You don't have to hurt anymore

Running from his mother and her unattainable expectations, Wilhelm finds solace at his brother's house in Bjärstad. It was there he found a sense of belonging, a sense of hope, that, maybe one day, he too could be brave like Erik and leave his tumultuous household.

It only took one night for the boy next door to catch his eye. The boy who lived in the house where screaming and fighting seemed to be a constant, who shooed away help like his life depended on it but seemed to crave it so deeply in his soft brown eyes.

"I just wanna be friends with you. Everyone needs a friend."

"Bullshit."

Because since the first night they met, Simon saw the way Wilhelm looked at him. It was the way this whole fucking town looked at him but worse. Like he was broken, weak, someone who needed to be saved by the cute, privileged boy next door even though he'd been protecting his family for as long as he could remember - even the one who was destroying them.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I see the way you look at me, Wille."

Because I think I might look at you the same way and I don't just wanna be friends with you, either.