I found you

[14] Done

Ayan didn't leave after Akk had slammed the door in his face. He was frozen in shock and unable to move. Ayan tried to gather his thoughts, still not really comprehending what just happened.

The events eventually began to dawn on him, and panic overcame him. He felt like he was going to pass out. He leaned against Akk's door to avoid falling and slowly sat down. Ayan's whole body was aching and he was exhausted not only physically but also mentally.

Ayan didn't understand why Akk was treating him like this. For a moment he would be the most caring person Ayan had ever met. And the next moment he would act like all the other students and treat him like he wasn't worth anything.

Did Akk really meant what he had told him? Did he really hate Ayan? Then why did he help him so much? Was Akk just pretending the whole time? Did he ever care about him?

The tears just wouldn't stop as Ayan leaned his head against the door to calm himself down. He didn't care if someone saw him crying in the hallway. Ayan didn't care about anything anymore. He just wanted to give up. It was no use anyway. At least he wouldn't have to worry about another person if he died.

Ayan was about to pass out on the floor from exhaustion when he heard someone rush towards him and he looked up to see who it was. Standing in front of him was a man in his early 20s who turned out to be Akk's neighbor

"Hey, aren't you Akk's friend? Are you alright?" Even though this guy was a stranger, Ayan could see that he was worried about him. Ayan nodded, but his expression gave it away as he tried to wipe the tears from his face.

"You don't really seem to be alright. Do you want to talk about it? I'm Akk's neighbour. You can call me Gumpa." Akk's neighbour said calmly and offered his hand to Ayan to help him get up. "You probably don't know me but I was the one who took care of your injuries that day when Akk brought you here."

Ayan accepted his help and got up. He then went with Gumpa to his apartment. Ayan knew that he shouldn't trust strangers so easily but he felt the guy seemed really trustworthy.

And even if it turned out Ayan had misjudged him, Ayan didn't care. He just needed someone right now before he maybe would do something to himself. He didn't care who.

-

"So...um...Do you want to tell me what just happened? Also between you and Akk?" Gumpa began as he brought for him and Ayan a cup of tea. They both were sitting across from each other at the table in the kitchen. Noticing the younger boy's tension, Gumpa tried his best not to push him any further.

Ayan hesitated as he felt the panic slowly returning and and looked down in his cup. His hands began to tremble as he raised his glass. Ayan suddenly felt out of place, like he wasn't in his real body. Everything around him became distant and unreal. He was trapped in his own thoughts and couldn't escape.

"Ayan?" How did Akk's neighbour know his name? Everything felt so out of place. What was happening? Where was he? Ayan couldn't concentrate as his head started spinning. There were too many thoughts in his head and it was driving him crazy.

And then Ayan slowly turned his head to the side and looked into a mirror hanging on the wall next to them, trying to see his reflection. But he couldn't recognize himself. All he saw was a miserable looking boy staring at him back with reddened eyes. Ayan could see all the pain in the boy's eyes and somehow felt sorry for him. Ayan could only imagine what he had been through

His expression was beyond sad, as if he was still carrying the painful memories from years ago, unable to confide in anyone. The boy was alone. Alone in this cruel world that hurt him so much that he thought about ending it all for years. There was no point in continuing if he was getting hurt worse than before every time.

"Ayan?!" Ayan heard someone call out to him in the distance for the last time before he blacked out again.

-

Ayan suddenly woke up from a nightmare. He had dreamed of his uncle again and the familiar feelings of helplessness returned and were now haunting him again. Ayan was now panicking and shaking uncontrollably. He looked around to see where he was. He was lying with a blanket on a sofa in a small living room that looked familiar. But Ayan couldn't remember how he ended up here.

He tried to get up quickly and leave but stumbled on his way and fell. He tried to get up but his body was too weak. What the fuck was now wrong with him?

"Oh my god! What happened? Are you injured?" Gumpa suddenly appeared and tried to rush to Ayan but the other boy tried desperately to distance himself from him as if afraid of him. Gumpa was stunned but stayed at his place.

"Hey calm down! Everything's alright!" Ayan shook his head violently and stood up slowly while trying not loose his balance.

"I t-think I should g-go..." Ayan muttered panicked. "I-I should r-really go home now..."

"Wait! I won't stand in your way. You can leave if you want. But at least calm down before you go. This can end really badly. So just breathe in and out. Everything is going to be fine."

With Gumpa's help Ayan tried to do the breathing exercise and it worked. Ayan slowly felt himself becoming calmer and able to think more clearly.

"How long was I passed out?" Ayan dared to ask when he finally calmed down.

"Not long. Just 20 minutes. I just went out to get you some medicine." Gumpa explained reassuringly. Ayan nodded.

"Thanks...But I should really go home now..." Gumpa nodded understandingly. And he escorted Ayan to the door. When they got to the door he stopped Ayan.

"I'm really sorry about what happened with Akk." He began, gently placing his hand on Ayan's shoulder. "He's a good kid. He just has a lot going on right now and he feels that he's all by himself. So please just give him some time and he will back again." Gumpa smiled slightly.

Ayan could see that he and Akk were quite close and was relieved that Akk could confide in someone like Gumpa. So now Ayan was no longer needed and to be honest, Ayan didn't want to wait any longer. He was done with all of this.

"I'll think about it. I'm just...I'm done with all of his nonsense. I don't want anything to do with him. If there's still something going on between us, he should come to me. But for now I won't come to him anymore. I can't do this anymore. I'm-I'm tired..."

Gumpa nodded understandingly. He knew Akk could be like that. Pushing people close to him so they wouldn't get hurt. He had experience that to. And he was still watching over Akk. So it was possible for them to get back together.

-

Ayan didn't leave immediately after leaving Gumpa's apartment. He was now standing in front of Akk's door and didn't know what to do. Should he knock and clear things up?

Ayan quickly changed his mind. He was so exhausted. He was done with Akk. He was just there to pay everything back so that they were even now. So he took a thick envelope from his pocket, which he meant to give to Akk beforehand, and slid it under his l door so that Akk could see it when he would pass by.

And then Ayan left the building without even looking back once.