡¯t push further. Instead, he gestured to the book Ash had abandoned. ¡°You into nature, or just pretending to be?¡±


    Ash glanced at the book, then shook his head. ¡°Not really. I just picked it up.¡±


    Jamie chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. So, how¡¯ve you been, Asher? You seemed pretty down last time I saw you. Things better now?¡±


    Ash hesitated, his gaze dropping to his hands. ¡°Not really,¡± he admitted.


    Jamie frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t look up, unsure if he should say anything. But Jamie¡¯s calm presence felt oddly reassuring, just like it had all those years ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Sometimes dad and mom fight, they¡­curse and all that. I mean, they do it in front of Noah. ¡± Ash said quietly.


    Jamie frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s Noah?¡±


    Ash blinked confused, and then said, smiling a bit, ¡°O-Oh? He¡¯s my little brothe-¡±


    Jamie jumped, ¡°Woah! You must love having him around, huh? You know I got a lil bro too! Although he is kind of stubborn, but still! Oh, and he¡¯s your age, too!¡± Jamie stopped, then looked at Ash, who was staring at him, confused, ¡°Sorry, I rant when I¡¯m excited. Anyway, continue.¡±


    The librarian came by, and glared at them, gesturing them to be silent, and then walked away as Jamie nodded frantically and muttered sorry.


    Ash continued. ¡°What¡¯s the point? I can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m not...¡±


    Jamie leaned forward slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­what?¡±


    Ash frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­perfect.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Jamie said thoughtfully, ¡°Of course, you aren¡¯t! No one¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Ash stared at him, ¡°But¡­Family is supposed to be perfect, right?¡±


    For a moment, they sat in silence.


    Then Jamie ruffled his hair, and said, ¡°You know, you¡¯ve grown up a lot. But some things don¡¯t change- you¡¯re still a little too stubborn, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ash gave a faint smile. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Jamie grinned, his voice soft but firm. ¡°Asher, listen to me¡­¡±


    Ash looked at him, annoyed at him for ruffling his hair, but still totally curious.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be perfect for them to love you, and they don¡¯t have to be perfect for you to love them.¡±


    Ash blinked, confused, ¡°I¡­don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Jamie slumped his shoulders, and shedded a fake tear, ¡°Maybe, at some point, you will. But seriously, I doubt that with all my will. Are you sure you have a fully functioning brain?¡±


    Ash smiled, ¡°I don''t know myself.¡±


    Ash chuckled on remembering it. The way Jamie had ruffled his hair, the teasing tone masking genuine care- it had stuck with him all these years.


    .


    .


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be perfect for them to love you, and they don¡¯t have to be perfect for you to love them.¡±


    .


    .


    Ash let out a shaky breath. ¡®Nothing¡¯s simple, is it?¡¯


    Everyone always told him he was good at reading people. He thought so too- he could pick apart their words, their actions, their emotions, and make sense of the chaos inside them.


    But now? He didn¡¯t understand anything. Not his family. Not himself.


    ¡®I always thought that people were¡­¡¯


    Complicated.


    Messy.


    Confusing.


    Ash ran a hand through his hair, pulling at it slightly as if the dull ache in his scalp could distract him.


    He didn¡¯t even know how to feel anymore. Hurt? Angry? Hopeless?


    Or just tired. So, so tired.


    The voice of the train interrupted the chaos in his mind, he whipped his head to the tracks, startled.


    ¡®It¡¯s just the damn¡­train.¡¯


    He stood up, the exhaustion suffocating, but he pulled himself straight. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll¡­¡¯


    But the thought never finished.


    Instead, his gaze locked on the train¡¯s lights, cutting through the dim evening, growing brighter and closer with every second. A strange, unfamiliar thought pushed its way into his mind.


    ¡®What if I just¡­didn¡¯t exist?¡¯

 Trains...close

    ¡®What if I just¡­didn¡¯t exist?¡¯


    The question wasn¡¯t rational; it wasn¡¯t even a question anymore. It was a whisper. His mind, fogged and fatigued, stopped arguing with him, stopped reminding him of reasons to step back. It just¡­forced him forward.


    One step.


    The train¡¯s headlights illuminated the tracks, the ground, and his figure inching closer.


    Two steps.


    The train was close enough now that the ground beneath his feet felt alive. Yet, as it all surrounded him- Ash felt¡­nothing.


    No panic. No fear. No instinct to run or step back. Just emptiness.


    He should care. He knew that. He should feel the rush of adrenaline, the urge to fight or flee, the instinct that said live. But there was nothing. No fire, no spark, no hope.


    He felt dead inside.


    His body moved forward again, feet dragging as if his legs belonged to someone else. The closer he got to the edge of the tracks, the louder the train¡¯s approach became, but it didn¡¯t register.


    What was there to fear? He¡¯d been through worse- hadn¡¯t he? The voices in his head were louder than the train horn, the shouts of desperation, the screams of his family.


    Maybe this was what it meant to truly give up. Not to fight, not to resist, but to feel so, so tired that even thinking would eat you from the inside.


    Three steps.


    The horn blared, loud and sharp. He couldn¡¯t hear it.


    He couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    Another step.


    He kept on moving, his mind seemed to be numb, his eyes empty.


    He stepped onto the track. The track seemed to move under the heavy weight of the train, and he didn¡¯t even feel the throbbing in his leg and the pounding in his head.


    He just felt¡­hollow.


    And then, one final thought whispered through his mind: ¡°I wonder what it feels like to..¡±


    The word came slowly, like a chill creeping over him. ¡®...Die.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t make sense. He didn¡¯t even know why it came up. But once it was there, it felt like it fit.


    .


    .


    Die.


    .


    .


    The idea of it felt real in a way that was terrifying.


    The world felt so far away. He was standing still, but his body felt like it was drifting. His breath caught, and his chest tightened, but the thought remained.


    Die.


    He didn¡¯t know why it felt right, but it did. And that was worse. He didn¡¯t want it to feel right, but he didn¡¯t know how to stop it. It was like his mind couldn¡¯t think of anything else. Like everything, every single piece of his being, had just given up trying.


    And then...


    ¡®No.¡¯


    It came out of nowhere. A scream, but not from his mouth. It came from the very inside of him. His mind suddenly screamed, ¡®No, not this, not like this,¡¯ but it was all in his head. And it hurt. Not like physical pain, but worse.


    He tried to move. He tried to force himself to move, to fight it, but nothing responded. His legs were like stone, his arms frozen, stuck in place. His mind screamed for him to act, but his body wouldn¡¯t listen.


    ¡®It¡¯s too late.¡¯


    It was short, but before he could follow it, the train''s roar came close, too close. The vibration shook his entire body now. The heat of it, the sheer force- it was all too much.


    ¡®I never wanted¡­¡¯


    Until a force struck him from the side.


    Suddenly, he was no longer standing. His body hit the ground hard, pain flaring in his side as he was shoved away from the tracks. The world spun for a moment, the scream of the train deafening.


    His chest heaved, lungs desperate for air he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding back.


    He blinked, dazed, and realized someone was gripping him tightly, holding him against the ground. His vision focused just enough to make out a face, but his ears were still ringing, and his mind struggled to process what had just happened.


    The train was gone, but he was still here.


    ¡®I-I¡¯m¡­alive.¡¯


    Ash looked up at him, someone who shouldn¡¯t be here. ¡®What is¡­he doing here?¡¯ should¡¯ve been the thought he should have at that moment, but instead he closed his eyes, and let out a shaky breath.


    ¡®What¡­w-was I thinking? I know I¡¯m a fool, but¡­Taking my own life? I¡­W-why did I do that?¡¯


    He felt regret, and guilt.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    What if he wasn¡¯t saved?


    What if the train crushed him whole, his bones, his flesh, his heart?


    What if he had¡­died?


    ¡®What was I thinking? What the hell was I doing?¡¯


    He imagined it- the train¡¯s crushing weight, the sound of bones snapping, of blood pooling where he once stood. ¡®God¡­what would have happened to Noah? What about Mom? Dad?¡¯ The realization hit him hard.


    But something had urged him to try.


    Something pushed him forward and to just give up. Just give up being the hero, give up being the one who Noah looks up to.


    He knew he was wrong. He knew he was gonna die. But the thought didn¡¯t make any sense.


    He should¡¯ve been scared, right? But instead, he felt his body appreciating him for what he was gonna do. He was going to sacrifice himself.


    His body felt like it had a mind of its own. He felt as if the entire cells in his body were on overdrive, telling him to just¡­try to do it.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve stopped, dammit!¡¯


    He knew how tough he might¡¯ve looked. But¡­the truth was he didn¡¯t want to die. He never did. He wanted all of this to be over. He wanted every bit of mess that was happening with him to just¡­stop, disappear.


    He didn¡¯t choose to step forward, not really. It was like something inside him had taken over. His body- his stupid, traitorous body- had pushed him toward the edge, daring him to give in. ¡®Why did I listen to it?¡¯


    He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms as if punishing himself for his weakness.


    But then someone who had saved him- punched him squarely across the face.


    The impact of the punch snapped Ash¡¯s head to the side, his vision blurring for a second. Pain bloomed across his cheek, sharp and stinging, but it wasn¡¯t the pain that shook him.


    It was the voice.


    ¡°What the hell were you doing?! Are you insane?!¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Lucas was walking back with Blake to the hideout.


    Blake and his lackeys had arranged a little party, or that¡¯s what he said anyway. They asked Lucas to come by too, but it was only a few minutes later that Lucas denied.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I won¡¯t join the party.¡±, was what he said when Blake and his lackeys asked him the reason for not joining.


    Little did they know that Lucas was lying.


    The harsh reality was, Lucas never meant any of it to happen. He did, to some extent, but then things got out of control.


    Lucas trudged down the alley. His hands were shoved deep into his jacket pockets, his face shadowed by the hood he¡¯d pulled up.


    Lucas hadn¡¯t wanted any part of it. Not after¡­not after Ash.


    He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening.


    What the hell was I thinking?


    Blake and his gang had gone too far- farther than even Lucas wanted to. He hadn¡¯t planned for Ash to get hurt like that. A scare, maybe, but not this. Not the blood, not the broken look in Ash¡¯s eyes. And definitely not the way he¡¯d told him to leave.


    ¡°I just wanted him to stop,¡± Lucas muttered under his breath. ¡°That¡¯s all. Just¡­stop interfering.¡±


    The warehouse loomed ahead. Lucas hesitated for a moment, but then walked in. He didn¡¯t know what he expected to find- maybe Ash still there, furious and battered but willing to listen. Maybe a chance to explain.


    Instead, he was greeted by silence.


    His gaze fell to the bloodstains near the center of the room. Lucas stopped in his tracks, staring at them. He had watched Blake, forcing Ash¡¯s head down, again and again, until he told him to stop.


    He could still see it. Ash on the ground, forced down again and again, Blake sneering above him. The sharp crack of a fist connecting with flesh. The way Ash had struggled, his movements growing weaker with every hit.


    Lucas clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.


    ¡®Looks like he went home. Stubborn idiot.¡¯


    A part of him asked him to go, meet Ash. But then- the rational part, asked him to do elsewise. Ash would be furious if he saw him again. After all, Lucas had blackmailed him by saying he¡¯d kill Noah.


    Still, the bloodstains wouldn¡¯t leave his mind. Ash¡¯s blood.


    Lucas sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets, and walking out of the empty warehouse. He walked down the road, his mind reeling. He walked until he felt his legs ready to buckle beneath him. There were train tracks visible ahead, and so he went down the slope and sat. He felt damp grass beneath him, but he didn¡¯t care.


    He hated feeling this way.


    Weak.


    Indecisive.


    Powerless.


    He thought about all the people who surrounded him every day- the ones who called him their friend, who laughed at his jokes, even the bad ones. But they weren¡¯t friends. Not really. They were¡­just people who were with him because they were lonely themselves. Noise. But the truth was, he didn¡¯t want friends.


    He just wanted to be seen.


    Not as the Boss. Not as the funny guy.


    But someone who people can trust with their life.


    He let out a sharp breath, his head falling back as he stared at the darkening sky. And then his thoughts drifted to Ash.


    When Ash first joined their class, he was just another face in the crowd of students. Lucas hadn¡¯t even bothered to learn his name for weeks. Why would he? Ash was quiet, unremarkable, and kept his head down. A random classmate Lucas barely noticed.


    Until the day he didn¡¯t.


    It was after school. Lucas had been in a rush that day, sprinting over to the main gates of the school. When he heard Blake¡¯s voice. Lucas turned his head, curious but not invested.


    There he saw Ash, going to punch Blake in the face.


    Blake had worked with him before high school started. Lucas was just thirteen, but he knew how to fight, thanks to his big brother. He only joined a martial arts class as a hobby, he told his big brother. But the truth was different.


    He had different plans. He wanted people to stand by his side, so they could help him achieve his goal. And then he met Blake outside a high school. He was with some other students, and they were talking about paying¡­debt?


    Lucas hid, and listened.


    Blake told the other students, ¡°He¡¯s going to come for us. Says he is gonna rip us the hell apart. What do we do now?¡± He muttered.


    The other student said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we kill that guy?¡±


    Blake laughed, and then said, ¡°Yeah? And how we gonna do that? Dude¡¯s tough, I can¡¯t beat him.¡±


    Lucas stayed hidden behind the corner, listening to Blake and his group argue. His heart raced, not from fear, but excitement. This was his chance.


    He stepped out before he could second-guess himself.


    ¡°I can do it,¡± he said, his voice steady.


    The group turned to him, startled. Blake squinted at him, then burst out laughing. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± he said, gesturing to Lucas¡¯s thin frame. ¡°What are you, ten? How are you gonna beat a fully grown man?¡±


    Lucas clenched his fists, his face heating. ¡°I¡¯m thirteen and I¡¯m tougher than I look.¡±


    Blake¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Yeah? Prove it.¡±


    Without warning, Blake swung at him. Lucas dodged, and countered with a sharp jab to Blake¡¯s side, then followed it up with a sweep.


    The other boys stepped back, their laughter dying.


    Blake groaned, pushing himself up with a wince. He looked at Lucas, his expression shifting from amusement to interest. ¡°Alright, kid. You¡¯re not bad. But what do you want? Clearly, no one here is stupid enough to help someone without nothing in return. So, What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    Lucas met his gaze, his voice quiet but firm. ¡°I want manpower. I will help you, and you can help me to kill someone.¡±


    The group exchanged uneasy glances, but Blake just smirked. ¡°Oh yeah? Who?¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer.


    Blake laughed, shaking his head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say you do. Why don¡¯t you just do it yourself? You¡¯re clearly stronger than me.¡±


    Lucas hesitated, then looked away. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I have a disease,¡± Lucas admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t do it alone. I need help.¡±


    Blake¡¯s laughter returned, loud and mocking, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. ¡°What disease?¡±


    ¡°I have¡­Asthma.¡±

 I never wanted this...

    ¡°I have¡­Asthma.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t lying. It was the entire reason he wanted people to stand by him. He hated that he had a disease he was born with. Asthma. Struggling to breathe. He never wanted people to take pity on him and say behind his back that he failed. He wanted to win on first try.


    Blake stood. ¡°Fine. You help me, I help you. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re as good as you think.¡±


    And just like that, an uneasy alliance was formed.


    Lucas helped Blake take down the man they owed, proving himself as more than just a kid with a bold claim. And in return, Blake stood by him, bringing others into their growing group.


    Lucas had gotten what he wanted- support, strength in numbers.


    He never told anyone about his act, but he helped Blake beat people who stood in their way.


    Two years later, Lucas thought he was slacking off from his purpose. He thought he was just helping Blake but Blake wasn¡¯t helping him as much as he had to.


    That¡¯s why Lucas caught Blake alone, and told him that he wasn¡¯t helping him the way he wanted him to.


    Blake blinked, startled. ¡°You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t need me?¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t,¡± Lucas said.


    Blake¡¯s fists tightened. He wanted Lucas to stand by him. As much as he hated to admit it, but Lucas was stronger then Blake, he always was. Blake was happy that Lucas joined him. He had someone who was tougher than him, that¡¯s what he wanted.


    But when Lucas told him that he didn¡¯t need him, for the first time, Blake felt it. Fear.


    Lucas didn¡¯t fight like others. He didn¡¯t just hit; he calculated. And Blake? Blake was just another piece on the board.


    From then on, things changed.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Blake called him, first as a joke, then as habit, and finally because he didn¡¯t know what else to call him.


    Lucas never corrected him. Why would he?


    But then, Lucas saw Ash punch Blake squarely on the face. Lucas watched him, fascinated.


    Sure, he didn¡¯t want anyone to stand in his way, but he felt impressed. Impressed by Ash trying to fight a battle everyone knew he wouldn¡¯t win.


    It wasn¡¯t like Ash was part of the popular crowd. He didn¡¯t have a reputation to defend or a point to prove. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to take on Blake and his gang, but he still stood there, fists clenched, ready to fight.


    Lucas couldn¡¯t look away.


    That was the moment Ash caught his interest. The boy who didn¡¯t back down. The boy who wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡®What drives him?¡¯ Lucas had wondered. ¡®Why does he care so much?¡¯


    Lucas punched him later, told him to give up, masking a boss who was warning him to stop and trying to show himself as a genuine classmate who cared.


    ¡°Stay safe.¡± he told Ash, but internally laughed at his act.


    He heard after school that Blake¡¯s lackeys crossed their paths with Ash, and came back injured.


    He was truly impressed. No one had the courage to hit the members of his group with a brick. So, he tried to stay close with Ash. Jason came along too. But Lucas would just observe Ash. He didn¡¯t want people to die, or to face Blake who might just kill you out of pure rage. That¡¯s why, he just asked him to stop, and let Blake do whatever he wanted.


    When he was with them, he felt like he wasn¡¯t surrounded by people who wanted company, or simply stuck with him ¡®cause he was popular.


    He felt like he was with companions. Allies. No, friends.


    And so, the day came when Blake told him about some ¡®freak¡¯ who sent him a threatening letter.


    Lucas said to control it himself. Just hanging out with Ash and Jason, told him to stop his desire to kill that man, who took everything from him. Who made it hard for him to breathe freely.


    He spent his time mostly with Ash and Jason. He liked it.


    But it wasn¡¯t about having friends, not in the way Noah might¡¯ve thought when he asked if he were friends with Ash.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He said, ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± He wanted it to be true. Not some words, but trust. For Lucas, all it mattered was trust. He didn¡¯t just want people around him; he wanted people to believe in him, to rely on him, to see him as more than a boy with cheap tricks up his sleeve.


    Lucas grabbed the grass from underneath, gripping it tightly. Just remembering what happened was getting on his nerves.


    Ash and Jason, though, were different. They didn¡¯t need to be impressed or coaxed. They didn¡¯t look at him like he was some popular guy in the school, and they didn¡¯t pretend to be anything they weren¡¯t.


    Ash, especially.


    Ash didn¡¯t laugh at Lucas¡¯s jokes, not like everyone else did. He didn¡¯t force a polite chuckle or nod along. Instead, he¡¯d stare at Lucas, completely unimpressed, and say, ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡±


    At first, it was jarring. Lucas wasn¡¯t used to that kind of honesty. But over time, he found himself looking forward to it.


    Ash didn¡¯t sugarcoat anything. He didn¡¯t put on a front or try to hide behind fake smiles. He was blunt, sometimes to the point of being harsh, but it felt real.


    Jason, too, was straightforward. He didn¡¯t go along with things just because Lucas said so. He¡¯d challenge him, argue with him, even tease him.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    It was real.


    They weren¡¯t like the classmates Lucas had grown up with. Those people laughed too hard at jokes that weren¡¯t funny, nodded too quickly at ideas they didn¡¯t agree with, and stayed close for reasons that felt hollow. They didn¡¯t trust him. They just wanted something from him.


    But Ash and Jason? They didn¡¯t need anything from him.


    And maybe that was why Lucas started spending more time with them.


    Walking Ash to school every morning had become a habit. He didn¡¯t even remember when it started. It wasn¡¯t like Ash had asked for his company- he probably didn¡¯t even want it, but Lucas showed up anyway.


    Ash would sigh, sometimes roll his eyes, even telling Lucas to leave. But Lucas didn¡¯t mind it.


    Mrs. Luke was another reason Lucas liked coming over. She was kind in a way Lucas didn¡¯t know how to explain, and the warmth of her home reminded him of something he¡¯d never really had.


    And Noah. Noah¡¯s curiosity and energy made Lucas feel like someone who belonged.


    Still, Lucas couldn¡¯t shake the doubts swirling in his head.


    The notes Blake had been getting- the ones that made him furious and scared, had stopped. It had been days now, and Lucas couldn¡¯t help but notice the timing.


    Could it be Ash?


    No. It didn¡¯t make sense.


    Ash was honest, too honest. He wasn¡¯t the type to sneak around leaving threats. He faced things head-on, even when he didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    But then again...


    Lucas felt the unease creeping in. He didn¡¯t want it to be true.


    He liked the mornings with Ash, liked how Noah would chatter on about superheroes and Mrs. Luke would offer him breakfast like he belonged there.


    And he liked the way Ash would tell him off, the way Jason would make fun of his hair or his terrible taste in music.


    Lucas liked feeling like a part of something real.


    But then, one day, Blake told him he fought someone in the gym. Lucas brushed it off. Then, he came to know who he beat.


    Jason.


    Lucas was furious. He had clearly told Blake many times to stop beating innocent people who just are minding their own business. But Blake told Jason challenged him.


    Lucas went to the hospital. Looking at Jason, all beaten and bruised, made his blood boil. He didn¡¯t know why he was angry- it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t the boss of the gang, anything Blake did should¡¯ve been acceptable to him. But the fact that he beat Jason, his friend.


    He asked Jason about what happened; called Ash too. They went in together, and came to know that Jason only challenged Blake because he wanted to know who the boss was.


    Lucas was thunderstruck.


    ¡®How the hell does Jason know there exists a secret boss?!¡¯


    ¡®Why on earth was Blake talking about having a boss in the first place?! I clearly told him to keep his mouth shut!¡¯


    But Lucas convinced himself later. It wasn¡¯t like Jason knows who¡¯s the boss, right? Everything would turn out in his way, he told himself.


    He hung out with Jason a bit longer.


    And then later, Blake told him he received a letter in the hospital. Lucas'' suspicion only grew deeper. Maybe it was just some wicked coincidence.


    Maybe Ash wasn¡¯t the one.


    But still, he couldn¡¯t shake it off. Later, he beat Blake, and told him to keep his mouth shut.


    Time passed by, and then he grew sure of it was Ash, sneaking, hiding around, sending Blake threatening letters.


    Lucas¡¯ job, as the boss, was to stop him, and make him regret crossing their path. But his job as his friend? It was to let him know that he can tell him anything. That he can trust him. That it isn¡¯t too late to stop. To ensure that he has to stay safe for his sake.


    The actual truth was; he was scared.


    Scared of how he would behave if it really is Ash sneaking around. Scared of how he would¡¯ve to take Ash out of the way just to prove his loyalty to Blake.


    Blake was what he needed- after all.


    He knew that Blake was a worthy pawn for him; he could be the best person to back him up in his plan, and to help him achieve his goal.


    But nothing worked his way.


    Ash was the person who did all the threatening, and Lucas was the one to stop him. He asked Ash to stop, and told him not to come on 02 October.


    But nothing ever worked, did it? He told Ash that he has to trust him, and everything will turn out okay. Ash told him he did, he did trust him. So why?


    Lucas grabbed at his hair and pulled them a bit. He could hear the trains honking in distance, when he saw someone else coming and plopping down on the opposite side.


    ¡®I bet he¡¯s disturbed too.¡¯ Lucas thought when he saw that person- lying down on the grass, and staring at the sky. He couldn¡¯t make out the details, just someone who was tired, and his clothes looked all dirty.


    But then, his eyes caught it.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that¡­Ash?¡¯


    Lucas stood up, relieved, thinking he should go and apologize and make things clear from his side. But then, looking at Ash, still blood sticking down his temple to the eyes, and limping, he changed his mind, and sat down. He slumped his shoulders and looked at him.


    He looked so¡­broken.


    Lucas kept on sitting there, hoping Ash wouldn¡¯t notice. And then moments passed, and Ash kept muttering stuff to him, which he couldn¡¯t muster up the courage to go closer and listen.


    ¡®I¡­what is he doing?¡¯ Lucas suddenly looked at Ash startling when a distant train honking was heard. And then Ash chuckled to himself, and then almost like he had planned everything, started to walk towards the train tracks.


    Lucas¡¯s heart clenched as he watched Ash stagger toward the train tracks. Every step the boy took felt like a stab of panic, rooting Lucas to the spot. His mind raced, but his body felt frozen, the honk of the approaching train growing louder in the background.


    What is he doing?!


    Ash was limping, his head slightly tilted as if the weight of his thoughts was too much to bear. Then it hit him.


    It¡¯s my fault.


    He stood abruptly, his legs trembling beneath him. This wasn¡¯t the plan. Ash wasn¡¯t supposed to look like this. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be walking toward the train tracks like he had nothing left to lose.


    Lucas¡¯s chest tightened, and his breath hitched. He had never been this scared before- not when he faced Blake, not when he¡¯d made his first big move as the ¡°Boss.¡± This was different.


    And it was all his fault. He was the reason Ash looked so tired, so broken that he was just about to take his own life.


    The train honked again, louder this time.


    ¡°Ash!¡± Lucas called, his voice cracking.


    Ash didn¡¯t turn. He didn¡¯t stop. Lucas felt guilt, regret. Lucas didn¡¯t know it would rattle Ash this much. Maybe Ash was ignoring him, he thought.


    Lucas¡¯s body moved before his mind could catch up. He sprinted, his legs burning with every step. The train was closer now, and so was Ash, standing on the tracks. He didn¡¯t know why he moved, hell, he never thought he would do this.


    He was doing all of this to kill that man. But now? Saving someone who should be better off dead seemed¡­the right thing to do. He did it. He saved someone, while he should¡¯ve been killing that man. The man who made it hard for him to breathe.


    ¡°ASH!¡±


    Lucas reached him just in time, grabbing him by the side and hurling him off the tracks with all the strength he could muster. They both went down hard, tumbling onto the rough ground beside the tracks just as the train thundered past, the ground shaking beneath them.


    When they stopped rolling, Lucas scrambled to his knees, his chest heaving. His hands were shaking, his entire body tense.


    This is all my fault.


    Ash lay sprawled on the ground, his breathing uneven, his eyes closed.


    And then, out of sheer desperation, Lucas did the only thing he could think of. He balled up his fist and punched Ash square in the face.


    How could he do this?!


    Ash¡¯s head jerked to the side, and his eyes snapped open, wide with shock.


    Lucas grabbed him by the collar, his voice trembling with rage. ¡°What the hell were you doing?! Are you insane?!¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes shot open.

 Back off...Leave me

    Lucas grabbed him by the collar, his voice trembling with rage. ¡°What the hell were you doing?! Are you insane?!¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes shot open.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡®What-¡¯


    Ash¡¯s eyes shoot open as he feels Lucas grabbing his collar and yanking him up.


    Lucas¡¯s face was tight with anger, his teeth clenched as he roughly shook him.


    ¡°What the hell were you doing?!¡± Lucas¡¯s voice cracked, louder than he meant it to be, louder than the train had been moments ago.


    Ash blinked, his chest heaving as he tried to process where he was. The ground beneath him scraped his hands, and his body ached from the fall. He barely registered Lucas¡¯s words. What had he been doing?


    He thought about it, and the memory came rushing back. The train. The tracks. The way his feet had just... moved forward like it was the easiest thing in the world to let go.


    He tried to speak but found nothing.


    Lucas¡¯s grip on his collar tightened. His face was wild, and Ash could feel the tremor in his hands. ¡°Do you even get it?!¡± Lucas yelled, shaking him harder. ¡°You were- God, Ash, what if- what were you- you were about¡­ to kill yourself!¡±


    ¡°Back off!¡± Ash snapped, his breathing labored.


    Ash¡¯s voice came out sharper than he expected, and with a sudden burst of strength, he shoved Lucas off him. Lucas staggered back, stumbling.


    Lucas sat there for a second, staring up at him like he couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Then his jaw tightened, and he scrambled to his feet.


    ¡°You think you can just leave after- after that?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t as steady as he wanted it to be.


    Ash didn¡¯t answer. He couldn¡¯t. His eyes drifted to the tracks, and something inside him twisted.


    The realization hit him all at once. He¡¯d been there. Standing right there. He could still feel the heat of the train as it came close, and could still hear the roar in his ears.


    And then, his mind betrayed him. He saw himself on the tracks, blood pooling.


    Broken.


    Lifeless.


    Dead.


    The nausea hit him so hard he doubled over.


    Lucas stepped forward instinctively. ¡°What-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    Ash¡¯s voice was strained, and he threw up a hand to stop Lucas from coming any closer. He couldn¡¯t deal with him. Not right now.


    Lucas froze, his own breath caught in his chest. He watched helplessly as Ash staggered a few steps to the side, clutching his stomach.


    And then, it happened. Ash threw up, the sound raw and awful in the quiet. His body convulsed, and he dropped to his knees, spitting bile.


    Lucas¡¯s hands trembled as he stared.


    This is my fault.


    The thought wouldn¡¯t stop repeating in his head.


    I pushed him too far. I let this happen.


    Ash wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his face pale and sickly, his shoulders slumped. He didn¡¯t look at Lucas.


    Lucas swallowed hard, his throat dry. He wanted to say something- to apologize, to do anything to make this moment less unbearable. But the words wouldn¡¯t come.


    And then¡­Ash trudged away, walking away from where he doubled over a moment ago, and sat on the ground. His head lowered, eyes closed.


    Lucas looked at him.


    ¡°Ash¡­I-¡±


    Ash lifted his head slightly, his face pale, his eyes dull. When he looked at Lucas, it sent a chill down his spine. Those eyes, so dark, so empty, they looked like they¡¯d swallowed every ounce of light in him.


    Lucas couldn¡¯t bear it. He glanced away, running a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath.


    ¡°God, Ash... you¡¯re disgusting.¡±


    Ash¡¯s voice was raspy, barely more than a whisper. ¡°What the hell are you doing here? Are you...stalking me now?¡±


    Lucas let out a dry chuckle. He shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the ground as he spoke.


    ¡°Guess I don¡¯t have the right to be here after everything... after making you go through all that crap at the warehouse.¡± His tone wavered slightly, but he laughed again, a bitter sound. ¡°Do I?¡±


    Ash scoffed. He tilted his head back, resting it against the ground.


    ¡°No,¡± he said finally, his voice dry. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    That made Lucas¡¯ feel more guilt.


    ¡°Ash¡­What were you about- What were you thinking?¡± Lucas asked, his red orbs trembling, while Ash only scoffed.


    ¡°Why do you¡­care?¡± Ash asked instead, making Lucas sigh.


    ¡°You¡­How can you¡­What if I wasn¡¯t here?! What if no one would¡¯ve stopped you and tomorrow morning, news spreads of a high-schooler who just took his own life- recklessly coming in front of the train, maybe because he lost his sanity?!¡± Lucas shouts, and Ash flinches looking away from him.


    The thing would have really happened if Lucas hadn¡¯t come. And one way or another, Asher was a bit glad he did, although he would never admit it.


    Ash took a deep breath, forgetting whatever happened and focusing on Lucas, ¡°You¡­don¡¯t get to say that after¡­everything you¡¯ve done-¡±


    ¡°Maybe not! But¡­But you were just¡­about to die, dammit! Be more ashamed about it!¡± Lucas said, plopping down on the ground a few miles away from him.


    Ash looked over to him, his hands were shaking vigorously, and his skin was pale.


    ¡°How can you¡­show up here after everything you¡¯ve done? You should¡­be more shameful.¡± Ash says, running a hand through his hair.


    ¡°Maybe so, but still! You were just about to take your¡­own life! I know it might be because I pushed you to this point, but be more considerate, will ya?!¡± Lucas shouted, then his voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°I- You were going to do this because of¡­me!¡±


    Ash snorted, ¡°Everything isn¡¯t always about you, dumbhead. Besides, you have no idea why I was doing what I did.¡±


    Lucas looked at him with wide-eyes, all he wanted was to hear Ash curse at him and tell him that everything that happened was his damn fault, but Ash said otherwise.


    ¡°I know you- I know you were giving up and¡­and I know you-¡± Lucas was cut off.


    ¡°When did you start to assume that you know me?¡± Ash stated, although his tone was low. And threw his hand up, and closed the distance between his thumb and the index finger, and then looked at Lucas, ¡°You don¡¯t even know me this much¡­So stop wallowing in self-pity that everything¡¯s your fault. That¡¯s¡­pitiful.¡±


    Why isn¡¯t Ash flipping me off, and asking me to leave, like he always did?


    Lucas frowned, then lowered his gaze, ¡°I came here to say so-¡±


    ¡°If you came here to apologize, and make amends, don¡¯t. Because you and I both know I won¡¯t accept your apology unless you tell me the real reason why.¡±


    I knew he would ask for it.


    Ash was for once, really curious to know the reason why Lucas joined the group, or why he is the ¡®Boss¡¯. He momentarily forgot the storm in his mind and the possibilities of what might be happening in the house.


    Lucas lowered his voice, ¡°Ash¡­I- I don¡¯t want to talk about that right now-¡±


    Ash snapped, his eyes averting to Lucas¡¯ trembling hands, ¡°Then go back¡­Why in the world did you come here to apologize if you aren¡¯t even ready to tell me the reason?...I won¡¯t buy it. Tell me the reason or else don¡¯t bother.¡±


    Lucas looked down on his feet, as if looking at them would provide him with any comfort and relief. Any good news. He wanted it to be over.


    This damn day. I want it to be over so badly.


    Lucas continued to look at the ground and then sighed. He didn¡¯t want to say it. He didn¡¯t want to drag this part of himself into the open, where Ash could look at it, pick it apart, and see just how messed up it really was. But Ash wasn¡¯t letting it go.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Where do I start?¡± Lucas asked, chuckling.


    Ash was quick to answer, ¡°From the start. And don¡¯t even think of making stuff up. Besides, I¡¯m already pissed off. So, you better give me the truth, or don¡¯t waste my time.¡±


    Lucas swallowed, hesitating for a moment. Ash¡¯s voice was sharp.


    Lucas nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked down at his trembling hands, then up at Ash, who was watching him, arms crossed.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lucas said finally, his voice barely audible. ¡°No lies. I¡¯ll start from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ash said, slightly tilting his head to the train tracks, but his mind not reeling about what he did before, but every ounce of focus on Lucas sighing and then continuing.


    ¡°When I was born, I knew nothing. I saw nothing, I heard nothin-¡±


    ¡°From the start means from when you met Blake and why you did this, you moron. Don¡¯t go on giving me details on how you were born.¡±


    ¡°Aw~ That was the only part of the story I love! The other story¡¯s crap-¡± Lucas was cut off when he saw Ash glaring at him like a hawk. His black onyx eyes bore into Lucas¡¯ vermillion ones.


    Lucas sighed, then with a heavy heart, he began.


    ¡°I met Blake when I was thirteen,¡± his voice steady at first but growing softer. He stared at the ground, his fingers idly twisting the edge of his sleeve.


    ¡°I had this...goal in mind, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.¡±


    Ash gave him a look that was unreadable. ¡°What goal? I don¡¯t know of a meaningful goal that includes fighting and bullying people. If¡­It wasn¡¯t because you had a superiority complex-¡±


    Lucas let out a dry chuckle, ¡°I didn¡¯t. I have a goal, and it¡¯s lame, but¡­it¡¯s very meaningful for me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what?¡±


    Lucas shrugged, ¡°That part is at the end of the story. Anyways, my brother taught me how to fight,¡± Lucas explained, his voice hardening slightly. ¡°It was just a hobby.¡±


    Ash raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    Dammit, how can he read me like an open book?!


    ¡°That¡­part is at the end of the story too.¡± Ash rolled his eyes but Lucas knew Ash wouldn¡¯t let it go. Lucas then continued.


    ¡°Then I saw Blake,¡± Lucas exhaled a long breath. ¡°He was standing outside a high school with a group of guys. I was walking by, but I stopped when I heard them talking about...paying debt.¡±


    Ash¡¯s brows furrowed, but he didn¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡°One of the guys was freaking out, saying someone was coming for them. That he¡¯d rip them apart if they didn¡¯t pay up. And Blake didn¡¯t have a clue what to do.¡±


    Ash tilted his head slightly. Lucas caught the look but ignored it, his focus drifting to the memory.


    ¡°I hid around the corner and listened to them argue. And then, before I could second-guess myself, I stepped out. Told them I could handle it.¡± Lucas let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen their faces. Blake laughed at me, called me a kid. Then he swung at me, out of nowhere.¡±


    Ash blinked, clearly surprised. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And I dodged. Countered. He got up, and instead of being pissed, he looked...interested. Like he¡¯d found something useful. He asked me what I wanted, why I¡¯d help them.¡±


    ¡°And¡­what did you say?¡±


    Lucas averted his eyes from the ground to Ash, who looked deep in thought but curious all the same.


    I have to tell him. Now or never.


    ¡°I told them about my goal,¡± And before Ash could interrupt and ask what was it, Lucas continued, throwing his hands in the air, ¡°Which I will tell you about later, and I helped them, beat the debt guy, and beat anyone who would come in our way.¡±


    Ash turned to face him, the dark sky making it hard for them to see, but the light of the moon shone.


    ¡°What did you¡­ask in return?¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± Lucas breathed out, taken aback by the question.


    ¡°What did you ask in return? Don¡¯t tell me you helped those bastards without anything in return, clearly you¡¯re not that much of an idiot.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond.


    Ash continued, ¡°And why did you ask them to help? If your goal included fighting people, then you should¡¯ve done it alone. Why drag a bunch of drunken bullies into helping you?¡±


    That¡¯s it. There¡¯s no backing away now. I have to tell him.


    Lucas¡¯s fingers trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists at his sides. He closed his eyes, already bracing himself for the words he knew he had to say. There was no backing out now, not with Ash staring at him like that- like he was piercing into his soul.


    ¡°I have a disease,¡± Lucas finally admitted, his voice low.


    Ash narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. ¡°A disease?¡± His voice was sharp, skeptical. ¡°What kind of disease?¡±


    Lucas opened his eyes and met Ash¡¯s gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching. ¡°Asthma.¡±

 Asthma...?

    Lucas opened his eyes and met Ash¡¯s gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching. ¡°Asthma.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t react the way Lucas had expected. There was no flicker of pity, no quiet understanding. Instead, Ash snapped, his voice cutting through the quiet.


    ¡°...That¡¯s your excuse? Asthma?¡±


    Lucas flinched, his eyes widening as he stared at Ash. He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d expected, but it wasn¡¯t this.


    ¡°I-¡± Lucas started, but Ash cut him off again.


    Ash¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver, his expression sharp, calculating.


    ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± Ash said, his voice carrying an almost bitter tone. ¡°You pulled people into your mess because¡­you had asthma?¡±


    Lucas looked away, his jaw tightening. He didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment.


    ¡°When I was little,¡± Lucas began quietly, his voice barely audible, ¡°some kids at school found out about my asthma. They¡¯d see me struggling during P.E., clutching at my chest, gasping for air. You know what they told me?¡±


    Ash stayed silent, but his gaze didn¡¯t waver.


    ¡°They told me I¡¯d never live a normal life. That I¡¯d always be weak. That I¡¯d need someone to help me with everything, every little thing.¡± Lucas¡¯s voice shook slightly, but he kept going. ¡°And for a while, I believed them. I thought they were right. That I¡¯d never be able to do anything on my own. And that¡¯s when it hit me- They were right. I was damn weak.¡±


    Ash watched him, his expression unreadable. ¡°So you dragged those guys into your plan because¡­what? You wanted to prove you weren¡¯t weak?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a justification, do you? I¡¯ll tell you what you¡¯ve been avoiding.¡± Ash''s tone was sharp, harsh, but it was honest. He shrugged, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, and then faced Lucas, who was already looking at him for answers. His eyes- red eyes- were desperate for answers.


    ¡°You chose to involve Blake and other people because it was easier than dealing with it yourself. Easier than admitting you might not be the strongest guy in the room.¡± Ash took a deep breath, and then looked over to the train tracks.


    Lucas, however, couldn¡¯t find the courage to look away. That was right. He chose this.


    It¡¯s all my fault.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re sitting here, telling me you did it because some kids told you you¡¯d never live a normal life? That¡¯s your reasoning? It¡¯s not even logical.¡±


    Lucas opened his mouth to respond, but Ash cut him off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Ash said sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath trying to justify it. You don¡¯t need to explain yourself to me- what¡¯s done is done. But don¡¯t expect me to coddle you. And don¡¯t ever try to justify it to me with some sob story again. You¡¯re better than that- or at least, you should be.¡±


    Lucas sighed deeply, not taken aback by Ash¡¯s bluntness to the slightest. At Least he was right when he said it was a sob story and a lame excuse.


    It was my choice. It¡¯s all my fault.


    Ash rested his head on the ground, his throat burning, itching for water, even a drop of water. But he waited, and said, ¡°Then?¡±


    Lucas startled slightly, and then said, ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°Continue, dumbhead. Think of your choices later. I¡¯m not going to spend the entire night here, listening to you, got that?¡±


    Although Ash said that, he didn¡¯t actually want to go home, since he wasn¡¯t sure if the chaos at home was finished or still going on. Screams, shouts- No, he was better here.


    Lucas lowered his gaze, and shifted, the grass damp and wet, sticking to his trousers, but he didn¡¯t mind. ¡°R-Right. So, then I helped him. And he helped me.¡±


    ¡°Already told me that. Just, when did you get Blake under your thumb? He¡¯s older than you, isn¡¯t he?...And stronger too.¡±


    Lucas looked at him, his voice low, but audible, ¡°One day, I asked him that I didn¡¯t need him. That he wasn¡¯t helping me the way I wanted him to.¡±


    Ash blinked, confused, ¡°You did- what? Like you finally understood you were wrong, and you decided to stop that mess-?¡±


    Lucas rubbed at his neck, sheepishly grinned, and said, ¡°Yeah, about that. I didn¡¯t mean it. I just said it so that he would feel like he needs me more than I need him. That I was a worthy fighter, and an ally.¡±


    Ash sighed. ¡°A mind game¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something like that. So, then he took it to heart, and decided to push further than he already was. After that¡­he started to call me ¡®Boss¡¯. That¡¯s pretty much it. You know after that.¡±


    Ash looked at him, Lucas¡¯ was now fiddling with his sleeve, twisting it, and then out of nowhere, Ash questioned, ¡°So, what did you want from me? Why invite me over to the warehouse¡­?¡±


    Lucas visibly tensed.


    I didn¡¯t want to talk about that. Why is he so damn stubborn?


    ¡°You were sneaking around, giving Blake those notes, so¡­as the ¡®Boss¡¯, it was my job to stop you. I just wanted you to keep shut and never cross us again. It had to be my job to do, since Blake and the others had to know I was on their side. But¡­¡± Lucas trailed off, then looked at Ash, and said, ¡°You have to know I didn¡¯t actually want to kill you. Just stop interfering in our business¡­That¡¯s all-¡±


    ¡°You do know, Lucas, I won¡¯t keep shut, right?¡± Ash said.


    At that right moment, Lucas flinched, ¡°You-¡± And then, after a few moments of silence, let out a dry chuckle. ¡°I know. You cannot change.¡±


    Ash nodded in approval.


    The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant hum of the approaching train. They sat there, not moving, not speaking.


    When the train finally disappeared, leaving only an echo in its wake, Ash relaxed his hands but kept his gaze locked on Lucas. His voice broke the heavy silence. ¡°What¡¯s your goal, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas froze. For a moment, he considered brushing it off, pretending Ash hadn¡¯t asked. But the sharp, knowing look Ash shot him made it clear that wasn¡¯t an option.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I thought he would forget.


    Lucas sighed deeply, his shoulders slumped. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember,¡± he muttered under his breath, barely audible.


    Ash raised a brow. ¡°Do I look like the type to forget?¡±


    Lucas let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°No, guess not.¡± He hesitated, his fingers returning to fiddle with his sleeve. ¡°Fine. You want the truth? My goal... it¡¯s to kill someone.¡±


    Ash tensed immediately, his posture going rigid. His dark eyes bored into Lucas, unreadable but intense. ¡°Who?¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond right away. He looked down at his hands, watching them shake as he clenched them into fists. ¡°A man,¡± he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Ash¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    Lucas finally met Ash¡¯s gaze. ¡°That''s all you¡¯re getting.¡±


    Ash studied him for a long moment, his mind racing through the implications. His voice, when he spoke again, was steady but cold. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you started fighting, excusing is as a hobby, but the truth was, you wanted revenge? And you won¡¯t even say why or who?¡±


    Revenge. That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve to take revenge.


    Lucas didn¡¯t flinch this time. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was revenge.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell is it?¡± Ash snapped.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°It¡¯s something I have to do. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Ash exhaled slowly. ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to let this slide without answers, you¡¯re mistaken. Forget about making amends.¡± Ash sighed deeply, then muttered, ¡°Idiot.¡±


    Lucas pointed at himself, ¡°Are you blackmailing me right now?¡±


    Ash scoffed, ¡°Of course, I am.¡±


    Okay. Ash, I¡¯ll tell you, but I hope you don¡¯t tell it to someone else. I hope that¡­you trust me.


    Lucas moved his hand to his hair, passing them through, although it did no good in settling down his dishevelled hair.


    ¡°His name is Anthony Jack.¡± Lucas waited to gather his thoughts, but Ash was focused. His mind was swirling with ¡®Why, Who,¡¯ but he faced Lucas.


    A Distant honk brought Lucas¡¯ focus on the present, and then he looked over to Ash, who was already staring at him with focus, and Lucas said.


    ¡°He killed my dad.¡± Lucas said in a low voice, almost like a hiss, his voice bitter with venom, and then he scoffed and repeated the words, as if reminding himself about it.


    ¡°He¡­killed my dad.¡±


    While Ash visibly tensed, he was not expecting it. At first, he thought of not pushing Lucas further into telling him why and when, but then he slumped his shoulders. He shouldn¡¯t ask him about his personal issues, right? But before he told Lucas that he can stop if he wants to, Lucas continued.


    His voice was low, but not shaking in the least. ¡°My dad was a famous politician. You must have heard of his death, the one who was missing for two months?¡± Lucas looked over to Ash, while Ash nodded in denial.


    ¡°No, never heard of it.¡± Ash responded.


    Lucas averted his eyes to the train tracks, his hands clenched into fists, and shaking in his lap, he continued. ¡°Right. So, he was a really famous man around this town. He had everything, power, control, and the trust of the people. People loved him, voted for him. But then¡­¡±


    Lucas trailed off, wiping away the sweat from his forehead.


    Ash lowered his gaze, Lucas was obviously not comfortable with sharing it. ¡°If you want to¡­you can stop.¡±


    Lucas let out a chuckle, ¡°No, no it¡¯s alright. So, there was another politician that worked under his orders. He wasn¡¯t famous, just like a right-hand man for my dad. When my dad was chosen for the chief role in the party, he got jealous. One day, my dad was on his way to the office, when, when-¡±


    Lucas stopped again, closed his eyes, and let out a shaky breath.


    This topic is always too hard for me to explain.


    Ash brows furrowed, and he shakes his head thoughtfully, ¡°When¡­?¡±


    Lucas nods, clenching and unclenching his fists in an order to stop them from shaking.


    ¡°When, his car got missing. Like¡­the driver was a traitor and¡­he turned the car towards another city, and took my dad with him forcefully. He remained missing for two months.¡±


    Lucas looks over to Ash, ¡°Can you believe it? Two months? And then news spread of him, and police worked to find him. After two months, they got a bit of luck, and found him in another nearby city, but he was¡­¡±


    Ash looked at him, and Lucas let out a heavy breath, and closed his eyes.


    ¡°He was dead.¡±


    Ash looks down on his feet, feeling utterly sorry for him, while Lucas chuckles a bit, and then says, ¡°Word has it that he was dead for one month. He did it. Anthony Jack killed him. Out of jealousy.¡± Lucas spats, looking down.


    Ash was now only confused. How hasn¡¯t he heard of this news? Surely, it seems like a big deal. Why was Anthony Jack so jealous? That he killed a man out of sheer jealousy, and the fact that he didn¡¯t have what Lucas¡¯ father did?


    Ash¡¯s focus is now solely on Lucas, forgetting why he was there in the first place. However Lucas mutters something under his breath and then says, ¡°I wasn¡¯t even born when it happened.¡±


    Ash heaves a long sigh. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t know about the news. He wasn¡¯t born then either.


    Ash narrows his eyes, ¡°How do you know it was¡­Anthony Jack?¡±


    Lucas shrugs, ¡°It was all over the news. Besides, I know it was that damn bastard.¡± Lucas hisses, then mutters, ¡°The court freed him. They said he didn¡¯t do it. But I know¡­He killed my dad. And I¡¯ll kill him. That¡¯s my goal.¡±


    ¡°Listen. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s better for you now. I don¡¯t know a thing about revenge. But I do know that you have to give me a reasoning of how revenge and your bullying group are related.¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand¡­


    Lucas rubs his neck, and then said, ¡°It was pretty bad news for us. I wasn¡¯t born, but my mom¡­She was heartbroken when she heard that my dad died. My mom¡­she died when I came into this world. I wasn¡¯t physically fit either¡­that¡¯s why I have asthma as a constant reminder of the trauma my mom faced.¡±


    Ash looks down. He hadn¡¯t known that Lucas was an orphan, and that he was raised by some other people.


    Lucas chuckled, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad I¡¯ve a big brother. He raised me alone. I only knew him. Not my mom, not my dad. That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll kill Anthony Jack, and make him pay for what suffering and hard life I and my brother lived. He¡¯s the reason I can¡¯t breathe right, damn him.¡±


    Ash runs a hand through his hair, he doesn¡¯t know how Lucas lived, but in his mind, he can¡¯t judge Lucas now for what he did. He seems right.


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s your goal, it still doesn¡¯t explain why you dragged Blake and his band of idiots into this. Why involve them at all?¡±


    Lucas hesitated, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure I could face Anthony Jack alone,¡± he muttered, his tone quieter now. ¡°My asthma... It¡¯s a constant reminder of my limits. What if I couldn¡¯t do it? What if I failed? I needed people who could step in if I couldn¡¯t finish the job. Blake- he seemed perfect for the job. He was my backup plan.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Does your brother know?¡±


    Lucas tensed at the question, his shoulders stiffening. ¡°No,¡± he said firmly, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t drag him into this. He¡¯s already done enough for me. I have to protect him.¡±


    Ash let out a small sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you should¡­take revenge. But killing Anthony Jack won¡¯t protect your brother, Lucas. His kids- or someone else close to him- they¡¯ll come for you. Or worse, they¡¯ll come for your brother.¡±


    Lucas frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line.


    ¡°Then what do you suggest, huh? I should just keep living under the rock and let that bastard run free? Besides, if I do that, I won¡¯t be able to¡­protect my big brother. If, by some miracle, Anthony comes to know where we live and¡­about my plans, he will kill us both.¡± he muttered, bitterness leaking into his tone.


    Ash leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped, his voice quieter. ¡°Protection isn¡¯t about revenge.¡±


    Lucas scoffed while Ash trailed off, and then, as if he remembered something, continued, ¡°Protecting someone doesn¡¯t always mean being some kind of hero.¡± His eyes softened as he leaned in closer. ¡°Have you ever seen a father, or even a stranger, standing in front of someone else, shielding them? Or maybe holding a kid¡¯s hand real tight while crossing the street so they don¡¯t have to feel scared?¡±


    For a moment, Lucas just stared at him. Then, out of nowhere, he let out a soft, dry laugh, shaking his head. ¡°I do. But do you know, you sound just like him.¡±


    Ash shrugged, there was no way Jamie is somehow related to Lucas, right? Ash literally told Lucas the entire protection talk he had with Jamie when he was seven.


    ¡°Who¡­?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Jamie. But you probably won''t know him.¡± Lucas said, finally returning to his old self.


    ¡°H-Huh? You know Jamie?¡± Ash questioned, clearly taken aback.


    Lucas'' eyes widened in shock, and he nearly jumped. ¡°No way! How do you know him?! He¡¯s my brother!¡±

 Kill

    Lucas'' eyes widened in shock, and he nearly jumped. ¡°No way! How do you know him?! He¡¯s my brother!¡±


    Ash wasn¡¯t certainly expecting that, and so he flinched and said, ¡°We met when I was younger.¡±


    Lucas shaked his head thoughtfully and then said, ¡°Lemme guess. He probably gave you advice, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Ash nodded, his eyes narrowing. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°Just a hunch. He¡¯s a big softie. Sees anyone in trouble, and he¡¯s gonna cry over their problems. Always blabs about family, love, all that cheesy stuff.¡± He chuckled, almost to himself. ¡°And don¡¯t even get me started on how dramatic he gets over birthdays.¡±


    Ash looked away, ¡°Fine.¡±


    I think he accepted my apology.


    For a while, neither of them said anything. They just sat there.


    Finally, Lucas glanced over at Ash, his tone more hesitant this time. ¡°So, uh¡­ is everything okay at home?¡±


    Ash¡¯s body stiffened, his jaw clenching as he instinctively looked down. His mind immediately flashed to the chaos waiting for him at home. ¡®I wonder if it stopped.¡¯ He hesitated for a second before responding. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± His tone was calm.


    Lucas shrugged. ¡°Just because I wanted to. You looked disgusting when you were muttering stuff to yourself. Weirdo.¡±


    Ash looked at him, and narrowed his eyes, ¡°So, you were stalking me then?¡±


    Lucas startled, ¡°Huh? No! I was¡­I was just¡­I just looked at you when you came here! I promise!¡±


    Ash shifted in his place, brushing off the damp grass from his palms, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading home now.¡±


    Lucas nodded, and then lowered his gaze, ¡°So, uh¡­did you¡­um forgive me?¡±


    Ash sighed, ¡°I haven¡¯t. I still need some time to think of what you did. However, if you stop this madness, I might consider doing it soon.¡±


    Lucas let out a shaky breath, and then stood to his feet, ¡°I promise. I promise I won¡¯t do it ever again. I will make it up to you and Jason. However, I might not give up on my goal. I need time to think about that.¡±


    Ash pushed himself to his feet, but as he stepped forward, he winced, his leg faltering slightly.


    Right, he had forgotten about how his leg throbbed. All thanks to Lucas¡¯ bringing down the stupid stick on his leg back in the warehouse.


    Lucas stepped closer, and then said, ¡°You¡¯re going straight home, right? No more wandering around roads or train tracks?¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t respond, his face set in a stoic expression as he adjusted his footing.


    He might try to¡­do that.


    Lucas sighed heavily, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m escorting you home.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ash snapped, glaring at him. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. I won¡¯t wander near train tracks, okay? I¡¯ll go straight home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure, but I can¡¯t believe you,¡± Lucas replied sarcastically. ¡°After what you were about to do, just shut up and follow me.¡±


    Ash groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re so damn irritating.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucas gave a toothy grin, falling into step beside him. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡±


    They both walked in comfortable silence, except for Ash sometimes asking him he can leave, but Lucas wasn¡¯t letting him go, saying what if his stupid mind asks him to go check the train tracks.


    And then, out of nowhere, Lucas pointed towards his leg, that Ash was very carefully moving, since it stinged and throbbed. ¡°Um¡­sorry about that stick. I couldn¡¯t control myself when you said that.¡±


    Ash looked over his shoulder, and said, ¡°Said what? ¡®Go to hell¡¯?¡±


    Lucas flinched, and then threw his hands in the air, ¡°Hey, no need to tell me again. I will go as soon as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re in good hands.¡±


    Ash rolled his eyes, ¡°Geez, Lucas. Stop acting like this. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna die.¡±


    Lucas just stared blankly at him, and then started to laugh, doubling over, ¡°Pfft-!¡± And then, he saw Ash glaring at him from the corner of his eyes, so Lucas choked on his laughter, and straightened up, ¡°Seriously, you look like a zombie. Limp, glare, and all.¡±


    Ash looked at him, unimpressed, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    Lucas grinned, unbothered. ¡°Hey, thanks for letting me know, yeah? But about that stick thing- sorry, okay? You just ticked me off, and my brain decided, ¡®Hey, let¡¯s yeet a stick at him.¡¯¡±


    Ash groaned, ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Lucas tapped his chin. ¡°Hmm, next time I should use a heavy stick. That bony stick felt like it wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Ash turned to glare at him. ¡°That bony thing felt like a sword.¡±


    A few moments of silence pass, and then Ash says, ¡°You can go now. Home¡¯s close.¡±


    Lucas shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m sticking to the end.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being weird, now. Won¡¯t Jamie be worried?¡±


    Lucas smirked, ¡°Yeah. He¡¯d be crying like a toddler right now. But, he knows I won¡¯t get into trouble.¡±


    Ash scoffed, ¡°Guess he doesn¡¯t know his one brute of a brother.¡±


    Lucas gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if he¡¯d been mortally wounded. ¡°Brute? Really? You wound me, Ash.¡±


    Ash raised an unimpressed eyebrow. ¡°Idiot, you¡¯re the one who wounds me.¡±


    Lucas grinned, unfazed. ¡°Nah, but admit it, I make life interesting.¡±


    Ash sighed,  ¡°If by interesting, you mean irritating, then yeah. Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Hey, come on. You¡¯d be bored stiff without me.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t argue, opting instead to keep walking. Lucas matched his pace, hands in his pockets.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    They continued to walk, when Ash saw the alley leading to his home. He turned to face Lucas, ¡°You can go, it¡¯s near.¡±


    Lucas peeked from behind, and said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    Ash sighed in relief, and starting walking, the sight of home dreaded him. He didn¡¯t know if anything at home was okay, but he couldn¡¯t stay anywhere except home too.


    ¡°Um¡­Hey, Ash?¡±


    Ash stopped in his tracks, frowning, and thinking of what might Lucas say now.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Ash turned slightly, raising an eyebrow as Lucas hesitated, hands fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve.


    ¡°Look, I just wanted to say¡­¡± Lucas trailed off, then sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I kinda regret what I did.¡± Ash crossed his arms, watching him but staying silent.


    ¡°And, uh¡­¡± Lucas glanced at him briefly before looking away, his voice dropping. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and you¡¯re right- I didn¡¯t have to drag Blake and the others into my mess. It¡¯s not their fight. I just thought I couldn¡¯t do it alone.¡±


    Ash¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t interrupt as Lucas continued.


    ¡°So¡­I¡¯m gonna tell them I¡¯m done. Quitting this whole stupid game. I don¡¯t need their help.¡±


    For a moment, Ash simply stared at him, his expression unreadable. Then, he nodded slowly. ¡°Do whatever you think is right.¡±


    Lucas blinked at the calm response, then chuckled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s it? No lecture? No ¡®you better not mess this up¡¯?¡±


    Ash gave him a look, unimpressed. ¡°If you¡¯re lying to my face right now about that quitting thing, I swear-¡±


    ¡°Hey, trust me, will ya? I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened.


    Trust? A bitter laugh almost escaped him, but he swallowed it down. Trust. That damn word again. Every time Ash trusted someone, it seemed like the universe conspired to remind him why he shouldn¡¯t.


    He thought back to the last time he trusted anyone. Trusted their words, their actions, even their smile. And it backfired.


    Ash clenched his fists. He¡¯d believed him once. Believed he had his back. And then, like clockwork, the betrayal came. It always came.


    ¡°Trust me,¡± Lucas had said. How many times had Ash heard that before? And every single time, it ended with Ash vowing he¡¯d never trust again.


    But here was Lucas, standing in front of him, looking like he actually meant it this time. Like he was different now.


    Luke always used to say to Noah, that trust is like handing someone a loaded gun and hoping they don¡¯t point it at you. Noah didn¡¯t understand, but Ash remembered it fully.


    Maybe, this time, trusting someone won¡¯t kill him.


    Ash unclenched his fists, and said, ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t make me regret trusting you or I¡¯ll not hesitate in shoving you in front of the train.¡±


    Lucas snorted. ¡°Thanks a bunch. It means a lot to me.¡±


    Without another word, Lucas turned and started walking away.


    Ash turned and started walking, the sight of home closing.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake sat sprawled on a couch in the corner of the club, a bottle of soda dangling lazily from his hand. The air reeked of sweat and cheap chips, but the place was buzzing with the noise of his lackeys cracking jokes, punching each other¡¯s arms, and rehashing the day¡¯s events like it was some grand victory.


    It was a victory. For him.


    ¡°Man, Blake,¡± Carter called out, tossing a handful of chips into his mouth. ¡°You totally rocked today. That punk had to know his place!¡±


    Blake chuckled, swirling the soda in his hand like it was some fine drink. ¡°That¡¯s the difference between me and them. I win. Always.¡±


    The group cheered. Another lackey, smaller and quieter than the rest, piped up cautiously. ¡°Uh, Blake? Who¡¯s that Ash dude anyway? Like¡­ I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±


    The mention of Ash¡¯s name faltered Blake¡¯s grin instantly. He sat up a little straighter, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Ash? That freak? Trust me, you don¡¯t want to meet him.¡±


    The others exchanged glances, nodding in approval.


    Liam sneered, ¡°Yeah, he is a real piece of trash. Thinks he could just threaten Blake and get away with his cheap tricks.¡±


    Blake leaned forward, ¡°Damn him. Always acting like he¡¯s smarter, like he¡¯s above it all. I hate him.¡±


    One of the lackeys snorted, ¡°Hate him enough to teach him a real lesson?¡±


    Blake¡¯s smirk twisted into something darker. He crushed the empty soda can in his hand, letting the sound echo in the room. ¡°I wanted to crush his skull under my foot.¡±.


    For a moment, he froze, a memory flashing in his mind. Ash, on his knees, his head shoved down over and over again. Blake could almost feel that rush of power he¡¯d had in that moment, the satisfaction of watching him- Ash crumble.


    But then Lucas had shown up.


    Blake clenched his fist, the crushed soda can forgotten on the floor. He hadn¡¯t stopped because he wanted to. Hell, if it were totally up to him, he¡¯d have killed him right there. It never was a problem for him, his dad being a politician helped his wicked hobbies greatly.


    Blake had killed a boy before- a teenager named Xavier.


    Xavier wasn¡¯t from here; he¡¯d transferred to their school from Canada. The moment he showed up, he was like a main character; smart, charismatic, effortlessly kind. He aced tests without breaking a sweat, charmed teachers and students alike, and had this annoyingly warm way of speaking to everyone. The guy was just too much.


    In other words, he was a perfect target for Blake.


    Blake couldn¡¯t stand people like him. The ones who smiled at everyone like the world was some great place. The ones who thought they could just be nice and fix things. Xavier¡¯s very existence felt like a challenge, a spotlight on everything Blake didn¡¯t have. And Blake? He didn¡¯t do well with challenges.


    So, he started messing with him.


    It began small, of course. Tripping him in the hallways, scattering his books across the floor. Classic stuff. But no matter what Blake did, Xavier didn¡¯t crack. He¡¯d just pick up his books, flash that irritating smile, and say something stupid like, ¡°You are really hurt, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    That smile made Blake¡¯s blood boil.


    As time went on, Blake escalated. He¡¯d shove Xavier into lockers, steal his homework, ruin his projects. Nothing worked. The kid stayed calm, unfazed, like he was above it all. Worse, Xavier started trying to ¡°talk¡± to Blake, offering these pep talks about how things could be better.


    One day, Xavier caught him alone after school. ¡°Blake, this isn¡¯t right. You can¡¯t keep doing this to people.¡±


    The words had only irritated him. Who was he to tell Blake what to do? What gave him the audacity to even think he had the right to stop him?


    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± Blake had hissed, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°You think you¡¯re so great, don¡¯t you? Like you¡¯re better than me?¡±


    Xavier just shook his head, his voice calm. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that at all. I just think you¡¯re capable of better.¡±


    Blake didn¡¯t respond. Xavier was too nice.


    ¡°If you want to talk about something, Blake¡­I am here to listen.¡±


    Blake was furious. He left after Xavier said that, but his thoughts were swirling. Trudging down the road, the words echoed in his mind.


    .


    .


    "If you want to talk about something, Blake¡­ I am here to listen."


    .


    .


    Why would anyone want to listen to his problems? Why would he want to share them?


    Emotions were for the weak. That¡¯s how Blake saw it. Telling people about what was going on inside his head, sharing his pain or doubts, was like handing over a piece of your strength and saying, Here, take it. Take this and use it against me.


    Weakness. That¡¯s what it was.


    Blake had learned long ago that you never let people see that side of you. You couldn¡¯t afford to. Emotions? They made you vulnerable, made you lose control. And Blake never lost control.


    He didn¡¯t want anyone to pity him. He didn¡¯t need their help. He didn¡¯t need their sympathy. Blake didn¡¯t need to explain himself to anyone.


    Sharing, talking, trusting- it all made you weak. And Blake wasn¡¯t weak. He never had been.


    So when Xavier had offered his help, Blake had felt something inside him snap. He couldn¡¯t let himself be that guy. The guy who cried on someone¡¯s shoulder, the guy who let others see his pain. No. He was better than that.


    He wouldn¡¯t be that vulnerable, wouldn¡¯t let anyone see his cracks. Because once they did, they¡¯d destroy him.


    And I¡¯m not letting anyone destroy me again.

 Hes gonna quit

    And I¡¯m not letting anyone destroy me again.


    Rage clouded Blake¡¯s vision, and before he knew it, he¡¯d followed Xavier all the way to his house.


    The kid let him in. That¡¯s how stupidly trusting he was. ¡°Look,¡± Xavier had said, setting his bag on the couch, ¡°if you¡¯re here to talk, I¡¯m willing to listen. But if this is about fighting-¡±


    Blake didn¡¯t let him finish.


    He smiled, all false sincerity, and said, ¡°No fighting. I¡­ I came to say sorry. For everything.¡±


    Xavier¡¯s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and for a moment, Blake thought he wouldn¡¯t buy it. But then the kid softened, his shoulders relaxing as he nodded. ¡°Wow, uh¡­ thanks, Blake. I knew you¡¯d come along. Maybe you just needed someone to show you it¡¯s okay to-¡±


    The words barely left his mouth before Blake moved. His hands shot out, gripping the boy¡¯s shoulders and shoving him hard onto the carpet. The boy let out a startled yelp, but before he could react, Blake was on him, his weight pressing down as he pinned the boy¡¯s arms above his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re too nice,¡± Blake hissed. ¡°It¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Blake, what are you-¡± The boy struggled, his eyes wide with fear, but Blake¡¯s grip was tightening.


    ¡°You really thought I came here to apologize?¡± Blake leaned in closer, his face inches from the Xavier¡¯s. ¡°You think the world works like that? That people like me just¡­ change because you ask them to?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to-¡±


    Blake¡¯s hands moved to the boy¡¯s throat, silencing him with a crushing grip. ¡°Shut up. You talk too much.¡±


    The boy¡¯s fingers clawed at Blake¡¯s wrists, his legs kicking weakly beneath him as he tried to free himself. But Blake was stronger, and the desperation in the boy¡¯s movements only pushed him on.


    The boy¡¯s face turned red, then pale, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. His eyes were wide, glistening with tears that only enraged Blake further.


    Even then, as his strength faded, the boy managed to rasp out a few broken words. ¡°I hope¡­someone¡­h-helps you.¡±


    Blake froze for a fraction of a second, those words cutting through his fury. But the hesitation was brief, and he saw the boy go still beneath him, his hands falling limp at his sides.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to kill him. No, it wasn¡¯t hard at all. Just a few seconds, a tight grip, and the boy¡¯s breath slowed until it stopped. Blake felt nothing in that moment, nothing but power. He¡¯d controlled the situation, like always. He¡¯d been the one to make the decisions. Xavier¡¯s words had meant nothing.


    But then¡­


    Blake walked away, wiping his hands on his clothes, like he was clearing away dust, and he left Xavier behind, motionless on the floor. But a feeling pressed down on him, squeezing his chest.


    Why am I feeling so damn sorry?


    He shook his head, trying to push it out, trying to convince himself it didn¡¯t matter. Feelings are for the weak. That¡¯s what he told himself. He could hear his father¡¯s voice echoing in his head. Emotions won¡¯t get you anywhere. His father had always been clear about that. Emotions make you weak. They made you easy to manipulate.


    So, he shoved the regret away, locked it deep down where no one could touch it, and kept walking.


    The rest was a blur. His father handled everything. The evidence disappeared, like it had never happened. Blake¡¯s father had connections, and with a few calls, things were erased. Gone.


    But that one sentence Xavier had said before,


    .


    .


    ¡°I hope someone helps you.¡±


    .


    .


    Blake hated it. He hated that someone- someone he¡¯d killed, had cared enough to say those words. It made no sense.


    Why had Xavier said that? Why had he hoped someone would help Blake? He hadn¡¯t deserved help. He didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity. But the words¡­ late at night, they came back.


    Blake clenched his fist, jolting to the present when Carter¡¯s voice rang through.


    ¡°Yo, Blake?¡± Carter¡¯s voice cut into his thoughts. ¡°You know where he¡¯s at right now, right?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Blake shot back.


    Carter and Liam sneered, and continued, ¡°Let¡¯s beat the crap outta him now. No one¡¯s gonna stop you. Besides, I doubt that freak¡¯s left the warehouse.¡±


    Blake glared at them. It seemed like the right thing to do.


    Then Liam piped in, ¡°Of course, if Blake is okay with beating him-¡±


    Blake stood up, kicking the can out of his way. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Carter motioned to Liam and a couple of other lackeys, all of them following Blake¡¯s lead as they made their way out of the club.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    As they walked, Blake¡¯s mind was set. He was going to finish what he¡¯d started. Ash had made him look weak, and now, Blake was going to remind him who was in control.


    But when they reached the street, just as they turned the corner, Blake froze. His eyes landed on them, the last people he ever expected to see right now. Ash¡­and Lucas?


    He was limping. Blake¡¯s eyes narrowed. The memory of how Ash had looked the last time, bloodied and beaten, flashed in his mind.


    And Lucas¡­?


    What the hell is he doing with the freak?


    Blake¡¯s eyes locked onto Lucas and Ash, his blood boiling as he watched them walk side by side, Ash rolling his eyes and Lucas talking casually.


    Like nothing even happened at the warehouse.


    Lucas was supposed to be laughing at Ash. He was supposed to be mocking him, just like he always did with anyone who crossed Blake¡¯s path. He was supposed to be right there with Blake, making sure Ash got what he deserved.


    Lucas- that bastard- what the hell was he doing? Smiling with Ash? Walking beside him like they were best friends or something? It didn¡¯t make sense. None of it made sense.


    But no, there he was, walking with Ash, smiling at him, like they were friends or something.


    Blake¡¯s fist tightened around his jacket. He couldn''t breathe for a second. That smile on Lucas¡¯s face... it hit him in a way he didn¡¯t expect.


    It was too damn genuine.


    For a moment, it was like Blake couldn¡¯t even recognize the Lucas he thought he knew. He had never seen Lucas smile like that with him.


    It was always about power, always about control. But with Ash, it was like he was... happy? That warm smile, so real, so unlike anything Blake had ever gotten from Lucas, made his stomach churn.


    For a second, Blake¡¯s mind flashed to Xavier¡¯s face. That same damn look, so kind and trusting, always so hopeful. Always trying to reach out, to offer help, to smile.


    But Blake had crushed that, hadn¡¯t he?


    Carter¡¯s voice cut through the haze of thoughts. ¡°Blake, what¡¯s Lucas doing with Ash? Shouldn¡¯t he be at home?¡± Carter¡¯s tone was confused, a little suspicious. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell us that he¡¯s not friends with that freak?¡±


    Blake snapped back to reality, his gaze never leaving Lucas. His hands were clenched, fists shaking with rage. His mind was reeling. Friends? What the hell did that even mean? Was Lucas actually...betraying Blake?


    He had to fight to keep his voice steady. ¡°He¡¯s messing with us.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t, right? But looking at Lucas, actually with Ash, and it pissed Blake off more than he could say.


    Blake took a step back, his jaw tight. ¡°He¡¯s playing with us, right? But I swear, if he¡¯s getting soft, I¡¯ll show him how it¡¯s really done.¡± His voice dropped low, dangerous. ¡°No one messes with me like this. No one.¡±


    But Blake knew. He knew that Lucas was slipping away from him. It would be about time when Lucas tells Blake to stop. Blake actually was okay with Lucas being the Boss. But¡­what if¡­what if Lucas quits?


    Liam grabbed Blake¡¯s wrist, ¡°Let¡¯s go right now. We will ask Boss about it later, okay-¡±


    Blake snapped, jerking Liam off, ¡°He¡¯s betrayed us, dammit! He¡­assured that he would help us find that notes giver, but now¡­He¡¯s gonna quit. He¡¯ll stop helping us, don¡¯t you know?!¡±


    Blake was furious, but Liam and Carter pushed him back, and forced him to go back to the club.


    But Blake muttered curses all the way back, his mind spinning with how Lucas had played with them. He always knew Lucas played mindgames, but with him? No way that seemed possible.


    Blake had started to think that Lucas was playing with him all along. Maybe he was lying when he said he had to kill someone, maybe he was lying when he said he¡¯ll help Blake to achieve his goal and to take out anyone who messes up.


    Blake¡¯s thoughts spiraled as Carter and Liam dragged him back toward the club. His chest burned.


    Blake clenched his fists so tight that his nails bit into his palms. He didn¡¯t care about the pain.


    It was nothing compared to the whirlwind inside his head. Lucas had promised, assured, that he would help them figure out who was behind those damn notes. He said he¡¯d stick around, that he¡¯d help Blake take down anyone who dared to cross him. And now? Now, it looked like Lucas was laughing behind his back the whole time.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Blake growled, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°He has been playing some sick game with me all along.¡±


    Liam glanced back at him, his brow furrowed. ¡°Do you think so, Blake?¡±


    Blake ignored him, his thoughts too loud to focus on anything else. Lucas wasn¡¯t just messing around. He was mocking Blake. Blake hadn¡¯t seen it coming. He¡¯d trusted Lucas, trusted him to have his back, to be the enforcer when things got messy.


    ¡°He¡¯s been screwing with me from the start,¡± Blake muttered, his voice bitter. ¡°Maybe he never gave a damn about helping me. Maybe all he wanted was to screw me over. Play me like some damn puppet.¡±


    Carter snorted. ¡°Lucas? Nah, he¡¯s just bored. You know how he is. Does whatever keeps him entertained. Maybe Ash is just his new toy.¡±


    But that didn¡¯t sit right with Blake. No, this wasn¡¯t boredom. This was calculated. This was deliberate. Lucas didn¡¯t just beat people up for the fun of it- there was always something behind his actions that only he seemed to understand.


    ¡°He¡¯s not bored,¡± Blake snapped. ¡°If he was, he¡¯d have left that freak bleeding in the warehouse. No, he¡¯s up to something. He¡¯s got this...this plan. And we¡¯re all just pieces on his damn chessboard.¡±


    Liam hesitated, glancing at Carter, who shrugged. ¡°So what do we do, then?¡± Liam asked cautiously. ¡°Call him out? Ask him directly?¡±


    Blake gritted his teeth, his mind racing. What if Lucas really did quit? What if he walked away and left Blake to deal with everything on his own? Blake might be strong, but he didn¡¯t have the kind of training Lucas did.


    The guy moved like he was born to fight, always one step ahead, always untouchable.


    For the first time, Blake doubted himself. If Lucas wasn¡¯t on his side anymore, what did that mean for him?


    He wasn¡¯t stupid- he knew his limits.


    Blake swallowed hard. ¡°We don¡¯t do anything,¡± he said finally, his voice cold. ¡°Not yet. But if he tells us that he¡¯s gonna quit, leave us to deal with this mess, I¡¯ll let him know... I¡¯ll show him what happens when you screw with me.¡±


    Because Blake felt like Lucas mocked him just for the fun of it, beat him because he always had this plan of quitting all along. He knew he¡¯s just gonna quit, so he made sure to beat Blake whenever he got the chance. Whenever Blake messed up, Lucas shoved him, punched him.


    And for what?


    Just because he was bored? Or was this because he knew Blake was afraid of him, and so, he took advantage of it? No, this was because he wanted to let Blake know that he¡¯s the Boss.


    That he will always have an upper hand. He¡¯ll always win.


    He¡¯ll always have control.


    And that made Blake mad. How could he let Lucas be their Boss, and just let him play some wicked game with their minds? Letting him play with their minds, and just for the fun of it?


    Blake scoffed.


    This was all getting on his nerves, but only if things could get any worse, a sudden voice cut through from his pocket, he jolted back from his thoughts.


    He took out his phone, and squinted at the screen.


    A message from Lucas.


    Lucas: 4:00 PM. Our hideout. I have something important to say.

 Maybe a stab

    Lucas: 4:00 PM. Our hideout. I have something important to say.


    Blake clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding. Important to say? He didn¡¯t need to be a genius to figure out what that meant. Lucas wasn¡¯t the type to waste words, and Blake could see the writing on the wall.


    Tomorrow, Lucas was going to quit. Walk away. Leave them hanging. Leave him hanging.


    He shoved the phone back into his pocket with more force than necessary, his hand brushing against something else.


    ¡°Yo, Blake?¡± Carter¡¯s voice broke. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Blake didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°None of your damn business,¡± he snapped.


    Carter exchanged a confused glance with Liam, but neither pressed further.


    Blake¡¯s mind was a chaos. Lucas was supposed to have his back. He was supposed to help Blake deal with people like Ash, supposed to stand by him. And now, Lucas was about to bail, just like everyone else always did.


    The punches, the shoves, those moments when Lucas had put him in his place. Blake thought they were lessons, ways to keep him in check, sure, but now, after everything that Blake saw, they felt like something else entirely.


    Mockery.


    Lucas had been mocking him, beating him down just for the fun of it, because he could.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Blake muttered under his breath


    Control. That¡¯s what it always came down to, didn¡¯t it? Lucas had it. Blake didn¡¯t.


    He let out a bitter laugh, the sound cold and sharp. ¡°Of course he¡¯s quitting,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? He¡¯s had his fun, pushed me around, and now he¡¯s bored.¡±


    Blake¡¯s hand brushed against that weight in his pocket again, and this time, he pulled it out. The dim light caught the edge of the blade, making it glint in the dark.


    A dagger.


    He turned it over slowly, the blade reflecting his furious expression.


    ¡°If he thinks he can just walk away¡­¡± Blake¡¯s voice was low, almost a growl. He tightened his grip on the handle. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he remembers who¡¯s in charge.¡±


    For a moment, the image of Lucas filled his mind. Lucas smirking, Lucas shoving him back, Lucas throwing that last punch just to prove he could.


    But then, something else flickered in his thoughts.


    Ash.


    Blake¡¯s fingers twitched around the dagger as the memory of Ash¡¯s face flashed in his mind. Bloodied, bruised, pathetic. The way he¡¯d staggered, the way he¡¯d tried to hold himself up even when it was obvious he was barely standing.


    Ash had started all of this. If it weren¡¯t for him, Lucas wouldn¡¯t be smiling like that, wouldn¡¯t be walking with him like they were some kind of team.


    That little freak had started all this.


    If not, then Lucas wouldn¡¯t be laughing with Ash. He¡¯d be laughing at him.


    Blake¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smirk. ¡°No,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°It¡¯s not Lucas. It¡¯s Ash. He¡¯s the one who needs to pay for this.¡±


    He stared at the blade in his hand, his grip tightening as his thoughts spiraled. Killing Ash wouldn¡¯t be hard. Hell, it wasn¡¯t like Blake hadn¡¯t done it before.


    His mind wandered back to Xavier, to the way he¡¯d looked up at Blake with those pleading eyes, gasping for breath.


    .


    .


    I hope someone helps you.


    .


    .


    Xavier had said.


    Blake shook his head sharply, banishing the thought. That didn¡¯t matter anymore. Xavier was long gone, buried along with the weak part of Blake that might¡¯ve cared.


    He looked back down at the dagger, his smirk widening. Killing Ash wouldn¡¯t be any different.


    Just one stab.


    Maybe two.


    Maybe three.


    Enough to make sure the job was done.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see you talk big now, Ash,¡± Blake muttered, his voice dripping. He slid the dagger back into his pocket.


    This was going to end on his terms. Lucas could play all the games he wanted, but Blake would make sure he was the one who had the final word.


    Tomorrow, everything was going to change. Ash had messed everything up, but Blake was going to fix it. On his terms.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The moment Ash turned the doorknob, his mind countered something. The door wasn¡¯t locked.


    Now, it may have been because Ash left before in such a hurry that he forgot to lock the door, or it might be because someone left after him.


    Ash wasn¡¯t very sure, that¡¯s why he braced himself for what might be happening inside, although he wasn¡¯t hearing any voices from inside; screams or shouting included.


    He turned the doorknob, and stepped inside.


    He was expecting a crumpled mess of her mother and Noah, shaking and sobbing together on the doorstep, and shouting Lily, hissing curses, and dad¡­trying to fix it all by saying nothing, but observing and taking in every venom-filled word spitted from Lily¡¯s mouth.


    But instead, what he looked at was; nothing.


    No one was in sight. The house was quiet; eerily quiet, it felt relieving and unnerving at the same time.


    ¡®Where¡­is everyone?¡¯


    And then, he heard something, or rather someone; sobbing.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    He walked into the lounge, guessing the source of the sound.


    Then he saw her.


    His mom was sitting on the couch, her back hunched, her hands clutching something that looked like a crumpled tissue. Her shoulders shook with every quiet sob, her head bowed.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Ash¡¯s breath caught in his throat. His first thought wasn¡¯t of her pain; it was of everyone else.


    ¡®Where¡¯s Lily? Where¡¯s Noah? Where¡¯s Dad?¡¯


    The worst-case scenarios slammed into him.


    ¡®What if Lily has taken Noah with her? What if-¡¯ His stomach churned. ¡®What if-¡¯


    ¡°Mom?¡± he called out softly, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn¡¯t even sure if she heard him until her head jerked up slightly, her tear-streaked face turning toward him.


    The moment her eyes landed on him, they widened. He didn¡¯t need a mirror to understand why.


    His temple was still caked with dried blood, his clothes were filthy, his shirt torn, his jeans smudged with dirt- and something darker that he didn¡¯t want to think about right now.


    His face was pale, bruised a bit, and his eyes told what he had been hiding- exhaustion and pain.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± she asked softly, her voice shaking as much as her hands.


    Ash ignored the question. ¡°Mom,¡± he said, his voice steady. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Lily? Noah? Dad?¡±


    His mother flinched, her fingers tightening around the tissue. She didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Mom,¡± he said again, this time a little louder, stepping closer to the couch. He crouched down in front of her, searching her face for something, anything, that would make sense. ¡°Please, just tell me. Where are they?¡±


    Her lips trembled, her breath shaky as she looked away, unable to meet his eyes. ¡°I¡­¡± she started, but her voice cracked. She took a shaky breath, pressing the tissue to her lips as though it could stop the sobs that escaped.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Ash pushed, his voice softer now, almost pleading. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gone, Ash,¡± she finally whispered.


    ¡°Lily?¡±


    She nodded, her eyes red and puffy as she looked at him again. ¡°She left.¡±


    Ash¡¯s chest tightened, his thoughts spiraling out of control. He clenched his jaw, fighting to keep his breathing steady.


    ¡°And Noah?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± she said quickly. ¡°He¡¯s upstairs.¡±


    ¡®God, Am I glad or what¡­?¡¯


    ¡°What about Dad?¡± Ash asked, his voice low.


    ¡°He went after her,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°He said he¡¯d bring her back.¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s with dad all of a sudden?¡¯


    Ash sat there, his hand still resting on her knee, his gaze steady but distant. That figured. His dad had always been quick to act when it came to Lily. No, when it came to any of them.


    A sob brought him back to the present.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± he asked after a beat, his tone soft, almost hesitant.


    His mother stiffened, and the tissue she¡¯d been clutching crumpled further in her trembling hands. For a moment, she didn¡¯t answer. Ash looked up then, just slightly, catching the way her shoulders shook.


    ¡°Mom?¡± he prompted again, quieter this time.


    ¡°What else can I do, Ash?¡± she finally said, her voice cracking. ¡°What else am I supposed to do?¡±


    Ash stiffened, but replied nonetheless, ¡°You¡¯ve to bear, mom. I know things are not going how we wanted them to, but¡­they can be much worse than they already are. Just¡­please, mom¡­stop crying.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the heart of a mother,¡± she said softly, her voice trembling.


    Ash looked up at her then, his brows furrowing slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Before he could react, her hand reached out, brushing against his hair with a gentleness that caught him off guard. He flinched, just barely, his shoulders stiffening, but her touch didn¡¯t falter. Her fingers combed through the messy strands, slow and deliberate, as if trying to soothe him.


    ¡°I always think¡­¡± she started, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°maybe if I had been a good mother, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t move. He just stayed there, listening.


    ¡°I look at you,¡± she continued, her voice gaining a little strength, though it wavered with emotion, ¡°I look at Lily.  And I wonder¡­ What if I could¡¯ve- What if I had been better?¡±


    ¡®Mom¡­she¡¯s¡­¡¯


    ¡°Mom, you did what you could.¡±


    Her hand kept moving, her fingers ruffling his hair in that familiar way she used to when he was a kid, back when life was simpler. Back when things made sense.


    ¡°I thought I was doing the right thing,¡± she whispered, her gaze distant now, as if she were talking more to herself than to him. ¡°Raising you and Noah, raising Lily, trying to keep everything together. But¡­ I wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Children are everything to a mother, Ash,¡± she said, her voice breaking on his name. ¡°Everything. You love them so much, it hurts. And when you see them suffer, you wonder if it¡¯s because of something you did. Or didn¡¯t do.¡±


    Ash stayed silent, and at this moment, he felt something.


    He wasn¡¯t sure why, but his mind wandered, pulling him to a memory. Jamie¡¯s voice echoed faintly in his head.


    .


    .


    You don¡¯t have to be perfect for them to love you, and they don¡¯t have to be perfect for you to love them.


    .


    .


    Ash hadn¡¯t understood it then, or maybe he had, but he¡¯d been too stubborn to admit it. He always thought love came with conditions, with expectations.


    But as his mother¡¯s fingers combed through his hair with an aching tenderness, he thought Jamie might¡¯ve been right all along.


    He didn¡¯t have to have it all together. She didn¡¯t have to, either. None of them did.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± his mother whispered.


    ¡°For what?¡± Ash asked, his voice quiet but steady.


    ¡°For not being enough,¡± she said, her hand pausing mid-motion. ¡°For failing you. For failing all of you.¡±


    Ash shook his head slightly, surprising even himself. ¡°You didn¡¯t fail us, Mom.¡±


    She let out a small laugh, but her fingers resumed their soothing motion. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel that way.¡±


    Ash leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for just a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us are perfect,¡± he said, almost to himself. ¡°And maybe that¡¯s okay. Because we¡¯re a family. We gotta stick together.¡±


    His mother stiffened, and then chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ash chuckled, despite himself.


    ¡°Noah was asking for you, but he figured you weren¡¯t home. He ran to his room, I doubt that he¡¯s asleep. Wanna talk to him?¡±


    Ash shaked his head, and then rested his hand on top of hers, ¡°I will go see him, okay? You can rest if you want to.¡±


    His mother nodded, ¡°Okay. But I¡¯m not sleeping. I¡¯ll wait for your dad to come back.¡±


    ¡®Of course, she won¡¯t admit she¡¯s tired.¡¯


    Ash tilted his head slightly, peering up at her. His mother¡¯s hand had gone still against his hair, her breathing slow and steady now. Her head rested lightly against the back of the couch, lips parted just enough to let out soft, rhythmic breaths. She¡¯d fallen asleep.


    For a moment, Ash just sat there, staring at her, not moving. He could still feel the faint warmth of her fingers where they had been combing through his hair, and the thought struck him harder than he wanted to admit:


    When was the last time this had happened?


    When had he last let himself just sit and be comforted by her like this?


    She looked...small. Smaller than he¡¯d ever noticed before. Maybe it was the way her shoulders curled inward slightly, as if she were folding into herself.


    Ash swallowed, his throat tight. He wasn¡¯t used to seeing her like this, wasn¡¯t used to thinking about her as someone who could break too.


    The thought came unbidden: Mother¡¯s never truly get to rest, do they?


    Slowly, carefully, Ash pushed himself up from the floor, his legs stiff from staying still so long. He looked down at her again


    Spotting the blanket draped over the armchair, he moved toward it, unfolding it. The fabric felt warm and comforting in his hands.


    Ash draped it over her gently, his hands lingering for just a moment as he tucked it around her shoulders. Her fingers twitched slightly, but she didn¡¯t wake, only sighed softly, her expression relaxing just a little more.


    ¡°Sleep,¡± he murmured, his voice low. ¡°You need it.¡±


    He stood there for another long moment before stepping away, heading toward the stairs. His movements were slow, deliberate.


    When he reached Noah¡¯s door, he hesitated. His hand hovered just above the slightly opened door.


    Finally, he pushed the door open a little more, just enough to step inside. Moonlight streamed casting shadows across the bed where Noah lay curled up under the blankets.


    Ash¡¯s breath hitched as his eyes caught the faint glimmer on Noah¡¯s cheeks.


    Tear streaks.


    His face was blotchy and red, his small hands clutching the blanket tightly even in sleep.


    And for a cruel second, Ash remembered himself, seven years old, crying himself to sleep, when Lily left the house.


    He almost scoffed, ¡®History always repeats itself, huh?¡¯


    Kneeling beside the bed, Ash leaned forward, brushing a stray curl from Noah¡¯s forehead. His hand stilled as he took in the tear-streaked face, the faint trembling in his brother¡¯s breath.


    ¡°Hey, Noah,¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being here earlier.¡±


    His fingers hovered over Noah¡¯s cheek for a moment before pulling back, resting instead on the edge of the bed.


    ¡®He¡¯s too young for this. He shouldn¡¯t have to cry himself to sleep, not like this.¡¯


    Ash¡¯s thoughts spiraled.


    ¡®I am a terrible brother. Noah deserves someone better than me, someone who knows how to protect him, how to make him smile instead of cry.¡¯


    Ash adjusted the blanket around Noah, tucking it carefully under his chin. For a moment, he just stayed there, watching his brother¡¯s chest rise and fall, the faint trembling in his breaths.


    Standing slowly, Ash lingered at the door, his hand gripping the edge of the frame. He glanced back at Noah, his throat tightening all over again at the sight of his tear-streaked face.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fix this,¡± he murmured under his breath. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Noah. Don¡¯t you worry a bit.¡±


    He closed the door softly behind him, making his way to his own room.

 ...Okay

    Ash stepped into his room, closing the door behind him. He stood there for a moment, his eyes scanning the space that felt both familiar and distant. Everything looked the same, yet nothing felt right.


    His shirt stuck to him, dirt and dried blood making his skin itch. He sighed heavily, grabbing some clothes from the drawer before heading to the bathroom.


    The warm water was comforting, at the very least. Ash felt light only by showering, but he sighed when he noticed the bruises, purple and black, on his arms and face, the scratches stinging.


    When he finally stepped out, the exhaustion hit him all over again. His muscles ached, his head throbbed, and all he wanted was to collapse onto the bed and let sleep take him.


    Dressed in fresh clothes, Ash dragged himself back to his room and sank onto the mattress. His body felt heavy, his mind sluggish as he stared up at the ceiling.


    And then his phone buzzed on the bedside table.


    He groaned, reaching for it without even checking the screen. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Ash,¡± his father¡¯s voice was steady. ¡°You¡¯re home right? Is everything okay at home?¡±


    ¡®Dad¡­? Where is he?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ash said, his voice rough. He cleared his throat and tried again. ¡°Mom and Noah are asleep. Everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    There was a pause on the other end, and Ash could hear faint background noise- maybe a coffee machine.


    ¡°Good,¡± his father finally said. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Ash asked, rubbing a hand over his face.


    ¡°With Lily,¡± Luke replied softly. ¡°She¡¯s asleep now. Resting like a log.¡±


    ¡®Huh? I seriously doubt that Lily let him in.¡¯


    Ash murmured. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She will be,¡± his father said, chuckling a bit. ¡°She¡¯s shaken up. I¡¯ll stay here tonight and bring her home in the morning,¡± there was a pause in his voice, then he added, ¡°If she wants to, of course. Even so, if she doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll be home tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll come home. But I would¡­like it¡­if she does.¡¯


    Ash nodded even though his father couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Okay.¡±


    There were brief moments of silence, and good grief, it was really uncomfortable.


    ¡°And you?¡± his father asked finally. ¡°How are you, Ash?¡±


    Ash froze for a moment, his fingers curling slightly against the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, too quickly.


    His father¡¯s tone shifted, firmer now. ¡°Asher.¡±


    The way he said his name made Ash¡¯s stomach churn.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ash repeated, softer this time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important, Dad. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to buy that?¡± his father asked, and Ash could make out the expressions he would have. ¡°You came home bloodied and bruised, Ash. That¡¯s not nothing. What happened?¡±


    Ash pressed his lips together, his jaw tightening as his eyes flicked to the ceiling.


    ¡®How am I supposed to explain this?¡¯


    How could he explain it? That he was doing something no sane person would ever think of- messing with bullies, toying with them like he wasn¡¯t terrified they¡¯d figure him out?


    He could almost laugh at himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now,¡± he muttered, the words coming out before he could stop them.


    ¡°Handled, is this what you think it is?¡± his father said, clearly unimpressed. Then, his voice dropped, and Ash¡¯s breath hitched at his voice.


    ¡°Ash, when I get home tomorrow, you¡¯re going to tell me everything. Do you hear me?¡±


    Ash let out a slow breath, his shoulders slumping. ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± he said quietly.


    He clearly couldn¡¯t disagree with his dad, he couldn¡¯t afford to.


    ¡°I mean it, Ash,¡± his father continued, his tone softening. ¡°Whatever it is, you are going to give me all the details. It isn¡¯t okay for you to come home like that.¡± He paused, and then out of nowhere, he asked, ¡°You aren¡¯t bullying someone, right?¡±


    Ash choked on thin air.


    ¡®Huh? Does dad really think that I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m bullying someone?¡¯


    ¡°No,¡± Ash said finally, holding his laughter in.


    ¡°Good,¡± his father said, and Ash could hear the faint relief in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me tomorrow, got that? I¡¯ll believe you¡­even if you¡¯re coming home looking like a zombie.¡±


    His dad wasn¡¯t the type to dismiss him, but this wasn¡¯t something simple. This was complicated, messy. How was he supposed to explain that he¡¯d thrown himself into something this reckless, this dangerous, willingly? But still, Ash thought of telling him when he does come tomorrow.


    ¡°I will,¡± Ash promised, his voice steady.


    ¡°Now get some rest, okay? Take care of Noah and your mom. I¡¯ll be getting some rest now too.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodnight, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Night.¡±


    As the call ended, Ash let the phone drop onto the bed beside him. He let him eyes close, the exhaustion finally taking a toll on him. His last thoughts were assurance to himself, that he¡¯ll tell his dad everything.


    He had to.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    He was five.


    She was fifteen.


    But when she was with him,


    She felt like a child too.


    In the mornings, they had their little game-


    Who would wake up first?


    He always won, And she let him.


    Daytime was chaotic.


    Her room was a pirate ship.


    The Kitchen was a castle.


    At noon, they had a snack party-


    He always said she was terrible, but ate.


    He wasn¡¯t better either, but she didn¡¯t complain.


    At night, he would crawl into her lap,


    Telling her stories that made no sense,


    But she listened anyway,


    Because his laughter made her feel at home.


    Years passed like a blur.


    He was fifteen now.


    She was twenty-five.


    And somewhere in the growing up,


    She had let go of those little moments.


    She didn¡¯t see him as much anymore.


    ¡°Ash!¡± she called.


    He didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°Ash!¡± she tried again, louder.


    This time, he turned-


    And her world stopped.


    There was a knife, deep in his stomach,


    Scarlet, Crimson, Red.


    His hands trembled, trying to stop the bleeding.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°No,¡± she whispered, trying to step forward,


    But her legs didn¡¯t move.


    She looked to the right- And there he was.


    A boy with blond hair, his face twisted into a cruel grin.


    He was laughing, and with a sickening pull,


    He tore the knife from Ash¡¯s body.


    Blood sprayed, dark, and Ash staggered, his knees buckling.


    Before she could scream, before she could move,


    The boy raised the knife again.


    He brought it down on Ash, and he let out a choked scream.


    Once.


    Twice.


    Three times-


    Lily jolted, and woke up. Her heart is racing, and her breaths are coming in short gasps.


    The dream still clung to her. She could still see him- Ash. Wide-eyed and falling, blood pooling around his fingers as he clutched his stomach. A knife buried deep where it shouldn¡¯t be.


    Her breaths were shallow, erratic, her trembling hand pressing against her chest as if that could steady her racing heart.


    It wasn¡¯t real. She repeated it over and over.


    It wasn¡¯t real.


    It wasn¡¯t real.


    But why did it feel like it was?


    She sat up, her eyes darting around the room. She was in her apartment, and dim light entered through the windows.


    And then, a sound.


    Someone humming. Light and cheerful.


    Lily frowned. She remembered how last night went. A slap, her mother muttering comforting words, and Noah just sitting- crying and sobbing his little heart out.


    She ran afterwards, all that happened, being too overwhelming. In hopes of getting herself out of the place, which she once called ¡®home sweet home¡¯, she ran. But her dad followed. All the way to her apartment.


    Maybe he wanted to fix things, but Lily didn¡¯t care. She came into her apartment, but didn¡¯t lock it. Maybe she forgot, maybe she wanted him to come.


    And then, he came.


    He didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t demand anything from her. He simply came in and sat down beside her, close enough that she could feel the heat of his body, but not close enough to overwhelm her.


    He was there, but he didn¡¯t intrude. And for some reason, that was exactly what she needed. She didn¡¯t look at him, didn¡¯t say a word, and neither did he.


    She didn¡¯t even realize when her exhaustion finally won, and pulled her into a restless sleep.


    But she slept, wondering if she would still feel his warmth in the morning, or if he would be leaving soon.


    Throwing back the covers, she pushed herself up, her limbs still heavy with sleep. Her feet hit the wooden floor and paused for a moment in the hallway.


    Her father¡¯s voice, annoyingly cheerful, broke the morning stillness. ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re awake!¡± he called out, grinning as he peeked his head out from the kitchen.


    ¡°Perfect timing. I made breakfast!¡±


    Lily froze, her fingers tightening at her sides. ¡°...Dad.¡±


    ¡°Do you wanna take a shower before you eat?¡± he asked brightly, disappearing back into the kitchen.


    Lily clenched her jaw. What is he doing here now? But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew the answer. He¡¯d stayed. Of course, he had.


    She wanted to ask him to leave, take his annoying humming and breakfast, and leave her alone. But she didn¡¯t. She slowly came forward, and looked at her dad, setting down two plates on the table.


    ¡°Ta-da!¡± he said, stepping back proudly.


    Her eyes fell on the food. Eggs and bacon, arranged in an overly cheery attempt at a smiley face. The eggs had the yolks positioned as eyes, with strips of bacon forming a wide grin.


    She almost scoffed. Of course.


    Her stomach growled softly, betraying her. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she was really hungry, given that she didn¡¯t eat last night. She sat down, ignoring her father¡¯s pleased expression, and picked up the fork.


    The eggs were fine. The bacon was crispy. She hated that it tasted good.


    ¡°I used to do this for you and Ash all the time,¡± her father said, sitting down across from her. ¡°You loved when I made a smiley face on the eggs.¡±


    Lily didn¡¯t answer. She stabbed a piece of egg, chewing slowly.


    ¡°Noah, however, loves when I make fried rice,¡± he continued, as though she¡¯d encouraged the conversation. ¡°Every time I cook it, he eats like he¡¯s never been fed before. Your mom always tells me I spoil him.¡± He chuckled.


    Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She kept her gaze on her plate, her grip tightening on the fork.


    ¡°Once, I made fried rice for Ash and Noah. Ash didn¡¯t even know how to cut onions. Can you believe it?¡± He said, side-glancing Lily, who snapped her head towards him.


    ¡°...He didn¡¯t?¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes widened for a split second, and then he chuckled, ¡°No. I asked him to do it, and he said he didn¡¯t know how to do it. Well, don¡¯t worry, I taught him.¡± He puffed out his chest.


    Lily then didn¡¯t reply, and she wasn¡¯t sure why he asked him in the first place, if Ash didn¡¯t know how to cut them. But that seemed so like him. He never liked onions, and when she had asked why, his reply was,


    ¡°I don¡¯t like onions. They make me cry.¡±


    Lily poked at the eggs, scoffing. Of course, he grew up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat if you don¡¯t want to,¡± her father added, his tone a little softer. ¡°But... I thought you¡¯d like it.¡±


    She looked up at him then, meeting his eyes for the first time that morning.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± she said flatly, turning back to her food.


    He smiled faintly. ¡°Good. Eat up, princess.¡±


    ¡®Princess, my foot. Look at me, eyes all puffy and red.¡¯


    She never really wanted to think about it, but memories came.


    Like the time when she was seven. It was one of those afternoons, warm and lazy, when the world felt so big and she was still small enough to believe everything would always be okay.


    Her dad had called her ¡°princess¡± back then, too. He¡¯d sit on the grass in the backyard, laughing as she tried to outdo him in whatever silly game they were playing. He¡¯d scoop her up in his arms, lifting her high into the air, calling her his ¡°little princess¡± as if she could rule the whole world.


    But that was before everything changed.


    Lily pushed the empty plate aside. She tried to ignore the sound of her father washing the dishes, his familiar movements that felt too warm, too...normal. She just wanted everything to stop feeling so strange. When he finished, he settled next to her.


    That¡¯s when Lily stood up, and turned away from him.


    ¡°When are you going back?¡± She asked, her voice low, but not bitter in the least. ¡°I¡¯ve to go to work today.¡±


    Luke shrugged, running a hand through his hair, ¡°Um¡­I kind of told Ash that I would return in the morning last night,¡± He paused, then added, ¡°With you.¡±


    Lily stiffened, What? Why take me too?


    ¡°You will, right?¡± He pressed further, his voice low but firm.


    Lily didn¡¯t respond.


    Luke then sighed, and slumped his shoulders, ¡°Where do you work?¡±


    ¡°At a coffee shop. Not really far from here.¡±


    She could feel her dad¡¯s eyes burning holes from behind.


    ¡°Did you¡­uh¡­receive the money I sent?¡±


    Lily bit her bottom lip. Ever since she left home, she didn¡¯t really tell her dad, her family, or her friends where she lived. But it was about time, after three years of living alone, she started to get the money from who knows where. Just a brown envelope, filled with money, lots of them, in fact, with no information about the sender.


    But it was clear as day that he sent her money. She never opened any of them, just received them, and thrashed them into the drawer.


    She had no idea why she couldn¡¯t bring herself to open them or use them.


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    Her father stayed quiet for a moment, as if trying to process her response.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t opened them,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve got...more than thirty of them sitting in my drawer.¡±


    Luke sighed, then chuckled, almost to himself, ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then we should go back as soon as possible, and go on a huge trip, maybe to another country!¡± He threw his arms wide, ¡°We¡¯ll so much enjoy that.¡±


    Lily turned back, and bore her eyes into her dad¡¯s. They looked so full of life, and colour. He looked too normal. She wasn¡¯t expecting him to react like this.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡±


    Luke stopped, then nodded, ¡°Uh-huh. Wanna tell me why? You clearly want to, I know it.¡±


    Lily stayed quiet. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Maybe she did want to go back, but not in the way he thought. Maybe she was tired of being alone, tired of the emptiness that came with living in her little apartment.


    She thought about Ash and Noah. She thought about what it would be like to actually live with them again, to have a family, even if it wasn¡¯t perfect.


    No, it wasn¡¯t perfect at all, but it would be something. Hell, if nothing, then at least, she wouldn¡¯t be lonely again. She¡¯ll challenge them to their little game of waking up early, and she would pretend her room is a pirate ship and the kitchen is a castle. She¡¯ll still make terrible snacks for Ash and Noah, and if they don¡¯t eat it, then rub it in their faces.


    At night, she will coddle them both, or Noah at least, and make them laugh when making terrible attempts at singing a poem.


    But she couldn¡¯t say that out loud. She couldn¡¯t admit that after all the running, after everything she¡¯d done to escape.


    Her father stared at her, like he was trying to read her.


    She felt the words itching at her, but she kept them to herself.


    Luke continued, ¡°Lily. I don¡¯t know if this is going to make you change your mind, but I want you to know. I don¡¯t hate you, okay? I never did.¡±


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened. She remembers something an awful lot closer to these words.


    .


    .


    Lily, dad doesn¡¯t hate you. He just wants you to know that. He told me, he doesn¡¯t hate you, you know?


    .


    .


    Ash.


    He had said that before, hadn¡¯t he? Trying to let her know, but she never took them to heart. She kept making excuses of how he''s just trying to control you, or brainwash you into believing whatever nonsense he¡¯s bluffing at. But she always knew that she wanted to hear these words from his mouth.


    Such damned words, but so assuring.


    ¡°You know, right? I¡¯m sorry, so sorry, if I expected so much from you back then.¡± Luke¡¯s voice dropped to a murmur, and his head lowered, ¡°But now, I want nothing more than to have my family back together. You hear that, Lily? I want you to come back.¡±


    Lily didn¡¯t respond, just trying to take in her dad¡¯s words felt like therapy.


    Luke stood up, went up close to her, and looked into her eyes, so comforting, and unwavering.


    ¡°I want you to come back. Forgive me, and come back. I swear I¡¯ll never even raise my voice on you, or Ash or Noah. Just come back home.¡±


    Lily¡¯s jaw hardened, her hands trembled, and her eyes looked anywhere but her dad¡¯s silhouette.


    She couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. She knew what he wanted. She knew she wanted this all along.


    Luke¡¯s voice dropped, and he whispered under his breath.


    ¡°Please?¡±


    That was it. The final push. Lily took a deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to say. She turned her eyes away from him, murmuring, ¡°At the end of this month.¡±


    Luke jolted, and shifted, and then managed out.


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    Lily looked into his eyes, and ran a hand through her hair, "At the end of this month, dammit. I''m not going to let the coffee shop pay me the amount for half the month."


    Luke''s eyes widened, he took a moment of understanding, and then when it hit him, he grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯m so damn glad, Lily.¡±


    So am I, she thought, but never said it out loud.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Hes mad

    ¡°Ash! C¡¯mon down, don¡¯t you wanna go to school?¡±


    Ash groans in his bed, and hides his face in the blanket. ¡®School? Really?¡¯, he thinks, and the unnerving exhaustion that will add up to his already battered body, and Jason¡¯s bickering and concern about what happened to his face and all that, and Lucas smirking knowingly.


    Not to mention that he didn¡¯t do his homework.


    Oh yeah, that was another thing waiting to slap him in the face the second he stepped through the classroom door. Why did math even exist, anyway? Did anyone really need to know how to calculate angles of a triangle in real life?


    He didn¡¯t even have the energy to process the idea without his body screaming in protest.


    His face ached from last night, a dull throb that reminded him of his bad decision-making skills. ¡®No thanks,¡¯ Ash thought.


    He briefly considered his options: stay home and face his mom¡¯s wrath or go to school and face everyone else¡¯s.


    ¡®Skipping seems logical,¡¯ he reasoned. He could spend the day avoiding awkward questions and aching limbs, curled up in bed like a normal, defeated teenager.


    But logic didn¡¯t get him far when his mom¡¯s voice pierced through his thoughts again.


    ¡°Ash, if I come up there and find you still in bed-¡±


    ¡°Coming!¡± he lied, muffled by the layers of blanket.


    He sighed. Five more minutes. He could figure out how to fake a sick day in five minutes, right? Right.


    His mind drifted into a restless sleep again, and after who knows how many minutes- or hours had passed, he jolted awake.


    By a voice.


    He tried to listen to it, was it his mom¡¯s angry shouting from behind because Ash didn¡¯t go to school or was it Noah playing?


    And then, it hit.


    It was the phone.


    ¡®Dammit, I can¡¯t even sleep,¡¯ he groaned and winced as he sat up, the already aching limbs doing no good at all. He moved to pick up the phone from the side table, and declined the call, without even looking at the sender¡¯s name.


    ¡®You deserve this, whoever you are, for ruining my beauty sleep.¡¯


    Before he could let himself drift into sleep again, and pull the covers to his face, the phone rang again. But now, there were notifications, and it seemed like they were not going to stop any sooner.


    ¡®Ugh.¡¯


    He picked up the phone, squinting his eyes from the too-bright screen.


    Jason: DUDE.


    Jason: Why didn¡¯t you come to school???


    Jason: How could you just ditch me like that?


    Jason: Asher, seriously?


    Jason: Do you even know what happened today?! Lucas didn¡¯t show up either. He didn¡¯t even tell me why. I had to sit alone. WITH SOME BORING GUYS.


    Jason: I deserve an explanation.


    Jason: RIGHT NOW.


    Ash blinked at the screen, taking into account that he slept for half a day, and if Jason¡¯s messaging him, then he¡¯s already back home.


    His first thought: ¡®Seriously? He¡¯s acting like I abandoned him in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.¡¯


    His second thought: ¡®Wait, Lucas didn¡¯t show up either?¡¯


    Ash stared at that line for a second longer, his tired brain trying to connect the dots but failing miserably. Whatever. It didn¡¯t matter. Lucas probably had his own reasons, like beating the crap outta people or beating Blake.


    Meanwhile, Jason was still blowing up his phone.


    Jason: You better not be dead. Also, I know you¡¯re leaving me on read.


    Ash groaned, flopping back onto his pillow. ¡®Why is this guy so persistent?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like Jason was dying without him. He could survive a day. Probably. Maybe.


    His phone buzzed again.


    Jason: You better text back, or I swear I¡¯m coming over.


    Ash sighed, finally typing back.


    Ash: I didn¡¯t do homework.


    The reply came in immediately.


    Jason: So, what??? You could¡¯ve come, besides the maths teacher didn¡¯t come either.


    Ash winced. ¡®Why is it that whenever I don¡¯t go to school, the stupid maths teacher doesn¡¯t come too?!¡¯


    Jason replied again.


    Jason: You know what? Now I actually feel better. Ha. I enjoyed my lunch silently, with no Lucas tryna grab my snacks and no you telling me the cafeteria food sucks.


    Ash smirked, he knew Jason was only making it up.


    Ash: Go blow up Lucas¡¯ phone. I¡¯m going back to sleep.


    Jason replied instantly.


    Jason: YOU¡¯RE GOING BACK TO SLEEP??!! Do you even know what time it is?! Also, Lucas isn¡¯t picking up his phone.


    Ash pinched the bridge of his nose, and knitted his brows, ¡®Lucas isn¡¯t picking up? Why?¡¯


    He had no answer, so he asked Jason.


    Ash: Why?


    Jason: No idea. Maybe he¡¯s dead¡­ Wait, he isn¡¯t actually dead, RIGHT?! Screw that, I¡¯m going over to his home right now! Bai!


    Ash sighed, Jason might actually be on his way to Lucas¡¯ home. He was about to collapse again, when his phone buzzed.


    Jason: Wait, where is HIS HOME???


    Ash: Don¡¯t know.


    Jason: AHHH! I¡¯m RUINED.


    With that, Ash collapsed on the bed, in hopes of getting just a few more moments of sleep, but his mind swirled. ¡®Lucas never skips school, and he isn¡¯t picking up his phone, why?¡¯


    Jason would probably be freaking out and crying in the middle of the road, but it wasn¡¯t his problem anymore. He called it on himself.


    ¡®Maybe Lucas is thinking of the terrible decisions he made. Good, he should.¡¯


    Ash sat up, his mind now fully awake.


    He sighed, ruffling his messy hair. ¡°Great,¡± he muttered, ¡°sleep¡¯s officially canceled.¡± His stomach growled loudly, reminding him of the breakfast that he never ate.


    Dragging himself out of bed, Ash decided to head downstairs and at least get something to eat. Maybe he could sneak into the kitchen without triggering his mom¡¯s wrath for skipping school.


    As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped. His mom was by the door, tying her shoes, her coat already on.


    Ash raised an eyebrow. ¡®I¡¯m glad she didn¡¯t notice me, but still, is she going somewhere?¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Going somewhere?¡±


    His mom glanced at him briefly. Ash thought of bracing himself since she could show him her anger, but she looked back to her shoes. ¡°Yeah, Noah¡¯s bus isn¡¯t coming today. Something about the driver being sick. I need to pick him up.¡±


    Ash blinked. Noah¡¯s school wasn¡¯t far, but¡­


    He still had to ask Noah if he was okay.


    Ash had gone to check on his little brother last night. Noah had already cried himself to sleep, his face buried in a pillow, his tiny body trembling even as he slept.


    Ash had stood there for what felt like ages, just staring. He hadn¡¯t said anything, hadn¡¯t done anything. What could he do? He wasn¡¯t great at comforting people- words weren¡¯t exactly his strong suit, especially when they mattered the most.


    So, he just stood there, feeling useless, before quietly leaving the room.


    Now, as he glanced at his mom, her focus entirely on her shoes, the thought struck him: maybe this was a chance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get him,¡± Ash said, almost blurting it out before he could overthink.


    His mom straightened, turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ll go?¡±


    Ash shrugged. ¡°Yeah, why not? I¡¯ve got nothing better to do, and, uh¡­¡± He trailed off, realizing how lame that sounded. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve got stuff to do, right? I¡¯ll just grab him real quick.¡±


    His mom narrowed her eyes. ¡°You sure? You know you can¡¯t get off my radar by going out. You still have to explain to me why you skipped school.¡±


    Ash nodded. ¡°I was trying to do that. But yeah, I know.¡± He paused, and then added, ¡°Mom, did dad call?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She hummed in response, ¡°Yes. He called today when I was making breakfast. Told me he¡¯ll come alone during the day.¡±


    ¡®H-Huh? Isn¡¯t Lily coming too?¡¯


    She spoke again, her eyes sparkling bright, ¡°Lily will come at the end of this month, apparently. She said that she has to receive the full salary from this place where she works.¡±


    ¡®She¡­said she will?¡¯


    Ash felt warmth settle in his chest, maybe things were going to be okay now in their family.


    He cracked a small smile, despite himself, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get going now.¡±


    Her lips twitched, grinning ear-to-ear. ¡°Alright, fine. But don¡¯t let him wander off, and for goodness¡¯ sake, make sure he¡¯s wearing his jacket. It¡¯s cold out there.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Ash mumbled, grabbing the keys off the hook by the door.


    As he stepped outside, the chilly air hit his face, waking him up a little more. He stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets, his mind already racing with what he wanted to say to Noah. Lily wasn¡¯t going to push them down. If she said she will come, then there is no way on earth that she¡¯s not going to.


    The problem tugging now was Noah.


    Should he bring up last night directly? Probably not- Noah might not like that. Ash knew that because, well, he hated it too.


    But he had to say something. The thought of Noah crying alone in his room, feeling like no one cared, made Ash¡¯s stomach churn.


    The walk to the school wasn¡¯t long, and it was after a few moments, that he found himself in front of the school gate.


    His eyes scanned the small crowd of kids waiting around, most of them laughing and chatting in their little groups.


    And then, he spotted him.


    Noah stood a little off to the side, alone. His hands gripped the straps of his backpack so hard that his knuckles turned white. His head was down, and he shuffled his feet aimlessly.


    A sharp laugh cut through the hum, and Ash¡¯s eyes darted to a small group of kids a few feet away. They were snickering, pointing- not outright, but enough that it was obvious who they were talking about. One kid whispered something to another, and they both laughed again, glancing at Noah.


    Noah side-eyes those boys and then sighed, looking down. Ash¡¯s chest tightened. His fists balled up in his hoodie pockets.


    ¡®What¡¯s so funny, huh?¡¯ he thought, the urge to march over and shut them up gnawing at him. But instead, he turned his attention back to Noah.


    ¡°Noah,¡± he called out, his voice firm but not loud enough to draw too much attention.


    Noah¡¯s eyes shot up, widening as he took into account that Ash- his brother, whom he was dying to meet last night, was in front of him.


    ¡°Big brother?¡± he asked, although he wasn¡¯t really sure why he asked. He was right in front of him, after all, wasn¡¯t he?


    His lips parted, like he was about to say something else, but before he could, Ash stepped forward and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Ash said, his voice low but cold.


    Noah blinked, stumbling to keep up as Ash marched straight toward the group of kids who¡¯d been laughing at him. The boys caught sight of them, their chatter cutting off. One of them, a skinny kid, shifted nervously, his eyes darting around like he was looking for an escape.


    ¡®It is kids like these who grow up to be people like Blake. Clearly, teachers need to do a better job at telling them they are wrong.¡¯


    But this wasn¡¯t about teachers. After all, teachers do more than any normal person can¡¯t. They do cope up with all kinds of jerks shaped as students, don¡¯t they?


    It wasn¡¯t about teachers.


    It was about the kind of people these kids had around them.


    Ash stopped in front of them, his grip on Noah¡¯s hand tightening slightly.


    The boys didn¡¯t move at first, just glanced at each other, until the shaggy-haired one attempted a weak smirk.


    Before Ash could open his mouth, Noah tugged at his sleeve, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Let¡¯s just go, please.¡±


    Ash glanced down at him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Noah. I¡¯ll never let this go.¡±


    Noah¡¯s hand trembled in his, but he didn¡¯t let go.


    Ash¡¯s eyes narrowed at the boys. ¡°Is there something funny?¡±


    The shaggy-haired boy glanced at his friends, who snickered quietly behind him, then shrugged. ¡°Uh-huh. No-show¡¯s the funny one.¡± His smirk grew a little bolder. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ an odd duck.¡±


    Ash felt his patience snap at the nickname, while Noah tightened his hold.


    It wasn¡¯t about teachers.


    It was about who let them believe it was okay to pick on someone smaller, quieter, or just¡­ different. It was about parents who never bothered to ask their kid why they came home with a grin too wide, or why they had someone else¡¯s lunch box in their bag.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that, huh?¡± Ash¡¯s voice was low, but it carried enough force to make the shaggy-haired kid flinch. His friends snickered behind him, and the shaggy-haired kid smirked.


    The kid hesitated, but then one of his friends muttered something under his breath, and he gained a bit of his nerve back. ¡°He, uh¡­ fell during PE. Tried to jump a hurdle or something, and¡­ face-planted in the dirt. And then-¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    The kid continued, ¡°And then he asked-uh- what¡¯s heavier, a hundred pounds of feathers or a hundred pounds of bricks?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t about the teachers.


    It was about the society that made people feel like they are stronger if they are stomping on someone else''s ground.


    Ash knew Noah wasn''t the kind of boy who just let things be. He was a curious kid, trying to find meaning in things that were too big his size.


    So what if Noah was asking questions, what if he fell during P.E?


    It doesn''t make him an odd duck, just curious.


    Ash was clenching his jaw so tight it ached. And then, he said, ¡°Wow. Here I was thinking that you guys were kinda cool.¡±


    The kids exchanged glances and then burst out laughing. One of them said, ¡°It does make us cool. We actually fit in, unlike this No-show. Right odd duck?¡±


    One of them snickered and pointed out to Noah. Ash could feel Noah tightening his hold on his hand, and a little sound of whimpering escaped his mouth.


    Ash could feel his heart burst, he didn''t know why though. It wasn''t that it was really rare for kids to behave like that. No, people like Blake are made, not born.


    People like Blake were made from kids like these.


    There were a hundred little Blakes in every school, every neighborhood. And each one started somewhere, with a kid who laughed at another kid¡¯s stumble in PE and no one told them it wasn¡¯t okay.


    And Ash knew it.


    ¡°You''re a bit wrong there, kids.You can never look cool if you''re picking on someone.¡± He gestured to them, his voice almost casual, ¡°It makes you look like a jerk.¡±


    The boys stopped laughing and exchanged glances, one of them pointing to the shaggy-haired kid, ¡°Hey, you said it''ll make us look cool! But it makes us look like uh-¡± he trailed off and then looked over to Ash and pointed to him, ¡° Whatever he said!¡±


    Some of the other kids gaped, as if being called a ''jerk¡¯ was a really big deal, and as if they were the biggest criminals alive.


    They felt as if this skinny teenager, not very old, just cursed them when he said ''jerk¡¯.


    One of the kids gaped, and looked at each other. As if being called a ¡®jerk¡¯ meant the end of the world.


    They looked at Ash, and their eyes widened in horror- if being called a ¡®jerk¡¯ was a curse for them.


    Ash inwardly smiled. ¡®They should feel like this.¡¯


    The shaggy-haired kid stepped back, and said in a loud voice, ¡°Hey! I never said that! Besides, this guy isn¡¯t cool either!¡±


    One of them stepped forward, and pointed vaguely, ¡°No! You said it made us look the best! Picking on people like No-Show here, was fun, you said!¡±


    Ash exhaled a long breath. That explained it. One of them started it, and the others just followed his lead blindly.


    But as for now, Ash wasn¡¯t sure that this kid was just using the shaggy-haired kid as a distraction, so Ash doesn¡¯t accuse him for being a ¡®jerk¡¯, Or if he was actually sorry for that.


    The kids exchanged uneasy glances, and another kid chimed in, ¡°Yeah, I never signed up to be called the ¡®jerk¡¯! I¡¯m outta here!


    ¡°Yeah!¡± another said, taking a step back. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna look like a loser for picking on someone!¡±


    The shaggy-haired kid flinched, his smirk faltering. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean-! You guys-!¡±


    The rest of the kids scattered, leaving the shaggy-haired kid alone under Ash¡¯s sharp gaze. His shoulders slumped, and he scuffed his shoe against the dirt.


    Noah, still clutching Ash¡¯s hand, peeked out from behind his brother.


    Ash stepped forward, towering over the remaining boy. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The kid hesitated, looking up at Ash, muttering something under his breath.


    Ash forced his voice to be softer, ¡°Louder, please?¡±


    ¡°...Dean.¡±


    ¡°Well, Dean,¡± Ash said, his voice even but firm, ¡°you see what just happened? When you pick on people, your friends will leave you behind. Just like they did now.¡±


    Dean¡¯s gaze dropped to the ground. He shoved his hands into his pockets, muttering something under his breath.


    Ash wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Speak up.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± Dean said, louder this time. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to be a jerk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Then,¡± Ash said, stepping to the side so Noah was fully in view, ¡°apologize to him. And use his name. Not whatever nickname you came up with.¡±


    Dean glanced at Noah, who was staring at the ground, his grip on his backpack tightening. Dean sighed, his voice barely audible. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, No-sho- uh, Noah. I shouldn¡¯t have laughed at you.¡±


    Noah shifted in his place, but managed out, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Ash raised an eyebrow. ¡°And?¡±


    Dean groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°And I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Ash raised his eyebrow. ¡°Pinky promise?¡±


    Dean looked up to him, his little brows furrowing, and he said, ¡°...Okay.¡±


    Ash crouched down to his eye-level, and held out his pinky, while Dean did the same, by wrapping his pinky around Ash¡¯s. Noah just stared at them with wide-eyes.


    Ash smiled, and then ruffled Dean¡¯s hair, but he looked taken aback by his kind gesture.


    He looked over to Noah, and pointed at him, saying, ¡°Noah here says that whoever breaks a pinky promise gets bad luck forever. You don¡¯t want that, do you?¡±


    Dean¡¯s cheeks brightened, ¡°...No.¡±


    Ash then chuckled, and stood up, ¡°Well then, get going now.¡±


    He nodded and left.


    Because sometimes, it¡¯s not the fault of the teachers.


    It¡¯s everyone¡¯s responsibility to look out for others. Because they share a bond that runs deeper than blood- and that¡¯s what Ash did for Dean right now.


    He also wanted Noah to know that he has someone who¡¯s going to fight his battles for him.


    Ash and Noah started to walk, the crunch of leaves beneath their shoes the only voice. Ash glanced at Noah from the corner of his eye, noting the way he clutched his backpack, his gaze fixed straight ahead. He wanted to say something-anything- about last night, to ease Noah up.


    ¡®¡°Hey, you good?¡± No, too vague.¡¯


    ¡®¡°So, about last night¡­¡± No, too blunt.¡¯


    He groaned under his breath. Why was this so hard? It wasn¡¯t like Noah was some stranger. He was his brother. They shared cereal boxes, movie nights, and years of dumb inside jokes.


    But he wasn¡¯t getting any ideas.


    Instead, Ash decided to ease in slowly. ¡°How was your day?¡±


    Noah blinked and tilted his head slightly, as though surprised by the question. ¡°...Okay,¡± he said after a pause.


    ¡®Just okay?¡¯ Ash thought. He wanted to press further, but stopped. He didn¡¯t want to push too hard, not after what happened.


    They walked in silence again for a moment until Noah spoke. ¡°...Is Daddy home?¡±


    Ash¡¯s shoulders relaxed at the question, relieved. At least Noah had brought it up on his own. ¡°He¡¯s coming back today,¡± Ash said, keeping his tone light. ¡°Might already be on his way, actually. He said he¡¯d try to be here by daytime.¡±


    Noah nodded, his steps slowing slightly.


    Hoping to lift the mood, Ash added, ¡°And guess what? Lily¡¯s coming back too. End of the month.¡±


    Noah¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t what Ash expected. He muttered something under his breath, so soft that Ash barely caught it.


    ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡± Ash asked, glancing down at him.


    ¡®God, please don¡¯t be mad, Noah.¡¯


    Noah slowed down, muttering, ¡°I said I don¡¯t like her.¡±


    Ash halted in his tracks. ¡®Great. Now that Lily¡¯s coming back, Noah isn¡¯t happy.¡¯ He wanted to go further and tell him that Lily isn¡¯t a bad person, but sometimes you gotta know what¡¯s the reason other¡¯s think that way.


    Sometimes you just gotta listen.


    So, Ash kept his voice casual, ¡°Why?¡±


    Noah clutched his backpack straps tighter, ¡°She¡¯s¡­scary. She¡¯s really, really scary. I was afraid of her when she came. She grabbed me¡­and¡­and she wanted to take me¡­and¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡®Oh, I know she had a really bad first impression on him, but still, it¡¯s only fair for him to be afraid of her.¡¯


    Ash stopped, and so did Noah. He looked up to him with widened eyes, as if not sure why he stopped.


    Ash took a long breath, and crouched down to his level, ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right. She¡¯s scary. I was afraid of her yesterday too.¡±


    ¡®Sorry god, but desperate circumstances require desperate actions. Sorry Lily, I swear I wasn¡¯t afraid¡­ Okay, maybe just a bit. Anyone could¡¯ve been afraid of her if they saw her yesterday, right?...Right?¡¯


    Noah nodded, then hesitated before holding up his arm. ¡°She grabbed me so hard¡­ it left marks.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened as he glanced down at the faint but visible bruises forming on Noah¡¯s small arm. They were a dark purple at the center, fading out to an ugly black-green at the edges.

 Followed

    Noah nodded, then hesitated before holding up his arm. ¡°She grabbed me so hard¡­ it left marks.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened as he glanced down at the faint but visible bruises forming on Noah¡¯s small arm. They were a dark purple at the center, fading out to an ugly black-green at the edges.


    ¡®Ha, life¡¯s really ironic. Noah has bruises, I¡¯ve bruises. Looks like we¡¯ve birthmarks.¡¯


    ¡°She didn¡¯t mean to hurt you,¡± Ash said, his voice softer now. He gently touched the bruised skin, careful not to press too hard. ¡°Really.¡±


    Noah stared at his arm, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. ¡°But it hurts.¡±


    Ash¡¯s chest tightened. He looked at Noah, then back at the bruise, wishing he could somehow undo what had happened. But that wasn¡¯t how things worked, was it? Life didn¡¯t come with an undo button.


    He reached out, placing both hands gently on Noah¡¯s small shoulders. ¡°I know what happened was-¡± He paused, his thoughts racing for the right word. ¡®Horribly? Terrifically? Disastrously?¡¯ ¡°-Bad,¡± he settled on. ¡°It was bad, and it shouldn¡¯t have happened. But things are getting back to normal now. They are, I promise.¡±


    Noah wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie. ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t understand. Why¡­did she want to take me with her?...My teacher says that people who want to take you somewhere are actually kidnapping you.¡±


    Ash felt like he would bang his head on the ground.


    ¡®Seriously?...Kidnapping? I mean, it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s gonna be for other people, but not family. Ugh, now it¡¯s gonna be harder to explain.¡¯


    Ash sighed, sitting back on his heels. ¡°Lily didn¡¯t want to kidnap you, Noah. She¡­wanted to take you to uh¡­An event. Yeah, that¡¯s right, an event.¡±


    ¡®I feel so stupid right now.¡¯


    Noah tilted his head, sniffling, ¡°An event? Like a party?¡±


    Ash nodded.


    ¡°Then why did she grab me so hard? She could¡¯ve told me to come and I would¡¯ve.¡±


    Ash deadpanned. ¡®Right. Where did all that talk about kidnapping go?¡¯


    Ash said, ¡°Maybe, she wanted it to be a surprise, you know?¡±


    Noah¡¯s teary eyes met Ash¡¯s, searching for something- reassurance, maybe, or the strength he didn¡¯t feel like he had. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Noah¡¯s lips twitched, almost like he was trying not to smile. But then his expression shifted again, and his grip on his backpack straps tightened. ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    Ash blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°When they all started shouting,¡± Noah said, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I got so scared, big brother. You weren¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡®Ah, here it comes,¡¯ Ash thought, bracing himself. ¡®That¡¯s it. You caught me. I¡¯m done for.¡¯


    ¡°I went to take a breather.¡±


    Noah frowned slightly, tilting his head. ¡°What¡¯s a breather? Is that a snack?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s when you step out of the house,¡± Ash explained, waving a hand vaguely. ¡°To empty your mind.¡±


    Noah stared at him, then shook his head. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s a stupid question anyway.¡±


    ¡®Ah, right. That Dean kid did tell Noah that he asks stupid questions.¡¯


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ash said, holding him from the shoulders. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a stupid question. Don¡¯t think like that, okay?¡± he leaned in closer, ¡°Besides, I even fully don¡¯t know what a breather is. So does that make me stupid?¡±


    Noah looked like he had been triggered somehow, and he burst out saying, ¡°No! I¡­didn¡¯t mean that. You¡¯re not stupid! You¡¯re so, so¡­¡± he trailed off, and then muttered, ¡°Cool.¡±


    Being surprised would be an understatement. Ash felt like his heart would burst with warmth and flusteration.


    ¡®E-Eh? Where did that come from?¡¯


    Ash chuckled, and said, ¡°You think so?¡± Then he said, as if he was sharing a secret, ¡°You know what¡¯s even cooler than me?¡±


    Noah looked at him with wide-eyes, as if nothing cooler than Ash never existed, ¡°Nuh-uh. What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    Noah looked taken aback, and he turned away, his cheeks a bright red. ¡°You think I''m cooler than you, big brother?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°You think so? I¡¯m not an odd duck then?¡±


    Ash sighed, ¡°I know so. You aren¡¯t an odd duck. You¡¯re just different from others. Talented, and brave.¡± he whispered, ¡°But different is nice.¡±


    Noah shuffled his feet, and whispered. ¡°Okay, then¡­I want a breather too.¡±


    ¡°How about you and I go take a breather together, yeah?¡±


    ¡®Huh. Great chance to spend some time avoiding mom¡¯s wrath.¡¯


    Noah tilted his head. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go eat ice-cream?¡±


    Noah grinned, but then, went back to his neutral expression. ¡°Mommy will shout at us. She says ¡®no junk on the way back¡¯.¡± He mimicked his mother.


    ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t forget about that.¡¯


    Ash leaned closer, ¡°I¡¯ll tell her it was a treat, okay? Besides, ice-cream isn¡¯t junk.¡±


    Noah nodded, and then, as if the question haunted him, asked, ¡°But What if big sister comes back home and she¡¯s still scary?¡±


    ¡®Eh. I thought he forgot.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She might be scary, but she loves you more than you know.¡±


    Noah shrugged.


    Ash knew her. He understood her in a way Noah couldn¡¯t yet. He knew Lily¡¯s bossiness came from a place of love.


    He reached out, wiping a tear from Noah¡¯s eyes with his thumb. ¡°Tell you what, when Lily gets back, we¡¯ll make her prove she cares, okay? We¡¯ll corner her and make her bake us cookies or something. Sounds good?¡±


    Noah finally looked up. ¡°Okay. But not cookies, a big cake!¡±


    Ash nodded and stood up, and checked his pocket, reassuring himself that he brought his phone, so if he gets late getting ice-cream, he¡¯ll tell his mother not to worry.


    ¡°Big brother, are you sure mommy won¡¯t be mad?¡±


    ¡°Mad? Pfft- she¡¯ll understand. I¡¯ll tell her I was bribing you to forgive me for all that shouting you had to hear, okay?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s bribing?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­It¡¯s when you offer¡­something nice¡­to make others feel better.¡±


    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡±


    Asher deadpanned so hard that even Lily had nothing on him. Gosh, Noah asked so many questions, but if he didn¡¯t answer them and let him know that he¡¯s not an odd duck, just curious, who would?


    ¡°Yeah. Sometimes, but in this case, it is really good.¡±


    Ash looked down on Noah, who was walking silently, but he was smiling faintly, and was holding Ash''s jacket from the corner, squeezing it from moment to moment.


    Ash smiled down at him, bending a bit and holding his little hands in his. Noah grinned.


    As they walked, Ash¡¯s mind wandered to the road ahead.


    Life wasn¡¯t fair, and it sure as hell wasn¡¯t a smooth ride. It¡¯s like a walk. Sometimes you¡¯re doing great, and then-


    Bam.


    Your vision blurs, or your heart starts to ache, and it feels like everything¡¯s too much.


    But, even if things get worse you gotta keep going. Maybe slower, maybe with help, but you don¡¯t stop.


    You never let go.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Lucas groaned, pulling the covers up to his face when the continuous shaking didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± An annoyingly cheerful voice rose, the reason for which Lucas pulled the covers up. ¡°You told me you¡¯d wake up before I come back! And right now, it¡¯s¡­¡± he trailed off, and Lucas suspected he¡¯d be seeing the time, ¡°Oh my gosh, it¡¯s 3:15 PM! I¡¯m starving!¡±


    Lucas'' eyes shot open at the mention of the time. That made Lucas sit up instantly, his hair a mess and his mind running. ¡°3:15?¡± he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He suddenly remembered: Blake. They were supposed to meet at 4:00 PM.


    ¡®Dammit, I didn¡¯t even know how much time passed. It always passes- Wait a second, did I skip school?!¡¯


    He winced, imagining how his perfect attendance will now go to trash. All this effort to keep his attendance 100%, and now it¡¯s going to be all in vain.


    His thoughts were cut off when a voice- Jamie¡¯s voice, rang through, ¡°You even skipped school! I told you to come back home early last night! C¡¯mon, get your lazy butt out here! I¡¯m starving, Lucas!¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Then eat alone!¡± Lucas shot back, his irritation bubbling up.


    Although, he knew that Jamie never ate alone. Even if he woke up mid-night, he''d wake Lucas up with him. Lucas wasn¡¯t sure why, but he didn¡¯t mind. But right now, Jamie was being a jerk, waking Lucas up was a good decision, but making him remember that he skipped school wasn¡¯t. Jamie knew Lucas was hard-core dedicated to keep his attendance full, but this was the last chance for waking him up, or else, he¡¯d go back hungry.


    Lucas dragged himself out of the bed, heading to the dining lounge. Jamie was already there, sitting and waiting for him.


    ¡°There you are!¡± he sang, ¡°Let¡¯s eat it before it gets cold.¡±


    Lucas¡¯ eyes averted to the table, the food enough to feed them both, sizzling and warm.


    He plopped down on the seat, groaning.


    Jamie was a civil officer; that much was clear from the uniform he¡¯d tossed onto the back of a chair, slightly wrinkled but still carrying an air of authority, his name carved into it. Jamie had that charm about him, the kind that made people stop and listen when he spoke, even if he wasn¡¯t saying anything particularly useful.


    Lucas had seen it in action more times than he could count. At the market, neighbors would call out his name, asking about this or that as if Jamie had all the answers. He always responded with that same grin, that made people feel like he was genuinely listening.


    And he usually was. Jamie had a knack for caring about the smallest details in people¡¯s lives. He always cared, sometimes a bit too much, but still cared.


    But he was so human, as Lucas watched Jamie scarf down the rest of his lunch like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    Lucas sighed. This was routine. Jamie would always come back at lunchtime, to eat with him. He¡¯d stuff his mouth full and go back to work.


    ¡°Slow down, you¡¯ll choke on your food.¡± Lucas said, while grabbing a fork.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­Time¡¯s runnin¡¯-¡± he said, shoving another spoonful in his mouth, ¡°Break¡¯s gonna end soon.¡±


    ¡®He should¡¯ve eaten alone then. But¡­he still deserves it since he woke me up.¡¯


    Lucas was just about to do the same as Jamie was doing- shoving spoonfuls in his mouth, because he was right. Time was running.


    When his phone buzzes, it¡¯s screen brightening. He caught sight of the time.


    3:25 PM.


    And¡­a lot of notifications. Lucas squinted his eyes at the screen, looking at them. And for god¡¯s sake, all of them were above fifty, all from Jason.


    Lightening Lucas.


    Why didn¡¯t you come to school?! I deserve an apology.


    You and Asher both ditched me and planned a holiday, didn¡¯t you?!


    Are you alive?


    Hey, you¡¯re not dead, are you?!


    Lucas furrowed his brows.


    ¡®Ash didn¡¯t go to school either?...Well, I guess it¡¯s only fair after what happened last night. But¡­Am I glad or what since I¡¯m not the only one who didn¡¯t go. His attendance is going to trash too. Heh.¡¯


    Lucas chuckled, while Jamie caught him smiling at his phone.


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± He asked, extremely suspicious.


    ¡®Here he goes again.¡¯


    ¡°Nobody.¡± He replied, keeping his eyes on the food. Jamie leaned back in his chair, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you preetttty surrrrrre?¡± he asked again, shoving food in his mouth.


    Lucas¡¯s lips twitched, and he ran a hand through his ruffled, dishevelled hair. ¡°Don¡¯t talk when you¡¯re eating! It¡¯s gross!¡±


    Jamie looked taken aback, ¡°Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still talking!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sti-¡± he exhaled a deep breath, ¡°Hey, Jamie? I wanted to ask something.¡±


    Jamie hummed in response.


    Lucas had been meaning to ask him since he came back last night, about what Ash told him. About taking revenge. He felt like there should¡¯ve been another way to take revenge, but he couldn¡¯t find any.


    Revenge was why he was born. He needed to let that man know how it feels to not breathe properly. People said revenge was not necessary. But Lucas didn¡¯t feel that. He always wanted to see him- Anthony Jack whimper in agony, and beg for mercy.


    Lucas wanted to see that.


    But Ash said otherwise.


    .


    .


    I don¡¯t know a damn thing about revenge. I don¡¯t know if it would be a good or a bad thing.


    .


    .


    Lucas felt so helpless in that moment. He wanted to know if there was any other way, or any other person who thinks that he should take revenge. That¡¯s why he wanted to ask Jamie if he ever felt like avenging their family.


    After all, Jamie had been suffering for too long. Unlike Lucas, he¡¯d spent more than ten years with his parents. But when Lucas came along, everything changed. His mom died, his dad killed, everything changed.


    But Jamie never talked about getting revenge, he always said to live on your terms.


    But that was bugging Lucas. How could he just go to work and return, and talk like a normal person? There was no way he forgot that a man took everything from him, did he?


    ¡°Jamie, Don¡¯t you ever feel angry?¡± Lucas asked, keeping his eyes on the food, but not eating it.


    Jamie straightened up, ¡°Huh? Why should I be angry at you?¡±


    Lucas shaked his head in disagreement, ¡°Not at me, but at¡­Anthony Jack.¡±


    Jamie leaned back, sighing and running a hand through his hair, ¡°Lucas, where is this coming from?¡± his tone shifted, ¡°I clearly told you not to talk about that matter.¡±


    Lucas looked up, his eyes boring into Jamie¡¯s brown ones. He looked desperate- and a bit mad at how Jamie can behave when this matter is brought up. Whenever Lucas started to talk about this matter, Jamie would cut him off, ask him to leave that matter behind, and live his life like a normal high-schooler would.


    But Lucas wasn¡¯t normal. He can¡¯t ever pretend to be a normal high-schooler when he wakes up every morning, and only to be deceived that his mother wasn¡¯t alive, and he would never know what her food tasted like.


    How her warmth was, how she talked.


    Everyday, he walked to school, wondering if his dad would be alive, then would he be free enough to ride him to school.


    Alas, he never knew. He would never know.


    ¡°Jamie.¡± Lucas'' voice was a bit high, and Jamie was taken aback. ¡°How can you pretend like nothing happened, and live your life like a damn officer, trying to make others happy!?¡±


    Jamie opened his mouth, but nothing came out.


    ¡°How can you behave like¡­¡± he trailed off, then gestured at his form. ¡°Like this!?¡±


    Jamie Jamie froze for a moment. He stayed silent, his brows furrowing slightly.


    Lucas took that silence as permission to continue. ¡°How can you just let it go?¡± he demanded, standing up. ¡°How can you act like it doesn¡¯t matter? Like it doesn¡¯t hurt? How can you act like a goody two-shoes when it is that he gets to keep living his life while ours are¡­¡± His voice cracked, and he looked away, clenching his fists.


    Jamie still said nothing, but his posture shifted. He leaned back slightly, his hands resting on the edge of the table.


    ¡°How can you just let it go, dammit!¡±


    Lucas¡¯s thoughts swirled, and he remembered the kids bullying him when he was younger, and he couldn¡¯t breath, and after all these years, he had loathed Anthony Jack so much, blaming him for every little reason his life was going downhill.


    Jamie¡¯s gaze softened.


    Lucas plopped down on his seat, shoulders slumping, and he looked away. His face expression contorted from madness to one of guilt- regret for shouting at his big brother.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± he muttered, keeping his face down.


    Jamie leaned closer, his hands hovering over the table. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You are acting¡­different today.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond.


    Jamie pressed again, ¡°Lucas, look at me.¡± Lucas did as he said, his eyes averting to meet Jamie¡¯s. His eyes looked so soft, so warm, as if he didn¡¯t mind anything Lucas said.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he said, his voice not shaking in the least, ¡°Tell me how you feel about him. What do you wanna do?¡±


    Lucas bit his lower lip, and shifted in his seat.


    He knew Jamie would never judge him, never ever would tell him that he¡¯s wrong, he¡¯s thinking crazy.


    So, Lucas exhaled a long breath, and said.


    ¡°I¡­Hate him. I hate him so much.¡± he said, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. ¡°I want to find him. I want to make him suffer.¡±


    Jamie¡¯s brows furrowed, but he didn¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡°I want to drag him to the edge of the water,¡± Lucas continued, his voice trembling. ¡°And hold him under. I want him to fight for air, to know what it feels like to need it, to beg for it. And then, when he¡¯s gasping, when he can¡¯t take it anymore¡­¡± He clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let him drown.¡±


    Jamie nodded, and Lucas continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let him die. And then¡­¡± He took another breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll throw his body into the water.¡±


    Lucas exhaled a long breath, his chest heaving.


    Jamie leaned back, but didn¡¯t say anything. After a while, he spoke, his voice soft but firm. ¡°Do you know Lucas, I can see nothing but pure rage in you. There¡¯s a fire burning in your heart, and you want nothing but to do what you said.¡± he spoke, his voice low, ¡°But I also know that there was one time when I had a fire in my heart too.¡±


    Lucas looked at him, and it took a moment of surprise for him and then he asked, ¡°So, do you feel like that too?¡±


    Jamie chuckled, leaning back, ¡°I did before. When dad died, I knew what I wanted. I knew I had to make that man, Anthony Jack, suffer. But then, mom died.¡±


    Lucas looked surprised. ¡°Did that change anything?¡±


    ¡°Of course, everything changed. She may have died, but she left me with a cute little gift. She left me with you.¡±


    Jamie¡¯s eyes softened as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Lucas with a warmth that was hard to ignore. ¡°You were so small back then,¡± he said, his voice quieter now. ¡°So vulnerable. When mom¡­ when she passed, it wasn¡¯t just grief I had to deal with. It was you. This little kid who didn¡¯t even understand what was happening, who was looking up at me with those big, confused eyes.¡±


    Lucas blinked, his throat tightening, but he said nothing.


    ¡°We moved, you know? To start over. I thought maybe a new place would make things easier. But the truth was, you didn¡¯t care about the place, or the house, or the school. You cared about me. You depended on me.¡± Jamie smiled. ¡°And somewhere along the way, that fire I had- the one that was red and burning so hot it felt like it would consume me- it changed.¡±


    Lucas tilted his head, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jamie said. ¡°If it was red before, angry and wild, then¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe now it¡¯s blue.¡± He gestured vaguely. ¡°Cooler, steadier, but somehow even stronger. It wasn¡¯t about making Anthony Jack suffer anymore. It was about protecting you. Keeping you safe.¡±


    Lucas swallowed hard. ¡°But¡­you let him go? The man who is responsible for what happened to us. If he never would¡¯ve killed dad, then mom would¡¯ve never died, and we would¡¯ve lived happily.¡±


    Jamie chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re right. But now, you¡¯re my priority. If someone- anyone, messes with you, I¡¯ll take necessary actions. I¡¯m keeping this fire burning in my heart, because I want to protect you.¡±


    Lucas nodded, and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let him go. I¡¯ll take revenge.¡±


    Jamie sighed, and then reached out for Lucas¡¯ arm hovering on the table, and grabbed it firmly- not hard, just tight, to make sure he knows he¡¯s here.


    ¡°And I won¡¯t let you be alone. Just promise me Lucas, whatever you do, you will take care of yourself.¡± He muttered, and then his voice shifted back to his cheerful one, ¡°But I swear if you get hurt in the process, I¡¯ll become a beast. I will rip that unlucky man apart.¡±


    Lucas chuckled, and then looked at the food, ¡°You didn¡¯t finish your food.¡±


    Jamie looked taken aback by the question. And then it hit him- he was getting late.


    ¡°Gosh! Time¡¯s up, I gotta go!¡± He pushed back his chair and stood up, picking up his uniform, and then said, ¡°You can eat my lunch too, just this once, okay?¡± He ruffled Lucas¡¯s hair on the way past.


    Lucas watched him go. And then his phone buzzed as he heard the door closing behind him.


    3:57 PM.


    Shoot! I¡¯m late!


    ¡°Shoot!¡± Lucas exclaimed, practically jumping out of his seat. He bolted to his room and grabbed a simple, comfy shirt and his favorite pair of trousers. As he changed, his mind began to race faster than his hands.


    Four o¡¯clock.


    He tugged the shirt over his head. Blake.


    He grabbed his sneakers, practically shoving his feet into them without bothering to untie the laces. The hideout.


    This wasn¡¯t just any meeting. Today was different. Today was the day he planned to quit. To finally break free of Blake and his lackeys, to stop being their Boss. He wouldn¡¯t have to do their part of the dirty work anymore. No more beatings.


    He left his room, grabbing his phone on the way out. As he stepped outside, the evening air greeted him. The sun was low, its orange glow stretching over the streets.


    He started jogging.


    Once I tell him I¡¯m done, my life will be easier, Lucas thought.


    The words felt almost too good to believe. His chest tightened slightly.


    He wasn¡¯t naive. He knew Blake wouldn¡¯t just let him walk away without some pushback. But he was prepared for that. Hell, he is their Boss for a reason.


    His pace slowed as his thoughts deepened. He stared ahead at the road. The buildings loomed on either side. He hated this part of town- the way the streets always felt too quiet, like something or someone was waiting in the silence.


    That¡¯s when it hit him.


    Someone¡¯s following me.

 I cant...I cant breathe

    Someone¡¯s following me.


    It wasn¡¯t a sound or a movement, not really.


    It was¡­just a gut feeling.


    He instinctively slowed to a stop, his breathing evening out as he listened.


    The street remained still.


    His eyes flicked over his shoulder casually, like he was just stretching his neck.


    Nothing.


    But he wasn¡¯t convinced.


    Lucas resumed walking, his steps slower now, each one lighter than the last. His ears focused for any hint of movement behind him, the faintest echo of footsteps that weren¡¯t his.


    His heart began to beat unusually fast in his chest.


    Am I imagining things?


    Another quick glance over his shoulder.


    Not a single thing.


    Lucas sighed. He was now certain that whoever was following him was clearly really good at his job.


    Although he wasn''t really sure if he was imagining things, or was there actually someone following him.


    But his sixth sense was good- too good. He could smell the storm before it came, he could feel if someone followed him. Clearly, it wasn''t the first time someone followed him, too many kids bullied him until he became the Boss.


    Until he became in charge, everyone stepped on him.


    Gosh, what should I do?


    He patted his jacket pocket for his phone.


    Should I call someone?


    Now, what a normal person would do if their instincts are screaming for them to run- they would do it without second guessing themselves.


    But it was obvious. Lucas wasn''t normal.


    So, he crossed his arms and continued walking. He had two choices- one was to call Jamie and let him know. He knew how to fight, he would figure something out.


    Second, he would continue walking to the hideout, and deal with whoever was following him. On his own terms.


    And, Lucas chose the second one.


    He had to take revenge, didn''t he? He had to be able to keep up his own against anyone who might threaten him.


    He had to be capable- he had no other choice.


    He couldn''t drag Jamie into his mess, he can''t always rely on him to make sure he''s safe. That''s why, he decided to let things burn the way they were, and he would do anything necessary to hold his own.


    He remembered Jamie''s words.


    .


    .


    Just promise me, Lucas. Whatever you do, you''ll take care of yourself.


    .


    .


    Lucas continued walking, making sure whoever is following him doesn''t suspect that he has already caught on that he''s being followed.


    I wonder who it is, and why they are following me.


    He stretched his arms, readying himself for whatever danger he might face.


    He kept on walking, only the sound of distant cars heard. Then, the alley leading to the hideout came into view.


    He sighed and turned the alley.


    It was dark, and the sun was setting low, but only a few of its ray''s seeped into the alley, there was enough light for Lucas to make out the face of whoever was following him.


    This is it, the last stop.


    The moment he turned the alley, he pressed himself against the wall.


    Slow your breathing down.


    He did so, slowing his breathing down and focusing on the present.


    No one had turned the alley behind him, but when Lucas was about to tell himself that his instincts were wrong and no one was following him, he heard footsteps coming closer to the alley.


    The sound of the footsteps were Precise.


    Calculated.


    Planned.


    Lucas exhaled a long breath through his nose.


    Yup, there''s no denying it. Someone is following me.


    He kept pressing himself against the wall, when a man- not very old than him, turned the same alley, and came into view.


    H-Huh?


    It was Liam.


    Lucas stepped forward, sighing a quiet breath of relief. It was Liam- it wasn''t like he had been followed by a super dangerous villain, it was just a lackey of Blake''s.


    ¡°Oh, Liam? You''re here late too. I thought I was the only one coming way past the time I decided myself-¡±


    He was cut off, when he saw Liam throwing a side punch at him- but Lucas was fast, faster than Liam could ever be.


    So, he ducked, grabbed his arm and hoisted it behind him, pressing him against the wall.


    Liam''s chest was pressed against the brick wall, heaving with short breaths.


    He took all his stamina and turned his face to the side, so that he could see a fraction of Lucas''s face.


    What is he doing?


    He looked at Liam, his face a mix of victory and confusion.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Liam didn''t respond, but his lips tugged into a sick smile.


    ¡°Why? Were you scared? Pressing yourself against the wall like a cornered animal, huh?¡± He spat.


    Lucas pushed him against the wall- harder, so that Liam was totally pressed against the wall, no chance for him to even move out of his place.


    ¡°Were you following me or just going the same way, to the hideout?¡± Lucas asked, keeping his voice low.


    Liam laughed, darkly.


    ¡°You''re so naive, Boss.¡± He said, the last word filled with bitterness.


    ¡°What do you think I was doing?¡± he asked instead, as if the answer was obvious.


    And, it was.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But what''s actually admirable is that you thought you could take me out yourself.¡±


    Lucas said, his eyes victorious. But Liam didn''t waver, he just laughed.


    ¡°You do know that the hideout is really close to this alley, right?¡± Liam said, his eyes filled with satisfaction.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lucas asked, not understanding in the least what he meant.


    Of course, he knew that the hideout was close- too close for that matter, but why bring that up now?


    ¡°So?¡±


    Liam knitted his brows, ¡°I can never understand why Blake is scared of you.¡± he hissed, ¡°You are so damn stupid.¡±


    Before Lucas could think of a proper insult for him, he felt footsteps behind- he whipped his head to the side.


    There were six boys behind him, but they were unarmed. Lucas pushed Liam to the ground, and stepped back, facing the boys. All of them were lackeys of Blake, some forced to join, some joined out of sheer will.


    Lucas smiled, and faced them. He was confident he could take all of them on, and still win. After all, he knew how to fight ever since he was stepping the stairs of teenaging.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Liam here acted as a great warm-up. I can take all of you on.¡± He declared, while Liam scoffed from behind.


    Lucas squared his stance, his breathing steady.


    ¡°Who¡¯s first to get their butt kicked?¡± A boy stepped forward, throwing an easy punch at him, but Lucas didn¡¯t give him the chance, and just grabbed his hand, and kicked him in the mid-back, throwing him away like he didn¡¯t weigh.


    The five remaining boys stood their ground now, more focused than before. They had seen how easily Lucas had taken down their comrades, but there was still a fire in their eyes that told him they wouldn¡¯t back down.


    Lucas let his lips curl into a smirk, even as sweat began to roll along his brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Scared already?¡± he taunted.


    One of the boys flinched but charged forward with a wild yell. Lucas braced, sidestepping at the last second. He grabbed the boy by the collar and yanked him into the path of the second attacker, sending both crashing into each other.


    Three down.


    Lucas glanced over his shoulder, scanning for the others, but his focus snapped on Liam. The boy hadn¡¯t joined the others. Instead, he stood a few paces back, his hand darting into his pocket.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes narrowed. What¡¯s he up to?


    Before he could act on his suspicions, another lackey lunged at him. Lucas barely had time to react, ducking. He counter-attacked with a swift punch to the side of the boy¡¯s head, sending him staggering back, dazed.


    Four down.


    But as he turned his attention back to Liam, his gut twisted. The boy wasn¡¯t retreating or panicked. Instead, he stood there, calm and composed, a sly smile tugging at his lips.


    ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Lucas snapped, advancing a step.


    Liam didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he slowly pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing¡­nothing.


    Lucas froze. His instincts screamed at him that something was wrong, but before he could figure out what, two sets of hands grabbed him from behind.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Lucas shouted, struggling against their iron grip. The lackeys who had been waiting for an opening had finally found it, locking his arms and shoulders in place.


    ¡°Got you now,¡± one of them hissed in his ear.


    Lucas thrashed, but their hold was firm, his movements restricted. His breaths came quicker, shallower.


    He thrashed in the lackeys grip, trying anything that might help him to free from their grip. But nothing worked.


    Their hold was tight- his head and chest were completely tightened by their grip, and they were pulling him back as if they could rip him apart by sheer force of their bare hands.


    And Lucas hated that.


    Why force him to go to the hideout, when he was going to go himself?


    He didn''t understand.


    But something in him snapped, telling him that he shouldn''t underestimate them.


    For whatever purpose they came, he knew it wasn''t Innocent.


    They knew they couldn''t take Lucas on, so they used the illegal move, used by two or three people to hold one man down- that''s what Lucas called it anyway.


    Dammit. I don''t understand why they are forcing me to go when it is clear as hell I''m going there.


    He stopped thrashing, and focused on his surroundings.


    Liam was sneering, coming closer, while the other lackey''s weren''t loosening their grip on him.


    "What''s wrong with you? I''m going to the hideout myself, thank you very much. I don''t need someone to carry me there." Lucas said, watching as Liam scoffed and came closer.


    "You think I''m here to stop you from going there?" Liam questioned, coming closer, and then he wasted no time for the response and threw a quick kick to the gut.


    Lucas choked.


    Then why is he here?!


    "Nah. I''m here to slow you down." Liam waved his hand vaguely, stepping closer and grabbing Lucas by the jaw, pressing his back to the wall.


    His breath hitched as Liam¡¯s fingers dug into his cheeks, clamping his mouth shut and pushing his head against the brick with brutal force.


    And then Liam¡¯s other hand rose, his fingers pinching Lucas¡¯s nose closed.


    Panic set in instantly.


    Lucas¡¯s chest tightened as his body instinctively tried to draw in air, but nothing came. His nose was sealed shut, his jaw locked, and the lack of oxygen hit him.


    I can¡¯t breathe.


    He thrashed, but the lackeys still had him pinned. Their grips dug into his shoulders and torso, holding him in place. His legs kicked out wildly, but it was useless.


    Liam leaned in closer, his sneer widening as he hissed, ¡°Stay still, yeah? This will only hurt a bit.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s thoughts were spiraling now, the lack of air making his vision blur and his head pound. He tried to calm himself, tried to think, but it was impossible.


    His chest burned. The wheeze that usually came with his asthma attacks tried to gnaw at him, but there was no air to make it happen.


    Think, Lucas. Think!


    But it was hard to think when his body was betraying him, every instinct screaming to inhale, to fill his lungs, but the air was locked out.


    The edges of his vision darkened, his limbs growing weaker. His kicks slowed.


    I can¡¯t¡­


    Just when he thought his body would give out completely, Liam released him with a shove, stepping back with a dark laugh.


    Lucas collapsed to his knees, gasping desperately, the first sharp intake of air hitting his lungs. He coughed violently, each breath labored and painful.


    His chest heaved, his vision swimming as he struggled to stabilize his breathing.


    ¡°Aww~ Sorry I kinda pressed too hard, didn¡¯t I? I forgot you can¡¯t catch your breath.¡± Liam sneered, towering over him.


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond. He couldn¡¯t.


    His facial expressions showed he wasn¡¯t sorry in the least.


    He¡¯s playing with me. Why do all this?


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­your d-deal, huh?¡±


    ¡°My deal?¡± he repeated, tilting his head. "I know what¡¯s waiting for you at the hideout. Blake is not in the mood today."


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°So,¡± Liam continued, leaning in slightly, ¡°I figured, why not help Blake out? You know, get my turn in early. After all, when you step into that hideout, Blake¡¯s not going to give me- or anyone else, a chance to lay a finger on you.¡±


    Yeah? Well, I¡¯m not changing my mind.


    Liam reached into his pocket. The movement was slow, and Lucas¡¯s eyes followed every second of it.  Liam¡¯s eyes sparkled when he took out something, and looked at it.


    A handkerchief?


    Lucas¡¯s eyes narrowed, his breaths still shallow but growing steadier.


    Liam stood up, shaking the handkerchief lightly as if dusting it off, before leaning closer to Lucas.


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time to do what lousy trick Blake asked us to do, I guess.¡±


    Lucas'' mind reeled with all the possibilities Liam could do with a single handkerchief, but nothing seemed really effective.


    But then, it hit him.


    And then, before Lucas could react, Liam lunged forward, pressing the handkerchief over his nose and mouth.


    The smell hit Lucas instantly-


    Sharp.


    Chemical.


    Suffocating.


    His eyes widened, his body jerking violently as he realized what was happening.


    Chloroform.


    He thrashed, but his strength was already waning from the asthma attack, and Liam had the upper hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be gentler, okay?¡± Liam muttered, his tone almost casual as he held the handkerchief firmly in place.


    Lucas¡¯s thoughts spiraled, a mix of rage and panic as his vision blurred again.


    No. No, no, no.


    His lungs screamed for air, but all he got was the suffocating scent of the chemical. His chest tightened, his legs kicking out weakly as the world around him darkened.


    Lucas¡¯s mind was a chaotic mess. Panic clawed at him, but a memory shined brightly.


    .


    .


    How long can you hold your breath, Lucas?


    .


    He¡¯d been younger then, sitting by the lake with Jamie. His brother¡¯s voice had been lighthearted, teasing. Lucas had tried to follow, his chest puffed up with determination. But five seconds was all he¡¯d managed before he¡¯d burst back up, gasping and spluttering.


    Jamie had laughed, but it wasn¡¯t cruel. He¡¯d swum over, ruffling Lucas¡¯s hair as he caught his breath.


    .


    .


    It¡¯s okay, Luce. You¡¯ve got your limits, and that¡¯s fine.


    .


    .


    Limits. Lucas had hated that word then. And now, he hated it even more.


    His lungs burned fiercely. He couldn¡¯t hold out any longer, and he knew it. His vision blurred, his head growing heavier with each passing second.


    Was this it?


    The lackeys holding him shifted suddenly, and Lucas barely registered their hands loosening around his arms. His legs, too weak to support him, buckled beneath him. He fell forward, the world tilting sharply as his knees hit the ground. His cheek pressed against the cold, dirty alley floor.


    The handkerchief was gone, but it didn¡¯t matter. His chest heaved in vain, struggling to pull in air. He felt himself slipping.


    ¡°Sweet dreams, Boss.¡± Liam added, a cruel smile tugging at his lips.


    Maybe it was a mistake... The thought came faintly, his mind a murmur compared to the pounding in his chest. ...to come here without telling anyone.


    And then, silence. Darkness swallowed him.

 Walking in a trap again...is not fun

    The room was unusually quiet, except the continuous sound of Ash¡¯s pencil rubbing against paper. The ceiling fan spinned lazily above him. His desk, which had been an unorganized mess just an hour ago, was now neatly arranged, textbooks stacked on one side, his notebook spread open in front of him.


    Ash sighed, resting his chin on his hand as he reviewed the problem he¡¯d just solved. ¡®Skipping school was a mistake,¡¯ he thought, tapping his pencil against the edge of the desk. The homework which he hadn¡¯t done before, was now the main reason he had to do it now.


    There was no other choice. He could skip school again; the thought did cross his mind, but Jason¡¯s continuous bickering made the thought impossible to put into action.


    He glanced at the clock.


    4:45 PM.


    He¡¯d been at this for two hours straight, and his back was beginning to ache. Still, the thought of not finishing his work didn¡¯t sit right with him- not because he cared about the grades, which he didn¡¯t really, since he¡¯d been born smart, but because Jason would be on his case the moment he stepped into class tomorrow.


    Ash smirked to himself. If I don¡¯t do this stupid math today, Jason will surely Infiltrate my house.


    The image of Jason climbing through his bedroom window, a pile of homework in hand, was both ridiculous and strangely plausible.


    He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms overhead and letting out a groan.


    His dad had called a few minutes before- Noah¡¯s excited shrieking told him even if he was sitting in his room upstairs. Which meant he¡¯d be home before he¡¯ll know it. He needed to complete his homework, so that his dad doesn¡¯t assume he¡¯s trying to get off his radar.


    After all, his dad did say, no, warned him.


    .


    .


    Ash, when I get home tomorrow, you¡¯re going to tell me everything. Do you hear me?


    .


    .


    Ash sighed, ¡®Right,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I¡¯ve to be ready to tell dad about it.¡¯


    He moved back, and the chair creaked in protest. His gaze wandered to the window, where the fading sunlight passed rays of orange and gold across the walls. It was tempting to call it a day and leave the rest of the homework for later, but he knew himself too well. ¡®If I don¡¯t finish now, I¡¯m not finishing at all.¡¯


    With a resigned sigh, Ash leaned forward again, flipping to the next page of his workbook. Math. His least favorite. The numbers blurred together for a moment, and he rubbed his eyes, willing himself to focus.


    No matter how much he hated it, he couldn¡¯t just leave it be, could he? Math was important, and he knew it despite how much he hated to admit it. His hand moved in a horizontal manner, his hand-writing neat and decent.


    He scribbled down another answer. ¡®I wonder what¡¯s for dinner. I suppose it must be special, since dad¡¯s coming back and all-¡¯


    The quiet ding of his phone pulled him out of his thoughts. Ash froze, his pencil hovering mid-air.


    ¡®Who could that be?¡¯ He glanced at the device sitting on the edge of his desk, its screen glowing faintly. For a moment, he debated ignoring it. He was on a roll with his homework, and distractions would only make it harder to get back on track.


    But curiosity won out. He dropped his pencil and reached for the phone, turning it over to check the notification.


    Two new messages.


    His brows furrowed. ¡®Two? From who?¡¯


    The first notification was from Jason. Ash tapped it, the message popping up in an instant:


    Jason: Can¡¯t get Lucas to reply. If you manage to text him or see him, tell him to come to school tomorrow. Also, tell him to reply to me before 8 PM or I¡¯ll kill him.


    Ash let out a soft huff, half-amused, half-annoyed. Jason¡¯s threats were rarely serious, but the fact that he was still blowing up his phone, and probably Lucas¡¯s too, was kinda admirable.


    ¡®So, Lucas still hasn¡¯t answered him?¡¯ he thought, tapping the screen thoughtfully.


    Ash started typing out a quick response.


    Asher: Fine.


    Satisfied, he sent the message. The little "sent" bubble appeared instantly. Then his eyes drifted back to the second notification.


    This one wasn¡¯t from Jason. It was from Lucas.


    Ash froze.


    ¡®Lucas?¡¯ His mind instantly jumped to Jason¡¯s complaint. ¡®Wait. If Jason can¡¯t get Lucas to text him back, why is he texting me?¡¯


    He hesitated for a second before opening the message. It was short. Too short.


    .


    .


    ¡°I¡¯m sending you an address. Come here.¡±


    .


    .


    That was it. No greeting, no explanation. Just those seven words.


    Ash stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the reply box, but he didn¡¯t type anything. ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    His brain raced to connect the dots. Jason couldn¡¯t get through to Lucas, but Lucas had messaged him instead? And for what? Some vague request to show up at an address with zero context?


    The unease in his chest tightened.


    ¡®Why not just explain? Why not tell me what¡¯s going on? Is this some weird prank? Or¡­is something wrong?¡¯


    He read the message again, slower this time, as if that would unlock some hidden meaning. But it was just as cryptic on the second read.


    ¡®This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯


    His mind replayed their last conversation, Lucas¡¯s voice clear as day in his memory.


    .


    .


    I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll quit. I¡¯ll tell Blake to handle his crap himself.


    .


    .


    Ash had nodded along at the time. ¡®But if he was so dead-set on quitting, why is he suddenly calling me over to some random address?¡¯


    The pieces didn¡¯t fit.


    Ash sighed, his thumb brushing over the screen. He didn¡¯t reply- not yet. Instead, he waited for the second message Lucas mentioned.


    The address.


    After a few moments, the next notification buzzed through. It was the address Lucas mentioned. Ash opened it, squinting at the location.


    ¡®Not far.¡¯


    He quickly mapped it out in his head. A bus ride would get him there in about half an hour. Convenient. But still, why here?


    Ash leaned back in his chair, his fingers gripping the edge of his phone. ¡®Should I go?¡¯ The logical part of his mind screamed no. No context, no warning- it was like walking into a trap again.


    But another part of him, quieter but persistent, whispered that Lucas wouldn¡¯t message him out of the blue for nothing.


    And if Lucas really wasn¡¯t answering Jason¡­


    Ash typed out a reply, pausing midway. His fingers hovered over the words.


    .


    .


    Why?


    .


    .


    No immediate response came, but Ash had already made up his mind. His fingers moved before his brain could stop them.


    .


    .


    I¡¯m coming over. But if this is a stupid joke, you¡¯re doing my homework.


    .


    .


    He smirked, imagining Lucas¡¯s reaction. ¡®The look on his face when I dump that mountain of algebra on him will be priceless.¡¯


    But the smirk didn¡¯t last long.


    It wasn¡¯t a question of whether he would go or not, hell, he was already out of the room, shoving his phone in his pocket. It was a question of why?


    Why did Lucas ask him to come? He knew if Lucas was in trouble, he¡¯d have asked someone else to show up, someone who could actually do something- fight or something like that.


    Ash was no better with that kind of stuff, he knew it. So even if Lucas had asked him to come, then that meant he was not in trouble. That¡¯s what Ash told himself anyway.


    ¡®This better not be anything serious,¡¯ he thought, about to turn the doorknob, when a voice cut through.


    ¡°Ash?¡± her voice interrupted, and she emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands off on the apron. ¡°Where are you going, honey? Your dad will be here soon.¡±


    ¡®Great. What should I say?¡¯


    ¡°Uh¡­Mom, I¡¯ve to go¡­Lucas asked me to. I won¡¯t take long.¡± He managed out, and his mother nodded.


    ¡°Okay, but is everything okay?¡±


    ¡®...I don¡¯t know.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, nothing serious. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± He said, opening the door.


    ¡°Okay. Take care!¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t look back as he stepped out, his mom¡¯s voice fading behind him. The air outside was cool. He slid his hands into his hoodie pocket, gripping his phone tightly as he headed toward the bus stop.


    By the time he reached the stop, a bus had just pulled up. He climbed on, swiping his card and heading straight to the back. The bus jolted forward, and Ash glanced at the time on his phone.


    5:00 PM.


    ¡®Half an hour,¡¯ he thought, leaning back against the seat. He didn¡¯t want to think about what waited for him at the end of this ride.


    But how could he not?


    Why would Lucas ask him, specifically him? The guy had friends, plenty of them. Why not ask Jason? Yet, it was Ash who got the message. He tried convincing himself it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just some stupid errand he didn¡¯t want to do alone,¡¯ Ash reasoned.


    His leg bounced as the bus rattled on.


    ¡®Stop overthinking,¡¯ he told himself. ¡®Just¡­go, see what¡¯s up, and get back home before Mom flips.¡¯


    But every passing minute on that bus made his stomach twist.


    Finally, the bus hissed to a stop, and Ash stepped out. The area was quieter than he expected, unnervingly so. He glanced at his phone again to double-check the address.


    ¡®This is it.¡¯


    He shoved his phone back into his pocket and started walking. The streets narrowed as he followed the directions, buildings looking taller on either side. Soon, he found himself turning into an alleyway.


    It was dark.


    Only one thought came to mind. Lucas wouldn¡¯t call me here for no reason.


    Taking a breath, he kept moving. The alley opened up into a small, abandoned lot, where a single building stood. Its exterior was worn, windows shattered, some of them glued with wooden boards, so no one from outside guessed what¡¯s going on inside, graffiti scrawled across the walls.


    ¡®What the hell is this place?¡¯


    Ash swallowed hard. It looked like the kind of hideout he¡¯d see in movies, the kind where bad things always happened. His instincts screamed at him to turn back, but his feet didn¡¯t listen.


    Without thinking too much, he pushed the door open.


    The creak echoed loudly, and the first thing he noticed was how dim the light was inside. The room was dimly lit by a single flickering bulb. His eyes adjusted quickly, and that¡¯s when he saw it.


    His breath hitched.


    ¡®...Lucas?¡¯


    There he was, sitting in the middle of the room, on the cold, hard floor, arms and legs bound tightly. His head snapped to Ash, his eyes- red eyes, boring into Ash¡¯s.


    He looked¡­sorry, so sorry.


    Ash could see the bruises forming along his jawline, the blood staining his lip.


    Lucas blinked slowly, his jaw tightening as if he wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth.


    ¡®W-What¡­?¡¯


    Lucas¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver, though. It stayed locked on Ash, unblinking, as if he were trying to say everything he couldn¡¯t with just a look.


    It wasn¡¯t just the bruises, the blood, or the ropes cutting into Lucas¡¯ skin. It was the way Lucas looked at him- like he hadn¡¯t expected Ash to come. Like he hated that Ash came.


    Blake and his lackeys smirked. Blake sneered, ¡°Gosh, took you long enough.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes flicked back to Lucas, searching for answers, but he only stared back with that same apologetic, almost furious look.


    Then Lucas¡¯s expression shifted. His lips parted, and when he spoke, his voice wasn¡¯t a rasp of pain- it was sharp and cutting.


    ¡°ARE YOU DUMB?!¡±


    The sudden shout made Ash flinch.


    ¡°I-¡± Ash stammered.


    Lucas¡¯s face contorted with anger, his crimson eyes blazing.


    It hit him then- Lucas hadn¡¯t texted him in the first place.


    Ash¡¯s blood ran cold as the realization settled.


    He had walked straight into a trap, again.


    ¡®My life is so funny,¡¯ Ash thought bitterly. ¡®It takes so many ridiculous turns, I think I might actually die from one of them.¡¯

 Heaven and hell

    The first thing that came to Lucas¡¯s mind was- It was cold.


    He was feeling so cold, chilly air always sucked. It had a way of creeping in his bones, rattling them and making him gritting his teeth.


    October, his groggy mind supplied. Of course, it was October.


    Lucas had never liked winter. It wasn¡¯t about he didn¡¯t like wearing sweaters, which he didn¡¯t, not even the fact that the days felt so damn short. No, for him, winter was personal.


    Winter hurt.


    It turned the simple act of breathing into a battle, and for someone with asthma, every breath during these months felt like inhaling through a straw.


    He winced, the movement drawing his attention to the other reason he was cold. He wasn¡¯t sitting, wasn¡¯t leaning against anything. Instead, he was sprawled on the ground, and the floor beneath him felt like ice. The chill seeped through his clothes, pressing against his back like a constant reminder of how much he hated the cold.


    Where am I?


    His thoughts were slow. Memories surfaced- Liam¡¯s face, the sneer on his lips, the handkerchief. That smell. Sickly sweet, overpowering, suffocating.


    His chest tightened further, and this time it wasn¡¯t just from the cold.


    Damn it, Liam.


    Lucas tried to move, but his body didn¡¯t cooperate. His arms felt pinned down, heavy and useless. Not just heavy. Bound.


    He twisted his wrists, but nothing worked.


    He let his head fall back against the floor, exhaling through his nose. The air burned again, sharper, and his lungs screamed in protest. The panic was there too.


    He knew better than to let it take over. Panic wouldn¡¯t help- it never did. It would only tighten his chest further, make breathing harder, make everything worse. But knowing and doing were two very different things, and the cold wasn¡¯t making it any easier.


    You¡¯re tied up. You¡¯re cold. You can barely breathe. But you¡¯re alive.


    The thought should have been comforting, but it wasn¡¯t. Not really.


    How long have I been here? He had no sense of time, no idea how much had passed since Liam had pressed that damn handkerchief to his face.


    Lucas swallowed hard, his throat dry, his breaths coming faster despite his best efforts to slow them down. He twisted his wrists again, more out of frustration than hope. The ropes didn¡¯t budge.


    This is bad. This is really bad.


    He knew he was in the hideout; that much was confirmed. But where were Blake and his lackeys? They didn¡¯t just tie Lucas up and left him there for just fun, right?


    So, where the hell were they?


    One thought that came was; I should call someone and get outta here.


    But the main purpose of why he was here hadn¡¯t been conveyed to Blake yet- he couldn¡¯t just invite him to the hideout and then run off like a coward. He needed to tell Blake that he was going to quit.


    But how could he if Blake wasn¡¯t there?


    At that same moment, the door creaked open. There was a rush of air inside, and Lucas shrugged it off, keeping his eyes on the people entering, sickening smiles plastered on their faces.


    Blake and his lackeys.


    There were six or seven of them- Lucas couldn¡¯t count them, when his only focus was on Liam.


    Liam, who forcefully brought him here, and toyed with him by cutting off the air getting in his body. Lucas didn¡¯t know why; but the mere sight of Liam standing in front of him made Lucas angry; he wanted to shove past them all and grab Liam by the throat, punching him across the face-


    I should stop. I came here to quit, not to break their noses.


    ¡°Oh, great. You¡¯re awake. I was going to ask Liam to wake you up. Seems like I was late.¡± Blake said, his voice low but bitter. He came closer, and that was when Lucas noted- he looked different somehow.


    Not by appearance, he still had the dishevelled blonde hair and menacing hazel eyes that sparkled with something, but by expression. It wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t angry, he usually was, but this time, he seemed more than angry. He looked wickedly mad.


    Like he wanted to rip everyone apart.


    Lucas''s gaze stayed locked on Blake, his jaw tightening. "Hey, Blake. What¡¯s the meaning of this? I came here to talk, not to start a fight."


    Blake¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver.


    "You think that? I¡¯m not stupid. I know what you want to tell me."


    Eek? He does?


    Lucas shifted uncomfortably. His wrists were sore. "Even if you do, allow me to explain it to you," he muttered, his voice low but steady.


    Blake¡¯s eyes narrowed, "Save it. I don¡¯t need your explanations. I know you¡¯re here to quit."


    Lucas¡¯ eyes widened- not with fear, but with shock. How in the world did Blake know that Lucas came to quit. He hadn¡¯t mentioned the thing before, not in front of Blake.


    So, how did he know?


    Unless, of course, Blake had been snooping around last night when he told Ash he would. But there was no way, right?


    Blake¡¯s lips parted, and he said, in a low voice, ¡°I saw you hanging around with that freak last night. I knew then you would quit. It had always been your plan, dammit.¡±


    Well, Blake definitely had been snooping around. No doubt.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Lucas said, raising his eyebrows, clearly impressed. ¡°Hey, Blake, I never knew you were this intelligent. Open up my wrists, you deserve a round of applause.¡±


    Blake¡¯s lackeys snickered, but a sharp glance from him silenced them instantly. He straightened, standing tall again as he towered over Lucas.


    ¡°Shut your crap," Blake said, almost conversationally. ¡°You never tried to know me, all you were ever interested in was to beat the hell outta me whenever you get the chance.¡±


    ¡°Now, that isn¡¯t half-true.¡± Lucas winced as he shifted, and then out of nowhere he said, ¡°Can anyone help me sit up? Looking at you guys from this angle makes me wanna believe that you¡¯re all floating.¡±


    Blake scoffed, gesturing at one of his lackeys to go, and he did as Blake told him to.


    As Lucas sat up, his legs on the side, bound, and his wrists tied up behind his back, he looked at Blake, ¡°Gosh, now it¡¯s better.¡± he shaked his head in gratitude, and then added, ¡°Blake, what I wanted to tell you is I have to quit, ¡®cause I don¡¯t want you-¡± butting your nose in my business, is what he wanted to say, but settles on, ¡°-to live your life dedicated to someone else¡¯s goals.¡±


    Blake looked away, taking a moment to understand, then said, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, I¡¯ll achieve my goals myself. I told you I needed your help in¡­killing someone, right?¡± he looked at Blake, who just looked bored. ¡°Well, now I don¡¯t want you to help me. It¡¯s not a noble goal, and it doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t achieve it. I will, just not with you. I will do it alone.¡±


    It took a moment of silence, and then Blake erupted into laughter.


    Dark, evil.


    ¡°Did you guys hear it?!¡± He said between laughs, ¡°He wants me to believe this crap!¡±


    Huh?


    ¡°Blake, what?¡± Lucas was shocked, it wasn¡¯t like he was telling a lie or something. Blake laughing at him like he was bluffing made his blood boil.


    Blake finally stopped, and rubbed his eyes, as a poor act of shedding tears. ¡°Sure, sure. Boss here can do whatever he wants. It¡¯s not like I need his stupid ordering anymore too.¡± he searched in his pocket, bringing out a phone, and Lucas¡¯ eyes narrowed.


    That phone seems an awful lot like mine¡­Wait. That is my phone!


    Blake took the look of confusion on Lucas¡¯ face, and waved the phone in front of his face, stepping closer. ¡°It¡¯s your phone, right?¡±


    ¡°What will you do with my phone?¡± Lucas asked, confused.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯ll ask your damned friend to come here and rescue your sorry butt.¡±


    What does he mean?


    But then it hit him- Blake was going to call Ash here. But for what?


    Before Lucas could respond, Blake continued, ¡°I know what you and Ash planned. He urged you to quit, didn¡¯t he? Just so he could rub it in my face that he outsmarted me.¡±


    "You¡¯re wrong. Ash has nothing to do with this. I decided to quit myself." Lucas said, his voice low but firm.


    Blake laughed again, standing up and towering over him. "Nothing to do with this?" He started pacing, the phone still twirling between his fingers. "You think I¡¯m stupid, don¡¯t you? You think I don¡¯t see what¡¯s going on? I know he told you to."


    Lucas clenched his fists, the ropes biting into his wrists. "You¡¯re overthinking it. This is between you and me. Leave Ash out of it."


    Blake stopped pacing and turned to face him, his grin sharp and dangerous. "See, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. It stopped being just about us the moment you dragged him into it."


    "I didn¡¯t drag him into anything!" Lucas snapped, his voice rising.


    Blake raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Didn¡¯t you? You really expect me to believe that you weren¡¯t planning this with him?"


    Lucas glared at him. "I told you, this has nothing to do with him! If you¡¯ve got a problem, deal with me."


    But Blake wasn¡¯t listening. He never did. Instead, he held up Lucas¡¯s phone, his grin widening. "Well, since you¡¯re so insistent, let¡¯s see what your little friend has to say about it."


    "Blake," Lucas said sharply, his tone a warning. "Don¡¯t."


    Blake ignored him, unlocking the phone with ease. Lucas¡¯s stomach churned as he watched him scroll through his contacts, searching for Ash¡¯s name.


    "Blake, I¡¯m serious. Leave him out of this."


    Blake glanced at him, his expression almost amused. "Relax, Boss. I¡¯m just sending him a little message. Nothing serious."


    Lucas¡¯s chest tightened further, and this time it wasn¡¯t just from the cold or the ropes. His breathing quickened as he watched Blake type out the message, his fingers deliberate and slow, like he was savoring every second.


    "What are you even trying to prove?" Lucas demanded, his voice sharper now. "This doesn¡¯t involve him!"


    Blake didn¡¯t respond, instead, he said out aloud, ¡°I¡¯m sending you an address. Come here.¡±


    Lucas scoffed, Blake just didn¡¯t listen. He had to push him, didn¡¯t he?


    Blake leaned closer, waving Lucas¡¯s phone in front of his face. "Oh, Look. He¡¯s typing something."


    Lucas¡¯s head snapped up, his glare like ice. "You¡¯re messing with the wrong person," he muttered, his voice low. The typing symbol popped up, and a reply came almost instantly.


    .


    .


    Why?


    .


    .


    Lucas took a heavy breath. Maybe Ash will consider it a prank and ignore him. Maybe he won¡¯t come-


    But then, another message came, and Blake turned the phone to Lucas, reading the message aloud.


    .


    .


    I¡¯m coming over. But if this is a stupid joke, you are doing my homework.


    .


    .


    Well, that plan went out the window real fast.


    Blake¡¯s lackeys doubled over, laughing as if this was the funniest thing they ever heard. Blake cocked an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the show. "He¡¯s too easy. I didn¡¯t even have to try, and he¡¯s going to come running."


    Something inside Lucas snapped. He surged forward, ignoring the ropes cutting into his wrists, and slammed his forehead into Blake¡¯s face with all the strength he could muster.


    The crack was satisfying.


    Blake stumbled back, clutching his nose with a string of curses. "What the hell?! You little-"


    Lucas didn¡¯t get to savor the moment. Blake¡¯s expression shifted, dark and menacing, as blood trickled from his nostrils. The laughter in the room died instantly, replaced by an ominous silence.


    "You¡¯ve always pissed me off," Blake growled, his voice low and dangerous.


    Before Lucas could brace himself, Blake¡¯s fist collided with his jaw. Pain exploded across his face, his head snapping to the side. He tasted blood- sharp and metallic- as it trickled from his split lip.


    Another punch came, then another. Each hit was precise, filled with anger. Lucas¡¯s world blurred, his vision swimming.


    When Blake finally stepped back, his chest heaving, Lucas didn¡¯t move. He sat there, his body slumped but his eyes fixed on Blake. Blood dripped from his lip onto the floor, but his gaze was steady.


    ¡°I always hated that look in your eyes- as if you¡¯re better than me. As if you can beat the hell outta me whenever the hell you want!¡± he hissed, then came closer, ¡°But you know what? I don¡¯t care anymore. The only thing that matters is that freak- Ash. If he hadn¡¯t come, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±


    He¡¯s damn wrong.


    Blake stepped back, running a hand through his hair, as if to calm himself down, then took something glinting outside of his pocket.


    A dagger.


    ¡°See this?¡± Blake said, twirling the dagger between his fingers, and chuckling, ¡°This is what Ash will get when he comes here. I¡¯ll show him for sure what it means to mess with me.¡±


    Lucas¡¯ breath hitched.


    A dagger? This is how far Blake wants to go now? He¡¯s a coward.


    Blake crouched down in front of Lucas, showing him the glint of dagger, and holding it close to Lucas, whispering in his ear.


    ¡°Do you know what killing feels like, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas couldn¡¯t focus, all he saw was Blake¡¯s menacing eyes- a wide dangerous, cruel smirk, and low hissing voice.


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond, neither did his gaze waver. But for some reason, Lucas didn¡¯t want to know what killing feels like.


    "Of course, you don¡¯t," Blake continued. "You think killing is hard? It¡¯s not really. It¡¯s easy. Like breathing."


    Lucas felt his stomach twist. If Blake was going to tell him, then would that mean that he had killed someone before? The thought alone was dangerous.


    "But you know what it really feels like?" Blake¡¯s voice dropped lower. "It feels like heaven. For one single moment, you¡¯re God. You hold someone¡¯s life in your hands, and you decide whether they live or die. There¡¯s nothing more powerful than that."


    The dagger shifted, the sharp edge now grazing Lucas¡¯s skin, just enough to sting.


    Blake¡¯s voice took on a darker edge. "You know it¡¯s wrong. You know you shouldn¡¯t have done it. But you don¡¯t stop. You can¡¯t."


    Lucas¡¯s breath came quicker now, his chest tightening. He didn¡¯t want to hear this. He didn¡¯t want to know.


    "You keep going," Blake hissed, his face inches from Lucas¡¯s now. "Because once you¡¯ve started, stopping feels worse than the killing itself."


    Lucas¡¯s throat was dry. This guy¡¯s insane.


    Lucas¡¯s fists clenched behind his back, the ropes biting into his skin. His mind screamed at him to fight back, to say something, to stop this madness.


    But Blake wasn¡¯t done. He leaned in close. His breath was hot against Lucas¡¯s ear, his voice a low whisper. "You¡¯ll understand that killing feels like both heaven and hell. And once you do, you¡¯ll never be the same."


    Lucas felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. The sensation of never being the same- for himself, for Jamie; felt like it could eat him from the inside.


    Blake pulled back, his smirk still firmly in place. He pointed the dagger at Lucas¡¯s chest, the tip just barely grazing the fabric of his shirt. "But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll show your little friend first. Maybe then you¡¯ll finally get it."


    Lucas¡¯s breath hitched again, his thoughts spiraling. Ash...Don¡¯t come.


    Blake stood to his full height, spinning the dagger once more before tucking it back into his pocket.


    ¡°Blake¡­You won¡¯t get away with this.¡±


    Blake watched him with pure loathe and disgust, and then, he erupted into laughter.


    ¡°Why not? You see, I¡¯ve got some pretty awesome allies on my side. I¡¯ll kill Ash, they will hide the evidence, and then- the public won¡¯t even know if a guy named Ash existed.¡±


    Which allies¡­?


    ¡°What do you¡­mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem like the type to remember, but there is a guy, he¡¯s pretty famous though. His name is¡­¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t know he stopped breathing for a second.


    ¡°...Anthony Jack.¡±


    Lucas felt his world tilt. If his father might¡¯ve been alive when he was born, he would¡¯ve taught him how to ride a bike, who might¡¯ve stayed up late helping with school projects, or who might¡¯ve made pancakes on Sunday mornings.


    All of it ripped away by one monster.


    Anthony Jack.


    The reality hit him like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, Lucas forgot where he was. He forgot about the ropes digging into his wrists, the cold floor against his skin, the dagger Blake had shown him.


    His father¡¯s murderer. It all led back to him.


    No wonder¡­No wonder Blake turned out like this. Killing must feel like second nature to someone raised by a man like that.


    Blake¡¯s laughter broke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Boss?¡± he sneered, leaning closer. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer. He couldn¡¯t. His thoughts were too loud, too chaotic, to form any words.


    Blake tilted his head. ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t go all quiet on me now. You were so full of yourself a minute ago.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s silence only seemed to amuse him more. Blake¡¯s smirk widened, and he took a step back, arms spread wide. ¡°You know, my dad always says there¡¯s nothing wrong with killing. It¡¯s just humanity¡¯s way of taking out the trash.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s heart tightened. He felt sick.


    Blake crouched down again. ¡°And trash, Lucas, is exactly what people like Ash are.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s fists clenched so hard his nails bit into his palms. His breathing quickened, but he forced himself to steady it.


    Before he could find his voice, Blake straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his clothes. ¡°Get ready, boys! We''ve got a guest coming over!¡±


    Lucas glared at him, his jaw tightening, but he remained silent. There was no use arguing, not with someone so far gone.


    Blake¡¯s words replayed.


    Killing isn¡¯t bad.


    Humanity¡¯s way of taking out the trash.


    The very philosophy that had stolen his father from him.


    But his dad wasn¡¯t trash. And neither was Ash.


    Lucas closed his eyes briefly, forcing himself to push the thought aside. If Ash showed up, it would only make things worse. And if he didn¡¯t?


    Lucas wasn¡¯t sure what scared him more.


    Lucas¡¯s gaze darted toward the door, silently praying Ash wouldn¡¯t-


    And then, it happened.


    The door creaked open.


    Lucas¡¯s heart sank. No, no, no. Of all the times for Ash to take something seriously.


    A figure stepped in slowly, his familiar silhouette outlined against the dim light of the room. Ash.


    Lucas¡¯s jaw tightened, his desperation taking the best of him.


    ¡°ARE YOU DUMB?!¡±


    Ash blinked, startled, buti nstead, he took a step forward, his face coming into view, calm and unfazed as if he¡¯d walked into the wrong room.


    Before Lucas could say anything else, Ash tilted his head slightly, his voice casual. ¡°Hey, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas froze.


    The sheer normalcy in Ash¡¯s tone was so out of place that for a second, he thought he¡¯d imagined it. ¡°Uh...yeah?¡± he replied hesitantly, completely taken aback.


    Ash sighed, as if this whole situation was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.


    ¡°Jason asked me to let you know that if you don¡¯t let him know whether you¡¯re coming to school tomorrow by 8:00 PM, he¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Eeeek?!

 This...hurts

    I feel so damn stupid for walking into a trap again.


    Ash wanted to tell himself that maybe it was a stupid dream that he had walked into.


    But that seemed too real- even if it wasn''t, Ash would''ve highly doubted it.


    Nothing had changed since yesterday- it still felt like second October, with Blake and how lackeys cornering him, the only difference was Lucas.


    Yesterday, Lucas was in power, ordering others around. Today it was Lucas held captive by others.


    Life really was ironic.


    Ash could laugh at his situation all day long, but right now, it seemed like he had better things to do.


    Like figure out how the hell he is going to get it''s this place.


    ¡°Hey, Lucas?¡± Ash said, not knowing why the heck did he say it.


    While Lucas looked taken aback. Right, Ash thought, he must think why am I talking like a normal human being and not running away while I''ve the chance.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah?¡± Lucas asked hesitantly, tugging at his wrists.


    ¡°Jason asked me to let you know that if you don''t let him know if you''re going to school tomorrow by 8:00 PM, he''ll kill you.¡±


    Lucas didn''t respond. Instead it took a few brief moments of silence, and then Lucas chuckled a bit.


    One chuckle, and then two chuckles.


    And then, Lucas erupted into laughter.


    I shouldn''t ask him to stop laughing, it might be his and mine last laugh¡­Although I really hope that doesn''t become the case.


    Ash chuckled too, standing in front of Lucas but not very close to actually open up his ties.


    Blake was in front of Lucas, turning to face Ash, and then scoffing, ¡°What the hell is so funny?¡±


    Ash didn''t respond, nor did Lucas.


    Both were too engrossed in laughing, and then Lucas said between cracked choked laughs, ¡°Sorry Jason....but my phone is currently held captive by Blake, I can''t reply.¡±


    That confirmed Ash¡¯s doubt. So, he was right. Lucas didn''t ask him to come then, it really had been Blake.


    What do I do now?


    ¡°I''ve conveyed his message to you, Lucas. I''ll get going now.¡±


    Lucas looked at him with sheer confusion, his eyes narrowing as he was Ash turning away and walking to the door.


    Don''t look back. Keep moving.


    Ash kept on moving to the door, glad and confused at why hasn''t anyone stopped him yet.


    When he was close to the door, he heard Blake scoffing and thumping his feet, which meant he was coming closer to Ash.


    That''s the door. There is a brick on one side- pick it up the moment Blake comes closer.


    Blake was close enough, close that Ash could feel footsteps, fast and padding, And then the moment he felt someone trying to grab him from behind- he heard Lucas shout.


    ¡°Ash, watch out!¡±


    ¡°Where the hell are you going, Ash?¡± Blake asked, moving his hand closer to Ash, but when his hand barely grazed Ash''s shirt- he ducked, quickly grabbing the brick from the side.


    Hurry. Hurl it at him.


    Ash followed the instructions given to him by his mind, spinning but running miles in one second.


    Ash didn''t miss how Blake''s eyes widened with confusion and shock, and how the heavy impact of the brick slammed against Blake¡¯s nose; which wasn¡¯t Ash¡¯s target, but with his shaky hands, he managed to hit him on the nose.


    It only took a second for all of it to happen-


    And then chaos erupted.


    Blake¡¯s hands shot up to his face, his eyes wide with pain and shock. Blood poured from his nose, staining his shirt and dripping onto the floor.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Blake snarled, his voice muffled and raw. He cupped his face, wincing as he stumbled back further. ¡°I think you broke my damn nose!¡±


    Ash¡¯s legs moved before his mind could catch up. He didn¡¯t wait to see the aftermath.


    He ran.


    Behind him, Blake¡¯s lackeys shouted in confusion, their leader swearing between sharp, pained gasps.


    ¡°Blake, Blake are you-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of blood pouring, Blake!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?!¡±


    ¡°Get him!¡± Blake barked, his voice rising. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, get him, you punks!¡±


    But Ash wasn¡¯t going to stick around long enough for them to get their act together. His mind screamed at him to keep going, to not look back.


    His eyes darted around the room until they landed on Lucas. He was slumped against the wall, his wrists bound, his eyes widened from shock.


    Ash¡¯s focus narrowed. That was his target. Lucas.


    He zigzagged through the chaos, his lungs burning as he dodged Blake¡¯s lackeys. They were too distracted trying to calm their furious leader to notice where Ash was heading.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Finally, Ash reached Lucas and crouched beside him, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.


    Lucas¡¯s head tilted slightly, his eyebrows knitting together. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± he asked, his voice rough. ¡°Run, while you¡¯ve the damn chance! Forget about me!¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t answer. Yeah, right. Leave you behind so they can make meatballs out of you.


    His hand darted to the ground beside him, grabbing a shard of rock. It wasn¡¯t much, but it would have to do. He moved quickly, pressing the sharp edge against the ropes binding Lucas¡¯s wrists and cutting them with desperate motions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± Lucas muttered, leaning back slightly as he stared at Ash. ¡°It¡¯s a mistake for you to come here! Ash, go!¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ash snapped, his voice sharp. ¡°You¡¯re wasting air.¡±


    Lucas flinched, then let out a quiet chuckle, though it sounded more like a rasp. ¡°You¡¯re taking too long. Blake will get on his feet in mere seconds!¡±


    Ash¡¯s jaw tightened.


    He didn¡¯t bother responding, his focus entirely on the ropes. The shard cut into them unevenly. His fingers burned, the rough edges digging into his palm, but he didn¡¯t stop.


    Finally, the ropes gave way with a sharp snap, and Lucas flexed his wrists, wincing slightly as he rubbed at reddened skin.


    Ash stood quickly, his gaze darting to the ropes binding Lucas¡¯s legs, and handed the shard of rock to Lucas. ¡°Here,¡± he ordered, his voice low but firm.


    Lucas nodded. He didn¡¯t say anything, but his hands were already working on the ropes around his ankles. His hands trembled slightly.


    Whereas, Ash¡¯s thoughts raced, as he stood up to his feet. What the hell will I do now? This wasn¡¯t the plan. I was supposed to run with Lucas, but now-


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± Blake¡¯s furious voice cut through.


    Ash¡¯s head snapped up.


    Blake was on his feet now, blood still streaming down his face, his eyes burning with rage. His lackeys stood behind him, watching as their leader clutched his nose with one hand and took out his dagger with the other.


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened. He had seen Blake use a dagger before- on the day he called 9-1-1, but now, looking at Blake as he pointed the sharp edge of the blade towards Ash, his chest tightened.


    This is bad.


    Lucas let out a sigh. The ropes around Lucas¡¯s legs gave way, and he surged to his feet, while Ash grabbed Lucas by the arm and yanked him forward.


    ¡°Run,¡± Ash hissed, his voice urgent.


    Lucas hesitated.


    ¡°Get them! Don¡¯t let them get away!¡±


    Ash''s head whipped around, his heart hammering as Blake''s lackeys advanced, their faces twisted with determination. His eyes darted to the ground, searching for anything that could serve as a weapon.


    There.


    Ash''s fingers curled around a thick stick lying just off to the side. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was better than nothing. He gripped it tightly, and positioned himself.


    Ready.


    Beside him, Lucas rolled his shoulders, his expression calm, like someone about to enter a boxing ring. He clenched his fists, and let out a slow exhale.


    ¡°They don¡¯t look too tough,¡± Lucas muttered under his breath, glancing at Ash. ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    His focus was on the two lackeys charging toward him. Their footsteps echoed in his ears.


    The first lackey swung a pipe toward Ash¡¯s head. Ash barely ducked in time as the pipe missed by inches. Without thinking, he forced the stick upward, catching the lackey square in the ribs. The guy stumbled back with a grunt, clutching his side.


    Oooh, that should¡¯ve hurt.


    The second lackey swinged wildly. Ash dodged with the stick, gritting his teeth. He countered with a swift swing, the end of the stick cracking against the lackey¡¯s knuckles.


    Sheesh. I am ruthless.


    Meanwhile, Lucas was a blur of movement. One of Blake¡¯s lackeys rushed at him, fists raised, but Lucas dodged effortlessly. He landed a sharp punch to the guy¡¯s jaw, sending him sprawling.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Lucas said, his voice victorious as he sidestepped another punch. ¡°Is that the best you¡¯ve got?¡±


    The chaos around them grew louder, but Ash couldn¡¯t afford to look away. The first lackey had regained his footing and came at him again. Ash blocked his swing, using the stick as an attempt to shove him back.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Ash caught movement. His heart plummeted.


    Blake.


    Blake was bolting toward him, dagger glinting under the dim light. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for breaking my nose, Ash!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Ash muttered, his grip on the stick tightening as Blake closed the distance.


    ¡°Behind you!¡± Lucas shouted, but Ash had already turned.


    Blake lunged, the dagger slicing through the air. Ash barely managed to twist his body, the blade grazing his arm instead of hitting its mark. A burning pain shot through him, and he stumbled back, clutching his arm.


    That¡­hurt.


    Blood seeped through his fingers, warm and sticky. The wound wasn¡¯t deep enough to incapacitate him, but it burned like fire.


    ¡°Ash!¡± Lucas¡¯s voice cut through, sharp and urgent.


    Ash mentally groaned, and pushed the thought of rolling his eyes at Lucas down. Seriously, in a damn hard situation like this, when Ash was feeling fire and throb in his arm, when his heart pounded so fast, it felt like it could jump out of his throat- Lucas called him by his name?


    That¡¯s it? Calling you by your name won¡¯t help you win a fight. It wasn¡¯t like it could make a difference in your pain experiencing levels.


    ¡°ASH!¡± Lucas shouted again, louder this time, like yelling his name repeatedly was somehow going to magically fix the burning gash on his arm.


    Ash clenched his teeth. He shot Lucas a quick glare.


    ¡°What?!¡± he snapped, his voice sharp despite the dull throb spreading through his arm.


    Lucas froze for half a second, clearly not expecting a reply mid-battle.


    ¡°I- uh- are you okay?¡±


    Ash let out a humorless laugh. ¡°Oh, yeah, Lucas. I¡¯m feeling great.¡±


    ¡°Y-You are?¡± Lucas asked again, his brows knitted in confusion, while Blake just looked at him with shock. And then, snapped.


    ¡°Are you two ignoring me?! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Blake snarled, twirling the dagger in his fingers.


    Lucas and Ash stopped mid-battle, eyeing Blake.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re ignoring you.¡± Ash said, his lips twitching into a smile.


    ¡°Who are you again¡­?¡± Lucas managed, his hand resting behind his chin, as if he is deep in thoughts, and he doesn¡¯t know who Blake is.


    Ash deadpanned. ¡®Seriously Lucas?¡¯


    Blake laughed, the sound low and cruel. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said, his grin widening as he pointed the bloodied dagger at Ash. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll show you where ignoring and messing with me will get you, Ash.¡±


    Ash¡¯s knees wobbled, but he forced himself to stay upright. The pain was bad, sure, but right now, he had to focus on his surroundings, Blake was still close.


    Before Ash could catch his breath, Blake let out a sharp whistle.


    The sound pierced the air, and Ash¡¯s stomach dropped as more footsteps echoed. More than fifteen of them came through the door, sickening smirks plastered on their faces.


    Great. More of them?


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Lucas muttered, his eyes scanning the growing crowd of lackeys emerging from the door. He let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Hey Blake, did you put out a recruitment ad or something?¡±


    Blake didn¡¯t respond.


    The pain in Ash¡¯s arm throbbed, each pulse making his vision blur at the edges. His grip on the stick faltered, his fingers trembling.


    This is bad. Really, really bad. Like seriously gigantically bad- Is that even a word?


    But he couldn¡¯t think about that now. Not when Lucas was still standing there, fists clenched, ready to fight. Not when Blake¡¯s lackeys were closing in.


    Ash swallowed hard, forcing his focus to return. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose his head. Not now.


    One step at a time. One swing, one block. Don¡¯t think. Just move.


    ¡°Hey, Ash,¡± Lucas said, his voice unnervingly calm despite the chaos. ¡°Think you can handle a dozen more of these guys?¡±


    Ash managed a weak smirk, his grip tightening on the stick. ¡°Sure. Why not?¡±


    Lucas chuckled. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s make it count.¡±

 ...Stabbed

    ¡°Hey, Ash,¡± Lucas said, his voice unnervingly calm despite the chaos. ¡°Think you can handle a dozen more of these guys?¡±


    Ash managed a weak smirk, his grip tightening on the stick. ¡°Sure. Why not?¡±


    Lucas chuckled. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s make it count.¡±


    With a roar of wild yells, the majority of the lackeys ran towards them- some had sticks or broken pipes in their offense, and some were unarmed, but nonetheless, all of them seemed ready to fight.


    Ready to beat the hell out of them.


    Most of them ran towards Ash, while Ash was thunder-struck.


    Why the hell are they coming after me?!


    Now, it may have been because Ash looked weaker with a bloodied arm and a stick that was half-broken, half-chipped, while Lucas was swinging his arms and legs at them, savoring each moment.


    Or, it may have been because Blake ordered them to attack Asher first, for whatever wicked plan he¡¯s thinking of in his mind.


    Both ways, Ash was doomed.


    Ash tried to forget the stinging and throbbing pain in his arm, and positioned himself, side-stepping a wild punch, and forcing his stick on someone¡¯s jaw, then ducking and smashing the stick on a guy¡¯s ribs, while he was yelling curses.


    There¡¯s so many!


    He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it, though.


    Another came at him, swinging a pipe. Ash ducked, the pipe whooshing past his head, and then he smashed his stick against the guy¡¯s ribs. The lackey yelled, doubling over, but Ash didn¡¯t stop to see the damage.


    Focus. Don¡¯t stop moving.


    The pain in his arm screamed at him, a constant throb, but he pushed through it. He couldn¡¯t afford to falter- not with this many of them.


    His stick slammed into another lackey¡¯s knee, sending the guy crashing to the ground, but Ash barely had time to catch his breath before someone else was on him. A punch connected with his side, knocking the wind out of him, but he swung his stick upward, cracking it against the guy¡¯s forearm.


    The stick broke with the force.


    Ash¡¯s heart sank as he stared at the broken piece of wood in his hand. Oh, great.


    A lackey saw the opportunity, rushing him with a wild grin, but Ash wasn¡¯t done yet. He ducked under the guy¡¯s outstretched arms, grabbing the stick he had in his hands and yanking it away. The lackey stumbled, and Ash wasted no time using the stolen weapon against him, hitting him hard in the gut.


    Not today, buddy.


    Meanwhile, Lucas fought like a pro. His movements were sharp, efficient, and almost casual, like he wasn¡¯t even breaking a sweat. Punches landed squarely on jaws, and kicks sent lackeys sprawling.


    Ash didn¡¯t miss the smirk on Lucas¡¯s face. ¡°Having fun over there?¡± Ash called out, breathless but determined.


    Lucas laughed, ducking a swing and countering with a punch that sent his opponent reeling. ¡°Nah. It¡¯s too easy.¡±


    The tables started to shift. More of the lackeys turned their attention to Lucas, realizing that Ash wasn¡¯t as easy a target as they¡¯d assumed.


    But the fight was far from over.


    Ash barely had time to register the shift before a fist collided with his mouth. The impact was sharp, and he tasted blood, but he didn¡¯t stop. He swung his stick wildly, catching the guy across the chest, but another lackey blindsided him, landing a hit on his injured arm.


    The pain exploded, sharp and blinding. Ash stumbled, gasping, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep going.


    Blake stood at the back of the chaos, his eyes locked on Ash. He wasn¡¯t even sparing Lucas a glance. His focus was singular, his expression unreadable.


    Liam approached him, his brows furrowed. ¡°They¡¯re tougher than we thought,¡± he muttered, glancing at the scene. ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡±


    Blake hissed, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Make way for me.¡±


    Liam nodded, weaving through the crowd with a sense of urgency. He reached Ash, who was still pushing off attackers despite the blood dripping from his mouth and the ache in his arm.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Liam barked, and Ash barely had time to react before a heavy stick smashed against his forehead.


    Huh?


    Pain exploded across Ash¡¯s skull, a sharp, overwhelming agony that made his vision blur. He staggered, the world tilting around him, and then his knees buckled beneath him.


    Everything felt distant.


    ¡°Ash! Hey?!¡± Lucas¡¯s voice cut through, all though he didn¡¯t really have the time to see the full extent of what was happening since the dull roar of the lackeys brought him back.


    Ash¡¯s vision blurred. Warm blood trickled down his forehead, sticky, and his arm throbbed like it was on fire. Every inch of his body screamed at him to stop, to stay down, to just give up.


    But giving up wasn¡¯t an option.


    With a groan, Ash pressed his palm against the ground, the dirt digging into his nails. His legs trembled as he forced himself upright, unsteady. His chest heaved, and for a moment, the world spun violently.


    His eyes darted up to Liam, who stood there with a smirk that made Ash¡¯s blood boil. ¡°I hope it didn¡¯t hurt,¡± Liam taunted, raising the stick again.


    Ash didn¡¯t give him the chance.


    Idiot, he¡¯s so dead.


    Summoning strength from somewhere deep inside, Ash surged forward, ignoring the screaming protests of his body. He shoved Liam back, his palms slamming into Liam¡¯s chest with enough force to send him stumbling.


    Liam¡¯s smirk vanished, replaced with a look of surprise.


    But Ash didn¡¯t follow through. He couldn¡¯t. His breaths came in sharp, shallow gasps, his knees threatening to buckle again. He leaned heavily on his stick, his fingers clutching it like a lifeline.


    Then it happened.


    Goosebumps prickled along his skin, an icy wave washing over him despite the heat of the fight. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end that sent a chill racing down his spine.


    Something is wrong.


    He felt it before he heard it, that shift in the air, the weight that pressed down on him. And then, there it was- the sound.


    Footsteps.


    Slow.


    Deliberate.


    Dangerous.


    Ash didn¡¯t turn. He couldn¡¯t.


    His heart pounded wildly, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum. The sound of those footsteps grew louder, closer.


    And then the voice.


    ¡°Getting tired already? I didn¡¯t even start toying with you.¡±


    It was Blake.


    Ash¡¯s throat tightened, and he clenched his jaw, his grip on the stick faltering for just a second. He didn¡¯t need to look back to know. The voice was enough.


    The footsteps stopped, close enough that Ash could almost feel the presence looming behind him.


    Move. Turn around. Dodge.


    He wanted to move, to turn, to face whatever was coming, but he was frozen. His body refused to obey, locked in place by a fear so deep it felt like his very bones were trembling.


    The faint scrap of metal reached his ears, the unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn.


    Ash¡¯s mind raced, his thoughts tangled and frantic. Turn around. Look. Just¡­ do it.


    Ash swallowed hard, his throat dry, his palms slick with sweat. His legs felt like they were made of lead, every instinct screaming at him to run, to do something, but he was rooted to the spot.


    The voice came again, quieter this time, but no less menacing.


    ¡°I wish you never came in my way, Ash.¡±


    And still, Ash didn¡¯t turn. He couldn¡¯t. Not yet. Not while every nerve in his body was screaming that what waited behind him was something he wasn¡¯t ready to face.


    And then- it happened.


    That sound.


    Wet.


    Sickening.


    Final.


    A blade piercing flesh.


    Ash¡¯s breath stopped, his chest tightening as the noise ripped through the air, sharp and merciless. It was worse than any scream, worse than any blow.


    What¡­ What was that? Where did¡­it hit?Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    His fingers trembled, the stick slipping slightly in his grip, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to turn. He couldn¡¯t face it. Every part of him screamed to look, to move, but his body refused.


    And then, Lucas spoke- soft, like life was being pulled out of him with every word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­t-turn.¡±


    The voice was too close.


    Too pained.


    W-What?


    Ash¡¯s breath hitched, his heart pounded so loud. Slowly, as if dragged by some invisible force, his gaze shifted over his shoulder.


    He wished he hadn¡¯t looked.


    Lucas stood there, but he wasn¡¯t standing the way Lucas always stood- strong, confident, ready to face anything. His body was hunched, his shoulders trembling.


    And it took Ash a few moments to contemplate what was happening; and when he did,


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    He couldn¡¯t move.


    He couldn¡¯t look anywhere else.


    Lucas had been stabbed.


    His world narrowed to that one image- Lucas, standing in front of him, a blade piercing his stomach. Ash couldn¡¯t make out the blade except the brown handle, which meant¡­


    ¡­That the blade was completely inside Lucas¡¯s body


    Lucas didn¡¯t cry out, didn¡¯t flinch. He stood there, frozen, his breath caught in his throat. For a moment, it felt like time itself had stopped.


    Blake sneered, his grip tightening on the handle, and then he pulled.


    The blade came out with a sickening, stomach-turning sound, a cruel, deliberate tug.


    And then-


    Lucas staggered, his body convulsing slightly, and for one terrible moment, Ash couldn¡¯t process what he was seeing.


    Lucas took a step back, his legs wobbling, his eyes dull and unfocused. And then he fell.


    Not gracefully.


    Not slowly.


    It was sudden, jarring- a heavy, lifeless collapse.


    Ash¡¯s chest tightened. His fingers loosened around the stick, his knees buckling slightly.


    Blake¡¯s laughter rang out, sharp and cold.


    Ash barely heard him. His thoughts were a mess.


    Lucas has been stabbed.


    Lucas has been stabbed.


    Lucas has been stabbed.


    Ash barely processes his surroundings as only one thing swirls in his mind, and it was so painful to even consider it as truth. He was the reason for all of this to happen.


    It¡¯s my fault.


    If he had turned, maybe it would have been Ash who got stabbed, but instead, he stood there, frozen in fear as Lucas took the hit for him.


    Why didn¡¯t I do something?!


    Ash¡¯s vision blurred, not because of the agony he felt, but because of the blood, because of his breath hitching.


    Lucas¡¯s body was still there, crumpled on the ground, motionless except for the faintest rise and fall of his chest. His shirt was soaking in red spreading across the fabric.


    It was too much.


    Ash¡¯s hands trembled. His breathing came in shallow gasps.


    And then, Blake¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Geez,¡± Blake sneered, ¡°looks like your friend took the hit for you while you stood there. Pathetic runt.¡±


    Ash¡¯s stomach churned, the words slicing through him.


    The word echoed in his head, clawing at him, tearing him apart.


    Pathetic. You are pathetic.


    Lucas had said it once before, maybe at that time as a joke. Maybe he hadn¡¯t meant it, not really. But now it clung to Ash like a curse.


    .


    .


    You are pathetic.


    .


    .


    Why didn¡¯t I turn around?


    Why didn¡¯t I do something?


    If I had turned, if I¡¯d moved even a second earlier¡­ maybe¡­


    Maybe Lucas wouldn¡¯t have-


    Ash¡¯s stomach twisted, the guilt suffocating him. His fingers clenched into fists so tight it felt like his nails might pierce his palms. The stick in his hand wavered. His vision swam, but he couldn¡¯t stop staring at the red forming on Lucas¡¯ shirt.


    Lucas.


    Lucas, who had stepped in.


    Lucas, who had taken the hit meant for him.


    Lucas, who had tried to warn him, even at the last second.


    His chest burned, anger and disappointment tangling. But the anger wasn¡¯t for Blake- it wasn¡¯t even for the lackeys still circling.


    It was for himself.


    You are pathetic.


    And then, the anger boiled over, spilling out like wildfire.


    His gaze snapped up to Blake. The mocking grin. The bloodied blade in his hand. The sheer satisfaction.


    Ash¡¯s body moved before his mind could catch up.


    With a wild yell, he swung the stick.


    It wasn¡¯t calculated. It was raw.


    Wild.


    Desperate.


    The stick cut through the air, aimed right at Blake¡¯s smug face.


    But Blake was quick. He ducked, laughing as the stick missed by inches, the force of Ash¡¯s swing throwing him off balance.


    ¡°Aw, look at you!¡± Blake taunted, taking a step back, waving the blade carelessly. ¡°Finally found your guts, huh? Too bad you¡¯ve got no idea how to use them.¡±


    Ash gritted his teeth, his jaw tight enough to hurt. The stick felt heavy in his hands now, but he swung again, the motion fueled by nothing but rage.


    Blake dodged once more, his laughter ringing out, sharp and cruel. ¡°You¡¯re pathetic, Ash. Can¡¯t even land a hit on me?¡±


    Ash¡¯s chest heaved, his breath coming in ragged bursts. His arm throbbed, his injured muscles screaming with every swing, but he didn¡¯t stop.


    The guilt churned inside him, twisting into something darker. Something uglier.


    This is my fault.


    Lucas is hurt because of me.


    The stick came down again, and again, missing each time. But Ash didn¡¯t care. He couldn¡¯t hear Blake¡¯s taunts anymore, couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the blood on Lucas¡¯s shirt and the sneer on Blake¡¯s face.


    His mind screamed with one thought, drowning out everything else:


    You should¡¯ve turned around.


    And then- Ash swung again, the stick heavy and slick with sweat in his hands, his arms trembling from the weight of exhaustion and emotion. Every breath he took was a struggle, his chest rising and falling erratically, but he didn¡¯t stop.


    Blake dodged again, a grin stretching across his face. "What¡¯s the matter, Ash? That all you¡¯ve got? No wonder Lucas had to step in for you. He probably knew you couldn¡¯t handle this on your own."


    The words stung.


    Right. He¡¯s right.


    Ash clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together, but he didn¡¯t respond. He couldn¡¯t waste energy on words. Not when his every muscle screamed for rest, not when the image of Lucas collapsing was still burned into his mind.


    Lucas was on the ground. Bleeding. Gasping for air.


    And Blake was laughing.


    No.


    Ash tightened his grip on the stick, his knuckles whitening, his fingers trembling.


    You should¡¯ve turned around. You should¡¯ve seen it coming. Lucas wouldn¡¯t have-


    He couldn¡¯t finish the thought.


    But Blake¡¯s laughter brought him back, grounding him in the present. Ash¡¯s movements sharpened, his swings less wild and more calculated, each one aimed to force Blake back, to corner him.


    He was acting on a strategy.


    At first, Blake didn¡¯t notice. He was too busy dodging, too busy taunting, too busy feeding off the power he thought he still held.


    But then his grin faltered. His foot slipped slightly as Ash pressed forward, his strikes relentless.


    "You really think this will change anything?" Blake sneered.


    Ash didn¡¯t answer. He just kept moving.


    Blake stumbled again, his back inching closer to the uneven ground behind him. It was subtle, but Ash noticed. He saw the way Blake¡¯s confidence wavered, the way his eyes darted around, searching for an escape.


    Good. Let him feel trapped.


    Ash swung the stick again, the force of the impact knocking the blade from Blake¡¯s hand. It clattered to the ground, forgotten, as Blake stumbled backward. Ash didn¡¯t stop. He aimed low this time, sweeping the stick toward Blake¡¯s legs.


    Blake¡¯s balance gave out, and he fell hard, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud.


    For a moment, there was silence. Blake¡¯s lackeys gasped as if the scene unfolding in front of their eyes wasn¡¯t real. But to their dismay, it was.


    Blake was on the ground.


    Ash stood over him, his chest heaving, his grip on the stick so tight it hurt. His mind was a whirlwind of anger, guilt, and exhaustion, but one thought cut through.


    This isn¡¯t over.


    Blake groaned, propping himself up on one elbow, his face twisted in a mix of pain and defiance. "You think this makes you strong? You¡¯re still the same pathetic kid who can¡¯t-"


    Ash didn¡¯t let him finish. He dropped the stick, the sound of it hitting the ground lost in the pounding of his heart. His hands moved on their own, grabbing Blake by the collar and yanking him up with a force he didn¡¯t know he had.


    Ash¡¯s fist flew before he even realized he¡¯d moved, connecting with Blake¡¯s jaw. The impact jarred his entire arm, but he didn¡¯t care.


    Blake¡¯s head snapped to the side, but Ash didn¡¯t stop. His fist came down again, and again, each punch fueled by a mix of rage and guilt so intense it felt like it might consume him.


    His lackeys hasped again, some of them slowly creeping out of the hideout, now noticing that the game was not in their favor anymore. How could they? After all, Blake was- their leader was on the ground, getting punched by a mere teenager who looked way younger than them.


    Another reason was Lucas- they were looking at him as his breaths became slow, shallow, as the red stained his shirt. It wasn¡¯t really sure if he¡¯d live, since he had been stabbed in the stomach. No one can survive that, right?


    If Lucas was to die, then Blake should¡¯ve been the one caught, some of the lackeys scurried away as if they were guilty of doing it.


    Whereas, Ash was on top of Blake, punching him, every punch harder than the last. Blake was acting tough, laughing it off and still smirking.


    "You think you can just-"


    Another punch, harder this time.


    "-hurt people-"


    And another.


    "-and laugh like it¡¯s nothing?!"


    Blake tried to push him off, his hands weakly clawing at Ash¡¯s arms, but Ash didn¡¯t budge. His knees pressed into Blake¡¯s sides, pinning him to the ground, his weight keeping him there.


    Blood smeared across Ash¡¯s knuckles, warm and sticky, but he didn¡¯t care. All he could see was Blake¡¯s face- with that smug smirk.


    Why didn¡¯t I listen? Why didn¡¯t I turn around?


    Ash¡¯s chest tightened, his breath coming in shallow gasps as his fists slowed, hovering in the air for a moment before falling to his sides.


    Blake lay beneath him, his face a mess of blood and bruises, his chest rising and falling erratically.


    But Ash didn¡¯t feel victorious.


    Why was that? Blake always acted satisfied whenever he beat students or people. He always had this smirk on his face, wide-shoulders as if he was ready for anything, and that look- menacing but confident.


    He must feel satisfied; Ash would sometimes think; and he wondered what would he feel if he ever got a chance to beat Blake and take all the rage others contained when they got bullied by Blake.


    Great¡­ Ash would think¡­I would feel great after beating Blake.


    But now, as Blake lay beneath him, blood trickling down his broken nose, and from the corners of his mouth, Ash didn¡¯t feel victorious at all.


    He felt¡­nothing.


    He released Blake¡¯s collar, his hands shaking as he let them fall to his sides. His body felt heavy, his limbs numb, his mind blank.


    Blake coughed weakly, a pathetic attempt at a laugh escaping his bloodied lips. "Beating me the hell up won¡¯t¡­bring him back. Lucas might be dead¡­and you know it."


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened- his orbs trembled as he looked around; none of the lackeys made any attempt to get closer. And then; his eyes narrowed at an object lying not really far from him. He moved his hand and it hovered over the object for a second, before he picked it up.


    The dagger.


    Ash''s fingers curled tighter around the dagger, its edge glinting. It isn¡¯t rusty. Somehow, that fact stuck with him. It wasn¡¯t some old, discarded weapon.


    It was sharp.


    Clean.


    Deadly.


    It had been prepared for this, for violence, for destruction.


    And now, it was in his hands.

 ...Crying

    It had been prepared for this, for violence, for destruction.


    And now, it was in his hands.


    Ash¡¯s breathing slowed as he lifted the blade, his trembling fingers steadying as he pointed its edge directly at Blake¡¯s eye.


    Blake¡¯s eyes widened in panic. His lips trembled, his head jerking back as far as it could with the ground beneath him. "Stop! Hey, Ash¡­ don¡¯t- dammit! Just- don¡¯t!" Blake¡¯s voice cracked.


    Ash didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t even blink.


    In the background, Blake¡¯s lackeys exchanged uneasy glances before taking a collective step back. One by one, they scattered. Liam, ever the coward, lit a cigarette with a scoff. He cast one last look at Lucas, lying on the ground, and then at Blake, pinned and helpless beneath Ash.


    "Serves him right," Liam muttered to himself, shaking his head as he turned away. He walked off without a second glance.


    Ash didn¡¯t notice. His entire world had shrunk down to the blade in his hand and the fear in Blake¡¯s eyes.


    Why is it, Ash thought bitterly, that people like him- people who revel in their power, who laugh when others suffer- turn into this the moment it¡¯s their turn?


    He pressed the blade a little closer, just enough for the sharp tip to graze Blake¡¯s skin. Blake flinched, his breath hitching audibly.


    "You never think about your victims," Ash said, his voice low and eerily calm. "When you hurt people, when your laugh and enjoy your power, you never stop to think what it¡¯s like. How it feels to beg for mercy. How it feels to know no one will help you." His grip tightened on the dagger, his knuckles white. "But the second you lose, you beg. You-"


    "A-Ash."


    The voice was faint, barely audible. But it cut through Ash¡¯s haze like a blade of its own.


    He froze, his head snapping to the side. Lucas was stirring. His eyes were half-lidded, his face pale, but he was alive. His lips moved again, trembling as he forced out the words.


    "D-Don¡¯t do it¡­ A-Ash¡­" Lucas¡¯s voice cracked, weak and uneven. He coughed, but he pressed on. "He¡¯s¡­ Anthony J-Jack¡¯s¡­ s-son¡­"


    The words hit Ash.


    Anthony Jack¡¯s son¡­? Then he¡¯s the son of Lucas¡¯s dad murderer¡­


    His breath caught, his eyes narrowing as he looked back at Blake, whose panic had only deepened.


    "Good," Ash spat. "If he really is his son, then that gives me all the more reason to kill this scumbag."


    "A-Ash, no¡­" Lucas wheezed, his head lolling to the side as he struggled to stay conscious. "It¡¯s¡­ not him¡­ It¡¯s his father. Blake¡­ his father¡¯s¡­ the one who¡¯s evil. He¡­ never taught Blake anything¡­ good. We have to¡­" Lucas¡¯s voice faltered, his strength fading, but he forced out one final word. "Help¡­ him."


    Ash¡¯s grip on the dagger faltered, his fingers trembling again. He turned his gaze back to Blake, who had gone eerily silent.


    And that¡¯s when Ash saw it.


    Blake¡¯s face, once so smug and full of malice, was now pale and hollow. His lips trembled, his chest heaving with shallow, panicked breaths. And his eyes¡­


    Blake was crying.


    W-What the hell?!


    "Why¡­" Ash¡¯s voice was barely above a whisper. "Why are you crying?"


    Blake didn¡¯t answer. He just looked at Ash with those wide, tear-filled eyes, and for the first time, Ash didn¡¯t see the bully who had tormented so many. He saw a boy. Broken. Lost.


    And Ash didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake smirked to himself as he saw the sun rays seeping through his amber-themed window.


    Third October. The day Ash and Lucas would finally learn their place.


    He stretched. His phone buzzed. Blake reached for it lazily, his smirk widening as he read the confirmation text from Liam: On it. He¡¯s leaving his house now.


    Good.


    Blake had planned every detail. Lucas was no ordinary kid. He wasn¡¯t like the others Blake had dealt with- cowards who ran at the first sign of trouble or weaklings who crumbled under pressure. No, Lucas was different. He was dangerous. A one-man army. If it came down to a fight, Lucas could wipe out Blake¡¯s entire gang in less than an hour, and they all knew it.


    That¡¯s why Blake had taken precautions.


    He had messaged Liam early that morning, instructing him to tail Lucas as soon as he stepped out of his house. Liam wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was reliable when it came to following orders. And if things got messy? Well, that¡¯s what the chloroform was for. Blake wasn¡¯t taking any chances.


    He imagined the scene: Lucas, taken by surprise, struggling at first- because, of course, he would- but eventually falling prey to the chloroform. Liam and the others dragging him to the hideout, binding his hands and feet, making sure he couldn¡¯t break free. And then¡­ Ash would come.


    Blake¡¯s grin widened at the thought. Ash, the little runt, would walk right into his trap. He¡¯d see Lucas tied up, powerless, and he¡¯d finally understand what it felt like to be at Blake¡¯s mercy.


    Everything was going to go his way.


    By the time he arrived at the hideout, Lucas was already there, tied. His head lolled to the side, still unconscious.


    Blake walked up to him, crouching to get a closer look. Even now, Lucas looked intimidating. He had this presence, even while unconscious. Blake scowled.


    "You¡¯re so dead." he muttered, his voice low.


    And then, Lucas woke up. Blake used his phone to message Ash. Blake didn¡¯t know why- but he felt so obsessed with the look of Ash breaking to the point- he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    And then- the door burst open.


    Ash had come; although Blake did get his nose broken by him, it didn¡¯t matter in the least. What mattered was Ash was here, and Blake had a dagger he needed to show to that jerk.


    Lucas came in front of Ash when he was about to get stabbed.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    No matter; Blake thought, Both of them deserve to die.


    If Lucas dies sooner, it¡¯ll only work in his favor as he was the tough one there.


    Ash then started to go bonkers. Swinging his half-broken stick at him, and yelling. Blake didn¡¯t notice it at first, but actually, Ash was acting on a strategy.


    It wasn¡¯t long that Ash pinned him down. His lackeys left, but Blake didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    It was when Lucas asked Ash not to stab Blake in the eye, and told him he¡¯s Anthony Jack¡¯s son.


    Blake almost scoffed; so Lucas really was a coward.


    He knew if they killed Blake, his dad wouldn''t let them live. He was powerful, everything Lucas and Ash weren¡¯t.


    And then, Lucas said it.


    .


    .


    It¡¯s¡­ not him¡­ It¡¯s his father. Blake¡­ his father¡¯s¡­ the one who¡¯s evil. He¡­ never taught Blake anything¡­ good. We have¡­to help him.


    .


    .


    Blake¡¯s stomach twisted at Lucas¡¯s declaration. His father? Evil?


    His dad might not have been perfect, but evil? No. That wasn¡¯t right. That wasn¡¯t-


    Blake¡¯s mind raced, forcing him to confront a truth he¡¯d buried deep.


    "Killing is just a way to get rid of human trash," his father had said once, his tone calm, matter-of-fact. It wasn¡¯t just that. His father had told him plenty of other things, too- things that Blake had always taken as guidance.


    But evil? No. He¡¯d never thought of him like that.


    Had he?


    Blake¡¯s chest tightened, his breaths coming faster. His mind clawed desperately for something to hold on to, some proof that Lucas was wrong. And then-


    A memory surfaced.


    Blake was eight years old.


    He could see it so clearly, as if it were happening right in front of him. He¡¯d been sitting on the living room floor, laughing as his mother tickled his sides.


    "Gotcha!" his mother had said, her voice warm and full of love as she pulled him into her arms, holding him close.


    Blake had felt safe. Happy. Curious about everything.


    He remembered closing his eyes, the sound of his mother¡¯s heartbeat lulling him to sleep as she gently stroked his hair.


    But then, he woke up.


    The sound had startled him- a door slamming open, followed by the heavy, commanding voice of his father.


    "Where is he?"


    Blake had scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as his father stormed into the room. His mother had stood in front of him, shielding him with her body.


    "You can¡¯t take him," she had said, her voice trembling but firm. "He¡¯s just a boy. He belongs here, with me."


    Blake¡¯s father had laughed.


    "Belongs with you?" his father had sneered. "Don¡¯t be ridiculous. He¡¯s my son. He¡¯s coming with me."


    His mother had tried to block his path, her hands pressed against his chest, but his father had slapped her so hard that she staggered back, falling to her knees.


    "Stop it!" Blake had cried, tears streaming down his face as he watched his mother clutch her cheek, her sobs muffled by the hand she pressed against her mouth.


    His father had grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back as she pleaded, begged for him to leave Blake alone.


    Blake had been frozen, his small body trembling as he watched the scene unfold. And then-


    "Okay!" Blake had screamed, his voice desperate. "I¡¯ll go with you. Just don¡¯t hurt Mom. Please."


    His father had smirked, releasing his grip on his mother¡¯s hair. "Smart boy," he had said.


    The moment Blake agreed to go with him, the man grabbed his wrist and dragged him out the door. There was no goodbye to his mother. His father had made it clear- Blake was his now.


    "You need to learn, boy," his father had said, his voice cold as they drove away. "You¡¯re my only heir, after all. Politics isn¡¯t for the weak. You¡¯ll thank me for this one day."


    Blake had been too young to understand what his father meant by politics. He¡¯d imagined it was about making speeches and shaking hands, the kind of stuff he¡¯d seen on TV. But the reality was far darker.


    It started the very next day. His father took him everywhere- to meetings with shadowy figures who spoke in hushed tones, to rallies where he wore a mask of charm and charisma, and to back rooms where deals were sealed with threats instead of handshakes.


    Blake had clung to the hope that he could learn, that he could grow into this role his father envisioned for him. But when he voiced that hope- when he asked if he could go to school, if he could have some time to learn properly- his father¡¯s laughter had cut through.


    "Learn? What is there to learn?" his father had scoffed, leaning forward to glare at him. "You think I have time to drop you to school everyday?"


    He¡¯d held up two fingers, his expression hard and unforgiving.


    "Either you stay here with me," he said, "and watch as I deal with things- learn by observing; or you leave. Go live on your own. No money. No help. Survive if you can."


    Blake¡¯s stomach had twisted into knots. He¡¯d looked at his father, at the man who seemed larger than life, and then at the door that led to the unknown.


    He had chosen to leave.


    The memory shifted, fast-forwarding.


    Blake remembered standing outside in the cold, a single bag slung over his shoulder. He had no plan, no money, and no idea how to survive. He¡¯d tried to hold onto hope, tried to convince himself that he could make it on his own.


    But the world was cruel to an eight-year-old.


    He learned quickly that people could be just as ruthless as his father. He¡¯d been shoved aside in the streets, mocked, and ignored. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, and he found himself doing things he never thought he¡¯d do- stealing food, sleeping in alleys, and eventually¡­ taking from others.


    The first time he bullied someone, he hadn¡¯t even meant to. A boy, not much older than him, had been walking down the street with a shiny new toy. Blake had asked to see it, and when the boy refused, something in Blake had snapped. He¡¯d pushed the boy, snatched the toy, and ran.


    The adrenaline had been intoxicating. For the first time in weeks, Blake had felt powerful.


    That was the beginning.


    He started taking more- money, food, whatever he could get his hands on. He justified it to himself, told himself it was survival. And when people looked at him with fear in their eyes, he found that he liked it.


    Blake¡¯s thoughts returned to his mother. He hadn¡¯t seen her since that day his father took him. He¡¯d tried to reach out once, years ago, but what he¡¯d found had broken him.


    His mother had fallen into a coma shortly after he left, the shock of losing her son too much for her to bear.


    It had been ten years, and she still hadn¡¯t woken up.


    Blake clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as the memories surged through him. His father had done that to her. His father had done this to him.


    And yet, Blake didn¡¯t find his dad guilty. He was just trying to show him the true colors of the world.


    After five years, his dad had contacted him.


    And when Blake told him he bullied others for survival- he expected insulting words from his dad. But instead; he was appreciated.


    ¡°You are going to become a fine young man if you continue to fight for yourself,¡± his father had said, ¡°You¡¯ll start your career as a politician when you turn eighteen, and eventually you¡¯ll know. Whoever needs to live, needs to fight. And no one plays safe.¡±


    Blake was confused.


    Why was it that he needed to fight for everything in the world to make sense?


    Why do people have to fight AIDS, fight cancer, fight terrorism, fight corruption, even fight for food- wasn¡¯t there another way to deal with things?


    Blake didn¡¯t know.


    He continued his routine- invited tough boys into his growing group, made Lucas the boss, and continued to fight.


    But then, Lucas¡¯ voice cut through.


    .


    .


    We have to¡­help him.


    .


    .


    Help? Who said Blake needed help? He was great at everything, he didn¡¯t need help.


    But then¡­he remembered.


    Xavier.


    Xavier, yes. He had been different. He hadn¡¯t fought back, hadn¡¯t begged or screamed. He had just looked at Blake with a quiet, almost pitying expression.


    Xavier, who Blake strangled and killed out of pure rage- because he wasn¡¯t hurt. He wasn¡¯t, right?


    All he did was survive.


    .


    .


    I hope¡­someone helps you.


    .


    .


    Xavier had said, his voice soft but steady, even as Blake¡¯s hands tightened around his throat.


    Those words had haunted Blake ever since.


    No one had ever helped him. And he had never let himself believe that anyone would.


    Until now.


    This was too much. Too much for him to handle. He didn¡¯t need help, he didn¡¯t. He never did. But now, as Ash pinned him down, with a dagger close to his eye, and Lucas gasped for air, bleeding- he understood.


    He was human. He was supposed to be raw, vulnerable. But his father forced him to become what he never wanted to be. He never wants to become a politician.


    And before he knew it- tears started to surface in his eyes. They spilled before Blake had any chance of stopping them.


    He was crying.


    Ash didn¡¯t say anything, scurrying away from him. Dropping the dagger, he stood up, shaky but firm. He spared Blake one last glance, before turning away and going to where Lucas sprawled.


    Blake didn¡¯t say anything, he just let his tears spill, closing his eyes.


    He felt weak, but he also felt light. His heart lightened, and his form trembled.


    But he didn¡¯t budge.

 Wake up!

    Ash turned his back on Blake without a word. The soft, broken sound of Blake¡¯s sobs clung to the air as Ash walked across the room. His steps were uneven, his body aching from where Blake¡¯s strikes had landed, and his own blood soaked through the sleeve of his white shirt. But none of it mattered.


    His gaze landed on Lucas.


    Lucas lay sprawled across the cold ground, a stain of crimson spreading across his stomach. The sight made Ash¡¯s heart lurch painfully in his chest. Lucas¡¯s eyes were open- thank God- but they stared blankly into space, unfocused, almost lifeless.


    "Lucas," Ash called out softly, his voice rough with panic, but there was no response.


    His mind spun.


    Ash¡¯s hands trembled as he crouched next to Lucas. His eyes darted over the wound. Blood, too much blood- was pooling around Lucas¡¯s shirt, darkening the fabric and staining the floor beneath him. The blade had gone deep. But it was more than that. Ash knew Lucas had asthma, which meant every shallow, ragged breath was a struggle.


    He¡¯s bleeding, and he¡¯s gasping. What the hell do I do? I¡¯m not a doctor-


    The frantic voice in his head cut off, and for one single moment, another thought slipped in.


    Stop the bleeding.


    Ash swallowed thickly and sat down next to Lucas, his own knees collapsing beneath him as his exhaustion threatened to overtake him. But he didn¡¯t let it. Instead, he yanked off his jacket in one rough motion, the fabric catching on the dried blood from his arm where Blake had slashed him earlier.


    Beneath the jacket, his white shirt was soaked through with red, his own blood. The sight barely registered. It didn¡¯t matter. He had to keep Lucas alive.


    He balled up the jacket as quickly as his shaking hands would allow. Then he pressed it against Lucas¡¯s wound, applying pressure.


    Lucas flinched, a low whimper escaping his lips. Ash winced with him. ¡°Serves you right. Why did you come in front of me, huh? I never asked for this, dammit.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond. His eyes shifted slightly, flickering toward Ash, but they were still unfocused. His breathing was fast, shallow- too shallow.


    Ash felt his panic clawing its way back up his throat. What if this doesn¡¯t work? What if the bleeding doesn¡¯t stop? What if-


    The pressure he kept on the wound was firm but desperate, his fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket as he leaned forward. His thoughts were spiraling. He felt helpless- utterly, terrifyingly helpless.


    Call for help.


    Ash quickly registered the fact that he had to call for help, and he started to pat his trousers pocket for his phone. He wasn¡¯t sure if he even brought his phone, but to his favor and relief, it was in his pocket.


    He took it out with shaky hands, Lucas¡¯ blood smeared across his thumb started to make stains on his phone¡¯s screen, But he didn¡¯t care.


    Before he could call anyone- an ambulance for help, a voice cut through.


    Blake.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called for help. They are on their way.¡±


    Ash glanced at him from beside his shoulder, Blake was sitting up, his head lowered, and guilt plastered on his face.


    Ash didn¡¯t respond.


    Instead Ash said again, a little louder this time, as if he could make him stay awake. ¡°Hey, Lucas!¡±


    Lucas¡¯s mind, hazy and slow, barely processed Ash¡¯s words. He felt the pressure on his stomach- a dull ache beneath the sharper pain, but it felt¡­far away. Like it wasn¡¯t really his. The world around him seemed blurry and muffled, his own name a faint hum in the back of his mind.


    Ash shifted beside him, his voice slicing through. ¡°Lucas, I swear, if you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll-¡±


    Wake up.


    That¡¯s when it clicked. The words jarred something loose in Lucas¡¯s mind, and suddenly, he remembered.


    Something was tugging at the edges of his consciousness, soft and rhythmic.


    A melody.


    He remembered being eight. The house had been too quiet, too still. It was always like that when Jamie wasn¡¯t home. Lucas had come back from school that day with a stomach ache.


    Nothing serious, or so he thought. He tried lying down, curling up under a blanket, but by evening, the ache only grew sharper.


    Then Jamie had come home.


    Lucas remembered the sound of the door unlocking, the soft thud of Jamie¡¯s bag dropping to the floor. He had started talking almost immediately- ranting about work, about his idiot coworker, about how it was his turn to patrol- until he noticed Lucas curled up on the couch.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Jamie said, his voice shifting from casual to concerned in an instant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lucas winced as the ache throbbed again. ¡°My stomach¡­¡±


    Jamie crouched down, his usual teasing grin replaced with a frown of worry. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier, huh?¡±


    Lucas shrugged, the movement small and weak. ¡°Thought it¡¯d go away.¡±


    Jamie sighed, running a hand through his hair before gently smoothing it over Lucas¡¯s forehead. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll make you something warm. Soup, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Nuh-uh.¡± Lucas shook his head faintly. ¡°I feel like throwing up¡­¡±


    Jamie¡¯s lips quivered into a small, affectionate smile. ¡°Alright, no food. But you need rest, and I mean it.¡±


    But by nighttime, the fever had hit. Lucas¡¯s head pounded, his body felt like it was on fire, and the stomach pain had only gotten worse. Jamie had sat at the edge of his bed, worry written across his face as he smoothed Lucas¡¯s hair again, trying to comfort him.


    ¡°Try to sleep, Lucas. The medicine will kick in if you get some rest.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± Lucas murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Jamie sighed softly, shaking his head but smiling faintly as he said, ¡°Fine. You can¡¯t sleep, so I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Lucas had asked weakly, blinking up at him.


    Jamie¡¯s smile softened. ¡°I¡¯ll sing something for you. That¡¯s how.¡±


    Lucas blinked. ¡°You sing?¡±


    Jamie chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m not that bad. Besides, it¡¯s what Mom used to do for me when I was your age.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lucas frowned faintly. He¡¯d never met his mother- never even seen her face.


    But Jamie had stayed.


    And so, he sang.


    His voice was soft, far from perfect, but it held warmth. It was the kind of voice that wrapped you up, kept you safe, and made the world outside seem just a little less cold.


    You¡¯re not supposed to be cold,


    I¡¯ve never lived a day thinking of leaving you alone.


    Don¡¯t you wanna wake up?


    Feel the world inside you?


    Every breath you take¡­ I¡¯ll be there beside you.


    Lucas remembered how his eyelids had grown heavy then, the pain fading just enough for him to feel like he wasn¡¯t alone. The soft hum of Jamie¡¯s voice had stayed with him long after he fell asleep.


    Now, as he lay bleeding on the cold ground, that same melody echoed.


    ¡°¡­Lucas,¡± Ash¡¯s voice broke through the haze again, more desperate this time. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t you dare drift off on me now-¡±


    Lucas¡¯s lips twitched faintly, the melody still echoing in his mind. He thought of Jamie- his big brother, his rock. He thought of those words.


    I¡¯ve never lived a day thinking of leaving you alone.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not cold,¡± Lucas whispered suddenly, his voice barely audible.


    W-What?


    Ash froze, his eyes snapping down to Lucas¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡±


    Lucas¡¯s gaze flickered up to meet his for half a second- weak, unfocused, but there. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not cold. Tell¡­J-Jamie for me¡­¡±


    Ash let out a shaky breath, his hands pressing down firmly, resolutely, against the wound. He didn¡¯t understand what Lucas meant, but it didn¡¯t matter. He was still talking. He was still here.


    ¡°Tell that to him yourself, idiot,¡± Ash muttered, trying to mask his relief with irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t you stop talking. Got it?¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t answer, but he nodded faintly. Somewhere, in the dark corners of his mind, Jamie¡¯s voice still sang softly.


    Don¡¯t you wanna wake up? Feel the world inside you¡­


    And at that moment, a terrible realization hit Lucas.


    He didn¡¯t want to die.


    And so, Lucas¡¯s eyes had fluttered open again, and Ash wasn¡¯t going to let him slip away.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ash muttered, voice tight, almost trembling. ¡°Hey, Lucas. Talk about- anything. I don¡¯t care what.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s lashes flickered weakly as he winced beneath Ash¡¯s touch. His voice came out hoarse, barely more than a murmur.


    ¡°¡­I always liked s-shooting games.¡±


    Ash blinked down at him, momentarily thrown.


    Lucas let out a faint groan, but he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Shooting games¡­when I went to the¡­a-arcade. FPS, too.¡±


    Ash¡¯s brows furrowed as he leaned closer, trying to catch every word. Lucas¡¯s voice was too soft. ¡°You¡¯re talking about video games?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Lucas hummed faintly, as if agreeing. ¡°Arcade shooting games are fun.¡±


    Ash swallowed hard, nodding quickly even though Lucas couldn¡¯t see him properly. ¡°Okay, fine. Whatever. Don¡¯t stop, Lucas.¡±


    ¡°W-Which ones do you¡­like?¡±


    Ash huffed out a breath through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve never even been to an arcade in my life.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s brow twitched slightly, his eyes flickering toward Ash as if trying to focus on him. ¡°Never?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ash muttered, shaking his head. His voice softened as he looked down. ¡°Never had the chance.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s gaze shifted faintly. ¡°You¡¯d¡­probably suck,¡± he muttered, his voice quieter now.


    Ash glanced back at him sharply. ¡°Shut up.¡± He paused, glancing over his shoulder quickly to where Blake still sat on the ground, unmoving.


    Ash tore his eyes away just as quickly, turning back to Lucas. He ducked his head lower, his voice softening into something more careful. ¡°Help is on the way, okay? Just don¡¯t stop talking. Come on, Lucas, You¡¯ve to stay awake.¡±


    ¡°Once¡­¡± he started, pausing as if struggling to pull the words together. ¡°¡­Once Jason told¡­me about a guy. Said he could beat me in a s-shooting game.¡±


    Ash¡¯s brow furrowed, his grip tightening slightly on the jacket. ¡°Yeah? What happened?¡±


    Lucas¡¯s lips parted, and for a second, nothing came out. Then, barely a whisper, he said, ¡°¡­I a-agreed to play with him.¡±


    Ash shifted closer. ¡°And?¡± he pressed. ¡°Did you win or lose? What was his name?¡±


    Lucas¡¯s eyes flickered, unfocused again as he stared past Ash. For a long moment, he said nothing.


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Ash¡¯s voice wavered slightly. ¡°What was his name?¡±


    Lucas blinked slowly, then let out a faint, breathy sound- something like a sigh. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Ash froze, his stomach sinking. Forgetting isn¡¯t a good sign, right? It never is.


    He swallowed hard, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s fine,¡± he muttered quickly, forcing his voice to stay steady. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You probably beat him anyway, right? You¡¯re a cocky bastard like that.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯t respond, and Ash¡¯s panic rose again. He leaned lower, his voice sharp. ¡°Lucas! Come on, keep talking¡­Damn it.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s chest rose and fell faintly, the rhythm too shallow, too fast. His breathing was ragged, but his lips twitched faintly again- like he wanted to speak but didn¡¯t have the energy.


    Ash¡¯s mind raced, every second stretching endlessly as he pressed down harder, trying to will the bleeding to stop. His own arm throbbed from Blake¡¯s earlier attack, the cut soaking through his shirt, but he ignored it.


    ¡°You¡¯re not pulling this stunt on me. So talk. Say something. Anything.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond. It was like the air had been pulled straight from his lungs.


    I don¡¯t want to leave Jamie alone.


    A tear slipped out of the corner of Lucas¡¯s eye, trailing down his blood-smeared face. Ash couldn¡¯t tell if it was from pain or exhaustion, but seeing it knocked the breath out of him. He wanted to shout at him to stop- to fight.


    Lucas¡¯s mind drifted.


    He remembered Jamie again.


    It had been a terrible day. Lucas was twelve, sitting at the kitchen table while Jamie paced across the room, muttering furiously about work. Lucas had barely been listening until Jamie groaned dramatically and flopped onto the chair beside him, throwing an arm over Lucas¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hug you to death, I swear,¡± Jamie had said, his voice exaggerated and warm, as though he were announcing the most heroic solution to all of life¡¯s problems.


    Lucas had wrinkled his nose and shoved at him weakly. ¡°I¡¯m not a hugger.¡±


    ¡°Sure you aren¡¯t,¡± Jamie had laughed, ruffling Lucas¡¯s hair like it didn¡¯t matter.


    Being hugged to death suddenly seemed a lot more comforting than being stabbed to death.


    But there was no going back now.


    Lucas blinked slowly, his breathing faltering as the pain pulled him under. Jamie¡¯s going to be mad, he thought dimly.


    ¡°Crap¡­¡± Lucas whispered faintly. His voice was strained, broken. ¡°It h-hurts¡­¡±


    And then his head lolled to the side.


    ¡°No, no- hey!¡± Ash¡¯s voice was sharp, panicked, as his hand shot up to grab Lucas¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wake up, Lucas! Do you hear me? You¡¯re not- ¡± His voice faltered, breaking into a rasp. ¡°You¡¯re not dying on me, you- wake up, damn it!¡±


    The wail of sirens cut through the heavy air, loud and jarring. Ash barely registered it as a flurry of lights flashed from the distance. The sounds grew louder.


    The ambulance doors slammed open as the paramedics rushed toward them.


    Ash didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t waver. His hands stayed pressed against Lucas, even as the medics called out to him, their voices urgent but distant.


    The ambulance- they came.


    And then the paramedics were there, pulling Ash back- not gently but not roughly either.


    He stumbled back, feeling cold all over as the paramedics worked. Lucas was being lifted and Ash stood there, unmoving, watching it all happen in front of him. He couldn¡¯t hear much anymore; it was like the chaos had been muffled, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat thudding in his ears.


    Ash blinked as the stretcher passed him, his chest rising and falling rapidly.


    Lucas was still breathing. He could see that- the faint, rhythmic rise of his chest under the oxygen mask. And that should¡¯ve been enough to let Ash breathe a little easier, but it wasn¡¯t.


    Because all of it- the blood, Lucas¡¯s fading voice, the tear slipping down his face- was still playing over and over again in Ash¡¯s head like a nightmare stuck on repeat.


    Not to mention, Ash¡¯s jacket was still in his hands. It was warm and sticky- with blood, of course.


    And then, just as Ash tried to step forward, exhaustion hit him all at once. His knees buckled. His vision tilted.


    ¡°Hey! Someone get him!¡± a voice shouted, sharper this time. The paramedics. Ash barely processed it.


    He collapsed before he could stop himself, his legs giving out beneath him. The cold ground met him in a dizzying blur. For a split second, he saw Lucas¡¯s stretcher being loaded into the ambulance, but then the world spun, and everything tilted sideways.


    Ash felt hands catch him, voices surround him, but it didn¡¯t matter. All he could think of, as the exhaustion dragged him under, was Lucas¡¯s weak voice and the look of quiet pain in his eyes.


    If you die on me, I¡¯ll kill you dumbhead.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Hes not breathing

    Luke was home. He bid Lily good-bye, and assured once more if she wanted to come home early. But she was sure, she said she was not going to come earlier, as her salary may be cut-off if she leaves half-month.


    The moment he walked home; the first sight was Noah. He exclaimed and hugged his dad¡¯s figure, or what was in his reach. He was little, after all, and all he could manage to hug was his father¡¯s legs.


    And now, it was almost twenty or thirty minutes later that Luke plopped down on the couch, taking his mind off of everything else and just relaxing for a bit.


    Ash is probably in his room, studying, Luke thought, I¡¯ll go to his room later to ask about what happened to him yesterday.


    He remembered vividly how Ash looked when he came back home, bloodied and exhausted.


    He had asked him to tell him what had happened.


    .


    .


    When I come back home tomorrow, you¡¯re going to tell me exactly what happened. Got that?


    .


    .


    Luke sighed as he clicked the phone off and set it on the dining table. The soft hum of the evening filled the house, clattering from the kitchen where his wife moved around, the faint scrape of Noah¡¯s colored pencils against his sketchbook.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± Noah¡¯s voice piped up, pulling Luke out of his thoughts.


    He glanced over at his youngest, who was sprawled across the living room carpet, a mess of crayons scattered around him. At just seven years old, Noah had the kind of energy Luke envied- boundless and bright, like the kid never stopped. ¡°Yes?¡±


    Noah squinted at him, holding up a half-finished drawing with a shy grin. ¡°Do you think big brother will like it?¡±


    Luke tilted his head. The drawing was messy but adorable, a stick-figure Ash with a giant smile and an even bigger star hovering over his head. ¡°Of course he will. He¡¯s gonna think it¡¯s great.¡±


    Noah beamed. ¡°Big brother¡¯s so cool,¡± he said softly. ¡°He always helps me find stuff when I lose it.¡±


    Luke chuckled, shaking his head as he sank onto the couch. ¡°He does?¡±


    He leaned his head back, letting the faint smell of dinner; garlic, something roasting, maybe potatoes? It was a big dinner tonight, that much was clear. A proper one.


    ¡°Ash is still studying?¡± he asked absently, glancing toward the kitchen.


    His wife¡¯s voice floated out, muffled by the sound of a pot being set down. ¡°He said Lucas called him.¡±


    Luke frowned. ¡°Lucas?¡±


    She popped her head out briefly, wiping her hands. ¡°One of his friends. He¡¯s a nice boy, actually. He came by the house a while back when you weren¡¯t home, remember?¡±


    Luke blinked. He hadn¡¯t known Ash had a friend named Lucas. Hell, he hadn¡¯t known Ash had friends at all, if he was being honest. The kid had always been so keep-to-himself, quiet and distant.


    ¡°Good,¡± Luke said after a pause, offering a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s good he¡¯s making friends.¡±


    Before his wife could respond, Luke¡¯s phone buzzed against the table, breaking through the moment. He frowned as he grabbed it, glancing down at the screen. Ash.


    ¡°Hey, Ash? Where are you? It¡¯s late, and dinner¡¯s almost-¡±


    He didn¡¯t get the chance to finish. A voice cut him off, sharp and unfamiliar.


    ¡°Hello, is this Mr.Hawkins? Asher Hawkins'' father?¡±


    Luke froze. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°This is County General Hospital. Your son¡¯s been brought in- he¡¯s injured. He¡¯s stable for now, but-¡±


    Luke didn¡¯t hear the rest. His chest tightened painfully as he shot to his feet, the phone pressed hard against his ear. ¡°W-What happened? Is he okay?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s stable for now, but we need you here in order to confirm the full extent of what had happened with him-¡±


    ¡°Which hospital?!¡±


    ¡°County General,¡± the man repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± Luke said quickly, his voice tight, before ending the call.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His wife¡¯s voice was immediate, sharp with concern. She stepped out of the kitchen, dish towel clutched in her hand as she looked at him. Noah stopped drawing, his crayons forgotten as he stared up at his dad with wide, worried eyes.


    Luke¡¯s throat felt dry, his mind racing. He swallowed hard. ¡°It¡¯s Ash. He¡¯s in the hospital.¡±


    The words sent his wife reeling. ¡°What? What happened?! Why is he hurt?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Luke grabbed his keys from the counter, his hands shaking, just slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll find out when I get there. I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    His wife moved toward him, her expression frantic, but Luke was already heading for the door. ¡°Take care of Noah,¡± he managed to say over his shoulder.


    ¡°Wait-¡±


    The door clicked shut behind him before she could argue.


    Luke¡¯s heart was hammering as he stepped out into the night air, every terrible thought clawing its way through his mind. What happened? Was it an accident?


    The car roared to life as Luke gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d find at the hospital, but one thing was certain.


    He had never driven this fast.


    Luke drove like a man possessed, his knuckles white against the steering wheel as the headlights cut through the dark streets. Every second felt like an eternity, every red light a cruel trick from the universe.


    Ash.


    His son¡¯s name rang through his mind on a loop. Injured. That one word clawed at his chest. It felt unreal. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Ash was always so careful, so quiet. He wasn¡¯t the type to get into trouble.


    Or so Luke had thought.


    He barely made it to the hospital, his hands shaking but his steps even and steady. He burst through the entrance, the fluorescent lights shining bright enough to make Luke squint his eyes, but he kept on walking.


    He rushed to the counter, ignoring the long line of people in front. ¡°Excuse me,¡± his voice was urgent, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ash- Asher Hawkins. They called me here.¡±


    The receptionist was a young woman with tired eyes and calm demeanor, as she searched for Ash¡¯s name in the system, ¡°Asher Hawkins? Yes, He was brought here not very long ago,¡± she looked up to Luke''s gaze, ¡°Are you related to him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my son.¡±


    The receptionist nodded and said in a firm voice, ¡°Asher Hawkins is unconscious right now. The doctors are assessing his position. He is in room number 512.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him? How hurt is he?!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened to him. We¡¯re trying to figure out. He was brought in with another boy named Lucas¡­something. He was stabbed-¡±


    ¡°STABBED?!¡±


    Okay. This was too much. Stabbed? How bad was this? Wait, do people actually get stabbed nowadays?! Luke couldn¡¯t dwell on it before a voice cut through.


    ¡°I know what happened.¡±


    Luke whipped his head towards the source of the voice, it was a boy. He had dishevelled hair, and a large thick gauze on his nose; maybe he had a broken nose. Luke didn¡¯t care, he quickly asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The boy straightened. ¡°Blake,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I know what happened. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±


    Luke blinked, his heart racing anew. He studied the boy carefully, his mind working fast to piece together what little he knew. This Blake seemed like he¡¯d been through hell. Luke had no idea who he was, but something told him this wasn¡¯t the time for interrogation.


    ¡°Then¡­Wait. I need to check on Ash first.¡± Luke said.


    Blake nodded, his jaw tight. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Luke turned silently and began walking down the corridor, his pulse pounding in his ears as he passed closed doors, white walls, and the faint antiseptic smell that clung to every inch of the place.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Room 512.


    Luke pushed past the door and entered. The sight that greeted him knocked the air from his lungs.


    Ash lay motionless on the hospital bed, his face pale against the white sheets. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth, his chest rising and falling faintly beneath the blanket. A thick gauze was visible on Ash¡¯s forehead, covering most of his eye, and his forehead.


    His arm was visible, it had bandages all over. The faint beep of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room, a steady rhythm that somehow both reassured and terrified Luke.


    There was a doctor beside him, checking his pulse. He quickly looked up at the sound of the door opening.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir. But this patient is not in any condition to accept visitors-¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth. I¡¯m his father.¡±


    The doctor slowly nodded and continued his job. While Luke came closer.


    For a moment, he couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t breathe. His son- his boy- He¡¯d never seen Ash like this before.


    ¡°God¡­¡± Luke whispered, his voice cracking. He stumbled forward, his hand instinctively brushing against Ash¡¯s arm, as if to reassure himself that he was really there.


    He heard the door creak faintly behind him and glanced back. Blake stood in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Ash. There was something pained in his expression, something Luke couldn¡¯t quite place.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Luke asked hoarsely, his voice barely more than a whisper.


    Blake shifted, his shoulders tense. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he murmured. ¡°But it¡¯s my fault he¡¯s here.¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Your fault?¡±


    Blake looked at Ash for a moment longer before meeting Luke¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything. Follow me.¡±


    Luke did as he was told, following Blake. After a few moments of walking,


    And so, Blake told him everything. And if Luke could place his finger on the entire conversation he had with Blake, it could be described in one word.


    Unpredictable. Damn, that¡¯s a plot twist.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Blake pulled his hoodie tighter against the night chill as he stepped out of the hospital. His head was pounding. The memory of Jamie¡¯s hands on his collar- tight and trembling with rage- flashed through his mind. Blake rubbed at his neck instinctively, even though there was no mark.


    Jamie¡¯s reaction had been expected. The guy had been two seconds away from choking the life out of him, his face twisted with pure fury and devastation. Blake couldn¡¯t even blame him. He deserved it.


    All of it.


    He remembered Jamie¡¯s words.


    .


    .


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you piece of trash! How dare you stab him- my little brother- in the stomach and come here apologizing like it¡¯s no big deal?! Do you even know what you have done?! If Lucas even gets a scar from that- you¡¯ll pay. And I mean it!¡±


    .


    .


    Ash¡¯s father, though¡ªthat was different. Luke had been eerily silent as Blake spoke, his hands shaking as they tugged through his own hair.


    Ash was always so composed, so put-together, and yet here was his father, barely holding it together as Blake unraveled the chaos that had led to his son¡¯s unconscious body in a hospital bed.


    And Lucas...Blake hadn¡¯t even been able to tell them about Lucas. Not properly. He¡¯d just muttered something about Lucas being in surgery and bolted before Jamie or Luke could press further.


    The guilt gnawed at him as he walked aimlessly.


    His steps faltered when he heard the low rumble of an engine. A sleek black car pulled up, its tinted windows gleaming under the streetlights.


    Blake didn¡¯t hesitate. He knew exactly whose car this was. The door clicked open, and he slipped inside, slumping into the leather seat. The driver didn¡¯t say a word, just pulled into traffic smoothly.


    Blake¡¯s heart thudded against his ribs as he stared out the window, the city blurring past him. He felt sick, his stomach twisting. He knew where they were going. Knew who was waiting for him.


    The car pulled to a stop in front of the towering glass building that housed his father¡¯s office. The lights on the top floors were still on.


    Of course, Anthony Jack would still be working. He always was.


    Blake stepped out of the car, his legs feeling heavier with each step toward the building. The revolving doors hissed softly as he entered, the marble floors gleaming. The receptionist didn¡¯t even look up, just waved him through with a stiff nod. Everyone here knew who he was.


    The elevator ride was silent and suffocating, the numbers above the doors ticking upward far too quickly. Blake couldn¡¯t see his own reflection in the glass elevator- he felt sick only by looking.


    He was a killer.


    He had killed Xavier, and it was only about time that Lucas¡¯ news got through too. He wondered if Lucas would make it.


    But by the time they made it to the hospital, Lucas was bleeding profusely. Ash was no better either. But luckily, they were alive.


    He stepped into the office, his shoes muffled by the plush carpet. The room was vast, the floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city below. But Blake¡¯s eyes were drawn to the figure seated behind the massive desk.


    Anthony Jack didn¡¯t look up immediately. His hands were steepled in front of him, his gaze fixed on the papers spread across the desk. The man radiated authority, every inch of him giving off an aura of power and control.


    ¡°Father.¡± Blake said, hesitating.


    ¡°Why do you look so hideous? Did you play with garbage today?¡±


    Blake looked at his father, he was sitting there, a serious expression etched on his face, wrinkles visible on his forehead.


    W-What?


    ¡°I know you did play with garbage,¡± Anthony Jack leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Secretary Sam tells me everything.¡±


    Blake stiffened. His father¡¯s words hung in the air. ¡°I can explain,¡± he said quickly, his voice low and tense.


    Anthony Jack raised a brow, his smile widening, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to explain. You think I don¡¯t know exactly what you¡¯ve been up to? Running around with that...street trash. Getting yourself into trouble like a reckless little fool. Do you know how pathetic you look?¡±


    Blake bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from snapping back. He could feel the heat rising in his chest, the frustration clawing at him, but he forced himself to stay quiet. Talking back would only make things worse.


    Anthony Jack pushed the papers aside with a flick of his hand, his eyes narrowing as he leaned forward. ¡°Let me make this clear,¡± he said, his voice dropping into something colder, sharper. ¡°The only reason you¡¯re still standing here and not out there rotting in the consequences of your stupidity is because you¡¯re my son. And because of that-¡± his smile turned razor-sharp- ¡°I¡¯ll fix this. As always.¡±


    Blake¡¯s stomach twisted into knots. ¡°Fix this?¡± he echoed, his voice quieter.


    Anthony Jack nodded. ¡°Secretary Sam has already filled me in on the little...incident. What were their name again¡­? Ah, Lucas Whitaker and Asher Hawkins, yes? They survived even after you wanted them dead?¡± He clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. ¡°Sloppy, Blake. Very sloppy.¡±


    Blake felt a cold sweat break out. ¡°They- They didn¡¯t-¡±


    Anthony Jack cut him off with a wave of his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath trying to defend yourself. I already know what needs to be done. Every piece of evidence and every witness will be taken care of.¡±


    Blake¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°What do you mean by...¡®taken care of¡¯?¡±


    His father¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I mean exactly what you think, boy. Lucas and Asher will be dealt with. Permanently.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± The word slipped out before Blake could stop it, and he instantly regretted it.


    Anthony Jack¡¯s smile faltered for a moment, and his eyes darkened. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Blake swallowed hard, his mind racing. ¡°I mean...you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± he said quickly, struggling to keep his voice steady. ¡°They¡¯re just...nobodies. Not worth the trouble.¡±


    Anthony Jack chuckled. ¡°Nobodies?¡± He stood, rounding the desk with slow, deliberate steps until he was standing just inches away from his son. ¡°Do you think I became who I am today by leaving loose ends? By letting nobodies walk away with information they shouldn¡¯t have?¡±


    Blake clenched his fists tighter, his nails digging into his palms. ¡°They don¡¯t know anything,¡± he tried again, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Anthony Jack reached out, gripping Blake¡¯s chin in a hold and forcing him to look up. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that,¡± he said coldly. ¡°They survived. That¡¯s enough reason to erase them. I also know you told their guardians everything that they shouldn¡¯t. Now, they know who you are and who your father is, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Blake¡¯s mind reeled.


    He couldn¡¯t let this happen. Not to Lucas. Not to Ash. But his father¡¯s grip was unrelenting, and his presence was suffocating. He knew everything.


    Seriously, how did he know everything?!


    He felt like a child again, powerless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send my men,¡± Anthony Jack continued, releasing Blake with a shove. ¡°They¡¯ll handle it. And you stay here. I¡¯ve indulged in your childish games long enough.¡±


    Blake¡¯s stomach churned. He wanted to argue, to scream, to stop this- but he knew how his father operated. Any sign of rebellion would only make things worse. He needed to think.


    ¡°Secretary Sam has informed me that you¡¯re turning eighteen this November, yes? I¡¯ll order my assistant to advance the preparations for you to start your career as a politician. You¡¯ll accompany me to the meeting with chief minister of-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Blake spat, keeping his head down, so that his hair was shadowing his eyes.


    Anthony Jack looked up to him, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said No. I don¡¯t want to become a politician.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t get to decide that. I make the rules here, and you, of all people, should understand that.¡±


    Blake¡¯s heart pounded, but he looked up to meet his dad¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. I don¡¯t want to become a politician. I never did. I¡¯ll live my life my way.¡±


    Anthony Jack chuckled, dry and hollow. ¡°And who do you think I am? I¡¯m your damn father. I taught you how to survive,¡± he said slowly, his tone dangerously calm. ¡°I showed you what this world is really like. And this¡­this is how you repay me?¡±


    Blake clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. ¡°You didn¡¯t teach me how to survive,¡± he said, his voice shaking but steady. ¡°You taught me how to destroy. How to make people¡¯s lives miserable. How to kill.¡± His voice rose with each word, his anger bubbling to the surface. ¡°You didn¡¯t make me stronger. You made me hated. You made me-¡± He paused, and then vaguely gestured to himself. ¡°You made me this.¡±


    Anthony Jack¡¯s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I made you someone people fear. And fear is power, Blake. Fear is respect.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± Blake shouted, his voice echoing in the room. ¡°It¡¯s just loneliness. No one wants to be near me, and it¡¯s all because of you!¡± He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, but he blinked them back. He wouldn¡¯t cry, not in front of his father. ¡°But you know what? I¡¯m done. I don¡¯t care what you want. I¡¯ll live my life my way.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Blake turned on his heel. His heart pounded as he started toward the door. He needed to get out, fast. Lucas and Ash were in danger, and he had to warn them.


    But before he could take more than two steps, something hard collided with his back. He stumbled, his knees hitting the cold floor with a painful thud. Secretary Sam loomed over him, his hand still outstretched from the shove.


    Blake barely had time to react before his father was on him. Anthony Jack moved with a swiftness that belied his age, pinning Blake to the ground. His hands wrapped around Blake¡¯s throat, and for a moment, all Blake could think about was;


    How cold his hands were.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide!¡± Anthony growled, his face inches from Blake¡¯s. His grip tightened, cutting off Blake¡¯s air. ¡°I made you, Blake. I gave you the tools to survive this cruel, wretched world.¡±


    Blake clawed at his father¡¯s hands, his vision blurring as his lungs screamed for air. ¡°You didn¡¯t make me¡­¡± he rasped, the words barely audible. ¡°You ruined me¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s expression darkened further. ¡°I saved you!¡± he roared, slamming Blake¡¯s head back against the floor. ¡°You¡¯d be nothing without me. A disappointment, nothing else.¡±


    Blake¡¯s head swam. Summoning the last of his strength, he brought his knee up sharply, catching his father in the ribs. The impact wasn¡¯t strong enough to throw Anthony off completely, but it was enough to loosen his grip for a split second.


    Blake gasped, sucking in air like a drowning man. He twisted his body, trying to wriggle free, but Anthony¡¯s weight pinned him down. His father¡¯s face was twisted in fury, and for the first time, Blake felt real, unfiltered fear. This wasn¡¯t just anger. This was rage, and it was aimed entirely at him.


    ¡°Stay. Down.¡± Anthony¡¯s voice was low, almost a growl. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving. Not until you understand-¡±


    ¡°I understand perfectly!¡± Blake shouted, cutting him off. His voice was hoarse, but he forced them out. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re a monster. And I¡¯ll die before I become anything like you. You evil, old hag!¡±


    Anthony froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing. Then, slowly, a cruel smile spread across his face. ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes,¡± he said softly.


    Blake¡¯s heart sank as his father¡¯s hands moved to press down harder on his throat. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He kicked and thrashed.


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.

 Bury him

    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Blake thrashed, but the sight of his dad¡¯s face in front of him made him feel utterly hopeless. Seriously, what kind of a father was he?


    Choking his own kid?


    Now that he thought about it, Anthony was exactly like this. He would go to any lengths to ensure no one- and that included his own son, Blake- defy him or disobey him.


    Blake closed his eyes.


    Blake closed his eyes, his breathing growing ragged. He couldn¡¯t stop the tears from spilling, warm streaks that cut through the dirt on his face. To anyone watching from the outside, it would look like he was breaking down- red-faced and pale, gasping for air as his legs weakly kicked against the ground.


    But Inside, Blake felt¡­blessed.


    Yes, it hurt. His body rebelled, twisting and jerking in search of relief, but his mind? His mind had stopped fighting. For the first time in what felt like years, the noise in his head had quieted.


    Am I dying?


    If this was what death was like, it wasn¡¯t terrifying at all.


    His worries diminished.


    No more running. No more pretending to be stronger than he was. No more carrying the weight of a world that didn¡¯t care whether he lived or died. At that moment, everything was simple. Painfully simple.


    Maybe Anthony would choke him to death. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t. Blake wasn¡¯t even sure he cared anymore.


    And suddenly, Blake realized he was facing his worst fears, but to his surprise, he didn¡¯t feel scared.


    How many times had he thought about this? How many nights had he stared at the ceiling, wishing for it to end but too cowardly to do it himself? And now, here it was- his father, his own flesh and blood, granting him what he hadn¡¯t been able to take for himself.


    It was poetic in the worst possible way.


    A part of him- some small, desperate part buried deep under years of anger and resentment- wanted to scream.


    To fight.


    To beg his father to stop, to tell him that he was sorry for whatever he had done to make him hate him this much. But the words wouldn¡¯t come. His throat was too tight, the pressure too much. The tears kept falling.


    His vision darkened around the edges.


    He thought of his mother, of her gentle smile and soft hands as she¡¯d brushed his hair back when he was a child. He thought of Xavier, his last words echoing like a whisper in the back of his mind. I hope someone helps you.


    And then, he thought of Lucas. That idiot who always seemed so calm, so untouchable, even when the world was falling apart around him. Lucas, who had seen through every mask Blake had ever worn, who had never once looked at him with fear or hatred.


    Lucas, who had stepped in front of Ash¡¯s blade without hesitation, who had bled for him.


    A sob racked through Blake¡¯s chest, or maybe it was just another desperate gasp for air. He didn¡¯t know anymore.


    He shut his eyes again, imagining what his life would have been if his dad wasn¡¯t a politician. And it hit him soon, he would have lived like a kite- light and free.


    He would have glowed with confidence and youth, and he would¡¯ve looked like someone who belonged, like a shoulder to cry on.


    The vision was so alluring, so vivid and real, despite Blake¡¯s warm tears across his face, despite his father¡¯s curses, despite his heart aching for air, Blake couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°What the hell are you smiling for, you piece of garbage?!¡± His father¡¯s voice hissed, but Blake didn¡¯t reply.


    It was long after that he retreated his hands from Blake¡¯s throat and he realized something.


    Blake wasn¡¯t breathing.


    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t take long. Hey, Sam. Bury this piece of trash wherever you want, and don¡¯t hold a funeral for him.¡± Anthony Jack stood up, and away from Blake. He sparred one last glance on Blake¡¯s smiling yet pale, lifeless face, ¡°Tch. Piece of garbage.¡±


    Sam nodded and took a step forward, but then Anthony¡¯s voice cut through again, ¡°Sam, Is this Lucas Whitaker related to¡­.Hart Whitaker by any chance?¡±


    Sam took out his clipboard and glanced at it. ¡°Of course. Lucas Whitaker is the son of Hart Whitaker. His parents are deceased. He currently lives with his big brother named Jamie Whitaker in Telluride. His birthday is on second-¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, shut up.¡± Anthony Jack ran a hand through his hair, as if to calm himself down, and then he looked at Sam, there was a strange sparkle in his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t send the men to the hospital. Let them recover first. I¡¯ll personally have fun crushing that bastard when he gets well. Oh, and who is this Asher Hawkins?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea, sir. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What are you standing here for?! Take your lazy butt out there and gather information on that jerk too. Who is he, where does he live, who are his parents, when is his birthday, how many siblings does he have, what does he have for breakfast, when does he go to school, everything. I need everything about him. Are we clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll get on it right away.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Luke sat by Ash¡¯s bedside, his posture tense, leaning forward with his hands clasped together. He hadn¡¯t moved since the moment he arrived, his eyes glued to his son¡¯s pale face.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Ash stirred. Slowly, his fingers twitched against the white sheets. Luke¡¯s heart leaped in his chest, his breath catching. He leaned closer. ¡°Ash?¡± he called softly, his voice trembling.


    Where am I?


    Ash¡¯s eyelids fluttered. His breathing was still shallow, the rise and fall of his chest uneven. Finally, his eyes cracked open, unfocused at first. He blinked once, twice, and his lips parted weakly.


    Luke let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d been holding, his voice shaky as he answered, ¡°Do you feel pain anywhere? Should I call the doctor?¡±


    Ash ignored the question entirely.


    What happened?


    Ash was pushing himself upright, wincing as a sharp jolt shot through his arm. He ignored it, his memories still sluggish, just out of reach. His hand instinctively went to his arm, brushing against the bandages wrapped around it, and the realization struck him.


    ¡°Ash, don¡¯t try to sit up too fast.¡±Luke stood up, and held Ash by the shoulders.


    ¡°What- what happened?¡± Ash muttered, his voice hoarse.


    And then, memories came flooding back.


    Lucas. Blood. Blake¡¯s blade grazing his arm. The wild look in Blake¡¯s eyes. The dull thud of Lucas hitting the ground.


    Lucas.


    The name rang like an alarm in his head, and his heart picked up speed as the memories pieced themselves together. He gasped, his mind replaying the moment Lucas had stepped in front of him, the knife plunging into his friend¡¯s stomach.


    The spray of crimson, the panic that gripped Ash as he applied pressure to the wound, the shallow breaths Lucas took, and the way his eyes had unfocused- like he was fading.


    ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Ash looked at him, wide-eyed, his chest rising and falling rapidly. ¡°Where¡¯s Lucas?¡± he asked, ignoring the soreness in his throat. ¡°Is he- did he- ¡±


    Luke hesitated, and then spoke. ¡°The doctors had to put him under anesthesia because of the severity of his injuries. They¡¯re keeping a close eye on him,¡± he said, choosing his words carefully, his tone soft but steady. ¡°But he¡¯s stable for now.¡±


    Thank god.


    Ash let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes for a moment as if to absorb the words.mWhen he opened his eyes again, his voice was barely audible. ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    Luke¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°The night passed. It¡¯s morning now.¡±


    Oh, right. Dad is here, then that means I¡¯ve to tell him everything that happened.


    ¡°Dad, I-¡± Ash trailed off, as his dad cut through.


    ¡°Blake told me everything.¡±


    E-Eh?!


    Ash didn¡¯t seem convinced. But Luke pulled his chair closer, his voice dropping to a gentler tone. ¡°He told me everything that happened yesterday, and the things that have happened before.¡±


    That caught Ash¡¯s attention. His gaze snapped to his father, confusion flashing across his face. ¡°Blake...did?¡± The words felt foreign on his tongue.


    Blake, of all people?


    Luke nodded, ¡°Ash, I didn¡¯t know so much was going on with you. I didn¡¯t know things were this bad.¡±


    Ash¡¯s thoughts spun.


    Blake, who he¡¯d barely seen as anything more than a bully, had explained everything?


    And his dad...his dad looked genuinely sorry. The words ¡®I didn¡¯t know¡¯ echoed in his mind.


    Luke leaned closer, his voice softer now, almost pleading. ¡°I¡¯m¡­so sorry, Ash. I should have paid more attention. I should have known. I didn¡¯t know my own son was going through hell like that.¡±


    Huh?


    Luke¡¯s gaze softened as he moved to sit on the edge of Ash¡¯s hospital bed. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight, but he didn¡¯t say anything at first. He just looked at Ash- really looked at him- like he was trying to see beyond the bruises and the exhaustion etched into his son¡¯s face.


    And then, without warning, Luke leaned forward and pulled Ash into a tight embrace. His arms wrapped securely around him.


    Ash froze.


    For a split second, he didn¡¯t know what to do. His dad wasn¡¯t the type for big, emotional gestures like this. Sure, he was warm and kind, but he¡¯d always been a little reserved.


    What the-


    Luke¡¯s grip didn¡¯t loosen. If anything, it tightened, and Ash felt his dad¡¯s hand come up to cradle the back of his head, smoothing his hair.


    His dad¡¯s voice cracked as he whispered, ¡°I was scared as hell, Ash. You scared me.¡±


    Ash blinked rapidly, his mind racing. ¡°Dad, I-¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Luke¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me what was happening? I feel like¡­I feel like an awful father.¡±


    Ash¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°No, Dad, it¡¯s not-¡±


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Luke interrupted, his hand still gently smoothing down Ash¡¯s hair. His other arm stayed firm around Ash¡¯s shoulders, like he was terrified to let go. ¡°I had no idea you were going through all of this. I should¡¯ve seen it. I should¡¯ve known.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Ash finally managed, his own voice quieter now. ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­it wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±


    Yeah, sure. It wasn¡¯t that bad, huh Asher? You almost got stabbed yesterday, and that graze on your arm doesn¡¯t hurt at all. For the love of god, you totally were not going to die.


    Luke pulled back just enough to look at him, his hands settling on either side of Ash¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to brush it off. It was bad. Your friend got stabbed. And look at you¡­All bandaged like a mummy. It¡¯s my fault for not being there for you-¡±


    Ash frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, dad.¡±


    ¡°Nor is this your fault, got it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? It is my fault. Lucas¡­he got stabbed. And¡­And-¡± Ash¡¯s stomach twisted at the mention of Lucas. He looked down, his hands gripping the hospital blanket. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t ask him to,¡± he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to-¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Luke said quickly, cutting him off. ¡°I know, Ash. But don¡¯t blame yourself for it.¡±


    Ash¡¯s throat tightened, but he didn¡¯t say anything. His silence was answer enough. The words were meant to be reassuring, but Ash felt like they weren¡¯t. His mind replayed the image of Lucas¡¯s face- pale, contorted with pain, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes as he whispered that it hurt.


    And then¡­he had stopped responding.


    ¡°You did everything you could,¡± Luke¡¯s voice unusually stern. ¡°You called for help. You stayed with him. You didn¡¯t leave him.¡±


    ¡°I let him get hurt,¡± Ash whispered. ¡°I let him-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Luke interrupted, his tone firmer this time. Ash looked at him, surprised by the sharpness in his dad¡¯s voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t let anything happen. That boy¡­Lucas¡­he made his own choice. He stepped in front of you.¡±


    Ash¡¯s breath hitched as those words settled in. Lucas had stepped in front of him. On purpose.


    ¡°Why?¡± Ash whispered, more to himself than to his dad.


    ¡°Maybe because he¡¯s your friend,¡± Luke said quietly.


    Ash scoffed. ¡°Who says that friends are supposed to jump in front of others to show that they are stronger, or they can control and manage. Where in the hell is that written?¡±


    Luke smiled. ¡°Some things are written on the heart. Not everything in the world makes sense, no one knows why Lucas did what he did. He came in front, because he cares. And that is what friends are for. They care.¡±


    Ash looked away.


    Luke tightened his hold. ¡°Lucas did what was necessary. Just like I would¡¯ve. Just like you would¡¯ve.¡±


    No one said anything for some time. And then, Ash broke the silence.


    ¡°Dad,¡± he murmured, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry. For scaring you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. You don¡¯t have to handle everything on your own anymore, okay? I¡¯m proud of whatever you did. I¡¯ll always be proud of you.¡±


    And Ash felt warm, impossibly warm.


    A shade of red spread on his cheeks, and Ash smiled.

 The end of beginning

    Lucas¡¯ body was heavy.


    Heavy.


    Not like his body weighs more, he thinks. It¡¯s not like someone has a menacing grip on his throat and ankles and arms-


    No, it¡¯s more like someone grabbed a needle and stitched his body into whatever is he lying or sitting on.


    Lucas doesn¡¯t like this feeling. It¡¯s as uncomfortable as saying, ¡°Jamie is a really good cook¡± or ¡°Jason is pretty good in Maths.¡±


    This feeling¡­he knows it. It makes his body itch. It makes him believe that there is a nail digging in his throat and he¡¯s drowning on dry land, suffocating with his head high up in the air.


    Drugs. It''s drugs.


    Why the hell is he on drugs?!


    Lucas wrestles with his eyelids, trying to open them for a fraction or an inch, just to see where the hell is he, what the hell he¡¯s doing- or what the hell is someone doing to him.


    The only thing he sees is that the room is blindingly white, so bright that he slams his eyes shut.


    He knows this color. He knows this room. He knows this blindness.


    His stomach fills with dread.


    Hospitals. Damn it, Lucas hates hospitals.


    Why is he in one? It¡¯s not like he would willingly walk in one, or at least let anyone stick needles and threads in his body-


    It¡¯s not needles, Lucas tells himself, his eyes closed shut as he thinks. Well, it definitely is needles- he can feel something in his arm, but it¡¯s not a thread. His brain races with possibilities.


    What if he¡¯s trapped here? What if they don¡¯t allow him to leave? What if-


    Calm down, Lucas. Calm down. He bites his tongue as he tries to do that. Calm down. You¡¯re not thinking straight. You¡¯re trying to get the hell out of this hospital without even thinking what the hell put you in one?


    Breathe. Breathe.


    Lucas breathed.


    He feels like his longs don¡¯t belong to him. Maybe there is nothing physically wrong with him; or even if there is- he doesn¡¯t wanna think about it.


    It feels more like a headache.


    And then he tries to remember what happened, recalling from the back of his mind. There were people screaming. Red and blue lights. He remembers someone sitting next to him.


    He remembers Ash.


    He was there too, he looked kind of sad. Terrified. Horrified.


    Why was he looking like that? Think, Lucas, think. But nothing comes to his mind. His brain feels empty.


    It¡¯s the drugs. It has to be the drugs. Damn it, Lucas hates hospitals.


    His limbs are heavy. So what? He can lift them, he can move his arms, and he can open his eyes, he can rip this itching sensation out of his body, and he can walk out of here, can¡¯t he?


    But- again, he fails.


    What¡¯s that ¡®again¡¯? What was it that he didn¡¯t do recently? Why was he scolding himself before? Something that he wanted to; desperately wanted to do, but he couldn¡¯t?


    The name of the memory is on the tip of his tongue, but he doesn¡¯t know what it is.


    And then- it hits.


    Staying awake.


    He failed to stay awake.


    That¡¯s why Ash looked so horrified- people were shouting after, and police were there too. That¡¯s why he is in the hospital.


    White and sterile and oddly familiar.


    Lucas wants to vomit, but he can¡¯t.


    Because, the task of breathing hits him like a damn truck, but the pain that comes with it is odd. Like a wave crashing. Lucas is used to pain. But this- it¡¯s more painful, vulgar.


    Okay, he¡¯ll admit it.


    Maybe he cried- when he felt a fire lit in himself, as if someone grabbed his intestines and placed them against a damn hot grill, he may have cried.


    Only a little, though.


    It feels like something clicks. Something hits him, like when on cold nights, he¡¯d be tucked in his bed with layers of blankets on top by someone who Lucas can¡¯t remember, or more like, he doesn¡¯t wanna remember.


    The pain melted.


    The room melted.


    Lucas melted.


    It¡¯s more- yeah. It¡¯s definitely more drugs.


    Damn it, Lucas hates hospitals.


    The next time Lucas stirs, things make more sense. He doesn¡¯t have to spin his mind and force it into thinking whatever happened to him that led him to the hospital.


    His mind is spinning, his lungs are burning, and he can still feel that needle in his arm. It hurts, and it¡¯s so different from what he has felt until now. But he can breathe.


    He is alive.


    He tries to open his eyes, but then remembers the blinding light that¡¯ll greet him when he does that.


    So he doesn¡¯t. Although, now that Lucas was paying attention, he felt something wet on his other arm. It felt sore too, as if someone- or something was holding it in place.


    Did my arm get hurt?


    He didn¡¯t remember. And then, the pressure came again. Lucas doesn¡¯t remember getting hurt on the arm, so why is something holding it in place? He opens his eyes.


    Slowly, so that the blinding lights don¡¯t literally blind him.


    He opens his right eye once, slowly, for an inch. The room seems blurry, and it is white, but it¡¯s not a bad sight.


    He fully opens his eyes.


    The first thing he sees is- damn, everything is so sterile and white. The curtains, the sheets, the shirt he¡¯s wearing. No, now that he looked at it, really looked at it, it¡¯s actually pale green. But who cares? If Lucas thinks it¡¯s white, then it sure as hell is.


    He notices the obvious- there is an IV stuck in his arm, and it¡¯s connected to a beeping machine that is showing his heartbeat. There are other wires too, but he doesn¡¯t know what they do.


    He feels something soft, warm, and surprisingly wet against his other arm. What the hell is on his arm?


    He struggles to tilt his head, which feels far too heavy for his neck, and finally manages to glance to the side.


    Oh.


    It¡¯s a person.


    A mop of familiar messy, brown hair is sprawled over his arm, rising and falling steadily with deep, slow breaths. A faint, rhythmic snore escapes from whoever it is, and the wet sensation? Drool.


    Drool?


    Jamie.


    Hell, Lucas is sure Jamie is drooling on his blanket and his arm.


    Lucas tries to whisper, or at least he thinks he does. His voice is so raspy, barely more than air, that he isn¡¯t sure if the word actually left his throat.


    He blinks, his vision clearing just a bit more. Yeah, it¡¯s definitely Jamie, his older brother.


    Jamie is slouched awkwardly in a chair beside the bed, his head propped up on Lucas¡¯s arm, his mouth slightly open. His brow is furrowed even in sleep, like he¡¯s been worrying non-stop.


    His jacket is thrown carelessly over the back of the chair, and there¡¯s a faint red mark on his cheek where he must have pressed his face against his hand before giving up and slumping onto Lucas.


    The sight is both ridiculous and painfully endearing.


    Lucas stares at Jamie for a long moment, taking in every detail. The dark circles under his eyes, the faint lines of exhaustion etched into his face, the way his shoulders are hunched protectively even as he sleeps.


    Jamie is here.


    Lucas¡¯s throat tightens again, and this time, it¡¯s not because of pain or drugs or whatever else the hospital is doing to him.


    Now that Lucas thinks, Jamie being here is not good at all. If he¡¯s here then that means that he needs to tell Jamie how the hell he got stabbed in the stomach.


    Yeah, Lucas is in for it.


    Lucas tries to do something, anything, so he can get outta there without Jamie knowing it. So what he does is- quickly retrieve his arm, and Jamie¡¯s head lolls to the blanket, and then curses and wakes up.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Lucas hisses, while Jamie is slowly opening his eyes and looking around. And then, as a reflex, his arms instinctively go to Lucas¡¯ arm, and shake him. He¡¯s almost on top of Lucas, and a little movement causes Lucas to curse again.


    ¡°Lucas!¡± Jamie shouts. He straightens up so quickly that he almost knocks the chair over, his eyes scanning Lucas¡¯s face like he¡¯s trying to make sure this isn¡¯t some kind of dream.


    Lucas croaks, but nothing comes out. His voice is hoarse, barely audible, but Jamie hears it. Of course, he does. Jamie always hears him.


    For a moment, Jamie just stares at him. Then, without warning, Jamie reaches out and smacks him lightly on the shoulder.


    ¡°You absolute idiot!¡± Jamie hisses, his voice shaking. ¡°Do you have any idea how scared I was?! What were you thinking?!¡±


    Lucas flinches, not because the smack hurts- but because the words do. He opens his mouth to respond, but Jamie doesn¡¯t let him.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t get to talk!¡± Jamie continues, his voice rising slightly. ¡°Do you know how many hours I¡¯ve been sitting here, waiting for you to wake up?! You- I haven''t even eaten anything since yesterday!¡±


    Jamie cuts himself off, his voice breaking, and suddenly, he looks away, running a hand through his messy hair. His shoulders are trembling.


    Lucas blinks.


    Of course, Jamie never eats without Lucas.


    And then Jamie looks back at him, his expression softening. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± he mutters, his voice quieter now. ¡°Should I call the nurse? Do you feel pain-¡±


    He doesn¡¯t even finish his sentence, and is already half-way to the door. Moving quickly, he turns the doorknob.


    Lucas swallows hard.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Lucas manages out, ¡°Stay, please.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Jamie froze mid-step at Lucas¡¯s soft plea. His hand slipped from the doorknob, and for a moment, he didn¡¯t move. Then, slowly, he turned around. He walked back to the bed.


    He sank down on the chair beside Lucas, his expression unreadable as he looked at his brother. Jamie crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back.


    Anger, yes. But worry more than anything else.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Jamie muttered under his breath again, but his voice was softer this time. He looked at Lucas like he was trying to decide whether to scold him or hug him to death.


    Lucas¡¯s lips twitched upward, just barely. ¡°Ash¡­ is he okay?¡± His voice was hoarse, scratchy, and every word made his throat ache, but he had to ask.


    Jamie raised an eyebrow.


    He let out a long sigh, dragging a hand down his face. ¡°Be more considerate, will you? You just got stabbed, for God¡¯s sake.¡± He shot Lucas a look. ¡°But yeah. He¡¯s fine. He woke up this morning.¡±


    Lucas blinked, processing the information slowly. ¡°This morning?¡± he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°When did I¡­?¡±


    ¡°Noon,¡± Jamie supplied, leaning forward slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for hours. And before you ask- No, you¡¯re not leaving this bed any time soon.¡±


    Lucas groaned softly, his eyes darting toward the IV line taped to his arm. The sight of it made his stomach churn. ¡°I hate this thing,¡± he muttered, ¡°When can I get discharged?¡±


    Jamie¡¯s eyes narrowed, his sharp gaze pinning Lucas in place. ¡°So you can what? Go out and get yourself stabbed again?¡± His voice rose slightly, ¡°Blake told me everything, Lucas. Everything. And don¡¯t think for a second I¡¯m okay with any of it.¡±


    Lucas flinched, looking away. His chest tightened, but he didn¡¯t argue.


    Jamie sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was trying to compose himself. ¡°Look,¡± he said after a moment, his voice softer now. ¡°You¡¯re staying here until the doctors say you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Before Lucas could respond, there was a knock at the door. It creaked open, revealing a man in a white coat holding a clipboard.


    The doctor stepped in, his gaze immediately landing on Lucas. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone inform me he was awake?¡± he asked, his tone brisk but not unkind. ¡°I need to check his vitals and examine the wound.¡±


    Jamie stood up instantly, stepping aside to give the doctor space. He glanced back at Lucas. ¡°Sorry Doc, He just woke up.¡±


    The doctor approached the bed, setting his clipboard down on the small table nearby. ¡°Lucas, is it?¡± he asked, glancing at the name on the chart. Lucas gave a small nod, his body tensing as the doctor began his examination. ¡°Do you feel okay? Are the stitches fine?¡±


    ¡°Itchy, but fine.¡± Lucas breathed.


    The doctor nodded, and began to examine.


    The doctor¡¯s hands were methodical but gentle as he checked the bandage on Lucas¡¯s side, pressing lightly around the wound. Lucas hissed in pain.


    ¡°Still tender,¡± the doctor muttered, ¡°That¡¯s expected. The stitches are holding well, but you¡¯ll need to stay under observation for at least a few more days.¡±


    Lucas groaned again, his head falling back against the pillow. Jamie shot him a sharp look but didn¡¯t say anything.


    The doctor continued his examination, checking Lucas¡¯s blood pressure, heart rate, and the IV line. ¡°You¡¯re stable for now,¡± he said finally, his tone calm. ¡°But no strenuous activity. And absolutely no leaving the hospital until I clear you. Understood?¡±


    Lucas gave a reluctant nod, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, ¡°Fine.¡±


    The doctor turned to Jamie, giving him a small nod. ¡°If anything changes- fever, increased pain, or any unusual symptoms- call for me immediately.¡±


    Jamie nodded back, ¡°Got it.¡±


    As the doctor left, Jamie turned back to Lucas, his arms crossed again. ¡°You heard him,¡± he said, his tone firm.


    Lucas rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot,¡± he muttered. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Do¡­what?¡± Lucas asked, confused.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about, Lucas.¡± Jamie snapped, his voice rising slightly, and he glared at Lucas.


    ¡°What?¡± Lucas questioned, his voice suspicious.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Jamie exasperated, dramatically placing a hand under his chin, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wondering who the hell is stupid enough to jump in front of a freaking dagger?¡±


    Oh.


    Oh, here it comes.


    ¡°Jamie, the question should be,¡± Lucas said, ¡°Who the hell brings a freaking dagger to a fist fight?¡±


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Jamie¡¯s voice was low but sharp, ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to stand there and act like you didn¡¯t just scare the living daylights out of me? You were bleeding out!¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, trying to play it cool despite the dull ache in his side. ¡°I¡¯m still alive, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Jamie snapped, his voice rising. He dragged a hand through his hair, ¡°You don¡¯t get to joke about this. You-¡± He pointed a finger at Lucas. ¡°You threw yourself in front of a dagger, Lucas. A dagger. Do you even hear yourself?¡±


    Lucas shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s not like I planned it. It just¡­ happened.¡±


    Jamie narrowed his eyes. ¡°Happened? It just happened? What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°It means that I jumped.¡±


    ¡°You think this is funny?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, a little,¡± Lucas admitted, though his voice softened as he glanced away. ¡°I mean¡­ it¡¯s over now, right? I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine?¡± Jamie repeated. ¡°You¡¯re fine? Lucas, do you even realize what could¡¯ve happened? What would I have done if you died then, huh?¡±


    Lucas avoided his brother¡¯s gaze, suddenly feeling like a kid caught doing something he wasn¡¯t supposed to.


    ¡°What would you have done if I¡¯d gotten stabbed?¡± Lucas asked quietly.


    Jamie¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°What do you think I would¡¯ve done, Lucas? I would¡¯ve stepped in front of it myself.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Lucas shot back, ¡°You would¡¯ve done the same thing! So why are you mad at me for doing what you would¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s different!¡± Jamie barked, ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do that. You¡¯re not-¡± He stopped, his words catching in his throat as he clenched his fists.


    ¡°I¡¯m not what?¡± Lucas pressed.


    Jamie let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping as the fight drained out of him. ¡°You¡¯re not- Forget it! I quit, okay? You always scare the hell out of me!¡±


    The room fell silent.


    ¡°You still love me, right? You¡¯re not going to ground me, will you?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. For both questions. You¡¯re grounded for an entire month.¡±


    ¡°No¡­.! Please, big brother, don¡¯t! I beg of you!¡± Lucas smirked, and joked around. Jamie¡¯s mood faltered too, and he appeared to be relaxed, if only a little.


    And then, a voice came through, cutting through, loud and¡­yeah, just loud.


    Definitely, a loudspeaker.


    ¡°Seriously, can these guys act more responsible? I feel like my ears are gonna bleed out from this loudness-¡±


    ¡°LIGHTENING LUCAS!!!¡±


    The front door slammed open with an audible bang, and none other than Jason stormed in, his face a mixture of fury and exasperation. His entrance was so abrupt that Jamie actually jumped, startled.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s my cue,¡± Jamie said quickly, already making a break for the door. ¡°I¡¯m leaving him in your capable hands, Jason. He¡¯s all yours. I¡¯ll bring back food-¡±


    Huh, Jamie knows Jason?! When did they meet?!


    ¡°Jamie, don¡¯t abandon me!¡± Lucas called after him, but Jamie was already gone, his laughter echoing.


    Jason stalked toward the chair, his arms crossed and his brow furrowed, glaring down at Lucas with the kind of intensity that could make grown men squirm.


    Lucas groaned, covering his face with his hands. ¡°Jason, my worthy sidekick, please don¡¯t be mad. I only did what was necessary!¡±


    Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to get mad at you quickly. But first- explain. In detail. Right now.¡±


    Lucas peeked out from behind his hands, and he sheepishly grinned. ¡°I did what was necessary, you know. Some might say it was reckless, but I call it innovative-¡±


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Jason growled, his tone low and threatening.


    ¡°Fine, fine!¡± Lucas sighed dramatically, ¡°It was necessary to me, okay? I had to make a quick judgement on how close the distance between the dagger and Ash was, and it was really close. But if I sprinted, I could¡¯ve made there in three seconds, so-¡±


    Jason leaned closer, cutting him off. ¡°What? You and Ash nearly got killed, and none of you even told me?! You bunked school yesterday for that reason, am I right?!¡±


    Lucas blinked, his face the picture of wide-eyed innocence. ¡°Is this about your ego, Jason? Because honestly, I think you¡¯re more upset that I didn¡¯t ask for your help.¡±


    Jason stared at him for a long moment before muttering, ¡°Oh, I am going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. Jamie already grounded me for a month; I¡¯m suffering enough as it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not suffering yet,¡± Jason said ominously. ¡°But you will be.¡±


    Lucas groaned, ¡°Fine. Get it out of your system. But could you at least lower your voice? My ears are still recovering from the loudspeaker entrance.¡±


    Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. But he didn¡¯t yell again. Instead, he plopped down on the chair, ¡°Lightning Lucas,¡± Jason said, shaking his head. ¡°One of these days, your luck is going to run out.¡±


    Lucas grinned up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    It was after maybe one hour, that the door was knocked again.


    Lucas smirked, looking toward Jason. "See that, Jason? Listen closely. This is how a cool guy knocks. Unlike the chaos you just unleashed earlier."


    Jason snorted, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, is that right? Enlighten me, oh wise one. What¡¯s the exact science of a ¡®cool guy¡¯ knock?¡±


    Lucas grinned. ¡°Three firm, even taps. No more, no less. Just enough to let everyone know you¡¯ve arrived. Then you swing the door open like you own the place. It¡¯s an art, really. Not everyone can pull it off.¡±


    Jason rolled his eyes, muttering, "You¡¯ve officially lost it."


    Before Lucas could reply, the door creaked open. His smug expression faltered immediately as Ash walked in, looking mildly confused by the scene unfolding before him.


    Jason froze for a moment, his face unreadable- until a loud, hysterical laugh escaped him.


    ¡°That¡¯s your ¡®cool guy dynamic entry¡¯?!¡± Jason slapped his knee as he laughed uncontrollably. ¡°Lucas, your theories are trash! Ash just stumbled in like he forgot where he was going!¡±


    Lucas groaned, slumping back onto his bed with an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Forget everything I just said, Jason,¡± he muttered. ¡°I feel like throwing up. He¡¯s not cool. Not even a little. It¡¯s actually painful to witness.¡±


    Ash blinked, standing frozen in the doorway, completely bewildered. His brows knitted together as he glanced between the two of them. ¡°What¡­what the hell is going on here?¡±


    Jason tried to answer but was too busy howling with laughter.


    Ash sighed, stepping inside fully and closing the door behind him. ¡°You two are insane,¡± he said flatly, rubbing the back of his neck.


    Jason smirked, wiping a tear from his eye as his laughter subsided. ¡°That¡¯s what they all say.¡±


    Lucas rolled his eyes but couldn¡¯t fight the small smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t come in here and ruin my impeccable theories about life.¡±


    Ash just stared at him, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Jason grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buddy. Neither do I.¡±


    The room fell into a brief silence. Ash crossed his arms, ¡°You look like crap, by the way.¡±


    Lucas raised a brow, ¡°And you too. Looking at you makes me wanna puke.¡±


    Ash rolled his eyes but said nothing, shaking his head as he finally sat in the chair Jason had vacated.


    ¡°Now, I want to listen to Asher¡¯s part of the story. C¡¯mon, Asher, my dude! Start ranting about everything that happened!¡±


    Ash looked bewildered. ¡°Um¡­Actually, can we talk about something else? You already know what happened. So, why ask again?¡±


    ¡°Aww~ You don¡¯t wanna talk about it? It¡¯s sensitive, huh?¡±


    Ash looked at him, and then snapped. ¡°No, I¡¯ll tell you everything that happened. Right now.¡±


    ¡°Can anyone bring me a bag of popcorn? I feel like Imma gonna enjoy this piece more.¡± Jason grinned, and leaned closer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start,¡± Ash muttered, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed.


    ¡°Start anywhere,¡± Jason said, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s tragic, comedic, or just plain awkward- spill it, Asher!¡±


    Lucas rolled his eyes from where he lay on the bed. He didn¡¯t say anything, though, just watched as Ash wrestled with whether or not he should entertain Jason¡¯s antics.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ash snapped finally. ¡°But I¡¯m not going into detail. You already know most of it.¡±


    Ash sighed deeply and started recounting the events in a robotic tone, skipping over most of the emotional bits. Jason nodded along dramatically, occasionally throwing in comments like ¡°No way!¡± or ¡°WHAT?!¡± until Lucas eventually groaned and threw a pillow in Jason¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Go get some juice or something,¡± Lucas said, his voice strained. ¡°I feel damn thirsty.¡±


    Jason snorted but stood up. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave you two alone. Don¡¯t continue without me, got that?!¡± he called out as he left, shutting the door behind him before Lucas could throw something at him.


    The room fell silent again. Ash stayed seated in the chair, staring at Lucas as the other boy shifted uncomfortably on the bed.


    After what felt like an eternity, Ash finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Why did you come in front of me?¡± His voice was low, making Lucas glance at him.


    Lucas blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Ash said, leaning forward slightly. ¡°Why did you come in front of me? You didn¡¯t have to. No one asked you to.¡±


    Lucas hesitated.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what protecting someone means?¡± he said finally, his voice quieter than usual.


    Ash¡¯s jaw tightened. He remembered telling Lucas something like¡­


    .


    .


    Protection isn¡¯t about revenge.


    Protecting someone doesn¡¯t always mean being some kind of hero. Have you ever seen a father, or even a stranger, standing in front of someone else, shielding them? Or maybe holding a kid¡¯s hand real tight while crossing the street so they don¡¯t have to feel scared?


    That¡¯s what protecting means.


    .


    .


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t ask to be protected.¡±


    Lucas smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly plan it, either. I didn¡¯t have a reason for it either. My legs just¡­moved on their own. Trust me, it just happened.¡±


    ¡°You make trusting you so damn hard.¡±


    ¡°Did it scare you?¡±


    ¡°...It did.¡±


    The room fell into silence.


    Lucas tilted his head slightly, ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what now¡¯?¡± Ash asked, his tone sharper than intended.


    ¡°I mean,¡± Lucas said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion in his eyes, ¡°whatever happens next. Blake might come for us again, or maybe his lackeys will. So, I¡¯ll deal with them.¡±


    Ash stared at him for a moment, then scoffed quietly, shaking his head. ¡°If you mean ¡®us,¡¯ then okay.¡±


    Lucas blinked, clearly taken aback. ¡°Us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, us, you dumbhead,¡± Ash said, his voice softer now. ¡°If it involves me, then I¡¯m in. Got it?¡±


    Lucas let out a quiet laugh.


    ¡°Everything will be okay. I hope, at least. But you gotta trust me, there¡¯s no other way. If I say you¡¯re in trouble, then it means, you turn back and leave.¡±


    Ash raised a brow, ¡°Why, you own me or something?¡±


    ¡°Nuh-uh. I don¡¯t own you. Someone has to keep you in check, you reckless idiot. Besides, I want it because¡­After all¡­¡±


    Ash raised an eyebrow, as he looked at Lucas to finish.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we, Ash?¡±


    Ash looked taken aback, and then, he smiled with the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°But still¡­Don¡¯t expect me to be okay with what you did.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally fine. Because I¡¯d do it again in a heartbeat.¡±