String Theory

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Carter stormed into the living room with purpose in his steps, planting himself in front of James and holding up his phone. On the screen was one of James' nudes, sent to another guy over Snapchat, with the responses being mildly sexual in return. "What the fuck is this?" Carter yells, jarring James from his thoughts and causing him to look up. James' face twists into mild annoyance. "Why do you have my phone?" Carter scrunches his face, his arm falling to his side. "Don't dodge the question." James gets up from his seat, stomping over to the smaller boy and moving to grab the phone physically. "Fuck off!" Carter yells, elbowing him. "Give me my shit back!" The other grunts, pushing past him, trying to grab his arm. After some wrestling, Carter angrily hollers. "Get the fuck --" He brings the phone down on James' head, cracking him over the head with it. The taller one leans over, hissing and holding his head. Carter's stunned, standing there frozen. "James, I--" Before he finishes his sentence, he's seeing stars, too shocked to process the slap that had raced across his face, stinging his cheek and making him lightheaded. His hearing is muffled, and he stands with the same shaken expression. "That's what you get for going through my damn belongings." James says, grabbing the phone from Carter's hand. 

Carter's hands were stuffed in his pocket, shoulders raised protectively as he crouched in the corner in front of the blonde, who was listening intently to his story. "The way he hit me that time. It struck differently. It felt.. wrong. It felt out of place.. I don't.." The blonde perks up at the break in his words. "It's okay. Keep going." He says, placing a hand on Carter's tense shoulder.

 "Who the hell do you think you are? - What gives you the right? Hey. Idiot! Are you even listening? Pfh, as usual, dumb as fuc-- chk" The verbal onslaught is stopped in its tracks by two hands clasped around his throat. Not tightly, but enough to cause a little discomfort, and invoke more anger out of the bigger male. "The fuck? Get off me!" Like the rest of his words, that too was muffled, barely audible through the rage bubbling inside Carter's head. "You got ears? I said get off! What're you--" Carter's hands clench harder around James' neck. He chokes out some words, barely. "Car.. ter, what're you do.. ing.." 

Carter breaks down, pulling his knees closer to his chest. "I'm sorry, I- I can't." The blonde comes forward, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy. "It's alright, Carter.. It's alright.."

...I have a lot of work to do...

[TO BE CONTINUED?]