"Because brothers don't let each other wander in the dark alone."

- Jolene Perry

"Hey look, it's him again..."

again...

"The runt is back again..."

and again...

"Go take a swan dive off the roof!"

and again.....

"Get out of here Runt!!"

and again...

I walked past the hallway where students were giving me that mean eye at me, silently looking at me with pissed-off expressions that would mean I'd get beaten up after school, hearing threats and jokes and teasing from both left and right. I sighed as I continue my way to my classroom trying to shut out every one of their bullying towards me.

Hi, my name is Blaine Akatane Adelheid, a soon-to-be elementary graduate in 1 month, I study here at Saint Peters School which is a private school here in my hometown, Tuguegarao City in the Philippines. Almost everyone here in my batch refers to me as the outcast of the bunch, because of a relatively small incident I did to someone back in grade 3, and because of that, I got bullied nonstop after it happened. I don't know why but they must have made it a big deal for me considering that it was just my mistake.

The girls started to gossip amongst themselves as they eyed me suspiciously as if I would do something bad to them. Seeing my classroom within a distance away I started to speed walk my way, the distance slowly lessened.

"What are you in a rush for, Runt?" a random guy said as he pushed me and I fell, he laughed and walked away distantly calling me 'Pathetic' for me to hear. I grumbled and helped myself get up, picking up my bag, and went to the next door from the one in front of me. It's usual for me now to get treatment like that every day, it's not like I expect everyone to instantly forget about the VERY BAD thing I did in the past. I'm used to those words people call me every day, they don't hurt as much as they did back then.

I make my way to the entrance of my classroom, I took a relatively big sigh as I turned the doorknob.

"..."

"....."

"....."

The whole room fell silent as they saw me, I just shrugged and made my way towards my table which was at the very far left corner of the classroom. Everyone forgot about my presence real quick and began again the usual noise they made before I entered, I breath a sigh of relief knowing that they didn't go all up to my face and insult the shit out of me again. I took out my earphones and plug them into my phone, once I played the usual edgy music playlist, I took out my unfinished assignments and started to finish them before the time hits at exactly 7:30 am.

"Good... I still have 45 minutes left before the first period." I mumbled to myself, grabbing my pen and my first unfinished assignment, Math. I looked at the problems I didn't do last night and grabbed an extra sheet to do my solutions so that I won't make my notebook dirty. The questions were relatively easy since I'm already a smart kid, 'and a depressed & lonely kid too.', heh... my brain knows where to hurt me when it wasn't needed. I shook my head and focused on my school work, my mind not paying attention to the inner voice of mine and not to the voice of the public inside with me in this room right now.

"Oh look, it's useless and his schoolwork again." A boy teased me, his lackeys behind him snickering and agreeing with his stupidity, but I didn't even try to give him attention so he could walk away and leave me in peace to do my work. But not to my surprise, he noticed quickly that I ignored him and he started the get slightly annoyed.

"Oi useless? don't think ignoring me will make me leave you alone now did ya?" He said and his lackeys agreed again. I still didn't give him attention nor a reaction because I didn't want to make a scene early in the morning period of classes, I'm not getting my ass kicked again after this thank you very much. He was now straight up pissed and forcefully took my math notebook from my desk, I knew it.', I sigh in my head.

"What a fucking nerd you are useless! You're disgusting as fuck! Look at it guys!" He yelled as he grabbed my assignment page, crumpling it before throwing it into the trash bin. He huffed in satisfaction as he and his lackeys left me alone, finally.

"Good, gone, for now," I said in slight relief and a low voice as I watched them go back to their proper seats. I turned to the back page of my notebook and smiled that he didn't tear apart the backup handwritten copy of the assignment. I then hastily finished it and proceed to do my last unfinished work which is Home Economics & Livelihood Education, I was supposed to make a diagram about the difference and similarities between self-grooming and maternal grooming, firstly, I drew 2 big circles that took most of the space in the page that I drew them, I labeled them, and began to write the needed answers to the questions for me to finish the assignment. I quickly looked at the time and I still had about 15 minutes left before the first period starts and I was almost done too.

"Just a little more, I can take a small cat nap after this," I mumbled to myself and continued to focus on my assignment.

-///-

"Yo Blaine!" I heard a familiar voice as soon I placed back my notebooks back in my bag. I grinned slightly as I turned my way to face my best friend, my only friend.

"Hey, Paul!" I said excitedly as we did our signature handshake. I ignored the people giving me annoyed looks because no one dared to want to fight Paul Hunter, the athlete of this school, AND my super cool best friend!

"How have you been last weekend? Did the visit to your grandparents' house go well?" I asked him excitedly cause I was eager to know how his weekend went, but he just sighed heavily and sat down in his seat, which was next to mine.

"It was boring to death! I had to do "The Talk" with my psychic grandma which took like an hour or so inside her bedroom, although I favor her predictions for me that's full of good luck and fortune, It was still long and most of the stuff she said made me bored to the fucking core!" He said dramatically as he flung his arms in the air with his face red from frustration, I slightly laughed at his antics and he laughed slightly with me after.

"I'd like to go there someday, maybe ask for a prediction about me in the future," I said in an interested tone, he gave me a look of approval, he took out something from his bag, I swear it looked hella familiar with the cloth wrapped around it.

"By the way, you forgot your lunch. I went by to your house to pick you up but your mom said you forgot your lunch and said you went off early, I said I'd deliver it to you and that's where the story ends basically, you and you're early wake-up calls." He said the last part in a slightly audible but enough to whisper to me as he handed me over my bento box. I sighed in relief and thanked him a bunch for bringing my lunch with him. The bell rang as all the other students went back to their proper seats and fixed the places of our bags, while we did that, our first-period teacher entered, he was Sir Mark Collins, our math teacher. He went to the desk that was near the door and placed some folders and his laptop bag, he scanned the class from the first row and eventually to the last, he looked at me and Paul with kind eyes, I gave the same smile back and he smirked, took out his laptop and connected an HDMI cord from the T.V. screen back to his laptop. The lesson that was on the screen was already the last lesson for the 4th quarter exams, Geometry, my favorite lesson to be honest.

Teachers here that teach in my batch were very kind to me, they were my second parents when mom and dad went out for business trips, Sir Mark is one of the two. They helped me cope with the bullying and offered their time to talk to me along with Paul from time to time. They won't deal with the bullying though, I requested it so that I won't make the situation even worse as it is liked today, I may not like it but this is better than getting beat up from time to time and potentially murdered out of anger towards me.

"Ehem! Settle down class! I know most of you all have had a great weekend, some hanging out with your pals and gals and similar stuff like that, but..." Sir Mark said as I started drifting off daydreaming about what sort of things I can imagine in this messed-up head of mine and ignored my teacher.

"You all certainly did not forget your assignment now did your class?" He said out loud, ruining the moment for me to think up ways to entertain myself, Paul just chuckled at me and I gave him a playful glare. Upon hearing what sir Mark said, most of the class went pale upon their faces, they didn't do their assignment, I smirked as I took out my notebook where I had my backup work.

'I'm so smart than them, sucks to be those suckers.' I thought in triumph. Sir eyed me with a proud side look and continued to remind us of the reminder.

"Now, hand over your assignments everybody! Those who won't pass their assignment on my table now will be getting detention for 1 hour after class!" He roared, obviously irritated that 90% of the class forgot to do theirs. I swear I could see a vein pop out on his forehead, I couldn't help but slightly laugh at my teacher's antics and irritation. I handed my notebook, everybody, except Paul, glared at me for this. I just shrugged it off and handed my notebook, sir Mark patted my back and I went back to my seat. Then Paul went after me and placed his beside mine, he went back to his seat and we fist-bumped.

He then started to talk about the graduation ball in about 1 month, and that the exams will be held in 2 weeks, and what we needed to do for the events that were gonna come with us needed to perform in front of all our parents. I didn't even bother to listen further and just started to reminisce instead of daydreaming.

'I'm not liking what I'm remembering right now...'

I started to remember one of those days.

Those days where it was hard for me to back then.

Still scorched into my mind.

-////-

-Flashback-

It was a rainy day back then, the clouds were light gray and windy, the drizzle was pouring down at the busy city nonstop, like the insults I receive throughout my life so far. That was a grim day for me, and the weather made it worse for me too. Just got out of school, still hurting from the beatings my classmates gave me after I ACCIDENTALLY ruined the dress of Andrea Harper, the rich girl of Saint Peters.

"Look what you just did, stupid?! You ruined my expensive dress!!" She yelled and pushed me, causing me to trip back and fall on my butt.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to destroy it, I swear! Maybe my mom can fix it." I offered to her but she just gave me a mean glare and came up to me with her tumbler in hand. She opened it and splashed water at my face and scoffed, returning to her seat while murmuring strings of curses at me along the way.

"freaking loser." That was the last thing I heard before a group of guys of almost my age approaches me

-///-

Multiple bruises and scars were on my chest, my arms were bruised as well from getting dragged left and right by them towards the back part of the building. The school was done when I heard the faint ringing of the school bell, I helped myself get back up and get my things.

I was limping my way back to my house, my face expressionless and stoic. I ignored the murmurs through the corridor I was walking in.

"Oi runt! Did you like the treatment we gave you?" One of the bullies said and just shoved past my shoulder, knocking me back on a nearby wall. His smug face with that cocky smirk made me boil in anger, the need to kill that bastard burned through my thoughts right now. I quit staring at him with killer intent and just went along to get my stuff from my classroom.

The closer I got to my room the worse those murmurs about me become, I was losing hope of trying to defend myself at this point. I got inside my room and hastily grabbed my stuff and began to run out of this place.

"Blaine! Wait!"

Paul went after me when I was done getting beat up, I was walking home and commuting, he looked distressed and shocked at my condition. I ignored Paul's cries to comfort me, now he was walking silently but his face was dripping with tears, and trying his best to remain silent.

"Hey Blaine, look, It's gonna be ok, alright? it will be alright, trust me- "

I looked at him, clearly irritated at the moment.

"What point is there saying that?! Don't you see? They will do it again to me! I said I was sorry and yet they still did that to me!" I yelled out in anger as my eyes burned with hate towards the people who beat me up and tears started to fall. I began to sob hard, I know that it won't be alright anymore, but Paul telling me that it will be alright wasn't helping.

Trying to think that this will be just a one-time thing was just being naive to the realization. I just want to get home and sleep. I wanted to stop thinking negative thoughts, I just wanna rest.

He continued to walk beside me and not utter a single word to annoy me, much to my satisfaction.

But now the whole bunch who beat me mercilessly will spread the word about me and I'll be repeatedly get beat up! Every day! I didn't hurt Andrea that much to get everyone to hate me that much. I don't experience the aftermath of today, I don't want to get beat up every day after school and come back home all bruised and filled with scars to make my parents worry or even see me like that! I can't make a show-off of myself and attract more bullies to get me even more hurt or worse... Killed.

-End of Flashback-

"Alright, class I hope you listened to what I just discussed right now because we will have a long quiz about this tomorrow afternoon, review well and I expect high scores from this quiz because some of you here need to raise their grades by a lot this quarter and this last quiz is made to at least increase your written output percentage which in turn will help with increasing your grades. Goodbye and Good Luck with your next subject." Sir Mark said and left while carrying his stuff.

the class began to complain about the quiz and why it's gonna be long, some even saying: "That's unfair!" and "Let's share some answers hehe." and "Easy cheat!". This is just sad for the reputation of the school because this batch is almost full of fakes and cheaters, this will hurt the principal.

'Maybe I can pull off a parting prank on them and expose them as cheaters. Yeah... Yeah, maybe it'll work out. Now I just need the help of Sir Mark and a few of our subject teachers who suspect some here of cheating.' I grinned devilishly at the thought of payback time to these suckers.

"This will be very hard tomorrow, I'm weak at math, especially Geometry." Paul groaned in despair as he said that to me.

"Why? Geometry is so easy!" I said positively.

"Well for you it is, I'm struggling like everybody else here." He said faking a tear shed while I chuckled.

"Well.. tell you what? Since you're gonna hang out with me for a month I can help you with the stuff you don't understand at the lesson." I offered and he looked at me as if I was his saving grace or something.

"Really?! Oh, thank you, little bro- " I covered his mouth the moment he said those two words out loud, luckily no one even bothered to hear that.

"Shhhh! Let's keep that brotherly bond of ours a secret from this hell hole, ok? And yes, that's what brothers are for, Am willing to help ya out." I gave him a reassuring grin while he laughed.

"So what part of the lesson are you struggling with anyway?" I asked with an obvious hint of confusion in my tone of voice.

"Everything." He said flatly. I just gave him a deadpan expression and looked at him with it.

"Are you serious?" I said on an equal flatness and boldness of my voice as his. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled in embarrassment.

"Yeah, kinda hard to get what Sir Mark was saying with all the nerdy stuff he is spouting about. I swear to God almighty, you two are like father and son, You sure you two aren't related or something??" He said curiously while I just grumbled in slight annoyance with the question.

"To answer that, no. No, I am not his son nor we're related by blood, although I would want to, either way, I'm related to my strict dad and that's a bummer. I swear he's abused me emotionally and physically that it's contributing to my... You know..." I gestured to the entirety of my body and he gave a sympathetic look. He then placed his hand on my back and patted it.

"If he does anything funny, I won't hesitate going there to get you outta there, remember that Little bro." That made me feel a bit lighter on the chest when he said that, I then leaned against his shoulder, his breathing calmed me. Paul is a friend I won't trade for anything else, not even my safety." This will be very hard tomorrow, I'm weak at math, especially Geometry. But now i got a freaking awesome tutor to guide me." Paul groaned in despair at the geometry part as he said that to me.

"I think I hear Mrs. Linda coming, science... whoopee..." Paul sarcastically said and the said person entered the classroom. Her mature physique and aura gave off a sense of authority which everyone, including me and Paul, had to shut their mouths. I know she's nice, like VERY nice, but once you get on her bad side, well, that's a whole different story of survival. She then placed her stuff at the teacher's table and stared at us with a serious look, I then remembered we also have an assignment for her subject, and luckily that was done last night. I then see Paul frantically search for his assignment inside his bag with his face looking very concerned. to me.

"Oh no..." He said, a horrified look appeared on his face and his body stopped moving an inch.

"I forgot my science assignment." He said in defeat and horrified while looking at me with dread in his eyes. I looked at him with a smirk meaning he's gonna get detention after this. It was now my turn to put my hand on his back and pat it.

"It's ok Paul if you like I'll be there to accompany you if you want," I said while snickering. He looked at me dead in the eye and a smile that meant instant death.

"Blaine... I know you're my brother and all, but if you make this a comedy so help me I'll- "

"Those who didn't pass their assignments please raise your hand! Failure to do so will get detention, If you have received detention on the previous subject then this one I'm about to give it and will be added to that." Mrs. Linda said and again, 90% of the students have raised their hand. Paul raised his and looked at me with puppy dog eyes as if begging for me to not get detention, I just mouthed a 'Sorry' and he just let out an anime tear from his eyes, I just chuckled lightly trying to not make as much noise to get my teachers attention.

"Mr. Adelheid I see you didn't raise your hand, put your assignment here now so we can start our final lesson before your finals, come now! Not a moment to waste!" She gestured her hands to her desk while I took my assignment with me to my desk. I could feel anger coming out of some people and aiming it towards me, I just shrugged it off and made my way out of the row I was seated and walked to my teacher's desk...

*Thump!*

Some guy tripped me with his foot and I landed face-first on the tiled floor, I could feel something wet after I crashed, I put a hand on my forehead and blood run through it as it trickled down to my uniform.

"Hahaha look at yourself, Runt! So pathetic!" The guy who tripped me laughed his ass off and so did some of them around the room began to laugh loudly at my misfortune, oh how could this even get worse for me today? But I was feeling extra sassy today, and this guy just pushed one of my buttons.

"Maybe, but at least I'm not like someone who seeks attention just to fit in, unlike some people," I said sarcastically and wiped the blood off my face. My remark made the guy's facial expression go from a smug, happy one to an angry one real quick, he grabbed my collar and lifted me a few inches off the ground, his face looking pissed off.

"You wanna go at it, Runt?!" He yelled as he shoved me hard towards a wall.

"Woah there! Break it up you two!" Paul said and pulled me away from the douche. Mrs. Linda wasn't happy about it and she rose from her seat and slammed her hands hard at the table to stop the bickering and violence in the classroom.

"Enough of this! Mr. Cage, you will go out of this class and report to the principals' office of your violent outburst! Early in the morning and the room is at it again with this unnecessary noise! Mr. Hunter good job stopping the scene before it escalated into something worse, as for compensation, you won't get detention and will have to submit your assignment tomorrow instead. And Mr. Adelheid, go to the nurse's office to get that treated, come back as soon as they're done treating the wound, ok?" Mrs. Linda said and Paul huffed in agreement and glared at good ol' Mr. cage who was at the doorstep, He looked back and glared at me hard.

"This isn't over Runt." He said darkly and slowly the door with a. Mrs. Linda just sighed and went onwards to prepare everything for her final lesson.

"I can't get enough of your oh-so-pleasing personality too, Mr. cage, looking forward to it," I smirked at my sarcastic remark while he growled and ultimately slammed the door shut.

Another bastard decides to trip me again over his foot. Cackling over my situation as if I were some live-action slapstick character, but I've seen through that trick once and I just shoved his foot sideways and went to the nurse's office.

-//-

"Sonny, what happened this time? Always going here at a frequent time and it's been the first day of the week! Seriously, go report this to the dean or education officials about the student's behavior, this is getting out of hand!" Nurse Joy exclaimed and went over to the cabinets, she came back and immediately applied a disinfectant on my injury, placed a gauze and some bandages on my forehead, and patted me on the back.

"You're patched up now and you can return to class. And please be careful sonny, this is your last few weeks left before you leave us for high school." Nurse Joy frowned at the thought. I had plenty of good memories here in this clinic with the nurse staff. I went over to her and hugged her.

"I'll visit from time to time, I promise Nurse Joy." We broke apart from the hug and smiled.

"Now get going, sonny."

"Alright, bye!"

-///-

"Today you will be learning about basic Physics kids, so you all will need scientific calculators because this lesson will use different formulas. It's not that hard, but this will be a glimpse of what high school science will be. Now! we will start with the basic terms of velocity and speed...." Mrs. Linda said while I just did my usual thing and everyone complained about the lesson.

'This'll be a plain and boring day again...' I said and closed my eyes and passively listen to the discussion.

-Time skip-

Finally, the first school day of the week was now done and I was ready to get the hell out of there and crash into my bed and play games or something else to keep me entertained. I glance at Paul and he was just sleeping and snoring for the last 30 minutes of our English lesson, which didn't bother me at all since he will just ask me to help him explain the lesson later, I tapped on his shoulder to wake him up.

"Yo Paul, wake up," I said lazily since I was tired too by just not listening attentively in class. He just swatted my hand away and mumbled something under his sleep.

"Dumbass wake up!" I said and decided to shake him nonstop until he eventually woke up.

"Is English class already over..?" He groggily said, still tired and yawning, I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag and grabbed his.

"Let's go, your Majesty, your loyal jester is here to lift your stuff back to your humble abode." Paul just chuckled and grabbed his bag away from my hand and placed his arm again on my shoulder.

"Yeah yeah yeah! C'mon! let's buy some food before we go to your place. I'm starving for McDonald's, you?" He said while we walked out of the classroom and to the staircase.

"Yeah! I could sure use some chicken nuggets and some coke. But we're gonna go to the supermarket after to buy some stuff I need for tonight's dinner." I said.

"How was class today, kid? What's with the bandage doing on your forehead though?" Security guard Tyler nicely asked and interrupted us in front of the exit. Paul just scoffed and tightened his arm around me by a little bit while looking away from him trying his best not to lash out at our classmate who did the stuff that happened in Science class.

"Tomas Cage tripped me, and I fell hard towards the floor and bloodied my forehead from the impact. And that's where the story ends basically." I combed my hair using my fingers to fix the bangs that were in front of the bandage. Tyler just gave me a softened look that had the same empathy as Paul did when I was about to go to the nurse's office at that time.

"But look on the bright side kid! It's almost Graduation and you're this close to getting the heck outta here!" Then suddenly looked kinda sad after he said that.

"I'm gonna miss you though. Your teachers will too, as well as the other staff members. You were a kind kid to all of us and we loved that part of you" He gestured to my entirety and I felt a smile creep up my face. I mean all of the adults here were like the family that cared for me, I'll be missing them too.

"Don't worry Tyler, we can always be in touch, besides you have my phone number, and I can visit this place when I'm at high school." I plan to, and I'll promise myself that I will visit them here when I get the chance. This reassured him and hugged me and Paul both and it was a freaking bear hug no less.

"Ty... Oxygen... Can't breathe...." I said and repeatedly patted on his beefy arms that enveloped us like a burrito while squeezing the oxygen we had in our bodies. He chuckled and let us both go, he then laughed wholeheartedly. Paul and I just smiled at him, he's like an uncle we never had, and a strong one too.

"Alright, I'll see you both tomorrow then, have a good day boys!" He waved us goodbye and we finally got out of the school.

We were now walking on the sidewalks, already heading to the nearest McDonalds which was just at Tanza Street, just a 20-minute long walk. While on the way we were just laughing and telling jokes that were both corny and some hilarious, we didn't mind the people looking at us as if we'd lost our minds with all the laughter, but I thought of something to switch it up.

"If a woman breathes, she a Thot!" I yelled with triumph while Paul scoffed at it in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? All women are sacred and should be treasured as wonderful human beings!!" Paul replied with confidence in his voice.

"N O! A thot is a t h o t!"

"No, they're not!"

"Yes, they are!"

.....

-////-

Eventually, we made it to the intersection between Robinson's supermarket on the other side of the street and a Jollibee and McDonalds branch on our side of the street. The streets were super busy and people were walking on the sidewalks, street lights going red and green over and over again, honking after honking filled the streets, tricycles picking up passengers. Me and Paul entered McDonald's while looking for an empty seat, but luckily there weren't that many people inside so we just took the seat with high chairs and tables elevated for it that were against the wall.

"Alright, so what did you want again? I kinda forgot with all the funny conversations we had going here." Paul chuckled trying his damn hardest to not laugh again with half of his crappy jokes.

"If I remember correctly, I wanted some chicken nuggets and coke. This boi needs his nuggets and wants 'em now!" I excitedly said and he laughed at my antics.

We've been joking around for almost 30 minutes now and it was a good way for me not to feel angry about what happened during science class.

"Alright alright kiddo! I'll get your chicken nuggets in a jiffy! Just hold your horses, jeez!" Paul snickered and went to the counter to order the food we wanted. After he was gone I took out my phone and just opened Twitter and read some tweets, trying to see if there's some drama going on to entertain me while I wait for the food.

The tweets I was seeing right now were very interesting and funny, just two people involved in a flame war, and back to back they roasted each other with insults and rude comments, I stifled a chuckle here and there to not get attention to myself and not make a complete idiot of than I already am with my predicament, but I can't blame myself for it, the tweets were funny as heck.

But twitter scrolling was short-lived and I switched to Instagram to view some fan art and edited videos about anime and some mangas that I read.

Scrolling and scrolling through Insta and I were getting contented with the saved pictures that interested me and were worth being in my gallery as my precious collection. I yawned and wonder why Paul was taking forever to get our orders, I'm starving so much already, like, so hungry I could eat 3 happy meals on the spot.

"Why's the bastard taking so long? I'm starving as fuck..." That's when someone smacked me in the head and I see a tray gets placed in front of me, my chicken nuggets were there, FINALLY!

"Quit whining, holy shit, you sound like a kid giving a tantrum right now. Here's our food, sorry it took long, the line was too long when I was waiting, too many customers being Karens back there and I swear to God I was this close to losing it!" He yelled in frustration and sat down in his seat, I sighed in relief that I get to eat now, cause I too was gonna lose it if it took any longer.

I clapped my hands in relief and stared at my food with a hungry look.

"Itadakimasu!" and with that, we both dug into our food. I swear the food here never gets old to me.

-Time skip: 5:15 pm-

"So... We should probably go to my place first to get some clothes so I won't be coming back and forth from my home to your home little bro." Paul and I were walking through diversion road and approaching Pallua Sur. We had some little conversations here and there, and we enjoyed each other's silence while walking back to our neighborhood.

We passed through the newly built Ace Hospital and could see the entrance of Paul's private village.

"Erm, Blaine... Did you get the doggy treats?" He asked while we made a left turn entering the village.

"Yeah, I got them, bet your dog will be happy to see you after such a long day, even your dad," I said while seeing the view of Paul's house. It wasn't much, but it was a 2-floor high house that was relatively small but still enough to live in.

Eventually, we made it towards the gate and he took out the spare keys he had inside his bag, He picked the lock and it opened, the chains were dropping and he turned the handle and slid it to the other side and the gate eventually opened. I carried the groceries as I maneuvered my head at different angles with the bags I was carrying that pretty much covered my front point of view.

"Daaaad! I'm home, and I brought Blaine with me!" I heard him yell and we placed our shoes on the side of the door and went inside his home. I placed the groceries on side of the door inside, next to the stairs,

"Oh, Paul you're back. and I see you brought Blaine with you, and what are those groceries for anyway? Are you gonna cook a feast this time Blaine?" His dad, Andrew Hunter, chuckled, yeah I wished to cook here tonight.

"Oh sorry, sir, but I was gonna cook in the house back at home, sorry." I hear him sigh in disappointment, I know it pains me to see some not taste my delicious cooking.

"Maybe at the weekends my dad can crash at your place and cook, is that ok?" Paul asked while his dad looked eager for me to say what he wanted me to say.

"Of course you two can come since I'm left there alone for the most part. And while we are on the conversation, Paul here was just gonna asking if he can accompany me for a month there in the house since, again, I'm alone there hehe." I rubbed my neck and laughed sheepishly waiting for his reply, and Paul was looking at his dad with his pleading look, telling a message like 'Please let me! We can both get free food if you do!'.

The thought made me laugh lightly at Paul. Sir Andrew was still thinking about it, trying to see if we will be safe, 2 kids, stuck in a 3-floored mansion with no maids at all to maintain the place, and I got no self-defense knowledge other than call 911 or Sir Andrew.

"Blaine, go to the living room first, me and Paul will have to discuss this." I complied and waited in their spacious living room. Paul and his dad were really at it with discussing things before he gets to live with me for about a month. I keep hearing tons of ridiculous stuff coming from Paul but some were actually valid as well, his dad keeps denying the crazy claims and agreeing to the valid reasons and excuses.

I then heard a yell of excitement and a deep sigh from the kitchen. Footsteps followed and I saw Paul and his dad, Paul's face was lit and he looked like a happy puppy wagging his tails at me, his dad has a deadpan face that was literally done with my best friends' predicament.

"Ok well, since this is a sudden turn of events, Paul can go live with you for a month or two." I stared wide-eyed, shocked, at the same time happy too! Paul gave his dad a bone-crushing hug, his dad was literally suffocating from his son's strength and had to repeatedly tap on Paul's back to get the message.

"Jesus Paul, you're too strong for your age!" He took deep breaths for a few seconds and regained his composure.

"But that said, I will visit you two every day in the afternoon just to check up on you Paul. I will have to ask permission from your mom Blaine and have a parent talk with her, are we clear on those terms?" He said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Both of us nodded in agreement and went to grab our stuff.

"I bet your mom's gonna flip when she hears this!" Paul laughed and went to his room to get a ton of clothes, his father just laughed watching his son be happy.

He turned to me and gave me a pat on my back, I looked at him and he gave me a wholehearted smile.

"I really should thank you for being a friend to my son, Blaine. It's been hard on him to socialize even though he is a captain of his athletic group, he has his self-doubts on himself sometimes and can't vent out to me all the time, so I really am thankful that you made my son be happy kiddo."

"No problem sir, I think I should thank him as well. He is saving me from my problems in life too ya know?" He quirked up his eyebrow in confusion as to what I meant by that.

"I suffer from clinical depression and I get bullied from school, so having Paul be there to be my friend when everyone is my enemy is really really amazing, I think of him as my brother at this point." I chuckled and recalled some moments of good times with Paul and our friendship evident and unbreakable.

Sir Andrew gave a warm smile and rubbed my back for comfort,

"In a sense, yes, you two are brothers, having to share the pain with each other is but one of the essence of brotherhood. I'm glad you two found each other." He said.

"yeah..." I trailed off.

"Take care of each other always, okay?" He requested, I smiled brightly at the sun and gave him a thumbs up.

"You can count on it old man!"

Soon Paul was back with a suitcase with his clothes and other necessary stuff. I smiled at him and he gestured to pick up my stuff too.

"Well, I guess we'll be seeing you for dinner then?" I asked Sir Andrew.

"Yep."

"Let's go, Paul!"

This was going to be the best month of my life yet.