Chapter 4: at the fork, the whispers call call, on step rises on step falls
It started like every other week, the tension in the house was still high and he tried to be as much out of the house as possible. He was in his third period, english to be exactly when it happend, a boy sitting behind him began throwing paper balls at him, at first Isaac thought about saying something but he knows that that would only encourage him to do it more, so he pretended, like always, that everything was fine. After a few minutes it stopped but at the corner of his eye he could see the boy leaning in his direction and that he heard it "hey you faggot, i we know your little secret and if you don't want it everybody to know meet me after the class behind the gym." Isaac shoulders tensed and his heart began to beat faster. He watched as the boy leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smirk.
He really began questioning his life here, after a few deep breaths his heart began to beat like normal again and he could think clearly. Obviously they know that e is bi, but where did they hear hit, in that moment he thinks back to his conversation with buck where he blurted out that he is 'gay' and that pretty loudly and with his luck someone who knows him didn't sit far away and heard the whole thing. He just wanted to groan. His school wasn't the friendliest to people who where different so, the two options where not meeting him and getting called stuff the whole year by everybody or going and hopefully only getting teased by him and his friends. Laying his head in his hand and massaging his temples he decided to just go to meet them and see what happens.
And if someone would ask him later where everything went wrong in his life, because of one decision he would name this exact moment.
When the bell rang he packed all his stuff and made his way to the gym, and like he expected there where also the guys friends, so now a group of four losers where waiting for him.
" so what do you want" Isaac ask passiv aggressiv really done with all of it. The boy from his class answers " you know we still have to get our revenge for what you did to David, faggot" Isaac really had to think about where he heard that name before but he thinks that could be one of the names that tried to beat him up but failed and got there asses kicked instead. " ok, so what you guys want to fight or what" he ask and goon number two a boy from the school's football team named hunter say's " you know when i was at Macdonalds the other day i heard something intriguing, thasomeone is gay and you know that is a sin, sou you definitely need to be teached a lesson" isaac doesn't know what else to do but sigh, so his guess was correct but before he could thinks more about it a shadow appeared behind him just as the guy wanted to push him on the ground he turned and boxed him in the face, he could hear something crunch and blood drop from his nose, Unfortunately he turned his back to the other guys who grabed both of his arms and held him while the boy from his class peter brought his fist in isaacs stomach a graon escaped his mouth from the impact. The boy he boxed got bis beringes again and muttered angrily "you filthy bastard you broke my nose" before he hit isaac square in the face causing him to loose for a few seconds the orientation. Pain spread over his body but he finally decided to to fight back and kicked with his right leg hunter right in his crotch. Causing him to let his arm go so he could turn to the other guy who he didn't know and punch him in the face. Before he could do anything like leaving, a hard shove caused him to fall on the ground and people began to kick him. Isaac just put his arms over his head trying to protect it. Pain spread all over his body and he didn't know how long it lasted but after some time they finally left.
Still laying on the ground he didn't move, everything hurt and he didn't want to go home, as he opened his eyes and looked around he could see that his whole backpack had some writing on it like faggot, dick sucker, whore and other words. Suddenly his blood run cold, he really couldn't go back to his house like this or otherwise his parents would know, panic began to settle in his body until he heard a siren in the distance driving around the streets.
Buck he could go to Buck.
A goal in mind he slowly begun the agony process of standing up. With a groan he finally pushed himself in a standing position, he pulled the backpack on his back and began sneaking from the school grounds to where his bike stood. Every step hurt but he somehow managed to to do it. Looking at his bike he stood there at least a minute wondering if the pain from riding it was worth it but deciding that he didn't had another option and so he begann to drive to his brother
On the way he got some strange looks but he ignored it just like he ignored the pain after at least an hour pf riding his bike he could see his brothers work place. He would really have preferred if buck was just home but sadly he knows he has a shift so this is his only option. A side street away he parks his bike and puts a lock around it before he slowly walks to the fire station suddenly getting nervous if this was even the right choice.
Feeling like a he couldn't breath he walks in, the first thing he sees are the big fire trucks, which are pretty cool and it means that they aren't on an emergency which is good for him kind of. Seeing a staircase he slowly made his way up and not only because every step hurt. He had to swallow before he made the final steps, when he finally looked up and didn't watch the ground he could see that a bunch of guys and a woman where sitting at a table seemingly eating lunch, great just great why did he have to cone right know, is it to late to turn around? But just as he was really thinking about leaving a person spotted him, an older guy who was sitting at the head of the table and could look directly at him "hey can we help you with anything?" The guy asked, which prompted the other at the table to look also at him. Isaac throut closed up and he couldn't speak, his mouth opened a few times but nothing came out but he didn't need to, the second buck saw him, his brother stood up and walked over to him first with a smile that quickly transformed in a look of worry. " woha isaac, what happend? " Buck questioned and gently takes isaacs face in his hand looking at the swelling of one of his eyes.
Unable to answer buck he just put his head against his brothers chest not caring that people where watching. After a few second he got his emotions under control again and took a step back from his brother "some people at school found out.. you know..and yeah" isaac said rubbing his neck with his hand which caused him to wince. Isaac could see bucks eyes widen before be began to guide Isaac to one of the couches that where in the place. Isaac let buck leet him there and gently be pushed on it.
When he finally sat he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, the pain at least a bit easing up.
" hey isaac, i really need to look at your wounds" buck says and kneels in front of him. His eyes look kind of sad isaac thinks and nods, even though its one of the last things he wants to do. "Ok " he answers and pulls his hoodie up where he now could see some speck of blood dropped from the guy he punshed in the face. When he held his hoodie up a look of panic settled on his brothers face and he tenderly reached with his hand out to touch him, but before buck could do it he flinched back which caused him to let a small cry out.
"Hey easy there, im not going to hurt you" his brother promised and when he tried again buck said " im going to touch your ribs now okay" when buck got a nod from him he touched his side and isaac winced.
After some time buck lets out a sigh of relief, "it doesn't seems like anything his broken, but those are some bad bruises" buck comments and then turns around and yells to the table where the others are still eating and definitely trying to to pretend as if they weren't eavesdropping " can someone bring me some cold packs? And a first aid kid?" Isaac just watched to tired emotionally and physically to do anything else. The guy that saw him first walked over to them and it brought isaac on edge again but still a few feet away the man stoped walking. "Hello, my name is bobby Nash and im the captain " the guy bobby introduced himself. Before isaac could even open his mouth buck began to talk " thats isaac my little brother " and thats the only explanation the captain needed by the looks of it " is everything alright ? " bobby ask looking from his swollen eye to buck, giving him the first aid kid with some cooling packs. "Yeah im good, just had a difference with somebody..." Isaac finally decides to answer for himself. He watches as the captain nods and he can see the moment the man catches sight of his backpack, which buck didn't notice worrying over him, Bobby's whole face went from confusion to anger in a few seconds and isaac doesn't know how to feel about it or if he even is save here anymore but a voice brings him out of his downwards spiral of thoughts. " Isaac, is it ok if I borrow your backpack?" The voice said in a gentle tone and only then looks he up to the captain who asked, isaac just nods and with that the captain grabs his bag and leaves but not without saying "if you two need anything i mean anything where here to help" and looks meaningful to buck who is putting a cooling pack in a towel. "Here put this on your eye" buck says and gives Isaac the pack who does as told.
"Hey could you pull you hoodie of so i can bind your ribs just for safety measure?" Buck ask softly and Isaac answers "ok but only f i can have one of your hoodies." Buck chuckles " okay okay you get one, i write Eddie to bring us one from my locker, deal?" Isaac nods and lays the ice pack on the couch before slowly pulling his hoodie off, trying to not to hurt himself even more. "They really did a number on you " buck mutters and pulls open a bandage "okay i will now bind this around your torso so i need to touch you is that ok?" "Yes it is okay you idiot" isaac answers annoyed even though he isn't. Its kind of nice that someone cares so much if you are comfortable with something . Still slowly buck starts to move and Isaac realised that buck was doing it, so she could still move away if he wanted. "So i guess mum and dad don't know that you are here" buck said and still wraps the bandage around him. Isaac looks to the side, shakes his and scoffs "no.. i don't know what ...i mean you know they don't like when i get into fights." And he really is scared when they realise he did it again and this time he cant even tell them a reason because they cant know.
Buck nods "but you know that they have to know?" Buck says and kind of sounds pained like he didn't want it himself. Finally finished with the wrapping buck sits back on a coffee table in front of Isaac. "Yeah i know..." isaac says and he sighs "the school will probably do that, i got on of the other kids pretty good" when isaac looks at buck he can see him pulling up his eyebrows "there was more then one person?" Buck said and sounds angry. "Yeah there where four..." Isaac could watch as his brother got angrier and the way his chaw clenched.
In this moment Eddie came and looked at him "whoa,what happend to you" before looking at buck and the concern on Eddies face grew. Isaac watched from the sidelines and sees the moment bucks face softened when he looks at Eddie, not that he would say anything but if the way buck talked and looked at Eddie has to mean something. "Ah here your hoodie" Eddie says and holds it out to Buck . " thanks but it's actually for him" Eddie nods and gives it to Isaac, who takes it and putts it on he kind of drowns in it. But its comfy and he already plans to steel it. Looking up from under the hood he catches Eddie some kind of nod before leaving. "Uh... do you guys have anything to eat, maybe..if not is that no problem " Isaac says mainly to change the topic to something safer. Buck clears his throat " uhh.. yeah sure, bobby made lasagna for lunch so if you want i can introduce you to them?" Isaac debates on it on one hand he would get food but he still has to meet people's ultimates he decides that he can trist buck and he knows how much he likes these guys here and he heard from maddie how buck got practically got adopted by the captain. "Okay yeah sure " isaac says and stands up and grabbing cold pack that still laid next to him, the buck follows and puts an arm round his shoulder leading him to the table where the rest of buck team sits.
Suddenly feeling nervous he plays with the hem of the hoodie. "Hey isaac, stealing bucks hoodies?" Chimney says and Isaac can kind of breath again. "Uhh yeah sure" he says and shrugs. "Guys this is my brother Isaac, he is kind of annoying but be nice to him" buck says and squeezes his shoulder. "Hi.." he quietly whispers not able to lock them in the eyes. "You hungry isaac ?" The guy who introduced himself as bobby says and Isaac is pretty sure its the guy maddie was talking about. " uhh yeah.." the captain stands up and pulls out a free chair and buck pushes him to sit down. Another woman he doesn't know gives him a plate full of lasagne "my name is Henrietta Wilson but everyone calls Hen, its nice to finally meet you" Isaac takes the plate and thanks her. "So how is school ? Still problems with math?" Chimney says. Isaac chuckles "yeah kind of" "you sure your related to this human calculater?" Hen chimes in and The rest of the table smiles. "That only happened because of the lightning strike. " someone says but isaac isn't really sure who because he flinches, the topic still sore for him. " hey sorry, must have been hard for you nearly loosing your brother" hen apology's and yeah sure if he would have known, it probably would have been hard but when he thinks about it, its not the thing he remembers, he remembers the conversation with mother. " its fine" he smiles and points to the lasagne " its really good" he changes the topic. "Yeah bobby is a really good cook "buck agrees where he is sitting next to him. After that the conversation just flows and isaac slowly relaxes even beginning to enjoy the meal.
And then his phone rings.