╔══《"Done nothing with my life》══╗
for once, I'm just waiting to die."

       Holding the door open, Finn motioned Corbin inside his house. The last time Corbin was here, it was dark outside. Now in broad daylight, he used the opportunity to take in the exterior. It was large, and very gray.

       Gray bricks there, gray stones here. The lawn was so green it looked fake. Scuffing his shoes as he walked up the concrete steps, he hesitated before entering. Peaking in, the foyer was empty, Vance and Alden immediately throwing their shoes off and running into the house.

       Sighing, he shuffled through the door, stepping onto the wooden floor. Following, Finn closed the door behind him before instinctively bending down and untying his shoes. Glancing over, Corbin quickly mimicked him.

       "Ahh," Finn muttered standing up and stretching, his back popping as the joints loosened. "To my room!" he smiled, skipping up a flight of carpeted stairs. On this floor, Corbin recognized the layout from his previous visit.

       The bathroom was in the same spot, and passing it sent a flurry of memories rushing through him. The feeling of Finn's hands on his own, the lingering sensation from his fiery gaze.

       Corbin looked forward, staring at the back of Finn's head as he strolled slowly. A piece of his hair stuck up, messy and unkempt. Without thinking, Corbin reached for it, smoothing the area softly. 

       Halting in place, Finn subconsciously leaned into the warm hand for just a second before flinching away. Blushing, he turned his head to look at Corbin. "Er--Sorry," Corbin apologized, retracting his hand. "You have a piece of hair..."

       "Oh!" Finn scrambled, reaching to smooth the back of his head where Corbin had just touched. "I don't really brush it before school," he mumbled, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I never have time, you know?" Looking back up to make eye contact, Finn's eyes traveled to Corbin's hair before jolting up in embarrassment.

       Corbin's dreadlocks draped over his forehead, ending at his eyebrows. The length and quantity were enough to tell Finn that Corbin's hair had been locked for a long time.

       Neatly divided in even squares, the hair looked well taken care of--contrasting to the untidy bird's nest on Finn's head.

       Scratching the back of his neck in awkwardness, Corbin just grinned sheepishly. "Nevermind," Finn huffed, turning back around to hobble into his room. With the lights off and the curtains drawn, the glow in the dark star stickers were the only light source.

       Standing still in the doorway, Corbin listened as Finn stumbled around in the dark. Tripping over a stack of clothes, and hitting his shins on his bed frame, Finn painfully reached the far corner of his room. Feeling around with his hands, he grasped a small knob before turning it.

       Immediately, light filtered into the room, the floor lamp humming to life. "Rule number one of my room," Finn turned to look back, his face contorted to a controlling expression. "Is never turn on the main lights."

       Corbin just stared back in silence, unsure of what to say.

       "They just ruin the whole vibe of my room," he continued, walking back toward his bed to flick on a desk lamp.

       "I see..." Corbin mumbled, stepping hesitantly into the room. Looking around, he took in the familiar posters and artwork. Walking over to the leftmost wall, he ran his fingers down a skateboard deck mounted to the plaster.

       "You skate?" he questioned, looking back at Finn who had now sat down on the edge of his bed.

       "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "It's a lot of fun."

       "Is it dangerous?"

       "Are you curious?" Corbin paused, staring at the deck.

       "A little..."

       "Wanna try?" Finn offered with a smile.

       "Is it hard?"

       "You won't know if you don't try," Finn shrugged.

       Nodding slowly, Corbin took a step back, "okay... I'll try."

       "Perfect! Finn hopped up, motioning Corbin to the door. "Mines in the garage, it's not allowed in my room after I rode it into the wall and knocked my dresser over," he cringed.

       "Yikes... Why were you even skating in your room?"

       "To be fair," Finn clarified, "I was practicing a trick. My skateboard just so happened to fly out from under my feet. And when I tried to run after it, we both collided into the wall," He laughed, recalling the memory.

       "Well that sounds dangerous," Corbin stepped back, suddenly unsure of his decisions.

       "No, no, no!" Finn backtracked frantically. "That only happened because I was reckless. Plus, we're not gonna do any tricks."

       "Okay..."

       Smiling, Finn began walking again, leading Corbin to the front door, hurrying to put on sneakers before heading out to the garage. Leaning against the wall, in the position he left it in last, was Finn's skateboard. The bottom was brown, the word 'chocolate' written on the bottom in a fancy font.

       "What's 'Chocolate'?" Corbin asked curiously.

       "It's a brand! They make all kinds of skateboard stuff."

       "Oh."

       "Here," Finn handed Corbin the skateboard. Grasping the wooden plank, Corbin ran his fingers over the grip before moving on to spin one of the wheels.

       "Pretty cool, right?" Finn beamed.

       "Yeah... A little intimidating," Corbin spoke honestly.

       "Don't worry! I'll teach you." Bounding out of the open garage doors, Finn led Corbin to his driveway, which was relatively flat at the top before dropping to a slight downward curve.

       Placing the skateboard down, Corbin stared at the foreign object cautiously. "Here," Finn stepped up, "Hold onto me while you get on."

       "The first time is always weird because it's wobbly, even when you aren't moving."

       Looking down at his feet, Corbin reached his arms out, grasping lightly to Finn's shoulders. Due to the height difference, he had to bend down awkwardly to hold on. Before even stepping on the skateboard, he looked around.

       The neighborhood was empty, not a single person outside. Taking a deep breath, he shakily stepped onto the wooden deck. The grip tape scuffed against the bottom of his shoe as he adjusted his foot until the position felt right.

       Slowly, he picked up his second foot, planting it firmly on the other side of the skateboard. Wobbling slightly, he gripped Finn's shoulder harder, squeezing the t-shirt material between his fingers.

       After rocking back and forth for a couple seconds, his center of gravity eventually settled in the middle of the skateboard. With his knees bent slightly, he stayed as still as possible, only looking up to see the expression on Finn's face.

       Beaming, he laughed quietly. "See, not too bad."

       Corbin nodded slowly, a small smile stretching on his face at the achievement. "Do you wanna let go? I'll still stand here, so if you fall try to fall forward."

       Carefully, he retracted his hands before bringing them outward on either side of his body. Wavering slightly, he stood up completely straight. Corbin opened his mouth, about to congratulate himself.

       Suddenly, he shifted his body too far to the right, the board swinging out from underneath his feet. Instantly, he landed on his butt, using his hands to soften his fall.

       Finn approached quickly, not even looking to see where the skateboard ended up. "Are you okay?" he bent down to get on Corbin's level.

       "Yeah, that barely hurt," he chuckled, brushing off his hands on his sweatshirt.

       "Falls like that are common, happens to every skater," Finn reassured, standing up and stretching his hand out for Corbin to grab.

       Hauling himself up, Corbin patted his butt a couple times before smiling, showing Finn he wasn't hurt. Turning to look for the skateboard, Finn jogged to where the driveway met the grass. Reaching down, he grabbed the object before returning.

       "You down to keep trying?" Finn asked, giving him an out.

       "Yeah." Upon hearing that, Finn set the board down. A breeze ruffled his hair, leaves falling around them. Breathing in the crisp autumn air, Corbin deeply sighed. Despite doing something that was out of his comfort zone, with someone he wasn't very familiar with, he was content.

       He couldn't fathom why Finn fit so well with him. He was everything Corbin wasn't, filling the gaps in his life. I wonder if I'm that for him as well. He pondered, observing Finn's dotted face.

       He stared at that one mole, right below his left eye. It drew him in, his gaze somehow always falling to it. Concentrating on the speck of melanin, he stepped back onto the wooden plank. His balance automatically centered.

       "Good!" Finn cheered, backing up a step. Corbin stepped off, unsure what to do next.

       "How do you ride?" Corbin hesitated. Walking up the board, Finn stood no more than a foot in front of Corbin.

       "You put your front foot like this," he demonstrated, his foot pointing to the rounded tip of the skateboard. "Then you push with your other foot, putting all your weight on the foot that's on the skateboard," he explained, pushing off.

       Corbin watched as the skateboard slowly moved forward.

       "Then, once you're on, you turn your front foot to face the same direction as your other foot." Shimmying around on the board, Finn adjusted his feet until he found a comfortable position. Stepping off, he skipped back.

       "Here! You can start off slow," he handed Corbin the board. Copying Finn's movements, Corbin placed it down, stepped one foot forward and slowly pushed off with the other.

       Shakily, he stepped back on, accelerating forward. "I did it!" he cheered. "How do I stop?" he frantically yelled.

       "Just step off!" Finn yelled back. Before he could consider his next move, the skateboard reached the grass. The front wheels caught onto the strings of grass, jerking the whole skateboard forward.

       Getting launched off, Corbin landed in a pile on the lawn. Finn quickly ran over, concern etched onto his features. When he got close enough, he realized Corbin was shaking not from tears but from laughter.

       His giggle was high pitched, and contrasted with his appearance. Finn smiled, a laugh building in his throat. The moment Corbin snorted, the sound sending shivers through Finn's body, the laughter exploded out of him.

       Stumbling to the ground, he and Corbin laughed, backs against the grass, giggling into the air. The lawn was itchy, but neither boy mentioned it as they continued to take in the surroundings. The sky was blue, and so clear--not a single cloud present.

       Trees loomed around them, the branches swaying in the wind. Due to the close proximity, Finn's hair tickled Corbin's forehead, causing another burst of quiet giggles.

       The noises died down, and the two fell into peaceful silence. All was calm. The steady breathing of both teens filled the spaces between them, escaping into the open air.

       Turning his head in Finn's direction, Corbin admired the sight in front of him. Noticing the movement, Finn followed suit.

       They locked eyes, gazing into each other's irises. They were awkwardly laying--flat on their backs with just their heads turned. Adjusting, they both shimmied around until they rested on their sides facing each other.

       Neither said a word. Finn licked his lips, suddenly feeling like they were too chapped and dry. Corbin's eyes followed, widening at the sight of Finn's pink tongue. Breathing in shakily, his hands fidgeted in front of his torso.

       Corbin's isolation throughout his entire life made situations like this completely foreign. On the other hand, doubt plagued Finn. 'What ifs' flashed through his mind, polluting his thoughts.

       The space between their faces subconsciously grew smaller and smaller. 6 inches, then 5, then 4. With their noses almost touching, Finn took a deep breath in to prepare himself. Making a move, his eyes fluttered as he tilted his head and began closing the distance.

       Instinctively, Corbin closed his eyes, breathing heavily out of his mouth to prepare. Prepare for what? What am I doing?

       Before his questions could be answered, his ringtone interrupted. With his body propped slightly upright to get the right angle, Finn paused mid movement.

       An inch was all that separated them. In an instant, Corbin's eyes shot open and he lurched upright. He only had one contact on his phone, of course. Without even checking the name, he picked up his phone, holding it up to his ear.

       "Hello, mom," he mumbled, looking up to make eye contact with Finn. The brunette remained silent, struck by the situation.

       The faint chatter of a woman's voice easily drafted to Finn's ears, due to the close proximity both shared. Neither had made a move to get up, so they remained almost touching on the grass.

       "I'm sorry," Corbin apologized, "It won't happen again. I'll hurry home," he winced.

       More chatter.

       "Okay, yeah, yeah... See you soon." Corbin hung up, dropping his hand but remaining sitting. Giving Finn one last look of sympathy, he slowly stood up and stretched his legs. By the time he returned back outside, this time with his backpack swung over his right shoulder, Finn remained in the same position.

       Finn's expression was almost emotionless, and he found in that moment that he lacked the words he wanted to say. His mind ran loose, but he struggled to grab the thoughts before they spirited away.

       Corbin stood by his feet, unspeaking. When they locked eyes again--something they frequently did--Corbin simply smiled. It was weak, and his face was scrunched up almost as if he was in pain.

       Finn couldn't ask whether the pain was caused by him, because by the time his mouth opened, Corbin was already at the bottom of his driveway.

       The confused teen sat in the same position for a while before finally standing up and brushing the dirt off his knees. The birds chirped--as they had been doing all afternoon. The high pitched sound acted as proof that the world continued on.

       Despite Finn's life feeling like it had stopped turning on its axis for the mere minutes he had laid there with Corbin, he was reminded that Earth did not stop for him. When his brother opened the front door and peeked his head out, a piece of bread hanging out of his mouth, Finn was forced out of his delusion.

       Corbin was walking away, and there was nothing Finn could do to get him to turn around.

       "You alright?" Vance yelled out, his voice muffled by his full mouth.

       Sighing, Finn walked toward the front door with his head down, watching as his Converse's scuffed against the pavement.

       "You gonna leave your skateboard?"

       "I'll get it later."

       "You alright...?"

       Shuffling passed his brother in the doorway, Finn didn't respond, leaving the question unanswered. The bright lights and noisy laughter flooded his head the moment he stepped inside. Wanting to be anywhere but here, he trudged up the stairs and into the comfort of his room.

       At the same time, Corbin reached the driveway of his own house. 1,892 steps. He counted off, reaching the door. With a shaky hand he turned the knob.

       Once inside, he was met with darkness and eerie silence. Stepping further and further inside, he passed the shelves full of family pictures, accompanied by long candle sticks.

       In the kitchen, resting against the island bar, his mother glared at him. The room was dark, the only light being from the windows. "Care to explain why you're late?" she coldly spoke, not waiting for a reply before grabbing his hand.

       Pulling him toward her, she stared at his face with a judgemental expression. At that moment Corbin found himself comparing the look to Finn's. Instead of being bright and full of admiration, his mothers was distant and full of anger.

       She prodded at his skin, inspecting the patches of whiteness. "Very good," she concluded.

       "Take your shirt off and turn around," she demanded. Without hesitation, Corbin stripped. Shivering from the lack of clothes, he turned until his back was facing his mother.

       The skin was incredibly red and irritated, having not been properly bandaged up due to Corbin's inability to properly reach his back. Peeling off the white gauze Corbin had wrapped around himself a couple days prior, his mother stared at the wound.

       "Jesus died for this. He died for our sins, so it is our responsibility to make sure he didn't die in vain. The devil is trying to take you, but God will heal you. And when he does, you will no longer be cursed."

       Corbin couldn't respond, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. The words he wanted to say got caught in his throat, forcing him to swallow the lump.

       "You are still cursed, your skin proof of your disease. God won't heal you--heal this--until u are cleansed." At that moment, a sharp pain flooded through Corbin's entire body. His mother had pulled out a knife--seemingly out of thin air--and cut along the open wound.

       "This will not heal," she traced the horizontal line, "Until you are healed." By now, Corbin was shaking in pain. He bit his tongue, hoping his mother wouldn't notice his red eyes and trembling lips.

       "Turn around." Picking her stiletto heel off the ground, she dug the sharp end into his crotch, causing him to hunch over in demobilizing pain. After rubbing her foot around for a few seconds, a sinister look on her face, she stepped her foot back down.

       "Does your penis still hurt?" she cooed. "Such a shame," tsking, she shook her head in sadness. "If it were in good shape, I would have some good fun with it..."

       Corbin's eyes snapped open. This wasn't the first time she'd threatened, but it was the first time Corbin knew she was genuine. Her tone wasn't lighthearted and joking. Her expression was dead serious, proving she meant to follow through with her request.

       A phone call interrupted, giving Corbin déjà vu from earlier that day. With a brush of her right hand, his mother shooed him away--her way of saying 'you can leave now'.

       Scrambling up the stairs, he scurried into the abyss of his room. But even here, he did not find peace. Looking out his window, he stared at the sun slowly inching further down the sky, nearing closer to the horizon.

       He turned an idea over in his head like one would fidget with a stone before skipping it. Taking one last glance to his open door, the sound of his mothers voice wafting through the opening, he closed it tight.

       The sky taunted him, and soon enough, the window was open and his room was suddenly empty with a gush of wind...

Question of the chapter: What's your sexuality?

Promise I didn't forget about this lol!

╚══《Word count- 3,107》══╝

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