Chapter 3

Brady like all of us tends to keep the finer details to himself. Why? Well we all have good reasons for trust issues but that's not it. Personally I don't want to because ...well why would I want to relive my bad experiences. Sure they both know the basics of my life but I'm not going to sit there and detail how hard my father wiped me across the back with his belt last and I think the same goes to them.

In Brady's case as much as he longs for home...well more specifically Collin, he is doing the best in the injury department. Daniel and I only got to see Brades injuries from his father when he first moved here to live with his aunt. Now he is away from him he only has to put up with his emotional scarring. If he does get hurt it's usually from dickhead jocks who decide a good gay bashing is in need. That's how Daniel and I first found him. Fending off a bunch of guys corned behind the library. He was actually doing pretty well, managing to get in some good punches but 3 against one is ridiculously unfair and with his already injured body fresh from the hospital they definitely weren't making it easy on him.

I think that was the first time I saw Daniel in action. Daniel is the same height as Brady; he has beautiful deep ocean blue eyes, tanned skin and blonde dreadlocks that go up to his chin, which he usually has a beanie or bandanna on holding it back. There nice dreads to not like some of the ones you see that are just big clumps of mattered hair, his were professionally done making them all alike. I knew his army sergeant father Mr. Whitlock taught him how to fight but...well just ...whoa.

Daniel is a great guy, the nicest I've ever met, which I guess isn't really hard considering but, well...just whoa. I swear he went ninja assassin on those douche bags. There were punches flying everywhere. He did these cool take down combinations. First was the basic kick in the groin, knee in the face which he taught me later on that day. The second was some jujitsu crap right there, with all the grabbing of arms, twisting it a certain way, making them fall to the ground and pulling it out of the socket, electing a decently high pitched cry from the now victim. Also last but not least he managed to doge a few hits making his way behind this last guy before getting him in some headlock making him pass out. I didn't even get time to think about helping out, he is a speedy mother.

That was also the first time I saw him snap. I was honestly scared. He kept going at them even when they were on the ground. I swear he was possessed. If it was anyone else I would have run for my life, but it was Daniel, my best friend. I swallowed my fear and I went and stopped him. How I did it, I don't even remember but I ended up with some decent bruising. Brady told me later on that I somehow managed to bear hug him in an attempt to stop his arms. Making me bare the brunt to a few blows and I practically climbed up him like a koala using my weight, arms and legs to hold him back. That's were my nickname came from.

He tripped bringing us down. I landed on top of him as he lay sprawled out on the ground, he was trying to regain his breathing after the big 'oonnff' he let out when I landed on his stomach. I put my hands on the side of his face turning it and franticly checking him for injury. He wasn't moving which made me panic. I was worried if he hit his head to hard and a million other things went through my head as I started to shake him. He still didn't respond worrying me times five as I called out to him. In the end I just got mad at his unresponsiveness and punched him in the chest really hard yelling insults before taking a few deep breaths to calm down.

I hugged his head to my chest raising him slightly off the ground and kept mumbling idiot, stupid idiot over and over again. I was scared not an unfamiliar feeling but it was displaced in the fact it wasn't for myself. After a few seconds I felt arms wrap around my back holding me in a tight embrace. I mumbled one last idiot before hiding my face in the crook of his neck. I was array of emotions I didn't understand. The racing of my heart wasn't helping me, I really just felt like hugging him just to assure me he really was ok. He sat up with me in his lap rubbing my back up and down comfortingly. When it came down to it I just wanted to be angry at the jerk for scaring my like that. I could feel his warm breath tickling my neck as we just sat there for a few minutes in each other's embrace.

It sounded like one of those loving moments you read about in books and see in movies but it wasn't because Daniel went and ruined it by...well just being Daniel. He started rocking me in his lap holding me tight while singing some cheesy song definitely breaking the tension. First it was slow but then he went all out.

You're just too good to be true.
Can't keep my eyes off you.
You feel like heaven to touch.
I wanna hold you so much.
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive.
You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off you.

He over exaggerated it and everything making me look into his eyes and shit. I swear he really is a idiot but I couldn't stay mad at him so with a big groan and another punch in the shoulder I was laughing again, the stress from earlier gone as I listened to him recite the rest of the song with stupid arm movements emphasizing the cheesy lyrics. He was back to normal, his other self caged inside him again.

God knows how the teachers didn't hear the commotion. I mean come on I was swearing loudly and everything. Then again it was during class and we were kind of truanting but still you would think. After all it was probably better them not finding us because then we didn't have to go through the troubles of explaining ourselves and punishments.

The three of us helped each other to the nurse's office. The jocks had already made their leave during Danny's lovely solo probably on their way to the hospital. I know I would be if my arm was pushed out its socket. In the nurse's office we helped bandage each other up, mainly Brady I only had a few large bruises on my arms and stomach which Danny kept repeatedly apologizing for. I could tell what he done to me hurt him real bad, but I never said anything and let him fuss over me to help mend his guilt. I know he has a fear of becoming like his father and this was a scary awakening. Later on that night I woke up to him climbing through my window half naked with tears streaking his face. The moonlight reflecting the discoloured patches of skin on his tanned body. I didn't ask questions but just let him crawl into bed with me as he cried silent tears into my shoulder clinging onto me as if he thought I was just going to break.

After that day Brady joined our little group and we all became fast friends. Thus leaving me here to worry about him. When Brades friend Collin found out about the drugs there was a huge fist fight, tears mixed with blood and blood mixed with raw emotions. Turns out Brady wasn't the only one finding it hard to cope. Collin was reciprocating the same feelings; confusion, fear, anger, jealousy they were on loop with him as well. He was really upset because his sweat innocent Brady lost his innocence to a girl he doesn't even remember the name of and jealous because he wasn't a girl so Brady wouldn't look at him that way. All the testosterone in the air must of just made them both snap cause Brades tells it saying that they both just went from punching to yelling and then to hot passionate making out. I kinda laughed at that and told him he needs to learn to keep it in the pants and stop pulling it out at inappropriate moments. Making a joke about how he probably would jump the guy even when his grandma was there. Which just got me on the receiving end of a crusty. He messed up my hair really good. I'm not sure what is up with the boys and doing that. Brades said the next 6 months after that fight were the best of his life. Filled with many innocent touches and stolen glances as they hid their secret from the world. His own story of forbidden love. No one thought any different when Brady stopped his rebellious ways and started hanging around Collin again.

They started dating immediately in secret. It was all going great until Brady's dad found out. He caught them in Brady's room after their first time of making love. He went on a frenzy braking things and cursing words that can never be taken back. Collin new that Brade's dad was bad but he hadn't realized how bad. Brady had to yell at Collin to go, while for the first time in his life he fought back, he fought back for the one he loved. I have to say I'm proud of him. Standing up to his dad after all that time. He didn't just sit there and take it like all the other times. He fought even when he knew the perfect bubble he and Collin were in had burst and things will never be the same. He still fought back.

He never told us how bad he was beaten but me and Daniel new it was the worst seeing as he was in hospital for a few weeks. I mean we could still see the after effects when we first found him behind the library. Bruised lips and bandaged arms. It wasn't a shock to us and we didn't ask any questions. Which I think is why he bonded with us so fast because we all just had an understanding. He told us his story when he was comfortable and we listened. Collin and Brady had an emotional goodbye before he left promising to keep in contact all the time and that they would never forget each other. Collin kept his promise all of sophomore year but a few weeks into Junior he just stopped. It's been a good 2 months and still nothing. Brady has called, texted and emailed him a thousand times but no reply. He even mailed him a few letters. He sent him apologize unsure if he did something wrong. He is eating away at himself from the inside out. Every week it gets harder and harder for me and Daniel to pull him out of his spiralling depression. We are always caching him looking at his phone and how excited he gets when he feels it go of only to find it was someone else bringing him back down. If I ever meet this kid I will surely give him a piece of my mind. I don't even care how afraid I might be in the process I will and he will be in pain.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I was stuck in my own little world. Lunch just consisted of Daniel and Brady both wondering how I can still be a healthy weight with a healthy figure yet only eat like a mouse. A common topic at lunch time considering Brady eats like it's his last day and Daniel just loves his food. There are some strange things about me I'm not even sure about so I just ignored their bantering and tuned out.

I sighed. Its finally last period and I have music my favourite subject. I couldn't wait to play my guitar it was my outlet. It helped me forget the bad things and just live in the music. It was my main expression, my left hand. They guys said they always know when something is wrong just by the way I play and that I play like its attached to my body. I have music class with them both but in this class we all keep to ourselves. We tend to get stuck in our own little world. Danny plays guitar and bass, Brady plays guitar and drums and I play guitar and piano. Our assignment at the moment is to write and compose our own song but if you're finished your aloud to play around until due date. The boys and I headed to the music room in a comfortable silence the sound of the students around us filling the air.

We filled into the classroom with the other kids and took our respected seats at the back. After the teacher came in and did the role we got to start our practice session.

"It's your turn Daniel" I said with a grin making him groan.

"Aww come on it's not my turn I so did it last time" He wined

"No you didn't I did" Retorted Brady.

Daniel just huffed and dragged himself to the back room to grab our guitars; he came back with 3 and didn't hesitate on acting all dramatic like they were super heavy. I just laughed at him before taking my baby from his arms. We had a deal every lesson one of us would get the guitars because it was really annoying trying to get in and out with every other student doing the same. So we figured why should we all suffer. Most the time though one of them makes a excuse to why they are waiting right out the door to lend me a hand, usually saying they just couldn't wait cause I'm to slow but I know they mean well. I tuned out after a while, laying out all my emotions onto the fret. I let the notes sound through my body, the melody flow through my blood stream. The calm serenity bringing me to a somewhat peaceful state as my fingers made love to my guitar with crisp precision. In these moments I can let myself go.

The rest of the week went similarly going by in a blur of time and colour. It was like looking out a car window with the landscape rushing by not giving you time to focus ...that was until Friday.


A/N- yes I know, I know, who are the people in the photo when are they coming in, soon real soon in the next 2 chapters kinda soon. But yer I know these chapters have just been a lot of history and intro's but its needed I haven't even told Daniels story yet but for the sake of the story moving on faster I will add it in along the way. I wonder if any of you caught onto his last name =P. I tried to show some of their bonding in this chapter and I hope you like the characters so far. If not well...my bad lol tell me what you don't like I'll see what I can do yer. So tell me what you thought about this chapter am I going ok so far? Also again what music were you listening to whilst reading or what came to mind I'm curious. I personally had a lot of Damien Rice playing. Thanks to the people who gave me reviews I still get excited I don't think that will ever go away. Don't hold back your opinions and questions like I said they help me. =D

Anyway like? Dont like? Hit me up.

=3 Until next time 3 =P –Kaiottic-Rawr-