Crown Of Thorns
Chapter 7

	Like every other day I snuck out of the house early.  This time I took my dear sweet time walking to school.  It was getting darker and darker in the morning.  Soon I'll leave the house, and the streetlights will still be on.  'For some odd reason, the darkness brings me comfort.'  I would relish those days when I could walk in-between the shadows, taking in the cold air and breathing out my anger and frustration.  All too soon I arrived at school and proceeded to my little corner only to find it occupied.

"Dude, how's it going?" Miles said.

"What are you doing here so early."

"I could ask you the same question, but not even a hi?"

"Sorry, just a little surprised."

"S'ok.  So why are you here early?" he asked me.

"I get here early every day.  Before my family wakes up."

"Ahh, I see, don't want to deal with the rents in the morning, don't blame you.  You should see mine.  Morning does not agree with them, I'll tell you."

"Well, rent, and anytime doesn't agree with him."

"You live with your father?"

"Yea, but I want to be out of there ASAP."

"I see, you have a nice uppercut on the left side of your jaw, early Christmas Present?"

I physically cringed and brought my hand to my cheek, sure enough I could feel a bruise.  "Damn."

"Dude, I understand, a while ago, my mom got all whacked up sometimes and she would...you know."

"You mom got...violent?"

"Useto.  Not anymore.  We are all good friends now."

"How did she...change."

"One time, I hit her back.  I instantly regretted it the second I did it.  She didn't hit me again, but we weren't talking for the longest time.  Finally she admitted that I was justified and that she was sorry, I said sorry to her anyway, and things have been cool since then.  What was that, like five years ago."

"Wow.  Wish I could do that, he is just so much bigger and stronger than me."

"Something will come, everything works out in the end."

Just then, Terry comes by and joins us.  I raise my eyebrows realizing Terry might be that 'something.'  This brought a smile to my face.

"Well, you seem chipper this morning, how?  I will never know," Terry said in that cute groggy voice.

"Welcome to the land of the living lover boy."  With that, Miles reached over and pinched his butt.  

"What the?"

"Ohh, I thought you told him," Miles commented to Terry.

"He does!  I think that it is a jealousy thing," he responded.  I could actually hear the smile in his voice.  It was then that I knew they were kidding.  

"Yea, butthead, don't mess with my boyfriend."

"Your What!!!"  He said surprised.

"That's what I forgot to tell you Miles.  See, Julian and I are kinda an item."

"Kinda?" I asked him.

"Fine,  Full fledged, in love, truly, madly, deeply."

"You really like that band don't you," I asked.

"Wow, didn't know you were seriously seeing anyone," Miles commented.

"Well, yea on both accounts."  Terry felt quite satisfied with his answer.  He pulled me close and whispered in my ear, "I want you so badly."  He then tickled my ear with his tongue. 

I giggled and pushed him off of me.  "Come on, not in front of the locals."

"Ohh, don't mind me, I'll find my jollies some other way.  You know, watching you guys kiss or do whatever really isn't my kinda fun, unless that is I can join in."

"What do you mean, join in?" I asked.

"I don't know, it may be kinda fun."  I gave him an awkward eye.  "Oh relax, I'm not going to go stealing your boyfriend off of you, besides, I nice piece of pussy is a lot better than dick."

"Eloquently put, chap," Terry said in the best English accent he could muster.  I cracked up.

"No, no, Terry E's become A's," I coached him.

"Whatever."  This just brought a new round of giggles.

Cars started to pull into the lot as school time quickly approached.  Chatter flew up about everything imaginable.  All in all, a normal day.  Math class has quickly became one of my favorite subjects.  Terry and I sat in the back and chit chatted about everything.  You would never know that we weren't born together.  At one point Terry just burst out laughing.  I turned beat red.

"Is there something so funny that you have to share it with the rest of the class?"  the teacher said.

"Not really.  Just that x-1 factored is x-1 multiplied by x+1.  You said that x+1 equals that and it doesn't."

"Right you are."  With that she turned back toward the board and started to teach again.

"You really are amazing," I whispered to him.

"Not nearly as much as you are."

Play practice was just as bad.  At least we didn't get yelled at.  Afterward, Mr. Jenks called me into his closet.

"Yea, what do you need."  In reality I knew exactly what he wanted.

"So?" he asked.

"Not yet, I'm working on it."

"I see that," he said as he pointed to my jaw.  "Get it done.  We are approaching my deadline." Then he softened his voice.  "I don't want to see you get hurt anymore than you have."

"Thanks."  With that I marched out of his office.  On the way out of the building Danny came running up to me.

"So, what did he want?"

"The usual. Wanted to see what I was going to do."

"Where's Terry?"

"Beats me." Come to think about it where was he.  "Hold on."  I ran back to the theater.  Terry was sitting on stage talking out to the non-existent audience.

I sat back and listened to him, I knew that this was a personal time for him, but I wanted to know.  He started out saying, "I love him I really do.  There is noting in the world that I would want more than to see him happy.  I can't bear to see him with new sores and bruises.  It pains me to know what he has been though, and not have the power to do anything about it.  I would gladly put myself in his place if it would keep him out of harm.  Why can't people just grow up?  It ain't his fault his mom died and he didn't.  It is not fair.  It is not fair, it is not fair." He paused.  "I love him so much, it hurts."

I stepped out from behind the curtain.  "Do you really mean that?"

He looked surprised to see me but nodded his head.  I ran to him and tossed my arms around him.  "God I love you too.  So much words can't describe it.  So much I wouldn't know what I would do without you."  I started to cry.  We held each other like that for a long time. 

"Ahhemm," came an obvious fake cough, "If you would please, I'd like to leave soon."  Both Terry and I started to crack up.

"Of course, lets go."  Him and I walked home holding hands.  When we parted at the corner, he said that he might stop by later.  I urged him not to, because of my dad, but he said that he will find a way.

I walked home the rest of the way on cloud nine.  It is such a good feeling to be on top of the world.  When I opened the door I saw fire in my dad's eyes.  He held up the letter Terry gave me the day before.

"Where did you get that," I demanded.  I leapt after it, only to have it pulled away, then I felt the first blow.  

"Not only did you kill her, but a fucking queer killed her." With a swift kick to the ribs he added, "I will just add that to your long list of faults.  Cocksucker."  Emotionally, that hurt.  As my father riddled me with kicks and punches, I saw my brothers.  I reached up toward them in a desperate attempt at savior.  They looked horrified.  At first I though it was at me.  Then I saw them look at dad.  As I distinctly heard a crack, realization struck.  'They weren't horrified at me, but at the situation.'  Then I heard another crack as my rib broke.   "Fucking fag, God damn fucking fag.  How could you do this.  You like having things shoved up your ass?"  That was a rhetorical question.  He had no intent I letting me answer.  Even if I was allowed to I couldn't, my breath was gone.  I sensed him gone for a minute, but he quickly returned.  My vision was blured my hearing was going quickly but I heard one thing, "then try this on for size."  

I then felt the most searing pain shoot through my ass.  I felt as if I was being torn in half.  In fact I think I was.  I was lifted and tossed into my room.  Landing hard on the floor.  I swear I was dead.

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"Julian, Julian, are you there?" I heard a strange man's voice.  "Start a saline drip, immobilize, and then give him some air.  Be careful of the rectal area, it looks bad."

"Yes, sir." Another voice said, this one female.  I couldn't see her, but she sounded like an angel.  "Julian, give me some sign that you are conscious."  I could feel myself being manipulated onto a backboard and a head brace.  The female paramedic, I could only assume, then grabbed my hand.  

I squeezed, hard.  Like a flurry my senses came back, and the searing pain came back full-fledged.  I yelled a long list of profanities, expressing how much it hurt, but only a whisper came out.  Loud enough, however, to get the room's attention.  

"We got a live one here," the paramedic yelled.  Damn right I'm alive.

"Fucking queer," I heard my dad yell.  "Wish I killed you, you and that boyfriend of yours."  He was standing in the room with me.  Holding him were police officers and they were reading him his rights.  I weakly reached out my hand and in a bout of defiance gave him the finger.  Then I slipped back into unconsciousness.

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