“Hush, baby boy. Sleep, and your mommy will protect you, always, from the bad dreams.”

Vaguely, while trying to blink my eyes to open, I heard a serene voice in the back of my head, whispering kind words to me and then singing low, while caressing my head. It calmed me down and made me feel at peace.

The words echoed in my mind.

“Sleep…”

Then the words which filled my heart with warmth became distorted, while I felt cold. Every joint in my body hurt like hell, making my skin ache and burn.

My body felt numb, like I was paralyzed, and my mouth was dry. My head was throbbing, and the song rang in my ears. I gripped my hand into a fist, trying to scatter the sensation. I hated it. I breathed deeply, trying to shift myself in a better position, and suddenly everything became soundless, besides the ticking of a clock.

Trying to open my eyes, the song faded, along with the feeling of tranquility, remaining just a void. I closed my eyes quickly, trying to adjust to the light which nearly blinded me, coming through the windows, which had dull, white curtains that were pulled aside.

I let out a yawn and stretching, I noticed I was in the infirmary. I stared, bewailed, and nothing came to my mind as to why I ended up here. Had one of my big bad wolves done their rounds today? I felt a warm sensation lingering on my skin, coming from the rays of sun, which were trespassing through the window. Looking down, I noticed all I was wearing was a shirt.

I gasped. Had I been doing something naughty in here? I heard a small chuckle and turned to see James rubbing his eyes, while I was in his lap, while his arm was around my waist.

“What happened here?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“You fainted…”

“Why am I naked if I only fainted, and why I’m in your lap, comfy?” I pouted, while I put my thumb in my mouth and slightly sucked it. James looked at me and pulled it out, shaking his head.

“Well…” he trailed off, leaning his head by the bed edge and staring at the ceiling, “Sky and I thought we would make you feel more comfortable, and we ended up taking all of your clothes off by mistake. Then you just grabbed me by the arm, and we ended up here. I glanced at him and wrinkled my forehead. He was lying. “You know how groggy you are after a deep nap…” James said, while trying to push me down. I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my forehead against his shoulder.

“Hm, I see!” My smile was gone, and my mask was cracked. In my mind, flashes were flooding and I could only see Tony’s eyes. He was scared, and something else lingered for a second. Then, they grew darker and cold. “Where is Tony?”

“Where we should have been right now – in English class.”

I nodded and let go of James’ body. I still felt his warmth upon my skin, but it was fading slowly. I asked him to turn around while he rolled his eyes and smiled.

“I’m fully dressed, and this sexy body is all covered. I know you peeked.”

James punched my arm and dragged me out like nothing had happened. He was always there when I needed him. Walking behind him and passing near the windows, I could not help but notice that my stupid smile couldn’t hide the darkness behind my eyes. I couldn’t remember what color my eyes were. I couldn’t see their color anymore…

I took a quick look before closing my eyes, blocking out everything. The boy I saw must have vanished; I was weak.

All of the sudden, the bell rang loudly, echoing through the empty halls. It scattered my thoughts, while I still felt the serene melody ringing in my ears, like a buzz. Then, there was silence. My mind went blank, like I was being pulled into a trance.

“Cute little Sebby wants to have some fun.”

I heard my voice and blinked twice before storming toward the lockers, a thing which later in the day I would bitterly regret. I clapped my hands frenetically, my big bad wolf, Rick, appearing in front of me.

James turned around and tried to stop me, but with my speed, I was out of his reach. I brushed against someone and fell down.

“Sebastian!” I looked up, and Tony looked at me, slightly annoyed, but with a concerned frown.

“Not now. I’m going for the kill!”

“You’ll be killed for sure…”

Tony trailed off and pulled me up, while I brushed off my jeans. I snorted and rolled my eyes in disbelief. Rick loved me. Who couldn’t have loved this gorgeous midget?

I brushed Tony’s touch off my arm, and tiptoeing, I made my way like a predator in the hunt of an innocent deer. I looked behind to see James and Tony with flat expressions on their faces. I lifted my thumb to let them know we would be fine, when suddenly, I was pushed down violently, meeting the floor again.

I yelped in pain when my back hit the harsh floor. My head throbbed sharply again, and I felt dizzy. I heard James’ voice and felt his arms around my shoulders.

“Christopher!” He called my name a few times, but words refused to come out. I raised my head, and before me were a pair of jet black eyes, filled with anger and disgust.

I smiled. I knew those eyes. Joseph Darius. It was a nineteen-year-old kid whose arrival was bad news for all of us. Ever since he had been transferred here, my skin felt his delicate touch. Since then, I had craved it hard. He was a junior, while I was in the last year, even though I had twenty two, last time I checked.

Let’s say I kind of started my high school late. James slightly shook me, but I was pulled into a trance by those eyes of his. I shook my head, and a smirk appeared on my face, making him confused.

“J.D., honey, maybe later my prey will be that tank of muscles.” I pointed with my finger toward Rick, who was holding his girlfriend, Alyona, a blond bimbo, in his arms.

“You sicko…”

I rolled my eyes. “I think you should learn new lines.”

I’d get it hard, I knew it. I watched him storm away, pushing aside some kids. James hit me on the head gently and helped me get up. “I’m fine,” I let James know before he asked. I looked back, and Tony was no longer there.

I bit my lower lip. He changed toward me, acting strangely lately. I placed my hand on my chest. It was aching. I ignored James and turned around, smiling and walking toward Rick. I still felt torn apart inside. Where were you, Anthony, when I needed you to be near me to breathe...?

Locking my thoughts, behind me I heard a nagging voice, but I did not stop as well footsteps coming in haste approaching me. I heard James run in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders, stopping me. I brushed his hands and walked ahead. I scanned the hall quickly, but Anthony was nowhere to be seen.

I noticed that Alyona left; meanwhile, as Rick turned to walk, I wrapped my arms around him, holding my breath for a few seconds. Then, my goofy self came to the surface.

"Boy, I see fireworks before my eyes and I feel a tingling sensation. You love me..." I wrapped my arms tighter around him while I heard gasps around me. I placed my head on his chest. Rick's body suddenly became stiff. "You feel the sparks between us. So sweet." I continued while I felt his hands on my shoulders, trying to free himself from my grip.

"Let go of me, you freak!" he shouted, fuming.

I could feel his sweat drops falling on my forehead from his face. James stared at me like he could not believe what I just did. After a few minutes, I let him go, winking.

James pulled me by the arm toward our lockers so quickly, that I could not see his face.

"Are you fucking stupid?" he yelled at me, while we pulled out our math books.

I shook my head, not paying attention to him until his eyes widened, and he tried to say something.

Suddenly, I felt a pain course through my body, and I was slammed into the locker, making me yelp. I turned, and in front of me was an angry kid with light, crystal blue eyes.

"Take it easy. You started too early to be rough."

Rick's face heated up, and in his cheeks a crimson color appeared and then went slightly whitish. I glanced at him, confused, until I felt something warm on my lips with an iron taste. I reached my hand toward my face, and on my fingers was blood.

"Fuck, you deserve this..."

Rick yelled at me and pushed me toward James, storming away without a peek.

"Wow, that kid adores me. Look, he made me bleed. That's how much he loves me."

James was looking at me. I could see that he was worried.

"Christopher..." He shook his head and pulled out a tissue from his bag, starting to wipe my bloody nose. "You should stop being so clingy." He sighed, while I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, mommy," I said to him, while obediently staying to be cleaned up, my eyes closed.

I could not stand the blood. It always made me feel sick, even if it was mine. James knew that. He snorted and pinched my nose.

"I'm done, idiot, but I mean it. Stop annoying the guys who hate you." I nodded, knowing well that I'll attack another kid in the next period with my cuteness, but what made my smile falter was the next thing he said. "If you don't stop these games, I'll call Sky to have another talk with you."

I felt my heart slamming in my chest, but on the surface I looked calm. A charming smile appeared, and I flipped my hair up.

"Dear James...Sky loves this midget and anything he says to me is registered in my enormous sponge brain ."

"Stop joking..." James became serious, and he seemed like he was pleading now. His eyes darkened, and he cupped my face, glancing straight into my eyes. "...You know well what I'm talking about. Sky is just a veil. Don't throw yourself like this. Not after your struggle to live. You owe your life to that man..."

"Shut up," I suddenly snapped, feeling another crack forming in my perfect mask. "You don't know anything. To whom do I owe something? To a ghost I've never seen? You all should just stop treating me like I'm a child..."

"I do not know because you put a wall around me, around Sky," James shouted back at me, his voice trembling. He turned his back at me and breathed deeply. "I..."

Before saying anything, the silence was broken by the gym teacher. He looked more tired than he did a few hours ago. He had bags under his eyes, and he stared at the phone.

Behind him, Sky appeared and placed a hand on Mr. Muller's shoulder, caressing him gently and gazing at me. They both acted strangely. Sky whispered something, and my gym teacher nodded and didn't say anything else. All he did was write a message.

"Chris, how are you feeling today?"

Sky divert his attention to me, while glancing at Mr. Muller. On his face, I could see sadness, while Sky had a concerned look in his eyes.

"I'm fine..." I mumbled and left, letting all behind and not saying about my nose bleeding or that my encounter with Rick went softer than I wanted. I clenched my fist while walking toward the next period: math.

"Christopher, wait..." I heard James coming quickly from behind, and I walked faster. What they all knew about me was that I was happy. My mother and brothers loved me and accepted me. I had friends, and I was fun to be around.

I stopped and glanced out the window, seeing in it just a faceless boy. Then why did my heart ache, and why did I feel shattered? I'd never do that again. I promised to myself, then why nobody backed off and let me breathe...

My whole body hurt and felt numb once again. It was so hard to breathe.

I tilted my head to the side. I saw in the corner of my eyes, coming sluggish with a bag over his shoulder and his hands in his jacket pockets, Anthony, talking with Rick and J.D., laughing on about something. A smile blossomed on my face.

He passed near me, not looking at me, like I was invisible. I felt shattered.

"Don't look like that, Chris."

James approached me and caressed my back.

"What is it with him today?"

I mumbled and pouted. James shrugged his shoulders, pulling me toward our class. The bell rang, announcing the break was coming to its end. The hour passed slowly. My eyes were on Anthony, who was a few seats away from me, and I sighed.

I ripped a piece of paper and wrote something on it.

"Want to hang out today at our place?"

I threw it, and it hit his shoulder. Confused, he raised his head and noticed the paper down near his desk. He turned toward me and nodded, smiling.

After a few minutes, a small note fell on my desk.

"Let's skip the last class."

My heart raced, and I nodded back. I counted the last minutes like my life depended on them.

The moment the bell rang, I stormed toward James and Anthony, who were waiting for me in the hall. J.D. passed near us, and I winked at him. This time, instead of giving me a deadly glare or his middle finger, he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at me. His eyes drifted to one of my best friends, and for a second, I had the impression that a look between him and Tony took place.

"What was all that?" I asked while wrapping my arms around Tony's waist and placing my head on his back, unable to see his face.

"Nothing...you're imagining stuff, Sebby."

"Are you sure, Anthony?" James interfered, while he locked his locker and stared seriously into Tony's eyes.

I guess I forgot to mention this, but they didn't get along at all. I was the glue that brought them together.

"Let's go," Tony said, not paying attention to James.

He gripped my hand, pulling me toward the exit to escape from school. I turned back and said my goodbyes, while jumping happily onto Tony's back. I whispered my plan for tonight, and James blushed.

"What?" I asked, while I was picking from Tony's jacket a candy and started to suck it with all my will. I heard him chuckle, and I slapped him over his shoulder.

"Learn to whisper, idiot."

"My bad," I wiggled, while Tony put me down once we arrived near his black, old trunk. I literally jumped onto the backseat, while James sat in front. The music started to blast in the background, and I started to twist like a monkey, dancing.

"Hey!" I shouted suddenly, making them both flinch at my perky voice. "Where is my cake, Tony?"

"I have something sweet prepared later on for you...you'll love it." I jumped happily.

I loved sweets and surprises. James shook his head and changed the radio channel to softer music.

I hummed to the song that was playing while my mind drifted aimlessly, a boy with green eyes suddenly flashing in my mind, saying something I couldn't understand. I blinked a few times to get the image from my mind, and I pulled my hood over my head, allowing myself to drift slowly into a short nap until we arrived at our place - the cemetery.