They Saved Me (boyxboyxboy)

Late Night Stalkers

*Noah

It's been a few days since I started at KA's Mechanics and I've never been happier. Well, as far as happiness can go in my case.

Now, every time I come back from school, I actually have something to look forward to later.

Killian and Kieran were really nice people. We clicked instantly and I appreciated how they didn't comment on my clothes or weight like many others find funny to. It was refreshing.

I was happy to be learning all theses new things from them and yesterday, they'd actually let me fix a minor problem that had been brought in earlier that day. On an actual car! I was ecstatic. I these few days, my life had taken a turn and I was able to forget about the bad things in life when I was with them.

Later of course though, I would be all alone again.

On the first day of work, they'd insisted on driving me home since I'd stayed late past 6:00. I was worried they would find out about my truth after the lies I've fed them. The lies about my loving parents who wanted me to follow my dreams. The imaginary older brother that was overprotective and how I pretended to hate it. The home and bed that I didn't actually get to lie in at night.

It was painful to lie to them and build this false reality for myself. But I couldn't stop. I loved spending time with them and I didn't want them to hand me over to the care system. They were the only ones who payed attention to me in such a long time that I didn't know how to deal with that. I did the only thing I knew how to do to get by. Lie. I just hope it follows through.

"Hey, Noah," Kieran called from under the body of a pickup. "Can you hand me that wrench from the third shelf?"

"Yep," I walked over to him and handed him the tool.

"Hey, ah, so... Killian and I would like you to stay for dinner tonight. Even though you don't think it, you've been a big help around here and it's been fun having you around. We wanna thank you."

"What, paying me isn't enough," I responded. I couldn't help that I sounded like an unthankful brat. I couldn't stay for dinner. It would be too late to escape on foot and they'd argue with me about driving me home. It was too risky.

But Kieran didn't seem the least bit offended as he continued begging.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. If your parents, and of course, you are okay with it, why not!" He went on, his voice muffled by the large chunk of metal that lay inches above him.

I sighed. Whenever they mentioned my 'parents", I got this feeling in my chest. It felt a lot like guilt. Guilt of lying to these two amazing people who have been so amazing he so far.

"Alright. Thanks for the invite," i mumbled. I was trying to sound uninterested so he could let me off the hook but he was having none of that.

Because an hour later, the three of us were seated around the counter.

I felt like I was being invasive sitting here and eating their food. It felt too much like a family thing rather than an employee-employer relationship. But what did I know?

Their place nice though. It was an expansive space that was open and clean. It didn't feel suffocating, but it didn't feel empty and that was a new feeling to weigh down.

Our forks clattered on the plates as we ate. I was trying not to eat too fast, as hungry as I was. And the food looked really good too.

As I shoveld done my food in silence, I thought about how I could escape this. I looked up and out the window behind me. It was getting dark. It wasn't likely that they'd let me walk this out.