Chapter 24

Aiden didn't know how he got home.

One moment, he was standing alone, lost in the night. The next, he was in front of his house, his legs aching as if he had walked for hours, though he couldn't remember a single step.

He stood at the entrance motionless. His mother was the first to notice him.

"Aiden!" she gasped, rushing toward him. "Where have you been? Do you know how late it is?!"

Her voice was sharp with worry, but Aiden didn't react. He didn't blink or breathe.

"Aiden, I'm talking to you!" She scolded him, but then she paused, noticing something was wrong. Her brows furrowed and she stepped closer to him, cupping his cold face with her warm hands. "What happened to my baby? Aiden, talk to me."

But Aiden didn't react. She gently shook him, panic creeping into her voice. "Aiden? Baby, say something. You're scaring your mom."

Finally, his lifeless eyes flickered up to meet hers. And then, suddenly tears filled them. Her heart dropped seeing them. But before she could say another word, Aiden's knees buckled beneath him.

"Aiden!" she yelped, trying to catch him, but he was too heavy. His body collapsed against her, and she struggled to keep him upright. "Honey! Come here fast!" she cried out as she turned toward the kitchen.

His father was making dinner, humming to himself as he stirred the pot. At her urgent tone, he immediately turned and his eyes widening at the sight of his wife holding their sobbing son.

"Aiden?! What happened?" He dropped the spoon and rushed over. Aiden was clung to his mother, his fingers digging into her sweater and his face buried in her shoulder. She rubbed his back desperately. "Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?"

His father knelt beside them too, gently grasping Aiden's arm. "Son, talk to us. Are you okay?"

Aiden choked on his sobs, barely able to breathe between them. He shook his head violently. After a while, he gasped out a single name.

"H-Hunter…"

His parents exchanged a look. His mother's brows knitted together, and his father's lips pressed into a thin line.

"What about Hunter?" his father asked cautiously. "Is he okay?"

"H-He told me—" Aiden shook his head again as he wailed, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. "He told me not to ever talk to him again. Or—or even show my face."

"W-What?" his mother whispered, stroking his hair frantically. "Hunter told you that? That doesn't make sense, sweetheart. Hunter cares about you so much."

"I'm not lying! He…h-he said I disgust him now!" Aiden sobbed while defending himself desperately. 

His mother froze. His father let out a slow sigh, his expression tight with understanding. They both knew how much Hunter cared for their son. They thought of Hunter as their own, the boy who had always been Aiden's shadow, protector, best friend. For him to say something so cruel…

Something must have happened. 

"I'm not saying you're lying. Okay, baby, just breathe," his mother whispered, rocking him gently. "Just breathe and tell us everything. What happened between you two?"

But Aiden was inconsolable. "I d-don't want him to hate me," he hiccupped. "I c-can't live without talking to Hunter…or…without seeing him. I c-can't…." 

His mother's heart ached seeing him cry so badly. She kissed his forehead, her hands never stopping their soothing strokes down his back. "Shh, sweetheart, we'll figure this out, alright. Just tell us what happened first."

Aiden sniffled hard, trying to catch his breath. "I—I was trying to save Hunter," he finally choked out.

His father's brows lifted. "Save him? From what?"

"The bullies! I didn't want them to come after him. S-So I…I…" Aiden swallowed the lump in his throat, his face twisting in guilt. "I let them bully Casen instead."

His mother's lips parted in shock. His father sat back slightly, rubbing his chin.

"And Hunter got mad," his father muttered, as if piecing everything together.

Aiden nodded frantically. "B-But Hunter is my friend!" he sobbed. "Why did he take that boy's side?!"

His father let out a deep sigh. "Hunter didn't take that boy's side, Aiden. He took the right side."

Aiden's teary eyes widened. "W-What? Are you taking his side too–"

"I'm not taking anybody's side," His father wiped away a tear from Aiden's cheek and pulled him into an embrace, switching places with his mother. "Hunter is an intelligent and kind boy. If you didn't help that kid Casen, then of course, Hunter got angry. That's just who he is."

Aiden gripped his father's shirt, his lips trembling as his little brain tried to make sense of those words. "But I wanted to save Hunter, dad." 

His father smiled softly to his child. "Did you tell Hunter that, buddy?"

Aiden's body stiffened as he comprehended his words. He slowly shook his head. "I…I didn't get the chance." 

His father and mother exchanged another glance. His mother cupped his cheeks again. "Then the first thing you should do when you meet Hunter again is tell him that." 

Aiden sniffled. "B-But…what if he still doesn't want to be my friend?"

His mother's expression softened. She ran a hand through his messy hair, tucking it behind his ear. "Oh, sweetheart, I know Hunter. And I know you. The two of you are like magnets. No matter how much you fight, no matter how far apart you go…you'll always find your way back to each other."

Aiden sniffled harder, staring at her with his big, teary eyes. "R-Really?" 

His mother smiled and kissed his forehead. "Really."

His father ruffled his hair with a grin. "You just have to be honest with him, kiddo. And I'm sure he'll understand you." 

Aiden let out a small hiccup, wiping his eyes. His heart still hurts a lot. "Then, I'll tell him everything tomorrow." 

◾◾◾

Casen's eyelids fluttered open. His vision was blurry and his body felt heavy while a dull ache wrapped around his entire being like a second skin. He smelled antiseptic. His ears picked up faint murmurs, footsteps outside the room, and the distant hum of medical equipment.

Where…? His gaze drifted down to his arms. Bandages.

His arms, his wrists and almost his entire body was wrapped in white. Tubes ran from his hands, an IV dripping slowly beside him. His small chest rose and fell, but each breath felt foreign to him. 

And suddenly, he remembered everything. The bathroom. The cold tiles beneath him when he was getting brutally beaten nonstop. The laughter and shoves that left him bloody and broken. The overwhelming pain he prayed could go away but it never did. And then when he couldn't take it anymore, his only help left was his…blade.

No! His heart slammed against his ribs. His body tensed up as his breathing became shaky. His fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms as his mind screamed one thing—Why? Why is he still alive? 

Wasn't he supposed to be dead? He made sure of it that he never wakes up again. He wanted—no, begged—for it to end. But then why is he alive again? 

"No…" his voice came out hoarse as he rose up forcefully. "No—No!"

His breathing turned frantic. His fingers scrambled at the IV line, yanking it out, a sharp pain shooting up his arm as blood dribbled from the spot. He reached for the heart monitor next, ripping off the sticky electrodes attached to his chest.

The machine blared an alarm. His body jerked forward, trying to escape, his legs tangling with the sheets. He just wanted to get out of here and end everything. 

The nurses entered and immediately tried to stop him. "No! Let me go!" 

"Please, calm down—" Hands grabbed at him which made him flinch violently, making him thrashing against them more violently.

"Let me go! I don't want to live!" Tears blurred his vision and his much smaller and weaker body fought against their grasp. "Stop! Please!" He felt suffocated, feeling more hands holding him down. He struggled to breath and fought the urge to not pass out again. 

"Fucking let him go!" A deep voice cut through the chaos making everyone and everything stop. 

The nurses stopped instantly and turned to look. While panting aggressively, Casen turned his face to look at the person. When his vision got cleared he saw Sam standing at the door. 

"Step back." Sam firmly asked the nurses with a dreadful look. 

One of the nurses hesitated. "But—"

"You're scaring him more," Sam let out, he seemed to be having trouble controlling his rage at these nurses, but the way his hands curled into fists at his sides showed his inner disruption. "Just…move aside from him and give him some space to breathe."

The nurses hesitated but reluctantly obeyed. Casen's body was still tense and ready to fight. His eyes were wild, filled with pain and fear.

Sam looked at him and took careful steps towards him all while keeping his gaze locked with Casen's.

"Casen," he said softly, like he was speaking to someone fragile and breakable. Casen felt cold chills hearing that tone. All he wanted to do was move or even run.

But Sam reached him first before he could do so. In one fast motion, strong arms wrapped around him and Casen struggled like it's the end of the world. 

"Let me go!" he sobbed, his fists beating weakly against Sam's chest. "Why are you stopping me?! Just let me—"

"Stop. Casen, please," But Casen only struggled harder. So, Sam held him tighter. His arms wrapped around Casen's fragile frame. His grip was firm but not suffocating like the nurses. Casen, angry and desperate, dug his nails into Sam's arm, deep enough to hurt him. It made Sam winced but he still didn't let go of him. 

Instead, he held Casen closer. Casen lifted his head when he got tired fighting, tears streaking down his pale face, his eyes burning with hurt and unimaginable agony.

"Why?" Casen asked softly and hopelessly. His eyes, though filled with tears, were dull, as if there wasn't any life left in them. "You h-hate me too, don't you? So w-why are you s-stopping me?"

Sam's entire body stiffened at his words. A sharp pain stabbed through his chest. He looked at Casen—truly looked at him. The boy in his arms was broken, shaking, drowning in a pain Sam had ignored for too long. Sam felt like he couldn't breathe too.

His throat tightened and his hands trembled slightly as he reached up and cupped Casen's tear-streaked face. 

"Not anymore. I won't pretend to hate you anymore," Sam murmured tenderly, his thumb brushing against Casen's cold cheek. "I was a fool, Casen. I was blinded by my own anger, and I didn't see—" His voice broke. "I didn't see what they were doing to you."

Casen let out a shaky sob, his whole body finally going limp against Sam. For so long, he had begged for Sam to forgive him. And now that Sam was finally saying the words.

It felt too late.

"You're only saying this b-because I tried to die," Casen gave him a hurtful look which broke his heart. Sam shook his head instantly.

"No, I was just an idiot. But I see everything now. Casen, you…you are and always will be my friend." Casen let out a soft, broken sound. Sam pressed their foreheads together, his grip on Casen was gentle but determined. "I should have protected you. I should have seen it but I didn't. And I'll never forgive myself for that. But not anymore. I won't let anyone lay a finger on you ever again."

Casen's lips trembled so Sam pulled back slightly to look in his eyes to speak his next words. "Can you trust me? Just this once please? Promise me you won't try something like this again. You won't hurt yourself."

Casen lowered his gaze when he couldn't take Sam's gaze anymore. "I don't trust you. I know y-you'll leave me again."

Sam felt something inside him shatter. But he didn't give up. Instead, he suddenly lifted Casen into his arms. Casen let out a small gasp, his hands instinctively grabbing onto Sam's shirt.

Sam carried him carefully before gently placing him back onto the hospital bed. Casen stared at him, speechless. Sam looked in his eyes as his eyes burned with passion. 

"I won't ever let you go again," his voice was soft but he was dead serious. "Whether you like it or not."

Casen's lips parted in shock, eyes still glistening with fresh tears. Before he could respond, Sam turned to the nurses while taking Casen's hands into his. 

"Put the IV back in. I'll hold him. He won't fight anymore."

As the nurses moved, Casen just…stared at Sam.

For the first time in a long, long time. 

Until a quiet knock on the door made him flinch.