Abandoned

After a pleasant chat with Mrs. Lovejoy, he decided to withdraw, since he no longer felt so sure about seeing Hirsch. However, he was concerned that this was really the end of the truest friendship he had had up to that day. Because it did not matter if he knew more people or began to hang out with Jack or Jade more, the redhead would still be his best friend –even if he was no longer one for him–. But he would not give up at that time.

He would win back Hirsch's friendship, whatever it took.

Determined, he took his cell phone out of his pants pocket and dialed the boy's number, waiting for him to answer the call.

"Hi, I'm Hirsch, leave your call after Sebas' laugh!" Was what was heard before the black-haired's characteristic laugh was heard through the earpiece. He had ended up on voicemail. He smiled unconsciously, at least he still had not changed his answering machine message.

"Hirsch, it's me, Sebas". His hands began to sweat, wiping them on the fabric of his pants. "I wanted to apologize to you for what happened today. I've been a lousy friend and I understand that you no longer want to know anything about me. But... I would hate to lose you. Best friends forever, remember?" He laughed nervously before continuing. "Anyway, you don't have to answer and I don't force you to forgive me either. I just want to..."

The cell phone slipped from his hand when, on the next street, he spotted three boys walking towards him. Yoram, Hirsch, and Nathaniel, respectively. The three of them seemed entertained in the conversation they had, that they did not notice Sebastian's presence from a few meters away. They all had ice cream in hand and backpacks hanging from their shoulders. The smile on all three faces was noticeable, causing the boy to feel a pain in his chest again. They looked so happy, as if nothing had happened. As if he didn't exist.

Now, after ten years, he felt again what it was like to be abandoned.

The gaze of the tallest of the three met his. Nathaniel opened his eyes in surprise, moving his hand to touch the redhead's shoulder and warn him about the older guy's presence, but Sebastian shook his head quickly as well as his hands. The boy understood the message, and lowered his hand, returning it to the side of his body. Sebastian made a slight bow in thanks, the silver-haired man just nodded.

The dark-haired boy picked up his cell phone from the ground, hoping not to attract attention, and ran off in the opposite direction. With trembling fingers, he hung up the call without stopping his step. The tears that came out were blown away by the wind that hit his face. "At what point did I become such a crybaby?" He laughed at the thought, remembering himself being too cold in the past.

It didn't take him long to get home due to the speed with which he had run. He stepped in and closed with some force, causing the sound of the door to echo through the silent room. He placed his hands on his knees, catching the breath he had lost. His physical condition had worsened in recent months as he stopped going to the gym since he did not feel energetic.

The smell of cigarettes reached his nostrils. His father was already home, which made him straighten up in a few seconds. While he had escaped one of his problems, he was now in another.

"Sebas", the presence of the housekeeper took him by surprise, "your father is waiting for you in the office."

"Y-yes".

He bowed before advancing to a black wooden door that, by its appearance, filtered terror into people. It even gave Sebastian chills just thinking about what awaited him on the other side. He swallowed before tapping twice. He heard a "go ahead" inside the room, finally turning the knob and poking his head out.

"Come in, Sebastian".

His father, a fifty-year-old man, did not take his eyes off his computer. His lips were in a straight line and his brow was furrowed. The expression that he had known since he was little and that, until the age of seventeen, frightened him. Because that expression could only mean one thing: bad things.

He closed the door behind him, standing a few steps from it. Somehow, being near the exits was quite comforting.

"Sebastian, how's school going?" His father asked without seeing him.

"It's going well," he lied, playing with his hands and staring at the ground.

"Are you sure?" The look of the man in him made him shiver. "Your grades went down, Sebastian, do you know what it means?" He paused before continuing. "You're failing me, son. I don't want to have a loser as a son".

He tossed some papers on the desk. The boy slowly approached him and looked at the papers. It was his report card. Three B+'s and the rest A's. What was wrong with those grades? Weren't they good enough? Sebastian felt his throat suddenly dry.

"I'm sorry" was the only thing he could say, leaving the papers in place.

"Being sorry will not solve anything." His father's cold voice made him return to his place by the door. "Don't you understand the topics or what? Is there something you are hiding from me?"

"It is too much pressure for someone like me. Even if I try, nothing seems to be enough for you", he thought, biting his tongue so he couldn't say anything mistaken.

"Yes, I do not understand very well the topics we are seeing at school".

"Why didn't you say it earlier, son?" His father smiled, but instead of reassuring him, it scared him even more. "I will speak with the principal about assigning you a tutor who can teach you after school. Let's see if that makes me proud of you".