Saviour's Touch

Chapter 1

"How can I forget? It's not like I'm a goldfish." Hayden muttered to himself, a slow sigh escaping his mouth as he readjusted himself into a more comfortable position. "Besides, you told me not ten minutes ago."

Yet, the way that Stewart had called out Hayden's name meant that this lecture was important, unlike so many of his previous episodes. So, Hayden mustered up as much respect as he possibly could and opened his eyes to pay attention to his father, remaining unmoved from his relaxed state.

He could already guess what was coming.

"Really? Sometimes I wonder..." His father commented back, chuckling at his joke as he quickly snuck a glance over to his wife occupying the driver's seat beside him. But her face remained still as she focused on the road ahead.

Hayden knew his father was referring to the rules that they had laid out before moving to Westbrook Harbour. The move had been so spontaneous and unexpected, but at the same time felt incredibly necessary.

So too did the rules.

It seemed like a long and arduous list of boundaries for such a simple escape, a list for someone far more responsible and obedient than Hayden was willing to be. However, despite Hayden's rebellious and often dangerous behaviour, he couldn't be faulted for his impressive memory. It was easy for Hayden to recall them so vividly. Deciding to pick the best moment to begin mimicking his father's voice, he started counting them out on his fingers with a sarcastic flair.

"No parties, no meetings with the Dean, no drugs, no petty thefts, no late-night hangouts, no poor grades and finally..." Hayden paused dramatically as he met his father's stern eye, "I want the old you back."

"I'm serious, son." His father seemed less than impressed by his son's attitude, not failing to note the sarcastic and immature tone of his son's list. "Don't take this as some kind of vacation whilst you're trying to get through college. This is serious. This is our life now, and I won't have you screw it up with your rebellious and carefree ways. The law is not to be played with. It is to be respected."

"I know, Dad. I know this is serious and I know that this is our new life now, but..." Hayden sighed as he turned his attention towards the tinted window beside him. Resting an elbow upon the car door against the window and resting his head on his hand, Hayden watched the yellowing leaves of the suburban street pass by and fall onto the tarmac of his new home estate.

"But?"

"I like the way I am now. I'm the kind of person everyone wants to be. The kind that everybody loves." He told his father, his voice resentful yet wistful as though he was holding onto a sense of restrained happiness. "We can't just run away whenever things don't go our way. I don't want to do that, and I can't just run away from everything."

"Sometimes, we don't get that choice, Hayden. Sometimes, that choice is made for us, and we have nothing to do but accept." Hayden frowned at his father's words, whilst the man remained impassive and serious. He quickly returned to his previous state of conversation. "I just want you to stay out of trouble so that we don't have to move again. It's not like our past can follow us wherever we go... I won't let that happen again." Stewart sighed, the car slowing down around the final bend of this idyllic suburban estate. "We'll be safer here. It's a new beginning... for all of us," Stewart finished as he reached out a searching hand towards his wife, who took it instinctively and laid it delicately with hers upon the central console. Her thumb unconsciously stroked the skin upon the back of Stewart's hand, massaging away the pain and stress of the unknown future waiting just ahead.

As the car slowed through the streets, Hayden watched his young memories dance across the tinted windows of the sedan. He saw his old self, a nerd who never got into trouble. Smiling, happy, uncorrupted and innocent. But one day was all it took for that all to change. One day to realise that his life had been decided for him. A day when he decided that he wanted something in his life he could have control over.