The Boys

control

I have a heart attack when Zack comes through the door. He tries to close it quietly but that didn't matter as I was about to go upstairs anyway, passing the front door.

I don't say anything because he has pleading eyes. I nod, understanding him. He looks relieved and runs upstairs. I follow up quietly and go into my room. I was going to Skype Phoebe for a bit, making sure my cast was covered and unseen from the camera.

We Skype for about an hour before she says she has to do her homework. I tell her that I could help but she says I should just go busy myself somewhere else. I decide that I should go talk to Zack. I want to know that he's okay.

I get up out of bed and find his room with the Picachu sticker on the door. I knock on it softly, not wanting to wake Nathan and Ethan in the room next to his.

"Zack? It's Eve. Can I come in?" I asked.

"Yeah." I hear him squeak. I open the door and see him on his bed, knees to his chest and face hidden.

"I would ask how you are but that's kind of a stupid question. I can mainly offer my support and a hug." I step a little closer to him. He looks up with a teary smile. "And I think I might open the window?"

"My room doesn't smell." He protested with a breaking voice.

"You teenage boys are so oblivious to your stench." I joked. Well, I tried to joke. It's quite true, actually.

"Dude. Did you come here to insult me or comfort me?" Zack wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"Budge up." I roll my eyes and move over to the bed. He shifts over to make room for me. I sit beside him and wrap my arms around his shoulders, resting my head on his shoulder.

"You've certainly cracked out of your shell today." He commented a few minutes later.

"I decided to try something new." I mumble. Today has been a massive step for me. I feel kind of proud of myself. But if Dad found out I was talking, he'd finish what he started.

"Scared?" I whispered.

"Petrified." He nodded and rested his head on mine, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"I don't even know how long my dad's going to be in prison for. I never spoke to the police and the only thing he can be accounted for is trying to kill me." I'm talking about it. Oh god. I'm talking. I'm so going to be killed when he gets out.

"They tried to kill you?" He asks sadly.
"The neighbour caught him before he could finish me off." I say bitterly. "I'm supposed to be dead, Zack, and I'm not and I don't know how to feel."

"Be lucky. Be greatful. Be happy. You've got a chance to start a new life." He tells me.

"I'm going to sound like a complete hypocrite right now, but you know you're safe, right?" I said. I didn't feel safe.

"I haven't seen him since I was 11. I've been in and out of care since I was a baby, Eve. My parents neglected me when I was a baby until I was about 3, so when the neighbour heard me crying and saw no one was home, she took me to social services. They put me in foster care after foster care until my parents proved they were ready to look after me a year later. They started hitting me when I started Primary School and didn't stop until I left. I failed my SATS because they decided I was going to spend the rest of my life in their basement. When I could finally get out the house, I ran over to my neighbour and told her everything. She took me to the police station and I've been in care since. It's pretty shit actually. I've been to a lot of care homes and some of them were terrible. There was a place where I'd get a bath maybe once a week and fed every other day. The people only fostered kids for money. Social services shut them down after I was there for about 3 months. The point is, this place with the Andrews is the best foster home I could ever go to. I've been here just over 6 months now and I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. It took me time to settle in. I waited for something to go wrong. But you don't know how wanted these guys make you feel. After a whole life of being unwanted, I finally feel like I belong somewhere. And now that my dad is out, I don't want him ruining it." My heart broke for him. I couldn't relate to that. My parents wanted me at the start of my life. It wasn't Mum's fault she got ill.

"Where are you from?"

"The South of Wales, believe it or not. I was shipped over to England pretty quickly." He squeezes me a little.

"That's miles away. You're definitely safe here, Zack." I rub his back and close my eyes. He's a good hugger.

"I just got angry. After everything he's done, he shouldn't be let out of prison. He's a monster and he should be locked away forever."

"I get that. I do. I've got to talk to the police to get my dad sent away. That's going to be horrible." I sighed.

"What about your mum?" He asks.

"My mum... She was very ill. She has been ill ever since I could remember. She got really bad this past year though. She was constantly in and out of hospital every week. Dad got stressed out and took it out on me. Mum was too ill to do anything about it. She can't even talk anymore. She let him do what he wanted and she didn't have the strength to stop him. I don't think she knew most of what was going on. She only hit me once or twice at the beginning as Dad threatened her. But she got worse and so did Dad. I don't know how she is right now. I just really hope she's okay." I explained. "I don't know how much more worse she can get before that's it."

"I'm not sure what to say, Eve. I don't know how much you love her." Zack muttered.

"Neither do I." We sit in silence for a while. It's a nice silence. It's comforting. It feels good that I know I have someone to confide in now. I need someone. I have someone.

"I should really go to bed." I whisper around 11 at night.

"Please stay, Eve." Zack whines tiredly. He tries to lie down, pulling me down with him.

"You've got school tomorrow, buddy." I inform him but don't bother trying to move again. I was pretty tired and I don't think I'd mind sleeping here right now.

"I don't care. I just need someone right now and you're the best thing I've got. None of the other boys would hug like this." He confesses. I'm glad I can make him feel better.

"Night, Zack." I mumble and close my eyes, his arms wrapped around me.

"Night, Eve." He whispers into my ear.