Notebook

Thirteen

When Aiden woke the following day, he wasn't surprised to see Nathan lying in the same position he'd fallen asleep.

All night, the only movement was tilting his head to rest his cheek against Aiden's forehead. Throughout the evening and night, the older boy didn't move at all. His left arm lay still by his side, Aiden's hand sitting on his elbow as he pressed up against Nathan's side.

It had taken all night, but the white-haired boy looked somewhat peaceful. He no longer looked sickly, and his cheeks had the tiniest hint of pink.

Looking the boy up and down, Aiden smiled. Waking up next to him felt good and not in an afternoon nap kind of way.

Even though the only reason Nathan was lying in his bed was that he was suffering, seeing him lying there with an innocent look on his face was powerful.

Aiden reached up to the mussy white hair and flicked a few strands away from the boy's eyes, careful not to disturb his sleep. Touching the wayward strands made Aiden want to run his fingers through the silky locks, but he thought against it. Manhandling Nathan while he was practically unconscious was a weird thing to do.

Scanning the room, Aiden quietly blanched. It was exactly how he left it -an absolute mess.

He would have to deal with it before Nathan woke. The clothes on the floor and study papers piling up would repulse him.

But it could wait another fifteen minutes. The pink-haired boy wanted to lie beside the warm body forever, drinking in the heat and soft breathing for as long as possible.

So that was what Aiden did.

He laid his head back on Nathan's shoulder and wrapped his arm around his waist, marvelling at how he'd ended up this way.

Moving away from their home city was a massive decision on his parent's part. They uprooted their entire lives to protect Aiden from the hate and the torture that plagued his life every day.

Going to a new school was frightening.

But Aiden had been blessed. When he arrived, Evan was thrilled to see his older cousin and embraced him with open arms. He introduced him to his friends without hesitation, and somehow, Aiden became part of their fold. He never expected them to become a crucial part of his life.

His lack of friends back home seemed like a distant memory now that he had a group of six boys to keep him company every day.

Despite not attending the school anymore, Jago's presence was felt by Aiden every day. He was part of every conversation, whether through text or catching up at the end of the day.

Despite being older than Aiden, Jago never acted his age. He was a fool, only getting himself together at work or when the boys needed something.

Aiden couldn't help but feel close to his older friend; despite his craziness, he had a fiercely protective streak.

As did Matt, who became a guide and counsellor for the younger boy, showed him around the school and helped him get used to the friendship dynamics. He was incredibly kind and understanding.

Reid was how Aiden remembered from his childhood visits. Whenever he visited Evan and his family, Reid was always around. The three boys played video games together, watched movies and shared a room during every holiday. Reid was a hugger, and every time Aiden walked into the room, he was dragged into the biggest bear hug, which had not changed.

However, he preferred his arms around Evan more than anyone else these days.

Jasper was a unique character. When the two met, Aiden knew they would be good friends. The boy's vibrant smile and happy-go-lucky attitude were so energising that Aiden couldn't wait to see him every morning. He had only kind words for everyone, and his infectious laugh made Aiden smile until his face hurt. Or his stomach. Most often, it was both.