5: Been the number one diva in this game for a minute

"SHUT THE FUCK!"

A great way to start the morning off.

And then wailing—outright wailing. I got out of bed with my sleep shirt and boxers on and slowly walked to my mom's room.

I pushed the door open; she was working the early morning shift or night shift because she was not there. I pushed open Isaac's door, who was wailing, and I mean wailing; his eyes were red, and so was his face.

"What?" I asked, and he quickly ran over to me, hugging me.

Nasty ass, five-year-old. I grabbed his bedsheets, and I held him in one of my hands. Fuck, bro.

His nasty ass was getting on my shirt, and I was fighting everything not to blow a fuse, but because he's young and he doesn't know better, I was just going to calm down.

I pushed open Daniel's room, who actually had pants on; he was under the covers but had his TV on.

"Daniel, I am going to kill you and your unemployed ass," I said, going to run the bath in his room.

"Use mom's room. I don't want him in here," Daniel said, standing up.

I took off Isaac's clothes and started throwing them full force at Daniel's stupid face.

"You are a shit," Daniel said, launching at me. 

He then proceeded to give me the most vicious punches I have ever received in my life.

"Get off me!" I screamed, trying to push this 260-pound big back baby bitch off of me. 

Side note: I can't push him off at all. He got me flat in the eye and then in my mouth.

"Mommy is calling Alex," naked Isaac said with mom on FaceTime.

Daniel quickly got off me.

"Hi momma," I said, smiling at her.

Bruises were already forming as I looked at myself in the FaceTime camera.

"Give the phone to Daniel," my mom said, and I took it from Isaac and handed it to Daniel.

"Momma, I wasn't-."

"What did I tell you about leaving him alone?!" My mom screamed and I picked up Isaac and got him into the bath.

It was nice and warm and I put some bubbles in there

Fuck, I still needed to shower.

"I'm freezing your fucking card," I heard my mom say as Daniel started to protest.

"He started it; he was throwing clothes at me," Daniel said, trying to plead his case as I bathed Isaac.

I took him out of the bath and sat him down. I quickly ran to put his bedding in the wash and air out his room.

When I came back Daniel was still on the phone getting yelled at, and Isaac was playing with his toys.

I put him back in the tub and continued to clean him.

"Daniel, you are his older brother-."

"I don't care; if he's being a shit, then I'm going to beat him up-."

"Daniel, listen to me. You are 23 and he's 18; leave him alone," my mom said sternly.

I got Isaac out of the tub and dried him off. 

"Yes, momma, yes, momma, okay." I heard the phone go quiet.

"Aren't you nice and clean?" I said, holding Isaac and kissing the side of his face.

"Go get in the shower; I need to go to school," I said as Daniel tried to lie down.

"Okay," he said, taking off his pants.

"In the bathroom, nasty, I don't wanna see your dick," I said, walking to Issac's room.

"Can you pick out your outfit and then put it on?" I asked, and Isaac nodded with a smile. He loved getting dressed on his own.

I left his door open and dashed to Daniel's room, WHO WASN'T IN THE FUCKING SHOWER.

I rubbed my face and pushed open the bathroom door.

"You can shit after you drop me off," I said, running the shower.

"Go use mom's bathroom."

"She doesn't like when we use her bathroom," I said, taking off my shirt and boxers and getting in the cold shower. 

The water takes forever to warm up; it's not my fault.

I started to clean myself as Daniel watched TikTok on his phone. 

"Who were you talking to yesterday?" Daniel asked.

"When?"

"Last night, I thought nobody liked you."

"I actually have a friend, believe it or not."

"And he's not some old man trying to date you?" Daniel snapped. Overprotective brother, but only sometimes.

"No, he's in my grade, and his name is Nate. He's a little weird, but I am too, so we get on nicely," I said, rinsing myself off in the shower.

"Is he gay too?"

"I don't know; he likes this guy, who I hate, but I don't know," I said.

"So he is gay?"

"Not necessarily," I said, and he seemed content with my answer.

"Can you hand me my toothbrush?" I asked, and he nodded, grabbing it off the sink and handing it to me.

I started to brush my teeth in the shower.

"Who shits buck naked?" I asked him, and he looked up at me.

"Kill yourself." He flushed the toilet, and I shut off the shower and got my towel.

"Wipe nasty," I said, and my brother got in the shower.

"I can wipe in the shower." He said like I was the one in the wrong.

"You barely clean yourself in the shower," I said, and he rolled his eyes at me.

"Quit bitching and be happy that I am taking your ass to school," he said, and I put facial moisturizer all over my face and walked out.

Isaac was changed and sitting on my bed.

"Good job, baby," I said, throwing on whatever clothes I could find.

Fuck, why do I have no shirts?

I picked up Isaac, and we went to Daniel's room.

I grabbed the first shirt in his drawer and threw it on.

"What the fuck? Daniel!" I said that and pushed open the door.

"What? Quit yelling-." Daniel started laughing.

"Who bought you this, and why?"

"My friend, after we watched JJK, and it also says Daniels, my daddy, on the back," my brother said, fucking dying.

Only me, only fucking me.

The shirt says resurrected just to be home, and it's my brother's face on Gojo's body.

"If you take it off, I won't take you to school," Daniel said, getting his nasty ass out of the shower.

Fuck. 

I rolled my eyes and went downstairs to get Isaac's car seat in Daniel's truck.

That took me forever, and then I went back upstairs to get my backpack, which was surprisingly already packed up.

"You ready?" I nodded as my brother smacked me on the back and took my backpack from me.

Anything to not hold Isaac.

We loaded into Daniel's truck, and I made sure Isaac was buckled up.

"Mom's calling you," I said, and Daniel clicked the green answer button.

"Is Alex with you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm taking him to school and issacs in the back."

"Okay, thank you, baby. Can you drop Isaac off at daycare? I sent you the place, and then I will try and pick him up, but I think you can pick him up when you go get Alex," she said, and Daniel mumbled a yes.

"Thank you, baby, I love you," she said, and the call ended. Favorite child core.

We drove to the sound of Daniel's shity radio as Isaac babbled with his toy in hand.

"He left it in here last time," Daniel said, and I nodded as we stopped at a red light.

"Did you know they have a vertical and horizontal stoplight emoji?" Daniel said as he pressed the gas.

"That's so random, and no, I didn't know that," I said, looking out of the window.

I genuinely hate school. I finally have a reason now, but I still hate it because I have to get through at least half the day to be able to freely talk with Nate.

I felt Daniel's hand run through my hair.

"What?" I said, looking at him.

He was giving me this weird look as he had one hand on the steering wheel.

"No more douchebags, okay?" He said.

I don't know which brother I like more. The 17-year-old who genuinely wanted to kill me and would call me slurs or the 23-year-old who beats me up but is this weird overprotective.

I'm going to be honest; I would rather take the slurs.

"Okay," I said, and he smiled at me.

"You look pretty," he said. Yeah, I would rather get called a nasty slur and get told to kill myself.

"What happened to the brother who used to tell me that I was going to burn in hell for being gay?" I said, and Daniel laughed.

"We are all going to burn in hell, so you aren't that special, and I don't know. You are less of a little shit now," Daniel said.

"You look more like mom every day," he said, and he stroked my hair again as he pulled into the parking lot.

"Thank you," I said.

"Glad you didn't get dad's ugly genes like me and Isaac," he said. That's the first time I've heard him talk badly about our dad.

I took a deep breath. No freaking it out. I would be okay.

"I think-."

"Nothing negative, let me just compliment you, weirdo," he said, reaching down into his cup holder.

"What are you doing?" I asked, and he awkwardly reached over and put my hair in these two weird ponytails.

"Let the world see your pretty face," he said, looking at me.

"You are so weird; have you been smoking?" I asked as I looked at myself in his shity mirrors.

They didn't look as stupid as I thought they would.

"If those aren't in when I come to pick you up, I will leave you here," he said, awkwardly kissing my forehead.

"Fucking weirdo," I said, getting out of the car, and I watched as Daniel walked over to my side and handed me my backpack.

"Thank you, loser," I said, and he waved me off.

"I'll come to get you, and if that changes, I'll let you know," he said, and I nodded.

Was I late? Yea. It's fine.

I walked into the front office to get my slip.

"What's the excuse this time?" The secretary asked.

"My younger brother and my older brother," I said.

"Unless someone peed themselves-."

"Bingo," I said with a smile, and she looked irritated. She was such a fucking opposition. Like girl you work as a front desk person at a high school, calm down.

"I'll do it." A voice said. My fake boyfriend's dad holy shit.

He grabbed the late slip and led me into the hallway.

"How's your mom?" He asked as we walked.

"She was working the night shift, and they had her stay longer, hence my being late because of my younger brother," I said, and he nodded.

"I like your hair," he said with a smile.

"Thank you; my brother won't pick me up if I don't keep the hairstyle and the shirt," I said, walking.

"Oh, I didn't even see the shirt. Daniel's my daddy. I'm not sure what that means, but okay," he said, laughing.

"Something from an anime my brother and his friends watch," I said.

"Oh, one of my boys watches anime."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, Elijah, he's obsessed with it or used to be; he made me buy an oculus for him because of it and the whole 15 yards," he said, and I smiled.

I would never take him to be into anime.

We reached my classroom, and he opened the door for me.

Nate's head looked up, and he smiled at me as I sat down next to him.

"I thought you died," he said, laughing as I stood back up to get my art box.

I had to grind because I hadn't finished a single painting for my AP drawing portfolio. 

"What the fuck?" I felt myself freeze.

Kegan had his shaved head bleached with pink stars all over it.

He quickly put back on whatever beanie he had on before.

"That's funny as fuck," I said, grabbing my box and walking back out.

Kegan is not even in our class, so he's probably here because of a free or, holy shit, Elijah. I'm so not observant; I did not know he was in this class. 

His dad was talking to him as Kegan sat down.

I sat down with Nate and pulled out the painting I was working on.

It was of me with Daniel in his bed. It had some sentimental meaning, I swear, and I didn't just paint it because we are graded on our art and my teacher loves my brother. Nope, no way. 

It was in oil paint, and I was done with the background and half of Daniel's body.

I continued to paint him. 

"Gallery check," the teacher called out. Everyone stood up and pushed in their chairs. Every class, we go to each table, and we have to explain our artwork.

"Nice shirt," Nate said as he started laughing as we walked over to Elijah's table with Kegan and two other irrelevant people.

"This is a painting of my mom and me, and this is a continuation with my dad," Elijah said.

"We need more detail; think about the writing portion."

"Uh, well, my painting is about issues in the black community, but it narrows down to my home. So this one is about my dad and some of his issues, and this one. Well, it gets a little personal," he explained, and the teacher nodded.

"I'm not in this class; I take chorus, but I'm working on a painting of Elijah," Kegan said, laughing.

He takes chorus? That's so fucking random. 

"And is there any symbolism behind it?"

"Uh, because he's my best friend," Kegan said, smiling with his braces.

"Very nice," she said and the other people started explaining their art portfolios.

"Nate, would you like to explain?"

"Yeah. So my portfolio's theme is on my dad and his alcoholism and me and like body dysmorphia and stuff like that," Nate said.

"And you Alex?" The attention was now on me and the weird shirt I had on.

"Uh yeah so this is a painting of me and Daniel and my theme is the importance of bonds in life and people," I'm fucking lying I just need an a in this class.

"Daniels your daddy?" I was really regretting this shirt right now.

"Apparently so," I said back to my art teacher who went to sit back at her table.

"Do you watch JJK?"

"No, my brother does," I said to Nate and he laughed but this time took a picture of my shirt.

Oil paint is very annoying and doesn't dry like ever so of course my painting was still wet.

"What about Elijah?" A voice said and I turned my head around and watched as Kegan sat down next to Nate.

"What?" I asked. Glitch bitch.

"Nothing, nothing. What are you painting, bunny?" Kegan says putting his arm around Nate.

"Leave him alone." I looked up. I and Bae are so in sync holy shit.

Elijah's sexy ass brought his painting and came to sit down next to me.

"Damn, I didn't ask either of your stupid asses," Kegan said like I and bae were both in the wrong.

"It's an oil painting of me and my dad," Nate said, looking up with two brushes in his hand.

"It looks really good bunny," Kegan said.

"Thank you."

Okay since when were we okay with Kegan calling him bunny? I feel I'm not in the loop in my own life.

"Kegan, show him your hair," Elijah says.

Kegan flashes Elijah this nasty look.

"What are you still bald?" Nate joked and Kegan smiled at him.

"Okay, why is it okay when he says you're bald but when I do it you get all depressed and need kisses," Elijah said.

"You guys kiss?" I asked laughing and Elijah gave me this embarrassed look.

"Every night," Kegan butted in.

"That's oddly cute considering you guys are I'm guessing straight?" I said. Look I am just double checking that I have a chance with him.

"Not quite. Unlike this FOOL. I'm out and proud. He is in the closet and sad," Kegan said, laughing.

Elijah sighed.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm not homophobic," I said looking Elijah in his sexy sexy eyes.

"I'm actually gay," I said.

Elijah smiled at me. "That's reassuring."

Good.

"Back to your hair baldy," Elijah said, reaching over and ripping Kegans beanie off of his head.

I watched Nate's eyes go wide like a kid in a candy store.

"Holy shit, I love that hairstyle it is one of my faves," Nate gleamed with a huge smile.

Kegan sheepishly smiled at him. "Thank you, it was very much an impulsive decision last night and Cassie, my little sister helped me."

"I hope she wasn't near the bleach."

"Oh I did that and she did the stars with one of her old tracer toys," Kegan said and Nate stood up and continued to look at the different pink stars.

"Is your name Alex?" I turned around.

"Yes, and you are Elijah."

"You know my name?"

"Duh, you are the school president and your dad's the principal," I said and you are my sexy fake boyfriend.

"Oh yeah," Elijah laughed.

I feel like I should add a flirty line too. Uh okay, brain let's think this through maybe a little bit. "Who wouldn't remember someone as good-looking as you?"

Okay, maybe I should leave.

Stand up legs and get out. 

"Bathroom?" I mouthed to the teacher and she nodded.

I quickly walked out. Walk faster legs before you embarrass yourself some more.

Walk faster, walk-.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, Daniel stood right in front of me.

"You forgot your phone so I just went and got you ramen too," Daniel said.

I take all the negative things previously said about my brother back, I like this version better.

"I would hug you but that's awkward," I said and Daniel gave me a sad look.

"Fine weirdo," I said and I hugged him.

I remember when we didn't fight and he used to babysit me.

His hugs felt nice and it made me miss being close to him like this.

"Thank you," I said and pushed him away.

"I'll see you later," he said and once again kissed my head.

I took the ramen and my phone. 

"Bye," I said and walked towards the bathroom. Gonna awkwardly hold my food and piss.

Okay, hands washed and making my way back to the classroom.

"Was that your boyfriend?" Elijah's voice rang in my ears.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah, he's also the guy you were painting."

"No, he's my older brother, who's unemployed, and that's why he has enough time to come bring me lunch and pose in my strange art pictures," I said, and Elijah nodded.

The two of us walked back to class in silence.

We sat down in art class, and I continued to paint.

I heard the bell ring, and I grabbed my backpack and food and headed for the door.

"We have the class thing," Nate said, and the two of us walked.

"How's being vice president?" Nate asked Kegan. He was looking for excuses to talk to him.

"It's cool, I just stand there with the big boss, and yeah," Kegan said, and Nate nodded.

We pushed open the doors, and Kegan put his beanie back on his bald head.

Nate and I sat down. 

The lights started to dim, and I put my phone in my pocket because the light from it would catch me lacking and I would get it taken.

"Good morning!" Sexy man. That's my fake boyfriend. 

"Today we surprisingly don't have any announcements besides my dad saying if you are late, email him and not his secretary, and he'll help you with that,'' Elijah said with a smile.

I hope that wasn't because of me. 

"Well, thank you for coming today, and have an amazing morning," Elijah said, turning off his microphone.

I watched as people walked out, and I got up to follow.

"Nate, what do-." Where the fuck is he?

I looked around. Nowhere. Whatever.

I pulled out my phone and made my way over to the bathroom.

Nope. Uh, let me walk my lazy ass to the far bathroom.

"Do you see him?" A voice asked. Ahhh, it's my sexy fake man.

"No, I was hoping he'd be in a closer bathroom," I said, laughing, and he smiled at me. Sexy, sexy man.

We pushed the bathroom door open, and I watched Kegan kiss Nate.

You just met him, like, what? I'm.

Elijah whipped his head around, and his curls smacked his face.

"Are you seeing this shit? I'm going to beat his ass," Elijah whispered.

"Shush, you can't whisper," I said, laughing quietly, and Elijah smiled at me.

"See, was that that bad?" Kegan asked, pulling back.

Why does this bald fuck looking like the big dipper have more game than I do?

"No," Nate said.

"See, I told you I'm not that bad, bunny," Kegan said with a smile.

"You pulled me away from my friend to just kiss and flirt with me?"

"Yep, because Elijah would rightfully beat my ass," Kegan said.

"Because you are pitying me," Nate said.

"You know I'm not, bunny," Kegan said very defensively.

"Kegan!" Elijah said, and the two of them jumped.

I followed behind him and made myself known.

"You left me to go mack on this fuck?" I asked with my eyebrow raised.

Nate pulled my arm out of the bathroom.

"Imagine Elijah did that to you. What would you do?" Nate asked.

My mouth dropped open.

"How do you know I like him? I don't even know if I like him. What?" I asked.

Nate's eyes trailed back into the bathroom.

"Kegan, you fucker!" I yelled, and my fake man was rightfully ripping him a new one.

"What now? You're mad at me too?"

I gave him this look.

"I thought you told him," Kegan said.

"I recall telling you otherwise," I said, and he laughed.

"Wait, why are you telling Kegan stuff and not me?" Elijah said it like a lost puppy.

"Because I just met you."

"And Kegan's better?" Fair point, very fair point.

"I'll tell you later if Kegan's big-mouthed, bald-headed ass doesn't get to you first," I said, and Kegan looked annoyed.

I heard the bell ring.

"Yeah, I'm going to walk slowly and go find my backpack because I have more lates and absences than all of you combined," I said, laughing as I walked out of the bathroom.

The day went by pretty fast, and I was in lunch detention because of today's lateness and absences in first period.

"No phone, Alex; eat," the teacher said, and I slid my phone into my pocket.

I started eating my ramen. Daniel is the best brother I could ever have in this lifetime.

The teacher quickly walked outside. I opened my phone and pressed Daniel's contact.

"What?"

"Okay, so one, I have lunch detention, and two, I love you so much for remembering my order; you are so amazing," I said.

Daniel laughed.

"I just guessed your order."

"Stop trying to be nonchalant and weird and just take the compliment, I love you so much, holy shit," I said.

"I love you too, bro," Daniel said. I could tell he was smiling.

"Okay, bye," I said and ended the call.

Damn, he must be bored because he has been calling me so much today.

"He's your boyfriend?" I looked up.

I have never seen this guy in my 18 years on this sad, sad earth.

He was tall and had curly brown hair, like brownish skin, and thick eyebrows.

He was okay-looking.

"Uh, no, he's my brother," I said, continuing to eat so this fool could get the clue that I really didn't want to talk to him.

Okay, why does everyone keep asking that? And why does everyone know I am gay? This shits weird.

He got up and sat next to me.

"The name is Michael Sanchez," he said, extending his arm around.

"Are you a cowboy? Why are you speaking like that?" I laughed, and he smiled at me.

He was pretty good-looking; I'll give it to him.

"I'm Alex."

"I know."

"You know?"

"How could I not? It's not every day you go to school with someone as cute as you," he said, ew am I blushing? That's so weird.

"You're weird," I said, laughing, and he smiled at me.

I continued to eat my food as he stared daggers at me.

He seemed like a cool guy.

The bell rang. I quickly stood up, put my backpack on, and packed the rest of my ramen up.

"Nice meeting you," he said, patting the small of my back. Okay, too far; I just met you.

"You as well." Nah, let me get the fuck out of here.

I walked out into the hallway.

The rest of the day went by pretty fast, and I changed out of my PE clothes, and of course, Kegan was being weird.

"You look cute, bunny," Kegan said with a smile.

I need Elijah to be as infatuated as Kegan is with Nate, bro.

"I'm in my PE clothes," Nate said, laughing as Kegan changed into his lacrosse stuff.

"You still look adorable," Kegan said, squeezing his side. Nate laughed as he quickly changed his shirt and looked in his locker for something.

"Alex, can I borrow your spray shit?" Nate asked, and I nodded. I bent down and looked for it in my locker.

"Alex." I looked up and went back to my locker.

"Hi Mike," I said, grabbed my deodorant, and handed it to Nate.

He smiled at me and thanked me.

"You still look gorgeous all sweaty," Mike joked. Bruh, that's just weird.

I rolled my eyes and tried to fake a laugh.

I saw Elijah, and I felt myself smile.

Mike turned around, pushed himself off the locker, and patted Elijah on the back, mumbling something in his ear.

I watched as Elijah took a deep breath.

He gave Kegan a look.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and he sighed again. He looked irritated, and I don't think I've seen him like that.

"I'll be fine," Elijah said, and he gave me this weird look.

"I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend?" He asked me, irritated.

"I don't."

"Why is Mike calling you his babe?"

"Fuck. Y'all, so weird, bruh. I'm going home," I said, laughing, and grabbed my stuff.

"You didn't even change."

"Daniel's going to complain anyway; I'll live," I said, walking out with my hair still in that ugly hairstyle and the shirt now in my backpack.

I looked in the parking lot, and Daniel wasn't there.

"Where the fuck are you?"

"Helping mom, I'll be there in a few hours," Daniel said.

"I've been out of school for like 30 minutes; how the bitch am I going to get home?"

"Walk your fat ass home," Daniel said.

His nice streak was over.

"I hope you die." The line goes dead, and I slump down in the parking lot.

I started homework as I watched cars come and go. 

"You need a ride?" A voice asked, and I looked up.

Looking like a Greek god, all sweaty and nasty shirtless.

"Uh, my brother will be here soon," I said. I don't know if I could control myself in a car alone with this sexy, shirtless man.

"You've been out here since the end of school, and I've finished my practice," he said.

I smiled.

"I'll be okay-."

"Let me just give you a ride," he said, and the sexy shirtless man grabbed my bag and zipped it.

"Come on, let's go," he said, cocking his head to the side.

My legs went against my brain, and I just listened to my stupid heart, which was telling me to follow this man to the ends of the earth.

"Usually my dad drives me, but my brother had some appointments after school, so I drove myself to school," he said, and he opened the door to the nicest car I have ever seen.

He unlocked the door and turned it on, and I watched as the roof came down and he threw my bag in the bag along with his other shit.

"What? Do you need me to open the door for you too?" Elijah joked as he quickly made his way around the car and opened it.

"After you," he said, bowing like a weirdo, and I couldn't help but smile. He was very nice and sweet.

I buckled my seatbelt and texted Daniel.

Me: my friends taking me home.

I watched the three dots pop up. Bruh, answering me fast but won't come pick me up.

Danny fuck bitch: I said I was going to pick you up.

I watched as his contact took up my whole screen as Elijah started driving.

I put it up to my ear.

"Who the fucks car are you in?" Daniel screamed.

"Calm down, I'm okay. He's one of my friends," I said.

Daniel didn't believe it because why would he?

"I swear to god, put your phone on speaker," he screamed and I sighed.

"Everything okay?" Elijah said, stopping at a red light.

"My brother wants to talk to you," I mumbled.

I put it on speaker.

"Hello?" Elijah said.

"If you touch my fucking brother I will hang you and beat your body like a fucking pinata, you hear me?" Daniel said sternly.

"Yes. Never in a million years would I think about hurting your brother," Elijah said.

"How old are you?" 

"19 sir." Why is he calling my brother sir?

"You get held back why are you 19 and not 18?" Daniel snapped.

"I just started kindergarten late so my brother and I could be in the same grade," Elijah said.

"You can turn here," I said and he nodded turning on his blinker and looking over his shoulder.

"If I find out-."

"Danny, stop," I whined. He was still being this weird overprotective today, and I was still so confused about it.

"I'm not getting a repeat of Jeremiah—not now, not fucking ever. DO YOU HEAR ME?!" He was livid and having some issues with his temperament as normal, but today he was genuinely going to go shoot any guy who looked at me.

"Yes, Daniel."

"You can turn here," I said.

"Stop fucking talking to him-."

"Would you rather have me walk home and get kidnapped?" I snapped at him.

No answer.

That's what I thought, stupid.

"Dad would be pissed if he found out that a guy was taking you home; he would kick your ass," Daniel said.

Second time talking about Dad today, which was very strange.

"Dad would have killed me for being gay," I said and we sat in silence. It was a lie, I felt myself take a deep breath

"It's the house on the left; it's the two-story light gray one," I mumbled, and Elijah nodded.

"I'll try to come home when I can. I know you don't like being alone that much, but Dad is gone; if his evil spirit comes, I'll get the Ouija board out. Okay, I love you, and don't let that fucker in my home," Daniel's rant came to an end as he ended the call.

Okay, I really don't appreciate my brother just unleashing random trauma on my fake boyfriend that he doesn't need to know.

"Well, thank you for the ride," I said. I'm trying to pretend like he didn't just hear that whole conversation.

He grabbed my backpack out of my hand.

"Thank you," I said again, walking around the car to get my backpack from him.

He grabbed his stuff out of his car.

"You want to open your garage or not?" he asked.

"My brother would not be happy about that," I said, and he shrugged.

I sighed and used my garage door key, and the garage door slowly clanked open, and Elijah smiled as he pulled his car in there.

I shut the door behind him, and he smiled.

"Like I care," he said, following me into the house.

I took my shoes off and started to clean whatever the fuck was on the floor.

"I'm smelly as fuck right now, so you can follow me," I said, and he trailed behind me.

A little too close because I could feel his eyes on my ass.

Maybe I'm being weird because I'm starting to develop a fat crush on this guy.

"I like the uh pattern on your pockets," he said.

He was looking at my ass.

"Are you looking at my ass?" I said, turning around, and his eyes quickly darted to my eyes.

"No, I wasn't. I just said the pockets were fat. I mean, your ass is fat, I mean the pockets-." He stopped and sighed.

"The pockets were nice, and I wasn't looking at your fat." Elijah stopped again and rolled his eyes.

I laughed and pushed on my door.

"This is my room; you can put your stuff down in here, and then I'll show you the bathrooms," I said, and he nodded, following me.

"Okay, so my mom's bathroom is in there, but she hates it when we use it, so I and Daniel share it, and because he's unemployed and likes to worry a lot, he doesn't like it when I do a lot of things," I said. I'm not going to say he likes to shit when I shower to make sure I don't fall.

"Ah, okay," Elijah said. He was an open book, and I could tell something was on his mind.

"I'll shower in my mom's room and you in here, and then I'll give you some of Daniel's clothes because I haven't done laundry," I said with a smile, and he nodded.

He was acting strange, but I got into the shower and cleaned myself.

Of course, she had no fucking towels in here.

I make a dash for it with my dick swinging? That wasn't a question; I am doing it 100%.

I quickly dashed for my room, and I turned my ass back around into Daniel's room.

I quickly slammed the door. Holy shit, too much physical activity for one day.

I dried off and put on some lotion.

I grabbed a pair of Daniel's boxers and one of his weird shirts and made my way back to my room.

Elijah was sitting on my bed doing what looked to be homework.

"You look nice and clean," I said, trying to make small talk while I awkwardly changed my boxers.

"Do you always wear your brother's shirts?" Elijah said, not acknowledging my previous statement.

"Yes, because he's my brother, I have to steal all his shit," I said, grabbing stuff out of my backpack and throwing it on the bed next to him.

"Okay," he said.

I sat down next to him, and I had 4 homework assignments, one of which was an essay I hadn't started.

Math is easy, so I would do that first and just get that shit done with.

"Is your dad dead?" Elijah asked bluntly, not even looking up from his paper.

"Yeah," I said. 

"Why did your brother mention him earlier? Something about you not being alone because of your dad," Elijah said, shutting his math notebook.

"That's a touchy subject," I said, slightly laughing.

"I know. But I want to know how you feel and what your habits are. I genuinely want to get to know you," he said with a look on his face that I couldn't explain.

"Well. When my mom and brother were out of the house, my dad would try to get me to stay with him and not go with my brother and my mom. It was always a different excuse," I said, and Elijah nodded.

"Was he an alcoholic?"

"Eh probably. He had a lot of stuff wrong with him."

"Oh, same."

"That's some unpacking you need to do now," I joked, and Elijah nodded. "But this one is all about you right now."

"Well, when he would get me alone, he would, uh, make me do things that I didn't like. He would also hit me and just start with a light smack and beat me till I bled. It wasn't fun. I remember one night he had gotten me alone, and it was pouring rain, and he came into my bedroom with a key. And it was-." I felt my throat start to dry up.

"It wasn't a good feeling or day," I said, laughing, and Elijah nodded.

"When you want to tell the full story, I'm here to listen to you," he said, patting my back.

"Thank you-." Little fuck, I felt a hand quickly run up and down my sides, and I started to laugh, like a cackle.

This was an ugly, horrendous laugh that I hadn't made in such a long time.

"Stop," I said, laughing while snorting.

This is extremely embarrassing. "No, it's cute," Elijah said as he got on top of me and continued to tickle.

"You're a fuckwad," I said in between breaths of laughter.

I grabbed his shoulder, and somehow I pushed him over.

"How did you even do that?" Elijah said, laughing.

"I don't know. Daniel's heavy ass always tries to kill me, so I've been practicing."

"The same brother who wouldn't let me come over because I'm a year older than you, or the same brother who's going to murder me when he gets home," Elijah said, joking as our laughter calmed down.

The sound of my air purifier was disgustingly loud, making this whole thing more and more awkward.

His hands rested on my hips as Elijah looked up at me.

"You have a gorgeous face, Alex," Elijah said.

"Thank you; are you sure that's all you are looking at?" I teased, and I felt him tense.

"I'm playing with you," I said, and I rolled off of him.

He grabbed his homework and quickly put it on his lap.

Suspiciously quickly.

He pulled out his phone, texted something on it, and then went back to doing homework.

"You text your parents?" I asked, and he shook his head.

He picked up his phone again and pressed something.

"Hi momma," he said.

"Hi Elijah, it's late. Are you okay? I told you no parties on school days," his mom said.

Elijah and parties I don't think I have ever heard those words in the same sentence.

"I'm not. I'm at a friend's house right now."

"Kegan?"

"No, his name is Alex," Elijah said, and somehow being just a friend stung. It stung a lot more than it should have.

"Okay, just make sure you get your homework done," his mom said, and the call ended.

"We can get our homework done, and then I'll head home," he said, and I nodded, feeling empty.

Okay, he didn't go home. 11 pm rolled around, and I kept fading in and out of sleep, and Elijah turned off the lights.

"Sleep, idiot," he said, and I let him get back in bed with me.

Just two dudes cuddling in bed. Yep.

There is nothing gay about that. 

Not one bit. My eyes shut, and they opened again.

There was a knock on the door.

The light turned on after the person pushed open the door.

"Dad?" I called out.

My mouth was opening, and little breaths were leaving my lips as my heart started to race.

He shut the door behind him.

"Hi, my precious," he said with the same terrible smile he had for all of those times.

I quickly scrambled over my bed to my feet.

"It's been so long; I missed you," he said, reaching his hand out to me.

I started hyperventilating. I don't know what to do.

"You haven't told your mother about our games, have you?" He said.

I was too young. Too young for it then, too young for it now.

I got up and stood on my bed. I could get out. I could run. I could finally-. I felt him reach out and grab my leg, and he quickly pulled me towards him.

"Get off of me." I kicked him, but it was no use.

He wouldn't get off of me.

"Stop panicking, sweetheart; it's okay," he said as he stroked my face.

"Stop panicking!" He screamed, and I felt a slap go across my face.

The tears, oh god, oh god.

He pulled my shirt over my head and then my pants as I thrashed.

"Please, Dad," I begged.

"Alex," he said, and he stroked his hands all over my body while he shushed me.

"Alex, Alex." I felt myself shoot up.

"My baby boy, what's wrong?" It was my mom.

"Momma," I quickly got up, and I hugged her.

I was balling my eyes out. Absolutely crying.

"What's wrong, honey? What's wrong?" She asked me.

I stopped. I couldn't tell her. I could never tell her.

"Just a-."

"Get the fuck out of my house!" I heard Daniel scream, and I turned around. It was Elijah who was currently about to get straggled by my brother.

"I didn't do anything," Elijah said with his hands raised.

"My brother's in bed with you, and he's fucking CRYING. You touch my brother again, and you die. Now get the fuck out." Daniel screamed, and he launched, and I mean launched Elijah.

"Elijah!" I quickly ran over to see if he was okay.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and he looked up at me with what one would describe as rage.

He stood up quickly and walked back over to Daniel.

"I just want you to know that I would never, ever lay a hand on your brother. Never," Elijah spat, and he grabbed his bag.

"Elijah," I called out. He pushed past me aggressively.

"I'll see you at school; I don't think I'm welcome here anymore." He walked out of my room as I sat there, my mom and my brother staring at me.

Fuck, there goes another friend because I'm a weirdo.

"Baby bro-."

"Get out," I said, and I flopped under the covers. My throat felt dry, and I felt like crying some more.

"Honey-."

"You too, Mom," I said, and I felt the tears start to roll down again.

Great, now he's never going to talk to me again.

Now I'm back to being a fucking loser with daddy issues.