A Second Chance

Part 44 - I am a king

"Mark, what did we tell you about strangers?!"

That was the first thing out of my mom's mouth the moment I stepped through the doorway. I didn't even taken off my shoes yet. 

It's not like I couldn't blame my parents for panicking. A week earlier, they'd lectured me for an hour straight after I tried to help a guy who'd collapsed on the sidewalk. Turns out he didn't seek help; he just wanted my wallet. I got out of it with a broken nose and bruised arm.

So yeah... seeing me walk into the house with a half-starved teenager in shredded clothes would hit every alarm bell they had. 

"Mom, Dad, he needs somewhere to stay," I insisted, stepping aside so they could actually see Billy. "He's got no home, no family. We have to help him!"

Dad crossed his arms. "Son, we can't just let anyone in,"

"He's hungry," I said. "Just look at how tired he is. He hasn't done anything wrong."

Mom let out a sigh, exasperated in a way only parents can be. "Mark... you can't keep bringing in every lost soul you find on the street."

"Just this one," I said. "Just him. Please."

"If it's a problem, I can just leave." Billy finally spoke up. "It's not like I'm obligated to stay,"

Something in the way he said it - not defiant or scared or even angry - made both my parents pause. He sounded so numb... like there was nothing in the world that could give him an ounce of happiness. 

"What's your name, young man?"

"Billy," 

"Do you have any relatives?"

"All dead."

Mom and dad looked at each other and nodded. They have some sort of married-telepathy moment where they can read each other instantaneously. It's like having a conversation with someone in nanoseconds. 

Mom exhaled slowly. "You can stay the night... but just this night. We'll figure out something tomorrow."

Billy didn't thank her - he just nodded and I showed him to the room. 

"You can take my room," I said, giving him a small smile. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Btw, these are yours," he muttered, handing me the box of strawberry cookies.

That tiny gesture made me, somewhat happier than it should have. The innocent me fell even more to his side, losing the doubts he conjured up the back of his mind. 

Dad's stern expression softened a fraction. Mom's eyes warmed just a bit.

They didn't know him.

Hell, I barely knew him.

But something told me this moment was going to shape the rest of our lives. 

My parents couldn't find anyone in the area that was willing to take him in. After a week of searching, to my hope at the time, they ended up adopting him. He got the guest room, which looked slightly more lavish than my own room - I winced, but I didn't really mind. 

You know, sometimes I wish I wasn't such a white knight. 

Billy adjusted well to school, somehow being an above-average student. Maybe he was smart as well, before he became homeless for whatever reason. 

We always avoided trouble no matter what. Luckily, because of my status and Billy's decently-good looks, nobody picked on us, but I wouldn't say we were that popular either. We just cruised by high school, taking hard classes and passing them.