Two Boys Healing (Book Two)

1. Escape

"GET OUT. GET OUT! I DON'T KNOW YOU!"

Ash's words thundered in Will's head. They wouldn't leave him alone, wouldn't stop bothering him, and Ash's terrified, pale face kept flashing into his mind, and he hated that he couldn't shield the smaller boy from everything--from the horrible truth that his mom was dead, that his dad had physically abused him and was now in prison--good riddance, Will thought coldly--and that he was now completely, terrifyingly alone in the world.

No, Will thought firmly. He has me. He'll always have me.

Even if he thinks he doesn't.

Will shivered, pulling his jacket tighter around himself and staring at the water. He was sitting on his rock again, and the tide had long since come in. The frigid, biting air was sinking into his bones, despite his jacket, and the wind was like a messenger, sent to remind him that Christmas was coming.

Ash was still in the hospital, and he would be until someone could take him, seeing as his dad was in prison and his mom was dead. He had no one to go home to, no one to give him Christmas presents or cuddle up with him next to the fire.

Will had tried to go back and visit him more than once. He'd tried, but Ash had panicked, and the doctors had suggested that maybe Will didn't come back next time.

A flash of anger shot through him, but Will stomped it down. Not his fault, he growled mentally. It's not his fault he doesn't remember me.

Will shivered and squeezed his eyes shut. It was Riley all over again, except this was worse somehow, because Ash was still alive, still breathing, but it was like he was dead, because there was no recognition in his eyes when he looked at Will.

He needed to escape. Escape this town, and these feelings, and the memories. He was going to college soon--he'd already applied to one down in California and was waiting for a response. The school he'd looked at had a good law program, and he'd decided he wanted to be a lawyer.

Heaving a huge sigh, he looked up, watching the water as it crashed against his rock.

"Will!" a familiar voice called, but Will didn't turn. "Will, come back! Your mom wants you up at the house before you get a cold out here!"

"Don't care," Will mumbled, knowing Tristan couldn't hear him. 

Tristan growled. "William Kade, I swear to god, if you don't get your ass back up to the house, I'm gonna swim out there to get you."

Will snorted, finally turning to look at Tristan. "When did you become my mom?"

Tristan sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have to get home soon," his friend groaned. "Could you please hurry up? I'm not leaving until you come back."

Will heaved a sigh. "Fine," he muttered, sliding off his rock into the shallow water, not caring when the frigid water seemed into his boots. Tristan's lips tightened, and pity shone in his blue eyes.

"Stop it," Will snapped. "I don't need your sympathy."

Tristan held up his hands, his brows shooting up. "I know, I know," he said. "It's just--you aren't eating enough, Will. I'm worried about you."

Will hunched his shoulders as he sloshed onto the beach, passing Tristan without another word. "Look," he said quietly, "I never asked you to come here. In fact, it'd be easier if you just left me alone. So could you please stop acting like my mom?"

Tristan pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "This is what being a friend is, Will. Deal with it."

Will snorted, but didn't say anything, shoving his hands into his pockets as he started towards his house. He knew Tristan was genuinely worried about him, but he wasn't sure why.

He was fine.

I'm fine.

Right?

He was getting out of this place soon enough, anyway. He'd somehow come up with college tuition, and then he'd move out and never come back.

"I need to get home," Tristan murmured to him when they stopped at Will's front door. Will didn't say anything, just watched the other boy with a blank expression on his face. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay, Will?"

Will only blinked in response, then turned and shoved his door open, closing it without saying goodbye.

~ ~ ~

The lights were too bright.

Ash had to squint, usually, because of the harsh white lights, so he tried to get outside as much as he could.

Everything smelled bad, like sickness and hand sanitizer and latex. 

His mind felt fuzzy. There were enormous gaps in his memory, but now he could recall small snippets of conversation that didn't fit anywhere else.

"You," a soft, beautiful voice said that Ash couldn't quite place but knew was important, "are beautiful. You are strong, stronger than most people I've ever known. And I'm gay, Ash, and I'm not afraid to show it, and I'm proud of it, but I sure as FUCK wanna be proud of it with you at my side."

Ash shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. He wanted so badly to know whose voice that was, to be able to go to them and feel whole and complete again, but...

Swallowing hard, Ash pressed his forehead against the gold glass of the window, exhaling slowly. The doctors had tried to talk to him about college, but he didn't know how he was expected to go when he couldn't remember anything beyond two years ago.

Will hadn't come to see him in weeks.

Ash didn't know why that bothered him. Will had been the one to ruin his life by telling him that his mother was dead, that she'd killed herself, and that his dad was in prison for something he couldn't possibly have done.

But he'd stopped trying to come visit him.

Ash heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

It didn't matter. He didn't know Will. He didn't want to.

But that also meant that he was so alone.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Book two, you guys!!!! I never thought I'd make it this far!!!

Thank everyone who read this along the way, and everyone who gave feedback. Means SO much to me.

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Q: The last movie you watched?

A: Fantastic Mr. Fox. That movie is absolutely amazing.