=Normal POV=
[Saturday, 9/22/2018; 4:00 pm]
[Berk; Forger/Haddock House]
Hayden was finishing up the basement cleaning and arranging when Gabriel opened the basement door at the top of the stairs, which were off to the right of the entry hallway.
"He should be down here," Gabriel said. "Laddie?" he called.
"Yeah?" Hayden replied.
"Your friends are here, shall I send them down?" Gabriel inquired.
"Go ahead!" Hayden said. Gabriel stepped aside as the friends smiled and headed down the ten or so steps, instantly laying eyes on the space before them. "So, what do you think?" Hayden asked.
Down the stairs revealed a wide open area. The first thing they saw once all filing in was Hayden's instruments on display; drums, guitars, microphone, piano, etc. There was even a small desk against the wall where Hayden's desktop was set up on top with the keyboard, mouse, and printer/scanner/copier. Next over was an HD curved TV mounted to the wall with built-in shelving on either side for movies and games. There was also a small storage unit under the TV where consoles appeared to be set up. The couch was massive and in a U-shape. A square table sat between the couch and TV. Behind the couch was an open space, assumed for sleeping. And under the stairs was another space behind a door, peering in a bit; they saw it was a half-bathroom.
To the far left was a wall, but had one wide doorway with dark red curtains. In the corner that connected the far left wall and wall where the TV was hanging; there appeared to be a small kitchen with a sink, storage, small stove, microwave, and refrigerator. There was a small bar top too.
"This is awesome!" Dex announced first.
"Dex!" Trayden scolded. Hayden laughed a little.
"Tray; it's a sleepover," Hayden stepped towards Trayden, hugging him and then pulling back. "Lighten up a little," he added. Trayden smiled now.
"You're right, sorry…" Trayden replied.
"This is pretty cool, Hayden. How long did this take to complete?" Devon wondered.
"Well…Got the house in June, started renovations in…I want to say July. Gabriel thought it would be a good distraction from all the court stuff, so he let me design it and here we are two months later," Hayden informed.
"What's past that curtain, unused space?" Hailey wondered.
"Oh, no. Back there is the best part," Hayden smiled as he led them over to it and pulled back the curtain and let them inside.
"It's…pitch black?" Syrus said slowly, unsure. Hayden rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone, tapping an application on the second screen that said; Home Theatre. Hayden tapped on a control that said; Lights. After that Hayden scrolled his thumb on a dial clockwise, as the lights began to come on, but remained dim.
"Holy shit! It's a home theatre!" Alyssa exclaimed.
"Yep. Projector back there, small snack and drink bar with a popcorn maker. There is a four-seater U-shaped couch up front, closest to the screen and then behind that is three rows of five seats each," Hayden explained.
"Woah," a few gasped.
"Yep and this whole wall slides into the main one to open the space more," Hayden informed as he unlocked the place on the floor and pushed it back.
"Hey, it's just like the gymnasium one," Rylee chuckled.
"That was the inspiration for it," Hayden nodded.
"You designed all this?" Trayden asked.
"My artistic talent has its upsides," Hayden shrugged.
"This is gonna be a fun time," Aria clapped her hands excitedly. "So what happens first at these things?"
"Ari…Stop. We've seen Trayden's sleepovers a million times…It's all the same," Eliot rolled his eyes now. "They'll listen to music, game, crack jokes, talk, and at some point, eat dinner,"
"That's about right," Dex shrugged.
"But what first?" Cole tilted his head.
"Whatever they want to do," Hayden smiled.
"I don't know about them, but I wanna see how far you've gotten on your song for the talent show," Trayden hoped.
"You've been working on the song already?" Hailey blinked.
"I wanted to make sure we'd have time to practice things, so I started on a couple of songs you can pick from. I did a few different genres, and whichever you want; I'll finish, and we'll work on," Hayden said. "And I have a few that are already done,"
"Can we hear?" Alicia questioned.
"Maybe later; I'm still fixing a few things lyric and music wise," Hayden informed.
"Nice," Ford smiled.
"Alright, let's get started. For now, you can pull all your stuff in the home theatre on the floor. Oh, we don't have to worry about noise and bothering Gabriel because the entire basement is soundproof," Hayden mentioned.
. . .
[5:30 pm]
"Big brother, when is dinner?" Cole questioned, tugging Trayden's sleeve.
Trayden checked his watch to see it was about 5:30 pm. "Uh, I don't know," he admitted.
"Is everyone hungry?" Hayden inquired.
"Yeah, we could eat," Mindy nodded her head with a smile as the rest agreed.
"Alright then," Hayden stated as he got up and moved into the kitchen, beginning to grab things.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Syrus wondered.
"Making dinner," Hayden while moving to the stove and setting his pots and pans down.
"Don't we usually order pizza and wings?" Bryan asked.
"Normally, but why spend money when you can cook? I know it's different, but trust me; you'll like it," Hayden started cooking some ground beef in the deeper pans. In the pots; he was boiling water. "You just keep playing your game; this will be done in half an hour," he informed. The rest of the friends got back playing their game; it was a racing one, and then somewhere ten minutes later turned into a fighting one.
The friends played while Hayden cooked; the occasionally took glances at him, but none more than Trayden. The group of friends could very easily see that there was something different between the two males, but not in a bad way. Alyssa and Bryan were the only two people and keeping it to themselves, that had an idea of what was going on.
"Hayden!" Gabriel yelled from the top of the stairs.
"Yeah?" Hayden called back.
"Another one of your friends just showed up; I'm sending him down," Gabriel stated. Hayden stopped what he was doing, confused almost.
"Another friend?" Hayden asked. "Isn't…Everyone already here?" he looked at the group.
"I mean…I told Andrew to come if he got off work early enough and wasn't too tired…But he would message me if he was on his way first," Katie mentioned. Hayden heard footsteps on the stairs as he began to feel nervous. Finally, the person came into view as fear struck Hayden like lightning and he dropped the spatula he was holding.
"Br-Brad…Y-You…" Hayden breathed out. Trayden's eyes instantly narrowed at the sound of this man's name. Brad was the guy who hurt Hayden before and during foster care. Brad smiling now, stepping closer. "Wh-What are you do-doing here?"
"I told you there was no place you could go that I wouldn't find you, babe," Brad reached Hayden, backing him into a corner. "I've missed you," he said, leaning in and kissing Hayden, who closed his eyes tightly before shoving Brad back.
"Get off me!" Hayden ordered.
"Come on, babe…Don't be this way. I know you're upset about what happened during Sophomore Year…" Brad started.
"Upset? Upset is an understatement!" Hayden yelled. "Three years…Three goddamn years you told me that you loved me, would wait for me...And then when I finally came to terms with things, you promised we'd be together once I told my parents I was gay…But instead; you lied. Everything was a lie! All you did was use me, and then break my heart!"
"Dex, take Aria, Eliot, and Cole upstairs; then send Gabriel down," Trayden said. Dex nodded, motioning for Aria, Eliot, and Cole to go with him.
"I told you I was sorry. Come on…Let's talk; we can work things out. I know I was wrong to hurt you; it's torn me up every day thinking about what I did," Brad informed gently.
"Then why!? Why did you hurt me if you didn't mean it!" Hayden demanded, on the verge of tears.
"It was just the surrealness of the situation. You're right; I waited three years for you to figure out how you felt for me. It took you a year to accept you were gay…You finally tell me you love me back and tell your parents. You showed up to school all happy and proud; I guess I was just shocked that it happened. I reacted badly, and hurt you. I'm sorry, baby. Come on, give me another chance…" Brad caressed his cheek. "I'll never hurt you again…"
Hayden stared at Bradley carefully. Gabriel came downstairs now, wondering what was happening. "How can I trust you?..." Hayden asked. Trayden's eyes widened; Hayden wasn't considering to take this guy back, was he?
"I'll do whatever it takes to prove myself. Whatever you want me to do…Just let me have you again?" Brad asked.
"Why couldn't you prove it before?" Hayden inquired.
"What?" Brad questioned, not prepared for what Hayden asked.
"Why couldn't you prove you loved me before? You've known me since I was thirteen…It was you who made me realized I was gay. You that I gave my everything too…But what did we have?" Hayden pushed. "You spouted off liking and loving me for three years…But when did you prove it other than words?"
"Hayden…I proved it every day," Brad said.
"Did you? Because for me; it was more like you just sweet-talking your way into getting my body. That's all we had, Brad. It was you, me, and the bed. Maybe the couch, back seat of the car. Regardless, we didn't have a connection other than physical. We didn't talk about whatever; we didn't go on dates…You didn't show me you loved me with your heart," Hayden stated, surprising Trayden.
"It's what we were good at, babe," Brad informed.
"But it's not what makes a relationship," Hayden stared. "And more so…We didn't even have that. You promised me one once I came out to my parents, and the day after I did just that; you ran away telling me your feelings suddenly changed. You never wanted me, Brad. You just wanted my body, but the moment you saw yourself being in a relationship and knowing it wouldn't be all about the sex; you bailed, breaking my heart as you did,"
"I told you; the situation was surreal, baby. Come on, give me another chance; I can prove I'm your guy. I still love you," Brad leaned in to kiss Hayden again, but Hayden moved away from him, shaking his head.
"No," Hayden said firmly. "I don't love you anymore. Any chance you had at a second one was lost when I stayed with your family in foster care. When you decided to pretend like I didn't exist, or that I was an enemy who hurt you,"
"Are you rejecting me?" Brad asked.
"I am," Hayden nodded.
"Oh, Hayden…I thought you learned your lesson last time you tried to do that," Brad brought his hand back to hit Hayden. "I guess I have to teach you again. Not that it matters because we both know you like it. You can't resist me," but before contact could be made; Trayden stepped in and held off Brad's wrist.
"You touch him, and I swear to Odin that you will regret it," Trayden warned.
"This has nothing to do with you," Brad glared, trying to get his wrist free, but Trayden refused to let go.
"It has everything to do with me; you just tried to strike him. I won't let go until the police arrive because I know you'll go after him again. Hayden, get behind me," Trayden said, offering his free hand to Hayden, who took hold as Trayden pulled Hayden behind him. Trayden could feel that Hayden was scared and cowering. "I saw to it to that your sister was caught for hurting Hayden, and I will do the same to you,"
"You have nothing," Brad remarked.
"I think you'll find that I do, and this time; I'll make sure it's right. Hayden, do I have your permission to record this?" Trayden stated as Hayden lifted his head a little.
"You have my permission," Hayden said softly.
"Bryan or Syrus…If you wouldn't mind?" Trayden asked.
"You record, I'll call my dad," Bryan told Syrus, who nodded and got his phone out and set it to record the scene with video.
"Hayden…I know this isn't how you things to come out, but I promised you that I wouldn't let you get hurt again and that I'd protect you. I need you to tell me the truth; has Bradley Holgerson ever physically or sexually abused you,"
"Yes," Hayden replied with head down.
"You shut up," Brad glared at Hayden.
"You will be quiet," Trayden demanded. "Yes to which, Hayden?" he asked.
"Both…He's physically and sexually abused me," Hayden responded.
"Hayden, shut up, or I'll make you regret talking," Brad warned as Hayden flinched in fear.
"Ssh…He can't hurt you. I won't let him, I promise. Now…Tell me when he's done these things to you?" Trayden inquired.
Taking a deep breath, Hayden responded with, "When I lived with his family; placed with them as my foster family from August 7th, 2017 to October 2, 2017,"
"How often were you physically and sexually abused?" Trayden pushed, never taking his eyes off Brad.
"Every couple of nights. If it wasn't his sister, Olivia Holgerson; it was him. Or sometimes…They'd both do it at the same time…" Hayden confessed with his head down and buried against Trayden's back, trying not to cry. Trayden had a feeling this was the case from all of Hayden's nightmares, and knowing Hayden was with the Holgerson Family for two months because of foster care placement.
"This does nothing! It's only words; there is no proof I did anything other than the word of a depressed teenager who tried to kill himself twice. I never raped him; it was consensual sex, just like we used to do. I had no control over my sister's actions; I never knew until recently," Bradley defended quick.
"You know wanna know what your mistake was?" Trayden stated. "Trying to commit assault and state your intentions in a room full of witnesses. Everyone heard you say that you would teach Hayden a lesson in rejecting you like last time. This implies you've taught him this lesson before and it didn't matter because he liked it due to being gay, when, in fact, sexual orientation has nothing to do with anything,"
"Don't try to play this game with me; your sister did the same thing, and she lost because I'm the son of a cop. I know the laws," Trayden continued. "Also…You gave yourself up by denying that you raped Hayden,"
"I did not!" Brad yelled.
"I've been saying sexual abuse; this can be any form of unwanted touch. You're calling it rape, which is defined as a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person's consent. Why would you go and use a term like that when no one else said it? You're saying you didn't do something that we never accused you of; that alone makes you look ridiculously guilty of something," Trayden informed as Brad tensed, losing his composure for a moment; his face clearly showed he was guilty.
"You said you never raped him, but that it was consensual sex like you used to do. If Hayden says no, despite any history you two have, and you advance anyway using penetration; it's rape. And you just admitted to that by saying that even though Hayden said no, it wasn't rape because you two used to have sex," Trayden said coldly. "I told you that you couldn't win this. I'm the son of a cop and a psychiatrist, and you just inadvertently admitted to raping Hayden,"
Brad ripped his arm free and charged at Trayden angrily, but when Trayden moved to avoid being attacked; Brad changed course to go after Hayden, who tensed up in fear. "I'll make you regret ever opening your mouth, Hayden! You wait until I get my hands on you!" Instinctively, Trayden wrapped his arms around Hayden to keep him safe, turning so that Brad couldn't get at Hayden. However, Bradley's attack was stopped by Bryan and Katie's father, Vincent Grimborn, who rushed in and tackled Brad down. Vincent got his arms behind his back and cuffed him.
"Bradley Holgerson, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they've been read to you?" Vincent asked, pulling Brad up to his feet and holding him still.
"Yes…" Bradley grumbled.
"I'll take him to the station. Tomorrow, I will need all of you, at some point to come down to the station to give me a statement about what happened tonight. And I was informed about the video so that I will need that as well. Lastly…Hayden, are you alright?" Vincent asked.
Hayden didn't answer; he just stayed in Trayden's arms, shaking like crazy. "I don't think he's hurt, Chief Grimborn. Perhaps scared and upset, but not hurt," Gabriel informed. "At least not physically," he sighed.
"Come on you," Vincent remarked, leading Bradley up the stairs and Gabriel following. Syrus cut the video and slid his phone away as they all just stood, or sat around while Trayden didn't let go of Hayden, knowing that Hayden didn't want him to.
"Someone watch the food," Trayden said as Mindy went over to keep an eye on it. "Ssh…It's alright," he soothed gently. "I know that was terrifying, and not easy for you, Hayden. But it's out now, and we can put him away for what he did to you," he added.
"Just hold me…I-I don't care about anything else, b-but please don't let go," Hayden pleaded.
"I won't. Come on, let's sit on the couch," Trayden suggested. Hayden managed a nod, trying to get up as he'd hit his knees once Bradley was arrested. Trayden adjusted and picked Hayden up in his arms, moving to the couch and placing Hayden down first and then keeping next to him. As expected, Hayden gripped Trayden's shirt tightly, beginning to whimper and eventually cry after burying his face into Trayden's chest. "Sssh…It's okay…You're safe, and he can't hurt you anymore…" Trayden rocked Hayden a bit, rubbing his back.
The others wanted to help, but as usual, and they were coming around to see that when Hayden was in this particular mood fully; Trayden was probably the only one who could deliver the most comfort. Hayden and Trayden were closer, and the friends accepted that. So they would stay and be around if they were needed to. Hopefully, Hayden would recover, and they could work together to pull Hayden out of the sadness, distract him, and go back to having fun before Bradley showed up and ruined things.
