different- Stenbrough

CHAPTER ONE

Stan felt alone in the world, like a lone wolf. He didn't mind feeling that way because he doesn't know any different. Even as a kid, life was hard. Stanley's mother went through all the pain and hurt she could to protect and love him, but she fell in love with somebody the exact opposite.

She was head over heels for him, his name was Chris, and he was horrible. He seemed great, at first. Stan didn't mind meeting him, he was nine. He even bought him candy and ice cream for a treat. It was all ok, until he moved in. 

When he married Stanley's mother and moved into their home, life changed for the worse. He would be out at bars late, sometimes all night. He never came back sober, and he wasn't a happy drunk. 

By the time Stanley turned 14, he was used to it. Used to his stepfather's abusive behaviour. He didn't enjoy it, but he wasn't nine anymore and he knew it was always going to happen.

Nobody in Stanley's life cared about him much, not much himself either. Like I said, he was a lone wolf. School wasn't bad, he didn't have bullies, but he also didn't have any friends. Until third year, their classes switched. He met a girl with red hair, like winter fire. She seemed sweet. 

She said her name was Beverly, "Beverly...nice name," Stan said. "Thanks." She smiled at him. From that day on they were inseparable, but it was quite hard because with no other friends everyone thought they were a couple. Little did they know, Stanley was into boys, he was gay. Bev didn't use him to have a 'gay best friend,' in fact she didn't even know until after she befriended him, and she didn't mind at all. "It makes me better at giving you love advice," She giggled. Stan was so happy he had a true, real, kind best friend. 

         TIME SKIP -------------------------------------------------- STANLEYS 15TH BIRTHDAY

Stanley was getting ready, it was his 15th birthday and him, Beverly, Ben and Mike were going out for some ice cream. It was late, almost seven, they were meeting just before eight so Stan was getting dressed and stuff. He didn't feel well but he wasn't letting that stop him. He was going to try get out before his father (step father is now known as because y'know) got home because he wanted to avoid pain and argument on his birthday. ]

He finished buttoning up his shirt and picked up his phone, flipping it and putting it into his jeans pocket. Then he was just making his bed when he heard the door slam downstairs. 

He was home early.

Stan quickly did his bed up and then ran downstairs, trying not to be noticed but his dad saw him right away.

"What you doing, sneaking around? Hey, I got you a little birthday present son. Know what it is?" He said walking forward towards Stanley, whose eyes hadn't moved off the beer bottle in his hand. "What.." Stan said, not glancing away. 

"Some common sense!" His father yelled, and with that he smashed the glass bottle over Stanleys head, causing blood and glass flying everywhere. Then chuckled and sat down, before Stan ran out of his house.

The tears were running down his face, he thought they'd never stop, and he still felt bleeding on the back of his head. The tears nor blood had not stopped by the time he got to the ice cream place. He walked with his head down, not much because of the blood but enough so his face wasn't seen as he was still crying through it all.

Stupid choice, as he banged into another boy. They bumped straight into each other, as the other boy had been looking back at his friends. Stan's head shot up. "I'm so sorry, I-" The boy Stan bumped into started, but he stopped as he saw Stanley's face. "Hey are you okay??" He asked. "Sorry, yeah I....I'm fine I think, thanks.." Stan said, looking into the boys eyes deeply. He admired his appearance.

He had brown combed hair and nice green eyes, and he smiled at Stan, with a beautiful white teethed smile. The two boys stared at one another. Then Stan walked past the boy and on to find a table, but he didn't know the boy would be looking back and the boy saw his head. "Hey! Come here," The smiley boy yelled, accidentally drawing attention to himself, but there was only a few people there as it was late, two of them being the boys friends.

"Huh?" Stan said, walking back over. "Sorry, I'm Bill. Are you ok? Here let us get you mopped up, my best friend Eddie here is basically a nurse so you should be ok in his hands anyways," Bill said, walking Stanley over to his and his friends table.

TIME SKIP------------------------------------------- A BIT LATER--------------------------

Stanley was sitting down on the floor, while the small boy, Eddie, was looking at his cut. He had been to tall for little Eddie and that's why he was on the floor. "Sorry, I don't mean to cause bother.." Stanley said worried. "I really don't understand, my friends should've been here a while ago..let me text them."

Stan texted, only to find out they were all cancelling because of school, family etc. all three of them..

"Wow, they bailed on me. Worst 15th birthday ever.." Stan said. It was mostly to himself but the other boys heard. "Really, it's your birthday? Happy birthday dude." The glasses boy, Richie, said laughing. Young Eddie rolled his eyes at him. "Oh thanks." Stan said. 

"I'll be 15 soon." Bill said, "Don't worry about your birthday. You can stay with us if you still want to hang out with friends, were friends now, right?" Bill smiled. "Right." Stan said, and he felt delighted to be with people and not in his scary not-so-home-like home...