Rosewood School for Boys

Chapter 11 - Friendships

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The next week goes pretty smoothly if I do say so myself. I spend the evenings catching up on homework or hanging out with the boys. We usually hang out in their room but if we are all there we go to the common room in the boarding house.

It's spacious and comfy with big sofas and a couple of table football tables, the only downside being that we have to share it with the rest of the boys in the house.

On Saturday evening I'm bone tired from a busy day of watching the boys play and sparring with Ace in the gym. He hadn't gone easy and I'm sore all over, although I'm sure he's much worse off with the beating I gave his ass in return. I slouch through the door to where Felix and Carter are sitting on a small sofa in the corner watching Noah and Ace battle it out at table football. I groan as I realise there was no space on the couch and all the others are full of our housemates. I slump dejectedly on the arm by Felix and greet him with a pat on the head. He wraps an arm around my waist in a gentle side hug.

"Do you want my seat? You look tired." He asks looking up at me.

"Nah don't worry I won't steal your chair I'm fine here." I pat my perch dejectedly.

His arm around me tightens and he suddenly pulls me off the armrest, twisting me so my legs are draped across Carter with my head resting in his lap.

I make a noise of protest but before I can climb off he begins to massage my shoulders. I instantly melt under his touch and I close my eyes with a peaceful sigh of pleasure as his fingertips send little sparks of joy shooting across my skin.

In that comfortable position with my eyes closed the darkness of sleep quickly overcomes me.

My alarm jolted me awake though opening my eyes was a struggle and lifting the heavy lids made my head ache. It was 5:00, the time I had to wake up to finish the chores the matron had set me before the other children woke up for school.

This was my punishment for running away again. The foster parents I had been taken in by weren't that bad, they didn't beat me or make me their slave like others had done. The wife, however, had tried to cut off my hair while I was asleep to sell it and I couldn't stay after that. My hair was one of my most prized possessions, the only thing of value I had.

And so I woke up at five, and scrubbed floors, and did laundry, and tidied and swept, and ignored the bone-deep exhaustion. Then I went to school and did the same thing but with schoolwork instead of chores.

As I was on my hands and knees on the stairs the first kids started to come past me. A group of teenage girls giggled as they defended and one kicked my bucket over, drenching me with icy water. I sat shivering on the stairs feeling sorry for myself for longer that I would like to admit before I finally cleaned up the mess and left for school.

I jolt awake again with a gasp, I don't know how long I've been asleep but my dream made it seem longer than it's probably been.

Felix is frowning down at me, "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine." I say hurriedly, praying hadn't been talking in my sleep.

I lay back down and turn my head to watch Ace and Noah's table football match. I'm surprised to see Ace already looking at me with a strange look on his face that I can't decipher.

Noah scores a goal and we all cheer.

"Hey I was distracted, that doesn't count!" Ace argues.

"Yeah we all know what was distracting you." Noah says with a raised eyebrow.

Ace grumbles something under his breath and concentrates on the game again.

Later that night I wake up in my own bed, confused and disoriented from sleep. The clock reads 9:56 in glowing red numerals. I realise I must have drifted off again in the common room ; I wonder who carried me back to my room. Then I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a sniffling noise coming from across the room. Caspar is curled up on top of his Star Wars duvet, crying quietly. I get up and pad towards him, when I place a hand gently on his back he jerks up to face me with a gasp.

"I-I'm sorry did I wake you up?" He says, hurriedly wiping his red eyes. "Carter was just leaving when I got here.

I guess that solves the mystery of who took me back to my room.

"No it's okay don't be sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine." He looks down at where he's fiddling with the bedsheet.

I sit on the edge of the bed next to him, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Don't worry, it's not important."

He says it as though what he really means is that he isn't important. I get the impression that Caspar doesn't have a whole lot of good friends here, I can empathise.

"Tell me, please." I say softly.

He tentatively looks back at me.

"It was just some boys making fun of me, I'm probably a baby for crying."

"There's nothing wrong with crying. What did they say?"

"Just the usual, having a go at me for being gay." He draws his knees up and rests his head against them dejectedly.

Fury burns through my veins at the thought of anyone being cruel to this kind and sweet boy, I'm going to murder them.

"Who."

"What?" Caspar raises his eyebrows, surprised.

"Who was making fun of you?" I demand.

"Josh -but you don't know him don't worry he's just a bit annoying that's all."

"Oh I know him. And don't worry, he'll get what's coming for him pretty soon." I'm going to crush that dickhead into a pulp for this.

Caspar's expression is sceptical but he nods.

"Thank you for listening, and for not making fun of me. No one's ever done that before."

"I'm sorry. You can always talk to me, I promise."

He smiles and lays down as I walk back to my own bed.

"Oh and Caspar?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me if anyone bothers you again and I'll pay them a visit in the night."

I lie in my bed for another hour listening to Caspar mutter about hedgehogs in his sleep and dreaming of the many ways I would get back at Josh the beefcake.