Capture Me Gently - 3. Chapter 3

THREE

At lunch break, Aiden and Alex slid down on their usual table in the canteen with their lunch. Sarah and Peter were already seated there, talking lightly now and then.

"Hey, you two," Sarah greeted. "Where have you been all day? Forth period is finished and I haven't seen you like at all!"

"We haven't been doing anything special," Aiden shrugged. "You're the one who's always busy, young lady."

"Ah, that's so true!" Sarah snickered. "It's hard juggling my time between all my friends, I tell you." She looked down, concentrating on eating the rest of her food for a bit.

She soon looked up again, though, opening her mouth to say something, but a shout from behind them interrupted her and soon Aiden had a Ben around his neck. His cousin's best friend, Riley Blake, came trudging behind his more over-active friend.

"You know what I've just heard?" Ben asked excitedly, looking around at them. "Some girl in junior year is having a party this Friday! We should all go! And then we could go down to Eden afterwards!"

"You think Jayden will let you in after what happened when we were there last time?" Aiden raised his eyebrows knowingly at his cousin.

Ben came with a small, embarrassed laugh and scratched his neck. "What happened that night was a one time incident! It won't happen again. I swear."

"I hear you say that," Aiden muttered, and that earned him a glare from his younger cousin.

"What happened last time you were at Eden?" Peter asked, looking slightly confused.

"We haven't told you?" Sara asked, almost in shock, and turned to face him.

Peter shook his head lightly. "Not that I can remember, no."

"You missed out on a lot that night, Pete," Riley laughed and nudged his best friend's side. Ben just threw his arm around his shoulders in return and leaned against him.

"Just tell me what I missed then!" Peter nearly exclaimed impatiently.

The others laughed friendly by his impatience, while Peter scowled at them. He hadn't heard a word about this. Sure, he remembered last time they had arranged to go to Club Eden two weeks ago, and he couldn't go with them because he had had to stay home to baby-sit his sick sister.

"Well, there was a new bartender there that night," Sara started slowly and grinned as Peter started to thud his fingers lightly against the table.

"Who didn't know that we were underage and not allowed to order anything from the bar," Riley chimed in and poked his best friend in the side with his elbow. Ben just tightened his grip around his shoulders and pressed himself closer to him so he didn't have any space to poke him again.

"But the smart-ass over there," Sara pointed at Ben who only rolled his eyes back at her, "took advantage of this and ordered himself a few drinks. Strong shit too."

"You got drunk on Eden?" Peter glared at Ben.

"He also got drugged," Aiden said before Ben even managed to think of an answer. "He started making out with some random guy, and before we knew it they were in the rest-room, enjoying each other a little too much."

"Meaning that they fucked," Sara grinned wickedly.

"And got caught at that by Reed himself," Aiden said sternly and shook his head at the thought of his cousin's escapades.

Their cousin, Jayden Lister, owned Club Eden, a very popular club for not-completely-straight-people down in town, but it was a friend of his, Reed Baxter, who ran the club for him. Thanks to Jayden they had permission to come in there, but everyone who worked there knew that they were underage and not supposed to drink anything. Only have a fun time dancing, or watch those who danced.

"Freaking unbelievable, Ben!" Peter exclaimed.

"Nah, I wouldn't say that," Ben replied. "Though I don't remember much from that night..." He scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, that's weird," Aiden said sarcastically. "Especially seeing as you were drunk and on speed."

"Yeah, that was really and experience," Ben said, almost in awe.

"You make it sound like it's a good thing," Peter pointed out.

"Oh, it was," Ben said, nodding with a reassuring smile. "Goddammit! That was some rush!"

Sara nodded in agreement to that.

"You've tried speed?" Peter asked the shorter girl, staring at her almost in shock.

"Yeah, I've tried it," Sara said. "Once. Last year."

"See, it's not just me," Ben cackled.

"I think I should reconsider the crush I have on you," Peter grinned teasingly at Sara, but then slid an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

It was no secret that they were in love with each other, but they just never did anything about it. It had been out in the open for months, and they were still just friends.

"Oh, I hope you don't do that," Sara smirked back up at him.

"Can't you two just get your asses in gear and freaking get together?" Ben exclaimed. "It's nauseating to look at all the flirting all the time!" He frowned at them. "And the looks you send each other just screams ‘fuck me'!"

"Oh, shut up, Ben!" Sarah exclaimed and threw a pencil at him. "I know you're jealous; just admit it!"

"Not a freaking change in the fucking world!" Ben swore and threw the pencil back at her. "No offence Pete, but she can have you all by herself!"

Peter just chuckled as an answer and shook his head lightly.

"Hey, Ben, come on," Riley said and pulled impatiently on the arm around his shoulders. "Let's go somewhere and make out!"

That was Ben and Riley, they were always talking to each other like that. And even though they were both gay, and very open about it, they never actually did anything with each other. Well, they used to kiss, but apart from that... They were just best friends and did what best friends did. Though, they were a pair of crazy best friends. Both were extremely over-active and doing a lot of wild stuff.

Aiden rolled his eyes and shook his head lightly, as he always did when it came to Ben. But he quickly turned around as he heard some commotion from the corridor outside the canteen.

He saw Ben and Riley being cornered by four bigger guys, and even though he couldn't hear what was being said, it was no doubt that the meeting was violent; one guy had just shoved Riley up against a wall, while another was pushing Ben.

"Those fucking jerks!" He exclaimed and got to his feet. Alex, Peter and Sarah stood up too, and quickly took in the situation their two friends were in.

Aiden rushed through the canteen and slammed the door open. "Hey, you idiots!" He called out, seeing the four turn their head to glare back at him.

"Coming to protect your fag friends, Aiden?" The biggest one of them sneered. He was obviously the leader of the group.

"Shut up, Kirtland," Aiden said and stared coldly back at him. "Let them go."

"Maybe you're a fag yourself, huh?" Glenn Kirtland said in a mocking tone.

"Or maybe you are," Aiden suggested and shrugged his shoulders lightly. "You can never know. And seeing as how your guys are pressing those two up against a wall, I would say they were too."

Glenn Kirtland's eyes narrowed dangerously and he stepped closer to Aiden. "You watch yourself, you fucking queer," he snarled. "One day I'll get all of you!" His eyes also ran over Alex, Peter and Sarah when he said that.

"Let. Them. Go." Aiden said slowly in a low, threatening voice. "I will hit you. I swear."

Glenn Kirtland rolled his eyes scornfully, but he knew that Aiden meant what he said. He also knew that Aiden's punches hurt. He and Aiden had been in many fights during their time in high school.

With a snort he turned and walked down the hallway. His three friends followed him quickly; the two who had held Ben and Riley captured against the wall, hastily let go of them.

"Fucking idiots!" Ben exclaimed as he ran his fingers over his throat. The guy who had held him had tried to freaking strangle him!

"You okay?" Aiden slid an arm around his cousin's shoulders.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine," Ben smiled reassuringly. "But they are so fucking annoying! Bothering people like that! We weren't doing shit!"

"Don't care about them," Aiden replied. "They are just a bunch of brainless idiots."

"Yes, indeed they are," Ben grinned. Then he threw and arm around his best friend. "You okay there, Riles?"

"I'm fine," Riley answered with a small smile. Homophobes like those guys really got to him; it hurt him that people could act like that towards others. Lucky for him and Ben though, Glenn Kirtland and his gang were the only ones bothering them.

Ben grinned at his best friend and they started to walk towards the front doors. "Now, are we going to go to find somewhere quit or not?"

As they disappeared around a corner, Aiden turned to his friends.

"Are we going to go inside again to finish our lunch? Or are we just going to head to our classrooms?" He asked with a small smile.

"Let's just go to your classroom," Sarah said and started walking in said direction. She wasn't in the same class as the boys, but she always used to be in their classrooms in breaks and free periods. "Come on, boys!" Sarah called as she saw that her three friends were far behind her. "Don't be so tardy!"

---

After their basket practice was finished, Aiden and Alex decided to wander around town for a bit. They were worn out from the hard practice the coach had pushed the whole team through, but they didn't feel like going home just yet.

However, Aiden got a creepy feeling in his stomach when a dark, threatening figure stepped out on the sidewalk, ten meters in front of them and it dawned to him that he knew that person.

"Maybe you should go home now," Aiden quickly said to Alex, cursing himself silently because he couldn't make his voice a little friendlier.

"Go home? Why?" Alex looked puzzled at him.

Aiden's thoughts were boiling. What could he tell him to get him away? He couldn't be there when he confronted Marcus. He could get hurt...

"Just go home, OK?" He said, harsher than he meant to. Alex blinked surprised. "I have something I have to do, and I can't do it with you here."

Alex stopped suddenly and stared at him. Aiden lowered his head, didn't want his friend to read his messed up feelings in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "But it's something I have to do on my own." He raised his head and met Alex's eyes. "Just understand, OK?" His eyes were begging.

Alex shrugged his shoulders lightly and avoided Aiden's eyes. Then he turned his back to him and started walking back the way they had come from.

Aiden watch him go for a second with a heavy feeling of guilt in his chest. He should've come up with something better to get Alex away. And he should have been a little friendlier; but he had been to desperate to just get him away.

He sighed and then kept walking the opposite way of Alex; towards Marcus.

Alex turned around when he was at the end of the street. He saw his friend walk forward, and then stop in front of a figure that blocked the way for him. When this shadow bent down to say something in Aiden's ear, Alex recognized him at once.

Marcus took a firm grip around Aiden's upper arms, Alex saw, and shoved him hard into the brick wall. Aiden looked angry, and he started talking furious to Marcus.

Alex couldn't hear what they argued about, but he felt a huge lump in his chest. Was this why Aiden had wanted him away? But what if Aiden got hurt?! It was obvious that Marcus didn't just plan on arguing with the younger boy.

And where had he hid the other two bastards? Aiden had told him after his last conflict with the idiots that it would only be him and Marcus next time they met. That Marcus had said it, but Alex had his own thoughts about that. He didn't believe it for a second.

Suddenly Marcus clenched his fist, and Alex's heart jumped wildly when his fist hit Aiden's jaw. Aiden looked furious, and he bashed his elbow in Marcus's stomach, with the result that the bigger boy staggered backwards.

Marcus yelled something, and then Seb and Matt came out from the alleyway. Aiden saw them coming, and he snapped something to Marcus, who only sneered back at him.

Alex knew that Aiden didn't stand a single chance against those three alone, and without any further thoughts from his side, he dropped his bag and started running towards them.

Marcus, Seb and Matt went on Aiden at the same time, from three sides, and Aiden felt the fear creep up his spine. No way in hell if he could take all three of them alone! He could have taken them one by one, but Marcus wasn't that stupid or naïve. He knew that Aiden could've won that way, and that's why they now came from three different sides.

They attacked him, and Aiden didn't have any other choice than to protect his face. They punched him and kicked him over his whole body, but he refused to take his hands away from his face. He absolutely didn't want them to hurt him there.

But suddenly Seb staggered forwards, into him, and Aiden removed his hands a little, only to see Seb holding his hands over his bleeding nose. Aiden looked to Seb's right side and saw Alex standing there. He rubbed his knuckles, while his furious look turned to Matt who was standing only one meter away from him.

Marcus stared, didn't know what to do at first. It looked like he decided to let Matt take care of Alex, because he suddenly bashed his hand in Aiden's stomach. Aiden frowned and punched him hard in the shoulder.

Matt and Alex fought a short distance away from Aiden and Marcus. When Aiden threw a quick glance at his friend to see how he was doing, - and he was doing fine, Matt was the one that had to block all the punches -, Marcus punched him in the face, bashed his elbow in his ribs and kicked him hard in the stomach.

Aiden fell to his knees; he could taste the blood dripping from his chapped lower lip. But now he was really enraged, and he knocked Marcus to the ground, placing himself on top of him. He punched the older boy's face, and heard a crack when his nose broke. The blood splashed over Marcus's shirt, but Aiden had already gotten to his feet, so he hadn't gotten any of that sticky fluid on himself, except from a little on his knuckles.

He saw that Alex had knocked Matt to the ground, and he grabbed his bag and ran towards his friend; took a firm grip around his wrist and pulled him away.

"Come on, let's get away from here," he said and looked over his shoulder on the three fallen boys who was know struggling to get to their feet.

The two of them ran down the street, got Alex's bag, and didn't stop running until they had rounded the corner. Aiden let go of Alex's hand, and instead slid his arms around his friend's neck and rested his head lightly on his shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered. "If you hadn't come, I would probably be on my way to the hospital by now." He laughed silently. "Most likely in an ambulance."

"It's okay," Alex said. "That's what one has friends for, right?" He smiled lightly as he rested his hand behind Aiden's back. Having him so close was just so unbelievable good! "But I could've helped you from the start, you know. Instead you told me to go away."

"I just didn't want you to get hurt," Aiden said in a low voice.

"But what about yourself?" Alex exclaimed. "I don't want you to get hurt either!"

Aiden suddenly realized how close he and Alex were, and he quickly withdrew from the contact, his face blushing. His heart started to beat wildly in his chest when he dared meeting Alex's eyes again...