FreeFall

Back to hell?

Damien's POV:

We were just heading home again. I didn't even know myself why I had done it. Maybe I just wanted to show him that he meant something to people. I hope he believes me.

The weather was better again, as was my mood. Shane calmed down quickly and fell asleep even faster. Does that mean he feels safe with me? I hope so. Truly.

It didn't take long until we were stuck in traffic again. I took a cigarette and opened the window and smoked it relaxed. However, my gaze remained fixed on Shane, who was sleeping incredibly peacefully. Without sounding like a creep, but when he sleeps, this boy doesn't look even remotely relaxed. 

I can't do anything else but hope that he keeps his promise. My words came out spontaneously earlier, I don't even know why, but I wouldn't allow anyone to even remotely hurt him again. I don't want to see his tears again. The little nerd is too important to me. Not just since the incident, he was already important to me before. No one in school dared to come near him. I will never forget when another student from his class attacked him... Let's just say... That person couldn't come to school for six weeks anymore, probably because they were too afraid of me. In the end, they all wanted to attack him again and again, but it was my presence that prevented it. But he doesn't know that... Maybe it's better that way... Even I shouldn't hurt him in any way and I don't want to anymore...

The traffic jam didn't really clear up. So, I took a glance at my phone and saw that Noah had messaged me.

"Damien, where the fuck have you gone with Shane?"

"Answer me!"

"My parents are at school and want to pick him up!!!!"

"Damien, goddammit!!!!"

"I swear on everything that exists, if something happens to him, I'll kill you."

"Okay, I managed to calm them down, but he has to come here later, to our house. Otherwise, Mum will have him picked up by the police, and yes, she really would. Leah let it slip and said he's with you."

Fuck. I should turn my phone to ring mode. Just as the traffic jam cleared, someone moved next to me. Shane... I have a bad feeling about leaving him there. He muttered something to himself and took out his phone. The shock was visible in the corner of my eye, while my gaze remained focused on the highway.

"This can't be serious?!" he said loudly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him tensely. Probably about his parents, but I still wanted to ask.

"That bitch Leah has been spreading rumors everywhere that I wanted to commit suicide?!" he yelled in the car.

My blood froze in my veins. SHE SAID WHAT?! Fortunately, we were near a rest stop, so I broke at least twenty laws to get there and made an emergency stop. Of course, Shane responded with loud swearing.

"How do you know that?" I asked angrily. My pulse increased significantly, and my jaw immediately tensed up.

"My mother," he whispered. My fist clenched with anger and struck the steering wheel. Shane recoiled in shock.

"You're telling me Leah. The innocent little Leah. Slips up twice a day?" my tone sounded unmistakably bloodthirsty. I looked at him, and my jaw clenched even more, if that was even possible.

Leah is not someone who just goes around talking, she's more of a quiet person. She even scolded me several times for how I treated Shane in the past. He showed me the message from his mother...

"It would be better if you were here tonight. Your father is exploding with anger, and you can't hide behind Daniel or whatever his name is forever! We need to discuss a few things!"

I saw his tension in his hand and raised an eyebrow. But before I could react, he jumped out of the car and paced back and forth. People were staring at him. I immediately wanted to follow him, but my phone rang, showing Noah's name. I answered the call, keeping an eye on Shane the entire time.

"Damn it, can't you answer?!" Noah immediately snapped at me through the receiver.

"Shane read the message from your mom. You can probably guess how he's flipping out right now. So fuck you, I need to calm him down," I retorted in the same tone.

"Damien, I really don't want Shane to come here, please believe me, but my parents are losing it." I heard how desperate he sounded, but right now, I didn't care. Shane saw that I was on the phone and raised an eyebrow.

"I'll talk to you later, Noah!" I quickly said before hanging up, carelessly tossing my phone onto the seat and jumping out of my car to go to him.

"Noah called," I said quickly, looking at him. He nodded and started thinking. How do I know? It's simple, his eyes squint slightly, and his forehead wrinkles.

"I'm not going," he said with immense confidence and a firm tone. "Let them pick me up with the cops if they want, they'll only ruin their own reputation, which they care so much about!"

I nodded hesitantly and wanted to say something, but he was quicker than me.

"No, Damien, no discussion. I don't care. They never cared about me. They shouldn't start now."

I nodded again and smiled.

"Shane, you don't have to do anything from my perspective. But Noah..." I paused before taking out my phone and showing him the messages. "He seems genuinely worried about you. That's how he sounded on the phone as well."

He read the messages and nodded again. He gave me back my phone and sat down on the ground, wrapping his arms around his legs and tensing up. I kneeled beside him, put my hand on his back, and gently stroked it up and down.

"I'll come with you if something happens..."

He immediately looked shocked at me and shook his head.

"Absolutely not, Damien. They would tear you apart." He lowered his gaze to the ground.

"I guess I'll have to go through this alone." He is in conflict with himself, easy to recognize. You could practically feel it.

"Let's please go. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can leave again." His voice wanted the opposite.

And slowly, I started to feel conflicted myself. They wouldn't let him go, and he knew it. But if he doesn't go, it doesn't make things any easier either.

"Okay, little one," I took my hand off his back and helped him up. "but I'm coming with you. If the situation escalates, I'll just take you back with me."

We got into the car, and he took a few deep breaths, trembling. His fear was obvious to me, but I have to mention that he never had such fear even towards me.

So, we drove off... into his personal hell.

[Please let everything be fine. No more pain shall harm you...]