Chapter 33

Casen looked lost in his own thoughts. "He uploaded a picture of us kissing online. Of course, only I was recognizable. My family kicked me out when they found out I was gay. I spent days on the streets before my aunt found me. She helped me transfer schools, but the rumors followed me there. The bullying got worse and I started…started h-hurting myself in secret when I couldn't take it anymore. Then…I found out Sam was at my new school." He smiled faintly. "I was extremely happy. But when I tried to talk to him, he pushed me away. And that made me realise how much he cares about me." 

Hunter frowned. "Because he pushed you away." Casen let out a chuckle making Hunter more confused. "Why are you laughing?" 

Casen shook his head, the corner of his lips tugging into a wide smile. "Even when Sam was pushing me away, I could see the worry and relief in his eyes. Even when he was angry, even when he said he didn't want anything to do with me…his eyes told a different story. That's when I realized who my real friend was."

Hunter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He scoffed and looked away. "Not everyone is like Sam."

Casen tilted his head and the grumpy boy for a moment. Hunter's eyes snapped back at him when Casen rested his hand against his shoulder. 

"I know you think Aiden won't forgive you for whatever reason he's angry with you right now. But I've seen the way he looks at you. People don't just stop caring overnight."

Hunter clenched his jaw as if he was barely holding himself back. "You don't know what I did. My mistake is forgivable. He looked at me like I was a monster."

Casen could tell something serious happened between them yet he wanted them to make it up. "Maybe he was hurt. Maybe he was scared. But that doesn't erase everything else. You know, sometimes we hurt the people we care about the most. Not because we want to…but because we're scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Of losing them."

Hunter inhaled sharply, his chest aching with the meaning of those words. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of Aiden's face. Casen rested a gentle hand on his arm snapping him back to reality. 

"Don't give up on him. If there's even the smallest chance that he still cares…isn't that worth fighting for?"

Hunter wanted to believe that. But after everything…could Aiden ever forgive him like how Casen was telling them. He wanted so badly to believe him. But after what Hunter had done…after the things he said…

Maybe some things couldn't be forgiven.

"Casey, I'm back!" Sam announced excitedly as he slammed the door open. But his eyes instantly narrowed and his smile dropped when he saw Casen's hand resting on Hunter's shoulder. 

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he glared at Hunter like he'd personally offended him. Hunter caught the look right away and crossed his arms unimpressed. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" 

Before Sam could respond, Casen looked up and his face lit up like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky. "Sam!" he chirped, practically bouncing in his bed to reach for him. His book slid off his lap as he grinned wide. 

Hunter scoffed. "Since you're here, I'll get going." He shoved his hands in his pockets, sparing Casen a glance before heading out. "Try not to kill yourself while I'm gone."

Casen pouted. "I'm not that clumsy. And you, don't forget to put a bandage on your hands."

But Hunter was already gone. The moment the door clicked shut, Casen turned to Sam and pounced happily. 

"Sam!" He wrapped his arms around Sam's neck, squeezing him tightly. Sam stumbled forward slightly, catching him just in time. "You're finally here! I was bored out of my mind!" Casen buried his face in Sam's neck, rubbing against him like a cat seeking warmth.

"O-oi! What's gotten into you?" Sam's heart nearly exploded out of his chest. His arms instinctively tightened around Casen to hold him closer. His voice came out more gruffer than he intended but Casen just hummed happily.

"You smell nice," Casen mumbled while enjoying his moment with eyes half-closed. "Like...sunshine and mint."

Sam's face turned bright red. "I—I do not!" He gently tried to pry Casen off him but Casen clung tighter.

As much as Sam wanted to stay like this forever, his mind kept replaying the sight of Casen's hand on Hunter's shoulder. His grip unconsciously tightened around Casen. 

"Why were you holding Hunter like that?" he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Casen pulled back and blinked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sam clenched his jaw and tried to keep his tone normal. "You two looked close."

"Well, yeah. Hunter is my friend now. He was just keeping me company. You don't have to get all grumpy about it. You're still my best friend." 

Sam felt his stomach twist. He gently picked Casen up and placed him back on the bed, trying to keep his face neutral. "I'm not grumpy. But you just have to be careful."

Casen giggled, curling up with his blanket. His eyes shined bright as he teased. "You're cute when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" Sam snapped furiously though his face was burning. But as he watched Casen from the corner of his eye, laughing softly and hugging his pillow, Sam felt something shift inside him. The way Casen looked at him, the warmth in his eyes, the way his heart raced whenever Casen got close to him. 

It hit him like a punch to the gut. He liked him.

And now, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Ah!" A choked gasp escaped Casen's lips which sounded like a flutter of something of akin to fear when Sam pushed him back onto the mattress. The air left Casen's lungs in a soft and disbelieving puff as he found himself pinned beneath Sam. Sam's dark shadow hovered over him with his arms caging around Casen, trapping him in a space that suddenly felt impossibly small. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird desperately trying to escape.

"You totally are," Casen teased a shaky whisper, a desperate attempt to inject a playful tone into a situation that suddenly turned intensely serious. He tried to maintain a facade of innocence, but the tremor in his voice betrayed his unease. He wiggled his fingers and poked at Sam's sides in hopes to diffuse some tension but only succeeded in making the taller boy's muscles tense further beneath his touch. "You're totally jealous 'cause Hunter is also my friend now." 

"I'm not jealous," Sam growled low in his throat. He grabbed Casen's wrists and pinned them above his head with one hand. Casen made a surprised noise as his breath hitched in his throat. Sam lowered his face causing their faces to become closer, his hot breath tingled against Casen's cheek.

"So, don't provoke me. I'm not jealous because you're friends with him. I'm jealous because…" He hesitated before finally letting out his confession. "Because I think you like him."

Casen's eyes widened as he wondered what kind of situation he got himself in. "W-what?"

With intense eyes, Sam increased the pressure around Casen's wrist making the difference clear between their bodies. Casen looked like a scared rabbit under Sam's huge figure. Sam's free hand slowly slides down to rest on Casen's throat where his thumb lightly rubbed against Casen's soft skin. Casen shivered from his touch as the graze was both terrifying and strangely intoxicating. 

"I don't want you to like Hunter," Sam admitted, his eyes obsessively boring into Casen's. "I don't want you to like anyone else besides me."

Maybe it was Sam's words or maybe it was heat coming from Sam but Casen forgot to breathe. All the poor boy could do was stare upwards and watch the possessive hunger in Sam's eyes. "S-Sam…"

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Sam let out a tortured groan as his face lowered closer, now their noses were almost brushing. "But every time I see you smile at someone else, every time you look at someone that isn't me…I hate it." His thumb stroked Casen's throat again slowly like he was trying to memorize the feeling or to imprint his touch on Casen. "I want you to look at me. Only me."

Casen felt like his brain short-circuited. His entire body burned under Sam's touch and his eyes fluttered shut for a moment from the unwelcome desires, his lips parted on their own as if he wanted to feel more of Sam's hot breath. Taking it as a silence invitation Sam gulped as his eyes landed on Casen's parted pink lips which seemed very soft and inviting. 

But just as Sam's lips brushed against his, the door creaked open.

"Knock, knock," a cheerful voice rang out making the both boys froze. Casen's eyes snapped open in panic and he shoved Sam off him with a yelp. Sam stumbled back, face angry at the interruption as the nurse entered holding a clipboard in her hands. She raised a brow at the two boys and suspiciously glanced between Casen's flushed face and Sam's disheveled appearance.

"Uh…" Casen struggled to sit up as he tugged his blanket over himself like it could somehow save his embarrassment. "W-we weren't—I mean, he was just—!"

The nurse gave him a knowing smirk. "Relax, sweetheart. Just keep the extracurricular activities outside the hospital bed, okay?"

Casen's face turned crimson. "W-we weren't doing anything!"

The nurse chuckled. "Sure, sure." She flipped through her clipboard. "Anyway, I came to check your vitals. There's a change in your medication." She glanced at Sam. "Could you go pick it up from the front desk?"

Sam cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided Casen's wide-eyed stare. "Y-yeah. I'll go get it." 

Without another word, he practically bolted from the room. Casen watched him leave, his heart still racing. He buried his face in his hands, blushing hard. 

The nurse chuckled again. "Young love."

◾◾◾

Hunter stepped out of the pharmacy with some bandages and meds. He was so lost in his head that he barely registered the person he collided with until a sharp voice snapped at him.

"Watch where you're going, fucker."

Hunter's head jerked up hurriedly as he recognised the voice within a second. It was like a trigger pulled in his brain. His eyes locked onto the hooded figure stumbling past him, clutching a small paper bag from the pharmacy. The guy's hood was pulled low over his face covering most of his face but Hunter didn't need to see his face to know who it was. 

"Aiden?" As if his mouth got a brain of its own he called out before he could stop himself. 

The figure stopped walking, his whole stiffened for a while before he began to walk again, faster this time. 

Hunter stood frozen at the spot. It had been days since he last saw him. Days of guilt, of avoiding places where he might accidentally run into Aiden, telling himself Aiden was better off not seeing him. But now, seeing Aiden right in front of him, Hunter's body moved on its own. He was desperate to catch just a glimpse of the boy he missed for days. 

"Aiden, wait!"

Aiden tried to run faster with his little legs but Hunter easily caught up to him and grabbed his arm, eyes darting to the paper bag in Aiden's hand. "What's with the meds? Who are they for?"

Aiden yanked his arm back. "None of your business!"

The sudden movement knocked Aiden off balance, making him wince as his leg buckled slightly. Hunter noticed the limp immediately. "Are you hurt? What happened?" 

"Nothing happened," Aiden tried to shove past Hunter again but Hunter grabbed his arm, spinning him around this time. "Let go!" Aiden struggled, but Hunter was stronger than him which made it harder to fight. In the scuffle, Aiden's hood slipped back, the cap falling back. 

Hunter's breath caught in his throat when he saw Aiden's face. His bottom lip was split, dried blood crusting at the edges. A dark purple bruise spread across his cheekbone, swelling his eye nearly shut. There was a small cut just above his brow, and faint finger-shaped bruises peeked out from beneath the collar of his hoodie. He looked…wrecked.

"What the fuck…" Hunter was stunned beyond words. He pulled Aiden closer to get a clear look. "Who did this to you?"

But Aiden shoved him away angrily. "Why do you care?" he looked away, wrapping his arms around himself as if that could keep Hunter out. "You're the last person I want pity from."

"Aiden…" He reached out but Aiden flinched. Hunter's heart clenched painfully. He grabbed Aiden again, this time gentler, his fingers curling around Aiden's wrist. "Tell me who did this. Was it the bullies?"

Aiden didn't want to confirm him but the way he flinched at the mention of those bullies, he remembered how they beat. And his reaction was enough for Hunter to lose his sanity. 

"I'll fucking kill them."

Aiden blinked at the way Hunter was fuming over him but he ripped his hand away. "No, you won't! Who do you think you are? My hero? "You…you're the one who scared me the most. More than those bullies." 

Hunter felt like he'd been punched at those words. "Aiden…"

"No!" Aiden backed away from him, his eyes burned with betrayal and pain. Hunter felt his stomach churned in knots as this was the first time he saw Aiden looking at him with that expression. "Just stay away from me. And I will too like you wanted." 

Hunter blinked. "What?" 

Aiden greeted his teeth. "You think I'm a fool who doesn't understand anything. You pulled that stunt that day to make me away from you, didn't you. Well, asshole let me tell you something I'll not run away no matter what you do? And if you try something like that again, I'll punch into different dimensions. But I swear to my ancestors I'm not leaving you ever." 

Hunter was too stunned to speak. 

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