if the shoe fits...

let me catch you up to speed

there's going to be a birthday party for the governor's son at the massive governor's mansion. everyone around the son's age in the whole state is invited, which means awsten and his two awful step brothers get a fancy letter in the mail. awsten is pumped. he's finally going to get out and meet a bunch of people who don't know him as "steve and kyle's stepbrother" and steer clear of him for that reason alone.

he spends all week thrifting to put together the perfect outfit, and every night before he goes to bed, he peeks at it (it's hidden in his closet so his "brothers" won't ruin it). he spends just as much time on his outfit as he does trying to figure out what to get someone who probably has everything. he thinks about what it would be like to be the governor's son and what he would want if he was in those shoes.

the day comes, and awsten's wearing his special outfit and holding his gift, and he's feeling excited. but about five minutes before they have to leave, kyle accidentally-on-purpose spills his frap all over awsten's front. when awsten starts to yell at him in protest (something he's never done before), his brothers decide to treat him to an extra-rough session of "horseplay" before they go. awsten's ankle actually gets really hurt, but they just laugh at him and leave him in pain on the floor. he can hear the sound of them climbing into steve's car to drive to the party - without him.

awsten bursts into tears. this was all he'd been waiting for, the only thing he had to look forward to. the politics didn't matter, the food and the music and the decorations didn't matter. it wasn't about the pretty girls or the pretty boys or the governor's son. it certainly wasn't about potential access to a status increase like it was for awsten's brothers. awsten just wanted to make some friends. even just one would have been a dream come true!

but it was hopeless.

awsten sobbed freely, knowing that there was no one to hear him. and even if they could hear him, they sure wouldn't care.

and then suddenly, there was a guy in the kitchen with him. awsten flinched and scrambled backwards but winced at the pain in his ankle.

"it's okay," the guy said calmly. "i'm here to help."