Elliot POV

"Elliot, truth or dare?"

I sighed. Nick, my best friend, had convinced me to play truth or dare with him, his girlfriend Cassie, and our other friend Mason. The problem was that truth or dare with Nick could get really dangerous. He believed in going big or going home. That mentality is what led me to sitting on his bedroom floor without a shirt on.

"He's going to chicken out again," Cassie joked.

"Ha ha," I grumbled, "truth."

Nick rubbed his chin, his green eyes glowing with mischievous intention behind black hair. "Gay, bi, or straight?"

Daggers shot from my eyes in his general direction. He knew my sexual preference, and he knew I didn't need to share it with Cassie or Mason. If I didn't answer or lie, I would be subjected to a punishment decided by Nick. I glared at him, receiving a laugh in response.

"Gay," I said under my breath.

"I'm sorry," Nick chuckled. "What was that?"

"Gay, moron," I said loud enough for the room to hear. "Mason, truth or dare?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Cassie cut in. "You can't just come out and move on with life."

"I can and I did," I retorted darkly. I turned back to Mason, "Truth or dare?"

"I'm with Cassie on this," Mason shrugged. "We're your best friends. I think we deserve more details."

"He's right," Nick grinned. "We promise that whatever you say here shall stay secret."

I debated it for a moment, and then sighed in defeat. "Ask away."

A flurry of questions later, they learned that I realized that I was gay back in eighth grade, nearly three years ago. Through Nick's prodding, they discovered that I had small crushes, but I wasn't actually interested in anyone at the moment. I was about to go when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and read the text message.

"I've got to go," I announced. I grabbed my shirt and pulled it over my dirty blond hair. "We will play again."

Nick groaned jokingly, falling back on his bed. "Alright then, gang. Keep an eye out for my text about our next get together. And remember, anything you heard here stays here."

My friends waved goodbye and I left the room. I said farewell to Nick's dad and went out of the house to where my mom was parked. She smiled when I slid into the car.

"Anything exciting happen?"

"Not really," I answered in a half truth. "We sat around and talked." My mom nodded and drove off, leaving me with my thoughts.

Nick's text for another game came a few days later. He set the date for that Friday night, and somehow got permission to have an overnighter. At the moment, it was just him and Mason. Cassie's mom wouldn't let her stay the night, but was willing to let her stay late. My mom was okay with letting me stay the night. She was working a double shift at a hotel and wouldn't be home. She was glad I had a place to go.

She dropped me off early after school and waved goodbye and told me to behave. I knocked on Nick's door, and he opened it with his hair sticking out in spikes.

"Hey," he grinned. "Tonight's going to be fun."

"Hopefully," I agreed. "Am I late or what?"

"You're on time. Everyone else is just early. Go throw your stuff down stairs and meet me in my room."

As he bounded up the stairs, I was reminded of how much money Nick's family had compared to mine. I threw the thoughts from my mind and dropped my bag on a couch in the basement. I went into Nick's room and ran face first into a kissing couple.

Cassie and Nick broke apart, laughing. I blushed and moved past them to sit down next to Mason. "Dear gods, I think I'm going to die."

"Chill out," Nick laughed, plopping on his bed. "We were going to see how you reacted to this."

"Shut up," I turned a darker shade of red. "Weren't we going to play a game?" The gathered group laughed and we launched into a new game. It was pretty tame compared to the way we usually played. Dinner came and went, with nick coming up with more creative truths and dares. Around ten, Cassie announced she was leaving. She kissed Nick on the cheek before she skipped off merrily. The moment she was out of the room, Nick looked at me and Mason.

It s time to get serious. He said, lowering his voice. "It's my turn. Mason, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Take your shirt off."

This was the game I recalled. We continued like this for two hours. At midnight, we all had our shirts off and were doing stupid things. We had drawn a smiley face on Nick's chest, I had socks on my ears, and Mason's hair was still dripping wet. We were all laughing hysterically as Mason took his turn.

"Elliot, truth or dare?"

"Truth," I answered, laughing.

"Would you ever go on a date with some dude from our school?" He asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Don't know," I answered simply. "Maybe if I liked them and they were nice. I don't know, really. Nick, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Um," I looked around the room for inspiration. My eyes landed on the pile of comic books in the corner. "Pretend to be the lamest superhero ever for five minutes."

Nick shrugged and grabbed a blanket. He tied it around his neck for his cape and ran around the room. He tripped, fell, and swore a lot as he pretended. When five minutes passed, he sat down on his bed and smiled widely.

"Elliot, truth or dare?"

"Dare," I answered confidently.

"Do you know that short boy in the art club? The one with the brownish hair?"

"Isaac Taylor the freshman?"

"No," Nick tapped his leg, trying to remember, "It's the sophomore that runs track."

"Daniel Erikson?"

"Yeah, him," Nick paused, cautious to continue with his dare. "I dare you to ask him out on a date. If he says yes, you actually have to take him on the date."

I was stunned. Nick knew I wasn't sure if wanted to date someone. I was fairly certain that I had just said that. So what the hell was Nick thinking? Mason smiled, and I had a feeling he was siding with Nick for this. I glared at them.

"If you do this," Mason chimed in, "you can have three dares against Nick and me."

"So if I accept this," I said slowly, "what would I do?"

Mason answered, "You could always take him bowling. It's fun."

"Bowling," Nick and I said at the same time.

Nick nodded his head slowly, "Sure, take him bowling. That s always a good date."

"But I don't want to inadvertently out him too, if he's gay. And if he s not gay, I don t want him to spread the rumor that I'm gay. You see my problem, Nick?"

"I guess so," Nick admitted. "But we think he's gay, or at least bi. So ask him on a group date with Cassie and me. People won't question it if it's the four of us, and Mason can come. It will just look like we re adding more friends to our group.

I thought for a moment. "I'll take Mason s bribe, and you two have to kiss if I get him to go out with me."

Daniel POV

It s hard being gay in a homophobic environment, I thought as I walked out of my foster parents house. Between those two hating on gays and the morons at school, I was trapped in a damn closet. Not that I wanted to leave it. People at school laughed at anyone who came out. I didn t want that to happen to me. I couldn't deal with that, not alone.

I ran to school, passing a few of the soccer boys on my way to the gym. It was track season, and I had practice after school. I walked into the boy s locker room to drop my practice gear into my gym locker. A freshman on the soccer team, Jack Frost was his name, nodded in my direction. He was the only one to acknowledge that I had even come into the room, and I was grateful. He was cute, in a pale sort of way. But I was into tan, dirty blonds. A specific tan, dirty blond, with the most beautiful of gray eyes.

"Stop it, Daniel," I chided myself as I stuffed my bag into my locker. This isn't the time or place to be thinking about him. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught by the other guys in here thinking about a guy.

"Erikson," I turned around. Frost was standing against the lockers, I pale eyebrow raised. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I lied smoothly.

He looked at me strangely before nodding and walking away. I mentally slapped myself for being such a full blown idiot. Jack Frost called me out because I was day dreaming about my crush.

The junior I was crushing on had three out of eight classes with me, and we shared lunch hour. While I was in art club, I would just sit and watch him with his friends. I really wanted to have gym with him, just so I could watch him more.

Damn, that was really perverted.

If this was the way my morning was going, I was sure that the rest of my day would be long and tortured with thoughts of gray eyes.

The day passed slowly. The only class I had with him before lunch, Classic Mythology with Mr. Kanter, had him staring unfocusedly at the clock. Something was bothering him, and it was going to happen at some point today. No one was that anxious normally.

Lunch arrived and I found myself sitting at the table right next to my gray eyed crush. I was exhausted from keeping my thoughts masked. The track kids I was sitting with started making jokes. I relaxed and started laughing along. I jumped when someone poked my back.

I turned around and saw myself staring at the stormy gray eyes of Elliot James. My mouth forgot how to work. That the hell was he doing here? Was he going to kill me? Oh my gods, was he going to talk to me?

"Daniel Erikson?"

"Hi." STUPID IDIOT! Why can't I just talk to him like I d talk to anyone else?

"Can I talk to you somewhere privately?" His voice rang out, but shook with nervous energy. Elliot was anxious, like he was expecting something bad to happen. "It's a homework question, and it's loud in here."

My hopes deflated. All the crazy scenarios that had been running through my head shattered instantly. I nodded and stood up. I followed Elliot out of the cafeteria. I expected him to stop there, but he kept walking into an empty classroom.

"What's your question?" I asked softly.

Elliot met my eyes, a terrified expression deep within them. "Swear to me that whatever happens in this room won t spread through the school."

"This is about homework."

"It's not about my damn homework," Elliot snapped. "Just swear to me that you won't tell anybody else."

"Your grades can t be that bad," I joked.

"Swear it," He stared at me, his eyes frantic.

"I swear."

His face relaxed, his calm features reappearing and his eyes softened. "I don't know how to ask you this, or how to say it, but," his voice dropped to a whisper. "Gods, I can t believe I m telling you this, but I m gay."

In that moment, everything stopped. I couldn't take a full breath, I couldn't stop staring. I couldn't function properly. I was just staring at my crush who just out in front of me. There were no words to properly explain what I was feeling.

"Please say something," Elliot whimpered.

My brain kicked in and brought me back to reality. I grinned and threw my arms around his neck. He smelled amazing, just like the smell of the world right after rain. Elliot stiffened underneath me.

My arms let go of him and I took a few steps back and blushed deeply. "Sorry, I got carried away. I m gay too."

Elliot paled slightly, like he was hoping that I wouldn't react this way. But that was just for a moment, and then he burst into a smile. It was heartwarming. His smile could illuminate the darkest night.

"Would you, Daniel Erikson, do me the honor of going out with me this Friday? We could go bowling with Nick and Cassie."

"Who?"

Elliot just laughed. "They're my closest friends and they know I m gay. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we tagged along for a date."

I smiled and nodded. "Sure, but we can't tell my foster parents. They re kind of homophobic."

"Oh," Elliot seemed shocked by that revelation. He smiled, "Then we shouldn't tell them you re going out with me."

Elliot POV

Five dates later, putting us in late October, Daniel was leaning into my chest with my arm wrapped tightly around him. We were sitting in Nick s bedroom, surrounded by my friends and I was sitting with my boyfriend.

Boyfriend, I loved that.

Cassie and Nick were mimicking our position, and Mason was texting a girl he met a few days ago. Everything was at peace, and Daniel was finally used to everything I did. He was still terrified to come out to his foster parents, and I believed him. They were jerks.

"Hey Elliot, you still have two dares on Mason and me. You want to play again?"

Daniel s brow wrinkled and looked up at me, "Dares? What is he talking about?"

"Nick believes in playing truth or dare when we're together and he's bored," I explained. "He dared me to do something and I agreed to do it if they let me have three dares against them."

"What did you do to get three dares?" He asked.

I exchanged looks with Nick and Mason. Telling Daniel that I only asked him out initially because I was dared to would only lead to trouble. I was certain that he would hate me.

"Elliot?" Daniel asked, fear creeping into his voice.

"I'll tell you later," I answered softly and kissed the top of his brown hair. We hadn't even had a first kiss yet, and I felt like was going to lose him. "Do you want to play truth or dare? I'll give you a dare on both Mason and Nick, so we'll share the dares."

Daniel unhooked himself from me and sat up straight. "Sure, why not. And I'll take your offer."

Nick clapped his hands joyfully. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Remember to play nice," Cassie joked, elbowing Nick's sides. "Don't get too inappropriate."

"Is it that bad?" Daniel asked

"Not usually," I lied. "Just stupid things and random truths."

Daniel shifted in his seat. "Alright, I'm in. Who goes first?"

Mason looked up as he realized we were playing the game, "Usually whoever initiated the game. So, it s Nick who goes first. We should end in a few hours, though. I heard a storm is coming."

"Whatever," Daniel muttered.

"Well then," Nick laughed evilly. "Daniel, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you and Elliot made out yet?" He asked.

I'm sure Daniel went as dark red as I did. He buried his head in my shoulder and squeaked out, "No." Nick just laughed at our expense. When he calmed down and the warmth left my cheeks, Daniel continued the game.

"Nick, truth or dare?"

"Dare," he responded cockily. "I can take whatever you dish out."

A dark smile was plastered across Daniel's face. For a moment, I was worried that I was dating an evil mastermind that was perfectly capable of destroying the universe.

"Really? I dare you to..." He looked at me for help. I knew it, Daniel was far too nice to cause damage. I laughed and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened when he heard my idea. "He'd seriously do that? I like it."

"What are you planning?" Nick asked. Nick had plenty of experience dealing with my dares.

"I dare you to-"

Thunder and lightning exploded outside Nick's window, shaking the house. The light bulb in his room flickered on and off before flickering off permanently. It had been quite a while since the last power outage, and this was nice, if not sudden.

"Damn," Daniel whistled. "I should probably go to my house. My parents would get worried."

"Same," I stood and helped Daniel to his feet. "I brought an umbrella. I could walk you home."

Daniel kicked at the carpet, "What if-"

"I'm walking you home because it's raining and you're on my way home." I interrupted sternly. "That's what you can tell your parents."

Despite his best efforts, he still looked relived. "Okay. Bye guys, see you at school tomorrow."

They all said their goodbyes and Daniel and I began to walk home under my umbrella. Well, he was under the umbrella. It was a light rain, so I made Daniel walk underneath. We talked about nothing in particular, and I hoped that Daniel had forgotten about what was said at Nick's. When we were a few minutes away from his house, he brought it up.

"So what did you have to do?"

I sighed. The faint drizzle had stopped, for the moment. Daniel put the umbrella down and looked at me, his brown eyes pleading for an answer.

"You know I think you're amazing and handsome and wonderful, right?"

"Yes," Daniel answered immediately.

"You know I wouldn't want to hurt you, right?"

"Duh, Elliot. I love-" he paused, not finishing the sentence. "We re not breaking up, are we? Is our relationship based on a damn dare?"

"Not entirely," I whispered.

"What are you saying?" He asked. I heard his voice breaking, and I wasn't sure if it was because of rage or love.

"Nick dared me to ask you out for our first date," I admitted. "I'm glad I did it, though. I came out to them and they made me ask you out."

"Made you?" He yelled, "I had a crush on you, and when you asked me out I- I-"

He hit me with my umbrella again and again. Tears and sobs began to escape his small body. Betrayed brown eyes met mine, overwhelmed with emotions of hurt.

"I didn't mean it like that," I tried to backtrack, a try to recover. "I just meant that, Daniel, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Leave me alone," Daniel s voice had gone icy cold, his emotion of hate barely contained. His knuckles were white as they gripped the umbrella and the sky burst.

I watched Daniel run off in the stinging cold rain. He was gone, and he wasn t coming back. I think I got lost, because the next thing I knew, I was sitting on Nick s patio, crying. The door opened behind me and I heard Mason's voice behind me.

"Cassie just left," he announced. "Where s Daniel?"

Mason grabbed me and led me inside. Nick came out of the kitchen. He dropped the apple he was eating and looked at me. "Oh my gods, you told him the truth, didn't you?"

I nodded. "He broke up with me. I miss him, and it just happened. I want him back."

Nick grabbed my wet sleeve and brought me up to his room. He handed me a towel and sat on his bed. "I'm sorry."

A small idea began to burn in my mind. It could work, it was just crazy enough to work. "Nick, Mason, I dare you to help me."

2: White Tux and Roses

Daniel POV

I hated him. I would have sworn to anybody that I loved him. I would have done anything for him. But no, he only did this because of a damn dare. We had not spoken for a week, and it was now a Friday, the week before Halloween. Usually, Elliot and I would have a date night, but not tonight. I probably wouldn't have a date with him again.

How the hell did I let myself fall so fast and hard?

During school, it was difficult to not give into how I felt. Elliot was in three of my classes. I walked to school that morning, pulling my light jacket tighter around me. I was lost in my thoughts as I entered the locker room and threw my stuff in my locker. I hit my head against the metal and groaned. I was just upset. It needed to be the weekend so I could just spend the day in bed.

"Daniel?" It was Jackson Frost, standing at the end of the lockers. "I know you're not okay, so tell me what's wrong."

"My damn crush broke my heart," I spat. "Now leave me alone."

Frost stared at me before carefully walking towards me. He set his hand on my shoulder and gently enveloped me in a hug. "I'm sorry, just know that everything will be fine."

I pushed him off of me and went through the motions of the day. How could everything be okay now? I have been left broken hearted. Damn it.

I walked into the cafeteria, trying to avoid the gaze of my ex's friends. Right before I got in the lunch line, Nick and Mason grabbed my shoulders and led me to the center of the lunch room.

"Let go of me," I muttered.

They sat me down at a table. Nick looked at me, "One minute, that's all we need."

"Fine," I spat.

Nick whistled, and Elliot walked through the crowded cafeteria wearing a white tuxedo. The noisy cafeteria dropped to silence as he walked towards me, a single rose in his hands. I wanted to run, but I was paralyzed. He smiled, and stood on the lunch table in front of me and gathered everyone's attention.

"Daniel Erikson," he announced loudly, "I'm so glad that I asked you out a month ago. You make my life amazing. Your laugh, your smile, your everything just fills my life with light. I love you, Daniel. Will you be my boyfriend?"

Let me rephrase the silence from earlier. Earlier, silence was softer conversation of everyone eavesdropping on us while trying to not look like they were eavesdropping. Now, though, there was silence. You could hear the teacher across the hall rambling on about exponential equations.

I stood, shaking Mason and Nick off of me. Elliot offered me the rose. My mind was at war with itself. Elliot hurt me. He was like the rose he held, beauty and danger. I loved him, though. Pain didn't matter when love was in play.

"Of course," I whispered as I grabbed the rose. "I'm sorry."

"Quiet," Elliot grinned. "My fault."

I stood on my toes and kissed Elliot softly. "Love you."

Elliot POV

Daniel's lips pressed against mine. It was a brief kiss, but it broke my mind. I never realized how much I missed Daniel's warmth until it was gone. But this was fantastic because it meant that he forgave me. Daniel broke away and looked up at me, "Love you."

I took a deep breath in and pulled him into a hug. He nuzzled his head in my chest, and we stood there oblivious to what was being said around us. My Daniel was back, and no one would take him away from me.

"We just came out in the biggest way I could think of doing," I whispered in his ear. "The entire school will know by the end of the day. Are you okay with that?"

Daniel seemed in a daze as he looked up at me. "As long as I'm with you, I'll be fine."

"I love you," I broke the hug and grabbed his hand. "Come one, everybody's watching us."

Daniel turned bright red and looked around. He was fine with everyone knowing we were gay, but everyone watching us made him blush. I found that adorable. I laughed as I led Daniel out of the cafeteria. My friends followed us out.

Nick ran in front of us, laughing like a small child. Mason was smiling too, but was scanning the hallway. Cassie, though, was even giddier than Nick. She was cheering about having two "gay best friends." I was certain she had lost it. As my friends circled us, I realized that I had never met any of Daniel's friends.

"You guys are awesome," Nick said. "I'm glad you two made up. You're cool, Daniel. You can stick around."

"Thanks," Daniel answered. He looked at me, his eyes shimmering in the fluorescent lights. "You should take that off."

"Not in public," I joked. Daniel blushed again, shocked by my statement. "I'm kidding. I've got gym next period. I'll change then."

"Good," then he added in a whisper, "You look good in white."

I laughed, "Go and get lunch. I've got some things I need to take care of."

Daniel and my friends walked back into the cafeteria. My smile fell the second they left my vision. It wasn't until I admitted it to Daniel that we just came out that we were asking for trouble. How would the wrestling team react? How would Daniel's track go? Did I just ruin us? I prayed that I didn't.

I needed time to go and sort through my thoughts.

While I found school a nuisance at the best of times, there was one teacher who I would always go to for advice-Mr. Kanter. The old history and mythology teacher seemed to have advice for everything. I made it to his empty classroom and knocked on the door. a man in his fifties opened the door, smile lines etched into his weathered features. He was wearing an old tweed suit and smelled like liquorice, which he seemed to always have on hand. A silver pocket watch hung in his vest pocket.

"Hello," he said brightly. He smiled wider when he noticed my tuxedo. "I know I've told you to dress for success, but don't you think this is a bit of overkill?"

"Never," I smiled, "you just wish that you looked this good."

The teacher laughed, the deep sound filling the air. "I may be wrong, but I assume you have a reason to visit me during lunch other than talking about clothes. What is it you need?"

"It's kind of a personal thing," I admitted.

He nodded and stood aside, "Come in, then. Grab some liquorice and let's talk."

Twenty minutes later, Mr. Kanter sat behind his desk, nibbling on the remains of his lunch. "Your story reminds me of the stories of old."

"What?"

"Stories of star-crossed lovers, of course," he answered, as if it was a fact. "The stories of Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra, Aida and Radames, although that is more recent but it is set in Ancient Egypt, so I guess that counts. But the point is, two lovers standing against seemingly unbeatable challenges."

I raised my eyebrow, "Those stories all end in death."

"So will yours, eventually," he mused. "It's what you do to make the story immortal that makes it important."

"I'm lost. What makes what important?"

"Your story, Elliot James. You are one of the only openly gay students in the school, and one of two in a relationship. Your Daniel is the other. Together, you can become role models for others. You love the boy, correct?"

"Of course I do," I sighed, "but-"

Mr. Kanter slammed his fist onto the table. "There are no buts in love. You love him, and that's all that should matter. You have friends that support you. You're already doing good in the school. Just stay together, Elliot. You can inspire change. You can have a story about star-crossed lovers where the lovers beat the challenge and everyone lives. If you fight for it, you can have a happily ever after."

I was quiet. How many kids at this school were scared of being bullied for being gay? How many stopped feeling happiness because they didn't want to feel like an outcast?

Mr. Kanter looked up at the clock. "Time is on your side for this, Elliot. It will take a lot to have your happy ending, but it can be achieved. There is a time to fight and a time to love. Find support and give support. When you and your love stand together," he paused, an expression of hope filling his face, "Then who knows what will happen. Go to class, Elliot. Ignore the rumors and the hurt and the loss. If you lose your friends, perhaps they weren't your friends to begin with. Keep that in mind."

I stood, my heavy thoughts somewhat lightened by the teacher. "Thank you, Mr. Kanter."

"Go forth," he called as I left.

And then I walked into Hell.

"Fag," someone muttered off to my left. The word should have meant nothing to me, but it meant everything. I steeled my nerves and I walked into the locker room to change for gym.

The looks I received stung. More than a few of my acquaintances not so subtly moved away from me with looks of disgust. How could Daniel deal with this if I was having trouble dealing with it? How was I supposed to be a support for people if I didn't have that support? I wished that my friends were there with me.

I finished changing just in time to be surrounded by a group of senior boys. Each one was glaring at me, and I recognized the one in the middle, the wrestling team captain, Noah Craft.

"You were looking at us change," Noah snarled.

"I swear I wasn't." I took a step back and felt the cold metal against me.

"Liar," said the one on Noah's right. "We don't want any fags staring at us."

"I wasn't-"

Noah moved suddenly and I saw light in my left eye. The impact of his fist knocked my head back against the locker. I fell to my knees, disoriented. One of his friends held my head up. Through my good eye, I saw Noah smile, winding up for another punch. This one hit me right in my jaw and mouth. I could taste blood. Right before another blow landed, my saving grace came.

"Knock it off."

We all turned to see another junior standing at the edge of the stalls. I recognized him, but didn't know his name. He was larger than Noah, which gave Noah a moment of hesitation. Noah wiped his hand on my shirt, "We weren't doing anything he wasn't asking for."

Noah and his gang walked out of the locker room. Class was about to start, and I knew that there were other people in here. So why did only one person come to stop them? Speaking of the guy, he walked over to me and helped me to stand.

"Thank you," I slurred. My jaw killed, and I knew my lip was cut. He led me over to the sink, helping me keep my balance. He offered me a paper towel to help clean up the blood.

"I may not be alright with being gay," he said carefully, "but I'm not going to let someone treat another person like that." With that said, he turned and started to walk away.

"What's your name?"

He paused and shook his head. "I didn't help you."

"Well, if you ever need anything-"

"I won't."

Then he was gone. I was standing alone in the locker room, dabbing blood off of my shirt. Apparently, there were people who wanted to help fight the war, but only if they wouldn't get hurt. I winched when I touched the area around my eye. I completely understood why he wanted to stay out of it.

When I finally joined my class, the coach raised his eyebrows when he saw my appearance. "What happened, James?

I looked at the ground, "I'm a klutz, coach. I get hurt sometimes."

He believed me.

Daniel POV

I sat in the corner of the science room, sketching Elliot and me staring at the twilight sky, right when the sun set and the stars came out. I found that drawing was the best way to avoid the threats and comments directed at me. Teenagers were some of the cruelest people on the planet, and I was certain of that. I thanked the gods that Nick was in this class with me, otherwise I think I would have broken down and ran crying out of the room. A large part of me wondered how Elliot was doing in gym. I wouldn't see him again until the end of the day.

Luckily for me, Nick had invited us all back to his house for a glorified sleepover a week ago, and both Elliot and I had accepted. I was worried that the offer had been retracted when I broke up with, but he was just glad to see Elliot and me happy again and offered the invitation again. My foster parents thought it was an all-night study session, so they let me go. It also meant I got to spend more time with Elliot. I looked up at the clock. I had about a minute and a half before the final bell would ring.

It was the longest ninety seconds of my life. Nick spent the time bouncing in his seat, passing the time by flicking paper at people. I wished I was that crazy. Time probably passed quickly for him.

Eventually, the final bell rang and I launched myself out of the classroom. I made a beeline straight to my locker so I could dump my unneeded supplies. I was so glad that there wasn't any homework due on Monday. I opened my locker to see a small pile of papers fell out of my lockers. They weren't mine. I picked one up and read it.

Burn in hell, homo

I crumpled it up and kicked the papers around the hallway. No homophobic idiot was going to ruin my mood. I walked out of the school to find Mason and Elliot talking in hushed whispers. I snuck closer to them, so I could over hear their conversation.

"I don't care what you tell him. Just make something up." Elliot's voice was slurred and he sounded tired.

"That would just break his heart again," Mason argued.

"I know, but we can't tell Daniel about this." Elliot snapped, ending the argument.

It was time for me to say something. "We can't tell Daniel about what?"

Elliot jumped and turned around. He looked horrible. His eye was swollen shut and was turning purple. His lip was split and scabbing.

"Oh my gods, what happened to you?" I demanded.

"This is the result of raw, untainted, homophobic emotion," Elliot shrugged. "I feel better than I look, though. Come on, I guess I'm going to Nick's house now, with you."

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to him. I felt safe right here, safe and confident. Together, we would and could survive anything. Arm in arm, we walked out of the schools, ignoring the stares, glares and cat calls. When I was with Elliot, I was completely at peace, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

It's been a few months since the day Elliot shoved me out of the closet and into his arms. I came out to my foster parents later that week, and they beat the living hell out of me. That was a stark contrast to Elliot's mom's reaction. She decided to throw a "My Son Came Out of the Closest with his Boyfriend" party, complete with cake and our friends. Elliot's friends, actually, since none of my friends wanted anything to do with me outside of forced interaction.

Mama, or Mrs. Dean, kept my interest in art alive and stood behind me, even if she kept her distance. Elliot's Mr. Kanter actually got suspended because he wrote, "Love knows no gender" on his board during LGBT Pride week. The last I heard he was suing the school and the district for taking away his first amendment rights.

Beyond that, though, school sucks. Elliot and I got hurt a lot by stupid students in the school, and we would find each other and the comfort with each other. Other kids came out to us, or to the school, but no one was out quite as fantastic as our own coming out. Elliot and I became the go to for kids who have been betrayed by their friends and we would do what we could to direct the harm and hurt to ourselves. Elliot had decided that we could handle it better than they could.

He was right, of course. He believed in the power of love and friendship. He also believed in PDA. "If they hate us for being gay, then let's give them something to hate," He declared before kissing me one day in the lunch room.

It's idiotic and stupid, but he's my stupid idiot. I love him and he loves me. That's all I really needed in my life. Elliot and I looked forward with hope. Maybe we can help the next gay couple whenever they come out. They'll need it.

Elliot POV

"They'd be so cute together," Daniel whispered in my ear. "Can't you picture it?"

"Daniel," I sighed. We had entered the next year of school, my senior year and Daniel's junior year. We were sitting in the cafeteria and Daniel was bouncing in his cafeteria seat. I wrapped my arms around him. One of Daniel's goals this year was to get people together. And one of the duo he was shipping just walked out of the room. "You don't even know if they're gay."

"But I think they are, even if they haven't admitted it to themselves. My gay-dar is getting pretty good," he sounded so proud of himself.

"Nick's gaydar is better than yours," I joked, kissing his head. "Cassie's too. You are just lucky I asked you out, otherwise you wouldn't have said a word."

"So? I still have a gaydar," Daniel sighed. "Oh look! Isaac's going to the art room. The soccer team has an away game! I will solve this, Elliot. They will get together, or my name isn't Daniel James-Erikson!"

I choked on air and looked to see Daniel blushing bright red. "What makes you think my name will go first?"

"It sounded better that way," Daniel muttered under his breath. "Now lemme go. I need to pick Isaac's mind and find his true love!"

I let go of him and kissed his cheek. "Well then, Mr. James-Erikson, go and play matchmaker. But don't push too hard. Isaac is still young."

Daniel ran off and yelled, "Promise."

I rolled my eyes, "That's my silly boy."

3: Athlete and Artist

Isaac POV

I was lost. I sat in front of my canvas with absolutely no inspiration.

The door opened, but I didn't budge, still staring at the blank canvas.

"What's wrong?" Someone asked.

I didn't answer. I solemnly looked out to the empty soccer field.

"An away game?"

I looked down and grabbed a pencil. I began sketching. The grand slopes, the fresh powder and the cozy lodge where hot cocoa warms the soul.

I heard a chair slide over and felt a person staring over my shoulder. It wasn't an embarrassing picture, so I didn't mind. I had the rough outline done, so I set my pencil down and began painting.

My silent observer didn't so much a make a peep for at least an hour.

"Something's missing." He stated.

I scowered the painting, looking for the flaw. I saw nothing, there were ski paths, a chair lift, smoke bellowing from the lodge, the sun was setting, casting blue shadows all over the resort.

"Jack Frost."

I felt something catch in my throat and I began coughing harshly. I felt a panicked, yet gentle patting on the back as I struggled to breathe normally.

"Whoa! Sorry, didn't mean to catch you by surprise."

I looked up to see my observer was none other than the infamous Daniel Erikson. I scowled at him, but continued to cough.

"I just figured, all of your paintings and sketches thus far have been of him, I just thought he was missing." Daniel explained.

I finally regained a steady breathing pattern and took a moment to regain my composure.

"He's not supposed to be in the picture, but that doesn't mean he's not there," I explained back.

"Meaning?" Daniel coaxed on.

I sighed, his gaydar was working just fine, "Meaning this is the first place I remember seeing him. He's the reason I became an artist."

"I don't blame you, he's difficult to draw, let alone as well or as detailed as you do."

I blushed, there was no way I was telling him that Jack was too far away to see most of the time while I was drawing him. I was going off memory and basic movements he made during that particular practice.

"Don't tell me, you can draw him from memory, can't you?"

I turned and slammed my head down on the desk I set aside.

"Damn, I am going good at this."

Go away, is all I wanted to say, but can my mouth handle saying that? No!

"Okay, 20 questions. Yes or no only, whole truth and nothing but the truth, got it?" He demanded more than asked.

I grumbled a "fine," knowing I'd regret it.

"Are you gay?"

I popped up straight and spun around to give him my best death glare... Which probably looked like puppy dog eyes to him.

"I'll take that as a yes. Next question, do you like Jack Frost?"

My face flushed quickly and brightly.

"Also taken as a yes. Will you ask him out?"

I stared at him in disbelief and fear.

"I'll take that one as a no... Do you fantasize about him asking out and then kissing your virgin lips?"

I bit my bottom lip, blushing even more brightly.

"You know, I like this whole, you don't talk, but let your facials do the work, it's cute and kinda fun," Daniel teased. "If you were forced to choose your life or Jack's, would you jump in front of a bullet?"

Daniel stared at me, knowing I'd have to talk with this one...

"I-" I started.

"Ah ah ah, yes or no?"

I looked down at the floor and then back directly into Daniels eyes, "Yes."

Daniel froze, either shocked by my answer or how I said it. Possibly both, come to think of it.

I stared him in the eye for a moment longer before going back to my artwork.

"Wow... I can say that about Elliot now, but there's no way I would be in your situation and have said yes. I mean, you're not even sure of his sexual preference!"

"Jack is a good guy," I said, still focused on my painting. He plays soccer for the exercise, but its academics that captures his focus. He's a genius at math, decent in biology, loves English, but the one thing I can't understand is why he takes art if he doesn't like it."

I sighed, mixing colors again.

"Jackson Frost would be a much better asset for the world than weak, little Isaac Taylor."

"Don't you dare undermine your life," Daniel warned harshly.

"Trust me, I'm not. I have the hospital records to prove it."

I recalled my last battle with pneumonia that almost killed me. I had always been frail, but when I got doctors notes telling me and the teachers that by no circumstances should I ever participate in strenuous activities... Well, let's just say the little boy who dreamed of playing soccer turned into the artist today.

"Look," I sighed. "Even if Jack were somehow madly in love with me, it wouldn't be a good idea. I wouldn't ever be able to run by him, or chase him when he takes my phone and starts taking random pictures..."

"That's the thing, Isaac. If by some chance he is madly in love with you, he won't care. He'll worry, yeah, but love has a strange way of making you stronger."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger isn't always the case, but thanks."

"Isaac, look me in the eye and tell me that if Jack Frost were to ask you to be his boyfriend, you would say no."

I looked at Daniel and could have sworn I saw an echo of my crush.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"Thought so."

Jack POV

I peered around the corner. The chestnut haired dream boat was absent today, sucks to be me, but I have to look at the bright side. I can invade his club and interrogate them for information, he he he.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked from behind me.

"Holy sh-!" I stopped myself from continuing that train of thought. I flipped around to a wrestling champion and resident gay, Elliot James. The guy made me feel tiny, not considering Nathaniel of course. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Yeah, and you're being creepy, your point?" He cocked his head to the side and stared me down with the greyest, most stormy eyes I have ever forced myself to look into.

"Shhhhhh!" I hissed. "I'm seeing if there's anyone in the art club why would know a... Fffriend of mine."

Elliot arched an eyebrow skeptically, "Whatever floats your boat, I guess."

He shrugged it off and started walking to the art club room.

I stuttered for words and ended up just silently following him.

Elliot greeted another face I recognized, Daniel Erikson, Elliot's boyfriend. That was a fantastic scene last year... Good times.

"Who're you?" Daniel questioned.

I made eye contact with the dark haired teen.

"Uhhh, hi, I'm Jack." I smiled nervously.

"Jack Frost?" His face was suddenly serious, but excited.

"Yes?" Now I was curious.

"Soccer Captain, Jack Frost?"

"Yes, how many Jack Frosts have you met?"

"One, you. Can I help you?"

I blinked. That was blunt.

"I was wondering what you knew about Isaac Taylor," I said quickly, letting it all out.

"I thought you said this kid was your friend," Elliot recalled.

"He is... I mean... I'd like him to be..." I muttered. "Eventually."

"Oh my gods," Daniel breathed. He was obviously resisting the urge to freak out.

"What?" Elliot and I asked as one.

"You like him!" He smiled. Elliot's eye widened and looked at me.

My heart was pounding. I could feel my face heating up, but I couldn't make myself deny it.

"Yes!" Daniel cheered.

"What?!" I repeated.

"Ask him out."

"You're kidding."

"I don't think he is..." Elliot said after some silence and studying of his boyfriends face.

I began a nervous rant, "I can't ask him out, I don't want him to run away! I was perfectly willing to just befriend him! I finally resigned myself to that!" And now I was pacing. "Besides, I - I - I don't know a thing about him. I know he likes to draw, but I've never seen any if his drawings. I know he sits in the same place in here after school to paint. I know he's got a nervous tick to rub the back of his head. He skis horribly. His eyes are like sour apple Jolly Ranchers. His soft smiles are rare, but can capture the attention of anyone looking like an angel out of heaven-"

"Don't know a thing?" Elliot chuckled. "Face it, kid, you're in denial."

"Am not! I've known that I like him... For a few years almost..." I admit, that sounded better in my head.

"Years?!" Daniel reeled.

"Damn it..." I muttered.

"Just ask him out, Frost." Another voice entered the room.

I grew rigid. I knew that voice.

"Nate?" I asked, twisting around.

"You heard me. The Taylor kid gets here about ten minutes after morning practices. Slip a note in his locker and ask him out. Gods, Frost, don't tell me you've never asked anyone out before." Nathaniel was looking at me with flat questioning face.

I shifted uncomfortably.

"Good gods, man!" Nathaniel dropped his jaw.

"What?! I'm popular, girls asked me!" I defended poorly. "That's pretty much how I found out I was gay..."

"No reaction?" Nathaniel asked.

I nodded.

"Look, just tell me how you feel every time you see Isaac," Daniel tried to help.

"Like a happy little bunny who has seen the world's largest carrot and has been told he can't have it..." I said, staring off into the distance as imagined the sorrowful bunny.

"Wow... What if I told that bunny he could have that carrot if he just hopped on over and chanced a nibble?" Daniel continued the analogy.

I looked over at him and his boyfriend then over to my friend. I looked down and steeled myself.

"Fine, you win."

4: It Started with a Note

Isaac POV

I can't remember when it was that I fell in love. I saw him while skiing. He was just so... Graceful, unlike me. I just wanted to paint him, capture his beauty in the elegance of brush strokes. I needed to be better.

I knew there was no way I would ever end up with him, so I learned what I could about him from a far. His name was Jack Frost, so befitting of his frosting white hair and incredibly bright smile. His ice blue eyes were incredible to gaze at. Man I sound like a stalker, but it's kinda hard to ignore when you have five classes with him and he's the captain of the soccer team as a sophomore.

I came silently into the softly buzzing halls of the school, early as usual. I liked to be early as to avoid the rush of students and draw in peace.

Walking to my locker was dreary as usual. No one noticed the small frame of little old Isaac walking by. I kept to myself and kept my head down.

I made it to my locker and kept close as I twisted the combination lock. I looked up in time to catch a small note fluttering down from one of the three small openings in the door. I looked from side to side, looking for the culprit. No such luck.

I opened the sheet of paper and in obvious careful print was written, "Would you please meet me by the ticket booth for the football field at 7:20 am. I would like to speak to you in person."

I searched the paper for a signature. Nothing. Butterflies formed in my stomach and would not leave me alone.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time. It was way too early, but there was no harm in waiting. I emptied my bag of all but a sketch pad, a notebook and a few necessary art supplies and made my way to the ticket booth.

I slid down the brick wall and looked out to the soccer field. I searched for my model... Well, he wasn't exactly informed that he was my model, but same difference. Jack practiced and worked up a glowing sweat and I did my best to capture that in my drawing.

I pulled some charcoal out of my bag and began sketching. The determination to become better was engraved in his eyes. The love for his sport of choice was visible in the timing of his muscles. He wasn't tan, but he never seemed to get a sunburn... I smiled as I made finishing touches.

"You came!" A happy, relieved voice cheered, scaring me spitless, I quickly hugged my drawing and look up to see a concerned look on the one person I was not expecting.

"I'm so sorry, did I scare you?" He looked so concerned, it didn't suit him. I wanted to draw it.

I was so startled I couldn't speak, so I opted for nodding.

His face changed from concern to almost sadness.

"It's my fault..." I muttered softly.

He looked back at me, not sure if he heard something or not.

"It was my fault, I wasn't paying attention to you... I mean... My surroundings." I said a little louder, still not believing that I was talking to Jack Frost.

A nervous smile appeared on his face as he felt relief.

"Anyway," he said, breaking an awkward silent staring contest that I totally won. "I was just excited that you got my message and was actually here. I guess I could have gone to the art club's room, which is where you usually are during morning practice, but..."

I looked at him curiously, he knew where I was during morning his morning practices?

"I was just wondering if you had any plans say... Friday 7:00-ish..." He looked at me expectantly.

I blink, not sure if heard him right, "I don't believe so..." My mouth was working while my brain was still processing.

"Ummm... There's a really good restaurant near the theaters, I was wondering... if we could... You know... Dinner and a movie?"

I was overwhelmed with happiness. I smiled so widely, I was surprised my cheeks didn't tear. I nodded quickly.

Jack twisted and did a silent cheer of victory, "Great! I'll pick you up say... 6:30?"

I nodded again, unable to talk because of the permasmile painted on my face.

Jack looked down and kicked at the ground, "Walk ya to class?"

I nodded again, man, I loved the smile, but this not talking was getting ridiculous as I closed my sketch book and gathered my things, walking right next to my long term crush, and hopefully, future boyfriend.

Jack POV

That so didn't just happen. I can't believe in my eyes or my ears anymore. He's so my smaller in person. He's so much shyer in person. He's even more adorable in person... If that even works.

I can't bring myself to believe that he just smiled and said yes to dinner and a movie. Mom will flip... She'll want to meet him! Wait... He's mine! Did that just come out?

I first saw him struggling to ski. Man it was cute. He kept on glancing at me as I was cutting in the snow. It was a lot of fun. At first it was kind of annoying, having someone watching, but then something happened and I find myself staring at him too. I don't know when I fell in love, but I did my best to impress him.

He was so incredibly shy, I was going to have to work on that. Of course, he would still be adorably shy, but he can't just... Not talk... My friends will eat him alive.

I didn't realize how many classes I had with him - not complaining. We had English, Pre-Calc, AP Euro, Art (that I took because of the obvious), and Biology together. I think he has... Two or three art classes. He really loves it.

I was awakened from my daydream of Isaac Taylor by the first lunch bell chiming loudly. I gathered my things just in time for Isaac to slip a note into my hands and walk off.

I quickly opened it, seeing his handwriting and memorizing it. Man I sound like a stalker... His handwriting was incredibly neat, not girly, but neat.

"I know you have first lunch, because all of the physical education classes do, but the art classes have second lunch. I'll see you in Intro to Art."

Down at the bottom was a doodle, well I'm sure it was a doodle to him, it was a masterpiece to me. The doodle was a half conscious reflection of me. I smiled and tucked the note into my folder and practically skipped off to lunch.

Nathaniel Green, a senior, also on the soccer team and an incredible goalie at that, was waiting in the usual alcove.

"Something good happened," he stated blankly. "You're practically skipping and it's obvious that you're giddy. Spill."

I broke out in a signature grin, "I've got a date this Friday at 6:30."

"No way! He said yes!?" Nathaniel was the one who told me to buck up and ask him out. He was tired of my woe is me routine.

I nodded quickly, unable to rid myself of excitement and joy.

"Jackson Frost! You better not be yanking my chain!"

"I'm not a good enough actor to fool myself, let alone you." I reminded.

"Oh my gods, Jack, do you know what this means?"

I was snapped out of my stupor as I stared at the upperclassman.

"Isaac Taylor just chose you over Ryu Hawthorne, the guy's practically the kid's older brother!"

That hadn't crossed my mind. I just beat out possibly the only person that could have been a potential love rival.

"Oh hell yeah!" I cheered jumping up and down in victory.

"Dude, what's with Jack?" I heard my friend Almirah question.

"He just asked someone out and they said yes."

I was still doing a happy dance.

"So that's why Isaac Taylor was smiling at his sketch books." She reasoned.

Something caught in my throat and I had to stop dancing to favor coughing.

"What?! You honestly expected me to be oblivious?" She reeled. "You two have been having this 'I'll just look at him from afar' dance going on since the winter of eighth grade. And if you want my opinion, it's about damned time!"

I looked at her in surprise then I smiled brightly.

"Thanks."

Isaac POV

Why does time move so slowly when you're excited?! I swear this week took three times as long as normal.

I tore through my closet, looking for something to wear. My door swung open after I ignored the last few knocks from my mother.

"Isaac, I have cookies down - what the hell happened in here? World War Clothes?" Clothes were everywhere, I had been throwing them out of my massive closet.

"Moooooom?" I mustered my best puppy dog face.

"You'd think you had a date." She stared at the mess.

I blinked, "I don't know what to wear..."

"Oh my gods! You do have a date! With who?! Where?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I told dad... It's with Jack... Dinner and a movie..."

"The Jack Frost?!" I nodded, tossing another shirt aside. I couldn't understand. I usually had very good fashion sense. Why did I suck now that needed it?!

"Isaac, out of the closet, sit." I didn't object. She shuffled through clothes and threw an outfit at me. I changed and felt satisfied. It was a false fur hoodie with a plain white tee and brown pants that somehow fit.

I started to pick up clothes when my mom exited the closet.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Uhhh, cleaning?"

"Nope, you are going downstairs and waiting for your date while eating chocolate chip cookies. You need stress food."

"I'm going for dinner and a movie mom, am I supposed to spoil my dinner?"

"You bet, now, out."

I blinked and hugged my mom, she's the reason why I'm going to fat someday.

I charged downstairs to see the plate of cookies on the granite countertop. I peered at the clock and smiled. Five minutes.

"Isaac?" My dad came walking in and eyed the cookies. "Oooh cookies."

He picked up a cookie and began munching on it. I stared at him waiting for him to continue his thought.

"What?" He questioned.

"I don't know, you were the one walking in here saying my name and getting distracted by cookies."

"Right," he remembered why he came in. "The boy who's been pacing on the front porch for the past hour, I think he's here for you."

I dropped my cookie and ran to the door. I swung it open to see Jack preparing to knock.

Our eyes met as we searched for words. Jack was in a black button down with khaki pants and a red accent tie that pulled it all together.

Eventually Jack cleared his throat and smiled, "Hey."

"Hi..." I smiled back.

"I ummm... Got this for you," Jack offered a single white rose to me, which I took graciously.

"Ummm, come on in," I moved out of his way and let him in, while I searched for a vase.

I set the rose in some water and came back with the cookies, "Cookie?"

Jack smiled and took one, "Oh my gods, these have got to be the best cookies ever."

I chuckled softly and set the plate down.

"Shall we?" Jack asked, holding his elbow out for me to take. I took it and looked back to shut the door to my mom and dad smiling as they peered from the kitchen less than stealthily. I stuck my tongue out, letting them know I saw them.

I came out to see Jack's car, a modest Chevy Malibu parked in my driveway. I smiled, best day ever, I could tell.

We drove to a small mom and pop restaurant across the street from the local movie theatre were we laughed as we got to know each other better over a delicious meal, incredibly underpriced as well.

After the meal we went to a tragic love story where I swear I cried into Jack's shoulder so much my tissues ran out. Jack put his arm around my shoulders and comforted me as much as possible.

We walked out of the movie and I still couldn't stop crying. Jack smiled at me, eventually holding my hand on the way to the car. I was surprised by how cold they were, but somehow I could have cared less, they were almost refreshing.

I stopped crying almost the exact second he held my hand.

"You probably think I'm a huge baby, huh?" I muttered.

"I think you're sweet. You cried because your heart it too big for your body." Jack answered, squeezing my hand.

I looked up and smiled shyly. Jack grinned back.

He opened my door for me and went around to the other side to start the car.

I had to restrain myself from staring at Jack the entire ride home.

When we arrived he walked me to the door as we said our goodbyes.

"This was fun, could we do something like this again sometime?" Jack asked.

I bright smile filled my face as I nodded my head. I pulled out a strip of paper with my cell number on it and placed it in his hand and went inside.

Before shutting the door I looked at him and smiled, "Unlimited texting."

His eyes lit up as he looked down at the paper and smiled.

I leaned against the door, in heaven. I felt a buzz in my pocket. I pulled out my phone and unlocked it. A text.

"This is Jack. Sweet dreams."

I saved the number and giggled as I ran up to my room and unceremoniously plopped onto my bed, face first into pillows.

Indeed, the best day ever.

5: Cookies and Kisses

Isaac POV

I set up my station in the art club room as usual. Several of the club members were what I called floating members, people that signed up and came when they felt like it. I loved this room mainly because of the clear view of the soccer field.

The door slid open as the second regular, Junior, Daniel Erikson, entered. Most of the school alienated him and his boyfriend Elliot James because they came out of the closet in one of the more spectacular ways there was. Dressed in a white tux on one knee with red roses during lunch, Elliot declared his love for Daniel who, in turn, kissed him in front of everyone in the cafeteria.

I didn't really care, seeing my sexual orientation wasn't exactly different. Ever since, it's like they'd become the schools anti-bully duo in love.

"Good afternoon," I greeted.

"Hey," Daniel replied. "So, Isaac?"

"Yes?" I answered, still sketching.

"What's with you and Frost?" He asked. My hand stopped. "You two seem on really good terms, and we both know how you feel. Did you finally say something?"

I went back to my drawing, "Something like that."

Daniel grabbed my easel and moved it back, making space for his chair. He stared me down, pressuring me for more.

I sighed in defeat, "I didn't say anything, he did."

Daniel's eyes doubled in size.

"He asked me to dinner and a movie... I said yes... And it was a lot of fun..." My phone buzzed. I pulled it out and opened the text seeing a picture of Jack making a heart with his hands in the dressing room. He wore just his shorts and an undershirt as he smiled.

"Oh my gods! You're dating!" Daniel realized, looking over. My shoulder. "About damned time!"

I bit my bottom lip and smiled, saving the picture. I needed to draw that. I brought up a reply box and typed a response.

"How long has it been?!"

"A week? Give or take?" I responded.

"You two are so cute! Have you figured everything out?"

"Everything?"

"Of course not, it's only been like a week." Daniel was an a rant now. He stood up and began pacing. I slid his chair out of the way and pulled my easel back. I started sketching again.

"Isaac," Daniel continued, I didn't take my eyes off my work.

"Hmmm?" I responded.

"You two need to talk to me and Elliot. You need a role model."

I nearly dropped my pencil.

"Huh?!"

I found myself sitting in my room with Jack behind me, his head resting on mine. Daniel and Elliot sat opposite of us.

"Okay, first order of business," Elliot began. "Is your room always this clean?"

"Yes?" I answered, not sure what that had to do with anything.

"Damn! Have you ever tried just shoving things in the closet or under your bed?"

"That works?!" I had obviously been cheated.

"That answers that. Next, who wears the pants and who wears the apron?"

"I obviously wear the apron, Jack can't cook." It was an obvious answer, but I didn't realize it was funny too.

The other occupants of my room were turning red and were tearing up due to laughter.

"What?" I asked. Jack just pulled me close and kissed my head, causing my face to flush.

I chanced an embarrassed smile.

"Best answer EVER!" Daniel laughed as he calmed down.

There was a knock. I stood and opened the door.

"Lemonade and cookies," my mom smiled. I opened the door for her to come in.

She set the tray down and exited after a giddy smile.

"Your mom seems nice," Daniel noted.

"She was ecstatic to find out I was gay. We went shopping every day for an entire week." I informed pouring the lemonade and passing it out.

"At least she freaked out that way, rather than the other way." Elliot reminded.

"She's unorthodox, but she cares." I smiled.

Daniel tried to covertly reach for the cookies. I nonchalantly nudged them toward him. He grabbed one and took a bite.

"Oh my gods! These cookies are like the gods have taken chocolate chip cookies and blessed them to be super delectable and addicting!" He exclaimed.

"There's no way." Elliot challenged, grabbing his own cookie and chowing down. "Oh dear gods above, you're right they are."

Jack chuckled. "Lauren's cookies are second only to Isaac's."

I rubbed the back of my head and smiled.

"Now that's impossible." Elliot said in between bites.

"That's what I thought until our late date where Isaac made dinner and dessert. Healthy food has never been better and I will never look at a cookie the same."

"This is so happening. I smell a double date." Daniel demanded.

"No, you just want more cookies." I smiled.

We all broke down into laughter.

Jack POV

"Hun?" I asked Isaac.

I had just finished practice and had gone to watch him paint, but as soon as I walked in, he covered the canvas and put it away.

"Yes?" He answered sweetly.

"How come I've never seen your drawings?" I continued.

He dropped a pencil and fumbled to pick it up.

I leaned over him and helped him get a firm grip, he avoided my gaze as we stood. I looked at his back and noticed how red his neck was. I walked around, Isaac still avoiding my eyes. He was bright red. He bit his bottom lip like a cupid messing with my hormones.

"Damn it, you're so cute when you're embarrassed," I smiled, pulling him into a tight hug.

I could feel him relax into my arms and slip his arms around me to hug me back.

Elsewhere in the School:

Daniel intertwined his fingers with Elliot's. They were walking down the hall to go home.

"Shoot!" Daniel exclaimed.

"What?" Elliot looked at his boyfriend with concern.

"I left my pencil bag on the table."

Elliot smiled at the artist and kissed his head, "Let's go get it then."

I loved the height difference between Isaac and me. He fits so perfectly under my head and arms. Isaac rested his head on my chest and traced patterns on my back in slight boredom.

I eventually began playing with his hair. It was getting long, but I liked it this length. Isaac lifted his head and looked up at me, a sweet smile completing his adorableness.

He suddenly looked nervous and softly bit his plush lip. He blinked and looked down. I brought a hand under his chin. He looked up and rose onto his toes. We closed the gap and gingerly brushed lips.

I was chaste and quick, but it was our first kiss. He was so... Nervous I could feel it.

I looked down at him and grinned when I saw him touching his lips and smiling cutely with a soft blush.

"Gods you're adorable," I said pulling him back for a better shot at his lips.

Isaac brought his elbows onto my shoulder and tangled his fingers in my thick, white hair. I maneuvered my hands to his waist and lifted him to more easily kiss him.

His feet dangled as we stayed connected at the lip.

I heard the door open and Isaac and I froze. We separated, but stayed hugging. Isaac looked terrified and clung to me for dear life.

"Damn it, Elliot! They were having a moment!" Daniel's voice echoed into the room along with a loud thwapping sound.

"Ow!" Elliot cried.

I let out a relieved chuckle, and Isaac got even closer, burying his face in my shirt in embarrassment.

"Please tell me they didn't see that..." Came an embarrassed, muffled plea from Isaac.

I looked at the bickering couple, who stopped long enough to give evil grins and go back.

I felt my cheeks heat up. Isaac's grip on my shirt increased, "You're not answering me..."

"Do I have to?" I cringed.

Isaac let go and began throwing anything he saw at the two in the doorway. I cringed as paint brushes and pencils hit their targets.

"Out! Out! OUT!" Isaac screamed.

"Running! We're running away!" Daniel responded at they careened down the hall.

Isaac tossed a bag out and Daniel let out a loud, "OW! Hey! My pencil bag!"

Isaac went over to the door and slammed it shut, panting heavily with a bright red face.

I stared at him wide eyed and carefully approached.

"Feel any better?" I asked, holding my hands up to show I wasn't armed.

"Just kiss me," he charged and jumped into my arms as we kissed again.

So violent, yet oh so cute.

Isaac POV

Biology with Mrs. Dean, or Mama Dean, or Big Mama, or Mama if you're in the art club, was the best class because I understood her teaching method. However, this was the class of doom because of where I was seated.

I sat between Adrian Rutherford and Oliver Barthalemeau, both world class jerks of the school. Even the bullies hated these two. Between the annoying talking to each other as if I wasn't there and the occasional paper tossing at the head, I could deal with them for the most part.

"What? No sketch pad today, Taylor?" Oliver taunted.

I placed a hand by my face and tried to focus on the assignment.

"Rutherford, I do believe this kid is ignoring me."

"I do believe you're right, Barthalemeau," Adrian said in mock amazement.

My head screamed for Jack to look up from his paper and do something, but I couldn't.

I looked down to see Adrian slipping my sketch book from my bag and proceeding to play monkey in the middle.

"Give it back!" I pleaded. "Please!"

The book opened and closed as they caught it. Pages were bending, pictures ruined. Eventually it landed open, a picture of my boyfriend for the world to see.

Barthalemeau's eyes widened. I shoved him over the desk as I hopped over to grab it. I heard his head slam into the hard desktop of the next row over. I didn't care.

I picked up the book and my bag and tore out of the room.

Jack POV

"Give it back!" I immediately looked up and had to restrain myself from beating the hell out of the two bastards messing with MY Isaac. "Please!"

When Isaac tore out of the room I put on my best acting face and volunteered to go after him while Mrs. Dean dragged the bastard children to the office by their ears. Where could he have gone? I jogged through the halls in time to catch the men's bathroom door swinging.

I cautiously entered and heard some soft sniffling sound. Those assholes made my sweetheart cry! They better kiss my feet and buy a truck full of art supplies for Isaac if they ever want to make it to graduation unscathed.

"Isaac?" I questioned.

The sniffing stopped as he tried to compose himself. I walked to the only locked stall and leaned on it, willing it to be a window through which I could help my Isaac.

"I saw what they were doing. Isaac, I am so sorry I didn't do anything to help you." I thunked my head onto the stall door as self-punishment.

There was silence. I went to the main door of the bathroom and turned the lock on the inside, making sure no one could come in. I'd hate it if someone walked in on us. This was personal.

"Did they hurt you?" I heard a sniff from behind the door.

I went into a whole new level of panic. I needed to see him, but I also needed to give him time to come out on his own. I stared at the stall, convicted.

I heard the lock turn and a teary, puff eyed Isaac opened the door. He held his sketchbook in his right hand and rubbed his shoulder with his left.

I let out a heavy sigh of relief and enclosed him in a hug. I held him close and rocked back and forth, comforting both him and me.

I let too to look at him. I looked at his face, but he refused to look me in the eye. I made sure not to touch his shoulder, in fear of hurting him. I flinched and looked down when I felt something being pushed into my dangling hand.

Isaac was trying to push his sketch book into my hands. I gingerly took it as he slammed back into the stall.

I blinked, confused. I then looked back to the book and gingerly flipped the pages. Pages upon pages of me in different poses. Some pages had large tears in them, some had large folds through them. The bastards sure did do a number on it. I made it to a mass of blank pages, noticing it was very small in ratio to the other portion of drawings.

"Are they all me?" I asked.

"I have about eight more on my bookshelves at home... Then several canvases..." A shy response came.

"Isaac," I smiled. "Please come out."

The door clicked unlocked again, and he peered, red faced, out. I walked up and pulled the door open and planted a big wet kiss of his adorably soft lips.

I held him and his sketch book tight as I wordlessly told him how I felt.

The final bell chimed and we broke apart.

"Wait for me?" I asked. "I'll give you a ride home."

I turned to unlock the main door when I felt a nervous hand catch mine.

"And maybe stay for dinner?" Isaac's candy eyes looked into my ice cold ones and instantly thawed them.

I smiled, "I'll let my mom know."

Isaac let go and gathered his things, but told me to keep the torn sketchbook, pulling out a fresh one.

His first gift to me was torn and bent, but it was the most precious thing I could hold on to.

6: A Turn of Events

Isaac POV

I didn't know how this happened. I stood in the Club room holding my throbbing arm. I knew it was bruising, and I would have to wear long sleeves to prevent people from asking questions.

I had never even seen this guy in school before, let alone knew who he was. All I know is he came charging into the room and shoved me against the window with his forearm. I looked at him, completely terrified.

"If you don't stop seeing Jack Frost, I will personally notify the student body about his being gay and his high school life will become a living hell," he warned.

He backed off, dropping me. I hadn't noticed that I wasn't touching the ground until then.

"W-W-What do you care?!" I stammered.

The massive man flipped around and clamped on to my arm. I closed my eyes and winced.

"I'll give you one warning, if you care, stay away."

He dropped my arm and stalked off.

I began to tremble in fear of what had just occurred when Daniel entered the room.

"Isaac?" He cautiously approached.

My eyes snapped in his direction.

"Huh?"

"Are you alright?"

I looked down at my arm and shuddered. I didn't want to tell him. I didn't know what would happen if that guy found out.

"No... Yes... I don't feel well, I think I'll go home..."

His eyes quickly shifted to concern as I slowly gathered my things. I was careful while I put my bag over my shoulder and the room.

I felt a tickle at my throat and coughed softly as I walked through the halls.

I ran into Elliot along the way and gave him the slip by telling him Daniel was waiting for him to show up and he seemed slightly miffed at something. His face grew confused and then concerned as he jogged down the hall. I sighed in relief and tore out of the school in a hurry.

I had been skipping club activities for over a week now and it was starting to get difficult to avoid my boyfriend. Man... I so didn't want him to break up with me over this.

I painfully opened my locker. My arm was killing me. The hand print bruise on my mom nearly made my mom pass out. I had to promise it wasn't Jack, which it wasn't. I told her I had slipped and nearly fallen down the stairs and a peer had to catch me, unfortunately for me he was larger and stronger so his hand left a mark...

I didn't like the lie, but I did slip on the stairs today... So it wasn't a full lie... Right?

I caught a note as it fell from my locker. I opened it without question and recognized my sweet Jack's handwriting.

"Why are you avoiding me?" It read. The words hit me like a fast locomotive.

I dropped it in my bag and slammed my locker door. I was so sluffing first today in Mama's prep period to cry. She was so comforting and understanding.

I ran down the hall past Jack, who quickly turned as I passed with a confused face. I felt my phone buzz the moment I entered the biology room.

I checked it, knowing it was from Jack.

"Are you alright? What's going on? This isn't like you."

Mama rose from her desk, confusion and concern noticeable on her face.

"What's wrong, Isaac?" She asked.

I broke down and told her everything, the mystery guy, avoiding my own boyfriend, the note, the lies...

Mama engulfed me in a huge hug, and sat me down at a desk. She turned and spoke, "You stay right there, darlin', Mama's gonna get you some muffins and chocolate milk from the faculty room. I'll take care of the absence."

I smiled gratefully, trying to recover from my crying. I was hiccupping for air and wiping my face with the box of tissues conveniently located to my left.

I began coughing harder and was feeling gloriously awful now.

Mama came walking back in and rubbed circles on my back as I munched on my muffin.

"Better?" She asked.

"Ask me when I have a Snickers, because I'm not the same when I'm hungry..." I joked lightly.

Mama smiled and went back to her desk. I pulled out my sketches and flipped through them, hoping they'd somehow fill the void. I flipped pages until I reached the page where Jack had insisted on trying to draw me. I looked like a mangled stick figure/ monkey reject... thing. It was adorable watching him struggle. He argued with me for weeks when he found out I hadn't thrown it out. I rather liked it. It was abstract in a way I could never force myself to be. A high school rendering of Picasso.

I smiled as I stared at the page, tenderly touching the harsh lines. I wanted to hold him so bad. I wanted more than anything than to press our lips together in a hot, passionate kiss.

I hugged the book of paper and pretended it was him.

School was almost over and I was ready to bolt. The bell chimed and I was already out of the classroom. I was on my way to my locker, when all of a sudden... I wasn't...

My arm throbbed as I realized I was being lifted and dragged to another location. I stopped struggling because of my bruise, soon after I was released onto the ground. The two "kidnappers" backed up revealing a happy couple whose mere presence sent pain shooting down my spine.

"What the hell is going on?!" Daniel was the first to say something.

I winced at the harshness in his voice. It didn't help that my arm still stung.

"Daniel," Elliot chided him for his tone. "Isaac, we are starting... Well past starting... To get worried about you. You've been avoiding us and more importantly Jack for the last week. All we want to know is why."

I bit my bottom lip and refused to make eye contact.

"Isaac please, Jack is thinking he did something wrong."

I looked up at him, "He didn't do anything... No one did anything wrong... At least none of you."

I caught myself and looked away again.

"Isaac?" Daniel suddenly became less attacking and more worried. "Buddy, what is going on?"

"I don't know!" I dropped into a ball and held my head.

Daniel knelt and attempted to gingerly touch my arm. I hissed in pain when he touched the bruise. I blinked away blurring vision. My health had been going downhill all week, and I knew it.

I slipped my shirt off, I had a white undershirt beneath. Daniel gasped and Elliot was growing more defensive by the second. The bruise was purple and in some places black.

"Who?" Was all Daniel could manage.

I looked at him with tears in my eyes and noticed a figure in the doorway.

I grabbed my shirt and put it back on. I sniffed and wiped my tears, not saying a word.

Elliot flipped around, "Ivan?"

I backed into a corner, trembling harshly.

Elliot panned his focus from me to the man in the doorway.

"The little brat spilled his guts to Dean... Too bad, I thought I was quite clear." Ivan spoke and I jumped.

"Please!" I yelled. "I'll do anything! Just leave Jack out of it!"

"Break up."

The room went silent.

"Back off," Elliot growled.

"Whoever you are, stay the hell away from my boyfriend," Jack's voice took control. I looked up to see Ivan turned in shock looking at a furious Jack.

He looked down right murderous.

I felt like I had been addicted to prescription drugs and was going through withdrawals. I wanted Jack to be in my arms so bad.

"Jack?" I choked out. I tried to stand up, but my head was spinning. I inhaled sharply and let out a violent sneeze. I shivered as I drew another breath.

Jack shoved past Ivan and rushed to my side.

"Are you okay?" He asked. His hand on my shoulder sent happiness coursing through my veins.

"I am now," I smiled, reaching up to hug him.

I found myself relaxing a little too much and ended up falling asleep on his shoulder.

Daniel POV

Jack walked up the stairs with determination burning in his eyes. Isaac's father raised his eyebrows when it was the three of us alone again. I slipped my hand in Elliot's and squeezed. He smiled at me before looking at Isaac's dad.

"We're going to step outside and wait for Jack," Elliot announced. "If you'll excuse us."

Elliot dragged me out of the house and we sat down on the patio steps and watched the sky. I pulled my jacket tighter around me, the October night's chill descending earlier and earlier. It was only the first week, but apparently the cold air moved quickly. I shivered.

My boyfriend felt me move and pulled me up against him so I could share his warmth. I bit my lip. There was something I needed to talk to him about, something that had been eating away at me.

"Penny for your thoughts, sweetie?" Elliot asked, interrupting my planning.

"I don't think they're quite worth a penny," I muttered dryly.

"I want to know," Elliot smiled, poking my side.

I slapped his hand away, "Promise me that you won't freak out."

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a finger in my eye if I lie," Elliot recited. "Now tell me. It can't be anything that bad."

"I've been thinking about kids," I said under my breath as quietly as I could, hoping that the senior didn't hear.

"Hmm?"

I took a deep breath to calm myself, "I want kids."

It was silent. Minutes tricked by and I was finding it hard to read Elliot. The cold air felt like a thick ice around us and it was suffocating me. What was Elliot thinking?

"Kids," Elliot repeated incredulously. "We can't do that. Even if we adopt, you want the gay bullied men to raise a child? I can't do that to a kid. I couldn't do it to my family. I just can't… I can't do this. I will never do this. Never."

Each word he said stung and his gray eyes shot daggers at me. Tears rolled down my face, "You said you wouldn't freak."

The front door swung open to reveal a now confused Jack Frost.

Elliot let go of me and stood, towering over myself and Jack. "Goodnight Jack. Daniel."

He walked off, leaving me with a hopelessly confused sophomore. He blinked, clearing his head. "Thanks for helping Isaac. If you need anything, like someone to talk to-"

I cut him off, "I know Jack. But can you leave me alone. I think I need to find a way to make up with Elliot.

Elliot and I didn't see much of each other over the next week. Isaac was healing, and from the little I saw of my boyfriend, I knew that we were both glad. Isaac and Jack may not have been out yet, but Elliot and I were still viciously protective of them. Elliot just had the bruises to prove it, since I was better at not getting hit.

Not now, though. Usually I could run to Elliot when things got bad, but he made it clear that we weren't going to be talking until he said something. Up until that point, I tried to talk to Elliot, I really did, but he wouldn't listen.

I walked slowly to my art class, kicking the ground. The school seemed to have noticed my relationship issues, because the bullying got more and more intense. I just wanted this to end. Isaac got a little more secluded too while he was at school, so I couldn't talk to him. I wanted to talk to someone. Jack's offer echoed in my mind, but when I tried, he just ran away.

Sighing, I shifted the sketchbook in my hand to my other side. A piece of notebook paper fluttered out of it. It didn't belong in my book and I was confused by its presence. I picked it up and saw something scribbled on it in a familiar and rushed style.

Meet me in the courtyard during lunch.

~E

I kept my smile from falling the entire art class. It wasn't until I entered the hallway, where the bullies were, did I let my smile fall. I couldn't do anything to help myself. The bullies didn't need to know anything changed.

"Daniel Erikson?" A voice squeaked from behind me.

I turned around and saw a little freshman girl standing there. It wasn't uncommon for someone to come up to Elliot or me to ask something, but it was weird that she was talking to me in the hallway in between classes.

"Yeah?"

She handed me a sealed envelope. I flipped it over, finding only my name written on the front with what I thought was Elliot's calligraphy class talents coming through. I looked at the girl, confused. "I'm supposed to tell you not to open it until it's lunchtime."

"Who's it from?"

"Think about it," the freshman smiled. She then proceeded to skip to her next class, leaving me holding the envelope.

The letter taunted me during my math class. I did everything I could to distract myself, even attempting to actually do my math homework before the day it was due. That wasn't enough. The more I tried to ignore the letter, the more I thought about it. Was Elliot going to make another spectacle of us?

I groaned, hitting my head against my desk. This wasn't uncommon, hearing someone groan with frustration during math. A few students looked at me, but otherwise I went unnoticed. Gods, this was taking way too long. Why couldn't the bell just ring? It was nearly time for lunch and I was ready to find Elliot.

The bell finally rang and I was certain that I left a trail of fire in my wake as I ran to the courtyard. The small open area in the middle of the school was fairly empty with only two people in here with me. When they saw me arrive, they left. I looked up at the sky and saw the gray clouds that reminded me so much of Elliot burst open, releasing flakes of snow upon us.

"Damn snow," I muttered, pulling my jacket tighter against my body. I found the envelope and ripped it open. I pulled out the paper and saw a line of text written on the center of the page with simple hand written instructions written along the top.

Read this aloud, sweetie.

~E

I looked at the text he wanted me to read. The line was simple and I knew it was familiar, I just couldn't figure out where I had heard it. Or maybe I was just imagining things. It was only three words long.

"'Love is not love'," I whispered.

"'Which alters when it alteration finds,'" Elliot's voice came from behind me. I spun around to see him smiling with a red rose in his hands. "'Or bends with the remover to remove.' That's a bit of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 and one of my favorites. It's the definition of love, pure unwavering love."

I walked over to Elliot. He offered me the rose and wrapped his arms around me. I looked up at him, sighing in a mix of contentment and regret. "I'm sorry for bringing up kids," I muttered. "I just-"

"Shush, sweetie," Elliot whispered. "I'm the one who over reacted. I just didn't expect that conversation. I thought you knew that right now, that's not something I wanted to think about. I assumed and, well, made an idiot of myself in front of you and Jack. Can you forgive me?"

"Course," I responded into his shoulder.

There we stood, alone in the courtyard while snow danced around us.

7: Anniversary

Isaac POV

I had stayed home from school for a while with a bad fever and cold (that didn't stop Jack from kissing me, despite my protests.) I knew he was planning something because he kept looking at some papers and muttering words when he thought I was asleep…I was acting.

When I was finally well enough to walk around, jack had brought two pints of ice cream and a movie for us to cuddle and watch. He brought mint chocolate chip for him (that I stole spoonfuls of) and moose tracks for me (which is one of the best ice cream flavors ever created in my mind. I'm entitled to an opinion.)

Before going back to school, I asked Jack a question.

"Hun?" I asked, my back comfortably settled into his chest as he had his chin on my shoulder and his arms around my waist.

"Hmmm?" He hummed.

"What do you think Ivan wanted?"

Jack got up and crawled on my floor over to look at me directly. He was serious as he looked at me. "Ivan is Almirah's older brother," Jack sighed.

"There's no way they're related," I muttered.

Jack let out a breath of air and a smirk, "Allie said Ivan was trying to get to me through you. So…this was indirectly my fault, and I'm-"

"Don't you dare say 'you're sorry,'" I chided. "This wasn't you're fault and you know it."

Jack looked remorseful for a few more seconds, but broke into a patented grin. I leaned forward and put my forehead to his and looked at his impossibly blue eyes.

"I love you, Jackson Christian Frost," I smiled.

"I love you too, Isaac Richard Taylor."

And we sealed it with a kiss.

"You're coming to school tomorrow right?" Jack asked after a few deep kisses.

"I'm sick of my house, and unfortunately the only cure is school," I teased.

We laughed and kissed again, busily talking about what I'd missed while I'd been gone.

I woke up and mom insisted on driving me to the school. After spending my entire life with her, I learned from my dad: do not argue with Lauren Taylor. I let her fuss over me for a few moments the hurried myself away and went inside.

I nearly collapsed when I saw Jack in a nice suit with a blue tie and dress shoes with his guitar around his neck and roses in his hands. He locked eyes with me and curled his finger for me to come over. My feet moved as I felt my cheeks grow warm.

I felt eyes on us as he handed me the roses and sat me down on a stool.

His fingers began a musical dance across the strings of his guitar.

"The world around me is lost in misery

The only good I've got in my life is you," Jack's melodic voice began the lyrics to "What I Believe" by Skillet.

The chorus was stronger than even the first time he had sung it. I felt my cheeks getting wet. Administration stood around in the large crowd that had gathered to listen to my boyfriend/soccer captain. Some people were cheering and were clapping the beat.

"Believe in your love, believe in your life

Believe that you can put me back together inside.

Chase all the fear away

Every time I speak your name.

Take me-you are what I believe!"

There was a brief musical reprieve and it ended with a chorus. When he finished, he took off the guitar and took my hand,, standing me up. There was some clapping and I didn't want anyone to look at us.

"Isaac, you are what I believe. No more hiding my faith." I looked up, sour apple meeting impossible blue. "Or maybe I should have sung 'It's Time' by Imagine-" I cut him off by planting a firm kiss on his lips, stopping his train of thought rather efficiently.

Girls screamed "No!"

Some cringed or looked away.

Others cried Hallelujahs.

While three voices yelled, "It's about damned time!" Mama, Daniel, and Elliot.

We broke apart, Jack smug and happy, and me-thoroughly embarrassed by my PDA.

Jack pulled me to his chest, making me put the flowers to the side of us.

"You're too cute," he whispered in my ear, possibly making my face achieve the near-violet stage of redness. He only chuckled as I buried my head in his chest.

Daniel and Elliot were by our side in seconds; I peered out just as Elliot forked over a twenty.

"You bet on this?" Jack sighed.

"I thought you would be flashier than Elliot and me when you came out. I am now twenty dollars richer and an IOU for a back rub happier," Daniel smirked.

I slipped my hand into my bag and threw a book at him.

"Oi," he yelped, and I maturely stuck out my tongue.

Elliot POV

Something big was going on and I didn't know about it. Daniel seemed a little lost too, and it bugged me. What was going on? Isaac and Jack had been talking to us rather frequently, especially since they came out. Jack had started to move with a certain degree of pain, though. Isaac too, in a lesser extent.

Speaking of pain, I hadn't felt this refreshed and alive since I forced Daniel and myself out of the closet. The people who would usually bully and hit me seemed to have disappeared. I was worried about where they went, but something else was holding my attention.

I was shopping for an anniversary gift for Daniel.

My mom had given me some pointers on what was a good gift. Nick decided he wanted to help too, by helping me pay for whatever it was I got him. I owed Nick big for this. My best friend and I walked through the mall, waiting for inspiration to hit us.

"You could get him clothes," Nick suggested weakly.

"That's not a good anniversary gift, though," I argued. "I could get him something artsy."

"Except he has the entire art club at his disposal and Mrs. Dean doesn't tell him no to anything."

"Fair point," I agreed.

As we walked past a jewelry store, I remembered something Daniel had told me a few months after we started dating. It was a memory from when he was a kid, something that his birth parents did when they were newlyweds. His dad got his mom a locket. It was destroyed in the fire, but it gave me an idea.

"I could get him a locket."

"Why a locket?" Nick asked, following me into the jewelry store. "Why not a bracelet or something?"

"His dad gave his mom one," I said simply. "So I should give him one."

Nick and I wandered around the store, ignoring the looks from the employees. Eventually one did come over to us. She was forcing a smile when she welcomed us. "Can I help you with something?"

"I need a locket. Do you have one?" I asked. Nick was smiling next to me, getting a kick out of her attitude.

"We do have a small selection," she led us over to a small glass covered case near the back of the store.

Inside were lockets of every shape, size and color. Nick whistled as he looked over them. Both our eyes were drawn to a locket, just off center. It was about the size of a nickel. Traces of ruby and silver were woven in delicate patterns over the cover. I was going to say something when Nick pointed at it.

"Can we see that one?" He asked.

Moments later, Nick was holding it up to the light. He smiled and handed it to me. The metal was cool in my hands. When I flicked it open, the space for a photo was under the glass, carved to look like a clock. It looked perfect. It was completely perfect. Until I looked at the price tag. It was beyond my price range, even if I was splitting the cost.

"I'm buying this," Nick announced, ignoring my protest. My heart stopped when he began to pull large bills out of his wallet.

"Don't spend this much," I pleaded. "I can just go find something else."

Nick just scoffed. "It's just money, Elliot. Cassie doesn't like jewelry, so my jewelry fund needs to get cleaned. Come on, Elliot. Your anniversary is tomorrow."

"I need to make dinner plans," I muttered. "Maybe we should do dinner and a show."

"Chill out," Nick said as the employee rung him up. "You'll do fine. Daniel loves you."

"I know."

"Would you like this engraved with anything?" The employee asked with more respect in her voice than earlier.

Nick glanced at me, nodding. "Whatever you want, I'm good for."

Daniel POV

"I want to surprise him with something," I complained. "But I don't know what to do for him."

Isaac just grinned, "What if I told you that there was a place that would be completely open and private for your anniversary?"

"I'd ask if you were smoking anything," I replied honestly.

Isaac and I were sitting in Mama's classroom. Jack had gone off somewhere and Elliot vanished with Nick. I held up the portrait I had been working on. "It needs more red."

The sophomore looked over at it. "Possibly, but I'm serious. I know where you can take Elliot for the night."

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning, Isaac?"

"Just text Elliot and tell him that you found a place for your anniversary," Isaac smiled mischievously. "If we know him, then he's flipping out trying to find a place to go."

He was spot on. Elliot seemed relieved when I told him I made dinner plans. I couldn't give him any specifics, but Isaac was glowing. He was planning something, and not knowing anything bugged me. I turned my attention back to my drawing. It was Elliot, wearing his white tux, offering a shorter brown haired boy a rose. It was my prized memory. I prayed that Elliot would love it too. Well, this and the pocket watch Mr. Kanter gave me.

He knew Elliot admired it and the teacher had a small collection of watches back at his house. Mr. Kanter told me to give it to Elliot because he deserved it. I looked at my phone and stood up. "I'm going to Elliot's. His mom is making stir fry."

"You two are rarely apart," Isaac commented as I packed up my art. "Were you two like this before you came out?"

I paused, thinking. "Yeah, it's crazy that no one figured out that we were dating."

Elliot's gift was wrapped and my drawing was framed. Isaac still refused to give me any details about where my anniversary was going to be, and Elliot was as in the dark as I was. Would Isaac be taking us to a gay bar or something? Neither of us were old enough to get into one, so unless Isaac was a master forger, there was no way for that idea.

"Daniel, are you even paying attention?"

I looked up and saw Jack standing over my desk. He didn't have eighth period with me, so how the hell did he get here so fast?

"The bell rang like five minutes ago," he stated like he was reading my mind. "By the way, Elliot says hi."

Another one of Isaac's brilliant ideas was to keep Elliot and me separated until our date. Jack was probably scheming with him too. They could keep us physically separated, but that didn't stop us from texting each other all day.

"Oh," I responded stupidly. "Were you talking to me?"

"I was telling you that Isaac is going to walk you to your date at five, so look pretty. I'm going to be picking Elliot up."

"Five," I repeated. "Got it."

Jack shook his head and laughed as he left the classroom. I grabbed my stuff and ran out of the school as quickly as I could. I needed to get all dressed up and put the final touches on Elliot's gift. Tonight would be perfect, as long as my foster parents worked as late as they usually did. If they did, I would be out of the house before they even got home. They wouldn't miss my presence either.

What was I supposed to wear on this date? Where we were going? Jack told me to look pretty, so I assumed that he wanted something black tie formal. I had an old brown suit at home that I wore at some point. My biggest question was if it still fit me.

I burst into my house and began to raid my closet. The suit was hanging up and fit, if it was a little tight. The suit made me look older, more mature, sexier. I just wished I could have done something with my hair. It was literally just an explosion on my head that I could do nothing about. My ensemble was done, and so were my time killing techniques. There was nothing I could do to stall anymore, so I sat and stared at a wall.

Time passed… and I was about to shoot something when I heard a knock on the door. I grabbed my gifts and ran to the door, throwing it open. Isaac was standing on the other side. "Thank the gods. I was about to die in there."

Isaac laughed and gestured me out. With all my stuff gathered, we began walking. I kept prodding Isaac, but he wouldn't tell me anything. He would just laugh evilly and say something cryptically. Isaac led me down a few roads, and I realized that we were heading to the Taylor house.

I was right.

Isaac and I were walking up the driveway and were joined immediately by Jack and Elliot.

My heart stopped.

He was wearing the white tux again. His shaggy mane of blond hair was swept cleanly to one side. His cocky smile was on his face and his gray eyes swirled like rain clouds after a storm.

Breathe, I reminded myself. I can't kiss him if I'm dead. Why was he so perfect? Did I just get lucky to fall in love with Elliot? Yes. I was certainly lucky. Elliot ignored Jack and ran over to me. He wrapped his arms around me and spun me around.

"Damn, you're handsome," He whispered in my ear.

"Same," I sounded like an idiot, but I didn't care. "Happy anniversary, Elliot. I love you."

"Love you too," he seemed to glow in the fading autumn light. "So what are your anniversary plans?"

I shrugged and we turned in sync to look at the other couple. Isaac moved over to Jack and nudged him. The white headed boy grinned, "Isaac and I decided to get you an anniversary present after everything you have done for us."

"We know what you've done for other kids too," Isaac added. "And we knew that if anyone deserved peace and rest, it would be you two."

"To put it simply," Jack concluded. "We put together a place where you two could be together without anyone interrupting or judging. Isaac's parents are out of town and we're going to see a double feature. We'll be back later to clean up so just go and enjoy the night. Everything you need is in the kitchen and dining room."

"Oh my gods," I breathed.

Elliot was still speechless. Tonight we would be completely free from eyes. We wouldn't have to hid who we were from anybody. Although Elliot's friends were okay with us being gay, it's different being with them and being alone.

"Well hurry up," Isaac complained. "the longer you stare, the colder your dinner gets. And the longer I have to wait for my movies."

That got us moving. Elliot was still having troubles speaking, even as Isaac and Jack waved us into the house and slammed the door shut. I looked around. It seemed like Jack and Isaac had thought of everything, including a romantic atmosphere. The way into the kitchen was lined with rose petals.

Elliot finally found words to say something, "Did you do something about this?"

"No," I admitted. "I'm as shocked as you are."

"Isn't this perfect though?" Elliot asked, a dreamy grin on his face. "I wonder what's for dinner."

That was answered when we got into the kitchen. The smell of hamburgers and hotdogs filled the air. I had a feeling that it was Isaac and Jack who made the food. Perhaps it wasn't the most romantic thing, but it summed up our friends.

"Dig in," Elliot smiled.

Dinner was fantastic. It wasn't classy, it was fancy, it was just us. After dinner, we found a cake in the fridge that had happy anniversary written on it with blue icing. It was after the small cake fight we got into did we finally got to exchange our gifts.

Elliot insisted that I opened mine first. He handed me a small black velvet box wrapped around with a white ribbon. Just by the feel of it, I knew it was expensive. I slid the ribbon off of the box and opened it.

"Oh my gods," I brought the silver locket out of the box. I pressed the button and it swung open. On one side of it was a picture of Elliot and I under a watch like design. On the other side was a written phrase, "Love can survive the passage of Time."

My eyes were watering, "Elliot, I love this."

He stood up and walked around me. He grabbed the chain and gently put it around my neck. He snuck his arms around my waist and kissed where the chain met my skin. "It's beauty doesn't compare to you."

My fingers curled around the locket. There was no way my gift could possibly compare to this. I shrugged his arms off of me and grabbed the present I had gotten for my boyfriend.

"It's not as good as your gift," I apologized, offering it to him. "Sorry."

He took the gift from me. It was a long box that I wrapped in bright red wrapping paper. He tore it off, and opened the box. His smile fell when he pulled out the silver pocket watch. He looked up at me, shock painted across his face.

"How?"

"There's more," I said softly.

Elliot looked back in the box and pulled out the framed picture I drew. He placed it on the table and threw his arms around me again. "I love you, more than anything."

I nuzzled into his neck, completely at peace. We haven't been this close since we came out. The bruises from our respective beatings made physical contact painful. This was amazing. My mind wandered back to the discussion I had back before Isaac got sick. Kids, gods I was an idiot. I told him I wanted kids. And he completely flipped out. We made up, more or less, but my guilt still ate me.

"Can we talk?" Elliot asked me.

"If you break up with me," I said carefully, "I'll hurt you."

Elliot let go of me, grabbing my hand instead. Isaac's house was pretty big, and Elliot knew a good quiet place for us to talk. Maybe it was weird, the two of us going to someone else's house to talk and escape, but it was what we needed. We went out to the front room and sat on the couch. He pulled his coat off and set it on the ground. Mine joined his on the ground.

He sat against the arm rest, and I found myself pulled up next to him, "I've been thinking."

I raised my eyebrows, "Really? That must be a new thing for you."

"Shut up," he laughed. "I'm trying to be serious. It's about the conversation we had a few weeks ago, about having kids."

"Forget it," I snapped. "I get it know. We're not going to have any. It was a stupid idea for me to bring it up."

"No, honey," he smiled, "I wanted to tell you that I've been thinking about all of that. And I was an idiot for yelling at you. It's just that I didn't expect you to say it."

"But with everything that happened," I fiddled with my hands, "I just thought."

"I get it, I really do." Elliot pulled me tightly against him. I felt his heart beat against my back. "And I think I agree. But we can't have kids, so I was thinking that we could adopt when the time is right."

Jack POV

I walked Isaac home after the movie. He was just too adorable, going on about the movie and changing subjects to Daniel and Elliot. He just loved their story, and the way they fought for others.

"Do you think they went home?" He asked me as we walked up his driveway.

"Probably," I answered.

We pushed the door open and we saw them. Elliot and Daniel were curled up next to each other, sleeping. Daniel was wrapped in Elliot's arms. Their coats were set down on the ground, probably for comfort. The more I watched them, the more I realized this was them in perfect peace. They never were able to do this, and I was glad we gave them this.

"Come on, we're leaving them alone."

8: Track Meet

Elliot POV

I cheered as my boy ran across the finish line, ending in second place. When he entered this tournament, he didn't even think he'd place. Yet here he was, about to get a silver medal. The award ceremony was over quickly, all the assembled spectators trying to keep warm in the March weather. Daniel jogged over to me after the ceremony, looking proud of his sweaty glory. He threw his arms around me.

"Was I fantastic or was I FANTASTIC?" He asked.

I shoved him off of me, laughing at him. "You're always fantastic, but the smell of success is a little overwhelming."

Daniel giggled and put a single arm around my shoulders. He looked around and his eyes narrowed. "Isn't that Noah?"

Sure enough, standing off behind the crowd was Noah. His gaze kept shifting, like he was scared of something. "That's weird. What do you think he's doing here? He graduated last year."

That was a rhyme.

Daniel shrugged, "I don't know, maybe he was feeling sentimental."

"Call me crazy," I commented as I walked with Daniel towards where the gym doors were so he could go get changed, "but I doubt he's sentimental. I'm meeting you at Nick's, right?"

"Yeah," Daniel kissed my cheek and we parted ways.

I left the school at 8:25 PM and arrived at Nick's house at 8:45. Cassie and Mason were there already, and the four of us ended up playing a few rounds of hearts. Throughout our many games, I kept glancing at the clock.

"He's fine," Nick grumbled when I missed my turn for the fifth time. "If something happened to Daniel to make him run late, he would have called you. Besides, it took you twenty minutes to walk here."

"He would have run here to show off his medal," I looked back at the clock. "It's almost ten. Should I call him?"

"Lay off of it," Mason groaned, "you sound like my mother."

My phone buzzed in the silence of my glare. I grabbed it and pressed the answer key. "Hello?"

"Elliot?" It was my mother, and she sounded frantic. "Oh gods, I'm so glad that you're okay. I was watching the news and it was terrible. You could have been there."

"Mom, calm down," I cut her off. "What are you talking about?"

"You're safe," she sobbed. "I was so scared."

"Mom?"

She hung up her side of the conversation. I got up quickly and ran to Nick's television. My mom had said that she had been watching the news. All of my friends' phones when off. I flipped on the television and there was a breaking news broadcast.

A newscaster was standing yards away from our high school's gym. Emergency vehicles like ambulances and police cars were lined up around the school, red and blue lights flashing. The main news station must have just flicked back to her when we tuned in.

"For those of you just joining us, we're coming to you live from Aepherious High School. The police have informed us that there has been a shooting within the gymnasium and the boy's locker room. There is no confirmed number of casualties and the medical personnel have not alerted us to any deaths. We will continue to bring you updates as soon as we know them. This is Jennifer Hastings, live for Channel 3 news."

"Oh my gods," Cassie whispered, turning to Nick and sobbing into his shoulder. "What if we know someone who was in there?"

My eyes widened. They didn't give a timeline of events, but Daniel was there…and he hasn't come here yet. Oh my gods, he was a part of the accident.

I mouthed Daniel's name and turned away from television. I was on my way out when someone grabbed my arm. Nick let go of me, looking scared and worried. It was partly for my sake, and for his sake.

"Elliot, I'm not going to stop you from going," he let go of my arm, "but if you really are going, then I'm going with you. You don't know what you're going to find down there. We can get there faster with my car anyway."

"Then we're going," I said firmly. "I can't live not knowing if he's okay or not."

Nick nodded and we got into his car. We couldn't get that close to the school because of the chaos that was still happening. Police men and women were putting on Kevlar vests. Paramedics were treated injured people and sending them off to hospitals. I didn't know where to go.

Various families and students were standing around in shock. Some were screaming and yelling, while others just stared at the sanctuary they called school get destroyed in front of them. Paramedics were running back and forth. One of the paramedics was standing against an ambulance, breathing heavily, just beyond the yellow tape.

I pushed my way towards the paramedic. She looked at me, as I got close to her. She got off of the ambulance and walked over to me. Her eyes softened when she saw my face. "Can I help you?"

"There was a boy in the locker room named Daniel," I said frantically. "He's short and has brown hair and deep brown eyes and."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about him. You're going to have to wait for him to contact you or for the causality list to be released to the general public."

I wanted to fight back, but Nick put his hand on my shoulder, "Thank you, ma'am. Come on Elliot. I'm going to take you home. Everything will be fine, I promise you that."

"Can you really promise that?" I asked as we walked away. I could hear someone crying off in the distance. How could someone be capable of hurting so many people?

"No, it was a lie to help you feel better," Nick snapped. He froze at the harshness of his own tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I'm worried about Daniel, about people I might know in that chaos."

It was then I realized that I wasn't the only one affected by this. Nick knew athletes. He was an athlete. I was an athlete. I knew other kids that were on the track team. What happened to them? Were they okay?

"I want to go home," I sighed.

Nick nodded, "I know the feeling. If you go to sleep, maybe you'll wake up to good news."

The drive to my house passed in silence. The lights to my house were still on and I knew that it was my mom waiting for me to come home. Nick stopped me before I got out of the car.

"Look, maybe everything won't turn out okay," Nick paused, "but we'll all get closure, whether by seeing our friends again or going to their funerals."

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up," I got out of the car and slammed the door behind me. I went into my house, listening to the door shut. The sound was hollow as it echoed around the house. I walked into the kitchen and saw my mom sleeping as peacefully as she possibly could, considering the circumstances. I left her there and went straight to my room and collapsed on my bed.

Before sleep overtook me, a silent prayer escaped my lips for Daniel.

Let him be safe.

Let him come home to me.

The day the list of casualties –fatalities and injuries- came out, I could barely hold my emotions in check. School had closed down and all the students who could have been there had been identified. Nick was the one who came over with his laptop so we could look for names.

Nick looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept for a few nights. Well, neither had I. I had been up for at least three days, completely void of sleep in anticipation for this list to be released. Daniel's name would be on that list. He hadn't contacted me. If Daniel was alive, he would have called. He hadn't.

"He's going to give you closure," Nick whispered, "no matter where his name is."

"What if his name isn't on the list?" I spoke that dread fear. "What if he got shot and ran and died somewhere else? What if he's gone?"

Nick didn't answer me as he opened the webpage that would finally give me an answer. He looked at me and smiled sadly. He was right. I was thinking of the worst case scenario. Daniel wouldn't leave me, not on purpose. He loved me.

The list of names, thank the gods, wasn't very long. There were 2 deaths and 3 injuries. None of the names stood out as my friend. I had heard of them, but they weren't in my life.

But Daniel's name wasn't on the list.

He wasn't dead and I was thankful. But it was like he dropped off of the face of the planet. My Daniel was gone.

I didn't know what to feel, actually. Sorrow for what happened, sympathy for the broken families, joy for the names that weren't on the list. What was I supposed to feel about Daniel?

"Oh my gods," Nick muttered when he was finished looking at the list. "Where's Daniel's name?"

It's been a month and I've had no contact from Daniel. We were back in school now, and Daniel was gone. I reported him missing, but his foster parents told the police and me that he had transferred schools because of the incident and didn't want to talk with me again. I didn't believe them, but the cops accepted it for the time being.

No one was quite capable of helping me cope with this. Jack and Isaac had tried a few different things to try and help me and I knew they were suffering just as much as the rest of the student body. I should have been the one there for them, not the other way again.

"Look Elliot," Mason was saying one day during lunch when I wasn't eating. "Maybe this is meant to be. Maybe Daniel was going to be bad for you. Maybe he wanted to break up with you and he just took advantage of the opportunity."

"He loves me," my voice broke as I stared at the pile of uneaten food. "If he was going to break up with me, he would have done it face to face. We talked about that."

Nick glared at his own lunch. "He ran off, Elliot. There's no denying that anymore. If I ever see his face again, I'm going to break it."

I didn't know how to respond right away. My heart was broken and torn into small pieces. I didn't want to hurt Daniel. He deserved to be happy and if going to a different school meant he would be, and if he had found someone else, "So be it."

Police had told the school that the remains of the shooter had been found. It was Noah Craft. They said he turned the gun on himself off in a hiking trail a small drive away from the school. Signs suggested that he was chasing somebody before he gave up. I wish I knew who he was chasing. Maybe it was Daniel.

"Elliot," Cassie said, speaking for the first time in a few days. She had been as quiet as I had been since the accident. "Do you want to go on a walk? Just the two of us?"

"Yes, I do."

We set a plan to meet after school. It was rare that Cassie ever left nick's side, and even rarer that we ever went and did anything together. The bell that signaled the end of the day rang and I met Cassie outside by her car. We drove to a hiking trail in silence. We left our stuff in the car and started walking. The trail was familiar, but I couldn't figure out why.

"I'm sorry for how Mason and Nick were acting," she said as we climbed. "They didn't see how far in love you are and how much they were hurting you."

"I'm fine now," I lied. "It's just, I love Daniel."

"I know you do." Cassie said. "You love him like I love Nick. If Nick vanished, then I don't know what I would do. You're stronger than me, Elliot."

Memories flooded over me as I remembered why I knew this trail. It was Daniel's favorite, and we would hike this trail together. Was I cheating on his memory because of this?

"I'm not strong," I argued weakly. "I'm just…me. I don't want to be strong. I want to cry, but I can't. I have to be strong for other people."

Cassie and I continued to walk in quiet until we reached the end of the trail a short while later. This was such a short and simple trail, it was ridiculous. It was also why Daniel liked it as much as he did. Cassie and I took a break at the end, sitting on the ground and looking out at what was around us.

"It's okay to cry, Elliot," Cassie said. "It's a moment to relate to thousands of others. We're overcoming tragedy, and crying is natural. We'll all heal eventually, but for now, we will do what seems smart and live."

"But I miss Daniel, and a rose and some words isn't going to fix this one," I rested my head against a tree. "I want Daniel back. I don't want to live without him."

"Don't you dare say that," Cassie snapped, eyeing me darkly. "You can't imply that. You mean too much to too many people."

"Cassie, please stop. I didn't mean it like that. It's hard without Daniel. We would comfort each other after things went wrong. I can't take care of the people I do without him. I don't want to love again. It hurts so much. That's what I meant."

There was an awkward silence as we climbed back down the trail. We passed a large rock that I recognized as a rock that Daniel once climbed up on and pointed out all of the different places he went to with his foster parents, including their cabin.

Gods, I missed him and I must sound like a broken record, because he's all I ever think about. The picture he drew me for our anniversary still sat on my bedside table. That moment from the picture was stuck in my mind. And I had a love hate relationship with it. Where was Daniel? I needed him.

As we were walking, we heard something moan in the distance. Cassie looked over at me, "Was that you?"

I shook my head, "No."

Cassie followed close behind me as we went off trail. The moaning didn't get louder the closer we got to the source. It was getting weaker, but it wasn't moving away from us. It sounded like a wounded or dying animal. Something moved in a bush a few feet in front of us. I motioned for Cassie to stay where she was. A dying animal could get ugly. I peeked around the bush.

"Call 911," I whimpered. "We need an ambulance."

"Why?" She asked, pulling out her phone.

A man was lying in the dirt. His leg was at a strange angle and a hole in his leg was green and red, infected and swollen. Leaves and other foliage was stuck in his brown hair.

"It's Daniel, and he's hurt bad."

9: Pain

Daniel POV

The pain just vanished. Every ache, every sting, every burn was gone. I had to be dead because there was no other way for me to feel this good. A soft buzzing filled the air. When I became aware of that, I felt pressure in my right arm and on my finger.

My eyes opened carefully. If this was a trick, then I wanted to be ready to run. The room was lit with a gentle light. There was a collection of pillows supporting my head. I breathed in and felt something tugging at my nose. What was going on?

"We've stopped the infection from going through his bloodstream. If one or two more days had passed, the leg would have needed to be amputated, assuming the infection hadn't already taken its toll."

"Why is he sleeping so much?"

I knew that voice.

"He had a temperature of 102.4 and it was rising steadily." The voice paused, "Sir, I can't tell you more without his consent, or until the guardian ad litem say we can tell you more. His foster family cannot be found so we are assuming the worst for them. Just be glad that he put your name on that paper in his pocket."

Why couldn't I see the people speaking? What paper were they talking about? The only paper I had was the apology I wrote to Elliot. Really, though, where the hell was I?"

"I know, and thank you for taking care of him. If he had died, I think I would have died along with him."

Aha, I did know that voice.

"You're too pretty to die," I muttered.

The room went silent. Did I say something wrong? It was possible, since I still didn't know where I was. I turned my head and that gave me more information. Why hadn't I had this idea earlier?

I saw a machine with blinking numbers of many colors. The tugging on my elbow was a needle, a GIANT needle, which meant I had an IV. Why did I have an IV? That put me in a hospital. But last I checked, I was dying in a forest. So how did I get here?

"Daniel?" A quiet voice sobbed. My favorite voice.

My eyes narrowed towards where the voice came from. I was have trouble seeing the speaker, and maybe even communicating. I thought I could speak, but I could have been wrong. There were two blobs standing a good distance away from me. Or they could be right next to me. I wasn't sure which.

The taller blob appeared next to my face and the other went to look at the flashy machine. The blob in front of me began to solidify into a face. First came the blond hair, then the smile. Last was the gray eyes, shimmering with tears.

"Hey," I croaked.

"Oh my gods, Daniel," Elliot, my handsome Elliot, was grabbing my hand. I winced at the light touch. What was wrong with me? "I'm sorry."

"Confused," I said simple. I was certain that what I said earlier came out slurred and more like a jumble of gook. I decided to start simply and work my way up to harder sentences.

"Doctor?" Elliot looked at the other blob, which apparently was a doctor. That was a good thing to know.

"Do you want Mr. James here?" The doctor paused and I nodded. "Alright. You fractured several bones in your hands and smaller fractures in the arm. We had to get you into surgery immediately due to the infection from the bullet wound in your leg. You came here nearly three days ago after being missing for a month."

The doctor's voice was higher than I thought it was originally. I decided that the doctor was a girl, which was also good information to have. But three days. Time flies when you think that you're dead. Or in unending pain. The thought drifted through my mind. I wiped the thought away, confused. Why did I know that? What happened to me that I would know unending pain?

"What happened, Daniel?" Elliot caressed my face gently. "You just vanished and no one knew where you went. There was no note. There was nothing."

There was no better time to see if I could speak enough to explain the little bit I knew. "The game and then Noah chased me. He shot me and yelled at me before shooting himself. I ran and then…I don't know. The next thing I really knew was that I was dying in the forest. I wrote you a note with mud and litter. I should be dead."

"Don't say that," Elliot chided. Something wet landed on my hand. Was he crying? "You're alive and that's what matters."

Why was he crying? Why couldn't I remember a good portion of what had happened to me? People don't usually forget these things do they? I yawned. This inner monologue and remembering was exhausting.

"Rest some more, Daniel," The doctor ordered. "You need your rest."

"Okay," I muttered and closed my eyes again. It didn't take long to fall asleep

Elliot POV

Daniel's breathing slowed down. The machine that gave his vital signs told me so. I saw the pain he was in, even if the drugs told him otherwise. How did he survive this long?

"I'm not a psychologist," Doctor Camson said softly, "But I'm a good people person. He's hiding something, whether on purpose or just a suppressed memory, there's something he's not saying."

I wanted to respond with, no shit, Sherlock¸ but I was just glad that Daniel woke up. Something terrible must've happened for him to have forced himself to forget what happened. Gods, I hoped he would be okay. Doctor Camson told me that when I found him that it was a miracle that he wasn't more dehydrated. He must've been drinking, no matter where he was. They also fed him, but not enough, Daniel was a stick compared to when I last saw him. The muscle he had been so proud of was gone and he was pale. It made me sick, since there wasn't much there in Daniel to begin with.

"We need to alert the police that he's woken up," Doctor Camson continued. "He has a little more information than they have."

I nodded, having spoken to them myself when I brought Daniel in. Doctor Camson smiled, "He's alive and function, Mr. James. A week ago we didn't know if he was still alive. There are reasons to hope."

"Thanks Doctor," I replied, sitting down next to the bed. She nodded before walking out of the room.

I settled into the chair. My hand found its way to Daniel's and I rubbed my thumb along the back of his hand. Daniel shifted in his sleep, muttering uncomfortably. My attention fell on the folded up piece of paper on the bedside table. It had my name written on it and I knew now what it was. It was his deathbed apology. They were his last thoughts.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a text from Isaac, asking me if there had been any update with Daniel's condition. I replied briefly saying that he had woken up, but he wasn't ready for anyone else. I also added that I was going to go radio silent for the next few hours.

I set my phone down and sighed. Daniel's memory was missing the majority of when he was gone. Deep down, I hoped that he would never have to remember what happened to him. But I also knew that if Daniel ever wanted to move past this, he would have to remember and become stronger.

My thoughts were broken up by the sound of a phone call from somebody. I picked the phone up. I was confused. The call was coming from Mr. Kanter. He knew I was looking for a job in the history field and there was no reason for him to be calling me unless he had something for me.

"Hello?"

"Elliot, I have great news," Mr. Kanter seemed really excited. "I heard that there is a position opening up at Academy. They're doing a project to find a project to find common roots in all of the world's mythologies. They asked me if I knew anyone who could be interested and I thought of you immediately. Which is why I am now calling you."

"Wait, what?"

"You could get a research job with professionals," Mr. Kanter took a breath in. "I understand if you need time to think about it. It's a part time job until you graduate but it will require a sacrifice on your part, because of how far it is, but I think you it's a good opportunity."

"I'll think about it," I sighed. "I'm going to have to call you back. Thank you for calling me."

"Of course, Elliot," Mr. Kanter smiled. "Go forth."

He hung up and I pulled the phone away. I put the phone in my pocket. I needed to think about this. Daniel was sleeping soundly in his bed. Tomorrow was a school day and I needed to make it home so I could get my clothes for a night here. Out of fear of hurting Daniel, I left without kissing him.

The entire way home was a swirl of chaotic emotions. I could get a job and education at the Academy of Philosophy and Culture. I could get into that college. I could change my life if I took the job at the Academy.

I needed to talk to Daniel about this.

I needed to talk to my mom about this.

Damn, I seriously needed to talk to both of them about this. My mom was working tonight so it wouldn't have been that hard for me to just spend the night at the hospital. If I could get Daniel's opinion on this before I talked to my mom.

Wind whipped through my hair as I biked home. I arrived at home about ten minutes later. I grabbed my school bag and shoved a change of clothes inside. By the time I made it back to the hospital, the hospital staff waved me in. My presence here at the hospital had become a staple here. I walked into Daniel's room.

He was still sleeping soundly. I collapsed into the chair next to his bed and dropped my bag. Daniel's note was taunting me. Did I really want to read Daniel's last words? I reached out and grabbed it tightly. This was what he wrote when he thought he would be dead. It would be a violation of his trust if I read it now. But it was written for me.

It was against my better judgment, but I unfolded the paper. Daniel's cramped handwriting filled the carefully folded letter. I couldn't believe that when Daniel was dying, he took the time to write something to me. I settled into the chair and started to read.

Elliot,

I'm going to miss you. If you're reading this, then someone found me. Or they found my body. Either way, you're reading this. If I am dead, then I want you to move on. It might take time for that to happen, but please do. I want you to be happy. You always wanted me to be happy, so this is me ordering you to be happy.

I'd prefer if you were happy with me, but we might not get that. Remember Elliot, that I love you. I love you more than words can describe. Live life, my dear, live life well. Live for me.

Love,

Daniel Erikson, age 17

Oh gods, I love him. Daniel was just too perfect for me. the clock on Daniel's wall read a little past six. Smiling sadly, I folded into the chair and closed my eyes. Soon, I would talk to Daniel about my future.

"Elliot," a soft voice called. I felt a hand on my shoulder, gently shaking it. "Elliot, wake up."

"Mmmgoaway," I muttered, stretching out in the uncomfortable hospital chair. "Itsmybedtime."

"Elliot," the voice nagged, "my leg hurts."

My eyes opened and I saw Daniel looking at me. He smiled slightly through the pain when he noticed that I was awake. He looked down and saw his letter sitting on my lap. Daniel's smile got a little bit wider.

"You read it," Daniel whispered. "I'm glad you did. But my leg still hurts."

I sighed sitting up, "Use your call light. The nurse will come in then."

Daniel groaned and pressed the button. After the nurse did her thing, I found the time to talk to Daniel about what happened this afternoon.

"I need your opinion on something," I said scooting closer to his bed. "Mr. Kanter offered me a hob at the Academy doing a research project about ancient mythologies and trying to find a common link. It would be after school until we graduate, I think, and then I'd be there."

Daniel made a face that I had come to call his thinking face. His eyebrows had narrowed and his brown eyes were fogged by an inner monologue. He chewed his bottom lip and then looked up at me. I missed this face.

"You should take this job," Daniel said finally. "This is a really big thing for you. We can always find some time to spend together. Did he mention which Academy offered you this job?"

"No," I shrugged. "I'm assuming it's the Academy of Philosophy and Culture. The Academy of History and Time would never let a high school student work on their research project. They accept like 10 freshmen a year, so my chances are low."

Daniel fell back into his bed, yawning. I looked at the clock-it was nearly one in the morning. "I'm sticking with my answer. Go and take the job. We can make it work. Love you, Elliot."

"Love you too," I responded.

Daniel settled into his bed before he fell asleep again. He did a lot to help my decision, actually. If Daniel thought that we would be able to work through this, then I believed him. He was always me more realistic than I was.

The night turned to day and I walked out of the hospital towards the school. Something was nagging at the back of my mind. I thought it would have been something to do with homework I didn't do. That didn't seem right either. I made sure I finished everything when Daniel was asleep over the last weekend. So I was lost.

School was fairly empty at this point in the morning and I was sure that besides me, it was just the faculty in the building. I walked to the history classroom and knocked on Mr. Kanter's door. I paused for a brief moment before walking in. The old history teacher looked up from his desk. His smile fell slightly.

"Any updates on our young friend?" He asked.

The police apparently didn't want to share that Daniel was back quite yet. I smiled widely, "Daniel's in the hospital right now. I found him on Friday. I was in his room when you called."

"Very good news, Elliot, very good news," Mr. Kanter relaxed. "So I think that you're here to talk about your employment opportunity?"

"Yes sir."

We sat down at his desk and he pulled out his candy bowl. He offered me a piece, which I happily took. Munching on Starbursts, we started discussing the job. Mr. Kanter seemed more alive than usual when we had these chats. He was more vocal about what colleges were good and which were, in his words, "lying colleges that ignore history in hopes that they wouldn't offend."

He was rambling on about why research was important at the Academy of Philosophy and Culture when he paused to breathe. "Of course, the APC is a fine research college and you would do well there. But the chances you would have at the AHT are just so much more and you'd do even better. When they called me and asked if I had any students who would be interested, well, I nearly died."

"Wait," I sat up quickly, my mind scrambling with this new information. "The Academy of History and Time is offering me a job?"

"That was my reaction!" Mr. Kanter cried. "You'd be joining twelve other professionals and you'd be learning from them prior to the school year. The representative I was talking to said that you would start the year with an Associate's Degree."

"AHT," I muttered. "They want me."

"That they do, Elliot," Mr. Kanter smiled. "They believe in awarding the worthy. If you work well with the team, I believe that you will have a job with them for a decent length of time."

"But I can't afford to go there," I deflated. Damn money and its necessity. "Even with a job, I couldn't afford that school."

A mischievous light flickered in Mr. Kanter's eyes. "I inquired about that. In addition to the job, they are offering the student who works with them a full scholarship including books and lodging on campus. They're taking the risk assuming that you are worth it, Elliot James."

A full ride… oh my gods, I could go to the Academy of History and Time to study. I didn't apply to any colleges because I was waiting for Daniel, but he told me to take the job.

"I'll show them that I'm worth it," I smiled.

A few hours and a boring school day later, I was back in Daniel's hospital room. He looked bored out of his mind as he flipped through television stations. When I walked in, he erupted into a giant grin. After waking up, he seemed to have improved over night. There was a little more color in his face and his eyes were bright.

I sat down next to him, "So I accepted the job/internship."

Daniel smiled and put his hand on top of mine, "Knew you would. So does this mean what I think it means?"

"A temporary long-distance relationship. Plus frequent visits and sleepovers." He turned a bright red. I laughed watching Daniel's face. "I didn't mean it like that, sweetie. I just want to spend time with you."

"Oh," Daniel fell quiet, content to just sit in silence. I rubbed the back of his hand for a few minutes until he asked me a question. "When do you have to leave?"

"May 8th," I sighed. "Luckily I'm just taking joke classes that don't impact my graduation at the moment. AHT talked to the school and I'm basically starting college a little early. That's just under a week, Daniel. Mom's throwing a party."

There was a knock at the door. I waited for a moment. If it was one of the hospital staff, they'd come in anyway. They'd leave when they saw Daniel was busy, but they'd enter. The person on the other side of the door knocked again. I paused, remembering what happened earlier today.

"I should warn you," I said quickly as I walked to the door. "I may have mentioned to Jack and Isaac that you were here."

I pulled the door open and felt a breeze as twin forces of sophomore energy blew past me. I blinked and saw my view of Daniel was hidden behind white and brown hair. Isaac and Jack were spitting questions at Daniel faster than I could comprehend, which meant that Daniel was lost. For a brief moment, Daniel and I made eye contact so I could see he was overwhelmed. I sighed and walked over to the sophomores. With a swift motion, I jabbed my fingers into their sides and silenced them.

"Thank the gods," Daniel muttered.

Jack looked up at me, hurt by my actions, "What was that for?"

"Daniel needed help," I smiled. "We're both glad to see you, but Daniel is recovering. There's no need to swarm my boy."

Isaac kicked the ground, looking downcast, "Sorry. I was just really worried. You went missing and weren't at the school and Elliot was depressed and then he said you were in the hospital on Friday but Jack and I couldn't find a way to the hospital until today-"

"Breathe buddy," Daniel grinned. "I'm glad you're here. I just wasn't expecting twin forces of sophomoric energy to happen all at once."

Did I call that description or what?

"Sorry," The boys said in unison. Jack looked at Daniel, and then at me, "So he's fine?"

"He can answer," Daniel replied sarcastically, "and he's fine. Don't know when I'm going to be discharged, but I'm recovering."

Isaac stared at the IV in Daniel's arm. At this point it existed to give Daniel antibiotics, liquids, and occasionally pain medicine that Daniel didn't want me to know that he used. It was clear that Isaac wasn't comfortable with the hospital vibe. I quietly prayed that he'd never be here for anything more than a visit.

"What happened?" The youngest, Isaac, asked.

Daniel's eyes flicked for the briefest of seconds to the table, or the letter sitting on top of the table. I grabbed it and put it in my pocket. That was something personal that Isaac or Jack needed to know about. Daniel thanked me silently. He took a shaky breath in, "I don't actually remember a whole lot. It's really just flashes of me running and then jolts of pain. The only thing I remember is dying off of a hiking trail, praying someone would find me."

In the politest way I could, I shoved Jack and Isaac out of the way and grabbed Daniel's hand. If I wasn't holding his hand, I would have never known that he flinched at the unforeseen contact. But Daniel was safe here with me, and he needed to remember that. I really was just trying to get as close to him as I could. Jack and Isaac caught on as they backed away from the bed. There was another knock on the door and in walked one of the staff members, Toni.

The older woman smiled, "Good to have visitors, right?"

"Yes," Daniel smiled weakly.

Toni was easy to talk to and seemed to have a secret knowledge of everything that happened in the hospital. "I can come back later, but I have to do vitals at some point this hour."

"Okay."

She turned around but paused at the door. "I heard a rumor that if everything heals well, you're going home on Saturday!"

"May 8th?" Daniel echoed.

"Yes," Toni smiled before leaving the room.

Daniel's hand tightened around mine. He had definitely not been expecting that when she walked in. He paled a little bit and his grip kept getting tighter. I rubbed his hand with my thumb reassuringly.

"We'll get through it," I whispered. "We always do."

"What's going on guys?" Jack asked worriedly.

"Nothing," I faked a smile. "That's a good day to be released, that's all."

Isaac knew something was up, even if Jack didn't. The younger boy nodded, not entirely convinced that this was a good answer. Isaac raised an eyebrow, "You'd tell us if it was important, right?"

Daniel and I exchanged glances.

"Yes," we lied.

They wouldn't need to know, not yet anyway. Let them have this moment when their world was complete.

10: Happy and In Love

Daniel POV

The day I was discharged from the hospital was probably the saddest day of my life. Elliot was walking just behind me, making sure I had figured out how to use the crutches with a broken hand. I could manage…eventually.

We walked carefully out of the hospital. Elliot was carrying a small collection of prescriptions and some of my hygiene stuff. One of the crutches gave up on me, and I went falling to the ground. In what looked like a rehearsed movement, Elliot grabbed my waist and pulled me up next to him.

"Did I hurt you? Did you hurt something?" He asked quietly.

"No, I'm fine." Actually, I was terrified. I was too close to injuring myself again. With Elliot going to college, who was going to catch me when I fell?

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "I know you're lying. You don't have to tell me the truth, Daniel, but I won't let anyone hurt you again."

"But what if you're not there?" I asked, getting situated back on the crutches.

Elliot smiled, "You've got other friends, dear. You've got Isaac and Jack. You've got my friends. I'm traveling the farthest of any of them. Mason and Nick are nearby. And there are favors that different juniors and sophomores owe me."

That sounded creepy, but comforting at the same time. Not too comforting, but still. When I thought about it, I don't think Elliot had ever met my friends. Not that they were my friends, but more like associates with common interests.

"We've got to hurry," Elliot said smoothly, picking up the garbage sack he dropped when saving me. "We need to drop your stuff off at your foster parents'."

"Isaac's would be easier," I lied. I didn't want to tell Elliot that my foster parents had vanished and that I was placed with a family nearby. They hadn't seen me yet and I didn't want to meet them. Isaac would be at Elliot's party with Jack, assuming that Elliot got over his fear of "ruining" the vision Isaac and Jack had of us. "But let's go to your farewell party first. We can say goodbye later."

"Alright."

Elliot had borrowed his mom's car so he could drive me where I needed to be. He dropped my stuff into the trunk. I was grateful for him and his kind nature. He opened the door for me and I plopped down in the seat. Through some miracle, I got settled into the car. Elliot got into the driver's seat and we started to go home. Elliot put his hand gently on my leg, trying to avoid hitting my broken left arm. He was leaving tonight. This was the last day we'd spend together for a long time.

"Don't be sad, sweetie," Elliot said sadly. "I'm going to college, not dying."

"I know," I admitted, "but this year sucked."

"Our anniversary?" Elliot asked. "Meeting Isaac and Jack? Helping others? I admit there was a month, an awkward awful month, when we weren't together, but for the most part it has been wonderful."

"If you want to look at it that way," I muttered. But then I started getting louder. "Or we can see it as Isaac and Jack are getting hurt because of us. We ruined them because of how we live. I'm not sure how Jack is dealing with it, but we forced Isaac in a dangerous position and he got sick, Elliot. He got deathly sick. We caused that."

"Daniel," Elliot said quietly. "Yelling won't help anyone."

"It's helping me!" I yelled back at him. "After those two, who will be hurt and damaged next? You're going to college, Elliot. I'm staying at the high school. Alone. You're probably going to go find someone else because your so kind and-"

Elliot leaned over and kissed me, his lips gently meeting mine. I hadn't noticed that he had pulled over and turned the car off. I looked around and saw that Elliot had pulled the car off of the road. Elliot kissed me again before pulling back onto the road.

"I'm not going to leave you forever. And I'm not going to leave you alone, Daniel. I might not be physically there, but you can email me, text me, call me. And I am planning on visiting, dummy."

"Oh," I squeaked.

"Exactly." We drove for a few minutes in silence. He looked over at me and smirked, "We are never going to be separated forever. You know what happened last time someone tried to do that."

"No, I don't."

"Noah died."

"Are you saying that you would kill people who tried to separate us?" I asked, a little shocked.

"I'm saying that if someone ever tries to separate us again," Elliot said, completely straight faced, "said someone might disappear under mysterious circumstances that I know absolutely nothing about."

Elliot's party was full of his friends, Mr. Kanter, Isaac and Jack, and family I didn't know he had. As the afternoon began to end, people began to try to talk to Elliot and offer advice. They then had to acknowledge that where Elliot went, I went, due to his steel grip on my hand. He was utterly terrified. I was usually forced to remove his hand from mine so he could hug or shake hands with the person he was talking to.

There were only two times that he let go of my hand of his own free will. The first was when he was saying goodbye to Nick. They stood by the couch talking quietly. I watched as Elliot comforted Nick the same way he comforted me, just in a less boyfriend-y way. This was him saying goodbye to his childhood friend. They'd see each other when Elliot came back to visit. I had the hint of a feeling that their friendship could survive anything.

The second time he let go was about forty-five minutes before he had to leave for the bus with Mr. Kanter. This time was for him to say goodbye to his mom. I felt completely awkward watching this happen. This was an intimate moment between a mother and her son. I don't remember it all that well, but I could feel the tender love in the air, they said nothing and stood in the center of the room, hugging. Minutes passed in a peaceful bliss until she and Mr. Kanter left to go and gather Elliot's things.

That left Elliot and I alone with about a half an hour to say goodbye. What did you sat to someone who meant the world to you when they were leaving? What words had the power to convey what I needed to say to someone who meant the world to you when they were leaving? What words had the power to convey what I needed to convey?

We both sat on the couch, falling into the same position we always sat in. Elliot wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, watching for my arm and leg. I sunk into his chest, wrapping my arm around him. I wanted to freeze this moment, when everything was just as it was supposed to be. As we stood in silence, I could feel Elliot taking shallow breaths behind me. something warm rolled down the back of my neck. He was crying.

"Elliot," I looked up at him, "what's wrong?"

"Gods, Daniel," he whispered. "I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm not going to fit in. I'm scared that they're going to take away my scholarships. I'm scared that by the time we are able to finally be together like we're supposed to be, it'll be different. I don't want this to change."

I felt like Elliot and I kept having conflicting emotions. He would comfort me, I'd comfort him, and it'd basically go like that. And we'd be comforting each other about the same things. The problem with this time was that I had no clue what I needed to say.

"Well, everything will change eventually," I shrugged. "I don't know how we would have changed, but I think we can handle this. Don't worry about everything else. You're brilliant, friendly, and fantastic. If the people at AHT don't like you, then they're stupid."

Elliot sighed, "But what if they don't like me? What should I tell them if they ask me if I'm dating anyone?"

"Tell the truth?" I offered. "If they ask if you're in love, say yes. If they ask with whom, tell them. It's not like there are skeletons in your closet. You haven't been raped-"

It was like an explosion of terrifying emotions burst through whatever wall I had put in place and swarmed. I stood up shakily and walked away from the couch. Images and faces swirled through my minds. I could see their faces in my mind, mocking me, scorning me. Forcing me to…to…

"Daniel," Elliot's voice was shaking more than I was. "What's wrong?"

"I remember," I whimpered. "I'm not…I'm not."

Elliot walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged the shoulder off on me, "You're not what, Daniel?"

"Clean," I spat. "I'm not a virgin anymore. They raped me, Elliot. Oh my gods. I'm not good anymore."

"Don't say that," Elliot said firmly. He hesitated for a brief moment before putting arms around me and enveloped me in his safe heat. "There is nothing you can do to make yourself low. I still think you're fantastic."

"It's time to go," Mr. Kanter announced from the corner. Sorrow was etched across his face as he interrupted the tender moment.

Elliot's grip tightened around me. "I'm not going."

Mr. Kanter gave a confused look.

"I'm not going," Elliot said louder. "I want to, but I can't do that. Not when Daniel needs me."

I was pretty sure I was in shock, still trying to process every memory that revealed itself to me. I wasn't a virgin anymore. They took that from me. The faces of my rapists were still foggy, but the more I remembered, the clearer the faces were.

"You have to go, Elliot," Mr. Kanter said. "You agreed to go. If you don't go now, you will lose this opportunity forever. Your name will be blacklisted at all colleges and universities for all time."

"If I go, I'll lose Daniel," Elliot snarled. "I can't lose him again."

He was squeezing me at this point. Elliot was never this aggressive. His face was contorted in a dark rage. I shivered and pushed Elliot away from me. This irrational Elliot wasn't my Elliot. I needed to push him towards the Academy of History and Time. I wouldn't hold him back.

"You won't lose me. We've talked about this," I smiled softly. "We promised to keep in touch, and you were going to come back for graduation. That less than a month away."

Elliot's eyes softened as the truth of my words hit him. Mr. Kanter set his hand on Elliot's shoulder, "Come, your things have been put in my car. Let's go. We have to get you to the bus station before the bus leaves."

Elliot nodded. He grabbed my good hand and squeezed. "I'm going to miss you."

"Go and learn," I whispered. I kissed his cheek. "Love you."

We separated. I smiled widely as he went to the door. He hesitated for just a moment before waving and leaving. I would miss him, but he would be fine. I would make it through the next year somehow. Elliot's mom walked up next to me. I guess Elliot was right, I wouldn't be alone.

Elliot POV

I'm not going to lie. The work was long and tedious. The research group had been going for about a month and it was time for me to get to graduation. If Daniel wasn't waiting for me, I would've skipped graduation and continued looking at ancient texts. It was my passion. The lead researcher and my instructor, a man called Jason, taught me languages. We were finishing up Ancient Egyptian after going through Latin and Ancient Greek. I wasn't perfect by any means, but Jason was convinced that I had a gift for language.

"Mr. James," Jason called from the other end of the library. I tore my focus from the Grecian mythology book and walked over to him.

"Yes, sir?"

"I understand that you're returning home for the weekend for graduation. While you're away, I need your keen eye to look over something." Jason reached under his desk and placed three massive books on the table written in a different language. I winced at the size. "Not ever page, mind you. These books come from a lost religion that centers around four deities. There are few who know the story. I want you to see what you can find."

"I'll do it," I picked up the top one and saw that it was written in a weird mix of Greek and Latin. I bit my cheek. This was going to be so much fun.

"Oh," Jason exclaimed grabbing a smaller book in English. He added it to my pile. I recognized it as the book I started studying with. "This is for that boy Daniel that you speak so highly of. If he can do a good job, keep his grades up, and stay out of trouble, we may offer him the internship as well."

"Thank you sir," I smiled. "He's competent. He'll do wonders."

"That's why we're testing him," Jason nodded. "Elliot, I don't want you to help him."

"Of course sir."

"Now go home, Mr. James," Jason shooed me away. "You need to pack for your trip tomorrow."

The bus ride home went by in a blur of stories. I was nose deep in a story about a man who ascended to immortality with the help of his friends when the bus screeched to a stop. I shook my head trying to refocus on life. I slip my page of notes into the book and closed it.

I got off of the bus and stretched. The bus ride was about 5 hours from Sacramento to my home town. It was an awful trip, but if it meant that I got to see Daniel and my mom again, it was worth it. Maybe I'd go and find Isaac and Jack. Who knows?

I hung my duffle over my shoulder and walked out of the terminal. A familiar car horn sounded off to my right. My mom was sitting in her car. I walked over and plopped down in the front seat.

"Hey Mom," I smiled.

"Elliot," she gushed, "you look so grown up."

"I do?"

"You cut your hair," She smiled at me as she started driving off. "You're also wearing glasses. Do they have bad lighting in your office?"

I tore the glasses off of my face as she laughed. The glasses were only around to help me study because I couldn't afford to miss anything. It was the same with my hair. The shag was fun to have, but it got in the way after a few days.

"It's bright enough," I muttered, embarrassed. "How's Daniel? We've been emailing but it's not the same."

"I don't know, actually," She sighed. "I haven't seen him since your farewell party. I think he's off crutches now."

She drove in silence for a few miles. We didn't live all that far away, but it seemed like forever before we pulled into the driveway of my childhood home. As I was getting out of the car, my mom grabbed arm.

"Be gentle with Daniel. We talked on the phone a few times but he's changed. He's much more closed off than he was at your party," she said softly.

I got out of the car, feeling the warm summer sun drift over me. It never crossed my mind how much I missed being home. Maybe there was more to moving away than I thought. Once I settled into my room and had a bit of lunch, I sent a text to Daniel telling him I was back. I got a response from him immediately that told me to meet him at the school.

"Hey, I'm going to go meet Daniel at the school," I yelled as I grabbed her keys. "I'll be back before three."

I was certain that I made it to the school in record time. Apparently the school day was over because herds of teenagers were fleeing the school as I pulled into the parking lot. Daniel told me to meet him at the main doors. I got out of the car and saw him sitting alone by the doors.

It had only been a month, but he had changed. Even though it was nearly ninety degrees, he was wearing a dark blue turtleneck and black jeans. I had expected his skin to show the hints of a returning tan, but he was just as pale as he was when I left. Daniel's arm and hand were wrapped up in a hard cast, full of doodles that probably came from Jack and Isaac. He was looking around for me. When he noticed me, he froze.

He stood up gingerly and walked over. Daniel's face was emotionless until he was about ten feet away from me. A smile broke on his face and he ran the rest of the way. Minding his arm, I hugged him as tightly as I could. The smell of Daniel washed over me and I sighed.

"I love you, Daniel," I muttered.

"Love you," he replied into my shoulder.

Daniel kissed my cheek and we separated. He grabbed my hand and we walked down to my car. We got in and Daniel almost immediately grabbed my hand again. Minutes passed in blissful silence. However, something was pressing against my mind.

"What's with the wardrobe change?"

He shrugged, "I needed to feel in control. I don't know, but since you left, I needed safety and the sleeves reminded me of you. I didn't think you'd care.

"I do care," I sighed, "but not for selfish reasons. I mean, you're hot no matter what you wear. I care because it is ninety degrees and you'll get heatstroke and then you won't be able to get the internship at AHT."

"I wouldn't get an internship," he looked at my expression. His eyes widened. "What did you do?"

"Talked about how amazing you are," I answered honestly. "Jason gave me a book to have you look at while I'm here. He wants to see what you can do."

"Are you serious?" Daniel freaked out.

"Completely," I smiled. "And that's why we are on our way to your foster parents' house. We need their signature for permission. If you do well, then it may be a college class and I really don't know. But I'm certain there is a reason behind it."

Daniel looked out the window and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not there anymore."

"What? I thought they came back."

"I didn't want to tell you when you were leaving or while you were studying, but I remembered everything." Daniel paused and prepped himself to keep going. "I remembered their faces. My rape-captors faces. It was them. My foster parents took me. They were punishing me for being gay."

I paled and just nearly slammed on the breaks. How could someone do that? How could someone hurt Daniel like that?"

"Child Services relocated me during the week I was in the hospital because my kidnappers were nowhere to be found. They still don't know where they are, actually. I hope they get caught soon. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay," I made sure I had his hand and rubbed it. Daniel was keeping so much in. I was too, but this was sapping Daniel's happiness for mine. It was not okay. Daniel didn't deserve this and he knew it. "You've been talking to Isaac and Jack, right?"

Daniel just shrugged, "Where are we going?"

"Let's just go to my house," I replied. "We can get the signature another time, okay? But you need to get started on studying."

"What am I studying?" Daniel asked.

"Same thing I am, just on a beginning level. You're going to be reading the creation myths from a few different mythologies and religions and find common threads. I'm not allowed to help you, Daniel. If I do, you can't get the internship."

I pulled the car into the driveway and Daniel and I walked in. My mom waved as we went into my room. I shut the door and looked through my bag for Daniel's book. I handed him his and grabbed mine. Daniel and I collapsed on my bed. He started reading and I pulled out my glasses.

"You wear glasses?" Daniel snickered?

"Shut it," I mumbled, "and start reading. And don't bother me too much. Ancient Greek is hard enough as it is."

Daniel kissed my cheek, "I think they make you look sexier."

I blushed, "Go read."

He laughed, the bright sound filling the air. A small part of me wondered how long it had been since Daniel laughed like this. The rest of me shoved that thought down and started to read. The only sounds in the room were that of my pen scratching on paper and pages turning. Everyone once and awhile, Daniel would grab my hand and squeeze.

O Gods, hear my prayer.

Let us live together, happy and in love.

11: Taken and Alone

Isaac POV

I woke in the morning light of March. Dad was making breakfast and Mom was glued to the news. I came stomping downstairs, rubbing my eyes when she gasped, scaring the cap out of me I might add.

"What?!" I yelped.

"Oh, it's not you, deary..." She waved me off.

"Don't do that!" I wheezed, holding my chest. I battled to regain my composure.

"No, sorry... It's just girls from all over the state have been turning up dead, heads nearly severed from their bodies." She shivered.

"I feel bad for their families," I said, taking a seat next to her. We nodded a thanks to dad when he placed sausages and eggs on plates and scraped butter on our toast, giving us food. We stared at the news report.

"Each girl is progressively older in age than the first. All are blonde with green eyes and have been last seen walking home alone. The sheriff's department urges young women to be accompanied home for safety reasons. Back to you Frank." The reporter finished and the image changed.

"Our hearts go out to the family of the victims. As Leon said, the first victim was an elementary age school girl with the last being a sophomore in high school. Residents are urged to remain indoors and if at all possible to travel in groups of two or more."

Mom turned the TV off and sighed. I took after my mom, be were both too soft hearted for our own good.

"Are you going to walk with Jack this morning?" My dad asked, taking a bite of his sausage.

"I can... Why?" I retorted.

"There's a killer loose, sweetie!" Mom snapped.

"Who is killing-"

"And potentially raping-" Mom interjected.

"Blonde haired, green eyed... Oh my gods..."

"What?" Dad grew terribly concerned.

"Almirah, she's a sweetheart... Not such a fan of her brother, Ivan... But she totally fits the blonde hair green eyes thing..." I whipped out my cell phone and began texting, both her and Jack. Almirah immediately responded with a yes to the offer to walk to school with her, as she lived down the street, Jack was at my door within minutes of the text, and man was I not ready.

"You'll take care of him, won't you?" Mom asked.

"Of course, Lauren."

I was down in a few minutes, now ready and we arrived at Almirah's house, ready for action.

The morning was uneventful, but the afternoon was a whole 'nother story.

I began slowing down at the sight of the white van on the side of the road with the man looking under the hood.

Jack tensed and Almirah grabbed my arm. We picked up the pace as we became more and more nervous. The metal slammed and made us jump.

It all happened so fast.

One minute, we were fine, the next, Jack was crying out in pain and falling over as the man clamped his arms around me. I screamed and Almirah began slamming her fists into the man. Eventually he grabbed a fistful of her hair and dragged her to the van along with me.

I was panicking. My eyes were streaming with tears.

"JACK! JACK!" I screamed.

I kicked and thrashed until a cloth was placed over my mouth and nose. Chloroform...

Black. I could hear the slamming of the door and could feel zip ties around my wrists.

"Isaac?" Almirah's voice. "Isaac? Can you hear me?"

The engine started with a roar and I rolled in the back seat. I slammed into something.

A grunt made me think it was Almirah.

"Isaac, wake up!" Her voice was wavering. She was terrified, and I couldn't blame her, but I could feel myself fading.

Fading to nothing.

It was cold.

I groaned. My head ached.

"Isaac?" I looked into the darkness. "Thank the gods you're awake."

My throat burned. I couldn't respond.

There was a click and a heavy creaking noise, followed by a beam of blinding light.

"My soul mate has awoken. I shouldn't have left you with the child of darkness, my love, but alas, I must complete the ritual in your presence for her spell to be broken." It was the man who was working on the van.

Almirah and I shared a scared glance.

"Shhhh, all will be as it should be, and we can join in a union to please the gods, my love." The man knelt in front of me and stroked my cheek. I jumped back and trembled.

"Where the hell are we?" Almirah snapped.

"I have no reason to answer you, dark bitch." He spat.

I shivered.

"That is the effects of the evil one, love, I shall begin the ritual."

My heart was pounding.

He pulled a wire from his pocket as well as several other things.

I tried to reach out to stop him, but I was correct about the zip ties earlier.

I struggled to wiggle over.

He began saying nonsensical words, and throwing salt on Almirah who looked away to avoid it getting in her eyes. The man continued saying nonsense words and pulled Almirah up by the hair.

"Leave her alone!" I screamed.

The captor looked at me and smiled with a demented glow, not stopping.

"Please!"

The wire was wrapped around her neck.

"NO!"

A sharp tug.

Almirah gasped for air. Heaps of short, non-satisfying gasps.

Further pulling.

"Almirah!" I was sobbing. Unable to stop this. Unable to help.

Her struggling stopped and her face froze, tears falling down her face. Her skin broke and blood sprayed proportionately. I felt the warm splatter on my face and I proceeded into shock.

Her neck was at an unnatural angle now. The man finally released her as she tumbled to the ground.

He took off a bloody apron and gloves and touched my cheek again, to which I violently protested.

"It seems that her influence has corrupted you more than I had anticipated."

I stared at him in terror.

"I suppose I will have to force her influence from your body with my own in thanks to the gods for bestowing you to me."

"I'm not a gift!" I shrieked. "I'm a human being! I have a BOYFRIEND AND A FAMILY! You just murdered my friend right in front of me. Let me go!"

His smile grew more malicious.

"Darling, you are much more than a gift or a human being, you are an offering."

I shuddered.

He came over and lifted me, despite my struggles.

I kicked and screamed for minutes until I was dropped onto an old, rusting spring mattress. It suddenly occurred to me what he was going to do. My struggles became more violent, and I fought for survival.

He climbed on top of me, pinning me to the bed and forced me still. His hands clamped on the sides of my head and I begged for him to stop.

His lips met mine and I began thrashing. Tears clouded my vision as my innocence was being ripped from my body whether I liked it or not...

Daniel POV

I got the letter shortly after Isaac went missing. Elliot's boss/professor person alerted me that I had won the internship and was welcome at the Academy of History of Time. It was a bittersweet moment. Elliot promised me that he would pick me up when I was ready.

Not that I had much to pack. I hated my new foster parents. It wasn't as much them I hated as it was the system. It betrayed me when it let my kidnappers get away, let them take me the first time. The moment I turned eighteen, I packed up all my stuff and moved to Elliot's mom's house. She welcomed me in and there I stayed. It was great for when Elliot came home.

There was something holding me back from just running to Elliot-Jack. I never told him that I was being considered for the same internship Elliot had. I never expected to get the internship, actually. Despite Elliot's slight nudging in the right direction, I thought I bombed that first test. I now had to tell Jack that I was leaving him. I respected him too much to just vanish.

I got my bag ready for my last day of school. Worried, I put my sketch pad in my bag. It was the home to my unfinished sketch of Isaac and Jack, grinning madly. Isaac asked me to draw it for him, a third person's observation. I took the commission with pride.

When I got to school, I found Jack exactly where he always was-right outside the art room. He looked up at me when I walked up, his eyes empty. Isaac had been missing for one week. I didn't know how he would cope as more time passed and without anyone who really understood.

"Hey Jack," I knelt by his side.

"Daniel," his voice was as hollow as his eyes.

Not for the first time, I wondered why Elliot had me try for the internship. I also would curse the fact that he was a year older than me. If he was here right now, he'd know what to say. But it was just me.

"Come in here Jack," I stood up and pulled Jack into the art room with me. He struggled for a brief moment before submitting to me. It was like he had just given up on fighting back. "Sit."

He complied and then buried his head in his hands. Mama Dean looked up from her desk. We made eye contact. She seemed to get the message that I needed a moment alone with Jack. As she rose from her desk, I thanked the gods that I made friends with this teacher.

"Do you mind if I draw?" I asked.

Jack sat in silence which I took to mean as yes. I rolled up the sleeves of my white-otherwise Elliot would kill me-turtleneck and started to finish the sketch Isaac asked me to do for them. As I worked in auto-pilot, I remembered the slight disappointment Elliot had to discover that I was still wearing the turtlenecks. I mentioned they were lighter and brighter, so he backed down. I still needed a little control.

Within a half an hour, I was finally finishing Isaac's commission. Jack had gotten up and moved to the spot that Isaac had always sat in. From my space across the room, I could feel his pain radiating. I needed to say something, anything. The sketch in my hands wasn't my best, but it would do. It captured the two goofballs in an imperfect perfect way.

I put my artist signature in the corner of the page, barely on it at all, and tore the page out. Gathering all of my thoughts, I walked over to Jack. As I got closer, I saw the quiet heaves of pain racking his body. I put my hand on his shoulder and knelt next to him.

"Jack, I know you're not okay," I started quietly. "But I want you to know that eventually, everything will be fine. Everything will work out."

Jack laughed, but instead of filling the room with joy, it filled the room with a poisonous atmosphere. "That's funny, coming from you."

"What?"

"That's what I said to you when you and Elliot made up," Jack looked up at me, his eyes full of tears.

"It's good advice," I smiled sadly. I set the finished sketch on Jack's lap. "Isaac, well, he asked me to draw this for him."

"Oh my gods," Jack ran his finger along the outline of Isaac's smiling face. He threw his arms around my neck and cried.

Cried may have been too weak a term. I felt his body shake and tremble as sobs escaped his body. This was raw, unfiltered sorrow. It's what I felt when…it happened. But this was different. This was the sorrow of a lover. It's probably what Elliot felt.

"Jack," I tried to free myself after ten minutes had passed. Several people had entered the room for biology before walking out again just as quickly. "Classes are about to start."

His fingers tightened their grip on my shirt, "Don't go Daniel. Don't leave me alone."

Damn it, now I had to tell him. I was hoping that I would be able to stall a little longer, to wait for Elliot to help me explain why I was leaving. But I was worried that all I was going to do to him was hurt him even more. I couldn't do that to him, but I had no choice. I had to leave for the Academy tonight. Yes, it was about two months before graduation, but that was okay. I needed to tell Jack the truth now or he'd never forgive me.

"Jack, listen," I said firmly. "I need to tell you something."

The junior looked up at me. His blue eyes were stained red and puffy. My chest was wet with his tears. Gods, why did this happen now? Why couldn't this have happened after Isaac comes back, or even before? No, before would've been even worse. Then he would've been alone when it happened.

"I, um, don't know how to say this," I started, "but Elliot, he's amazing and wonderful and-"

"Stop," Jack buried his head in my chest again. That was an accomplishment, considered he was a few inches taller than me. "Isaac was like that. He was warm, and friendly, and everything."

"I know he is," I stressed the present tense, "and he'll be your everything again. I know he will be. But I might not be there to see it. The Academy of History and Time is offering me the same internship they gave Elliot. They want me there tomorrow."

Jack stiffened. His fingernails dug through my shirt. I tried to remove Jack, but he dug through my shirt and into my skin. It didn't hurt as much as it could've, considering the hell I went through trying to protect the school gay community from getting hurt, but damn he needed a nail trimmer. I also didn't really want to see what he would do if I reacted.

Tears started o flow freely from Jack again. "Why? Why the hell do the gods keep trying to ruin me? First they take Isaac, and then they pull you away from me too. Why do they do this to me?"

I tried to adjust my arms so I could comfort him. Jack shoved me away from him and onto the ground. I got up quickly and started to back away, "Jack, I'm so sorry."

"SORRY DOESN'T MATTER!" He screamed. "STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME, you traitor."

Jack collapsed on the floor, wailing and screaming. I grabbed my backpack and fled from the room. The gathered students were swept aside as Mama Dean forced her way through the crowd. She looked at me, "What's goin' on in there, honey?"

"Jack," I whispered. "He's hurt, Mama."

She nodded, "Run along, Daniel. Mama's got this. Mama can try to heal a broken heart."

"I'm not coming back, Mama," I said as she walked into the room. I heard Jack scream in his broken pain. "Goodbye Jack."

12: Find Me

Isaac POV

I lay on the rusty spring mattress. Morale broken. Body broken and torn. The only thing keeping me together was Jack. He was all I had. He was all I could hope to have.

H.O.P.E. Hold On, Pain Ends

I begged the gods above for mercy. I begged for strength. I pleaded for freedom.

My captor had placed a thick, cold shackle on my wrist to prevent me from fleeing the room when he tortured me. I felt so dirty. I felt so violated. I had been denied the privilege of clothes after my second resistance... I had never hated my body more than I did now. I was so weak. So frail.

I trembled in my corner of the mattress. I had a thin sheet to keep me warm as I slept, and I hadn't received food in... Four days now? I couldn't remember. Time seemed to run together. What were minutes were hours, hours seemed like days, days felt like years, and months felt like a lifetime.

I could feel something clawing at my mind, searching for a way out. It was dark, violent, and vengeful. I didn't want to let it out. It just kept draping and searching.

The door slammed open and I rose. He hated it when I ran or backed away. He approached and clamped onto my head. I froze as he dominated my chapped lips. He began pushing me onto the bed. I allowed it. The feeling had grown numbing after the first... Five or six times? I couldn't remember.

My hand brush the cold links attached to my wrist binding. The cold entity was painful now. I couldn't stop it.

I forced my way on top, my captor perversely turned on by my sudden show of force. My chain resting under his neck. I rolled again, and seductively completed the rotation around his slender neck.

I quickly rolled and stood, suspending my captor over my back, using only the chain to support his body. I shut my eyes as he thrashed and gasped for air. Struggling to cling to the life he so foolishly thought he deserved still.

I felt tears roll down my face as the struggle ceased. I had felt a sudden release in tension. His neck had broken in the struggle. I let go of the chain and immediately fished for the key. I found no key, but I did find the knife he so dearly treasured, showing his affection for it by letting it feast on my skin.

I withdrew it from his pocket and began stabbing at the lock. Eventually, I had done enough damage for it to release. I noticed the deep, bleeding grooves in my wrist, but didn't care.

I looked down and thought enough to grab the sheet and wrap myself before running, or stumbling quickly as the case may be.

I had been wandering through a small forest of trees for what seemed like hours. I know they say to stay put when you're lost, but I refused to believe i was lost. I was just... locationally challenged.

I reopened wounds, but kept walking. I saw a light.

"Help!" I could have sworn that I told my mouth to scream, but all i heard was a slight squeak.

I found the tree line and began finding my way out. I saw a stunned, beautifully welcome boyfriend waiting for me.

"Isaac?" He whispered in disbelief.

My eyes lit up at the sound of his voice.

"Jack?"

Jack dropped his things and dug through his bag. He had thick blankets, thank the gods! He charged right at me and began wrapping me like a comfortable burrito and proceeded to carry me bridal style.

He left his flashlight, but kept walking. I wiggled my arms out and touched his neck. This wasn't a dream. I began blubbering like a baby and let the tears fall.

Jack was still walking, but I wanted more confirmation. I slid my hands to his face and initiated a passionate kiss, which he returned with vigor.

"You're here," I panted between kissed. "You're really here."

I began feeling him up and down, searching for any indication of a dream.

"This isn't a dream? I'm not dead?" I cried.

He kissed me so tenderly, tears streaming down his face now.

"You're alive, you're not dreaming, and neither am I," he answered.

I threw myself onto him and began crying again. So much pain was going away already.

Jack POV

"The police are what?!" I yelled.

Lauren sobbed into Richard's shoulder.

"They no longer have the resources to continue their investigation," Richard explained solemnly.

I stared off in disbelief. No. No. No. NO!

I stood up and ran out of their house without a word. I dove in my car and grabbed a flashlight, a few blankets, and my bag to store them and began running.

He's not in town, so I'll head to the abandoned farm on the outskirts. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep this pace, but I could care less. I would find Isaac if it was the last thing I did, and he'd be alive damn it!

I ran for who knows how long. I began running with newfound strength when I reached the wild grass.

I looked out, the sun was setting. I scowered the fields and continued forward, eventually pulling out my flashlight for the lack of light.

I was closing on a tree line went I heard branches snap. I flicked my flashlight up. Didn't think about the possibility of wild, possibly man eating animals...

"Help..." A soft voice cried.

I began moving quickly. I saw a foot in my light. I slowly moved up. There he was.

Hollow, candy green eyes looked at me. He was so... Skinny... He had a rough beard and his hair was longer. He held a bloody and soiled sheet around his waist.

"Isaac?" I whispered in disbelief.

His eyes lit up, "Jack?"

I dropped the flashlight and dug through my bag, grabbing thick blankets. I charged him and wrapped him like a burrito and picked him up like a princess.

I left my flashlight and bag, but i didn't care. I had the moonlight to guide me home, and I had a precious wonder in my arms. Isaac wiggled his arms out of the burrito blankets and began sobbing in relief, refusing to let go of my neck.

I kept walking, hell-bent bringing him home. I followed the path I made on the way here and refused to stop for anything. Well almost anything.

Isaac eventually moved his hands to my face and kissed me as if there was no tomorrow. I didn't know what he had been through, but I couldn't just not kiss him back.

"You're here," Isaac panted, pausing only for air. "You're really here!"

He touched my face, my neck, my hair, my shoulders, anything he could.

"This isn't a dream, I'm not dead?"

It was my turn to kiss him, it was so tender as I felt tears stream down my face.

"You're alive, you're not dreaming, and neither am I." I answered.

Isaac began sobbing again and I continued walking. When I hit the sidewalk, I gently maneuvered to cradle Isaac and prepare for the short walk to his house.

I saw the neighborhood and smiled.

"Isaac, you're almost home." I whispered.

Isaac squeezed my neck and I kept walking.

I walked up the steps to his house and elbowed the doorbell, feeling the fatigue of my journey. I sat on the front step, waiting for an answer.

The light flicked on and the door opened.

"Jack?" I heard Richard ask. I forced myself to standing and turned around to face him.

I was breathing heavily.

"Oh my gods," his hand immediately covered his mouth when Isaac looked up and over to his father.

"Daddy," Isaac teared up. "Daddy!"

"Lauren!" Richard screamed, helping me inside.

A blood shot eyed Lauren came downstairs and gasped.

"Momma!" Isaac cried.

"Oh! My boy! My baby boy! You're home!" She cried running to him and caressing his face.

He jolted and turned into my neck, trembling.

I sat on the couch, still holding him.

"Shhhhhh," I comforted, stroking his back.

I looked to his parents, scared once again.

I kissed his head and put my chin on his head. Isaac was home, but this was just the beginning of the battle.

Elliot POV

"We'll visit as soon as we can," I smiled.

"See you soon, then," I could hear Jack smiling on the other end of the line. "Goodbye Elliot."

"Bye," I set the phone down in the phone cradle and grinned.

Daniel walked up to me. He wrapped the quilt from our bed tighter around his lean frame. He rested his head on my shoulder, "It's May, Elliot, not July. Can't we turn the heat up a little bit?"

I kissed his forehead and pulled him tightly against me, "Better?"

He playfully pushed me away and laughed, "Not really. It's still going to be cold while you're at class."

"Freshman problems, Daniel, freshman problems," I chuckled. "Can you go pack clothes for a few days for both of us? We're going home for a bit."

"Why?"

"There's been a development in Isaac's case."

Daniel studied my face before bursting out in a blinding smile, "Oh gods, he's back, isn't he?"

"What gave it away?" I smirked as I walked into our room.

"Your amazing smile," Daniel jumped on the bed.

He looked up at me and I saw a touch of fear in his eyes hiding behind joy. I sat on the bed right next to Daniel and wrapped my arms around him. "You're hiding something, Daniel. Do you want to tell me?"

"It's not much of a story, Elliot," Daniel sighed.

"But important, isn't it?"

Daniel put his head on my shoulder. "Jack had a break down the day I told him I was leaving to come here. He was crying about everyone leaving him. I then had to tell him because I didn't want to just disappear."

"Honey," I pulled him closer. "I'm so sorry. I take it he didn't react well?"

"He told me to stay the hell away from him," Daniel shuddered. "I get why too. I left him basically alone."

"I'm sure he was just hurting," I attempted to comfort him.

"Yeah, he was," Daniel sighed.

"Well, let's pack. Isaac is home. Maybe Jack has changed. If not, well, I can beat him in a fight if I have to."

Jack POV

Isaac refused to let people touch him. For some reason, he wouldn't say and I wouldn't press, Isaac would panic at another person's touch. He would panic if I left the room. He would panic at a lot of small things. I didn't know what he had been through emotionally whilst he was kidnapped, so I didn't argue.

They had to sedate him when I needed to go home to sleep or go to school... I hated doing this.

I tore through boxes, searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" My mom queried.

I looked slightly at her, but kept digging.

"My baby blanket," I answered.

"May I ask why?"

"I want to leave it with Isaac... He needs it more than I do."

I entered Isaac's room and smiled to see him awake and not scared, or at least not visibly.

"Jack!" He smiled. "What's that?"

I held my soft, blue blanket in my hands and smiled embarrassedly.

I chuckled softly and walked to him, "I... Uh... I was thinking about ways to help you relax when I'm not here, and uhhh..."

I placed the blanket on him.

"I figured my baby blanket would do the trick. It dried many of my tears and worked really well, all things considered."

Isaac's eyes softened as he touched the softness of my blanket.

"I can't take this," he said in disbelief.

"Hey," I cooed, touching his hand. "You need it more than I do. I love you and nothing can change that. I love you way more a dusty old blanket. Now, I'll be damned if this sends a wrench between us. I just got you back and I won't let anything take you away.

"How about just for a moment?" A friendly voice joked.

We turned to see Daniel and Elliot poking their heads in.

"Daniel and Elliot James-Erikson!" Isaac smiled softly.

"Why is my last name first?"

"Because Erikson-James sounds funny," Isaac summed up cutely.

I noticed a triumphant smile on Daniel.

"Hey, uh, Daniel? Can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked.

Isaac's grip tightened on the sheet, but he didn't break down when I stepped out.

Daniel followed and only when I heard a friendly conversation starting in the room did I relax and speak.

"Look, about your last day..." I started.

"You were stressed and it was a week after Isaac disappeared. I understand." Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder.

"No," I shook my head. "That's no reason for snapping at you. I want you to know that I'm sorry, and that I appreciate your friendship. You helped me through a rough time, and I thank you."

"Jack," Daniel pulled me into a tight, comforting hug. A huge load lifted off my shoulders. "A little misplaced timing and pain doesn't change that fact that we are friends."

I gripped his shirt and whispered another thank you. We ended the man hug and returned to the room.

Our smiles dropped as we saw Isaac grabbing a pillow and hitting Elliot as he reached for the injured sweetheart's Jell-O.

"My Jell-O!" Isaac smacked, forcing both Daniel and me to break down laughing as the blonde succumbed to a barrage of pillow smacking.

13: A Single Drop of Rain

Isaac POV

I held Jack's hand tightly as we watched my parents fill out forms for my release from this white, incredibly sanitary hell hole. I hope I never ever have to be in another hospital as long as I live.

My parents turned in the papers and turned to us with happy smiles.

I had been taking my classes from a laptop in my room, which was moved to a separate building than the main section so I could use the Wi-Fi without interfering with the equipment.

My mom spoke with my teachers, working out what I would do to catch up. Most were cooperative. My art teacher passed me, which took care of three classes. If I wrote three six page or longer essays, my English teacher would pass me. My math teacher passed me on the promise I would take statistics next year. My history teacher found it too much extra work to make me do make up work, so I would have to write a research essay on my favorite part of American History, yay... And Mama visited the hospital and helped me personally with my work.

I was covered for junior year. I had to admit, if it weren't for the terrible nights, the awful conditions, and the sadistic company, I wish passing classes was this easy.

There was a week left of school, and I figured I would join Jack in his classes out of boredom.

I stuck close to Jack as I walked through the foreign halls. It had been so long since I had been here; I almost didn't know where I was going.

I felt people staring at me, a lot of people left us alone out of pity, others because they gained respect for us by sticking together. Barthalemeau and Rutherford, however, were too much to ask for.

"We weren't expecting for you to survive. It was so sweet seeing Jackie here longing to be by your side." Barthalemeau taunted.

I held an arm in front of Jack, stopping him from doing something stupid. I, on the other hand, was still technically checked out of school and they could not punish me if I did anything stupid.

"Ya know, you guys have got to be the never ending parade of stupid I've heard so much about," I said calmly, having heard worse when I was… "Yes, we're gay, and supposedly that's against the laws of nature, but you know, I'm happy with where I am. I might even say I missed your gods damned ugly faces and the ruthless jabs you take at two people who don't have to put others down to be happy with who they are. Barthalemeau, Rutherford, before you say anything, put yourself in someone else's shoes for more than a millisecond and have some gods damned common curtesy."

Two shocked faces looked directly at me.

"Think with your heads and not your groins for once and remember that you guys are human too."

Barthalemeau and Rutherford didn't want anything to do with me right now as students began to gather and loudly cheer at my back talking. I was done being useless and scared. I was going to stand up for myself now.

"Something bad happened, and you two do nothing but poke it with a stick. I'm not a washed up jellyfish on the beach, I'm a shark and I bite back. So leave me and Jack the hell alone!"

A loud cheer echoed as I finally said what was on everyone's minds and the royal assholes retreated.

Jack slipped his hand into mine and set his forehead on mine.

"Thank you," he smiled.

I looked at him curiously, "For what?"

"Telling those assholes off, it was kind of hot."

"No really, tell me what you really feel," I smirked, and he kissed me for the entire world to see. But the best part was I didn't care anymore.

Jack POV

Senior Year:

"Isaac?" I knew that voice. I didn't like that voice. It was annoying as hell and yet... I listened.

"Ryu!?" My gorgeous boyfriend smiled and ran to give is "brother" a hug. "Gods! It's been ages!"

"It really has. Are you alright?" He eyed me as he placed his hands on MY Isaac.

"I'm fine, why?"

Ryu didn't answer, just pulled him into another hug and kissed my boyfriend's head. Ah hell no!

I walked over and pulled Isaac back into a hug of my own and silently dared Ryu to do something about it. We held a stare for a moment and never actually relaxed.

Isaac was off doing something artsy and I was left standing next to the black haired bastard.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Ryu snapped at me.

I instinctively challenged him, "What?!"

"Isaac was kidnapped and had who knows what else done to him because you were lollygagging along! You made him go through Hell and back!"

"I did nothing!"

"That's your problem!"

I fell silent and stared at him. It had been months since my precious Isaac returned to me.

"Isaac is too sweet hearted to blame anyone for what happened, but I sure as hell am not!" Ryu continued.

"What do you want?!" I bit back.

"Isaac was safe until he met you. He never had to deal with something so horrid as kidnapping or heaven knows what else? He was a shy, laid back kid who was more docile than a butterfly! He was a brother to me, hell, he was more than just a brother..."

"You love him..." I muttered.

"Yes."

Isaac came walking back with a pencil bag and covered canvas.

"Is everything alright?" He blinked, noticing the tension.

Everything is fine," I said softly.

Was it my fault?

The skies were dreadful. I had been contemplating this day for ages. Or... What felt like ages.

I stood outside on his doorstep. I had rung the bell and was waiting for an answer.

"Jack!" Isaac leapt to hug me. I placed my hands on his arms and pulled him off me.

I looked at me curiously and took a step back. I reached past him and shut the door.

"Jack?" He asked, throat closing off.

I couldn't look at his face.

"I had something brought to my attention a few weeks ago..." I sighed. "You were a beautiful, shy person... You were perfect... And I came in and ruined that."

Isaac was shaking his head.

I felt tears swelling. My brain was yelling at my mouth. Shut up!

"Isaac, I thank you for the time we spent together, but I don't think I'm the best person for you anymore."

Isaac froze.

"I will always love you, please be happy with someone who can make you feel like a prince."

I turned and started toward my car.

"But you're my Prince Charming..." I heard Isaac whisper. I winced and kept walking, eventually driving home feeling absolutely nothing.

Isaac POV

I stared as Jack drove away. I felt something drip from my chin. More drops joined my tears as the sky reflected my emotions.

What. Just. Happened?

I collapsed to my knees, letting the rain some through my clothes. I wondered how long I could stay out there before my parents came looking. I wondered how long it would take for me to catch a cold. I prayed that that cold would turn into pneumonia and that the pneumonia would kill me.

I was nothing without Jack.

I walked onto my front lawn and laid on the grass. My clothes were dripping with rain water. The moment my back touched the grass, I slipped into a peaceful transe. I let the rain wash my tears away. Soon flashes of light streaked through the sky and illuminated the clouds.

"Isaac Richard Taylor!" My mom shrieked. I made no resemblance to reacting to her panicked cry. "Richard!"

I heard her clamber from the front door and slosh through puddles to get to me. She cradled my head and pulled me to sitting.

I heard more splashes from behind me.

"Richard, he's freezing. We need to get him inside."

I felt my dad slip his arms under me and lift me with ease and run inside. Both of my parents quickly stripped me of my sopping clothes and wrapped me in layers of towels and blankets like a burrito.

They put me in my bed and brought in chairs to take turns watching me overnight. I couldn't fall asleep. I was still in a trance. I was stuck in a limbo of disbelief.

The morning sun shone through my shades. I was still awake. Mom had fallen asleep hours ago, head on the side of my bed.

I coughed.

She startled and woke, hand immediately on my forehead.

"Sweetheart, what happened?"

I stared off into space, unable to answer.

"I'll call Jack and let him know you won't be at school today."

"Don't bother," I rasped.

She looked at me. My hollow eyes and dull soul were enough to fill her in on what had actually happened.

"Oh... No..."

She looked torn between calling him anyway and ripping him a new one and putting the fear of the gods into him, and comforting me.

I wanted cookies... I wanted them bad.

Mom came back and sat down next to me, petting my head. I felt so small. I felt vulnerable, I didn't like it. I felt alone. Alone like a single drop of rain.

14: Forever

Jack POV

Mom looked at me... I wasn't used to her looking at me like that. She was... Disappointed.

I dropped my keys in a bowl by the door and kicked off my shoes. I hadn't even looked at his face when it happened. He must have been distraught. I left him and it started raining. Shit. He's got a frail body! Damn it Jack! What the hell were you thinking?!

I flopped face first into my pillow.

I felt a buzzing in my pocket. When did I fall asleep? I pulled my phone out to check a text. It was Isaac. I breathed and opened the message.

"Hello, Jack, this is Lauren. I understand what happened last night and I wanted to let you know that Isaac would not be attending school for the next few days. He has fallen I'll due to prolonged exposure to the elements last night. I'm not telling you to make you feel bad, actually, Isaac is quite chipper for being under the weather. Ryu Hawthorne will be watching over him while I go to the store to buy medicine. I don't know why I told you that... Ah well. Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know. Good bye... Hope to keep in touch."

The message ended and my heart sank deeper into my body. I looked at my clock, it was nearly lunch time. I gave up on going to school at that moment and dialed a new number.

The phone rang twice and a familiar voice answered.

"James-Erikson residence, this is Elliot, may I ask who's calling?"

"Elliot?" My throat was a cylinder of sandpaper for all intents and purposes.

"Jack?" I heard him ask.

"It's Jack?! Speakerphone, Elliot!" I heard Daniel yell.

"Gimme a sec," the sound became less focused. "Can you hear me?"

I cleared my throat, "Yeah."

"What's up?" Daniel asked. I could tell he was flopped over on Elliot by the sound of his voice... Did I know them a little too well? Whatever...

"I... I just did something stupid..." I admitted.

There was silence and a chair screeched over.

"Talk." They commanded.

"I just..." I sighed. "Ryu Hawthorne is back in town and..."

"Gods! The sneaky little bastard will stop at nothing to get his hands on Isaac," Daniel growled.

"He made a good point."

Silence had never been so unsettling.

"You didn't..."

I went silent this time.

"Jackson Frost! You little ass! What the hell were you thinking?! He was the best thing that ever happened to you and you threw him away because your rival in romance happened to make one point?!"

"What if I'm not the best thing that ever happened to him?" I mused.

"Oh my gods, he made you think that you weren't worth Isaac?!"

I bit on my cheek.

"Gods man! You have no clue what Isaac was like before you!"

I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

"Isaac was the quietest kid I had ever met! Hell, even when he was spoken to, most of the time you were lucky to get a grunt!" Daniel was on one now. "I had to work on him for months to get a three word sentence out of him! He finally said more when I came out of the closet! Do you know what he did?!"

He didn't wait for a response.

"Isaac was the only one whose opinion of me did not change. When I asked him why, he said the longest phrase to me to that date. 'You're still you. Who am I to judge who you've fallen in love with?'"

I heard a shudder on the other end of the line.

"Damn it, Jack!" I heard loud thuds.

"Oh dear gods... Uhhhh... Jack, I'll call you back, Daniel is currently grabbing his pocket knife and the keys."

As the phone call ended, I could hear Elliot trying to calm Daniel down.

I shut my phone and dropped it on the bed. I laid down and buried my head in my pillow and let go of my emotions.

Isaac POV

It had been about a month and I could tell I was going back to the way I used to be. My sentences were decreasing in length, and I missed my smile. I would do my best to avoid J- him... Which was hard. More than half of your schedule was identical anyway.

I stopped sitting next to the window in club activities, some people actually asked why. I would give a polite, insincere smile and tell them I needed a change of location for inspiration.

A month... And I had yet to actually finish a piece.

I crumpled another page and collapsed at the waist onto the desk. A loud think echoed ad my head made contact with the hard surface.

"That had to have hurt," my head shot back up. I knew that voice; I liked that voice.

"Daniel!" I smiled, it was the closest thing to a genuine smile that I had shown for a long time. I stood and tackled him with a hug. Damn, I missed him.

"I see you changed your work environment," Daniel pointed at my blank sketchbook and supplies at the table in the center of the room.

"Uhhhh, yeah..." I bit my cheek.

"How's it working for you?" Daniel didn't wait for my answer. He walked to my non - existent artwork and flipped the pages. "Isaac... Please tell me this is empty because you have been giving them away..."

I gained a dark expression and stared at the blank book as if it were poison. Daniel's shoulders slumped.

"How long...?"

I shrugged.

"Isaac?" I looked from the book and back to Daniel. "Please talk to me..."

"Sorry," I smiled softly.

Daniel placed his hand on my shoulder, "Where are you? Where's the real Isaac?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Where's Isaac? Not the quiet, shy Isaac. Where's the semi - loud, sassy Isaac who is oblivious to everything but the dark secrets and his boyfriend?"

I gave a somber smile, "I think he's waiting..."

"Waiting?"

"For him."

We exchanged knowing looks and I heard a phone buzz. Daniel pulled his cell from his pocket.

"We should go meet up with Elliot," he grinned, reading the message.

I looked at him curiously. I didn't like that grin, but I nodded anyway. Daniel helped me gather my supplies. I wound up following Daniel down the silent hallways, ending at Mama's room.

Why was Elliot at Mama Dean's room? Unless...

Daniel grabbed my arm as I tried to run away, "Not. So. Fast. Mister."

I was pushed into the biology lab and I heard the deafening click of the door as it locked. I charged the barrier. It only locked for the outside, right?

Wrong.

"Isaac?" I tensed. My ears longed for that voice, my heart ached to turn and look at him.

I slowly turned. There he was. His ice eyes were slightly pink from tears. His pale skin looked almost sickly, it didn't suit him. His white hair was unkempt and shaggy, like he didn't care. I hadn't noticed before. I don't even think I had the courage to look at him before now.

I forgot the pain I had gone through. I took shaky steps to him and put my hand on his cheek. He was cold. His eyes slid closed and he reached a hand up to mine.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

"I didn't have you..." he said without any thought.

I flinched and gasped. He what?

"I miss you, Isaac..." His eyes opened and I could tell he was dead serious. "I was a stupid idiot for letting something Ryu said make me question how you felt about me, Isaac, and I didn't stop to think about how it could affect you. I-"

I cut him off, kissing him softly.

He was shocked.

"Isaac?"

"Jackson Frost, don't you dare do that to me again..." My bottom lip quivered as I fought back tears.

"I promise." He pulled me to his chest and we just stood there, basking in each other's company.

We heard subtle giggles through the door, vowing to hit them for what they had done...After we hugged them.

Jack POV

I was dragged to Isaac's house by three enthusiasts. Lauren proceeded to flip out, happy for us again. Richard kept a passive perspective of the situation, smiling here and there. I then proceeded to drag Isaac home with me.

Mom's eyes lit up and the look of disapproval disappeared completely. She smiled brighter and laughed openly.

She really made Isaac another son.

I thought of the fast approaching anniversary. What should I get him?

Isaac had his head on my shoulder and he was in the process of nodding off. I looked at the clock and saw it was nearly eight o'clock. I didn't want to take him home, he was so cute with his cheek on my chest.

"Sweetheart?" I smiled, kissing his head.

He moaned and looked up at me.

"I need to take you home, or your parents may just kill me."

"Dun wanna..." he said sleepily. I grinned at his cuteness and kissed his nose.

He made a funny face and I ended up just picking him up and carrying him to my car. It warmed my heart knowing that he was mine again. How he could ever forgive me so fast, I would never know. He was a saint. I really wasn't worth him. He's worth so much more than I could ever give, I guess I should just cherish the fact that he chose me over so many other more worthy guys and girls alike. I wanted him forever.

That's it!

I pulled up into his driveway and got out. I pulled him back into my arms and to the door. I was let in, like I had been so often before. I brought him to his bed and tucked him in, kissing his head. I wished I was next to him, under the covers...

I closed his door behind me and caught Lauren downstairs.

"What is Isaac's ring size?" I asked.

"Seven, why?" she answered.

"The fact that you know that..." I smirked. "Richard, can I talk to you?"

Richard motioned to go into the living room. We sat down and I decided to ask if my anniversary present idea would be allowable.

"As you know, I love your son more than life itself. I would be most honored if for our anniversary this year I could give him a promise. A promise that someday, when allowed, we can be wed in holy matrimony, or at least legal matrimony." I said seriously.

"You're asking for my son's hand in marriage? Eventually?" Richard clarified.

I nodded. He closed his eyes.

"I never imagined having this happen to me when I had a son, but Jackson, I know how much my son loved you, and whether you are a woman or a man, you are the only person I can see him ever being happy with. Will you support my little boy until the end of time?"

"And beyond, sir."

Richard looked me in the eye and smiled.

"Love him well," he smiled, patting my head and walking back to his wife. "Goodnight, Jack."

"Good night, Richard," I smiled.

I walked out to my car and sat for a moment. Isaac was going to be mine, no matter what. I'm a protective bastard, but hey, only for things I hold close.

15: Love Him

Jack POV

I sat behind Isaac like a lion stalking its prey, fully aware of the competition. I watched as my beautiful boyfriend of two years placed his brush elegantly onto his canvas creating an image of wonder and beauty. He had weaned away from painting me all the time, something I slightly missed but didn't complain about. Now he took requests and could draw anything with even a vague description. He had expressed the desire to go to a nearby Academy for the Arts and study to be a sketch artist.

He knew he was too weak to be an actual police officer, and I knew there was no way he could deal with a gun.

However we both agreed that with his talent and his desire to help those who had helped search for him last year, we agreed that a sketch artist was a perfect career for him.

The art club had gained several new regular members due to Isaac being the Art Club President this year, as it was our final year at this school. There was Lydia, whose brother was actually a closeted gay that is until Isaac decided to play matchmaker. He and his boyfriend had been happily together for a few months now. Both boys were on the lacrosse team and eventually followed in Daniel and Elliot's footsteps by taking the "brunt" of the bullying. They were sweet boys and an awesome couple, Isaac had a good eye... occasionally.

Zak was a genius freshman artist who joined the art club after seeing the first art show of the year, determined to have Isaac mentor him. He was cool with me being practically attached to Isaac at the hip, said it was none of his business as to who a person loved. Needless to say, I liked the kid.

Sarah and Sam were twins, Sam was dragged by Sarah to at least try the art club, a hobby he found he was terrible at, but he loved it none the less. Isaac eventually introduced Sam to Picasso and the sophomore took off in abstract, yet modern art.

Then there was Kai. Kai was shorter than me, yet taller than Isaac. His hazel eyes were shockingly light and his dark hair seemed to frame his tan complexion perfectly. Something I noticed he flaunted only around MY Isaac.

Yes he is mine. Yes I'm possessive. Deal with it.

I watched Isaac's slender fingers grip the paintbrush lightly and professionally. Not a stroke was wasted and I couldn't help but think of an old painter with an afro everyone loves so dearly. He placed a happy little horizon in the background and continued to paint his scene.

I watched patiently, not wanting to interrupt his concentration, but every so often I eyed Kai, who was ever so slightly trying to subtly seduce my gorgeous caramel apple. It wasn't obvious to anyone but me, I totally knew that his charm was blinding the public to his evil intentions. I had to keep a watchful eye on this one.

By the time I looked back, which I swear was only a few seconds later, Isaac's canvas was completely filled with a beautiful landscape. There was a beautiful lake surrounded by fauna of all kinds. Aspen trees framed the edges beautifully as a reflection of the sky's sunset added a beautiful touch of contrast. I was feeling pretty good about myself too. I just used an art term.

Isaac's sweet sigh notified me that he was satisfied and was going to sign his work. He dipped a liner brush in paint thinner and red paint and paused before touching the canvas. He wavered for a moment and glanced back at me before, with his artistic handwriting signed, "Frost."

I felt my breath hitch. I stared at the signature. It was practiced. Isaac was waiting for the moment when I would be looking over his shoulder to do this.

He washed his brush out and turned nervously in his chair. He was cutely nibbling on his bottom lip as he looked up at me with his candy apple eyes, waiting for my reaction.

I knew my mouth was hanging open as I stared at my sweetheart unblinking.

"Oh my gods..." I breathed.

Isaac took a deep breath, shoulders rising in anticipation.

I reached a loving hand out and cradled his chin, lifting it to a more kissable angle and adjusted to meet his soft lips. Never had I kissed him so tenderly before. It was moments like these that made me lose all jealousy or any other worries; moments that made my heart beat so quickly I felt it would leap from my chest at any given second.

Isaac's lips perfectly fit with mine, a reminder of how the gods obviously made us for one another. My hand rested on his soft cheek as I looked into his eyes with overwhelming joy and love. He wanted my last name. He lifted his left hand to the back of the chair and fiddled with the promise ring I had given him for our anniversary.

"I love you so much," I whispered, kissing the tip of his nose, making him blush furiously.

I smirked mischievously at his expression of embarrassment and happiness.

"I love you more," he smiled, eyes sparkling.

"Not possible."

I heard a sigh across the room. I looked over to see Kai placing a brush down, ending for the day. I blinked, my possessiveness spiking again.

"You two are a really strong couple," he sighed, looking over in complete defeat. "You know, I was kinda hoping... Well fantasizing about sweeping the Prez away like a Prince on a White horse, but..."

He trailed off, looking back at his canvas.

"But...?" I egged on, letting my annoyance and jealousy seep through.

"There's no way I can compare to Jack Frost," he smiled sadly.

I almost felt bad for the kid.

"Kai..." Isaac was too compassionate for his own good.

I looked to my boyfriend who held an apologetic look in his eyes.

"Don't worry yourself, Prez," Kai smirked. "You're too kind for your own damned good. It's no wonder I found myself with a crush."

I scowled at that remark. That meant other guys would try and steal away my Isaac.

"I'm just sorry I didn't notice..." Isaac said exasperated. "Sometimes... Well a lot of the time... I'm a little too thick headed."

"I like it that way," I pouted.

Isaac let out a small, polite chuckle and kissed my cheek.

"What?" I let the innocent act continue. "It keeps your eyes one me."

Kai sighed. "I hope you know how flawless an emerald you have there, Frost."

"Earth has never seen one as priceless," I said, completely serious.

Isaac looked at me and blushed again.

"I hope you know, that if you do anything stupid and you make him cry, I will not only sweep him away, but I will hunt you down as well." Kai's demeanor completely changed as he looked me in the eye and stared me down.

"I will personally turn myself in if I ever make Isaac feel like anything less than royalty." I promised.

With a nod, Kai cleaned his station and left. Lydia, Zak, Sarah and Sam looked at us with glimmers of happiness and amusement in their eyes.

I heard someone clear their throat. I looked over to see Zak looking at me too. He was usually a quiet and laid back kid, so to see him boldly looking at me about to speak was new to everyone.

"I'm not sure if I can speak on behalf of the rest of this club, but I for one, will expect that you treat Isaac like Royalty, or you will have more than just Kai on your ass."

"I'm pretty sure he does speak on behalf of the entire art club," Sam spoke up, looking at the two girls of the club who nodded as well.

"And Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Lydia warned.

I smiled and looked at Isaac who was so touched it looked like he was going to cry.

"I'll hold you all to that," I nodded. "If I do anything to hurt this beauty, I don't think I should be allowed to just walk away Scott free."

Isaac looked at me and at his club members and let out a genuine smile, tears spilling down his cheeks.

"You guys..." He sniffed.

I looked at Isaac and wiped his cheeks.

"And no one, and I mean no one will ever hurt you ever again," I met his eyes, my icy blue eyes filling with the sight of his sugar coated green orbs.

Isaac stood from his chair and glomped me. He clutched my neck tightly and sobbed happily into my shoulder. His legs on either side of my torso as I smiled and ribbed circles into his back.

"I love you so damn much," I said, turning my head and placing a kiss on the nape of his neck.

Isaac continued to cry and hug me, refusing to let go.

16: School and Surprises

Isaac POV

The moment Jack and I both decided to attend schools in Sacramento was the greatest moment of my life, to that point. We wouldn't be attending the same schools, Jack would be going to Sacramento University, and I would go to The Sacramento School of the Arts, but Jack refused to stay in the dorms, declaring he wouldn't split his time between school and me. He told me that even if he was doing homework, and he really should be focusing on that, if I wasn't beside him drawing, he wouldn't be able to concentrate and wouldn't be at his best.

Jack was a romantic nut who always said something incredibly sweet and cheesy.

As a result, mom and dad took us apartment shopping. We settled on a modest two bedroom, one bath apartment about halfway between both campuses. The kitchen was easily the best feature of our humble, new home; it wasn't large, but it was good.

We moved in about a month after graduation.

The Academy of History and Time was another lovely campus located nicely in Sacramento, making out new residence only a few blocks from where Daniel and Elliot went to school. I missed those boys (despite them being older than me and being away at college for over a year, I still somehow call them boys…)

I pulled out my phone and began dialing, rather speed dialing. Jack's classes for the summer had already begun, whereas my scholarship took effect in the fall. I know I was going to be bored, so I did what I could about it.

"Hello?" came a voice on the other line.

"Daniel?" I asked.

"Isaac?" Daniel's voice became more excited.

"The one with the candy hair and magic cookies," I smiled.

"It's been ages! When do you guys move?"

I paused; did we seriously forget to tell them?
"Last week…"

"You two moved a week ago without calling to tell us or ask for help?!"

I winced, "Oops?"

There was an audible sigh on the other end of the line, "You two haven't changed a bit."

A faint chuckle escaped my lips as I looked at a clock for the time, to which I mentally slapped myself, "Are you still researching?"

Daniel made a noise, as if trying to decide if he was or not.

"I could use a break, to be honest," he decided. "This text is giving me a headache. Or I could bring it with me; I could use another opinion on this artwork."

"Are you sure it's okay to bring it with you?" I asked, not wanting to get in trouble before I even had my first class.

"I have a photocopy," Daniel informed, and I felt better about him bringing old texts over. "What's your address?"

I gave it to him and sat at the table to sketch.

Daniel got there entirely too fast (or I had completely lost track of time, both entirely possible). He knocked, startling me away from my happy place. I answered it to see familiar dark brown, almost black, hair and lighter brown eyes.

"Dan!" I smiled and tackled him in a hug.

"Gods, it's been entirely too long," Daniel squeezed in return.

"Come on in, I wanna see the picture," I waved him in like a kid on Christmas would to his brother to their grandparents' house.

"Is that all you want to see?" Daniel sassed.

"Get your ass inside, I made cookies." Daniel's eyes lit up and he was inside faster than I could blink, looking for the cookie jar, no doubt.

I smiled and shut the door, locking it behind out of habit (and a lingering paranoia). Daniel had found the cookie jar and had brought it to the table. He waved the copy over his head as he searched for a large cookie to devour.

"Hungry?" I smirked.

"Starving, I forgot lunch," Daniel admitted, biting down.

"Ah, hell no!" I stomped over and took the cookie jar and went to the kitchen, making a sandwich.

"Was that really necessary?" he pouted.

"You need protein, buddy."

Daniel just grumbled and ate the rest of the cookie that he should be grateful that I didn't take. I finished the sandwich and set it on a plate, walking back over and setting it in front of him.

"Eat," I ordered, then slid the copy of the picture he needed help with over to me and began analyzing.

It was exquisite. How it had been managed to be preserved for so long was a marvel in and of itself. The technique was ancient yet precise. Whoever painted it must have been a master of his or her time.

"How old is this?" I asked.

Daniel finished chewing, "The text it was with suggests that this is over nine-thousand years old."

I blinked at the estimation. No. There was no way this was that young.

"Are you sure?"

"That's a rough estimate, but carbon dating of some of the texts has assured it."

I shook my head and looked back at the painting. I quickly stood and walked to my room, grabbing a magnifying glass and a textbook. Daniel looked at me curiously as I came back into the room.

I studied the picture under the magnifying lens, and flipped pages in the thick book. I found the chapter I had been reading earlier on how to date a piece and shook my head.

"Isaac?" Daniel asked.

"Whatever text you found this with, the text was probably written around it or something. This painting, I can tell from a photo, is probably over sixteen-thousand years old."

Daniel's expressed went from confused to serious. He looked back down at the paper and then back to me.

"How can it be that much older than the rest of the text?" Daniel asked me.

I merely shrugged. I was an artist, not a historian.

"Are you sure?"

"Not entirely, but it can't be nine-thousand years old, not even if it was kept under constant UV rays for that long. Hell, if it had been kept under UV rays that long, we wouldn't be able to see it."

"So what makes you say it's that old?"

I slid my textbook over, along with the magnifying glass. I pointed to a section and then to the picture and Daniel saw it for himself.

"What were the texts saying?" I asked.

"They were wondering when their gods would descend again to bring them to the spirit world…"

I hummed and looked back at the picture and tilted it so I could see it all.

"This figure must be one of their gods," I pointed to a creature coming from the heavens, something similar to a dragon of sorts. There were three more dragons on this page, each close to a person or creature. The crimson dragon was in a protective sort of stance around a small person. The white, well, now off white, dragon was next to a black dragon. There was a green dragon next to a large person, and finally a blue dragon lazing behind a person in a blue dress. I wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but the white haired figure next to the first red dragon and small person gave me chills.

"This is crazy," Daniel sighed, running a hand though his thick black hair.

"I tell it how it is, buddy."

"I know you do, that's what makes it troubling," Daniel ran a hand through his thick hair and leaned back. "I don't think this text has anything to do with what we're researching."

"What makes you say that?"

"As far as we've found, there aren't any dragons in the myth."

"Hmmmmm?" I looked down at the mosaic; it sent chills down my spine and an odd sense of déjà vu.

Daniel and I spoke for a while longer before Jack came home, oddly enough after having run into Elliot and bringing him back. Then they dropped it on us.

Elliot slid his hand into his lover's, "We've decided to adopt."