Monday afternoon

Seth silently climbed the stairs leading up to his bedroom. He had just had another troubling day at Shades High school. Being the only out kid there really puts a mark on his back. To make matters worse he has to come home everyday to an abusive father. He was 13 years old when it started, which was a few days after his mother left. It started out little but as he got older it escalated, escalated to both physical, mental and sexual abuse. He's now sixteen years old and completely shut off to those he use to call friends. He doesn't even leave his room unless it's for school. He usually has two hours by himself before his father gets home and he takes comfort in it, he enjoys it. He sits on his bed flipping through a photo album. Most of the pictures were of him and his childhood friend Randy. The two of them met when they were nine and became best friends but when the abuse started he slowly pushed him away. Every now and again he'd see him in school but never said anything. Closing the book he pushed it back under his bed before laying under the covers. He knew better then to be asleep when his dad's home so he says his alarm for thirty minutes before drifting off to sleep.

...

Roman entered his home and dropped his bag, jacket and keys on the table. He spotted his longtime friend Dean sitting on the couch, legs on the table and cigarette in hand. He walked over, took the cigarette from him and pushed his feet off the table. "Hi, are you having a good time freeloading in my house?" He put the cigarette out and tossed it. "What did I tell you about smoking in my house anyway?"

"Awe stop being such a drama queen." Dean replied throwing his legs back on the table.

"Well then you can drama queen your ass by to your wife's house." Roman yelled knocking his feet off again. "I told you before that if you're going to stay here you need to get a job and buy your own shit. I'm tried of coming home to find my fridge half empty man."

"Alright alright stop your grumbling I hear you." Dean sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. "So how was counseling the youth today?"

"Good." Roman replied. "I'm getting a new student tomorrow and from what this kid teachers tell me he's in much need of it."

"I still don't get why you chose this as your passion man." Dean sits back on the couch.

"Well helping the troubled youth discover their true potential so they won't end up on the streets or in a morgue is important to me."

Dean frowned. "You couldn't help that kid Rome, he was too far gone."

Roman looked down. "I still feel like I could have done something more to help him. I made a promise to him that he wouldn't have to go back home. The cops said that there was nothing they could do, sent him back home with that monster of father. Two days later I found out that he killed himself."

"You can't help everyone." Dean says. "I know you want too because of your childhood but-"

"Can we not." Roman says cutting him off.

"Sorry." Dean looks back to the TV and they fall into a silence. He watched as Roman turned away from him and headed back to his room. They had been best friends for four years now and he still didn't know the whole story to Roman's troubled childhood.

...

Randy entered his home and plopped down on the couch. His entire body was sore from football ball practice. He laid his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes, intent on falling asleep right there but tapping on his head startled. "Go away."

Bob smiled. "I take it that football practice was tough."

"Coach ran us into the ground today." Randy replied closing his eyes again.

"Well you're the one who decided to join the football team." Bob stood up and headed to the kitchen, not knowing that Randy was following him.

"So I saw Seth again today." Randy leans on the counter and plays with his fingers. "He looked like he hadn't slept in days."

"I'm sure everything is okay." Bob says going to the fridge.

"You didn't see him though, he looks like someone...I don't know but he looks bad." Randy looked down. "You don't think something is going on at his house do you?"

"Don't go jumping to conclusions Randy." Bob says.

"I'm not it's just...between him being bullied at school I worry about him." Randy says. "He won't talk to be even when I try to talk to him and I don't know why."

Bob sighed. "I don't know what to say here son."

Randy sat back. "Just forget about it, I'll be in my room." He turned, left the kitchen and headed back up to his room. He didn't know what was going on with Seth but he was determined to find out.

...

Seth was jarred from his sleep by the sound of a door opening and closing. He looked at his bedside clock and saw that it was after eight. He jumped up and went over to the window, his dad was back. "Shit." He headed for the door but as soon as he opened it he was pushed to the ground.

"I thought I told you to have this place cleaned up before I get home." Nash growled. "You know that I don't like coming home to a messy house." He knelt down and grabbed Seth by his jaw. "Get your ass downstairs and clean it up." He lifted Seth up and pushed him out of the room, smiling when he stumbled down the stairs. He then slowly descended them to find Seth frantically cleaning up the clutter. Leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs he watched Seth. When Seth stood by the kitchen counter to straighten up the pile of X-rated magazines he walked up and pressed himself against him.

Seth tensed immediately, his arms were on the counter. He looked down as he felt his father's hands on his waist. They stayed there briefly before sliding down to his lower region. He wanted to pull away, wanted to fight back but the last time he did that had terrible repercussions. He was pushed farther against the counter as his father rutted against him. Just then there was a knock on the door. Seth sighed in relief as his father stepped away from him and walked to the door. Turing his head just as his father opened the door his eyes grew, Randy.

"What do you want?" Nash snapped.

Randy swallowed and stepped back. "Um is Seth here?"

"He's busy, now why don't you fuck off." He turned and slammed the door before Randy could say anything else. Turning back to face Seth he frowned. "Hurry up and clean this shit up."

Seth stayed glued to his spot until his father disappeared up the stairs. He walked over to the window and saw Randy getting into his car. For a brief second their eyes met and he turned away from the window. The last thing he wanted was to get Randy involved in his screwed up life.

...

Okay so I'm just testing the water with this on. If you like please review and you don't I would still love to hear your thoughts. I'm no expert so forgive me if there are mistakes and thanks for reading.