"Under your thumb, I can't breathe so I won't let you close enough to hurt me. No, I won't ask you, you to just desert me. I can't give you, what you think you gave me," Turning Tables, Adele

"You know," I turned to look at Korina as Travis laid his head across my lap, his hair tickling my thigh. "I'd never thought we'd become friends," She muttered with a smile on her face. "That's hurtful," Andrew playfully chuckled and she pouted, immediately coming to her own defense. "You know that's not what I mean, Andrew!" She flipped her middle finger up before turning to look at me. "It's just that we're all different people with different personalities," She pointed to Travis.

"The ladies' man, the one everyone looks up to because they're that person who everyone wants to be," She had a point there. Everyone wanted to be Travis because of his awesome personality and his ability to be known just by word of mouth. Korina then turned to me. "You're the shy and awkward yet most regarded intelligent individual on campus," I blinked, wondering when that information was made to the public cause I sure as hell heard nothing about it. "I'm the nerdy Marvel fanatic," She pointed to herself before finishing it off with Andrew. "And you're the guy who always procrastinates to do his homework and you like to think you're cool when you aren't."

Damn, I felt that one.

Andrew scowled as he looked around, his cheeks tinted with a blush. "I-if it makes you feel better," I rubbed the back of my neck as he turned to me with a questioning gaze. "I think you're cool," I muttered awkwardly and he smiled, pleased with himself. "See, Korina," He rubbed his hands, grateful for the compliment. "Not everyone thinks like you," He smirked, propping himself up on the table with his elbows. 

Travis snorted, shifting a bit on my lap. "Whatever, Andrew," Korina rolled her eyes, smiling. "I'm just happy we're all friends," She stated and I found myself nodding. It felt different to be around people that weren't Travis. It felt different to be around people that weren't tolerating just because of an assignment we had to do as a group. No, they actually wanted to be around me and talk to me and I guess that feeling was something I was never used to.

"I may be getting ahead of myself," Andrew spoke up. "But we'll be there to see each other reach their goals, right?" He asked with hope in his tone and we all nodded in unison, a promise set in stone to be friends long after we saw each other succeed. "O-of course," I chirped, grinning just a bit. "That's the plan," I hummed, feeling that this group would give me what I needed in order to escape the shackles that were my past life. They would give me the strength and courage in order to not look back and stop being afraid.

Though, it was too early to say. Who knew what would happen if one day, they found out I was gay? Would they go get a cross and threaten to burn the gay out of me? Would they preach to me about how homosexuality was a sin and I was going to hell? No one knew and for the safety of me and need to survive, I was going to keep this secret.

"You gotta be at work in 15 minutes, Ez," Travis tapped my jean-clad thigh and I nodded, checking my watch. "Oh, you're right," I reached over to grab my keys and bag. "Sorry guys, but it seems duty calls."

Korina and Andrew waved at me, promising that they would text me later on. "Come on, man," Travis stood up, letting me brush off of my pants. "I'll walk you to your car," I obliged, knowing that I could protect myself just fine, should anything happen. We reached the deck in no time and I went to go slide in the driver's seat, Travis closing the door for me. "Text me if you need anything, a'ight?" I gave him a thumbs up and proceeded to leave UTSA campus, dreading the moment I would have to step foot in that mansion.

There were too many secrets unraveling in this family, and it was always me that found them since I couldn't stop myself from being nosy. It just made me so sad because everyone seemed to be so broken and all of those people working for them did nothing about it. Or maybe the family was just meant to be that dysfunctional and Nishan was a product of that environment. I couldn't help but think that there was something more to him. There had to be something more to him. My mind would not let me go on because it kept thinking about the type of life that he had, what he endured.

Because for someone so homophobic, he always made it his mission to rile me up. He made it his mission to seek me out. 

I sighed and after a few minutes of driving, I pulled up to their gate, flashing my ID so that I could enter. I finally parked in my usual spot, seeing Nishan's police car in place of his Jaguar. I frowned, wondering if he came straight from work. I shrugged, traitorous thoughts plaguing my mind as I made my way in to grab my apron. My head was hurting and I was so tired. With a hesitant sigh, I walked down the marble hallway, intending to find my kit, but I was greeted with Michael. He smiled as a shrill wail broke the silence.

"Michael," I sighed, feeling a burning headache radiating behind my eyeballs from wearing these contacts. "What is that noise?" I rubbed my head as he sighed, pointing to the main living room, where all of the loud crying was coming from. Who the hell was crying right now and why? "It seems to be coming from there. Let's go check," I nodded, following him. At this moment, I just wanted to crawl into my bed and die. 

I was severely confused when I entered the living room to see Eve, Natalie and Nishan standing there, a few house helpers looking uncertain as Nishan rocked his large body back and forth. "Oh, Ezra!" Eve seemed particularly happy to see me as she sighed, frustration heaving into the air. "W-what's the matter?" I mumbled and I watched as she pointed a finger to her standing son, his figure turning around to look at me. "I see," In his arms was a newborn baby girl with fair skin, green eyes and brown hair covered with a pink hat. Her mouth was opened as she let out a series of screams, his rocking doing nothing to calm her.

I blinked, wishing that he would just do something different to make her stop crying. "W-why don't you give her to me?" I questioned, holding my arms out. I knew a thing or two about babies, considering I used to babysit when I was in high school. That and the fact that I just wanted her to stop crying because my brains were two seconds from bleeding out of my ear. Eve nodded frantically and Nishan shook his head adamantly, giving me a fierce scowl. I jolted back, eyebrows crumpling in defeat.

"I don't want this fag's hands all over her," He sneered. "Who knows what he's been touching?" He growled lowly, shielding the crying baby away from me. His words were starting to get to me and it wasn't too long before I released it all. I internally screamed before putting my hands together, taking a deep breath. This wasn't high school anymore, and I no longer was that boy. I clicked my teeth, willing myself to stare into his eyes. "Yea, but this fag just might the only way to help you through this, so I suggest you shut up and hand me the baby!" I raised a brow, opening my arms once again, mild shock rendering his features.

"Just give her to him," Natalie sighed and Nishan stared daggers at my hands and I wondered if he wanted to burn them. "...If anything happens, I'm blaming you," I rolled my eyes as he handed me the girl, placing her gently on my chest. She blinked at me, her cries coming to a still as I patted her back, rocking simultaneously. Within seconds, she had quieted down. "So, it's settled," Eve clapped her hands, laughing to herself. "Ezra, you have another job now. You're the new babysitter, it appears," I had figured that would happen anyway. 

"So, um, if you don't mind me asking—" Nishan huffed, cutting me off. "Of course, I mind you asking," He countered, his eyes narrowed as he cut them at me, daring me to say something else. "Well, I need to if I'm going to be watching her," I retorted and he raised a brow, peering at me. I guess he didn't expect me to say something so brash but I couldn't help it. I was tired of him talking to me like I didn't matter. 

His hands clenched as he clicked his teeth. "One of my detectives went to go investigate a disturbance call out in the suburbs," He clicked his teeth, cracking his knuckles. "The report said that they heard loud crying coming from the house that apparently, had no one in it," His hostile air seemed to have vanished and I was thankful for that. "They found her in a box, covered with a plastic bag," My heart dropped at his words. Why would someone do something so heartless? Though they may have had their reasons, there were so many other ways than to treat a baby like that.

He continued, licking his lips and I stared at him, wondering why my heart sped up when he met my gaze. I hated him, that was for sure, but something about this situation had changed. 

Nishan continued, a soft peace falling over us. "Since she's a newborn, she can't go into the foster care system yet. Since there is no sign of a parent, she is unable to get help due to the fact that it is the responsibility of the parent, present or not present," Nishan explained and I didn't get those bullshit rules. Everything here in San Antonio was entirely different than everywhere else. "So I decided to take care of her until she was old enough to go in. Should be 2 to 5 months," He shrugged casually and I wanted him to see the severity of the situation.

"B-but yet, you can't handle a crying baby," I snorted under my breath and he flashed an evil glare my way, threatening to castrate me in front of the LGBT community. I was shocked at this new side of me. It felt liberating because I could respond in a way that didn't demean me and gave me all of the power to take a step forward. This was what Professor Keaton had in mind. I was still a bit scared because he could do whatever he wanted to me and no one would notice. I was still scared, but somehow, I had found an ounce and I ran with it.

I looked down at the child, seeing her staring. "Do you have a name, sweetheart?" I gently squeezed the baby girl's cheeks, eliciting a laugh from her. "Why don't you name her, Ezra?" I heard a soft voice from the left of me and I turned to see Natalie staring at the baby, a look of fondness and want showcasing in her eyes. "S-sure," I muttered awkwardly, unsure of why I felt like she wanted to cry. "How about," I thought for a moment about the names that I wanted to give my child at some point. I thought about the beautiful names that I had come across and one stuck out to me, giving this little beauty all the glory that she needed.

"Noelani."

I had known that this would be a temporary placement for the baby until she was stable enough and old enough to go into the foster care system, but a part of me, the mother hen in me could not stop herself from finding happiness within those green eyes. "You like your name, don't you?" I rubbed the little girl's nose as she buried her face within my chest, finding comfort there. The sight warmed my heart. "That's a really nice name, Ezra," Natalie lamented, stepping closer to rub Noelani's foot.

I looked at her, seeing a faraway look in her eyes. "D-do you want to have kids someday, Natalie?" I didn't want to come across as insensitive, but if no one was supposed to know, then I had to act oblivious despite the pain in my heart at seeing her look so broken at the sight of Noelani. I could see Nishan sending me a warning glare and it made me wonder what I was doing wrong. 

Natalie took her eyes off of the baby, flicking them to me so quickly. She stared at me with a blank face before plastering a wide smile on her face. "Yes, for sure," She grinned with so much hope and I turned to look at Noelani, not hearing her next words. "If I could."

She stepped away, letting me care of the child as Eve did some things on her phone. I rubbed her back, whispering to her softly so that she would sleep. I had this father thing down to T. "You know," Nishan rolled his eyes. "You might not be all that disgusting," I rolled my eyes, propping the baby on my chest so that I could pat her back gently. "C-coming from you, I take that as a compliment," I retorted and he snorted with a chuckle, shaking his head as he took a seat on the couch in front of me. This was the first time that I had actually had a conversation with him. Don't get me wrong, he called me a fag twice in one sitting, but things were moving. I still hated him with a passion, but if he kept this up, he'd become tolerable.

Ha, as if.

"Stop disrespecting our maid, Nishan. Someday, he'll have to work for you," Eve muttered under breath and I got a momentary flash of fear. Nishan snorted, rolling up the cuffs of his button-down. "As if," He replied and I frowned. Of course, he had something negative to say about the gay working for him. He didn't even like it that I was working for his family. I just wondered why love and hate were such strong words, but then I realized that they caused so much pain. 

I beamed at the baby, who opened her green eyes, a small smile playing at her tiny lips. Whoever's child this was, they shouldn't have abandoned something so precious. Suddenly, a loud chime rang through the house, signaling us that someone was at the door. "I'm gonna go get some water," I heard Natalie sniffle and my head went back to the picture that I found. I didn't know for sure, but my gut was telling me that I was right.

"I'll get it," Eve waved her hands at us, telling us not to get sidetracked from the baby. I shushed the baby as she began to get fussy, her cute little nose scrunching up as I cooed at her. From the corner of my eye, I could see Nishan gazing at us with his arms folded, his face unreadable as he watched me care for the child. His stare was making me really uncomfortable because like the other times he antagonized me, he didn't have that same hateful look in his eyes.

All of a sudden, he decided to speak in a low and regretful tone, those mismatched eyes gleaming at me with too many emotions as he ran a hand through his hair, clicking his teeth. "You know, I was thin—

"What the hell are you doing here?"

I heard a sharp voice and I turned around, wondering who sounded so angry. I could see Eve gripping the door as her lips set into a grim line. "H-hold that thought," Nishan nodded reluctantly, giving me one last look before I handed him the baby to hold. "Whatever you say," He rolled his eyes, hoping that the baby didn't start to cry. I dusted off the front of my apron, making my way into the grand foyer.

"Mrs. Eve," I muttered hesitantly, approaching her slowly as the look of horror morphed her face. "You alright?" I whispered and for a moment there, I could see her knees buckling. She blinked as if she was living in a thriller, her throat swallowing tensely as her grip on the door tightening. "What," She took a deep breath. "What are you doing here?" She asked in a calm but anxious tone.

I walked around her to see who was at the door, and the sight that I was looking at confused me immensely. Before me was the spitting image of Eve, down to the bone in male form. He had the same color eyes, the same glint, the same skin color, the same hair color, the same mole on their left cheek. The only difference was that this man was taller and broader than Eve. Was he somehow related to her?  

The man smirked, but it wasn't your regular smirk. It was one of those devious ones, that held so much more spite and ill will coming from his lips. "I know that's not how you treat your brother," His voice darkened and if I wasn't listening intently, I would've missed how hostile it sounded. I looked from to Eve, gulping slowly.  I could sense the change in Eve's demeanor, an aura of pure fear consuming her.

"Is it, Eve?"