Virgil POV

Roman pulled me along with him as we ran.  I could hear Jackson and all his buddies chasing after us. 

Based on how exhausted I was just from running to the back of the school and how I could barely breath from the oncoming panic attack, I greatly feared I would pass out. 

The two of us ran across the track and than the practice football field.  Roman held tightly onto my hand, every now and than looking back to make sure I was still with him. 

I tried to keep up with him.  But my hoodie was pulling me down in the heat of the sunlight and I could barely breath at this point. 

"Come back here!"  I heard Jackson yell.  Roman tightened his grip on my hand and looked back.  I could tell by the look on his face that they were gaining on us. 

We reached the other side of the field.  Roman let go of my hand and sprinted forwards.  Fear jolted through my body. 

"Roman no...wait!"  I gasped out, reaching for him.  He unhooked a gate in the chain link fence that surrounded the track. 

He turned back and grabbed me by my forearms.  He pulled me through the gate and quickly slammed it shut.  He locked it and dropped the key away from the fence, buying us some time. 

"Come on, we gotta hide in the woods."  He said, panting heavily.  He grabbed my hand and than we were running again. 

I could hear Jackson screaming for us to come back.  The fence was rattling.  The sound echoed through my skull, causing me to squeeze my eyes shut to block out of the sound. 

Because I couldn't see where I was going, I tripped over a tree root.

I fell face forward, pulling Roman down on top of me.  I grunted as pain blossomed in my hand. 

"Are you okay?"  Roman asked, pushing himself off me.  I nodded, shaking my hand to regain feeling in it. 

He helped me to my feet, brushing dirt off my hoodie.  I was still shaking pretty badly and I still could barely breath.  My breaths were coming in short sporadic gasps and all I wanted to do was curl in on myself. 

"I'M COMING FOR YOU FREAKS!"  Screeched Jackson's voice from the edge of the woods.  There were more screams of excitement after he said that. 

I flinched heavily, wrapping my arms around myself.  Roman grabbed my arm and pulled me farther into the woods with him. 

I stumbled a few times, barely able to see past my own two feet as my vision became clouded with tears. 

"Here,"  Said Roman, stopping suddenly.  "Quickly, get in the tree, before they catch up with us." 

I nodded and quickly climbed up the tree.  I hate heights but I would often hide in the trees in my backyard as a way to hide from my dad. 

I curled up in a crook between the trunk and two large branches.  I looked down to see Roman following me up the tree. 

I shivered as Roman climbed up and sat next to me on the branch.  He pushed up against me and stayed quiet. 

We both watched the ground in horrified silence, waiting for Jackson to come running by and see us up here.  We're sitting ducks up here in this tree. 

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"  Called Jackson's voice from below.  I flinched and curled up even tighter.  Roman protectively put his arm around me. 

"I know you're here somewhere you faggots."  Called Jackson.  I watched with wide eyes as Jackson walked right beneath the tree Roman and I we're sitting in. 

Fear filled me and I stiffened as a panic attack overtook me.  Without thinking I quickly hugged onto Roman and buried my face in his chest. 

I was shaking badly.  I can't look at Jackson or I'll just get worse.  I tried to stay quite and control my breathing.  Roman pushed us closer to the tree trunk and than wrapped both of his arms around me protectively. 

I squeezed my eyes shut and dug my fingers into Roman's shirt.  It was almost painful trying to keep the attack at bay.  I knew that once Jackson was gone, I was going to have one hell of a panic attack and mental breakdown. 

The sound of a ringing phone caused me to jump.  Roman tightened his grip on me so I wouldn't fall. 

"Yeah I can't find them either."  Jackson said into the phone.  He stood in silence for a bit. 

"Sure, call the others and call off the search for the two freaks."  He said.  "We'll have to get them tomorrow at school."  Than silence again. 

"Okay meet back at the school in five mins."  Jackson told whoever he was on the phone with. 

I heard leaves crunching and slowly the sound faded away in the direction of the school.  Roman let out a sigh of relief and loosened his grip on me. 

"I think we're safe now." 

Roman POV
"I think we're safe now."  I told Virgil.  The poor boy nodded but otherwise didn't move.  He was curled up against me with his face against my chest.  I could feel his hands gripping onto my shirt like I was a lifeline. 

I felt my heartbeat speed up a bit and my face blush as I looked down at Virgil.  God, I've risked everything for him.  I just can't bare for him to get hurt anymore. 

I hugged him gently and rubbed his back.  I moved so that my back was up against the tree trunk and Virgil was completely on my lap. 

I ran my fingers through his hair as he went though what I assumed to be a panic attack.  His hair was soft.  It was a beautiful dark brown with faded purple tips. 

"It's okay."  I whispered to him.  "It's going to be okay.  I won't let Jackson hurt you ever again.  You're safe now.  Your okay."  I kept whispering other kind things to him and gently rubbing his back and running my fingers through his hair. 

We had been in that position for a while before Virgil started to calm down again.  He was still shaking but he was breathing evenly again.

"Are you doing okay now?"  I asked gently, continuing to run my fingers through my hair.  I noticed he seemed to like that and it made him calmer. 

"Yeah."  He mumbled.  "Thanks." 

"It's no problem."  I said.  "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them when they grabbed you." 

"Not your fault."  Virgil whispered.  "You still saved me.  Again.  You didn't have to do that." 

"I care about you Virgil."  I told him, my mind flickering back to what his mom told me.  "A lot.  So I want to protect you from them."  I blushed lightly, not sure how he'd take that. 

"Thank you."  He said again.  I let out a little sigh of relief.  He moved a bit so that he was facing me. 

"Are you hurt?"  I asked him, my hand reaching up and brushing against his face looking for any injuries. 

"I'll just have bruises tomorrow.  I'm fine."  He told me.  "Are you?  Your the one that's bleeding." 

"I am?"  I asked, only now starting to register a sharp pain on my temple.  I moved my hand to touch a small bleeding cut. 

Virgil reached up and gently ran his fingers over a cut across my temple.  He used his hoodie sleeve to wipe all the blood away.

"Thanks."  I mumbled, blushing slightly at the contact.  "I'll be okay though."  He nodded and lowered his hand. 

"We should get down."  I said.  "Before we fall."  I added with a gentle laugh.  Virgil laughed a little too before moving off me and back onto the branch. 

Before I could move, Virgil quickly scaled down the tree.  He was already back on the ground within seconds. 

"Jeez you're good at this."  I said with a laugh. 

"Had lots of practice and I didn't like being up that high."  He said with a laugh. 

I turned and started down the tree.  I wasn't as good or fast as he was.  It took me a while but before long I was only a few branches from the ground. 

"What out, that branch beneath you is rotten!"  Virgil said loudly only a second too late.  I placed weight on the branch and it instantly gave out underneath me. 

I let out a shocked yell and I plummeted to the ground and landed on top of Virgil.  We both let out grunts of pain as we tried to get untangled from each other's limbs. 

"Sorry."  I mumbled, looking down at him.  He looked back up at me.  We made eye contact and I froze.  His eyes were a beautiful shade of brown.  I felt like I could get lost in his eyes. 

He was beautiful.  He looked scared to be underneath me but he seemed to trust me to some extent.  Something about the way his bangs had fallen away from his eyes, revealing his whole face to me. 

I'm this position I noticed a littering of freckles across his cheekbones.  His cheeks were bright red.  I snapped out of my thoughts and blushed, only now realizing how close we were.  I was only an inch of so from his face. 

I pulled away quickly and got off him.  I stood up and helped him to his feet. 

"Sorry."  I said with an awkward laugh.  "I didn't hurt you did I?" 

"No.  I'm fine."  He said, looking down at the ground. "We should probably get back to school."

"Or we could skip?" I suggested while looking at the time on my phone. "There's only two hours left of school anyways."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Asked Virgil, worry spreading across his face.

"Yeah, come on." I said, grabbing his hand. "We can go down to the park." Virgil nodded and followed me out of the woods.

Virgil POV

We made it to the edge of the woods within a few minutes. We stopped, staring across the field at the school.

"Are you sure we should skip?" I asked, my anxiety getting the best of me.

Roman paused for a second, seeming to be deep in thought. Than, out of nowhere, he turned to me and kissed me on the cheek.

I flinched away from his lips, turning bright red. I shoved him, earning a laugh from him.

"What the hell was that for?" I asked, rubbing my cheek.

"Sorry, couldn't resist your adorable face." He cooed. "But seriously, it's gonna be fine. Let's go."

He held my hand again and headed in the direction of the park. I followed in silence, looking down at the ground to hide my blush.

Why'd he do that? There's no way that anyone could like me. Much less someone like Roman.

I was lost in my thoughts and didn't even realize when we had reached the park.

-•-

Roman and I pulled into my driveway. I looked over at Roman, not really looking forward to going back home. The sun was setting by the time Roman decided to take me home. 

"Thanks for everything today." I said.

"Your welcome." He said. "Give me your phone for a sec." He added, holding his hand out.

I handed him and phone and watched as he put his phone number in. Than he handed me my phone back.

"Call or text me or something if things get bad in there and I'll try to come get you." He said, giving me a meaningful look.

"I will." I promised him.

"Meet me tomorrow at our bench before school tomorrow." He said.

"Our bench?" I asked with a smirk. Roman blushed a bit but smirked back.

"Come on, you know it's our bench. It's the same one we sit at each time we talk." He said with a laugh.

"Okay." I agreed with a laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow morning than."

"Unless we call each other later tonight." He said with a smirk.

"If your lucky." I laughed. "Bye Roman." I said while getting out of his car.

"Goodbye Virgil." He told me. I waved to him as I walked up to the front door.

Roman pulled away, waving at me. There was a warm feeling inside me. It made me blush and my heart speed up, but in a good way.

I didn't feel numb when I was with him. He made me happy in a way I haven't felt in a long time. Not since him at least.

I sighed and pushed the front door open. I shut the door behind me as quietly as possible. 

"Where have you been boy?" Growled a voice from behind me. I flinched and turned quickly. Dad was sitting on the couch, glaring at me. My eyes darted to the beer bottle in his hand.

"With a friend." I answered quietly.

"It better have not been that Romano kid." He said slowly.

"His name is Roman." I hissed. "And what if it was?" I asked, my temper getting the best of me. Dad stood up and stalked over to me.

"Are you gay for him?" He hissed, rage in his eyes.

"No." I told him but I couldn't stop the blush that came to my cheeks.

He raised the bottle and slammed it into the side of my head. I fell to the ground, holding the side of my head as blood flowed down my cheek. I stared up at him in fear as the pain started to set in.

"I didn't raise a gay son! I tried to raise a good son! Why couldn't you have been a good son?! Why couldn't you have just listened to me!" He screamed at me. "I will not tolerate a faggot like you under my roof!"

He grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me up. I struggled against him, but he was a lot bigger and stronger than me.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, trying to get my arm out of his grip. "Dad stop!"

He opened the basement door. I froze in fear, trying to grab onto anything to get away from him.

"Stop! I'm sorry! Don't put me down there again!" I screamed, tears spilling out of my eyes. "Dad please!"

"Henry what are you doing?" Asked a soft voice. Dad tuned quickly. Mom was standing there, holding her hands to her chest.

"Shut up or I'll put you in the basement too." He growled. I looked at Mom, looking for anything to show she was actually there. She turned and walked away.

"Please stop." I begged him. He grabbed me forcibly. I braced my arms against the door frame. "Stop!" I screamed. "I'll do anything!  Don't put me in the basement again!"

He shoved me harshly. I lost my grip on the door frame and went plummeting down the stairs. I yelled out in pain as my head hit the stairs.

I landed heavily at the bottom of the stairs. My vision was spinning, my head throbbing.

"No please." I whispered as the door slammed shut, leaving me in the dark.

Th last thing I remember was hearing he door being locked. I let the darkness drag me into a blissful unconsciousness.