Foster Brother |BXB|✓

Chapter 15: The Run Away

I blink back tears that fall without any warning, a deep pain radiating from my nose all the way to the back of my head. As I licked my upper lip, feeling slight moisture run down it, I taste the distinct flavor of blood. I'm not really surprised that I was bleeding, I mean I did hear the loud crack that came from the center of my face as Owen's fist connected with my nose. I look up to the area where Owen used to occupy, only to be jolted into moving when I see he is no longer there. The front door was ajar and I could only assume that Owen had run away.

I sighed, just hoping he would come back before my parents got home so my ass wouldn't be on the line. I stood up, walking to the door and slamming it shut, and continued to make my way to my room to hopefully clean up my nose. When I finally got the courage to look at myself in the mirror I was horrified. My nose was noticeably broken and very, very swollen. It had thankfully stopped bleeding and just a small amount of dried blood still sat under it. The worst part of it was the deep blue bruises that were already appearing under both of my eyes. Unfortunately for me, I was not going to be able to hide this from my parents.

A few hours went by before my mom got home, I spent most of the time watching Queer Eye, hoping it would cheer me up. Unfortunately, the fab five couldn't even bring a smile to my face. I'm in my room, which means my mom would have to actively search the house to figure out if Owen isn't around, it might give me time to try and locate the idiot.

Where are you? I'm not really that mad, you can come back. I send the text to him, I can only pray that it will be enough to get him to answer me. About 10 minutes pass with no response and I know that can't be a good sign. I'm out of time, I can already hear my mom's footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Hi honey," she says while popping her head into my room as I ducked mine down so she wouldn't see my face.

"Hi mom, how was work?" I ask as she continues down the hall.

"It was good, not too busy, which was wonderful," I know she's at Owen's door now, "Hi Owen. Owen? Are you in there?" She comes into my room through the bathroom, "sweetheart have you seen Owen?"

I dumbly tilt my head up towards her and hear a loud gasp, "mom, don't freak out! I'm fine."

"What in the hell happened to you? Are you being bullied? Do I need to call the cops?" So much for not freaking out.

"It was an accident and no to both!"

"Is this why Owen isn't here?" she asks slowly, warning me she will take no bullshit responses.

"No," I squeak out as her eyes narrow at me, "yes, maybe. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure."

"How can you not be sure? Are you stupid?" I half chuckled at her response, she would really think I was stupid if she knew what was really going on.

"A girl said some really shitty things about him and I guess he found out. When he got home he was being all pissy and I slapped him. It was hard and it must have pissed me off because he slugged me in the face as a response. I don't think he was thinking when he did it because he wouldn't just do something like that. And then he just ran off," I mean it wasn't the entire truth, but it was enough of it. Plus the entire truth would make things 1000% worse. I wasn't going to tell her Owen and I have been kissing and touching each other for the last 2 weeks and I sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that I slapped him because he was kissing someone else. And I think he would hate me if I told my mom that after I slapped him he started to cry, I think he would kill me for ruining his tough-guy act.

"I knew taking a teenager in was a dumb idea. I guess we just have to hope he comes back tonight, if not the police will have to get involved and that could be bad for him."

She was so right, it would be bad for him. Getting the cops involved could end up with him in juvie, especially if he misses any school. He would probably be relocated to a group home after juvie and then who knows what would happen when he turns 18 in less than a month. If the cops got involved all it would mean is Owen would no longer be apart of my life. And as much as that boy pisses me off and hurts me sometimes, I am not ready to give him up.

I have to find him and soon.

Owen you goddamn idiot. Where are you?

ANSWER ME.

SERIOUSLY.

I'm pounding on the keyboard on my phone, each text I send that goes unanswered makes me more nervous. He can't do this to me, he can't do this to himself. He needs to come back, I need him to come back. I find myself pulling my knees to my chest and letting out a soft whimper as tears start falling.

Hours go by, I don't even go down to eat dinner, I'm far too stressed to feel hungry. He still hasn't come home, nor has he answered any of my text messages. I even found myself texting everyone I could think of that might know where he is or might even be with him. But, as my luck would go, no one has seen him.

I start going crazy in my room, I need to do something to try to find him and clearly sitting on my ass is not helping at all. I grab my phone and shove it in my pocket, fleeing down the stairs and out the door. I wander around the neighborhood for a while, hoping that he is just hanging out around here somewhere. I keep walking, unaware of the amount of time that has passed or where I was even wandering too. I found myself stopping in front of a very familiar house, one that I spent a great amount of time at and one that housed the one person I trust the most to help me with Owen. It was like my feet knew where they were taking me before my mind did.

I knocked on the door a few times and eventually, my best friend opened the door for me, "Matt, holy shit what happened to your face?"

For some reason instead of answering I start laughing like a mad man. In all of the crazyness, I had totally forgotten that my face looked like a demented rotting fruit. I couldn't stop myself from laughing, the kid punches me in the face then runs away and somehow in the mix of all the events I forget I should be pissed at him. I'm not even slightly mad which is so dumb.

I finally compose myself, "Hi Mateo. Owen slugged me in the face because I slapped him after he kissed me. Now the dumbass has run away and won't answer any of my texts or calls. My parents are threatening to get the cops involved if he doesn't come home tonight, which would mean bye, bye Owen."

It was Mateo's turn to laugh now. His laughter continues until he can no longer breathe and tears are streaming their way down his cheek, "Dude, how can you say that all so calmly? It's like none of it is even fazing you."

"It is, trust me. I just don't have the energy anymore, it has been a fucking long day." It was weird, I wasn't even sure I truly wanted to be hanging out with anyone at the moment, but somehow I ended up here anyway. Mateo and I hang out for a little while until I know I have to get home before my parents start freaking out over me as well.

Once finally home, I head straight to my bed exhaustion eating away at my body. But the second I see Owen's room through the bathroom door, I find myself heading to his bed. I pull the sheets back and crawl in, making myself comfortable as I engulf myself in his scent. Half of me hoped he would come home in the middle of the night just so this could all be over, but the other half, the half that wanted me in his bed, hoped he would wait until the morning because I find myself nervous at what his reaction would be if he found me half-naked in his bed.