Forgotten

Cadey had been in the process of changing when his sketchbook fell out of his locker. As he was about to grab it he saw another pair of hands snatch it. "Oh and what's this ya little fag?!" Brett, his worst tormentor said. Cadey quickly made a move to grab it. "Give it back!"

Another one of Brett's friends held Cadey down as Brett went through Cadey's sketchbook. "The little fag's been drawing pictures of naked..." Brett stopped at one picture in particular.

Oh Crap! Cadey thought, because he knew which picture must have stopped Brett mid-sentence.

"You fucking little queer!" Brett shouted as he punched Cadey in the face, splitting his lip. "This little faggot has been drawing pictures of naked guys! Gotta teach this little freak a lesson..." And with that his torment began.

Cadey knew that he couldn't take them on. He was one of the smallest people in the entire school. So instead he opted to covering his head with his arms and curling up into a ball. He knew if they didn't stop soon it was a very real possibility that he could die, when suddenly a familiar voice cut in.

“What’s going on?”

“Teachin’ the fag a lesson,” Brett yelled. It was then that Cadey realized that the voice belonged to Jonathan. Please, Please don't hit me too. Cadey thought as a tear slid down his face.

"STOP!" Cadey looked up to see that Jonathan had pushed the boys away from him and was now leaning down and looking at him.

"Thanks," he said as he slowly got up. It felt like one of his ribs were broken.

"What the hell is this?" Jonathan turned and asked.

"He dropped his sketchbook. The fag’s been drawing pictures of naked guys. There was even a picture of you, Jon.”

SHIT! Cadey thought, as he slowly looked at Jon. Oh God, now I'm in for it!

But he was surprised when Jonathan said, "Just because he draws pictures you don’t like doesn’t mean you get to kick the living crap out of him!” He turned back to Cadey. “Come on, get your shirt on, I’ll take you to the nurse.”

Jonathan grabbed Cadey's sketchbook that was still in Brett's hands and waited by the door as Cadey quickly threw on his shirt and shoes. Cadey looked up to see that Jon was still waiting, and he slowly limped over. When they were outside of the locker room, Jonathan handed him back his sketchbook and they slowly made their way over to the nurse's office. He didn't know what to think. Wasn't Jonathan mad about Caden's drawings? Cadey sneaked a peek at Jon out of the corner of his eye. He didn't look upset.

At that same exact moment Jonathan's eyes met his and Cadey quickly blushed and looked away. He winced at the movement; his whole body hurt.

Jonathan stopped walking and Caden did too. "Are you sure you can walk all the way to the nurse's office?"

What? Why did it sound like Jonathan actually cared? He was just being nice, wasn't he? Caden was about to reply with a 'no' when a sudden pain in his side made him gasp. He saw Jonathan shake his head out of the corner of his eye and say, "I didn't think so. Here, just..." he muttered awkwardly and with that picked him up bridal style and carried Caden the rest of the way to the nurse's office.

He...he...d-didn't j-just... Caden's thoughts were in complete disarray! Jonathan had just picked him up, and was carrying him. What if someone saw? But he didn't complain. As discreetly as he could, he breathed in Jon's scent: slightly sweet and warm and smelled exactly the way he had dreamed Jonathan would.

They finally reached the nurse's office and Jonathan gently laid him down. "Just try not to move okay? I'm gonna go find the nurse." And he was gone.

I can't believe that Jonathan Whyte just carried me. Could he...? does he...? But Caden knew that life was not at all like a fairy tale. There were never any happy endings for people like him.

His mind had started to take on darker thoughts when Jonathan came in with Mrs. Higgins, the school nurse. She was a large woman, with graying brown hair and kind eyes. Everyone's idea of a sweet grandmother.

"Oh, you poor thing!" She cooed. She and Cadey happened to be very close since he had to spend a lot of his freshman year in the infirmary. She quickly got out wrapping tape and antiseptic and started to carefully wrap his ribs and treat his minor cuts. "The nerve of them! Your friend here told me everything. I'm having a talk with the principle! This cannot go on in our school!" She quickly finished and was about to leave the room when she threw over her shoulder, "Could you stay with him for a while dear? Thank You!"

Jonathan looked at him for a moment before taking a stool near the bed and sitting down. Caden could feel himself begin to sweat. Please don't ask about the drawing, please don't ask about the drawing.

"I'm sorry but I don't know your name."

Caden blinked. He just wants to know my name? "I-It's C-Caden."

Jonathan nodded, "I'm Jonathan, but you know that." It wasn't a question but a statement. He nodded. Jonathan said, "So Caden, how is it that you know who I am, but I don't know who you are?"

"I-I h-had classes w-with you last y-year......" Dammit, he was stuttering again. He thought he had gotten over it, but apparently not. Why was Jonathan smiling? After a moment though, Jonathan stopped.

"So how come you had all those pictures in your sketchbook?"

Caden blushed Shit! He knew Jon would ask this eventually but he still wasn't prepared to answer. "W-Well, I h-have art c-class and right n-now w-we're studying the h-human b-body." Dammit, quit stuttering! But Jonathan was just smiling again. That is, until Jonathan gaze went to the lines on his arms. Oh, God! Don't ask about the cuts. PLEASE DON'T ASK ABOUT THE CUTS....