He Hates Me

On the surface, and according to the teachers, things seem to be going well at Wood Hill. The young students arrive at school on time and are as enthusiastic as ever. Academic and extracurricular activities run like clockwork.

But what the teachers can't see or know is the fire that burns inside them. They're hungry for adventure and anything exciting to keep them awake. So they have this relentless itch to do new things or break the bogus rules that have been imposed on them, whether at school or at home.

They have only one thing on their minds and that is to live as if tomorrow doesn't exist, to live like the children they are. They don't have a time machine or any other power that can help them go back to their childhood and change the past.

So today is the day... They have to live their lives to the fullest before they become ugly, charmless and bitter like some of the adults around them.

Their spirits are starting to warm up and they want more than the little freedom they get from their parents. It's not enough what they got from Céline, this time they need other things to keep the excitement going.

For example, teenage entertainment that gives them personal pleasure, not for the sake of their parents, but for them and them alone. As a result, parties of all kinds are on the rise.

Smartphones are increasingly important for those who want to keep up with the latest gossip of the week or the day and for those who are waiting for some kind of event to take them out of their monotonous lives.

Movie nights and the like used to be reserved for a small, privileged group. Kaeli organised some of them with wealthy friends from her milieu, those who belonged to her bourgeois circle.

And the others, those who didn't have the attributes to take part, got into the habit of seeing each other from time to time. It wasn't as grand as the evenings Kaeli organised, but it was their refuge from the rich brats who considered them pests. At least when they were together, or with each other, they were seen as human beings.

But now things have changed and the boundaries are beginning to loosen. Howie, along with Eli and Mandy, have taken it upon themselves to do everything they can to unite the children of Wood Hill. They have organised an open-air cinema instead of the secret evenings that take place behind closed doors like some kind of secret cult.

It was Howie's idea and he discussed it with Eli, who invited Mandy, knowing that Mandy has a big crush on Howie.

Eli is a very observant person and she noticed that Mandy always follows Howie with her eyes and smiles stupidly whenever Howie appears, whether it's in the cafeteria, the classroom, the break room, the library or the playground.

She's always got this goofy grin on her face that makes your cheeks ache and makes people who think they're too important to be around her feel uncomfortable.

Eli is the caring type, everything around her is important and deserving of her attention, whether it's up close or personal. She's always concerned about the needs of others, and if there's anything she can do to help, she'll do it.

Since the twins arrived at Howie's house that Saturday morning, his previously quiet and peaceful life has been turned upside down by the changes they have brought to his life.

Ayke is getting more and more attached to him and sometimes he can't tell the difference between him and Ravi, it's as if he's become someone else.

Even the other dogs find Ayke invasive, not to mention the strange, threatening looks Lucky gives him every time he approaches her master. He takes up far too much space for one person, and even eight of them aren't as invasive as Ayke.

Sometimes Ayke can almost feel that they want to kick him out of the group, but as he is as close to them as their father, they have taken pity on him and as the days go by, they no longer see him as a threat.

Only the Creator knows why he didn't give Ayke four legs. In fact, they're glad he's a two-legged human, otherwise it would be a bloodbath every time he crossed their path.

As the icy chill between Howie and Aike intensifies, the intimacy between Ayke and Howie increases to the extent that the boundary between the two becomes unclear. As a result, Alfred and Marc can distinguish between them more and more each day.

Howie wishes the twins would cut him some slack occasionally, but regrettably, we do not always get what we want. Nature has a way of working quite differently from the rest of us, and with the twins it's almost the same: he didn't ask for this scourge, but it's fallen on his back anyway.

He knows how much the boys value their privacy and the fact that no one can identify them, so Howie has tried as hard as he can to create moments when Ayke doesn't have to stick to him like a second skin to no avail.

To tell the truth, he never expected him to be like a baby koala, always looking for affection, attention and tenderness, it's crazy.

Sometimes he tries to keep up the deception by calling Ayke by Aike's first name, but Aike always gives him one of those murderous looks as if he's committed the worst crime of all by calling his name, so he almost doesn't want to go to all that trouble to help them to be treated like crap.

After all, these two seem to feel safe around Alfred and Marc, acting like the children they are, and sometimes worse. Who would have thought that behind those stoic, icy faces were two children with hearts as pure and innocent as anything, eh?

Not to mention the fact that they've made Howie's house their oasis. They never missed an opportunity to spend a day or a few hours with him: playing, reading, talking about everyday things, about their lives - in fact, these were the only moments when Howie and Aike forgot their differences.

As Marc and Howie said to Alfred when they first met, "I've got a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other" has become a reality. Sometimes the boys spend the night at Howie's and not a day goes by without them ending up at his place.

Ayke, for his part, knows that Howie does everything he can to help them stay indistinguishable, and he admires that about him. Apart from the fact that Ayke does nothing to help the situation, he becomes more and more attached to the boy he never wanted to be friends with in the first place, even if it means that he will never experience a real laugh again. Ayke even goes so far as to crawl into Howie's bed when he's napping, or onto the sofa behind him when he's watching TV.

What amazes Aike even more is how easily Howie accepts all this without grumbling or making a face. He accepts Ayke's every whim with such compliance that sometimes Aike feels sick just looking at them; it's strange to see a big guy like his brother being so clingy to a sturdy guy who looks like a girl when he's dressed. He thought his brother would be more reserved with Howie, and here they are.

Sometimes he gets the impression that there's more than friendship between them, but a part of him tells him that he's delirious every time the idea crosses his mind. And his brother's behaviour leaves him speechless; he would never have imagined or thought that his twin brother could be so clingy, childish and flattering. And he would never have believed that Howie had so much patience and tolerance in his bones.

Despite all this, he couldn't tell Howie in all honesty what a decent and great guy he was, even with all his pompous and psychotic traits. Nor could he stop looking at him murderously, as if he were responsible for all the world's ills. He himself doesn't know why he's so hostile towards Howie when he's the one who asked him for a favour.

But when he's at home, away from Howie and everything else, he talks openly to his brother about everything he's enjoyed during the day. And in those moments, his brother always tries to understand why he is so hostile towards Howie, his good friend who spoils him like a little brother or sister, like a lover or like someone very precious.

Howie looks after him, he looks after them.

Even though Howie sometimes deliberately calls him Ravi to annoy him, it has never bothered Ayke, on the contrary. And now it's almost a confusion between them, when Howie calls Ravi or Ayke, they look at each other confused before they decide who is the lucky one or they both decide to present themselves to their owner.

The giggles that emanate from the house at these moments are hilarious and these moments in their lives will be etched in their memories forever.

They're not the only ones wondering when it will be daylight or when it's time to go home. Marc and Alfred have become addicted to the little moments they spend together.

They look younger; Alfred looks his age without his strict suits, and they discover how charming and handsome he used to be. All the masks come off naturally; he's not too afraid of Howie anymore, seeing how he behaves with Ayke, but he doesn't let his guard down. He pays attention to Howie and is more wary of his calm than ever; he finds him frightening when he's like this.

Marc has never been happier in his life to see his son acting like a child, to see him involved in finding activities to bring people together and so on. Deep down he feels that his role as a father in his son's life is beginning to make sense, and Howie is also much calmer these days.

Sometimes Marc feels that his son does more for him than he does him.

He's even starting to loosen up a bit with the menu, organising pizza and fizzy drink nights for the boys that aren't homemade, buying his son's favourite flavours of ice cream, little things that make him happy or feel less important than others.

Marc lets him live and breathe as he pleases, just a little break from time to time won't do him any harm. He knows his son better than anything in the world, and it's not giving him freedom that will corrupt him, he believes in the upbringing he's given Howie.

He thanked heaven and nature for placing these gentlemen, the twins, in the path of his beloved son. He's calm... but not the dangerous calm that portends nothing good, but the kind of calm that makes Howie serene and peaceful. He's becoming more outgoing and cheerful. He throws fewer tantrums and doesn't put up much of a fight when Marc wants to make a few small changes to his usual activities; he's more receptive.

But the boys still can't get Howie to go home with them, he always avoids the subject like the plague, and he has a superhuman ability to find excuses when the subject is brought up, or he refuses out of hand like the little chef he is, putting an end to all assumptions and suggestions.

His father knows why he doesn't want to, so he stays out of it and lets him deal with it as best he can. It's teenage stuff after all.

The twins don't understand why Howie doesn't want to go, but his stubbornness isn't enough to stop them. They tell themselves they'll find a way. After all, they're Aike and Ayke, the twins of iron will.

Their friendship is something they want to keep to themselves, and apart from Marc, Alfred and the dogs, they don't want anyone else poking their dirty noses into their little world.

They each thought about it separately before putting their thoughts into words. It was a beautiful evening, a rather mild night, inviting confessions and the sharing of secrets of all kinds under an almost starry sky. They were lying on the terrace, looking at the stars in silence, even a little confused.

Whilst Alfred and Marc cleared the table of the remainder of the meal and put away the plates. They have become what we call parents to these three, and they enjoy the responsibility. After that, they have other interests that they share with each other, taking Marc out of his routine as a worried parent and Alfred out of his responsibilities as a driver. They become the complete beings they are.

Everyone can see it in their bright faces when they see the three children chatting or playing with the dogs, laughing out loud. The house is no longer as quiet as it once was, with noise and laughter coming from everywhere, it has become a lively and warm home.

The deck is Howie's favourite place in the house. From up there, he can admire his father's well-tended flower garden and breathe in its scent as night falls.

The flowers give him a sense of peace and a strange feeling he can't understand, like déjà vu, every time he looks at them, and it's very pleasant every time the feeling passes through his body.

The terrace is well-equipped and furnished, with a table fireplace, a swing bed, sofas, plants and an outdoor bar. Marc and his son are both nature lovers. They love plants and animals, as well as open, well-lit spaces and high ceilings. They don't like feeling cramped.

Howie was lying on the bed swing, whilst Ayke was sitting in the egg swing. For the first time, Ayke was not curled up like a ball of fur beside Howie, and Aike had taken refuge on a settee not far from Howie.

They were silently contemplating the enchanting beauty of the nightfall when suddenly the twins got up from their respective seats and climbed onto the bed next to Howie. Without hesitation, Howie made way for them. He is so used to Ayke's habits that it has become almost natural for him to react to their actions.

The twins adjusted the pillows under their heads to make themselves comfortable and then lay there for a while with Howie between them, without saying a single word.

One hand under their heads, gazing up at the firmament, their minds lost in contemplation, they made a very thoughtful picture, and even when they weren't talking to each other, thoughts buzzed around in their heads like a swarm of bees.

"You know what," Ayke began, changing position. He turned onto his side, his head resting on his right hand, his elbow on the soft pillow of the bed. His eyes lingered for a moment on Howie's face, which was still. Ayke was a little surprised. He was used to looking at him, but each time he felt as if he had been transported to another dimension. The guy isn't human, it's frankly impossible how out of place he is, like a fairy.

Furthermore, Ayke is not the only one who has changed his position currently, his brother has followed the same pattern.

Now they are both lost in Howie's beauty, staring at the handsome face that is becoming more and more attractive and overwhelming with each passing day. Howie had closed his eyes when Ayke spoke, knowing that the lad would end up breaking this moment of enchantment, which was quite magical for him.

He felt their eyes on him intensely, but he really didn't want to open them. Since he had the impression that Ayke was waiting for him to signal that he was listening, he decided to encourage him to share his thoughts.

Because he wanted to get back to his thoughts without feeling that they were staring at him like a painting in a museum that only belonged in a high-security vault, out of reach of even the richest people in the world.

"Tell us, Ay, what are you thinking about this time?" he asked without opening his eyes, with a small, not too visible grin.

"Well..." Ayke continued happily, snapping out of his contemplation now that he knows he has Howie's full attention.

"I don't want our friendship to be tarnished by other people, I don't want to share these moments with anyone else. And I want us to be the only ones who know of our complicity," he says with the enthusiasm of a young, inexperienced poet.

"But why is that?" His brother asked him, a little worried about what he was going to say, but deep down he is happy that Ayke has chosen to talk about it.

He, too, cherishes these moments spent at Howie's and he wants it to remain their thing. Like his brother, he doesn't want other people to come between them and ruin their newfound oasis. Nothing good ever comes from people coming in and putting their two pence in about things that don't concern them.

But he would never say those things out loud. He hasn't even told his brother about his concerns, but anyone looking at him might get the impression that Aike isn't too keen on how recent events in their lives have unfolded, but that's just window dressing.

Howie, for his part, doesn't say anything, but he listens attentively, it's good for him that all this remains private, he doesn't ask for more. He doesn't want the spotlight on him any more than it already is, and dealing with the Morgensterns is even more complicated for a man of his rank than his crises. He and the boys can be friends, but out of sight, that's all he asks.

On the other hand, he doesn't feel too comfortable. He doesn't know if it's the fact that he's done everything he can to avoid them during school hours and so on over the last few days, and the fact that he's insisted on staying out of the twins' reach, that has pushed Ayke-Ay to make this decision. He feels obliged to ask him. He wants to have a clear heart and conscience.

He avoids them not because he is ashamed of them or uncomfortable in their company, but because he wants to help them remain a mystery to others, and also because he wants to avoid all the attention this might bring him from the other pupils. These children are a nuisance that he would like to live without, if he had the choice.

What the twins have worked so hard for all these years can fall apart in an instant, and he refuses to let that happen to them. This is largely to help them stay hidden, as they wanted before they burst into his life.

This is to avoid exposing them to the public because he knows that sooner or later they would stop seeing each other. He doesn't want them to struggle when that time comes; they've already done too much for that to happen.

He also likes the fact that he's the only one who can tell them apart. It's his little privilege and he wants to keep it to himself.

"Well, I was thinking..." Ayke continues in a low voice, "it's more fun if we stay between us and I like it that way, isn't that the case for both of you?" His gaze shifted from his brother to his friend who was still lying on his back, his hands clasped behind his head, his eyes closed, his face peaceful with its delicate and refined features that made you want to touch it, draw it, sculpt it.

"You know what..." Howie said, opening his eyes slowly, as if controlling his every movement like a puppeteer skillfully pulling the strings of his marionettes. His long lashes fluttered slightly before opening to reveal his beautiful eyes.

In non-verbal agreement, the twins held their breath for a long moment, waiting for Howie to finally open them halfway, making him look attractive, too attractive for a child.

Aike tears his eyes away and looks everywhere but at Howie. He remembers all too well what he did the last time he allowed himself to look at him for too long. The image and the sensations are still alive in his body and his mouth is almost forbidden territory for him to touch.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. While his carefree brother at his side can't take his eyes off his friend with a strange smile on his face. "Wow, man, you look amazing," he exclaimed happily.

"You have to teach me something like that." Aike rolled his eyes in disbelief and Howie avoided pushing the conversation in that direction.

"Is it because of me that you don't want people to know about our friendship?" He asks Ayke, who doesn't look away from him.

"No, not at all," the brat replies quickly, as if he doesn't want to miss his programme by listening or thinking about something else for too long. "I really don't want other people to know how adorable you are," he joked, almost forgetting why he had brought up the subject.

"Don't you want to be serious for a moment?" Aike asks, tired of his brother's excessively sweet behaviour and language.

"I'm not joking," the other one replies innocently, "he's cute, even a blind man would say so."

If Aike had only known he was going to answer like that, he would have been better off not pushing the issue - how could he treat such a strong guy as cute, huh?

Okay, he could have said it before, because Howie always wears oversized t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and stuff, even when he plays basketball you never see his arms, he always wears oversized jerseys, often with long sleeves. The guy is so complicated to pinpoint, pff.

Howie pushed him to make him lose his balance, to make him stop talking nonsense. He never understood how Ayke could say such embarrassing things without feeling embarrassed, and unlike his brother, he never blushed. He looks like a little demon without control; when he attacks something, there is nothing to stop him.

He is bold and cheeky, while the other, without really seeming it, is the complete opposite of his brother, although at first glance, you would have said the opposite.

Ayke is the one who is affectionate, childish and teasing. He has everything of a child, but he is also the most open in everything; he hides nothing and says everything that comes into his head without hiding it. That must be scary sometimes, right?

"I'm serious," Howie says in a firmer tone. If he wants to keep Ayke from talking more nonsense, he'll have to work with him.

"Okay, okay, it's okay, okay," Ayke replied a little sulkily, lying on his back and regaining his seriousness.

"No, that has nothing to do with it. On the contrary, I am grateful that you are more mature than me, otherwise I would have screwed everything up. By now everyone in New York would know who was Ayke and who was Aike. But you saved us from all that, and all the times you called us by our first names were a real help to us. We never said it, but we know you do it for us, because when you come home you take care of me, just like you do Ravi."

Shameless! Aike and Howie screamed in their heads at the same time. For the first time in their lives, they were on the same wavelength without even knowing it.

"Yes," Aike adds calmly from the other side, his eyes still fixed on the firmament. Even if he can't articulate the words, he can at least confirm what his brother is saying.

"If it were up to you, all our efforts would be ruined today, and our mother... we would have done it all for nothing," he concludes, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry," Ayke replied. "I'm sorry that I let myself go without thinking of the consequences," he said, knowing exactly what his brother was going to say when he stopped mid-sentence. He was negligent, he can say that.

"Okay, it's okay," Howie said cheerfully, trying to chase away the tension he could feel building up like big, black, ominous clouds that herald storms. And he hated storms, they made him anxious.

"I prefer that too," Aike added quietly, almost to himself. "What do you prefer?" his brother asks him, lifting himself up on his elbow to see his brother better.

"That we stay away from the prying eyes and curiosity of others. That is preferable," he answers.

"Yes," Howie chimes in, "if it were up to you, we wouldn't be having this conversation." And Ayke giggles, that toddler is something. Why on earth is he laughing? Which makes what Howie said sound suspicious, like he was teasing Ayke instead of complimenting him.

"Stop laughing, you're making him angry for nothing," Howie whispered to his cheeky friend. It wasn't his intention to provoke Aike or anything, but if Ayke kept giggling like that, it would all end in a fish tail.

"Don't worry about me," he heard Aike whisper, "he can laugh as much as he wants, and you're right, I haven't done anything to improve our relationship, but I'm the one who wanted us to be friends." His voice was only a whisper and Howie was afraid he was going to cry.

"We won't worry about it now, you didn't do anything wrong," Howie replied. "It will come by itself, don't force anything, okay?"

"Sure," Aike replied and gave Howie a misty look. Howie almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Aike's damped eyes, but he kept himself calm. He was right, Aike could have ended up in tears.

"If only we could drink," Ayke said to change the subject, it had become too serious for his liking. He felt the waves of emotion his brother was sending out; they were both sad and happy at the same time, and that's a bit scary.

To tell the truth, it's the first time since the kiss that Aike and Howie have been so close and talked so civilly. They have been avoiding each other for two or three weeks. They don't stay in the same room for long, and they only talk when everyone's there. But no one asked them any questions, the others remained spectators of their silent battles, their furtive glances, and secret sulks.

They waited patiently for them to find their rhythm, and Alfred knows that the only dangerous person among them will not harm his young employer; just seeing Howie with Ayke is enough to conclude that the latter doesn't hate them, that he means them no harm. So it was settled, and as long as the boys were happy, he wouldn't do anything to upset them.

"Father would kill us this time, he won't let us drink. We're not even allowed to drink coffee, let alone alcohol," Howie replies with a smile.

"You know, it would be nice if we could start testing our alcohol endurance right now, because I don't want to end up at a party with my head up my arse because of Todd and Olek. They are the kings of idiots. If I didn't have this iron will, they would have made me drink during the film night." Aike interrupts cheerfully; he had almost forgotten this episode of the evening.

"It was actually very nice. I liked it," he adds quietly.

"What? Did they have alcohol? But how did they get in with alcoholic drinks?" Howie asked worriedly.

He was the one who made the request to the dean for this evening. He doesn't want others to tarnish his image. He's capable of doing these things himself, he doesn't need a helping hand, especially when it comes to his responsibilities.

He may be a little crazy and so on, but he is different when he has responsibilities. He wants everything to be as he said it would be, and he would not tolerate a little brat tarnishing his reputation as a disciplined and responsible student.

"I don't know," Aike replies. "They had it, that's all I know. Then it didn't matter, no one discovered it, they were careful."

"And you, did you know?" Howie asked, turning to look at Ayke anxiously.

"I didn't know and if I did you would have known because I slept in your bed that night and nothing escapes your senses that I know of, you're like a watchdog, you sniff out the slightest scent," he replied as if to rebuke him for his super sensitive sense of smell.

"Anyway, I really liked it and Tess wanted to kiss me, but I didn't feel it, so I pretended not to understand." He added without dwelling too much on the alcohol incident, almost with a hint of shyness, but they all know that Ayke is not shy.

Howie laughed softly at his words, "Are you stupid or what? "It had to be done for you to learn, otherwise how are you going to get your first kiss if you avoid it like the plague?" he asked like a big brother.

"No, I'll do it, but not like that, and we've known Tess for too long. I've never been attracted to her like that. If I don't feel it, I won't do it," Ayke replied.

"Who would you like to do it with then?" Howie asked without a trace of mockery.

"Someone who makes me want to touch their lips, someone I can't take my eyes off," the other answered without hesitation with a small grin.

"It's just a kiss, damn it! You're making a big deal out of nothing. Don't you think you're being smug?" Aike asks him, almost irritated.

"That's not the case. If I have to kiss someone, I have to feel it in my gut. And then, I'm too sensitive about my oral hygiene to let anyone kiss me." Ayke replies seriously. This time, he wants them to understand his point of view.

"That's a good point," Howie interjects. "The criteria are very important, so do you have someone in mind?"

"More or less, but I don't think she'll let me kiss her."

"Who is it?" his brother asked hastily. He didn't know two people his brother liked to watch and...

"Eli, she's everything I love. She's intelligent, responsible, very pretty and super attractive. She's like you, Howie," he said. "You're a bit alike in that way.

Yes, that's what Aike thought too. There is no one besides Howie whom his brother adores to such an extent that it leaves him speechless. But it's good that it's Eli he wants to kiss. They cannot kiss the same person after all. He does not feel it. Phew! Crisis avoided.

"Oh, yeah? Do you think I look like a girl?" Howie warmly asks him.

"No, you don't look like a girl, but you have the same qualities that I find attractive in someone. you're far too masculine to look like a girl, and you wouldn't just be pretty if you were a girl. Pretty is such a small word to describe your beauty."

Howie couldn't stop laughing as he listened to his friend speak in a calm and very gentle tone. He laughed so much that he had tears in his eyes, and Ayke joined him in his lively laughter, which attracted people to join him in his euphoria.

"No, it's true, I assure you. And then stop laughing so I can stop too, otherwise I'll get cramps." He grabbed Howie's arm as he laughed harder.

"You know, you're the only person who makes me laugh when I hear you laugh. t's crazy, isn't it? Every time you laugh, I find myself following you. What are you?" he confessed amidst bursts of laughter.

While they joked around, Aike looked at them, a little jealous of their closeness. They told each other things so effortlessly that he sometimes had the impression that his brother had found another twin to replace him, but he would never voice his thoughts.

He cleared his throat to signal that he was still present and bring them back to reality. They stopped laughing and turned to him, their eyes shining with tears of joy. He envied them so much.

He gazed at them for a moment as they attempted to regain their composure, as if they were mocking him. Howie discreetly nudged Ayke to prompt him to be serious once more, but instead, he broke into even louder laughter. "You think you're amusing, eh?" Aike growled.

"Not at all," Howie replied with a chuckle. "You know..." Aike went on, "I preferred it a million times more when you were this heartless jerk, who did everything to piss off the people around you. That side of your personality is sexier, now you're boring and childish."

And now Howie bursts out laughing, then he stops abruptly as if he'd pulled the handbrake and apologises to Aike. "I'm sorry, I'll stop laughing now, but tell your brother to stop talking nonsense."

"It wasn't just anything," Ayke pleaded. "I meant it, mate. And everyone knows it and says it, but you're so unapproachable that others are afraid to approach you. The girls are afraid to approach you, I know because I listen to what they say and I've started to read the gossip that circulates at school and on the student forum."

"See..." Howie said to Ayke... "he won't stop." Aike also knows that there are a lot of girls who talk about his mule-headed friend, but he is Howie, and Howie is not interested in those who are interested in him, or he is not interested in anyone at all. Monsieur has his standards.

"I assure you, and it's not just girls, some boys too." Ayke added.

"What have you become?" His brother asked him. "Since when are you so interested in other people's lives, what can they do and say about it?"

"Well, I learn things for myself by observing people, paying attention to others, and most of all I want to understand how that smart-ass discovered our history? That's why I'm interested in others, who would have thought that this one would be the one to discover our secret, hm?"

His brother looked at him for a moment, not knowing what to say, but he made a good point. Wood Hill's most worrying student turns out to be the smartest and most observant, but no one will be able to tell because he doesn't show the characteristics of someone who is interested in others and takes his studies seriously; he's quite the opposite - a delinquent and carefree type. But as they say: "Don't judge a book by its cover".

"Okay, this is getting serious," Howie said, becoming serious himself, no longer laughing. He becomes serious and distant again, as if he is above it all, the guy is unbelievable. "No more jokes, Ay. Your brother doesn't like it and I'm not that unapproachable so don't be so dramatic, boys."

The boys noticed the change in his voice and the muscles in his body tensed. Ayke straightened up and sat down next to his friend, he seemed a little worried, and his brother followed suit and sat down as well. And then, like lightning, Ayke leant over to Howie and kissed him chastely on his lips. Howie and even Ayke hadn't seen it coming, they stood there with their mouths agape and their eyes wide open in amazement.

What on earth is going on?

Howie wondered what he could have done in his previous life to find himself in the middle of these two. In his moment of astonishment, his eyes met Ayke's for a brief moment, and before he could even read his expression, Ayke leaned towards him again, this time placing his lips gently and slowly on Howie's mouth. Howie didn't move or encourage him either. He let Ayke kiss him alone, awkwardly.

Definitely, he said to himself, these boys were using him as a model for their tests. Luckily they were clean and healthy, otherwise his life would be hell today. But would he be friends with them if they were bad bums? We don't know. No, we know the bloke is a tidy freak, so no, or yes, who knows?

Howie lifted his chest to push Ayke away but was surprised to feel Ayke's hand slip into his. Confused, he doesn't know what it means but something deep inside him or his ego or his irrational side tells him to change his mind. Instead of pushing Ayke away, he pulls him to his firm chest with his left hand and takes control of the kiss.

He begins to kiss Ayke softly, tenderly, then passionately, releasing his hand from Ayke's and grabbing Ayke's hair, who lets out a small satisfied grunt that elicits a sigh from his brother, who looks at them speechlessly.

With his hands sweating, his mind racing, his heart pounding and his breathing slowing down, Aike felt like he was being pushed off a cliff without a parachute. All his motor faculties began to jostle, as if to take over the function of the other, to do the work assigned to them.

He hadn't expected his brother to be so liberal, so open, and Howie didn't care that he was kissing his twin brother right in front of him, as if he wanted to swallow him whole.

With a forced movement, he brought his hand to his lips, touching them in memory of his kiss with Howie, and was surprised by his gesture when he felt his own burning lips under the tips of his fingers. He jumped and abruptly got up from the bed, walking backwards to the railing in a frenzy.

"Enough," he whispers unconsciously, but no one hears him and he's not even sure he's the one who said the word. He leant against the railings and breathed heavily, feeling his lungs catch fire and his heart ache as if he was going to die in the next few seconds.

Then Ayke felt his brother's panic rising and Howie, for his part, looked at Aike during the whole kiss, he knows what Aike whispered and strangely he likes to see him so disorientated. He must be a sadist or something.

Howie himself wonders why he gets so much pleasure from seeing Aike suffer. He stops kissing Ayke without taking his eyes off the other panicked brother, who is on the verge of falling into nothingness forever, and not in the figurative sense, Aike is literally on the verge of falling over the edge. At the slightest misstep, his life can take a fatal detour.

Even if Howie has a sadistic side, or worse, that doesn't mean he wants to see Aike go over the rail like a sack of cotton - it's going to be quite a fall, and his parents aren't prepared to face the consequences.

He quickly jumped out of bed before Ayke could gather his thoughts to do it himself, especially after what Howie had just done to him, it was almost impossible for him to get his thoughts back in order in such a short time as Howie did.

Ayke was dizzy and dreamy; he had a feeling that he had been kissed like this before, but it was his first kiss. Where did this feeling come from?

When he realised that Howie was already standing next to his brother, he fell heavily onto the bed and closed his eyes, catching his breath and his senses. He begged his brother to let Howie help him, as he himself was out of action, and then nothing. Without even noticing, he fell into a deep sleep shortly after his message was conveyed to his brother.

Aike receives his brother's message while Howie tries to get him to concentrate on his voice. He felt his heart making impossible leaps in his chest and his lungs dying in excruciating pain from chasing the oxygen they so desperately needed. And then, suddenly, he feels himself transported into a universe of warmth and a pleasant, sweet and soothing scent that envelops him, followed by little electric shocks on his back that feel more like little caresses, while a deep, soft voice continues to whisper instructions to help him reposition himself and regain control of his nerves.

Little by little Aike emerged from his psychogenic state. He felt his heart returning to its normal rhythm, and his lungs obtaining the necessary amount of oxygen they had been constantly pursuing.

He lifted his head towards the source of his emergence and met Howie's worried gaze with a tenderness he had never seen before. That must be new, this guy's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

Then it all comes back to him, as if the images were trying to chase away this gentle, concerned Howie he had before him. Above all, he cannot be deceived: this Howie doesn't exist.

He recalls Howie kissing his brother hungrily, as if his life or survival depended on it. He hears his brother's grunt of satisfaction as if it just occurred, it's almost unbearable. And he recalls Howie's hand gripping his carefree brother's hair to make him yield to his will. And the worst part is that his brother loved it, he told him so. He shouted it at him in a wave of ecstasy. It's like... oh no, it can't be it, can it?

Aike pushed Howie to get out of his embrace, but Howie didn't move, he was as solid as a rock, Aike thought. When Howie refused to let go, Aike punched him hard in his chest to chase away his frustration. Casually, Howie took it all without moving, not even an iota. Irritated by his toughness and stubbornness, Aike gave free rein to his frustration and cried like a baby in the firm arms that had just saved him from the abyss.

When Howie felt his spasms subside and Aike was sniffling like a beaten puppy against his firm chest, he effortlessly released him from his embrace and looked at him curiously. "Are you alright, have you calmed down now?" Howie asked him a little gruffly and Aike could clearly hear the tone he used; it was as if he was already annoying Howie and represented nothing in his eyes.

So, Aike kept his eyes on the ground, afraid to meet Howie's gaze and read pity or something else related to pity in it.