You Can't Hurt Me

The stars in your eyes

Race was well into the school, having skipped a grade he was a bit shaky in his foundation, but considering he was already well... a grade behind (confusing he knows), he was able to catch up quickly enough. Now he was on track to pass freshman year with er- adequate grades. With Jacks help he really was doing well, better than before at least.

When Race woke up that morning, he looked at the alarm clock and saw it flash 9:00, must've slept in.

Wait.

9:00 am? Race's eyes widened as he realized he was extremely late for school, he zipped out of his room to see Jack calmly making eggs.

"Jack?" He shouted, grabbing pants, "Why didn't you wake me up? Im going to be late!"

"We're not going to school today bud." Race frowned and lowered the pants. So far this was good news. At least he could stay in his boxers, but Jack wasn't one to let Race skip without a solid reason.

"What's going on?" Race asked tentatively, walking over to sit down at the counter, watching Jack cook.

"Um," Jack swallowed and loosened his fancy button down shirt. Wait, button down shirt? "Today's the day."

"What day?" Then Race's face went slack. "Oh."

"Yeah, um, dress nicely." He laid out Race's eggs and left for the bathroom.

Race pushed them around with his fork, he knew the day would come eventually, the never used calendar marked down with it, though they had yet to change it from last month so maybe it wasn't all that shocking. But this was the day. This was the day that would determine wether Race was going home with Jack, or his dad. It was the court date.

The ride there was pretty silent, Race pretty detached and Jack a completely mess. Over the short time together Jack horribly realized that he had come to emotionally depend on the company of that kid, that annoying, agitating and most important person in his life.

They arrived all too soon. Jack ushered Race, straightening his tie and smoothing down his hair, while Race laughed and batted his hand away. Jack stared at him for a moment before hugging him tightly.

"Just promise me one thing Racer."

Race swallowed at the nickname, "anything."

"No matter what goes down, what that man says, what they say to you, or how you feel, you tell the truth. Don't fib none, don't leave out any details, even if I loose you forever or if you can't go back with your dad, you tell them the whole entire truth."

Race took in a sharp breath, "Jack-"

"Promise me Race."

Race was silent, Jack almost believing he wasn't gonna say anything, and then, "I promise."

Jack let out a cold breath, taking a moment to catch his composer. "Let's go."

The wood was hard and cold under Race's butt. He stared out, waiting for the stand to fill. People started filing in, and after 30 minutes, his dad was brought forth to the stand.

Race sucked in a breath, this was the first time he's seen his father since the closet. Would he get to say he was sorry? Would his dad forgive him?

The trial was quick enough, with words being flown out, things Race didn't understand, people arguing, all the while he was silent. Just watching the world unravel around him and him not get a single say. That was at least, until the lawyer called Race up to the stand, right after Jack. They locked eyes as as they switched positions and Race stared down at the tiny microphone.