"I-I have a name! I have a name, a family, a past!! I know who I was! I know-" The Boy paused, his smile fading "I know what happened to me.."
"What do you mean..? What happened to you?" Armando asked, holding the other boy's hands. Everett's eyes glazed over and he looked off, his gaze a thousand miles away. "Are you okay..?"
"I had a mother..a beautiful mother..she would grow plants in the family gardens. And I remember my father..he was an artist..he would paint beautiful portraits of women..he spent most of his time in his studio.."
"You..you have a family.." Armando smiled softly. "You have parents somewhere out there.." Everett's lips tightened into a smile, his eyes growing widen. His smile was not very pleasant to look at. Rather, it looked creepy and just slightly off. Armando chuckled and cupped his face. "We'll find them, okay? I can help you find them.."
"Tomorrow morning..we find my parents tomorrow...I need to find them." Everett mumbled, squishing his face against Armando's hands.
The two spent the night together, Everett sleeping in his bed, curled up against the wall as Armando watched him sleep and holding his hand. Soon, Armando too fell asleep, his exhaustion overcoming him. Early the next morning, Everett shook him awake, a bag already packed with food, water and blankets.
"We need to go..the..my house is three hours away from here..we'll take a bus half the way, then walk the rest of the way. I have everything we need already. I got the bus tickets, we just need to go. Please..come with me.."
"O-of course..let me change and we can leave..wait by the door love." Armando kissed Everett's head and ushered him out the door, changing into what he thought, he hoped, were clean clothes. He slipped on a pair of comfortable shoes and jogged to meet Everett at the front door.
"Ready. C'mon, we should go..before Georgina catches us.." Everett grabbed the house keys and shoved them in his pocket, leading him out the door. The bus station is five minutes away. The bus leaves in 15 minutes. We have time but it's best not to waste it."
With that, Everett began to quickly walk to the left, his lean legs taking huge strides, making him move farther. Armando caught up with him and walked beside him in silence, the air cold around them. When the bus station came into view, the younger boy broke into a run, surprising his friend. The two ran together, Everett's strides staying wide and quick. He panted heavily, standing there on the grey cement.
"The bus..leaves in 2 minutes..we gotta get on..." Everett wheezed out. The minutes passed by and soon, the two sat together on the bus, Everett's head on Armando's shoulder. Slowly, they both fell asleep, exhausted and cold.
