Danny

"Hey, so why's your cousin moving here?" Asks Brenden Thomas as he makes the new bed. We've been helping to clear out this room all weekend.

I share a look with Bryce, and he turns to our friend. "I can't tell you. It's not my business."

"Oh, but Danny knows! That's not fair," he groans and messes up the bed.

"Don't be pissy. Danny heard my Mom on the phone the other day. So it's not his fault," He says and gives me a shrug. "Besides, I don't even know the guy. I don't think I've ever met him."

"Fineeeeee," he says and goes back to making the bed.

Bryce's cousin is moving in with him today. I only heard part of his Mom's hushed conversation with his Dad, but the gist is He's not safe with his own Dad.

"It's nice of your Dad to drive all the way to Seattle to get him," I say as we finish the room. It's a basic bedroom that used to be an office for Sheriff Collins.

"Well, the social worker lady couldn't get away that long cause of her caseload," he says with another shrug. "Come on. let's play Madden until he gets here."

I nod and follow my bros down to the living room. I'll go easy on them. Like Bryce said, it's not my fault I'm faster and stronger than them, even if Brenden is like me. I just have to hold back a bit. The joys of being me.

*******

"Ok, boys. Save your game and get ready. They should be here in a few," says Mrs. Collins from the kitchen. She shouts up the stairs for the rest of the kids, "Jack!! Mandy!!! Come down here. Theo and Dad will be here soon."

She's nervous, but I can't tell why. I can smell it on her, though. The Collins family all have the same nervous smell, except the Sheriff, he smells different, and he's rarely nervous.

"Mom. Why do we have to have an honor guard for this kid?" Asks Jack as he hops down the stairs, followed by Mandy. She gives me a smile and then blushes. Still nursing a crush on me.

"Because he's your cousin. He's family, and he's going to be staying with us," she says in a tone that most kids would understand means "drop it."

"Have we even met him before?" Asks Mandy looking at Bryce, who shrugs.

"Yes. You met him at Papa's funeral," she says, shaking her head at them.

Bryce snaps his fingers, "oh, the kid with glasses, you had us take pictures with him."

"Yes...the kid with glasses. Theo. Your cousin," she says with an eye roll. "Danny. Brenden. You're welcome to meet him, but then I'm gonna kick you out right after. He's gonna be overwhelmed as it is moving 4 hours from home."

"I'm sure he's happy to get away," says Bryce and dodges a slap from his Mom. "What? It's true."

"It's his business," I say with a grin at Brenden, who nods.

"He's right," says Mrs. Collins with a smile at us and then glares at her son. He feigns innocence and then shoots us a dirty look.

I hear the car pulling onto the street long before the rest of them, but when they do, it's pandemonium.

Mrs. Collins turns to her kids. "You three be normal, please. Don't fight too much." Then she turns to us. "You two be nice to him at school Monday. He needs some friends."

Brenden and I nod, and her kids move to the door.

Mr. Collins is driving their Big 10 person van. It's new and too big for their family, except on the weekends, the three kids have all their games or dance competitions, but with a fourth kid for a while, it might be the right car.

As he gets out, he gives us all a wave as we walk out of the house. I can see this new cousin in the passenger seat, but he's not getting out of the car.

Mr. Collins walks around and opens the door. They're both whispering, but I can hear it clearly.

"Theo, buddy. You've got to come inside. This is your home now," he says in a sweet voice.

"Please just let me sit here for a bit," begs the cousin. He has a cute voice, at least, and I can smell him. His scent reminds me of Sheriff Collins. "His friends are here. I don't want them to see me like this. I'm not ready to be the kid who's Dad tried to kill him."

"Oh shit. I didn't hear that conversation before. I knew he and his Dad had issues, but fuck," I think to myself. I share a look with Brenden and know he heard it too.

"No one knows that. Not even Bryce and the kids" says his uncle. "Come on. Your Mom would be so happy you're back. She loved it here."

I hear him sigh out, and I can see him nod his head.

As the Sheriff comes around the car, he's greeted by his wife, but my eyes are on the new guy.

He's 5'9ish. Athletic build from some sport, tan skin, so he's not related to Mrs. Collins cause she's pale year around. He has dark brown hair that's wavy on top, and behind his black glasses, he has a pair of beautiful, sad eyes....a fading black eye. I can see bruises on his arms and neck, too. Even from here, Bryce and Brenden recoil at the sight.

I don't know why I feel the urge to hurt whoever did this to him. He looks us all over and seems scared, but I give him a slight wave and a smile. He returns it weakly, and I see Bryce in the corner of my eye, giving me a weird look.

This guy is the most attractive person I've ever seen.....I might be in trouble.
******
Theo

The drive from Seattle was uneventful. Uncle Mason asked me to stay in the car when we stopped cause he didn't want my bruises to alarm anyone as he took me home. No, not home....his house.

I don't have a home, thanks to Dad and his homophobia.

"Uncle Mason..." I say quietly as we turn onto yet another tree-lined street full of houses. He makes a sound that I guess means I hear you. "Are you ok with me being gay?"

As we stop at a four-way intersection, he looks at me and pats my leg. I don't mean to recoil from him, but I do, and he sees it. "It's not an issue for us, kiddo. You just need to be happy and healthy. that's what we care about."

"Ok...thanks," I say and look out the window.

"Now. When you're ready to date, let me know, so I make sure the boy's good enough for you," he says with a laugh.

I shake my head but smile and let him drive. I assume we're almost there. It's been a long drive from Seattle. I remember this drive when I was a kid, and Mom took me back to Astoria for a funeral. I think it was my Grandpa. I never met the guy, but she thought the world of him. He thought the world of her even with her drug problems.

This is the second time I've ever met Uncle Mason. The fact that he's taking me in speaks to the love he feels for his twin sister, even after all the years of drugs and drinking she put herself and the family through.

"Did they try and find Mom?" I ask as we pull onto a street that ends in a cul-de-sac. We must be there finally.

He shakes his head, "no. No sign of her, but I'm not gonna give up, and neither should you."

I nod. Mom had a lot of problems the last couple of years. The last time I saw her, she had broken into the apartment and stole Dad's laptop. I gave her my lunch money for the week and let her go. I didn't get blamed or hit for the one, at least. Dad was always broken up over her running away. His one true love.

"Here we are. Home Sweet Home," he says with a smile.

Uncle Mason's house is big. Lots of trees and flowers in the yard....I've never lived in a place with a yard before. A big group is coming out the door now as he gets out of the car.

I'm frozen in my seat....what if they hate me. What if they pick on me. What if Dad comes here and hurts them. What if I bring them nothing but pain.

Uncle Mason opens the car door and nods for me to get out, but I just shake my head.

"Theo, buddy. You've got to come inside. This is your home now," he says in a kind voice with a nice smile. Of course, he has Mom's smile.

"Please just let me sit here for a bit," I beg. I look out and see my cousin standing there with his friends. They all look like buff jocks. "His friends are here. I don't want them to see me like this. I'm not ready to be the kid who's Dad tried to kill him."

He blanches at my honesty. "No one knows that. Not even Bryce and the kids," says Uncle Mason. "Come on. Your Mom would be so happy you're back. She loved it here."

He's right. She loved it here. She loved the ocean and the rocks from the goonies.

I just nod my head and get out of the car.

When I walk around the car, I make eye contact with the three older guys. Two of them grimace at me, probably my face, but the tall one looks mad. At least until he gives me a small wave and a smile, which I return. One of the boys seems confused by this, but I don't really know their dynamic. He's probably just being nice.

Aunt Tasha comes up and gives me a hug. "Welcome, Theo. You've grown so much since we saw you last. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," I say in a joking voice and wave my bruised forearm. "I'm just tired."

She nods, and we both jump at a loud thud sound.

Uncle Mason gives a sheepish grin as he picks up one of my bags. "Boys, come help."

My cousins and two other boys go over and grab my bags.

Aunt Tasha introduces them all as they walk by. "This is Jackson. He's a freshman. This is Brenden, he plays football with Bryce and Danny. They're all Juniors like you."

Ok, so the nice angry one is Danny. He's hot for sure. I just don't know his deal. Brenden's cute too.

Bryce walks up to carry a bag. "You play hockey?"

I nod, "and lacrosse."

"Nice, We all play hockey too. So you've got some friends on the team at least," says Bryce. He picks up my bag, and I grab my backpack and follow them inside. The only girl on the porch turns out to be my cousin Mandy. Who's in 8th grade.

After the bags are dropped off in my room, the two guys leave cause they have "family stuff." My grandma's coming over tomorrow to spend time with us, so I'll see them at school.

"Ok, Theo. Unpack and unwind. I'll call you when it's time for dinner. The bathroom's down the hall. You'll share with the other three," says uncle Mason. Before he can second guess himself, he pulls me into a tight hug. "I love you, kid. I'm happy you're safe here. I'm sorry...I'm sorry I couldn't help your Mom, but I'm happy I can help you."

He wipes a tear away as he turns and leaves me in my emotional state.

I turn and look at my new room. It has two windows, so I'm in the corner of the house. One window looks out over the backyard and into a forest; the other looks over a grassy pathway leading into the woods.

If I'm going to be trapped someplace until I turn 18, it's not a bad place to be, I guess.

I just have to survive. I've survived worse.