Blood pounded in his ears as he fingers tangled into the short carpet. His lungs burned and his body ached. 'Where was he?' Blue eyes shifted up to a tall dark figure towering over him. "D-Dad...?" He attempted to say only for his voice to he caught in his throat. He couldn't speak! Why couldn't he speak?! He watched as the dark figure raised his hand striking him.

"Max."

"Please stop! It hurts!" He tried to get out but couldn't. Another strike.

"Max...?"

"You little fag! How could I call you my son!?" A strong hand clamped around his throat.

"Max!"

Max immediately looked up snapping out of his little Day dream not realizing tears were staining his cheeks. "Y-Yes?" He asked his eyes darting around noticing every single student in the class was staring at him. Their stares piercing through him like knives. 'Stop looking at me...please...'

"Can you give me the answer to example problem 2 please," the old man asked running his hand over the scruff of hair on his face concern etched into his features and voice.

"O-Oh..Yes...I got... 2 squareroots of 36."

"Not quite...you'll want to simplify the square root..."

Max let the teachers voice blur in his mind as he returned to the thought he had before. Why did he have to think of that now? It was a few nights ago that that had happened. His father had gotten drunk and apparently recalled the memory from years ago where Max came out to him. His father tended to get mad at Max for things that happened in the past if he couldn't figure out why he was mad at him in the first place.

Luckily for Max the bell rang and immediatly he stood along with many of the other students. He gathered his things pausing for a moment as he reached for his pencil. His hoodie sleeve had slid up slightly and he couldn't help but stare at the reddish purple bruise that covered his wrist. It was obviously a hand print. Anyone with a brain could figure that one out. He took in a shaky breath before quickly pulling his sleeve down. He rubbed it slightly before continuing to pack his things. He finished tucking his notebooks and papers into his bag he sling it over his shoulder only to look up at an empty classroom. He sighed softly starting towards the door when a tall figure stepped in front of him.

Max was taken aback as he looked up at him feeling rather small next to him.

"I've noticed you've been quite distracted lately. Is something wrong?" He asked gesturing for Max to follow him over to his desk which Max did.

"I'm fine.." he said wanting to keep this conversation short and to the point.

"Your grades have been dropping recently. You haven't been doing your homework and your test grades aren't the best. You have a 56 in my class Max. If you don't get it together you will fail," he said keeping his sharp gaze on Max causing the smaller boy to flinch slightly.

"I'll...I'll see about it..." he said softly looking away digging the toe of his shoe into the dirty carpet.

"Maybe find a tutor Max. You just seem...distracted. Are you in any extra curricular activities?" He asked moving his rolling chair to face the boy.

"No..."

"Maybe get into something. It may help your focus a bit. Or maybe not. We'll just have to see," he said. "But I worry about you. Just see if there is anything you can do about this. I do have tutorials in the morning you know," he said.

Max only furrowed his brow slightly before letting out a sigh. "Okay..." he said before turning and leaving not giving the teacher a chance to speak to him again. Extra curricular? Nobody wanted him as a part of their club or event. Sports were immediatly out and the arts weren't really his thing. Writing maybe? There was a creative writing club and English was the only class he was maintaining a high A in. He sighed softly. "Fine..." he muttered to himself. Walking into the classroom where the club would take place. "It's only 2 hours...you can do this..." he said closing the door behind him before looking up. There were only around 6 people seating in the desks and one at the front of the room. The president he assumed.

-15 minutes Prior-

Preston stood at the front of the empty classroom smiling. He inhaled deeply clutching a stack of papers to his chest. "So excited..." he murmured to himself as the final bell rang. "Oh happy day!" He chirped. "Finally time for my new club to begin," he said more than excited for his creative writing club to get started. He had to go through so much to get it up and running. He had to get at least 3 students to agree to joining and needed a teacher to sponsor. (Even if they weren't even gonna show for the club time) Preston couldn't help but smile happily as he set the papers down letting his shoulder length hair fall out of its bun before retying it. He adjusting his black chocker and smiled as the door opened.

"Nerris!" He chirped walking over to the shorter girl.

"Hey Pres," She said happily walking past him taking a seat in the front row. "Not a lot of people here yet huh," she said reached up to adjust her hair that stuck out of the front of her blue beanie. Nerris had slowly floated away from her obsession with D&D although she continues to play with a group of friends every Saturday night tending to miss any plans made with Harrison and Preston. She didn't wear her ears or cape anymore and now rocked a black T-shirt with the Skyrim symbol tucked into a pair of skinny jeans with a black belt wrapped around her waist along with a pair of dark brown jandals.

"Of course I hadn't expected too many people to show up right away," he said keeping the smile on his face the entire time.

"Too bad Harrison didn't want to join. Although I hadn't expected him to, it still would of been nice," she said opening her bag to pull out pencil and paper that she knew she would need.

"Well he's caught up in his magic. I can't blame him," he said looking over at the door as a few more people started to trickle in.

A girl with brown hair named Elizabeth and a girl with blonde hair named Brenna both came in laughing and talking. They greeted Preston and took seats a few rows back right next to eachother.

Next a dark skinned male came in giving Preston a peace sign before taking a seat. Preston recognized him as the student council president Andy. Interesting to see him here.

Next was another boy named Casey. He didn't talk much but drew quite a bit Preston smiled a small blush creeping its way across his face. Of course he had the smallest crush on the boy. He was good friends with him and the male was ridiculously good looking. Who would blame him?!

Last was another girl who didn't even give Preston a second glance. He had never seen her before.

She immediately went and sat next to Nerris. Preston gave a small grin at the blush that coated Nerris's cheeks.

He gathered his papers again looking at everyone.

"Okay everyone! We're gonna get started here. I have a prompt already picked out for you guys and-" he immediately paused at the sound of the door opening. 'Who else has signed up? I don't recall anyone else.." he thought to himself before his eyes widened at the familiar tuff of dark brown hair and Carmel skin. The blue hoodie. It all brought back memories of their days in that camp. Preston had to process this for a moment. The anti social heathen was standing at the door of his club. Slowly a grin showed on his face. "Max!" He chirped.

The smaller male cringed at this taking a small step back. "Oh hell no," he said turning to leave only for Preston to leap forward grabbing his arm.

"Wait, Max!" He said giving the smaller males arm a small squeeze.

Max's eyes widened at the contact feeling pain surge though him at the harsh contact on one of his newest bruises. Almost as quickly as Preston had grabbed him Max slapped his hand away gripping one of his backpack straps so hard his knuckles turned white. His breath was heavy and his eyes were wide tears brining them. Max quickly blinked them away turned his head away. "This is fucking stupid. What was I thinking," he snapped turning around leaving the room slamming the door behind him.

Preston stood there completely dumbfounded. "What just happened?" He asked himself softly looking Around at the people in the room. "O-Okay...lets carry on then...Just a small disruption...nothing to dread on..." he said walking towards the front of the classroom again to continue what he had started. Only he seemed a bit distracted. He could only think about Max. What was that? Preston looked down at his blank paper noticing he hadn't written anything the entire club period. He looked around as people started gathering their stuff. "Uh...turn in your stuff before you leave please!" He said to everyone standing up as he crumpled up his paper tossing it. He stood by the door taking papers as people left Casey being the last.

"Something bugging you?" He asked. "You seem distracted," he said taking a step forward only around 5 inches from Preston. This lit the theatre kids face up. "O-Of course not," he said biting his lip slightly.

Casey couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright...let me know if anything is bothering you maybe I could...," he touched Preston's arm gently, "relieve the stress a bit.." he said softly before turning and leaving the room.

Preston felt as if he could melt into a puddle on the floor at that moment. "Damn..." he muttered before shaking his head slightly. "Focus," he said turning off the light and shutting the classroom door only able to grin slightly at the moment that had just happened, Max completely forgotten in the boys mind for the moment being.

Max's breath picked up as he walked quickly down the sidewalk on his way to his home. "W-What was that? I can't believe I..." he stopped for a moment feeling his stomach churn. If someone found out about his dad? What would happen? He could hold it back. He quickly bent over the grass next to him wretching anything he had in his stomach up. He coughed a few times spitting onto the ground. "Shit..." he muttered before letting himself slump to the ground taking in a few deep breaths not wanting to take too much time here. He needed to get home or his dad would be mad with him. He stood slowly feeling wobbly on his feet as he started off. He found it incredibly hard to walk as he approached his front door opening it. He pushed it open before shutting it. He could hear the Tv blasting and his father shouting at it. "You little whore! That's your husband! Who do you think you are!" Max cringed at the sound of glass breaking. He assumed his father had thrown another beer bottle at the wall like he tended to do. Max let his bag fall off of his shoulder and walked into the kitchen to see something on the stove burning. He quickly walked over pulling it off the stove before turning the burner off. "Idiot..." he muttered to himself noticing the silence that had overtaken the house. He quickly turned around seeing his dad stumbling into the kitchen dropping the bottle in his hand. "I-I missed you Max...while you were at school...I missed you..." he said hugging his son from behind burying his face into his sons hair.

"I know dad..." he said softly flinching at the sudden contact.

"I...I miss your mom..." he said starting to sob against his sons hair squeezing him harder.

Max gasped a bit finding it hard to breath against the mans grip. "I...I do too..." he said softly.

"Why couldn't it of been you...she didn't deserve that..." he said his voice hiccuping.

"I wish it was me too..." he said standing there letting his father snuggle against him. This wasn't abnormal and Max didn't particularly like it, but he did prefer it over his fathers first against his sensitive skin. Slowly Max closed his eyes letting it happen.