Only You

Chapter 1

Rain tumbled from the sky, falling at dangerous speeds crashing against any surface it could find. The sound of rain on glass, metal, wood reminded him of bullets. Shockwaves ran through his body as he dashed for cover, each drop of rain soaking him through. He pulled his thin jacket closer to him, although it didn't do him any good. Sighing he rushed into a side alley, ducked under a fire escape and fell to ground. Silently sobbing he drew his knees up to his head, shivering from the wet and bitter breeze. How had he ended up like this? No money, no clothes, no place to call home.

He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't cold. Winter was always worse, naturally. His body had stopped shivering and his teeth were no longer chattering, his own immune system was turning against itself, losing the battle to stay warm and most importantly, to stay alive.

He had nowhere to go. His mother ran off with her new husband, his father died when he was young. With no other family to take him in, Joseph was shifted from care home to care home and by the time he was 17 he'd given up on hope all together.

He decided to run away. I'm going to survive he thought to himself every moment life got tough.

No one else is there for me so I have to be there for myself.

At some point the tears stopped falling, replaced with bitterness and anger. Anger towards his mother for abandoning him, anger towards his father for leaving him with such a sorry excuse for a mother. Joseph found himself, at times, wishing he was the one that was taken by the stroke.

He didn't actually hate his father, in fact up until his death he had not loved anyone or anything as much as his father. The shock of his sudden death left a hole in his heart that Joseph didn't know how to fill, or if it will ever be filled.

The rain had finally stopped yet the sky was still grey, near black despite only being around early evening. 5pm Joseph guessed. His stomach began to rumble. A familiar feeling, one he was growing accustomed to. Maybe one day, he thought, I'll never feel hunger as bad as this

He felt hopeless, lost, confused. He couldn't go on.

Without even thinking his body manoeuvred it's way though the sea of people, rushing to get home before the rain starts again. The stream of people provided a huge variety of shapes and size. Joseph never stopped to appreciate how unique people looked and today was no different.

His pace increased. Walking led to jogging. Jogging led to sprinting.

He started to slow down as he approached road works. Signs read. Danger: Do not enter.

He didn't care. Leaping over a barrier he rushed towards the railings of the bridge. He expected his heart to be thumping loudly, his palms to be sweaty yet he was completely calm. His breathing slightly erratic from running.

Looking below he could see the swirls of the water, forming shapes and figures that reached out to him. As if they were calling: You've made it. You're home.

He saw images of his father, playing in their garden when he was only six, maybe seven. Picking up above his head, throwing him into the air and catching him. Joseph was never scared. Just like now.

He knew he'd see his father soon.

And with that he climbed onto the railings and stepped off.

William

I'm not a hero. I don't see why anyone would call me a hero. That word is reserved for soldiers who deactivate a bomb, a doctor performing life changing heart surgery. I grabbed a boy from falling off of bridge railings.

"You might want to be more careful where you sit, these railings are extremely slippery, especially since the rain we've had all day" I tried to be calm but I could see the boy had just had the fright of his life. Still holding onto the back of his coat I could see the puffiness of his eyes, the tears streaming down his cheeks.  Wow he really was scared.

I glanced around the scene, why had he walked all this way knowing the bridge was unsafe? Knowing how dangerous it was?

Then it clicked. He hadn't slipped. He had jumped.

Without thinking I pulled him closer to me, I wanted to help him with his struggles with life but I'm not s therapist. The best I could do was offer s hug and a shoulder to cry on. My heart breaking whilst hearing his sobs. His fingers dug into the fabric of my coat, so deep it left marks when he removed them.

"Do you have anyone I can call?" I turned to him. I knew it was a stupid question but I didn't know the boy, surely his family would be worried sick?

"No." Was all he was able to say before he set off into more hysterics. I'd just witnessed a young boy, no older than 17 try and take his own life and all I could ask was if I could call someone.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" I said, I felt my own eyes welling up with tears, tears for this boy who I knew nothing about yet from this moment our lives will be intertwined one way or another.

He didn't respond to my question. I already knew the answer, I could tell from his attire. His blonde hair hung over his face like a curtain, his face a mix of sweat, tears and dirt, his frayed jacket was two sizes too big for him. It would've fit any other 17 year old boy. He was frightfully skinny, I noticed as I put my arm around his shoulder, comforting him the best way I can.

He must be starving.

"Why don't I take you for something to eat? Get you out of this rain and somewhere warm?" I couldn't just leave him.

"I-I've no money, sir" I saw the pain in his eyes.

"Money is not an issue. I'll buy your food, if you promise to tell me what's going on. I want to help. I can't just leave you here." For some reason I felt responsible for this kid, it was strange. He managed a nod. I hope I can help him.

"I'm William, by the way, my friends call me Will"

"I'm Joseph, but people call me J"

We walked towards a small cafe on the corner of a busy street, once inside I could see his face light up from the warmth. The strong scent of coffee and tea filled my nose, I could almost taste it. Scattered around us tables, some full, some only house a sole occupant. It always confused as to why people would come to a busy cafe to do work.

I could tell He was nervous, why wouldn't he be? I'd hear him sigh often and watch him fidget with his fingers, not knowing what to say.

"So what do you fancy?" I asked, not caring for his reply. He could order pasta flaked with gold and I'd pay it.

"I don't want anything. I won't let you spend your money on the likes of me" he said staring at the table, not making eye contact with me.

"I've got too much money and only myself to spend it on. Now, what are you eating?" He scoffed at that. I hope I hadn't offended him, I wasn't trying to brag.

"No one likes a show off" I saw the corners of his mouth turn up into a small smirk.

"Oh-un-no that's not what I meant-I meant that I'm happy to buy your food" he looked at me then, his striking blue eyes cutting through me like knives.

He smiled then and whispered a "thank you"

He turned his attention back to his fingers. Another sigh escaping his lips.

Joseph

God he was gorgeous. He must've been in his mid to late 20s. His bright green eyes were filled with warmth every time he looked at me, his darker hair making them seem to pop out even more. He had a square jaw, lined with stubble that just screamed "MAN". I shook the thoughts away, the reality of the last half hour's events finally setting in.

I've never reached that level of desperation. I've never felt so hopeless that the only option I had left was to— I couldn't even think it.

I felt so out of place in the cafe. The room was filled with people shouting into expensive phones and typing away on expensive laptops and I was here wearing dirty clothes making another buy my food.

He should have just let me jump.