Back To Our Roots, Book One

XLIV. Sorry About Him, He's Just Worried

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Matt laughed. "Sebastian, the doctor already confirmed it. I'm fine, just bruised."

"You were paralyzed."

"For like, ten minutes." Matt pulled out his key and opened the door to his dorm.

"Oh, yeah. Just because it was ten minutes, you being paralyzed doesn't matter at all," Sebastian said sarcastically.

"What's this about someone being paralyzed?" David asked, looking over at the doorway.

"It's nothing," Matt said dismissively.

Sebastian bit his tongue, not wanting to get Matt into a bad situation. It certainly wasn't nothing.

He couldn't help but be anxious. Yes, it had already happened, but what if the police hadn't gotten there right as he had been paralyzed?

Sebastian shuddered, hating the thought. There wasn't anything worse than being beaten up while you were paralyzed.

It's in the past.

Wes yawned, standing up. "I think I'm going to get some tea. Do you guys want anything?"

"Coffee," Sebastian mumbled, getting elbowed by Matt.

"I think we're good, thanks," David said.

Wes left, and the second the door shut behind him David's face turned to worry.

"What's wrong?" Matt asked.

David turned to them, voice rapid. "Okay so this reporter lady came today and wanted to talk to him and get his perspective and I mean Wes was like why not and I mean it was going well and she agreed to let him look it over before it was published to make sure she didn't twist his words and like this is going great but then she asked if he's an only child and instead of just saying yes-"

"David. You know when Thad gets worked up and speaks in Spanish? You're doing that, except instead of Spanish it's really fast English," Matt said.

David took a breath. "So she asks if he's an only child. And he is, right? So he says yes but then says that they could have avoided this if they didn't have any children. That they couldn't have been unfit parents if they weren't parents, that they could have been a happy couple without kids instead of in jail."

"He's fucked," Sebastian said bluntly. "He just told a reporter that he shouldn't be alive and was too clueless to notice."

"Okay, I'm sorry, but his parents are where now?" Matt asked.

"Oh, they got caught, they're in jail. It's this huge scandal, he can hardly leave the dorm without being annoyed," David filled him in. Then he turned to Sebastian. "You think he just didn't realize what he said? Honestly, I'm worried, because it sounds so much like he's saying he should have just not been born and his parents could be happy. But... if he didn't realize what he's saying, doesn't that mean his subconscious is thinking it?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I mean, it could be. I think he was just stating the obvious, though. He wasn't wrong."

"What?" David asked, shocked.

"I mean, if they didn't have kids, they couldn't hurt them. And if he specifically hadn't been born, what are the chances the child they had were also gay and vocal about it?"

David bristled, becoming protective. "What, you're saying it's his fault?"

"You misunderstand me. I'm sa–"

"Oh, I'm misunderstanding? Because that sure sounds like what you're saying."

"You know what? You're right. I'm blaming two people's actions on one of my best friends, who's one of the few reasons I'm still alive. Besides, it's not like I know anything about child abuse. No, on weekends I sit down to dinner with my perfectly loving family, my little sister talking on about her day, my mom perfectly alive and well, listening intently. My dad just watching my mother lovingly, their marriage picture perfect. Nobody slowly turning insane as I watch."

David's expression immediately softened, irritation fading. "Sebastian, I'm sorry. I was just-"

"Protective, I know. Worried. It's okay."

They were all silent for a minute.

"You had a sister? What happened to her?" David asked softly.

"Well, my mother was pregnant. I ran before anyone got there."

"How do you know?"

"What?"

"How do you know she's dead? She could be alive."

Sebastian shook his head. "Don't. She's dead, nothing can change that."

Matt thought for a moment. "I mean, what's the harm in checking?"

Sebastian looked at him in disbelief. "It's not possible."

"Actually, it is possible."