"He looks good up there." Micah teased as we sat in our uniforms and watched the graduation ceremony. He was right. My boyfriend looked damn hot in his uniform as he stood with presenters.

I can't say I was surprised that he was valedictorian. He was Number One after all. The Vincent Wright. They were doing things pretty much how I figured they would, giving speeches while we all waited and then calling up the students.

Many of their families waited in the audience with proud smiles and clapped politely for the students as they got their diplomas and any awards from the school. There were quite a few that were handed out by the administration, including ones for perfect attendance and high marks in particular subjects.

The student council president got awards for highest marks in two subjects. Shouldn't judge a book by its cover I guess. Vincent of course had highest marks in five subjects, not to be outsmarted by anyone in his year. I was so proud. So was his family if the whistles and clapping were anything to go by.

Then they gave out a few awards to the other years, including myself for my high score in the Junior class. I was pleased with the response from the Wright family, but couldn't see any sign of my own in the crowd.

I sat down with my framed award feeling a little down. Micah clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a grin. The other guys whisper-shouted congratulations too. I knew they were trying to cheer me up, and it was great of them. But not the same.

I met up with the whole Wright family and Vincent gave me a big hug, swinging me up and around despite my protests. He showed me his diploma and administration awards with a cocky grin and I patted him on the head condescendingly.

"Who's a good soldier?" I teased him. He rolled his eyes at me.

"Alex? Alex! Hey baby, I am so sorry we are late. Your father  held us up leaving but we finally made it." My mother ran up to me and gave me a crushing hug in the middle of the lawn. I returned the tight squeeze with a breathless laugh. It still surprised me how strong she could be.

"It's okay Mom. I'm glad you are here now." I replied as she let me go and checked me out from head to toe.

"No, it's not okay. Oh my, don't you look handsome in your uniform. Is that an award? Let me see it. You were always so smart." She grinned at me and looked over the framed piece of paper like it was made of gold.

"Hey bro. Good job at school, or whatever." My sister Ainsley muttered as she stood awkwardly to the side with Beth. At the moment Beth was too focused on staring at Vincent's brothers... well, a certain brother to be exact... and twisting her fingers in front of her.

"Thanks little sis." I grinned and gave a wave over my mum's shoulder. My father finally walked up to the group and was scowling at my mother as we stood there talking.

"Why are we here so early? We don't have to be here for another three hours to pick that thing up and take it home." He didn't even look at me, and acted like I wasn't even there. I rolled my eyes at his behaviour.

"I told you there was an awards ceremony and you still made me miss it. I am not happy with you Dillon Edward Kensington." She pointed her finger in his face and scowled back.

"Who cares. What did he get? Some worthless piece of paper? Whatever." He flicked his hand at the award she held and looked at it like it was garbage.

"I'm sorry honey. You did really great. I will put this up in my office for safekeeping, don't you worry." She sidled around him and gave me a side hug with a sad smile.

"It's okay mum. Thanks." I hugged her back.

"Alright, enough. Let's go faggot. Grab your stuff in the next ten minutes or I'm leaving without you." My so-called father looked at his watch and then tried to shoo my sisters back to the car.

Beth was looking kind of angry and stormed to the other side of the group to stand next to Alan. Ainsley told him to 'fuck off' and wandered away across the lawn to look at the dorm rooms.

"I am very disappointed in you Dillon. Please refrain from using that kind of language in public, no actually why don't you just shut up and go wait in the car." My mother was glaring at him with her hand on her hip.

"You are seriously going to defend that abomination? Maybe if you weren't so fucking indulgent with him all the time he could have turned out to be a man! Get in the damn car Alex." He was arguing with her right in the middle of the group and the Wright family's eyebrows were sky high with shock.

"I think you should stay with us, Alex. Vincent, will you be a dear and grab your things to put in the van? Why don't you take Alex with you while we have a chat with Mrs. Kensington?" Kinsey said pretty calmly. I saw the glint in her eyes and moved away from my parents.

"Sure Mom." He replied, grabbing my hand in his and moving towards the dorms.

"What the fuck is going on? Why is there another faggot holding that things hand? I did not send you here to sin against God and continue your filthy habits!" My father's face was red and he was spitting his words. My mother looked mortified.

The General was moving towards the group with another guy in full uniform. My face was red with anger and shame as Vince tried to pull me away from the craziness. I covered my face and hung my head as we got outside hearing range and into the cooler building.

"I'm so sorry. He is awful. I can't believe he would say that to you." I gasped. My eyes were closed shut tightly and I felt a tear trickle out of the corner of one. I wiped it away and sniffed back my sadness. Two strong arms wrapped around me on the stairs landing, ignoring the people moving around us.

"Is he okay?" The concerned voices around us made me want to bury my head in the ground. I mushed my face into my boyfriend's strong chest instead. He smelled good and felt steady. He stroked my head and assured others that I would be okay.

"Let's get your stuff. Come on babe." He squeezed me tightly and pulled me upstairs to my single room. I sat on the bed and stared into space. I didn't want to go home. I didn't think I would be able to handle him this summer. I didn't want to deal with the abuse.

"I don't want to leave. It's funny isn't it? When I first knew I was coming here, I didn't want to go to this school. Now that I have to go home, I don't want to leave it." I sniffed and felt my eyes fill up.

"I know babe. It's okay. It will be okay. You'll see." Vincent dropped my bag by the door and came over to give me a tight, reassuring hug. I buried my face in his tight abs and breathed in his manly scent. My tears came harder at the thought of going months, maybe even more than a year, without it.

"How? How is it alright? I am going to be in hell. Literally hell. I don't know when I am going to see you again. We are going to different schools next year. I can't..." I sobbed against him and he shushed me gently.

"You can come to see me every break. I will get my mother and yours to arrange everything. I promise, we will find a way." He murmured to me consolingly.

"No need. Already done. Moms to the rescue. Quit those tears young man and grab your stuff." I looked up to see Kinsey standing proudly in the doorway. My mom was standing behind her.

"Mom?" I asked through my tears. She came forward and wrapped her arms around me.

"Baby. It's okay. I got you. You are going to stay with the Wrights over the summer, okay? I won't put you through having to deal with him anymore. Don't cry baby." She rocked me back and forth on the bed like she did when I was kid and had a nightmare.

My tears subsided and by the time I was put back together, my bag and box of stuff had already disappeared from the room thanks to two of the Wright brothers. Vincent used a tissue to wipe my face and smiled gently down at me.

"See babe? We have lots of time together this summer. I told you things would work out." He pecked a kiss on my lips right in front of my mom, and I saw her look away with a blush.

"We will come to visit you too, your sisters and I. That is if you want us to?" She mentioned as we headed out the door.

"Yes. Absolutely. I would really like that." I told her, holding her hand in mine. She patted the back and smiled at me.

"Done. I will make sure your enrolment is set for next year. If you need anything, you know you can call my cell anytime." She went on as we walked down the stairs.

"Yes Mom, I will." I took a deep breath as we moved outside, and the warm air stirred my hair so it got in my eyes. I swiped it out of the way and blinked in the sunlight that streamed down. I looked around nervously.

"It's okay, he's gone. The General had him escorted to the parking lot. He will wait for you there, Mrs. Kensington." Quinn was standing with two of his boys just a few metres away from the exit. I sighed in relief.

"I'm going to leave with him first. I don't want him giving you any trouble when you try to go. Here is a permission form, in case he tries to give you any grief. Keep it safe." My mom smothered me in a bone-crushing hug and kissed my cheek with a mist of tears in her eyes. "I love you baby. Be safe."

I watched her leave with a slightly heavy heart. I looked down at the form when I couldn't see her anymore and saw the school logo and information neatly entered by the General, as well as both party's signatures -Kinsey and my Mom's at the bottom.

"Ready to go son? We can head out anytime." Quinn said with a kind smile. I looked at the Wrights that surrounded me, my friends that were there and watching with concern, and my handsome boyfriend that held me close.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Ready when you are." I looked at Vincent and he grinned at me.

"Great. Maybe we should stop for ice cream on the way." He replied with a cocked eyebrow.

"Sounds like a plan."

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