Notebook

Twenty-Three

The first few steps felt impossible at first.

Aiden felt like his heart would burst out of his chest as he stumbled so many times he lost patience with himself. The last time he tripped, he groaned in irritation, pausing on the footpath, dropping his head and gritting his teeth in pure frustration.

Nathan stopped when the pink-haired boy yanked his hand away, placing both on the top of his head and squeezing his elbows together to hide his face.

This was stupid. Why was he doing this?

Why did Aiden think this was a good idea at all?

The elder sensed the younger boy's agitation building and kept a tight hold of his fingers, but it wasn't enough to soothe him this time.

Nathan reached up, pulling a hand down to look into Aiden's eyes.

The dark eyes watered, threatening to spill over as his lips set into a hard line. He was desperately trying to hold himself together. Leaving the house, with evidence of his brutal past visible to everyone, was huge.

"H-home?" Nathan whispered, cupping the younger boy's face, his watercolour eyes piercing through Aiden's, looking for signs of severe emotional distress.

The pink-haired boy gasped, taking a deep breath and expelling it while shaking his head.

The pair had to keep going. He had to keep going.

If he ever wanted to be free of fear and worry, he had to make this trip, no matter how difficult.

Determined, the younger boy grabbed the hand holding his face and weaved their fingers together, using the older boy as an anchor to keep him from floating away in despair as they walked towards the shopping centre.

Occasionally, Aiden pulled the dark cap down a little as he watched the ground pass by, but as they advanced, he lifted his head again, looking a little further ahead each time.

Nathan tried to walk as casually as possible. He didn't want the younger boy to notice the small smile on his face.

The older boy was proud of the pink-haired boy's strength, but didn't want him to know yet. Aiden would get shy and embarrassed; he might even change his mind and insist they go home.

The pink-haired boy hesitated when they made it, lingering outside the doors as Nathan waited.

He could wait forever.

"Where are we going first?" The younger boy questioned, eyeing the door.

Aiden didn't know what was making him more anxious, the reams of people bustling in and out of the double doors or the idea that anyone could look up and see the horrifying mark on his face.

His chest tightened dramatically, which set his heart racing, and his hands automatically trembled in response.

What if they saw somebody they knew?

Somebody from school? One of the parents?

Everybody would know before the pair went back to school tomorrow, and all the whispering, the rumours, and the hatred would start again.

Aiden would be back to square one, with people staring and jeering at him like he deserved it.

The boy reached for Nathan, his shaky hand being met by the sturdy, crooked fingers of the older boy.

He exuded an aura of tranquillity, leaning against the concrete wall, patiently awaiting the younger boy's next move. The pink-haired boy wished for just an ounce of that composure.