Bonded by Blood

S E V E N T E E N

I looked at the flyer with a heavy heart, carefully examining every detailed graphic and tempting hue that complimented the words that I wish hadn't brought me so much yearning. All of it was surely enough to make me sad since I knew I wouldn't able to go due to my father. If he ever knew about the trip and how it had something to do with art, he would surely beat me to a pulp. All I could do now was sit and wonder how fun and special it would be to be able to witness and draw all the unique life that was probably thriving over there.

"Leone?" My teacher calls out, snapping me out of my momentary trance as I looked around the empty classroom in shame. "Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yes, sorry Ms. Knox." I hastily gathered up my things. "Have a good rest of your day." I say lowly before shamefully bolting out of her classroom.

School ends, and it doesn't take long for my entire body to tense up at the sight of the three usual boys who loved giving me a hard time. They closely approached me right in the middle of the bustling hallway, eyeing me up and down before walking right past me, their eyes sparked with a mixture of burning hate and disgust for my existence.

"Hi, Limpy!"
"Get the fuck out of our way."
"Nice outfit, fag."

In the midst of them letting out their razor-sharp words, I couldn't help but dart my eyes down, attempting to stay out of their way. Luckily, all I've had to deal with was a forceful shove made against the back of my book bag. The three boys eventually walked away after that, ending up on the other side of the hallway to congregate around a locker.

As I headed towards the school exit, I couldn't help but feel increasingly self-conscious as I noticed whispers and distant laughs beginning to gather around me the further I walked. I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me wonder what about myself seemed so unusually funny to people today, but all I wanted to do was go home.

As I walked out of the school gates, my shoulders hunched, and my steps were heavy with the weight of having to endure the fear of what those boys were planning to do to me next. The laughter and the taunts echoed in my mind, replaying like a cruel melody. But then, like a sudden burst of sunlight breaking through storm clouds, I saw him.

There he was, Dydan, standing at the other end of the street, situated around the same spot where he had picked me up last time. My entire surroundings faded into the background as I watched him look around for me amidst all the other wave of students, visibly cold as he blew and rubbed his hands together.

He waited out for me.

He waited out in the freaking cold just for me.

Once his eyes had met mine, and mine had met his, it felt as if the mutual want and need to look at one another with utmost warmth and wariness seemed to have made everything else cease to exist.

It was as if Dydan and I were the only ones in the world. 

"Hey sleepyhead." I softly chirped, eagerly crossing the street as the distance between us begged to be closed.

"Sleepyhead?" Dydan looked down at me with a curious brow, causing a single strand of hair to fall right over his eye with effortless charm. "Wait, did you watch me in my sleep last night?" His deep silky voice was dripping in it's usually alluring confidence.

"Wha-no, well kinda-sort of. You slept right in front of my window so I-I couldn't help but see you." He seemed as if he knew how much of stuttering mess I'd become due to his question, teasing me further by squinting his eyes right into mine, rendering my nerves to only grow much worse. "I promise I-I wasn't being weird or anything, I would never try to-"

"I'm just teasing you, Leone." He politely interrupts with a smirk and a light nudge against my shoulder. "What's this?" He quickly asks, using his hands to gently turn me around, pulling a note that had been taped to the back of my book bag without my knowledge.