No Need to Sleep Living in a Dream (Boy × Boy) ✔

CHAPTER 14: Runaways

Evan Cooper

When the bell rang, Evan wasted too much precious time stuffing his pens and books back in his backpack, losing sight of Junior. Evan tried to look for him everywhere, but he had disappeared without a trace.

Just as Evan started to panic, having no idea what to do next but also knowing he couldn't just let Junior leave like that, someone grabbed his shoulder. The guy was panting like he had been running, when he hissed: "Evan, you idiot! Why don't you answer your phone?"

"What do you mean?" Evan asked, frowning while he picked up his muted phone. still glancing around to find Junior. He had 4 missed calls and 2 texts, all from the same number.

"Damien's got Junior." Chase huffed. His hand was shaking when he lifted it to his mouth, but a smear of something bloodlike on his collar stole Evan's attention. Chase continued, stammering: "I thought we were just going to play around a bit, to pay back for what he did to Ronald, but.."

"But what?" Evan accosted.

"Damien is out of his mind. It's bad, like really bad. You have to stop him." Chase told Evan.

"Where are they?" Evan demanded, panic creeping in his voice.

"Shower room." Chase said and then Evan was already running. He ran faster than he had ever ran before, yelling at people to get out of his way. He could hear Chase's footsteps echoing behind him.

Evan slammed the locker room door open and dashed to the doorway of the shower room. The sight brought forth a strange sound deep from his throat, something between rage and dread. He had to grip the door frame for support, and he gripped it so firmly his knuckles turned white.

Junior was sitting on the floor, his eyes were shut and he was hugging his knees in. He was stripped to his boxers, his skin littered with bruises in various stages of healing and faded scars. There was blood, smeared and dribbled all around, but no obvious injuries other than the one on his nose. He had clearly given a good fight, before giving up.

"What the hell is this?" Evan could barely able keep himself from shouting, when he turned to glare at Damien and his three friends. The anger he was feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt.

"I told you I was going to make him regret what he did to Ronald." Damien stated, shrugging.

"Maybe he hit your brother — but why do this? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Evan snarled and before he even noticed it, he had grabbed Damien's shirt and slammed his back against the wall.

"The freak got what he deserved." Damien muttered. He wasn't so tough now that Evan was glaring down at him and pressing him against the wall. When Evan punched him, the hit landed on his nose. At that rate everyone was going be leaving school with a bloody nose.

"Give me that." Evan hissed and wrenched the black case from Damien. "Now get the fuck out of here or I'll beat the hell out of each of you."

Damien's friends started backing up immediately, and after a while Damien, who was holding his nose, followed them. Chase promised to keep watch on the door and not let anyone in, leaving Evan alone in the room with Junior.

"Junior?" Evan stammered and got down on the floor in front of Junior. His face was a picture of calm, and he showed no sign of hearing what Evan had said to him.

"You should go or you'll be late from class." Junior whispered, wearily, his eyes still shut. "Just go, I'll be okay."

"I'm not leaving you like this." Evan decided firmly. He wanted to touch Junior, but he wasn't sure if Junior would have wanted that.