They were walking to lunch, cautious around Thad. They didn't need him to explode again.
"Hey, little brother!" a voice called from behind them. About five of them turned around, but it was Thad who responded.
"Ryan?" he asked in disbelief.
Despite being on crutches, he was still grinning like a fool. "That's me. Come give your crippled brother a hug," he joked.
Thad rolled his eyes fondly. "You know I'm not a hugger."
"Can you make an exception?" Ryan asked, giving him puppy dog eyes.
Thad threw his hands up in sudden exasperation. "Wow. Great. I'm not even allowed to not like hugs anymore."
They watched as Ryan's expression dropped into concern. "Thad..."
"What?" Thad asked testily.
"Are you still... you know..." Ryan asked vaguely.
"Am I still what?" Thad snapped. "Spit it out."
Ryan took a step closer to him. "Are you still on your meds?" he asked lowly.
"Of co–" Thad stopped short, paling. "Shit. I think I forgot them one day and got off routine." He looked up at Ryan. "I'm doing it again, aren't I? I'm–"
"Hey, calm down," Ryan said soothingly. "It's fine. Just start taking them again."
Thad was quiet for a minute.
"I punched a guy," he said unexpectedly.
"You fucking what?"
"In my defense, he was an asshole and had been calling me a girl for weeks because of my voice."
Ryan sighed, resting his face in his hands. "Thad, you can't just hit people."
"What if I told you he kissed me and wouldn't let me break away from him?"
Ryan looked back up. "Show him to me and he's dead."
Thad laughed at his reaction.
"Does that mean it's not true?" Ryan asked hopefully.
"No, it is. It's just entertaining how you went from telling me not to hit him to ready to straight-up murder him."
YOU ARE READING
Back To Our Roots, Book One
FanfictionThad hasn't had the easiest life. It doesn't help that he's been called a 'she' for most of it. After attempting to end it, he enrolls in Dalton Academy. Meeting an old friend whose life he saved without knowing it, his old friend's boyfriend who i...
