Cerulean Feathers

Chapter 13

Evan wandered the halls of the new school warily, hand on his backpack straps and eyes darting to all the unfamiliar faces.
Wings brushed against lockers and antlers chipped wall paint.
Voices warped and muddled together, until Evan finally managed to sidestep out of the large crowd.
Sighing, he took a deep breath before pulling out his schedule. He looked at the room number of his first class, then at the room numbers around him. Following the doors with his eyes, then back at his schedule, he realized his room was in the middle of the traffic jam.
He groaned before slowly making his way back.

When he finally got shoved toward the class by a backpack, Evan double checked the room numbers before heading through the door.
Inside was practically silent compared to the hall, with only one other student sitting at a desk.
However, he had the beginnings of wings.
Evan glanced at him curiously, and the student looked at him with a kind smile.
"Hey, what's your name?"
He asked, gesturing for Evan to sit beside him. Evan hesitated, then sat beside the Omega.
"Evan,"
He said simply, glancing around the classroom.
The only other people were a girl reading a book a few desks away and a Beta teacher sipping coffee and typing furiously.
"Nice to meet you Evan, I'm Brock."
"Nice to meet you too."
Evan said quietly, a hint of a smile on his face.
"So, what grade are you in? Sophomore?"
Brock asked, curiosity gracing his green eyes. The Omega absentmindedly brushes a few strands of his lengthy hair out of his eyes.
"Freshman,"
Evan corrected with a giggle.
"I just moved here actually."
Brock nodded in interest, then asked,
"Where from?"
Evan scoffed, then said,
"Canada."
Brock's eyes widened and he gave Evan a toothy grin.
"That's so cool! Get it?"
Brock began laughing at his own joke and Evan couldn't help but join him. They told a few more puns, (all too terrible to write), before calming down. Most of the class had filed in by then, most of them rolling their eyes at the actually horrific puns.
Finally, after laughing at one about how Canadians "snow" instead of cry, Evan asked,
"What grade are you in?"
Brock shrugged, but his lips pulled into a smirk.
"Senior. Moved here last year and still have to catch up on my credits."
Evan nodded, then said,
"Makes sense."
Brock chuckled, then pointed at his wings.
"Because of these? I swear it's normal to be a Male Omega."
Brock said it like he was joking, but a fire ignited in his eyes. Evan shook his head.
"Not what I meant. My best friend back home hit it early and was an Omega."
Brock seemed to relax, and let out a sigh.
"Sorry. Some people are really strict about that."
Evan shrugged, placing a hand on Brock's shoulder.
"It's fine. Maybe I'll be an Omega too, and we can prove how we are just as good as Alphas."
Brock chuckled, but didn't answer.

They grew inseparable. They ate lunch together, and any classes they had apart, Brock would somehow manage to be outside Evan's door to walk him to his next class.
When Evan asked him about it, he said he was an A+-student and teachers typically let him do what he wanted, as long as his work was turned in.
Evan gawked, and hoped he could become the same way.

The beginning of the year went amazing. Not too much homework, and they were able to hang out constantly. Brock helped him understand some concepts when the teachers didn't explain well enough.
The middle of the year was okay. More homework and tests, and Brock got so caught up with colleges he couldn't meet Evan as often during or outside of school.
The end was bad.

It started with Brock disappearing for a week without telling Evan. The freshman panicked, and when the Senior didn't respond he began to fear the worst.
That is, until the disheveled and bruised Brock stumbled into his first period class, late.
Evan asked to be excused and take him to the nurse, to which the teacher generously gave permission.
As the pair disappeared into the hallway, Evan followed stayed in step with Brock.
After a moment of tense silence, Evan asked,
"What happened? You've been gone for a week and-"
"Evan,"
Brock glanced at the freshman, quieting him before sighing.
"I'm running away."
"What?"
Evan gasped before he could stop himself, the older Omega's almost full wings twitching anxiously.
"My dad...did some not so good things to me. I'm leaving before he can hurt me more."
Evan frowned, their feet still leading them down the hall.
"Can...can you visit me?"
Brock paused a moment, his frown growing as he shook his head.
"It's too dangerous. My dad could find me,"
He waited a few steps then added,
"I'm sorry, Evan."
Evan felt his mind whirling.
Brock was his one friend.
He could barely handle a week without him, and now he was leaving forever?
"Take me with you."
Evan blurted, his eyes flicking back toward Brock with hope.
The Omega scoffed.
"No. That'd be selfish of me. Your family still cares about you."
Evan could feel tears burning the corners of his eyes.
"Please! You're my only friend!"
"You'll make more. It's just life."
"You can't go out on your own!"
"I have some friends."
"Who?"
Brock paused a long while before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Just go back to class, Ev. You'll forget about me soon enough."
"But!-"
Evan's argument was cut off as a man stumbled into the hall.
He had chipped bull horns, a scruffy beard, and stained clothes.
When he saw Brock, his lips revealed missing teeth in a menacing smile.
"Found ya."
He growled, taking large strides toward the two.
Brock had frozen at the sight of him, until he whispered,
"Run."
Without missing a beat, Evan grabbed Brock's sleeve and pulled him away from the man, the Omega not hesitating as he ran with Evan.
"Get back here!"
The man roared, his heavy steps thundering after them.
Brock suddenly yanked free of Evan's hand, taking a sharp turn to one of the doors that lead to the courtyard.
Evan swerved after him, the man nearly catching Evan's jacket in his hands. Evan unzipped his coat, ready to throw it off if the man grabbed it.
Brock had his wings open now, flapping slowly to give himself a boost of speed, but not hard enough to get lift.
Evan could see his destination now.
A beat up red truck was sitting awkwardly crooked in a nearby parking space, the Omega pulling something out of his pocket with a glint of silver.
"Don't you dare, young man!"
The man bellowed.
Evan thought he could feel his breath on his neck.
Brock threw the driver's door open, Evan flinging himself into the passenger seat as the truck roared to life.
The car locks clicked into place as the man slammed into Brock's window. He started yelling and pounding the glass, Brock flinching before pulling the car into reverse and stepping on the gas.
The mirror knocked the man down, and Brock slammed the truck into drive before flooring it out of the parking lot.

Both were panting hard.
As the truck sped through an empty red light, Brock heaved a long sigh.
"It's okay, we're safe."
Evan reassured, surprising himself with the confidence in his voice. Brock scoffed, then glanced at Evan.
The freshman saw the bags under the senior's eyes.
"I'll assume you're not going home?"
The question was simple, but Evan could read the hope in his friend's eyes.
"No. We do this together."
Evan stated, lifting his chin slightly.
Brock chuckled, but it felt heavy.
"Well,"
Brock said after a long silence. They were merging onto the highway.
"I guess this is official. Promise me one thing Evan,"
Evan glanced at Brock to see him reach into his pocket, trying to keep his eyes on the road and get the object out at the same time. Finally, he managed to pull it free.
"Here."
He handed Evan the small object, the sunlight catching it for a moment.
It was a keychain.
It was a gold-lined image of an owl, with brown feathers and bright, yellow eyes.
"I got it a long time ago,"
He said with a wistful smile, brushing his hand on the key chain the hung from the ignition.
It was similar to the owl in its golden-lining, except it was a moose with large branching antlers.
He moved his hands back to the steering wheel, then said,
"I want you to keep that with you as a sign that we'll always have each other's backs, no matter what."

Evan looked at the owl in his hand, then scoffed.
"Of course,"
He covered the owl with his fingers, the cold metal feeling nice against his warm hand.
Brock glanced at Evan, then smiled as he turned back to the windshield.
The car accelerated as he pressed down the gas.

—-

Evan stared at the gold-lined moose, the chain it was connected to broken. He trailed his fingers along his hip, feeling the familiar weight of the owl on his belt loop.
He brought it with him everywhere.
No matter what.
And now Brock left his here?

A growl crawled its way out of his throat as he picked up the moose, unclipping his owl so they were side-by-side. He closed his hand tightly around the keychains, stepping out of the closet and shutting the door.
A shout was heard as a game tugged at the guy's emotions.
Evan turned around the corner, trying to calculate how he would bring it up.
Blunt.
That was how anything like this should be.
He swallowed another growl as he walked toward the table where the Omega and others were seated.
Evan could feel a part of him begging that what he was thinking was wrong, but every logical part of him screamed Brock's name.
He glanced at the fake antlers in his other hand, the other piece of evidence.
It all made so much sense.
Too much.

With a sigh, he stared at his longest friend.
"Brock, why did you attack Jonathan?"