The thin streaks of sunlight penetrated into the room, lighting up its bits and corners. It was a small room, with the basic funiture and a window on the left side—with the blind pulled down.

"Hey, wake up Mey." A gentle voice made Travis curl up into his blankets more.

"Mey, it's already 8:00, don't you have school?" With the mention of school, Travis sprang up from his blanket habitat only to be pulled down by Scar.

"Kidding. It's Sunday." Scar chuckled, nuzzling his head on Travis' neck. Travis blinked a few times before he tried to retreat from the taller's hold, Scar didn't know—his neck was his sensitive spot. Suddenly, as if aware of his surroundings, he sprang up again, and looked around, his eyes widening.

"Yeah, I brought you home." Scar smiled, propping up on his elbows. "Come here, you confused baby." Scar grinned and pulled him on his lap and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Your mom told me to take care of you." Scar muttered, pushing the truth that his mom didn't want to take care of her son, far in the back of his head. Travis didn't have to know that unwanted piece of information.

"I took permission from my parents as well. So, now just stay put and let me spoil you, how 'bout that?" He said, peppering chaste kisses down his neck. Travis nodded weakly and let his head fall back on Scar's shoulder. It was not bad idea, not a bad one at all.

*

"Aaron?" Aaron felt a soft push on his side, and whined. It was Sunday and he had the least of desire to wake up before 11.

"Aaron. WAKE UP YOU DICK!" A hard knock on his forehead made him snap out of whatever dream he was experiencing. Zach sat on his knees near the couch, leaning in towards him. Aaron faintly registered last night's happenings—them falling asleep after Zach cried on him. But looking at Zach now, it seemed, he was not bringing it up, now or anythime soon. But the thing that ticked his concern was how Zach was being too close for his knowledge.

"Wh-what are you d-doing?" He stuttered. And a strange thought that Zach's lips looked kind of nice poked his thoughts and he was wide awake in seconds.

"What? Trynna wake you up, what does it look like?" Zach frowned.

"N-nothing. Just tipsy, I guess." He sighed, looking away.

"Guess what we're doing in this fine morning?" Zach looked cheerful. But that only scared Aaron, because a cheerful Zach is not a very common phenomena and it meant trouble most of the times.

"Wh-what?" He asked timidly, he's going to bang his head till he dies if it involes Scar and Travis again.

"Checking up on Scar."

Aaron choked on his own morning spit and coughed loudly. No, banging his head would hurt a lot, maybe he should try on how to prevent Zach from being an ass.

"WHAT? THEM AGAIN?" He cried out in frustration.

"Stop yelling I can hear you perfectly well. And yes, why? You ain't coming? But I wasn't asking, you know. I'm taking you with me."

"Look Zach, it's your choice whether you wish to be an asshole or a good friend. And I opt to take option B." Aaron sighed, getting up from the couch. His body felt cranky and his head was a mess. Maybe he slept in a weird position last night, well, not his fault-the couch was much smaller than his built.

"Well, option C, both." Zach piped up.

"Fine then, option D, none of the above." Aaron groaned, again slumping down on the couch. His whole body hurt.

"I don't know any option D." Zach feigned hurt and used his hands to tap on his forehead as if in deep thought.

"Then I don't know C either." Aaron countered back, looking up at Zach-who was was grinning by now.

"Are you going to spend your day like this?" He chuckled.

"Stopping you from being an asshole? Yes. Yes, very much so." Said Aaron annoyed by Zach's weird ass smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Cool."

Before he could comprehend what was happening, Zach was scooping him up.

"FUCK YOU PUT ME DOWN YOU FART!" Aaron yelled, he hated when Zach did that. He felt powerless when Zach, took him up like he was a feather and carried him with ease.

"NO STOP YELLING. OR I'M LETTING YOU GO. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR BUTT TO GET A HARD GREETING FROM THE FLOOR?" Zach yelled back, tightening his hold on the boy in his arms.

"FUCK YOU."

Turning a deaf ear to his protests, Zach carried Aaron to the porch and put him down. On his legs, of course.

Of course, Aaron thought bitterly, Zach wouldn't carry him in front of the neighbours.

"We can stop at some place to eat if you're hungry," Zach said.

"No thanks, lost my appetite." Aaron didn't know why but the thought that Zach wouldn't risk his image by being close to him even as a friend in front of his peers, cut deeper through his heart than he expected.

"Cool, let's go then."

*

Zach stopped the car in front of Travis' small cottage, and walked out. To say that Aaron was confused would be an understatement.

"Here......isn't this Travis' home?" Aaron asked, trudging behind the taller boy.

"Exactly."

"What're are we doing here?"

"What else? Finding out what Scar's upto."

"Huh? Scar? Wait hold up a second...I don't get it."

"Just follow me, okay?"

Aaron zipped his lips and just followed silently.

They knocked on the wooden door, once, twice, thrice. On the fourth knock, the door was creaked open.

"Scar?" Aaron asked, clearly surprised. But Zach, on the contrary, looked luke his assumptions were proved correct.

"What're you two doing here?" Scar's voice was careful, as if he was thinking twice every word he spoke.

"Oh what're we doing huh? First, let me ask, what're you doing Scar?" Zach slashed, and for a second Aaron thought there was somethimg similar to fear in his eyes, but it disappeared as soon as it came.

"What?" It was sharp, and so were his eyes.

"Come on, just spill it. You're gay and fucking with Travis behind our backs. Isn't it?" Zach laughed humorlessly. Aaron felt bile rising up his throat, he wanted to pull him away to stop spouting shit, but his body wouldn't move. Was Zach always this cruel?

"Fuck you. You know nothing Zach." Scar muttered.

"Oh yes? Then enlighten me! Why would you ditch us everytime we ask you to come with us huh?"

"I have my reasons."

"Sure. Reasons." Zach said, imitating him. "Oh here comes the clingy boyfriend."

Scar snapped back, and a cold shiver ran down his spine at the sight of Travis slowly but successfully making his way downstairs.

This can't be happening.

Of course, he must've heard the commotion and came to check. He looked confused as well.

"So you are the one, huh? What's so special about you? Now Scar, I thought you had eyes for someone like Elena, are you that desperate for a fuck? You could just ask her, you know? But no, you're too scared to do that and instead you decide to fuck this mute gay boy. Holy shit Scar, wasn't hitting him with a goddamn car not enough for you? You should re-"

He crashed on the floor the next second, Scar punched him.

"How dare you?"

"How dare I?" Zach laughed holding his jaw. "How dare you fuck with the boy who was in the hospital because of you?"

Scar felt like his whole world was dissloving. Tentatively, he turned towards Travis and his heart stopped. Travis was frozen in his place, his eyes held no emotions, yet tears were rolling down his cheeks, making small blotches on his shirt.

"Get out." Was all he said, before literally kicking Zach outside and slammed the door. He didn't hesitate for a second and rushed towards Travis' side.

"Mey—" He was extending his hand to touch his cheeks, wipe away his tears, tell him it's a nightmare he'll wake up from it. But Travis....pushed him away.

Scar felt a part of his heart dying, when he looked in his eyes. He didn't need to speak, his eyes said everything.

Why? I thought you cared. I thought you stayed because you cared. I thought it was real. I thought you liked me.

The whirlpool of emotions in his eyes mirrored the one going through Scar's heart. All he wanted was to touch him, hold him like always, kiss away his insecurities. Why was this happening?

Both of them were crying, not wanting to accept the bitter truth. But it was there, etched into their brain. To them, it was a nightmare too terrible to be real.

***

I'm hurt.