Those Nights of My Life - 2. Chapter 2 - Stay Up Late And We'd Talk All Night

My problems growing up didn't end at home. I'd like to believe that everyone has an aura about them, and we pick up on them. As a result of that bullies can find and pick on the weak, like me at 15.

Since I was little, kids had picked fun at my name. Xavier, who names their kid that? The most popular one every was 'Professor X', the leader from the X-men. It was a play on my name and my intelligence. I kind of got straight A's, so it stuck through the years too.

Kade's nickname for me though, Save, was special. Only Kade called me it; anyone else would get ignored. Kade made it up one day when we were little. “It's like saying 'Xav' but different.” He explained to me. I liked how it was a play on words and perfectly fit how he was to me.

Like I said though, school wasn't a safe zone for me. Many times my parents would be called in cause I was found in an embarrassing situation. And many a time I was asked who did it, and I would give no name. The common, “Tell anyone I did it and I'll do worse” threat was nearly always used. If it wasn't, it was implied.

Before school and at lunch I was always around Kade and Ben. We were like the three musketeers, minus their nooby. We'd joke around, and it was lots of fun. It's was at recess that shit would go down.

The bullies would come up to me, “So what are we learning today Professor?” I would try to ignore them and walk by without saying anything to them. They would grab me and repeat the question, “I asked you a question Professor, and I'd like an answer.”

I would then shrug, “I don't know, what class do we have together?”

Then the kid would push me to the ground, “Dumb shit, I'm not in any of your lame classes.” and he would kick me and walk away. That was the most common occurrences in the hallways at least.

On top of the whole smart thing, a few of the bullies were like deathly certain I was gay. In the bathrooms, they would drop their pants telling me to blow them. I got to look at some nice cock that's for sure, but I never once helped their hormones out.

Around the time that I had started sneaking out during the fights at home, there was one bully who picked on me a bit more. His name was Quentin Wahl. This kid was the jockiest jock of the jocks. He was the most popular of the seniors and the same age as Kade.

“You still letting sissy come over to your house at night, Kade? You slip your hand down to get a feel while he's there too?” Quentin would make fun of us.

“You don't know what you're talking about Quentin. Go screw whoever you're with right now. Or better yet, yourself.” Ben would shoot back at him.

Worst part of it, Ben was the co-captain of some of the sports teams. Including every junior team that Quentin was a part of the senior team. Meaning simply, if Quentin did anything to him he'd be kicked off every team.

“Why don't you mind your own business Christensen!” He would shoot at my brother.

Ben would smirk, “They are my business, so fuck off.”

And before Quentin got too angry he would walk off. His want to play sports I guess was bigger than wanting to pick on Kade and I. Ben's black belt might have something to do with it too.

Ben was always there for me; he was the best brother I could have asked for. He always said he did it even when it was me that should get in trouble. He's taken the blame for A LOT of stuff that we've done.

After school, that day was a tough one. When Ben and I opened the front door, we were met by Mom and Dad's screaming. River walked out of the kitchen. “Welcome to world war three boys!” He walked off towards his room.

I took a step back away from the door. Ben turned around, “Come on bud, you can hang out in my room.” He put his arm around my shoulder and walked me to his room.

Mom screamed at Dad, “I'm useless am I? This house is spotless when you get home from work!”

I turned in close to Ben. He continued walking placing his headphones on my head. His music was bad, but it drowned out the screaming. Ben went on his computer as I laid on his bed staring out into space.

I must have fallen asleep while laying there. Next thing I knew it was dark out and Ben was on his floor wrapped in a blanket and a pillow. I got up and made my way towards my room. Before I even made it there, I could hear the argument was still going on in their bedroom.

I stopped and put the headphones over my ears again. I moved closer to my bedroom door. As I opened the door, they became louder. Quickly I returned my room to its original state and went to the front door. With a look back I shot out into the night.

Swiftly I made my way to Kade's house. Lucky for me, his bedroom is on the first floor, and I can knock on it from the ground.

Kade opened the window and looked down. “Xavier, what are you doing here?”

“Mom and dad are fighting again. Ben gave me his iPod, but it's not helping.” Kade reached out for me and pulled me into his room. “Thanks...”

It was then, as he put on pajama pants I realized he was just in his boxers. He noticed me blushing. “It's no big deal Xavier.” He sat down on his bed. “You want to tell me why you're scared of your parents fighting?”

I sat down and leaned into him. “Why do you want to know?”

“This isn't the first time you've come over to my house in the middle of the night cause of your parents fighting.” He put his arms around me. “I'm just worried about you Save.”

I looked down at my hands. “It's a long story...”

“You know what's funny about that statement?” I shook my head. “Whenever someone says it, it's usually a lie. After saying it, they find a way to put it into a couple of sentences.” The smile on his face informed me he was waiting for an explanation.

I'm going to tell you this as it was back then. Not me telling Kade but as it happened when I was ten.

It was a normal day for me at home. I was busy running around with Ben pretending to be the latest season of Power Rangers. Of course Ben was being the Red Ranger; my favorite was always blue anyways.

All was norm until in the other room mom and dad began to fight. They didn't fight everyday like when I was 15, but when they did fight it was big. To this day, I have no idea what they were fighting about specifically.

As it escalated, Ben quieted down, and we listened from afar. Dad eventually yelled, “I'm going out!”

Mom immediately replied, “Not right now you're not! We have company, your company, coming over in just a few minutes!.”

“Give me the damn keys!” The keys suddenly came flying out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Ben and I were.

My brilliant mind at the time decided it would be a good idea to pick them up. Ben grabbed my shoulder, “Xavier don't!” I looked down at the keys in my hands, my mom's keys.

By then it was too late to do anything. My angry father came charging into the room. “Xavier hand the keys over.” There was force behind what he said... and it frightened me.

I shook my head. “No, they are Mommy's!” Which was the wrong answer. My dad tried to force the keys out of my hands. Grabbing hold of my arm as he did. His grip was so tight that I let go of the keys and fled from him.

He went out without saying much as a word.

Mom came over and made me roll up my sleeve. You could see where he had grabbed me, the skin was red. Mom was this close to calling the police about it. The first call she made was to my dad though. Whatever they said over the phone changed her mind.

To this day, I don't have much of a relationship with my dad.

Kade sat with me as I was leaning into him. “I'm sorry I asked.” Tears were rolling down my cheeks. “Come on, let's go to bed.” I took off my jeans as he turned off the light.

He wrapped me in his blanket as I continued to cry into his shoulder. With Kade's arms around me I quickly drifted off to sleep.

I awoke to Kade's lips against my own. My body took over and returned the kiss. His hands went into my briefs and grabbed hold of my ass.

When we finally stopped our kiss I couldn't see anything. Kade spoke. “I've wanted to do that for a while... sorry I woke you up.”

Kade and I changed position to spooning. “It's okay; it was a good wake up.” Once settled in again we fell asleep. This time with Kade's hands dangerously close to my crotch.

I woke up to Kade's bedroom door slamming open. His mom's voice echoed through the room. “The police are at the Christensen's house.” She looked at the bed and blinked. “Xavier what are you doing here?”

I blushed as Kade's hands had found there was into my briefs. “Hello, Mrs. Amado...”

“Do you know what they are there for?” Kade asked.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kade's mom gave me the stink eye. “It could be because Xavier is here and not at home. Just a thought though.”

I nodded. “I didn't tell my parents I was staying here...”

She turned her gaze to Kade. “I was not aware either. Nonetheless, I suggest you go home immediately and find out.”

“Yes, Ma'am.” She closed the door allowing me to get out of bed. “I got to go... I'm sorry if you get in trouble Kade.”

“Don't be, Save. If I do, I do. Worry about yourself.” He was right, I really should.

When I got home, my parents were just finishing their statements to the police. Turns out they filed a missing kid report... The talking to I got was that of another scale. Not only did mom and dad talk to me, but the police did too.

That was just the start of trying to keep me inside. Mom and dad bought an alarm for the front door that would go off when it was opened. It would echo through the common rooms of the house, and their bedroom.

To add to that, I was grounded for a month. Ben's room was my only safe haven from mom and dad fighting. No one else seems to care about how I was... or why I ran off. They just wanted me never to do it again.

Whenever my parents would fight, Ben would hand me his iPod and headphones. I would blank out the world with his music.

Then finally 'That song' came on. My perfect song I heard on the radio that night, I actually found it!

I remember when

We used to laugh

There was no mistaking it; this was the song! I took the headphones off and shouted, “What song is this!?”

Ben looked over from his book. “I don't know, look at the screen.”

So I did. “Those Nights by Skillet” I spoke aloud.

“Oh, that's a good song!” Ben thought for a moment, “It kinda reminds me of you and Kade.”

“Ya...” I smiled. “Ya, it does.”

Chapter end.