"Alright, everybody! Cuddle up next to each other, or otherwise we won't all fit in the picture!" A voice comes from behind a camera before the lady rushes out to stand next to the children.

All of the children stand in front of the orphanage as they all pose and smile for the camera.

Axel, is at the very left of the frame, still unsure if he fits in with the rest. But before any of his doubts can take shape, George jumps in between Axel and Tom, pulling them in with a hug and a giant smile. Axel's surprised expression and the "rabbit ears'' Tom hid behind his head gave him a goofy contrast to everyone else's genuine smiles.

Everybody begins laughing except for Axel. And yet, upon seeing them laugh so much, a small smile began to form across his face.

Though the night fell fast upon the child as he lay awake staring deep into the void of his darkened room. He didn't know what to think. How could something, someone give him such joy so easily?

What did he do to deserve to be rewarded?

The questions bothered him, but who was he to answer them? However, the further his mind began to wander, so did sleep begin to consume him. He dreamt of nothing that night, not even knowing he fell asleep until he awoke.

- The next week -

*sniffs* *sniffs*

Axel's eyes hold shut as he holds out some leftovers as an offering.

He'd been dragged out by his two friends to sneak past the adults despite him protesting not to go. Once they finally got him outside, they introduced the stray puppy. However, when she saw the unfamiliar face, she barked and growled which made Axel tense and flinch to each one.

Though as soon as she begins nibbling on the food, and wags her tail, Tom grabs Axel's other hand and places it on the puppy's head. He resists at first, but upon opening his eyes and petting the puppy, he slowly opens up and keeps feeding the puppy with a happy smile.

- Later that night -

Axel's body lurches forward to the sound of creaking floorboards. Tom and George stand before him wearing concern on their faces as they climb on his bed. Before he can even utter a response, the two gently hug him.

"You okay?" Tom asks as he pulls away to see Axel's face.

Axel freezes on the spot, he couldn't possibly know how to answer. He looks down at his own body, he is covered in a light film of sweat. His dream is still playing in the back of his mind, yet so distant he could hardly recognize it.

He shakes his head.

George squishes the two into another tighter. "We're always here..."

- The next month -

"Alright then class, this is Axel, the new transfer student, please treat him nicely," the teacher gestures to him, encouraging him to introduce himself.

He reluctantly steps up, glancing down at the floor, his whole body shakes uncontrollably upon having these many eyes on him.

"H-Hi . . . N-Nice to m-meet . . . y-you." As soon as the words leave Axel's mouth both Tom and George rush to his side and pull him into a hug!

"This is Axel everyone! He's extremely cool!" George shouts over Axel's thumping heart.

Tom nods in agreement. "Yup, he's even beaten me at chess. And you all know I'm the king when it comes to chess."

The entire class looks at him both surprised and intrigued. Everybody knows George and Tom, and to see them give someone so much praise, curiosity fills their minds. Their gazes grow stronger as Axel shivers upon noticing them.

With the bell signaling the end of lunch, the kids rush back to class. Their teacher greets them with a collection of art supplies. And as the final student enters, she averts the attention of the children to the front board.

'Family Day' is written across with an elegant grace to it. "So for today, class, we will be starting off the school year by drawing our families!"

Although she gestures with glee, a cold sweat begins to overtake Axel. His skin goes pale as the rest of the class begins to cheer as they gather their utensils. He claws at his neck as his breaths begin to quiver. Then his nerves ripple as his eyes become possessed by the past.

The thump of his heart matches the approaching footsteps. His breath grew cold as his world went dark. A pair of hands reach out from the void, forcibly wrapping long scraggly fingers around his throat. His jugular shuts tight, choking out his scream as his petrified eyes lay upon the hellish grin laughing out at him.

Disfigured voices scream in his ears! And desperately he tries to cover his ears, but to no avail as they only grow louder in response!

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! stop it... YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN!! no... YOU'RE A DEVIL CHILD! YOU DESERVE TO BE BURNED! but... IF ONLY YOU HADN'T BEEN BORN!! WE COULD'VE LIVE A BETTER LIFE!! SO I'MA FIX WHAT I STARTED!! DIE-DIE-DIE-DIE-DIE-DIE!!" The hands crush his esophagus as Axel's mind spirals into his own abyss. Then a somber cry echoes from within him, "but why dad...?"

The other children watch as the teacher tries to wake the boy from his delusions. Though no matter what she did, he only responds in pained grunts and silent screams.

"Get a nurse!" As soon as the order lands, Tom and George launch from their seats. With no time to lose they fly through the hallways to retrieve a nurse.

After a prolonged moment, Axel is able to come back to reality. Yet, he remains within the nurse's office until a caretaker from the orphanage receives him.

- Axel turns six years old -

Everybody at the orphanage pitches in to buy Axel a cake. Although it isn't really a party, everyone enjoys it nevertheless. They all sing songs at night, play mini-games, tell stories, and lastly sing the happy birthday song to Axel.

Once he blows the candles out, everybody encourages him to bite down on the cake. As soon as he does, Tom swoops in and gently pushes Axel, leaving his nose covered in frosting. The room erupts with laughter as Axel smiles and grabs a good handful of icing, before chasing Tom and covering his face in it. Once again the room erupts in laughter.

Though after all of the commotion, Axel looks to the moon. Even though he has seen it countless times, yet today, the moon feels different. No longer will he gaze upon it with sorrow in those lonesome nights, for he has found a place he can call home.

- Seven years old -

The boys are caught sneaking at night. The adults scold them for sneaking out and secretly feeding a stray dog. However, just as they fear the worst, the adults take in the dog and give it a shower. Since that day, the dog has no longer been a stray, for she belongs to the family.

- Eight years old -

The bucket of paint sloshes as the kids plop whatever they can into it and slap the walls. The three of them laugh as they create silly shapes in paint. Their dog barks and wags her tail, encouraging them as she stands far enough away to not be in the splash radius. Her collar jiggles brandishing a silver tag with the name, Daisy, lying across it.

Tom accidentally puts his hand on the paint in their room which leaves a hand-print. He apologizes, but the other two just laugh it off and put their handprints as well.

- Nine years old -

Their shoes clack softly upon the worn asphalt. They stop only for a moment as Tom drops what spare change he'd mustered up into a rugged man's small can. Before the man could even notice, they pressed on. Confusion struck Axel, as for them, money was the hardest to come by.

"It never hurts to help somebody in need. Just a small act of kindness can go a long way to helping the lives of others," Tom speaks over his shoulder to Axel as he notices his expression.

- Two months later -

Rays of light creep through the foliage and splash across the streets both Axel and George decide to roam. Neither of them spoke, only the sounds carried on the evening breeze went between them. However, they weren't alone on this walk as Daisy strolls alongside them with little care for where they were heading. She was happy just to tag along.

Though she wasn't the small pup she used to be, her youthfulness is still shown through her actions. Barking and chasing any small critter that crosses her line of sight. She would constantly create a mess around the orphanage, but she would always get off the hook because of the puppy eyes she would make. She would also get angry with them if they forget to take her out for a walk.

Yet, through all of that, no one found her annoying and only thought of it as a part of her personality. She always livens the mood wherever she decides to appear.

As the three of them round a corner, George suddenly slams into someone. Yet, before he can smack the floor, Axel catches him and pulls him back to his feet.

"Thanks for the save bro," George breathes out before they notice the girl rubbing her head while sitting in front of them. Without another thought, George reaches out his hand to her.

"My apologies, let me help you up." George gives a grin before he catches the shock in the girl's face staring back at him. Even though Axel didn't personally believe in true love at first sight, he's left second-guessing himself as George's cheeks immediately flush red. His hand quakes as his mouth is left agape. Axel quickly masks his chuckle as he notices George becoming magnetized by her beauty.

With an embarrassed smile, she looks up to George, and her eyes widened as soon as they land on him. Her face turns red as she timidly takes George's hand which makes him quiver upon her touch.

Axel lets out a cheesy smile as he lays his back upon the wall with Daisy next to him. A tug in his chest forced a deep sigh to pass his lips. He plays with Daisy as the other two stare at each other awkwardly and start up small talk.

Despite being cringy and funny, Axel finds it quite cute to witness innocent love. By the time they go their separate ways, George leaves staring at the orange sky, smiling dumbly and love-stricken. Honestly, it's as if he has been stricken by a cupid's love arrow. Starting that day, George volunteers to take out Daisy for a walk and never misses a day.

- Ten years old -

"Tag!! You're it," Axel shouts as he tags Tom.

And although he chases every student around the school, it became apparent to him that he just wasn't on the same physical level as everyone else. In the end, he didn't manage to catch anybody.

"Hold... up! Jesus... christ, you guys... are fast..." Tom huffs as he holds his knees.

George comes back with a water bottle."Here take this."

However, before George can react, Tom smirks. He pounces with glee as he takes the bottle and tags George!

"Haha!! Sucker!!" Yells Tom as an angry George chases him down!

- Back home -

A click rings out as the boys drop what little change they could scrounge up into the small glass jar. A label ran across it with "Wonder Land" scribbled in a bolded marker on it. They repeated this action every night before bed, almost like a ritual.

They'd learned about it after the adults had gotten a TV for all of the kids to enjoy. Though it was nothing more than a little commercial, it boiled their blood with excitement! Without patience, the three hastily made the pact to save up any money they could in order to go.

- Eleven years old -

A gulp dropped hard in their throats collectively, the three musketeers were now in uncharted territory. The first day of middle school had begun.

Their seniors shoot disapproving stares causing their nerves to only tighten worse and worse. Yet, this scary day soon changes once they notice that same girl that George likes is in the same class as them. They both blush upon noticing each other.

A mischievous smile cuts across both Axel's and Tom's faces as they pier at one another.

- A month later -

"RUN!! TOM RUUUUN!!!!!" yells a laughing Axel as they both run away from an angry George across the hallway!

They've played a prank on George by putting a camouflage fart bag on his chair. Luckily it's morning, so nobody is there besides his crush, whose name is Samantha. And the only way he really figured who the culprit was, was due to Axel falling to the floor laughing.

"Ahhhhhh!! Tom help me!!" shouts Axel.

Tom keeps on running . . He has tears in his eyes as he looks back at Axel. . . and salutes.

"You will be missed, bro . ." was his only response.

Axel lets out a light smile as he salutes back . .

"Get to the chopper . . brother," they both say their goodbyes as Axel bears the punishment.

This was just one of the many pranks the three would play on one another, so this routine came as no surprise to them nor anyone else. They're a weird bunch, so much so that the whole school started to pay attention to them. Not only due to their odd behaviors but the fact that they were also the only orphans in the school.

- A month later -

The sun bore down on Tom as his feet finally brought him across the finishing line. His time was worse than that of last year.

Sweat dribbles down his arms and legs as his shirt was slightly damp. He takes a few deep breaths before sighing to his belly rolls. No one actually paid any mind to his increasing weight, but as he looks on to his friend, his brothers, his teeth clench. He knew what he needed to do.

And although the night came quicker than he'd realize, he still forces the responsibility on his shoulders. Though the other two thought it somewhat silly, they watch on as Tom tightens a headband around his head.

With a deep breath, he begins with squats with the others cheering him on while giving him the space he needs. Even Daisy chimes in with small barks of encouragement.

However, he still only lasts for a few minutes.

"Ugh... I give up..." Tom groans as he lays on the floor, already exhausted.

Axel and George rub and pinch their nose as they watch him give in so easily. Though Tom doesn't pay them any mind as he reaches for his chips. Yet, before he can even lay a finger on them, Daisy grabs them and darts out into the hall.

A low grumble leaves Tom as he pushes himself up and chases after her. A chuckle rises within him as he realizes he still has to work for his luxury.

- A week later -

Axel sits alone staring out his room's window. His brothers had left with their coop in betterment of themselves. George with his budding relationship with the girl he liked, and Tom with his newfound enjoyment of exercise. Yet, Axel didn't have a goal he wanted to chase, and so he stayed behind.

He could feel his veins slowly constricting, feeling the weight of things he didn't want to face.

His gaze fell from the window and to his curled knees. Dipplets dripped upon the floor without him even realizing, though as soon as the first few clatters he quickly wipes them away. He didn't want to burden anyone else with his problems.

A deep sigh left him empty.

This was the first time in a long time where this room felt too big for him. And so, he turns away from it, back to the window, and back to the world that too felt too distant to touch.

- Another week later -

A grumble catches Axel as he makes his way towards his class. He quickly turns to find the owner, a small boy standing in front of a vending machine. They were shuffling around their pockets in search of any more coins they could use. A frown quickly takes over their face as they come empty-handed.

Axel smiles as he instantly walks to the student and pats his back. This caught the kid by surprise, but Axel pays no mind and places three dollars inside the vending machine.

"You can keep the change," says Axel as he walks away.

The kid's expression brightens as he shouts over the crowd."Thank you!!"

Even though Axel didn't do it to catch attention, somebody witnesses his interaction with the boy.

- Twelve years old -

"You have reached five miles!" says Tom's phone. The sun barely hugs the sky as Tom stands in front of the orphanage. Sweat dribbles down his face as he huffs what air he can breathe in.

The small chubby boy he'd been last year had faded into his past. A smile grows across his face as he wipes his forehead. After almost an entire year all his hard work was paying off.

He now stood with a slim physique and a much stronger will. With his newfound passion, he was able to quickly become the fastest student, breaking all kinds of records in track and field for his school.

With a deep breath, he goes to wake the others. Then the three of them start the day by brushing their teeth together in unison as they always have.

"Hey Axel, can you toss me my--"

Before George can finish, a shoe comes flying into his lap. Axel shoots him a grin and he gives a nod in return. Without another moment to lose the three-step out from the orphanage.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

A smile lights up George's face once he spots Samantha standing next to the gated entrance. She too brightens upon seeing him approach her. A shade of pink fills her cheeks as George takes her hand and she squeezes his in response. They'd done this every morning since they officially became a couple.

And without notice, they walk steadily faster than the other two can casually keep up with. Yet, both Axel and Tom smile for them.

"Oh boy, did he grow so fast," says Axel as he wipes a proud tear from his eye.

"You know he's older than you," Tom points out before stretching.

- Later that night -

"Ahhhhh!!!"

"Runaway Axel!!! He's too much for us!!"

"No way!! We ride together!! We die together!!"

The flashing lights resonate from the TV contrasting the three tense faces within the otherwise darkened room. They jam the buttons frantically while looking into each other's eyes for help!

"Quick!! I need healing!!" Panics George.

"Ahhhhh!! We aren't gonna make it!!" Screeches Tom.

"Stay strong brothers!! We've come too far to give up!!" Screams Axel.

The demon king howls as he slams a mighty wave upon the three! Even though the sun is beginning to dwindle, luckily, the living room is far enough to not disturb anyone.

In complete unison, they launch one final attack upon the overlord. The whole room is quiet, the three of them are frozen in place as what happens slowly processes in their mind.

"Did... did we win?" asks Tom.

"I... I think...we did..." replies George.

Soon, their victory finally settles in as they jump for joy!

"WE WON!!" They all yell together, embracing each other in a group hug.

- The next day -

"We finally have enough money to go to Wonder Land!!" Exclaims Axel in excitement!

After so many years of saving up, they finally had earned enough money to go to Wonder Land. They'd even gained enough for George to bring Samantha along with him.

They finally settled to go next month. The three of them jump for joy, having the power to grasp the world in their hands. Though they now patiently count the days to come until next month arrives.

- The next month -

Coughs stifle Tom's lunges as they escape into the cold room. Tom is bedridden with his temperature rising higher within the passing seconds.

Today they'd planned to go to Wonder Land. However, over the last week, gradually Tom's health began to drastically get worse within the passing days, developing symptoms of a sickness. They would've gone to a doctor if the orphanage could've afforded it, but luck wasn't on their side.

So all three of them can do is to just hope for the best and pray that the fever would vanish sometime before the planned day. But it only got worse. So bad that Tom began to have pain in his muscles, causing him to have many difficulties.

Guilt eats away at him as the day they were looking forward to quickly descends upon them.

Everybody circles around his bed, devastated. Samantha and Daisy are also here to support him. Daisy licks Tom's hand, comforting him.

"I'm sorry... everyone..." says Tom with a tear in his eyes. He clenches his blanket, wanting to scream at himself.

Everyone smiles, shaking their heads at his apology.

"Get better soon my friend, it's not your fault." Axel places his hand on his shoulder trying to calm Tom's rising nerves.

"We can go some other time," George reassures him.

Once they consult Tom, they wait for him to fall asleep before leaving him to rest. And as they go, they shatter their coin jar before heading to the pharmacy with the money to buy Tom medicine to combat the fever.

- Thirteen years old -

The final year of middle school. As Axel aids, another fellow classmate, a tap on his shoulder forces him to turn to the source.

"Um... Hello, you're Axel correct?" a feminine voice asks from behind.

Axel turns around with a smile, but then quickly becomes in shock to witness Vanessa standing before him. She was hands down the most popular girl in school, talking to him of all people. And true to the rumors, she immediately stands out from the rest of the girls.

It wasn't due to fancy clothes or any jewels, on the surface she was just like any other girl. But it was her inherent beauty that couldn't even be compared.

Her genuine smile causes Axel to freeze in place. Heat immediately rises to his skin before he can even get a single thought within his head.

"Y-Yes, haha... That's my name," Axel stumbles on his words after a silent moment passes.

"Axel... I believe you're the first person I've encountered that has that name, I like it, it's pretty cool."

Vanessa's cheerful words cause a lump in his throat.

"Ah sorry, there I go rambling again. That was not why I wanted to talk to you."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Axel questions.

She then closes her eyes and smiles brightly while putting a finger near her chin.

"Axel, why are you the way you are?" She asks innocently.

'Utterly crushed!! She has basically questioned my entire existence!!' The sudden thoughts rampage through his head as he falls to the floor in defeat. .

Vanessa flails her arms around while shaking her head as she realizes the misunderstanding she has created.

"No-no-no-no-no! Let me rephrase that better... I just notice how you usually go out of your way to help others so often."

She explains as she then walks to the windows and stares at the sky, completely masking her face.

"Don't get me wrong, I know people can be nice. But you go the extra mile and help everybody, even if they are strangers to you."

Axel follows her slightly, following her gaze. However, he falls just short of standing by her.

"I'm sorry if this may come across as creepy... but I know that you come from a poor orphanage. People are nice, don't get me wrong, but most of the time. That's only because they can afford to be nice. It doesn't hurt them as much as let's say if a homeless person offers their hard-earned money to someone in need. It's not because they are greedy per se, but because, more than anything, it comes down to the need to survive.

People tend to help themselves first before they help others, even I am guilty of this. And yet..."

Light catches Axel's eyes as it flows off her black hair as she turns to meet him. His eyes widen at the sight and his chest tightens ever-so-slightly.

"You choose to help others, other than yourself. Every time, without fail...

From giving money to people who can't pay for their lunches, to letting others borrow your school supplies, to always going out of your way to make someone's day. Tell me, what is your reasoning?" Vanessa's eyes glisten with curiosity as she questions him.

Axel ponders for a moment, taken aback that he was being asked this question in the first place. He doesn't think much of it, he just thought it was the natural thing to do.

A brief memory flashes of his friends before him as he turns back at her. This time his words roll off his tongue naturally.

"A great friend once told me. It never hurts to help somebody in need. Just a small act of kindness can go a long way to helping the lives of others. I've taken his words to heart and now... I act upon it every day." A confident smile splits across Axel's face.

Vanessa beams at his response, satisfied, she begins to walk out of the class.

"Hehe~ you're an odd one, Axel. Do you mind if I could talk to you later down the road? I would like to know more about you," a soft chuckle escapes Vanessa as she stops by the door and glances back at Axel.

"Sure thing, come and talk to me whenever you want," responds Axel.

She grins once more before she leaves, Axel lets out a sigh of relief. There they were, the two compadres, Axel's face drops as both Tom and George smile mischievously.

"Damn bro, aiming high I see." Tom nudges him with his elbow.

"I'm so proud of you," George speaks like a proud father.

Axel's face flushes as he realizes he has committed the gravest of mistakes by not checking his surroundings first before he talks. But now, they aren't the only problem, all of the boys in the class stare daggers into Axel. They felt like beams, melting away at him as if he were butter...

- Later down that day -

"Hey, can you pass me the soup cans now?" Asks Tom from on top of a ladder.

"Here you go," replies George as he passes the soup can down to Tom.

To make up for last time, the three of them began working at a grocery store in order to make enough money for the Wonder Land tickets. Axel mops the floor from aisle to aisle while the other two struggle to place cans at the very top of the shelves.

"Urggh! Almost... there!" Tom grumbles as he tries his hardest to place the can.

"Tom! Watch out!" Yells George as the ladder becomes unstable! Tom falls on top of George and they both tumble with a large thud!

Axel rushes over there as fast as possible!

"Are you guys alright!?" Panics Axel.

The two of them are on the floor with a mess of soup cans all over the aisle. They both have stars in their eyes as their heads slowly spin around.

". .ehhhh . . . the soup aisle is on special offer . ." Murmurs Tom.

" . . Buy one . . . get the second one for free . . ." George continues.

Thankfully, both of them are not harmed. Axel lets out a light chuckle upon noticing that the boys remembered their lines.

- A week afterward -

Coins clatter onto the tiled floor and scatter amongst the people. The line disfigures to catch a glance at the quivering boy.

With one hand, Axel squeezes his wallet and with the other, he cups his mouth. His eyes vibrate as he stares down at the counter. The barista observes his breaths beginning to grow harsh and violent.

Tom and George immediately respond to the call to action and rush over to his aid! With worry coating their faces, they each take a shoulder.

"Yo Axel! Snap out of it buddy! We're here for you!" George thrashes him to his senses!

"Please come back to us! Axel!" calls out Tom from the realm of reality.

The two of them fight to win over Axel's consciousness. The struggle seems endless, but they somehow manage to subdue him. His eyes revert back to their usual self, his muscles relax, and a long breath escapes him.

His friends follow suit with their own sighs of relief, before George asks, "You good?"

An awkward silence envelops the storefront, with everyone's eyes laying upon the boy. The two of them take no mind of the crowd as their sole attention was on Axel, giving him reassuring smiles.

However, their smiles fall flat as they witness their friend deteriorating before them. His shoulders droop as he turns to them with watery eyes.

"I–I'm sorry..."

His face is plagued with guilt as his words fall.

"I'm so sorry for causing a scene again..."

He averts his gaze out of shame, condemning himself for putting his friends on the spot again.

"Don't apologize," Tom cuts him off while patting his shoulder.

George lets out a small chuckle to calm the tension.

"It's no big deal bro. Me and Tom will keep doing this for the rest of our lives if we have to. Cause that's what families do," George states with a wink and a thumbs-up, "we're family, and we'll always be family."

They pull Axel into a bear hug.

Though after a moment, they remember where they are and hurriedly go back to ordering their drinks.

- Three months later -

"Hahahaha! You cried when you got your vaccines!?" Vanessa laughs hysterically.

Axel told Vanessa of the time where all of the children went to the hospital to get their vaccines. Axel was the last child to get his vaccine, but after hearing all of his family shout in pain. He hid in the hospital and forced all of the staff to look for him. After getting captured, he made every attempt to escape and made every excuse under the book of excuses to not get the vaccine. He cried the loudest out of any child, and that was even before they even gave him the shot.

"Hey, in my defense, vaccines hurt like hell," states Axel with a pout.

Vanessa continues to mask her laugh with her hands, but to no avail. She snickers so hard that literal tears flood her eyes.

"Vaccines aren't even that painful you big baby! I didn't even feel it when I got mine," says Vanessa as she punches him playfully.

Over the span of a few months, the two grew closer, having their frequent encounters grow longer with every session. Though the first few times, Axel would lock up, usually not knowing how to respond. And Vanessa on the other hand, being oblivious, would always ask the strangest of questions.

Like, "how's living in an orphanage?" or "how do you entertain yourself when you get bored?". Though her question might have come across a tad rude, they stemmed from her curiosity due to Axel's foreign life.

Yet, when he saw that spark of naivety in her eye it warmed him to the idea of explaining himself. Even if it was quite weird for him to talk about himself, but to her, he was this adventurous teen who was able to have so many strange yet beautiful stories.

And after months, she came to him far more often. Sometimes without anything specific, but just to enjoy his company. Axel didn't honestly know why she'd singled him out, out of the entire school no less, but he gradually opened up to her company. Around him, she is able to forget her own popularity and just allow herself to relax. Though this didn't stop the cold stares Axel would receive after their chats.

- New Years, in Wonder Land -

"Three!"

The four are about five hundred feet (152.4 meters) up in the air. . The rush of the breeze has everyone shiver to the core as their heart drums in their ears, sweating bullets. They clutch onto the seat as hard as they can, but their worries only increase as it gives an uncertain groan . .

" Two!" yells the announcer.

Their feet dangle and the seats feel loose. Tom sees the ground is even further than he'd imagined. . Instantly pulling his head back and hugging the seat tighter than ever.

"No god no, regrets were made," mumbles Tom as his heart beats so fast it was ready to burst at any moment! Their palms are slick with sweat as they try to control their breathing. However, the adrenaline rushing through them proved to be far too much.

"One!!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" -everybody.

The seats suddenly drop! They all scream at the top of their lungs as the sudden rush of wind blows over them as if they were in a freefall! Everybody braces for impact!! But just at the last possible second, the seats slow and catch the people, gently lowering them down to the safety of the ground.

"Please come again!" says the announcer.

"I think I peed a little . . " Tom wobbles.

Even though winter had already come, today was luckily a bright one. The group took this opportunity to hop on every ride and enjoy the park to its fullest.

"AHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA," yells everybody as the coaster does a loop!

Though dizzy they still make it to the game booths. With a shake of his head, George rids himself of nausea before picking up a dart.

*Pop*

"Congratulations!! Here's your prize!!"

George wins a cute teddy bear by popping five balloons in a row and offers it to Samantha. She gladly takes it and hugs it tightly.

"Damn!! This is a really good burger!!" A cheery Tom diverts the group's attention as he happily munches on a burger.

They've stopped at a food stand for lunch, even though the food is extremely pricey (especially for them). But in the end, they have to admit, those were some good burgers.

"Haaayaaaahh!" Tom smashes the sledgehammer into the wooden target!

Baby, weak, mama's boy, passable, ok, nice, great, awesome! muscle man! Hercules, superhuman! Though to everyone's surprise, the top buzzer dings. Legend! However, of course, both Axel and George have full confidence in him.

After the sun had finally set, the group decide to end out the day by riding the train which circles the theme park. With big, goofy smiles they lean into the windows, catching the last glimpses of the sunset.

- Later that night -

The group is located at Silly city, it closely resembles the early nineteen hundreds British cities with a Big Ben at its center.

Snow begins to fall . . Everybody brightens as they reach for the sky. The entire city feels alive, but surprisingly, it was mostly quiet as the crowd patiently waited for something.

Axel tries to catch as many snowflakes as he can, beaming as he turns to the others. They all return his smile with their own as they remember the journey they had together. To some people, they might feel sorry for the trio as they grew up poor and as orphans. But for the three of them, it was the best years of their lives. .

The clock hits twelve, as the grand bell starts to ring. Many bright lights begin to rise from the ground and fly towards the sky! The mere sight of this leaves them speechless, their eyes sparkle brighter than the stars above as they clutch their hearts. .

*Boom!*

The fireworks illuminate the entire sky with dazzling colors. Enveloping the four in its magical aura.

"Happy New Year!!" everybody cheers!!

Both Axel and Tom spring into the air as they hug each other! George pulls Samantha close before embracing her in a kiss.

From the loud fireworks in the background to their beating hearts... This is the highlight of their life. It's perfect, almost like a storybook.

- The night after -

The moon bathes the room in a pale blue tone. Dividing what little shadows dwell within the cracks and crevices in the floorboards and the walls.

Between the rustling of leaves and an owl's call, a soft whimper echoes through the dorm. This forces a stir within Tom and George before they lurch off their beds. Bolting to Axel's side, making sure he is okay.

Sweat envelopes his face as it twists and distorts while he wrestles his bedding. And as his state goes worse and worse, George rushes up to his ladder.

"Hold up," Tom whispers while tapping one of George's legs.

George raises a brow, watching Tom gesture to Axel. Turning his gaze to the boy.

To their utter shock, Axel's condition begins to dwindle. His tears of sadness gradually begin to convert into that of happiness, and his frown manifests into a beautiful smile. Leaving the boy breathless, the subtly within Axel finally clicked in their eyes.

He's... changing. Tom nearly cries as he witnesses the miracle.

" A-Axel's... actually having a nice dream... "

- Summer vacation -

Axel and Tom watch as George descends the stairs to meet his significant other. He walks forward to meet Samantha's gaze as she steps out from a car with her parents inside. Silence greets him as he sees the back of the vehicle was filled with luggage.

They are now out of middle school and are moving onto high school. Her parents found a more profitable job outside of the city and planned to move once she got out of middle school. Both George and Samantha thought of their future plans and ultimately decided to go their separate ways. Wanting to end on a happy note rather than to over-drag their relationship into nothingness.

Nevertheless, it still hurt like hell.

They both enlock in a hug, all while trying to hold back tears, however, failing miserably to do so. The smiles they wear falter as they bid their farewells, reluctant to let go of each other's grasp.

"If we meet each other in the future, will we hang around like old times?" asks Samantha.

"You bet we will, we'll have even MORE fun when we become adults," George answers while trying to hold up his smile.

As they finally let go, Samantha pulls him by his shirt and into a kiss, completely catching him off guard. But with the sudden shock dissipating, he wraps her tightly in his arms.

George watches his reflection bounce back to him as Samantha closes the car door between them. The engine springs to life before turning down the driveway.

Once it vanishes off on the horizon, he turns around and finds his two friends. They'd been waiting for him with open arms. .

"You guys..." George says as he runs towards them with tears streaming down his face.

They don't say a word as they pat him on the back and let him cry on their shoulders...

- A month later, in the night -

"Oh there you are George," says Axel as he walks out of the orphanage and down the stairs where both he and Daisy sat.

Both Tom and Axel had been searching for him as he was nowhere to be found.

"Haha, my bad, I was just thinking," replies George as he turns back at the night sky.

Both Axel and Tom sit next to him. "About what?"

"Tell me guys, what are you guys planning on doing once high school is over?" asks George. They both peer at each other as the question catches them by surprise. They hadn't put too much thought into their future.

"Umm... I guess perhaps start a gym of some sort," Tom gives a half-hearted answer, still unsure of how to answer.

George chuckles at Tom's typical response before turning to Axel.

"How about you? Got anything in mind?"

Axel ponders and reflects on his own life. His story flashes before his eyes as he recalls every memory, even down to the very first one he made with his abusive parents.

"I just want to be with you guys throughout my life, but other than that, I guess I would like to make my own orphanage," Axel's answer throws the two off-guard.

He remembers the days he would be alone at night in the streets, praying to the moon that one day his hell would end. Enough though he had a bad start in life, he knew he wasn't the only child who suffered the way he did. . That's why starting an orphanage sounded like a good idea in his mind, so he can prevent as many kids from going through the same hell he went through.

"How about you George?" questions Axel.

He smiles and spreads his arms wide. "I want to explore the world. Go to all the continents and explore new cultures I've never seen before..."

Both Axel and Tom come to an agreement by nodding to each other and both say.

"Then how about we do all three together!" They both say and George laughs.

"Hahaha! I knew you guys were going to say that. Bet, let's complete our goals in life together brothers," George says as he outstretches his hand to them.

They all unite hands and smile at one another. Then, at the same time, they all raise their hands up in the sky and shout.

"Let's do it!!"

- Last day of summer vacation -

"Alright then everybody!! Circle up or else we won't all fit in the camera," says the lady. Throughout the years, her cheery smile still shown through her wrinkles and greying hair.

Most of the orphans are newer faces, they have come and gone throughout the years, all the friends the three grew up with have been adopted. This time, the three are at the very center of the group, bent down since they're now the tallest.

Daisy comes to the three, though with age, slowness crept into her. Yet, still, she has a pleasant surprise in the form of four puppies.

The lady rushes into frame as she starts the timer.

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Axel smiles brightly as he pulls in his brothers just as the camera takes the picture.

There they are, Axel smiling as both Tom and George made goofy expressions in the picture. Daisy sits below them alongside her puppies in the shot.

With everyone's happiness framed, this moment will be permanently ingrained within them...