Array
(
[text] =>

Dedication: JesseHoe. Thank you for sticking around! I'm so excited that my story was able to touch you. That is more than I ever could have asked. (:

Chapter 19

Golden light poured into the windows as I cracked my eyes open. Today was the day; it was our last day in the skinny boy house! This was a day that I never thought I would see, and yet, as I propped myself up on my elbows and stared around Steven's room for the last time, a sadness seemed to creep into my veins.

He slept soundly next to me; his face was serenely still. It donned on me that this was the last time I would ever see my friends. I would never have sleep overs in their rooms; we would never sit up late and spend the night giggling. After today, the three of us would go our separate ways.

There was no telling if our paths would ever cross again.

I blinked back tears as I pushed myself to my feet. After a long stretch and a wide yawn, I made my way out of the bedroom and into the hall. Much to my surprise, Terry wasn't in his usual place. With a shrug, I pushed my way into the bathroom and did my business.

By the time I made my way back into the room, both Steven and Geoffrey were awake. Geoffrey sat upright in Steven's bed; his hair was a tangled mess on top of his head. Steven propped himself up on the floor with his back against the bed. They were silent when I sat on the floor.

It felt as if no one knew what to say to the other.

"Is today, like, a regular day?" Geoffrey asked, breaking the silence.

Steven shrugged. "Terry said he would see us in the morning, so I bet we're being discharged soon."

"I hope we at least get breakfast; I'm hungry." Geoffrey stood. "I guess I should make sure I have all my things together." Geoffrey climbed out of bed. "Do you want help folding all the blankets?"

With a nod, Steven stood. "That would be nice."

The three of us quickly folded the blankets and made the bed. Once the job was done, Geoffrey and I made our way to our rooms. In the doorway, I stopped. "I'm sure Terry will let us know what's going on."

Both Geoffrey and Steven nodded in agreement.

In my own room, I changed into a fresh pair of clothes, tossing my pajamas into my bag and zipping it shut. It was hard to believe all my belongings fit inside of a single bag. How in the world did I survive with just a bag of clothes for an entire year?

Out of pure boredom, I began cleaning and putting the room back in order. I made the bed, paying attention to tucking the sheets and making sure it was exactly as I remembered it when I first stepped into the room.

I wasn't sure why that was so important to me, but in that moment, it held some sort of significance. Even with the knowledge that the room would probably be completely cleaned after I left, I wanted the next boy to step into the room to find it the exact same way I did.

An idea blinked into my mind, causing me to come to a complete stop. I needed a piece of paper and a pen. I quickly found a pen on the knight stand, but paper was nowhere to be seen. Blowing out a breath, I reached for the nearest magazine and flicked through it quickly, and sure enough, one of those mail-in subscription cards fell to the floor.

Turning it over to the blank side, I touched the pen to the paper and fell silent. I wanted to leave a message for the next boy, but I had no idea what to say. I didn't want to leave something cheesy; instead, I wanted to leave him something that I wished someone told me.

As the thought formed in my mind, I knew exactly what to write. With a smile, I scribbled a few simple words on the card and stuffed it in the drawer under the nightstand. I wrote, "No matter what you think, you are worthy of life," and signed it, an ex skinny boy.

I wasn't sure if the next boy would even find it, but just the idea of the next boy stumbling across it made me smile. Maybe he wouldn't find it until he was at his lowest, and maybe just maybe the note could make a difference.

It was the least I could do.

I gathered Geoffrey's magazines into a neat pile and carried them out of the room. Geoffrey sat at the edge of his beg with his designer bags piled around him. "I thought you might want these back," I began, setting the magazine on his nightstand.

He shrugged. "I have too many anyway. Maybe the next boy will want to read them?"

"I doubt the next boy will have even an ounce of your understanding of fashion, Geoffrey."

The model smiled up at me. "I suppose that is true, but maybe it will at least give him something to do when he's bored at night."

"You're just so kind," I joked as I made my way over to him. "I'm sure he will appreciate it."

Geoffrey stood and suddenly wrapped his arms around my neck a little too tightly. "Let's go check in on Steven," he said after he pulled away.

I chuckled. "I'm going to tell him that you hugged me."

Geoffrey held a hand into the air. "That's fine because I plan on hugging him too."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this affectionate Geoffrey. What happened to the brooding Geoffrey?" I joked.

Just before we stepped into Steven's room, Geoffrey stopped and glanced over his shoulder, meeting my gaze. "He's trying to change for the better."

I smiled widely. "It's a shame you're straight, Geoffrey. You're too lovely of a human being to belong to them."

Geoffrey turned and punched me lightly on the shoulder. "Are you saying that you would date me, mister Max?" He asked with a brow in the air.

I blushed a deeper shade of red than I ever wanted to admit. "That's not what I'm saying," I retorted a little too defensively.

"Steven," Geoffrey called out, "Max is in love with me!" He darted into Steven's room. He immediately wrapped his arms around Steven.

"Am not!" I groaned.

"Just admit it. You love me; you want to be with me," Geoffrey released Steven and danced through the room chanting. "You love me; you love me."

I crossed my arms and pouted. "That's the last time I ever say anything nice to you."

Geoffrey chuckled his deep, throaty laugh. "Don't be like that, Max." He glided over to me and leaned down. Before I could tell him to leave me alone, he leaned closer and touched his lips to mine. "There," he began as he back away, straightening his back, "you will always be my first boy kiss."

I blushed even deeper.

"That's quite an honor," Steven chimed in while trying to stifle a laugh.

I wiped my lips with the back of my hand while feigning disgust. "You just remember this when you're all famous again. I'm going to call TMZ and tell them all about your secret gay life."

Geoffrey rolled his eyes. "Everyone already thinks I'm gay, Maxi boy. You won't win this one."

We all shared a laugh, but a light rapping on the doorframe caught all of our attentions. Terry stepped in with a chipper grin plastered over his lips. "Geoffrey, your parents are here for your pick up."

The model gasped. "Already?" He immediately glanced between me and Steven. Worry danced through the depths in his eyes.

"They're a little early, but Ruth has packed you a little breakfast if you would like to take it with you." Terry gestured at Geoffrey's assorted bags in various sizes. "Do you want some help with your bags?"

Geoffrey blinked a few times as if he were testing the reality of the situation he was in. "I guess, yeah," he mumbled finally.

"Let me help too," Steven began as he stood, but Geoffrey waved him away.

"Don't worry about it. The guard dog is good for something," he said with a wink. Terry began throwing the bags over his shoulders while Geoffrey picked up two of the smaller, lighter ones. "Well, I guess that's it, huh?"

"I guess so," I mumbled. A rock seemed to form at the base of my stomach.

Geoffrey and Terry began to walk away. I couldn't believe that I would never talk to Geoffrey ever again; I couldn't believe this was our final goodbye. They exited the room, and Steven and I sat silently for a moment. Tears threatened to form, but I blinked them away.

This is a happy moment, I told myself internally. This is what has to happen.

"This is stupid," Geoffrey groaned as he glided back into the room. "Hold out your arms you big losers." Steven and I did as we were told. The model pulled out a pen from his pocket and scribbled a series of numbers on Steven's arm then on my arm. "I know we never talked about keeping in touch or any of that, but that's my cell number. I should get that back when I go home, so feel free to call me whenever." He paused as a redness crept to his cheeks. "I mean, only if you want to."

I wrapped my arms around Geoffrey's neck and squeezed tightly. "I'm going to miss you." When I pulled away, I slipped the pen from his hand and pulled his arm out gently. Touching the pen to his skin, I jotted down my phone number. I had no idea if my mom would even give me back my phone, but it was worth a try. I copied the number on Steven's arm as well.

"We better stay in touch guys," Steven added as he did the same, moving from my arm to Geoffrey's. "I don't know what I would do if I never heard from either of you again." When he was done writing, he handed the pen back to Geoffrey and pulled him into an embrace.

Geoffrey glanced at his arm and then between us. Tears welled in his eyes but never fell. "You guys are the best. You totally make me wish I liked boys, I'd be all over both of you."

I chuckled. "Get out of here. Your parents are waiting."

On his way out, he glanced over his shoulder, took a deep breath, offered us a wide smile, and walked away. A silence fell over us once more as an emptiness seemed to fill the air. "We are going to keep in touch, right?" I wondered aloud. A sinking feeling replaced the stone in my stomach; though, it wasn't much better.

Steven wrapped an arm around my neck, pulling me close. "Of course, goober. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Terry appeared in the doorway once again. "Breakfast is ready if you would like to eat before your parents arrive."

I shrugged after I pulled away from Steven. "I'm not sure if I can eat right now, but I'll try." We followed behind the guard and sat in our usual spots at the table. Breakfast consisted of waffles, bacon, and a tall glass of milk. I nibbled on the edges of the waffle as sipped my milk in silence as the adults darted back and forth. Ruth seemed to be on edge as she paced the length of the kitchen to the front door. She would stop and stare out for a few moments before returning to her pacing.

Steven seemed pretty unaffected by everything as he ate, but I suspected that was because he was excited to see his parents. They were lovely people, and he was so lucky to have them in his life.

I wished him the best; I wanted him to have a wonderful life outside of this house.

Food did little to settle my stomach, and with each passing minute, my nerves began to unwind themselves just a little more. I felt some pretty conflicting emotions. While I was genuinely excited to leave this house, I was terrified that my mother hadn't changed. I just wished she would be excited to see me.

Despite everything that happened between us, I couldn't stifle the hope that bloomed underneath my nerves. I hoped that she and I could be ok. Hell, I didn't even want miraculous changes; I wasn't nieve enough to believe that she was capable of changing completely overnight, but I wanted to believe she was capable of accepting that things needed, had to change.

"You ok?" Steven asked, breaking me from my thoughts. "You're kinda poking at your food."

Turning my attention, I found him staring at me with worry tugging the corner of his lips down slightly. I blinked and offered him a smile. "Just nervous."

Steven smiled warmly. "A little nervous is good for you, Max. I think everything is going to be just fine though."

"It's a bit more than a little," I mumbled. "I really hope so."

He squeezed my shoulder gently. "Keep your head up and take a deep breath. Stop stressing yourself out so much."

My smile deepened. Blowing out a breath, I replied, "You're right. I totally have this under control." As I spoke the words, my nerves seemed to untangle themselves.

I managed to finish my food a few moments after Steven. Once our plates were in the sink, he and I made our way back up to his room. "What do you want to do until our parents show up?"

Throwing myself onto his bed, I kicked off my shoes and pulled the comforter over half my body. I patted the empty space next to me and Steven smiled. "How about some last minute cuddles."

Steven grinned widely as he climbed into his bed. Wrapping his arm under me, I sank into him, resting my head on his chest. In that moment, I focused solely on the rhythmic rise and fall of Steven's chest and the whisper of his breathing.

My time with Steven was coming to an end, so I wanted to soak up as much time with him as I possibly could. I couldn't stop the thoughts from forming, but images of us growing older together and experiencing life flashed before my eyes. There was no telling what the future would hold between us, but I knew then what I know now: Steven was and would always be my best friend.

Before I knew it, Steven was gently shaking me awake. "Max, my parents are here; I have to go."

I jolted upright. "They're here?"

He nodded and offered me a smile. "Don't forget about me, ok?" He pulled me into a tight embrace, brushing a light kiss on my cheek. "Call me as soon as you get home if you can."

Tears began to fall quickly as I nodded. "I couldn't forget you if I tried," I answered honestly.

Steven wiped away a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "Don't cry, Max. I'm sure I'll see you soon, and even if we don't see each other in years, know that you will always be in my thoughts."

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Go before you catch me crying like a baby." Even as I spoke, I didn't release my hold on him.

Chuckling, Steven held me until I finally let go. "Good luck, ok? If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll always be there. I don't care if it's something small or something you think isn't important. Call me."

"Promise?" I asked as I sniffled.

"Promise."

With his bags over his shoulder, Steven walked away. He didn't glance back on his way out, but I didn't hold that against him. His future was bright; he had no reason to look back.

Hugging his pillow to my chest, I sobbed for what felt like an eternity. When I was finally able to breathe regularly, I blew out a steading breath and wiped my cheeks. "Everything is going to be ok," I whispered to myself. The words did their job. Pushing myself to my feet, I made my way out of Steven's room, shutting the door behind me.

Terry stood in his spot, and when I entered the hallway, his eyes darted my way. "It's weird being the last on here, huh?"

I shrugged but nodded. "Yeah."

"You want some company until your mother shows up?"

Nodding, I led the guard into my room. I sat on the edge of the bed and he sat next to me. "It's hard to think it's finally time to get out of this place," I mumbled more to myself than the guard.

"Time flies when you're having fun." Terry added,

I laughed dryly. "I don't think fun is the right word. I'd lean more towards trying, emotionally crippling, mentally exhausting, or at the very least exasperating." Though sarcasm tinged my words, a smile still bloomed on my lips.

"Was it really that bad?" Terry asked, concern darkening his golden gaze.

I shrugged. My time spent in the skinny boy house was the most difficult time of my entire life, but I couldn't ignore the wonderful things that came from it. I made some amazing friends, I learned that there were people in the world that really did care for me, and above all else, I found my will to live. "I had some pretty good times too."

Terry smiled, causing small wrinkles to crease by his eyes. "I'm glad to hear it." He paused then added, "What are you planning on doing when you get home?"

"Honestly, I just want to try to live like a normal seventeen year old boy." I laughed. "I've felt like an oddity for so long that I'm not even sure what that entails; I'm sure I'll figure it out though."

This time, Terry laughed. "I don't have a doubt in my mind that you will either." Another pause fell over us. "Can I give you something?"

Blinking blankly at such an odd question, I shrugged once more. "Are you give me a farewell gift, Mr. Guard Man?"

Terry smiled slyly. "It's more of an I'm-sorry-for-acting-like-a-douch or please-don't-forget-about-me gift." The guard reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain white envelope. "This is for you," he extended the envelope, but held it in his hand as I reached for it, "on one condition."

I couldn't help but smile. "What would that condition be, Terry?"

"You can't open it until you're home." Terry raised a brow. "Promise?"

Nodding, I agreed. "Promise."

Terry released his hold on the envelope. "Then it's yours."

I tucked it into my pocket and stared up at the guard. "It better be good."

"I think it is," he said plainly. After a moment, he spoke once more. "I don't think it's going to be quite the same without you boys around."

"Are you saying that you're going to miss us?" I mocked jokingly.

Terry grinned. "I think everyone is going to miss you, but there wont be much time to miss anyone. The next group of boys is set to start move in within the next two weeks."

"So soon?" I asked as surprise flicked across my features.

He nodded. "There are lots of kids who need help, Max. More than you would think."

"How many are moving in this time?"

Terry fell silent and pursed his lips. "I think the next group consists of five boys."

I lifted a brow. "That's going to be a handful."

He punched me lightly on the shoulder. "I think we can handle it."

"I think so too," I admitted honestly. "We all gave you a run for your money, huh?"

The guard lifted a brow. "I'd say you all sure did. It made everything a little bit more interesting to say the least."

Terry's walkie went off. "Max's mother is waiting outside," Ruth's voice filled the air.

"Yes, ma'am," Terry spoke into the gadget and placed it back on his belt. "It's time to go, Max."

My stomach fell to the floor, yet I moved automatically. Grabbing my bag and throwing it over my shoulder, I stared at the guard one last time. "Wish me luck?"

Terry stood and smiled warmly down at me. Without hesitation, he pulled me into his side. "You don't need luck; you're stronger than that."

Blinking away tears, I returned his embrace and pressing my face into his lower chest. The rough fabric of his uniform brushed into my cheek as I pulled away. "Thank you for everything, Terry."

"It was my pleasure."

Staring into the golden depths of his eyes for a moment longer, I turned around and began the decent from my room. With each step I took, I felt my nerves bundle together tighter. Ruth and Dawn were at the bottom of the stairs, and as I approached, Dawn opened her arms.

I stepped into her arms. "Good luck, Max," she said simply.

"Thank you," I replied. "Good luck to you as well."

She smiled as she released me. Ruth pulled me into an embrace shortly after. She held on a little longer before speaking. "The world is at your feet. Don't you dare waste a single moment of it."

I sniffled and wiped my cheek as new tears fell. "I'll try my best." I glanced between the women and a smile grew brightly on my lips. "Thank you both for everything you've done for me. I think I'll even miss you a little bit."

Ruth pulled away from me and waved her hand dismissively. "There is no need to butter us up. Now, get out of here."

I hugged her once more before adjusting my bag's strap on my shoulder and pushing my way out of the front door. Sure enough, my mother's car was parked at the end of the drive. I couldn't see her through the windows, but as the distance between me and the skinny boy house grew, as did the urge to look back.

Glancing over my shoulder, I found Terry, Ruth, and Dawn staring at me through the front door's glass. With tears still in my eyes, I waved my final goodbyes and turned around.

This was the start of my new life.

Shutting the car door behind me, I found myself enclosed with the woman who spent the majority of my life wanting nothing to do with me. "Hi, Mom," I began after she said nothing when I buckled my seat belt and sank into the passenger seat. As she started the car and pulled from the drive, my nerves seemed to only tighten.

She remained quiet, so I stole a deep breath as my stomach twisted in knots and decided to stare out the window instead. The sky had darkened a bit; rain would surely follow shortly.

"It's great to be out of that place," I said as more of a way to start a conversation with her than anything else.

Still, she remained silent.

Chewing on my bottom lip, I spoke once more. "Is there anything new going on with you? I mean, it's been a year after all."

Silence was my only company as my mother drove. After a good ten minutes, she broke the silence and quickly shattered the tiny glimmer of hope I held so tightly. "You still gay?"

Rain drops began to fall, splattering on the windshield like little bombs. "That's never going to change, Mom," I stated weakly.

She sucked her teeth sharply. "You didn't even try did you, Max? What did you do the whole time you were there?"

"What do you mean?" I asked defensively. "All I did while I was there was try; I tried really hard to pull myself together, and I think I've done a pretty good job."

Mother shook her head but kept her eyes on the road. "I'm not going to put up with your gay shit in my house, Max. I'm not putting myself through that. The lord wouldn't house a gay, so neither will I."

I felt my eyes widen in horror. "What are you saying?"

"You're nothing but a disappointment to me. You spend a whole year in a clinic only to come out exactly the way you were when you went in? How do you explain that?"

"I'm not the same," I spat back at her. "I've done nothing but work on myself, Mom. Every single day was a nightmare, but I made it out because I worked my ass off. Every. Single. Day."

Instinctively, my mother reached out, slapping me across my face. "I won't tolerate that language." She turned her attention back to driving. "You're the same filth that walked in those doors a year ago; it's disgusting.

Hot tears dripped down my cheeks as I cradled my face. A fire began to brew, and there was nothing I could do to stop it from frothing over. "You're disgusting! What have I done to you that makes me so horrible?" Her hand flew at me again, but this time, I blocked her blow. "I've done nothing to you!"

She pulled the car to a complete stop so quickly that I flew forward. Luckily, the seat belt snapped into place, momentarily suspending me in the air. Unfortunately, in that moment, I didn't see my mother's hand as she raked a slap against my chin. It was a hard enough hit to make me bite my tongue and send sharp pain down my spine.

Before I could gather myself, she hit me again. This time the blow landing in the middle of my face. Blood instantly poured from my nose. "Get out of my car!" She screamed. Her voice was so loud that it shook my very core.

Confused and dazed, I didn't move.

"I can't live like this," she hollered as she banged her fists on the steering wheel. "Get you and your bag out of my car; I never want to see you again." She paused as an evil gleam glistened in her pale green eyes. "It should have been you instead of that other boy."

For a moment, I simply stared at her in complete and utter disbelief. The fire didn't dissipate as I yanked my bag over my shoulder; however, before I opened the car door, I licked my lips, filling my mouth with the sickly metallic taste of mouth.

With an intake of air, I spit a gob of blood at my mother. It hit her right in the middle of her face, and instantly, her features twisted in horror.

I supposed it was the thought of having gay blood on her face; none the less, seeing her like that gave me enough satisfaction to throw the door open and step into the now pouring rain.

When I slammed the door shut, I could still hear the woman I once called my mother screaming in disgust. She stomped on the gas, momentarily spinning out on the road and nearly side swiping another car.

Not quickly enough, her car faded from my line of vision, and as I stood alone on the side of the road, my tears faded. The fire inside my chest must have evaporated them. With nowhere to go, I turned around and found a small roadside diner just a little ways down the road.

Stomping through the mud and muck, I made my way over, pushing my way into the diner. When I entered, a young waitress's eyes widened in silent horror as she looked me up and down. Not giving her time to ask, I spoke. "Is there a bathroom I can use?" As I spoke my face throbbed in enough pain that my eyes watered

She pointed down the right side of the place, and I made my way there. As I passed the few people seated, their eyes followed me all the way to the bathroom. "Are you alright?" The waitress asked just before I pushed my way inside.

I gave her a thumbs up, and stepped into the brightly lit bathroom. Once inside, I instantly stepped in front of the first sink. Staring at my reflection, I almost didn't recognize who I was looking at. My eyes were puffy and red; Snot and blood still trickled down my nose. Turning the sink on, I cupped water on my face, wincing as I cleaned my nose. The water that splashed back into the sink was tinted red.

Grabbing some paper towels from the dispenser nearby, I blotted my face dry, paying special attention to my nose. After a few minutes of holding the towels to my nose, the bleeding stopped which allowed me to inspect my face in a bit more detail.

Other than a red cheek and a swollen nose, I looked fine. Thankfully, my nose didn't look broken.

"It's the small things in life, huh?" I mumbled and instantly felt pain.

Blowing out a breath, I picked up my bag and since I didn't have anywhere to be, I found an empty booth right outside the bathroom and slid into it's dark red faux leather cousins.

After a moment, the same waitress appeared beside me. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

I began to nod no, but quickly I remembered the money Geoffrey gave me when I was going to run away. "Can I get a cup of coffee with a ton of creamer?"

She jotted what I asked for down in her little note pad. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"Not right now." I paused then added a, "Thank you."

The coffee came quickly, and the waitress dropped a pile of those little individual cups of creamer next to the cup. "Just let me know if there is anything else I can get you."

I nodded silently and began emptying each of the containers into my cup until the liquid was no longer black but a rich white. I sipped on the liquid, enjoying its lukewarmness. Tension slowly unwound from my shoulders. "What am I going to do?" I asked myself just above a whisper. "I'm homeless."

The revelation came with a heavy weight that began crushing my spine. "Where can I even go?" My father was nowhere to be seen, and I didn't have any other family.

I was alone in the world.

Tears began dripping from my eyes; I didn't bother wiping them away.

This was not how I envisioned my first few minutes free from the skinny boy house. I mean, I expected some sort of push back from my mother, but I never thought in a million years she would abandon me, yet as the thoughts formed, I couldn't stifle the hope that in a few minutes, she would turn around, realize her errors, and pick me up.

So, I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

When two hours passed, I finally gave up. This time, no tears fell. I was on my third cup of coffee, and the pile of creamer cups was getting out of control. Crossing my hands in my lap, I felt the bulge of Terry's letter in my pocket.

Taking it out, I held it in my hands and stared at it for a long moment. I mean, I was now homeless, so I guessed that by reading it in the diner, I wasn't breaking my promise to the guard. Tearing through the sealed flap, I pulled a piece of paper from the envelope.

The letter read:

"Dear Max,

I first want to ask you for forgiveness. I know that I didn't act like the adult I am, and I know that I handled some situations very poorly. You deserve the very best out of life because you are a light in this world. I want you to know that just meeting you has brought so much joy into my life, and I will miss you dearly. If there is anything I can ever do for you, please don't hesitate to call me.

Terry, the guard dog."

At the very end of the letter, Terry jotted down his phone number. I wiped my tears and cleared my throat. "Is there a phone I can use?" I asked aloud.

The waitress nodded. "You can use our phone." She reached down, pulling an old land line from under the counter. "Make sure you dial the area code or it won't dial out."

I nodded and pressed in Terry's phone number. He picked up on the second ring. "Hello?" He asked, confused.

"Terry? It's Max."

"Max?" Terry's tone warmed instantly after he spoke my name. "I take it you read my letter?"

"Yes," I said as my throat tightened. "Did you really mean what you said?" My words came out squeezed as uncontrollable tears fell freely once more.

"I meant every word," he stated. "What's wrong, Max. You sound like you're crying."

I sniffled and wiped my nose, forgetting that it was still sore and wincing. "Can you pick me up?"

The line fell silent for a moment, and I thought that I had asked too much from him already. "Where are you?"

Relief flushed through me; though, it made my tears come harder. I told him the diner's name and around about where I was.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Stay put."

"Ok."

"I'll see you soon."

The line went dead, so I placed the receiver back in its place and made my way back to my booth. In the few minutes it took to finish my coffee, Terry stepped into the diner. He wasn't clad in his usual dark guard uniform; instead, he wore light jeans and a white shirt that the rain made nearly see through.

Grabbing my back, I dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table. "Keep the change," I told the waitress as I walked past her. "Thank you for everything."

Terry looked me over in silent horror, but didn't say a word. Instead, he led me to his car, some black thing I didn't have enough knowledge to identify. Once we were inside, he spoke. "You look like crap, Max. What in the world happened?"

As he started the car and began to drive, I told him everything. I gave him every detail from the exchange me and my mother had; I even included the part where I spit at her. All the while, Terry's grip on the steering wheel tightened to the point that his knuckles were white.

"I'm so sorry, Max," he finally said. "I just can't believe it."

"Me either," I agreed, "and she's my mom." I sighed deeply. "I don't know what to do, Terry."

"You aren't going to do anything. We are going to get you to my apartment, and I want you to write down everything that happened between you and your mom." He blew out a breath. "She isn't going to get away with this."

So, that was exactly what we did. Terry's apartment was small but warm and quaint. He handed me a pencil and sheet of paper, and I wrote every down my story. At the end, I signed my name.

Terry looked it over, reached into his pocket, and handed me his cell phone. "I will be back in a few minutes. If anyone call, answer it. The police will probably want to speak to you."

My blood froze. "The police?"

Nodding, Terry knelt down in front of me. "Just stay here and answer if anyone calls, ok?"

I nodded, staring into his eyes but added, "is this really necessary?"

Terry sighed. "Yes, Max. What your mother did was pure abuse. She has to pay." He put the paper back on his small glass kitchen table. "Will you write down her address as well as well as her contact information?"

I did, and when I was done, he took the paper and grabbed his car keys. "You are more than welcome to anything in the house. I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, he was gone.

Things have a funny way of working themselves out. My mother ended up getting arrested, and because I was seventeen with no relatives, I was given the choice to go into state custody or find someone else to stay with as long as the home situation was in my favor. Of course, Terry offered his home to me, and I took it.

Because I was so far away from my high school, I had to enroll into a new school, but in all honesty, it ended up being a great thing. No one knew who I was, so I really did get the chance to have a fresh start. Every night after Terry got back from work, he would help me with my homework, and he became the support I never had in my life. I spent my nights sleeping on his couch until he forced me to switch with him. Despite my protest, he demanded that I take the bed.

I mean, I wasn't going to argue forever.

The future was finally looking bright, and for once, I was excited to see where I would end up. I kept my promise with the other boys, and we all spoke as much as we could. Though, as we neared the end of our high school career, it became a little hard to keep in touch.

Steven was always busy with homework; he was knee deep in advanced classes and was set up to graduate valedictorian. Geoffrey, of course, got right back into modeling, and ended up as the first male model and spokesperson for CoverGirl Cosmetics.

After high school, my relationship with Terry evolved into something more, and he taught me what love actually felt like. He never held me back; he was always a voice of encouragement. I managed to snag a full scholarship to a community college nearby, and I decided to pursue a career in counseling; I figured I could make a real difference in the world.

During my later schooling, I continued to live with Terry, and while we were together, he held me when I felt week, and he loved me from a distance when I needed space.

I never allowed myself to become disillusioned, and I learned very early on that every day would still be a battle. Eating disorders never truly went away; I came to see it as a scar. I could still feel its presence and sometimes it would ache, but I learned to live and accept that my problems would always be a part of who I was.

I learned to love myself, and when I finally accomplished that, I found that I was open to love others.

I discovered I was worth loving.

--------

I hope you guys enjoy this long (last full) chapter!

Don't forget that there is an epilogue that I will be uploading in a few days, so there is a little bit left of this story; however, after that, it's over.

As always, please vote this chapter up if you enjoyed it, and don't hesitate to leave me a comment down below. I try my best to reply to you each of you all. (: 

Make sure you are all +following me because I am working on a ton of new ideas. I'm actually leaning towards writing two at a time, but we shall see.

I would also like to add that I will be completely rewriting/editing 'The Skinny Boy Tales' as well as 'Imaginary.' If things go as I've planned, I will have both of these stories up on amazon for download. Of course, you won't have to pay for them because they will remain here on wattpad; however, if you would like to buy the compltely revamped versions, I would love to be able to support myself doing what I love.

I've also been looking into print-by-demand options, so that may also be a thing.

You are all so lovely! Thanks for being so rad!

-Mason

[text_hash] => 264e83d0
)