Noah nodded, then hesitated before holding up his arm. “She grabbed me so hard… it left marks.”
Ash’s eyes widened as he glanced down at the faint but visible bruises forming on Noah’s small arm. They were a dark purple at the center, fading out to an ugly black-green at the edges.
‘Ha, life’s really ironic. Noah has bruises, I’ve bruises. Looks like we’ve birthmarks.’
“She didn’t mean to hurt you,” Ash said, his voice softer now. He gently touched the bruised skin, careful not to press too hard. “Really.”
Noah stared at his arm, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. “But it hurts.”
Ash’s chest tightened. He looked at Noah, then back at the bruise, wishing he could somehow undo what had happened. But that wasn’t how things worked, was it? Life didn’t come with an undo button.
He reached out, placing both hands gently on Noah’s small shoulders. “I know what happened was-” He paused, his thoughts racing for the right word. ‘Horribly? Terrifically? Disastrously?’ “-Bad,” he settled on. “It was bad, and it shouldn’t have happened. But things are getting back to normal now. They are, I promise.”
Noah wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie. “But…I don’t understand. Why…did she want to take me with her?...My teacher says that people who want to take you somewhere are actually kidnapping you.”
Ash felt like he would bang his head on the ground.
‘Seriously?...Kidnapping? I mean, it’s fine if it’s gonna be for other people, but not family. Ugh, now it’s gonna be harder to explain.’
Ash sighed, sitting back on his heels. “Lily didn’t want to kidnap you, Noah. She…wanted to take you to uh…An event. Yeah, that’s right, an event.”
‘I feel so stupid right now.’
Noah tilted his head, sniffling, “An event? Like a party?”
Ash nodded.
“Then why did she grab me so hard? She could’ve told me to come and I would’ve.”
Ash deadpanned. ‘Right. Where did all that talk about kidnapping go?’
Ash said, “Maybe, she wanted it to be a surprise, you know?”
Noah’s teary eyes met Ash’s, searching for something- reassurance, maybe, or the strength he didn’t feel like he had. “Maybe.”
Noah’s lips twitched, almost like he was trying not to smile. But then his expression shifted again, and his grip on his backpack straps tightened. “Where did you go?”
Ash blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. “Huh?”
“When they all started shouting,” Noah said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I got so scared, big brother. You weren’t there.”
‘Ah, here it comes,’ Ash thought, bracing himself. ‘That’s it. You caught me. I’m done for.’
“I went to take a breather.”
Noah frowned slightly, tilting his head. “What’s a breather? Is that a snack?”
“It’s when you step out of the house,” Ash explained, waving a hand vaguely. “To empty your mind.”
Noah stared at him, then shook his head. “Never mind. It’s a stupid question anyway.”
‘Ah, right. That Dean kid did tell Noah that he asks stupid questions.’
“Hey,” Ash said, holding him from the shoulders. “That wasn’t a stupid question. Don’t think like that, okay?” he leaned in closer, “Besides, I even fully don’t know what a breather is. So does that make me stupid?”
Noah looked like he had been triggered somehow, and he burst out saying, “No! I…didn’t mean that. You’re not stupid! You’re so, so…” he trailed off, and then muttered, “Cool.”
Being surprised would be an understatement. Ash felt like his heart would burst with warmth and flusteration.
‘E-Eh? Where did that come from?’
Ash chuckled, and said, “You think so?” Then he said, as if he was sharing a secret, “You know what’s even cooler than me?”
Noah looked at him with wide-eyes, as if nothing cooler than Ash never existed, “Nuh-uh. What’s that?”
“You.”
Noah looked taken aback, and he turned away, his cheeks a bright red. “You think I'm cooler than you, big brother?”
“Absolutely!”
“You think so? I’m not an odd duck then?”
Ash sighed, “I know so. You aren’t an odd duck. You’re just different from others. Talented, and brave.” he whispered, “But different is nice.”
Noah shuffled his feet, and whispered. “Okay, then…I want a breather too.”
“How about you and I go take a breather together, yeah?”
‘Huh. Great chance to spend some time avoiding mom’s wrath.’
Noah tilted his head. “How?”
“Why don’t we go eat ice-cream?”
Noah grinned, but then, went back to his neutral expression. “Mommy will shout at us. She says ‘no junk on the way back’.” He mimicked his mother.
‘Oh, I didn’t forget about that.’
Ash leaned closer, “I’ll tell her it was a treat, okay? Besides, ice-cream isn’t junk.”
Noah nodded, and then, as if the question haunted him, asked, “But What if big sister comes back home and she’s still scary?”
‘Eh. I thought he forgot.’
“Don’t worry. She might be scary, but she loves you more than you know.”
Noah shrugged.
Ash knew her. He understood her in a way Noah couldn’t yet. He knew Lily’s bossiness came from a place of love.
He reached out, wiping a tear from Noah’s eyes with his thumb. “Tell you what, when Lily gets back, we’ll make her prove she cares, okay? We’ll corner her and make her bake us cookies or something. Sounds good?”
Noah finally looked up. “Okay. But not cookies, a big cake!”
Ash nodded and stood up, and checked his pocket, reassuring himself that he brought his phone, so if he gets late getting ice-cream, he’ll tell his mother not to worry.
“Big brother, are you sure mommy won’t be mad?”
“Mad? Pfft- she’ll understand. I’ll tell her I was bribing you to forgive me for all that shouting you had to hear, okay?”
“What’s bribing?”
“Um…It’s when you offer…something nice…to make others feel better.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Asher deadpanned so hard that even Lily had nothing on him. Gosh, Noah asked so many questions, but if he didn’t answer them and let him know that he’s not an odd duck, just curious, who would?
“Yeah. Sometimes, but in this case, it is really good.”
Ash looked down on Noah, who was walking silently, but he was smiling faintly, and was holding Ash's jacket from the corner, squeezing it from moment to moment.
Ash smiled down at him, bending a bit and holding his little hands in his. Noah grinned.
As they walked, Ash’s mind wandered to the road ahead.
Life wasn’t fair, and it sure as hell wasn’t a smooth ride. It’s like a walk. Sometimes you’re doing great, and then-
Bam.
Your vision blurs, or your heart starts to ache, and it feels like everything’s too much.
But, even if things get worse you gotta keep going. Maybe slower, maybe with help, but you don’t stop.
You never let go.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lucas groaned, pulling the covers up to his face when the continuous shaking didn’t stop.
“Wake up!” An annoyingly cheerful voice rose, the reason for which Lucas pulled the covers up. “You told me you’d wake up before I come back! And right now, it’s…” he trailed off, and Lucas suspected he’d be seeing the time, “Oh my gosh, it’s 3:15 PM! I’m starving!”
Lucas' eyes shot open at the mention of the time. That made Lucas sit up instantly, his hair a mess and his mind running. “3:15?” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He suddenly remembered: Blake. They were supposed to meet at 4:00 PM.
‘Dammit, I didn’t even know how much time passed. It always passes- Wait a second, did I skip school?!’
He winced, imagining how his perfect attendance will now go to trash. All this effort to keep his attendance 100%, and now it’s going to be all in vain.
His thoughts were cut off when a voice- Jamie’s voice, rang through, “You even skipped school! I told you to come back home early last night! C’mon, get your lazy butt out here! I’m starving, Lucas!”
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
“Then eat alone!” Lucas shot back, his irritation bubbling up.
Although, he knew that Jamie never ate alone. Even if he woke up mid-night, he'd wake Lucas up with him. Lucas wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t mind. But right now, Jamie was being a jerk, waking Lucas up was a good decision, but making him remember that he skipped school wasn’t. Jamie knew Lucas was hard-core dedicated to keep his attendance full, but this was the last chance for waking him up, or else, he’d go back hungry.
Lucas dragged himself out of the bed, heading to the dining lounge. Jamie was already there, sitting and waiting for him.
“There you are!” he sang, “Let’s eat it before it gets cold.”
Lucas’ eyes averted to the table, the food enough to feed them both, sizzling and warm.
He plopped down on the seat, groaning.
Jamie was a civil officer; that much was clear from the uniform he’d tossed onto the back of a chair, slightly wrinkled but still carrying an air of authority, his name carved into it. Jamie had that charm about him, the kind that made people stop and listen when he spoke, even if he wasn’t saying anything particularly useful.
Lucas had seen it in action more times than he could count. At the market, neighbors would call out his name, asking about this or that as if Jamie had all the answers. He always responded with that same grin, that made people feel like he was genuinely listening.
And he usually was. Jamie had a knack for caring about the smallest details in people’s lives. He always cared, sometimes a bit too much, but still cared.
But he was so human, as Lucas watched Jamie scarf down the rest of his lunch like he hadn’t eaten in days.
Lucas sighed. This was routine. Jamie would always come back at lunchtime, to eat with him. He’d stuff his mouth full and go back to work.
“Slow down, you’ll choke on your food.” Lucas said, while grabbing a fork.
“I can’t…Time’s runnin’-” he said, shoving another spoonful in his mouth, “Break’s gonna end soon.”
‘He should’ve eaten alone then. But…he still deserves it since he woke me up.’
Lucas was just about to do the same as Jamie was doing- shoving spoonfuls in his mouth, because he was right. Time was running.
When his phone buzzes, it’s screen brightening. He caught sight of the time.
3:25 PM.
And…a lot of notifications. Lucas squinted his eyes at the screen, looking at them. And for god’s sake, all of them were above fifty, all from Jason.
Lightening Lucas.
Why didn’t you come to school?! I deserve an apology.
You and Asher both ditched me and planned a holiday, didn’t you?!
Are you alive?
Hey, you’re not dead, are you?!
Lucas furrowed his brows.
‘Ash didn’t go to school either?...Well, I guess it’s only fair after what happened last night. But…Am I glad or what since I’m not the only one who didn’t go. His attendance is going to trash too. Heh.’
Lucas chuckled, while Jamie caught him smiling at his phone.
“Who are you talking to?” He asked, extremely suspicious.
‘Here he goes again.’
“Nobody.” He replied, keeping his eyes on the food. Jamie leaned back in his chair, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you preetttty surrrrrre?” he asked again, shoving food in his mouth.
Lucas’s lips twitched, and he ran a hand through his ruffled, dishevelled hair. “Don’t talk when you’re eating! It’s gross!”
Jamie looked taken aback, “Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry!”
“You’re still talking!”
“Sorry!”
“You’re sti-” he exhaled a deep breath, “Hey, Jamie? I wanted to ask something.”
Jamie hummed in response.
Lucas had been meaning to ask him since he came back last night, about what Ash told him. About taking revenge. He felt like there should’ve been another way to take revenge, but he couldn’t find any.
Revenge was why he was born. He needed to let that man know how it feels to not breathe properly. People said revenge was not necessary. But Lucas didn’t feel that. He always wanted to see him- Anthony Jack whimper in agony, and beg for mercy.
Lucas wanted to see that.
But Ash said otherwise.
.
.
I don’t know a damn thing about revenge. I don’t know if it would be a good or a bad thing.
.
.
Lucas felt so helpless in that moment. He wanted to know if there was any other way, or any other person who thinks that he should take revenge. That’s why he wanted to ask Jamie if he ever felt like avenging their family.
After all, Jamie had been suffering for too long. Unlike Lucas, he’d spent more than ten years with his parents. But when Lucas came along, everything changed. His mom died, his dad killed, everything changed.
But Jamie never talked about getting revenge, he always said to live on your terms.
But that was bugging Lucas. How could he just go to work and return, and talk like a normal person? There was no way he forgot that a man took everything from him, did he?
“Jamie, Don’t you ever feel angry?” Lucas asked, keeping his eyes on the food, but not eating it.
Jamie straightened up, “Huh? Why should I be angry at you?”
Lucas shaked his head in disagreement, “Not at me, but at…Anthony Jack.”
Jamie leaned back, sighing and running a hand through his hair, “Lucas, where is this coming from?” his tone shifted, “I clearly told you not to talk about that matter.”
Lucas looked up, his eyes boring into Jamie’s brown ones. He looked desperate- and a bit mad at how Jamie can behave when this matter is brought up. Whenever Lucas started to talk about this matter, Jamie would cut him off, ask him to leave that matter behind, and live his life like a normal high-schooler would.
But Lucas wasn’t normal. He can’t ever pretend to be a normal high-schooler when he wakes up every morning, and only to be deceived that his mother wasn’t alive, and he would never know what her food tasted like.
How her warmth was, how she talked.
Everyday, he walked to school, wondering if his dad would be alive, then would he be free enough to ride him to school.
Alas, he never knew. He would never know.
“Jamie.” Lucas' voice was a bit high, and Jamie was taken aback. “How can you pretend like nothing happened, and live your life like a damn officer, trying to make others happy!?”
Jamie opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“How can you behave like…” he trailed off, then gestured at his form. “Like this!?”
Jamie Jamie froze for a moment. He stayed silent, his brows furrowing slightly.
Lucas took that silence as permission to continue. “How can you just let it go?” he demanded, standing up. “How can you act like it doesn’t matter? Like it doesn’t hurt? How can you act like a goody two-shoes when it is that he gets to keep living his life while ours are…” His voice cracked, and he looked away, clenching his fists.
Jamie still said nothing, but his posture shifted. He leaned back slightly, his hands resting on the edge of the table.
“How can you just let it go, dammit!”
Lucas’s thoughts swirled, and he remembered the kids bullying him when he was younger, and he couldn’t breath, and after all these years, he had loathed Anthony Jack so much, blaming him for every little reason his life was going downhill.
Jamie’s gaze softened.
Lucas plopped down on his seat, shoulders slumping, and he looked away. His face expression contorted from madness to one of guilt- regret for shouting at his big brother.
“Sorry.” he muttered, keeping his face down.
Jamie leaned closer, his hands hovering over the table. “What’s wrong? You are acting…different today.”
Lucas didn’t respond.
Jamie pressed again, “Lucas, look at me.” Lucas did as he said, his eyes averting to meet Jamie’s. His eyes looked so soft, so warm, as if he didn’t mind anything Lucas said.
“Tell me,” he said, his voice not shaking in the least, “Tell me how you feel about him. What do you wanna do?”
Lucas bit his lower lip, and shifted in his seat.
He knew Jamie would never judge him, never ever would tell him that he’s wrong, he’s thinking crazy.
So, Lucas exhaled a long breath, and said.
“I…Hate him. I hate him so much.” he said, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. “I want to find him. I want to make him suffer.”
Jamie’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t interrupt.
“I want to drag him to the edge of the water,” Lucas continued, his voice trembling. “And hold him under. I want him to fight for air, to know what it feels like to need it, to beg for it. And then, when he’s gasping, when he can’t take it anymore…” He clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white. “…I’ll let him drown.”
Jamie nodded, and Lucas continued.
“I’ll let him die. And then…” He took another breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. “…I’ll throw his body into the water.”
Lucas exhaled a long breath, his chest heaving.
Jamie leaned back, but didn’t say anything. After a while, he spoke, his voice soft but firm. “Do you know Lucas, I can see nothing but pure rage in you. There’s a fire burning in your heart, and you want nothing but to do what you said.” he spoke, his voice low, “But I also know that there was one time when I had a fire in my heart too.”
Lucas looked at him, and it took a moment of surprise for him and then he asked, “So, do you feel like that too?”
Jamie chuckled, leaning back, “I did before. When dad died, I knew what I wanted. I knew I had to make that man, Anthony Jack, suffer. But then, mom died.”
Lucas looked surprised. “Did that change anything?”
“Of course, everything changed. She may have died, but she left me with a cute little gift. She left me with you.”
Jamie’s eyes softened as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Lucas with a warmth that was hard to ignore. “You were so small back then,” he said, his voice quieter now. “So vulnerable. When mom… when she passed, it wasn’t just grief I had to deal with. It was you. This little kid who didn’t even understand what was happening, who was looking up at me with those big, confused eyes.”
Lucas blinked, his throat tightening, but he said nothing.
“We moved, you know? To start over. I thought maybe a new place would make things easier. But the truth was, you didn’t care about the place, or the house, or the school. You cared about me. You depended on me.” Jamie smiled. “And somewhere along the way, that fire I had- the one that was red and burning so hot it felt like it would consume me- it changed.”
Lucas tilted his head, his brows furrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”
Jamie said. “If it was red before, angry and wild, then… I don’t know. Maybe now it’s blue.” He gestured vaguely. “Cooler, steadier, but somehow even stronger. It wasn’t about making Anthony Jack suffer anymore. It was about protecting you. Keeping you safe.”
Lucas swallowed hard. “But…you let him go? The man who is responsible for what happened to us. If he never would’ve killed dad, then mom would’ve never died, and we would’ve lived happily.”
Jamie chuckled. “You’re right. But now, you’re my priority. If someone- anyone, messes with you, I’ll take necessary actions. I’m keeping this fire burning in my heart, because I want to protect you.”
Lucas nodded, and then said, “I don’t think I’ll let him go. I’ll take revenge.”
Jamie sighed, and then reached out for Lucas’ arm hovering on the table, and grabbed it firmly- not hard, just tight, to make sure he knows he’s here.
“And I won’t let you be alone. Just promise me Lucas, whatever you do, you will take care of yourself.” He muttered, and then his voice shifted back to his cheerful one, “But I swear if you get hurt in the process, I’ll become a beast. I will rip that unlucky man apart.”
Lucas chuckled, and then looked at the food, “You didn’t finish your food.”
Jamie looked taken aback by the question. And then it hit him- he was getting late.
“Gosh! Time’s up, I gotta go!” He pushed back his chair and stood up, picking up his uniform, and then said, “You can eat my lunch too, just this once, okay?” He ruffled Lucas’s hair on the way past.
Lucas watched him go. And then his phone buzzed as he heard the door closing behind him.
3:57 PM.
Shoot! I’m late!
“Shoot!” Lucas exclaimed, practically jumping out of his seat. He bolted to his room and grabbed a simple, comfy shirt and his favorite pair of trousers. As he changed, his mind began to race faster than his hands.
Four o’clock.
He tugged the shirt over his head. Blake.
He grabbed his sneakers, practically shoving his feet into them without bothering to untie the laces. The hideout.
This wasn’t just any meeting. Today was different. Today was the day he planned to quit. To finally break free of Blake and his lackeys, to stop being their Boss. He wouldn’t have to do their part of the dirty work anymore. No more beatings.
He left his room, grabbing his phone on the way out. As he stepped outside, the evening air greeted him. The sun was low, its orange glow stretching over the streets.
He started jogging.
Once I tell him I’m done, my life will be easier, Lucas thought.
The words felt almost too good to believe. His chest tightened slightly.
He wasn’t naive. He knew Blake wouldn’t just let him walk away without some pushback. But he was prepared for that. Hell, he is their Boss for a reason.
His pace slowed as his thoughts deepened. He stared ahead at the road. The buildings loomed on either side. He hated this part of town- the way the streets always felt too quiet, like something or someone was waiting in the silence.
That’s when it hit him.
Someone’s following me.