His Saint, His Jewel ✔️

Bonus 5: At Harvard

AT HARVARD, FIRST YEAR

Michael and Antonio had survived. That's what they would tell you. But they didn't just survive, they thrived. Despite everything that they faced, in their hometown to their departure, it seems that their relationship only got stronger.

The bond the both boys, now men, shared with one another could not be put on a label. They simply existed as if they were made for one another.

Both of them now attend the prestigious school they had gotten accepted into a long ago. Luckily, because of Michael's family's influence, a few strings were able to be pulled and they were accepted into Harvard University again with no problems.

So now, they live in an apartment, just outside the main campus. They had already been living together for over a year before coming to Massachusetts. It was easy to fall back into their old ways.

Antonio had his classes in the early morning. Michael had his in the middle of the day. The two would then go to the library and study, before going to the store to get food and then going home.

Most people saw them as just close friends. Two friends who just happened to come to the same town. No one questioned them about their friendship.

On a cold fall day, Michael had come to the apartment after his classes were canceled. He would have met up with Antonio, but he wasn't able to find him anywhere on campus. So he just figured that his lover had come back.

"Ant!" Michael announced his entrance. On the floor, Michael saw his lover's bag dropped on the floor. He saw this as odd, since the bag belonged to his dead father and Ant would never just discard something so important to him.

"Ant!" Michael once again yelled, this time more urgent. He walked through the home and saw the bathroom door was closed. As he got closer, he knocked on it and tried to open it. It was locked.

Michael knocked a bit more until he heard something moving on the other side. When the door finally opened, Antonio came out with his eyes red. It was clear he was crying.

"Ant! What happened? Did someone hurt you?" Michael went into action mode. He picked up his lover and took him to the couch, where he sat him and grabbed a tissue to wipe his tears.

"I-" Ant stuttered. He was in distress. He could do nothing but just sob as he held onto his angel who came to save him.

"Take your time, baby. I'm here. I'll always be here for you." Mike hugged Ant and let him cry on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of crying, Ant pulled away and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. "I'm sorry. You must've been worried." He managed to say with a rough throat.

"You're my entire world, of course I'm going to be worried if anything happens to you." Mike replied. "Want to tell me what happened?"

Ant nodded. "I was at the canteen today because I wanted to get us some lunch. But as I was waiting in line, some guys next to me began to taunt me. They made jokes about me and how I looked."

Mike held his hand, rubbing his fingers over Ant's beautiful hands.

"They kept bothering me and one of them even threw their food on the floor and told me to clean it up because 'That's all you spics can do.'" Ant broke into more sobs. He only had Mike to hold onto.

"I'm sorry, my love." Mike patted the crying man's back. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you." He could feel a few tears wanting to escape his eyes.

"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Ant replied. The two pulled away and just looked at one with small smiles.

This wasn't the first time that someone had harassed Antonio on campus, or even in their city. Not many people here are used to seeing a brown man hanging out with a white man. Some even asked Mike if he was being held against his will.