Chapter 5

"Crying again huh, Helios." Helios looked in the direction the voice was coming from with terror on his face. He quickly stood up, "What do you want Noah?" Noah slowly went near Helios, he wiped the tears on Helios's face. Helios slapped Noah's hand. "Don't you dare touch me!" Helios slowly backed away from him, "Are you going to run away from me again Helios?"

Noah pulled Helios's arm towards him, "I miss you, why don't you come back to me?"

"I told you not to touch me!" Helios's response was not the one Noah want's to hear. The smile on his face dropped, he push Helios to the flor. Noah went on top of him, he grabbed his face to make Helios look at him. "You're as pathetic as ever, Helios." Noah punched Helios on the face. After the punch Helios's almost forgotten memories came back.

{Flash Back}

"You fucker! How dare you give me cold food! Yes, cry. Fucking cry! you know that's why your mother left you! And you thought that Kiefer will help you, look where he is now, he ran away with out you! He also left you!" Helios just cried on the corner of the room hopping that the things that his father is throwing wont hit him.

After his father calmed down a little, Helios took his bag and ran out of the house. He went to the alley to hide, He curled up his feet, he hugged them. Helios cried endlessly waiting for his brother to come and get him.

"What are you crying for?" Helios looked for the owner of the voice,

"Who are you?"

"I'm Noah." Helios looked at the kid besides him, he wiped the tears on his eyes.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Helios."

"Don't you also go to our school?"

"Yeah..."

"Then why are you hiding here?" Helios looked down hopping not to make eye contact.

"Let's go back." Noah offered his hand to Helios. Helios accept the offer; Noah helped him stood up. "Thank you..." Helios walk alongside Noah till they arrived at the school.

Noah let go of Helios's hand. Helios watched Noah leave, he felt warm in his heart. For the first time in a very long time... Helios smiled.

After that day Helios always followed Noah everywhere he goes, he also gives most of the money his brother secretly gives him to Noah. Noah is pretty famous at school, so when Helios got close to him, he also gained some friends. But he's much closer to Andrew.

Helios finally felt accepted and all of that made him forget what ever happened back home.

Helios ran to catch up with Noah, "Hey Noah, I got my weekly allowance today. What do you want to eat?" Noah's friends heard what Helios said, they all went around him, "Can you buy me food too?"

"Yeah, me two!" All of them asked Helios to buy them food.

"But I only have enough for a week..."

"It's ok then, we're not that important to you I guess..." one of Noah's friends said, Helios was afraid that they all will hate him.

"But I guess I can buy some snacks for all of us."

Helios bought all the snacks that he thinks that Noah likes. "I'm back!" Noah and his friends are playing some mobile games,

"Just put the food on the table."

Noah pointed at the table besides them, "Can I play next?"

"You can't, we don't want to lose."

"I'll just watch you then." Helios sat beside them and just watched as they all played.

Andrew entered the room, "Hey, Helios. What are you doing?"

"I'm just watching Noah play."

"Wanna play with me instead?" Andrew took out a card game, Helios went to him. They sat down and played. Noah looked at both of them, Noah pulled Helios away from Andrew.

"Let's go, I want some food." Helios walk besides Noah,

"But there's still some food on the table..." Noah just look at the food,

"I don't want those."

"I don't have any money anymore, Noah." Noah didn't answer Helios.

Noah handed Helios a piece of bread, "Thank you..."

Helios ate the bread, as Noah watched him. "Eat faster, we need to go back to class." Helios stuff all the bread in his mouth. "Let's go." Noah almost didn't understand him. Noah started to walk away, after a while Noah stopped walking and look at Helios still standing.

"What are you waiting for?" It was the signal for Helios to start walking.

"Ok that's it for the class, please don't forget to do your homework to night. Class dismiss." The students started to pack their things, "Helios, can you do my homework? I have to do something important tonight, please?"

Noah smiled at Helios, and just like a blink of an eye, Helios's whole face turned red. He nod his head, Noah patted his head while saying thank you. In the distance, Andrew watched them with a worried expression.

"This won't end well." he murmured to himself, Noah and Andrew grew up together for their parents are close friends. He knows Noah really well, he knows damn well what Noah's doing to his friend, but he also knows that he can do nothing.

"Hey, Helios. Do you want to study together? We can help each other with the homework too." Helios looked at Andrew for a moment, then looked behind Andrew. Helios shook his head no, Andrew looked behind him. Just like he expected Helios was looking at Noah, Noah had a smirk on his face. It's just like his rubbing his victory on Andrew's face. "Just tell me if you need any help, ok?"

"Yeah..." Helios took all his things and went to Noah. [Noah must have told Helios to avoid me.]

Helios sat at an alley counting all his money, "I hardly have enough money for my food tonight. I still need to buy snacks for Noah, so he won't hate me. I'll just drink water." He took money just enough for a bottle of water and saved the rest of his money.

"So, you decided to come home."

"I'm home father."

"Go wash the dishes." Helios took all the dishes on the table and cleaned them. The house was abnormally quiet. Helios went to the corner of the kitchen, he took a dirty, old futon. He laid the futon, as he slightly taped it, dust fly off from it. Helios keep sneezing because of the dust, "Can you shut up for once?!" His father slammed his hand on the table. Helios covered his face with his hands, hopping that it will stop the sneezing.

He took out Noah's homework, after checking if his father is asleep. Helios took a candle and lighter. He slowly read all the questions on the paper and answered them.

Helios woke up from a water being poured on him. "Wake up you damn brat! I'm starving and you haven't even cooked anything yet!" Helios got up. He took his bag out; he ran to his hiding spot. He took off his shirt and start to change to his old dirty uniform that even got holes. Helios just threw his wet shirt in his bag; rushing to go to school.

"You're late, where's my homework?" Noah was already at the gate of the school waiting for Helios. With a bright smile Helios greeted Noah. "Here's your..." Helios smile quickly dropped, turning to a scared look. He took out Noah's soaking wet homework, "What's that?" Noah pointed at the paper. "Noah, I'm sorry. I redo it if you want."

"There's no need," Noah said with a cold tone. Helios heart almost stop beating after his only friend turned his back on him.

The whole day Helios tried to approach Noah, but it was no use. The frown on Helios face almost made a rain cloud on top his head. After their class ended Andrew went to Helios to try and make him feel better, but he also wants to know what's wrong. "Are you ok, Helios?"

"I don't think Noah will forgive me after I ruined his homework."

"Don't be sad Helios. Here let's just play..." Andrew looked in his bag for something that he can that he can distract Helios with.

"...With this, let's play truth or dare!" Andrew was holding a bottle of water on his hands.

After Andrew said that, almost everyone came and played too, even Noah came.

They all played; after many turns, it stopped at Helios. "Who's turn to ask?" asked one pf them,

"Me, truth or dare, Helios?" One of Noah's friends ask,

"Truth?"

"Who's your crush?" Everyone looked at Helios with curiosity, some students were ready to tease whoever he mentions. Helios heart start to beat faster, he stared to bit his lip. He looked around him; him and Noah made eye contact. He looked down, and nervously said, "I- I like, Noah."

Everyone was quiet after he said that. Helios slowly look up just to see everyone looking at him with shock and disgust. After a long silence one of the guys asked him, "Are you... gay?" After that laughter was the only thing that you can hear. Every one left, before leaving Noah looked at Helios "You're disgusting." Those words broke Helios. Andrew took his bag, "I'm sorry Helios." Tears slowly fell from Helios's eyes, He never expected that saying that would lead him being alone again.

He arrived at his house still crying, his dad kept yelling at him, but he can't seem to hear him, he went to his corner in the kitchen not even bothering to fix the futon.

The next couple of days were like hell to Helios.

"Foggot!" a guy in the hallway yelled when Helios was walking by everyone laughed. One of them even made Helios trip with his foot. Noah helped Helios got up. "Meet me at the gym after school." Noah whispered at his ear; he left Helios there.

After class, Helios went straight to the gym. Noah was still not there, Helios decided to wait for him there. Minutes turned to hours, but Noah was still not there. Helios let out a heavy sigh, [Maybe his not going to come.] Helios stood up to leave. "Sorry, I had some club activities." Helios looked behind him.

Noah went down to Helios, "I've been thinking, you know, you kindda confessed to me. Should we try dating." Helios just look at Noah with pure shock,

"We're just kids, how can we date?"

"There's a lot of middle schoolers that is dating now days, why can't we?"

"I don't think we are mature enough Noah."

"Are you really going to hurt my feelings Helios?" Helios clenched his hand,

"Ok then, let's try dating." Noah smiled at his sweet victory, to him this is all just a game for money. Noah took Helios's hand and kissed it,

"I'll go then." He walked out of the gym, when he got some distance, he quickly wiped his lips, "Ew, that was so disgusting, I won't do this if they didn't dare me to."

Helios laid on his futon feeling weird, it's not the feeling that he usually feels when he is thinking of Noah. This feeling is different. 

"Why do I not feel happy, isn't this what I want?" He murmured to himself as he rolled to the other side of his futon. The feeling won't seem to go away, it just kept bothering him.

Andrew and his parents went to Noah's house, and they were greeted by Noah's parents. The pack of drugs was seen on a small wooden table in the middle of the room. There is only dim light as a source of light. 

"Why don't you go play with Noah in the other room?" Noah's mother asked him. So, Andrew walks to Noah's room. 

Upon opening the door, he saw Noah holding a controller and playing some video games. "What are you planning to do to Helios?" Andrew asked Noah as soon as he closed the door.

"Nothing, just a little fun game." 

Andrew took the controller from Noah's hands, "Why are you doing this? Didn't you hate it when they used to make fun of you for liking-"

Andrew didn't even get to finish his sentence when Noah spoke up. "I. AM. NOT. GAY! Don't put me in the same place as that stupid friend of yours!"

"You're just afraid to admit you like what you like so you'll just hate anyone who can do it?! You coward!"  

Andrew didn't even notice that he is already on the ground because of Noah's punch, "Take it back, Andrew."  Noah was flaming with rage as he kicked Andrew's stomach.

"You always act like you are such a hero, but you were never there for me when they were doing this to me. You even left Helios after he confessed to me that time!"

"So, stop your good guy act, and be real with yourself." 

Noah looked at his door when it suddenly opened, "What the fuck are you doing you son of a bitch?!" Noah's father pulled him off of Andrew and threw Noah to the wall. His hands landed heavily on Noah's face leaving a huge mark.

"We just left you with someone for a moment and you do this? Are you stupid? You fucking brat, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Noah pushed his father off him, making his way to the door.

Helios was bothered by the sound of rocks being thrown at their window. 

[What the hell is that?] 

Helios went to the window and there stood Noah outside. He signed Noah to wait for him there.

 Helios looked at his father who was fast asleep on the couch. He slowly walked hoping that he won't make any noise as Helios went to Noah. 

"What happened?" Helios tried to hold Noah's cheeks, but he slapped them off.

"Don't touch it."

"Do you want me to put ice on it?" Helios asked Noah with concern, but Noah just ignored Helios and went right to Helios's arms. Noah rested his face on his shoulders and uttered, "Let's stay like this for a while." 

Every worry Helios have about their relationship completely disappeared when Noah went to him.

After that Noah just left. Then, Helios went inside, looked at the time and it was already 6 in the morning.  He took his bag and went to school; the gates were still closed. So, he decided to just buy some food first.

Helios saw Andrew in the store too. "What are you doing here early in the morning?" Helios asked him. 

"Nothing just buying some cold water."

Helios notice that Andrew also has some bruises. "Are you okay?" 

Because Helios is always beaten up by his dad, his brother, Kiefer, would give him a first aid kit. That is why Helios always brings a first aid kit wherever he goes.

"I can help you with that if you want." Helios looked for the first aid kit that his brother gave him. 

"I'm fine, Helios."

"He's fine, Helios." Noah sneaked up to Helios. 

"Oh, ok then. I'll just buy some water first before we go." Helios told Noah. 

"I have some. Let's go already."

Noah pulled Helios to the school gates. There, they noticed that the guard is already opening the gates. "You two are quite early. I still haven't opened any classrooms. Do you mind helping me open up the other rooms?" The guard asked Noah and Helios.

"Sure," Helios answered. The guard gave them the keys to classrooms on their grade.

"Why is he making us do this, it's his job. Lazy bastard. Why did you even say yes to him?" Helios just kept silent as Noah bad-mouthed the guard. As they finish opening up all the classrooms on their grade, Helios gave the keys back to the guard. The students came in one by one till the hallway is almost full of running students. Soon after the bell rang, everyone rushed to their room.

As the class go on, Noah and Andrew would stare at each other with eyes that could kill each other. The teacher quickly noticed this and got mad at them for not listening to her. "Get out of my classroom, now!" Yelled their teacher, both went outside, and the teacher tailed behind them with books in her hands.

"Put out both your hands." The teacher put the books in both their hands.

They both stood outside of their classroom till the bell rang. They would constantly glare at each other.

Helios quickly went to Noah, "Do your arms hurt?" he asked him. 

Helios helped Noah to put down the books. 

"Let's go to the canteen," Noah said as he pulled Helios away from Andrew. 

After they both sat down at a table, Helios asked Noah what happened to him and Andrew. 

Helios held Noah's hands assuring him that he would listen to anything that he says. "I don't know, he just kept starting fights. I think that he hates that I'm still hanging out with you."

"What do you mean?" Helios clutched on his shorts. 

"He doesn't like gay people," explained Noah.

Helios bit his lip till it almost bleed. "We should just try to avoid him." Helios let loose his shorts to hold Noah's hands with both his hands. Noah smiled at him, and Helios smiled back.

The next days were just Helios avoiding Andrew. Andrew never understood why Helios suddenly acted that way toward him. It hurts him that even if he tries to talk to Helios, he will just run away. But he knows that whatever the reason for Helios's actions, Noah had a connection to it.

As time passed by, Andrew had enough of Noah. He saw Noah talking to one of his friends in the hallway, so he rushed to him and pushed Noah to the ground. 

"What the fuck is your fucking problem?" Noah stood up to push Andrew back, causing them to fall to the floor and throw punches at one another. Everyone is cheering on them. No teacher would even bother to stop them. 

"What the hell do you want to do to Helios?" Andrew yelled to Noah. 

"Why do you care so much? Do you have a savior complex?"

"I just don't want history to repeat itself, Noah. Just stop."

Helios counted his money hoping to have enough to himself some medicine for his cold. 

[I remember, I also need to give Noah's homework] 

Helios took a cloth to cover his mouth.

Helios went to the school to give Noah his homework for his afternoon class. He was greeted by Noah and Andrew's yells.

"No, Andrew, I'm just getting started. I will crush Helios till he turns to dust. That's what he gets for being a fag!"

Silence spread to the crowd as loud sniffs were heard. "Noah?" Helios tried to talk between his breath. 

"Shit, he heard it. Game over then." Noah went close to Helios and squish his cheeks with on hand. "But I know that you will still cling to my legs. I'm the only one that cares for you after all."

Helios threw the homework on Noah's face, which eventually turned red. He slapped Helios across his face. Helios looked back at him slowly with tears in his eyes. "I hate you!" Helios yelled at him.

"Do I look like I care?" Noah mocked Helios with a smug face. Helios runs away from his school crying.

{End of flash back}

Andrew felt that something wrong happened to Helios, so he called every one of Helios's friends. Unfortunately, no one seems to know where he is. There was one final number that he hadn't called, Helios's brother. 

"What the fuck do you want?" 

"Helios is missing..."

"Shit!" The phone call ended with just that. Based on Kiefer's reaction, Andrew instantly knows where he is. 

He rushed to his motorcycle, his hands already shaking just by thinking of what happened to Helios.

Kiefer felt his blood boil as he watched Noah kiss Helios's neck while he was unconscious.