All his life, he's only been told one thing, "Just give up," whether it's from his mother at home or the Basketball team from his school, it was always that same three words. He grew up knowing that one day his life would change... He just didn't know how soon it would be. His name is Apollo Zhen, an average high schooler living in the Netherlands who would in a few days’ time save a world that was supposed to be kept hidden.

“Apollo time to get up!” His mother exclaimed waking the young seventeen-year-old up from his slumber.

  Apollo was quite the attractive teenager. Short black hair, breath taking grey eyes, and a smile that could even make the angels green with envy, but despite all that he was also kind, loyal, brave and ready to help however he can, one can only doubt that his life wasn’t perfect even though it was.

  His parents had gotten a divorce when he was only four all because his father chose to travel around the world because of his music carrier. After that day his mother had banned any music from their house and forbid Apollo from listening to music, but little did she know that Apollo had been sneaking off late into the night to practice his guitar at his grandfather’s house who his mother hadn’t let him see since he as well as Apollo was a music lover, though things weren’t better at school then it was at home. Since he had difficulty fitting in with the other teenagers from school. It’s not that he didn’t try making friends, though he supposed that the people from music club weren’t much interested of him as was the rest of his family.

  Sighing he got out of bed and got ready for the day. Putting on his dark grey hoodie over his blue shirt, he straightened out his black ripped jeans, and put his blue sneakers on before going downstairs where he was greeted by his mother Adaline and his stepfather Orion.

“Morning Dear.” Adaline said smiling before Apollo grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and picked up his phone from the charging station.

“Uh-huh.” Apollo said nodding as he took a bite of his apple, clearly uninterested.

“Do you have any plans today?” Orion asked.

  Apollo’s eyes widened, knowing that if he revealed that he had plans to go to the Music Club to practice his guitar, his mother would make visiting his grandfather or the music club rather difficult. He could still remember the last time she had caught him playing music, the long nights he stayed in his room with little food or water until his mother allowed him out again.

“No.” He said quietly seeing the threatening look his mother was giving him.

“Alright then Dear, best get to school now.” Adaline said giving a falsely sweet smile that gave Apollo goose bumps.

  Apollo nodded before grabbing his bag from the floor and running out, trying his best not to run to fast to cause suspicion from his parents. Looking down he started to reminisce how his mother used to treat him when he was younger, she was nicer that much was certain and whatever Apollo chose he could always depend on her to support him in every and any way that she could now however she only spoke kindly to him when in front of his stepfather or out in public no one but his grandfather knew what was happening when the two would be alone. His mother would beat him, blame him that his father wasn’t with them anymore despite knowing that the boy never did anything that would get his father to leave before throwing him across the room where he would lie unconscious for a few moments before getting up and cleaning his many wounds. Apollo took a deep breath before looking around and taking out his earphones and mp3 player before he continued walking to school with an enchanting smile clear on his face and a pep in his step.

A few moments later he arrived at his school, Everglade Academy.

  Taking his earphones out and putting it in his bag with his mp3 player, he speed walked to his locker before the Basketball team captain Castriel Taylor. Unlike Apollo, Castriel was the popular kid of the high school, having supposedly saved the principal’s daughter from a speeding car. The upper part of Castriel’s perfectly sculpted face as well as his red eyes was covered with his red hair.

  ‘Oh no.’ Apollo groaned mentally as Castriel grabbed his bag and threw it in the garbage can, “Again Castriel? Really?”

“What did you say to me?” Castriel asked menacingly.

“Nothing.” Apollo said quickly, finding great fascination in his worn-out shoes.

  “That’s what I thought, just give up already Zhen. You could never be stronger than me.” Castriel said turning back to join the rest of the school’s Basketball team.

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  Apollo glared at the red head before fishing his bag from the trashcan and silently thanking God that it wasn’t covered with disgusting garbage like the last thirty-eight times. Hearing the bell signal for first period he took a running start to his first class, Science.

“Morning Mr. Frank.” Apollo said entering the class and taking his usual seat at the back.

  “Ten minutes earlier than usual Apollo.” Mr. Frank observed, “Music Club plans cancelled?”

Apollo gave a weak smile at the fact that unlike the rest of the world his teachers actually treated him like a human being and not like some pest that would give them the plague at any moments.

“Mother again?” Mr. Frank asked sympathetically.

  Apollo nodded before grabbing his text book and turning it to page 865 before he started to read the different formulas for the day’s quiz. The rest of the day passed as it normally would in Everglade Academy with the cheerleaders and basketball team ending the day with one of their chaotic pranks that always seemed to get Apollo and a few other students in the Nurse’s office.

  Sighing, Apollo shouldered his bag and left the school running before jumping off the last of the school’s steps before making his way to his grandfather’s house. Smile back on his face. Apollo’s grandfather Benigno Zhen was just as talented in music as he was, his grandfather was the only person he could turn to after his father left and his mother’s attitude towards him changed, and the only person that Apollo felt safe with showing his true personality. He was the one who had taught Apollo everything he knew about playing the guitar though it isn’t so surprising since he had made Apollo’s guitar with his bare hands.

  Apollo’s guitar wasn’t any less precious to him than his grandfather. A simple Navy-blue acoustic guitar with the proverb, “Those who wish to sing will always find a song.” sewn on the strap.

He smiled, remembering all the hours he and his grandfather have spent playing songs under the Alder tree in his backyard and the number of times the two had written their own songs in his living room.

“Opa, I’m here!” Apollo called opening the door to his grandfather’s house.

“Ah, Kleinkind come, come!” Benigno greeted with his usual cheerful air and kind smile.

The two exchanged greetings and a fatherly hug that always made Apollo smile before they made their way to the back patio of the house with their guitars slung over their shoulders.

“So where did we last left off?” His grandfather asked as they sat down and positioned themselves.

“You were teaching me the pre-chorus to ‘Something Just Like This’.” Apollo said tuning his guitar.

Benigno smiled at his grandson’s sharp memory before showing him the chords and the finger movements before twelve minutes later Apollo was playing the entire song, smile clear on his face, with his eyes closed.

“Bravo.” Benigno praised as Apollo smiled at him.

“Thanks, Opa.” Apollo said before checking his phone to see that it was already seven o’clock.

“Same time tomorrow?”

“Can’t, Orion’s planning a ‘family’ outing tomorrow.” Apollo said carefully placing his beloved guitar on its stand.

“Apollo, one of these days you’re going to have to tell her.” Benigno said as his grandson shouldered his backpack while remembering that whenever his grandson’s stepfather would make plans for him, Adeline, and Apollo the boy’s mother would always come up with an excuse for Apollo not to go and just stay in his room.

  “And get locked up in my room for a year?” Apollo asked, sarcasm dripping on his every word before he opened the door, “But I’ll think about telling Orion though.”

Benigno gave his retreating grandson’s figure a sad smile before he turned to the leather bound buried under the endless music sheets on the desk of his office.

‘The time draws nearer.’ He thought before sighing sadly.

*

“I’m back!” Apollo shouted to his foster father who was in the kitchen, “Where’s Mother?”

“Meeting.” Orion said simply as he started cooking once again.

After saying that he was going to his room to finish his already answered homework he ran to his room, threw his bag onto the floor, and flopped onto the bed where he began to think of ways to tell Orion that he was secretly visiting his grandfather and learning how to play guitar.

  From the time he was called to dinner to the time he laid down on his bed to sleep, Apollo’s mind was going through scenario to scenario, trying to figure out which one would be the most effective way to break the news to his foster father that he had been breaking the two most important rules his mother have ever told him for almost thirteen years. The rest of the night gave Apollo nothing but a pounding headache the next morning. After replaying the events of the previous morning, Apollo once again sat at the back of his Science class with his text book wide open.

“Apollo is everything alright?” Mr. Frank said as he walked up to his student, a slightly worried look clear on his face.

  “Family problems.” Apollo said simply before going back to his book, “I’m planning to tell Orion about my – “