chapter twenty-four:

Getting back in schedule with school was hard. Caelum was doing three times his usual work. During class, he took as much notes as possible, spending his free-time in the library or other quiet study places. His teachers greeted him warmly, a few offered to help him after school, in sympathy for his mother.

The rumour was that she had gotten sick with cancer, but had been shot before she could have the chance to live. They commemorated him for returning to school so quickly, most would stay in bed and cry, one of his teachers noted.

The real reason for his return was Principal Davis saying that mourning the dead wasted time, he couldn't revive her, and then proceeded to rub his head. Caelum flinched away and Principal Davis didn’t like it.

He dragged him from the chair by his ear, tossing him on the ground. Then, he proceeded to straddling him and strangling him. Caelum thrashed and cried out, and after nearly losing consciousness, he let go.

Caelum gasped in air, his eyes watering and the room shifting left and right. Principal Davis smiled at him and said, “Go to class now.”

Caelum slowly made his way back to the library, it as lunchtime. He grabbed a few books out of his locker, and was stopped when Peter grabbed his arm.

“We need to talk,” Peter said and Caelum flinched away, his heart pounding.

“Don't grab me like that,” he snapped and looked around. Principal Davis would kill him if he saw him talking to Peter. There were cameras everywhere, it wouldn't be hard to spot him ― nobody else was in the hallway. “Leave me alone.” He pulled his arm but Peter held tighter.

“We need to talk,” Peter frowned, “You left your brothers at Sarah and Dorri's. You abandoned them. What's going on? Why would you do that to them?”

Caelum glared at him, “I didn't abandon them,” he snarled. “And what is going on is none of your business. Leave me alone, Parker.”

“Caelum, you look sick,” Peter said. “What is going on? Why are you here? Your mom just. . . y’know. You should be resting, you should be with your brothers.”

“I can't be with my brothers right now.” Peter frowned at him.

“Why did you come here?” Peter urged, “Why didn't you just―!” He shook his head, sighing deeply. “If you wanted to go back to school, why didn't you go to a different school, any different school! Why did you come back here!? Do you even have the scholarship anymore?”

Caelum gave a kind of half swallow, “I can't. . . I have to go, Parker.”

“Cael.” God, Caelum missed that name. He missed the way Peter breathed it, as if it was too heavy to hold on his tongue. He missed the weight and emotion and Peter behind the word.

He missed him.

“I need to go,” he said and turned around. His heart promptly jumped into his throat.

Principal Davis stood behind them, smiling and arms crossed. “Sir,” Caelum fumbled, nearly dropping all his books. “Sir, I. . . this. . . I–I was just about to go to the library, sir.” Principal Davis rose an eyebrow. Caelum's arms shook.

He gripped his books tighter and saw Peter move between them, eyes narrowed, “Mr. Pier,” Principal Davis spoke. It was annoyed, and mildly angry. Caelum was going to die tonight. “I do believe you should be in the cafeteria, am I right?”

“We are allowed to go to the library or any other place,” Peter replied sharply. “Is something wrong, Principal Davis?”

“I need to. . . speak with Mr. Forest.” Caelum's heart fell from his neck to his stomach. “Come over here. We need to talk about how you spend your free time.”

“I don't think that's important,” Peter quipped, holding tighter to Caelum's arm. “In fact, Cael and I were just about to go to the library to study for finals. Right, Cael?” He wasn't breathing. He was staring at Principal Davis, who was glaring at the two of them. Peter took his silence for yes. “Great, goodbye sir.”

The bell rang and seconds the halls were flooded with students. Peter pulled Caelum away and he saw Principal Davis angrily pushing past students to get to him.

They didn't go to the library. Instead, Peter dragged them outside and he sat near the wall.

Caelum stumbled back, his hands sweaty and eyes wide. He couldn't breathe. He fell to the ground, holding unto the wall. He couldn't breathe. Peter was talking to him, everything was dizzy.

Principal Davis was going to kill him. Last time he ran, his father beat him nearly to death. Tears burned his eyes, he couldn't breathe. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die.

Peter hugged his shoulders, pulling him close to him, “Calm down, calm down.”

Caelum realized he was crying, he felt the tears stain Peter's shea butter lotion shirt. He felt tears hit the top of his head too. Peter was crying.

“I. . . I can't,” Caelum sniffed, rubbing his nose. He didn't want to pull away just yet. “I have to. . . I have to go back, I can't. . .” He would put his brothers in foster care. He would kill him. He wouldn't be able to do anything ever again.

He had no choice. He just had to hold out, he had to wait until he was eighteen. Then, he could take the boys and leave. Then, he would be safe again.

“You can't stay here,” Peter said and Caelum shook his head.

“I have no choice.” There was nowhere else for him to go. Principal Davis knew where he lived, he hired men to kidnap him, for Christ's sake!

“You need to go to the police,” Peter said angrily. “Cael, look at you! If you keep this up, you're going to die.” Caelum blinked, that didn't sound like a bad idea.

No, stop. He couldn't think that way. Caelum stood, wiping his face. “Thanks Parker, but I have to go.”

“Caelum, listen to me,” Peter begged. “You can't. . . you can't live like this. Please, just. . . let me help. I can help.”

“How?” Caelum scoffed, staring at the boy. The colour drained from his face and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish. He looked like he wanted to say something, but something was holding back his tongue.

Caelum scoffed, he didn't need false hope at a time like this. He needed a clear head and a plan, and Peter Parker wasn't providing either of those things. “Bye, Parker,” he said with a heavy sense of finality and went back inside.

° · ° · ° · °

That night was worse than most. Principal Davis wasn't happy at all with his little 'getaway’ with Peter, despite Caelum coming back and apologizing to him.

But, strangely enough, he didn't stay the night, as usual. In between their lovely session of beating Caelum until he was blacker and blue, his phone buzzed. Caelum was on the floor, unable to see what was happening, but whatever it was, it was important. “Stay here!” Principal Davis growled, “We're not through yet!”

“Yessir,” he slurred, unable to even see straight. Principal Davis was pleased and hurried out of the room.

Caelum was tempted to actually not move. He genuinely wanted to stay still and possibly go to sleep ― for one. Unfortunately, he heard a sharp, almost familiar, knock at the window as soon as Principal Davis left.

Caelum blinked, Peter? That wasn't possible, how in the world could Peter Parker be outside his window, there was no ledge and he was on the eighth floor! Besides, Peter was in Queens and he was in Hell's Kitchen. Despite the boy's stubborn nature, it would just be crude and near impossible if it had been him.

He stumbled to his feet, absentmindedly wiping at the blood under his nose ― but it didn't matter, he had blood everywhere ― and pulled back the curtains.

He jumped, stumbling back, as two dark eyes peeled back at him. The infamous Spider-Man was hanging at his window, he tapped on the glass, “Does this open?” It did open. Caelum wasn't going to let him in.

“Go away!” He hissed, he didn't know how long Principal Davis would be gone. “Or, use the fucking door!”

“It was locked. Open the window!”

“No!”

“Please, Cael!”

“Don't call me that!” Only Peter was allowed to call him that. “And you're not coming in.”

“Fine.” He shot his webs at the corner of the window then, he climbed up, out of sight. With a solid yank, the window’s glass was yanked out.

Caelum stumbled back as Spider-Man slipped through. “What the. . .?! You broke it!”

“You weren't opening up.”

Caelum ran his hands through his hair, he neglected on cutting it, it was growing long and bushy. “Shit. Shit. Shit. I. . . Fuck.”

“I can fix it,” Spider-Man said, as if it would help. He pulled his hand up, that was still holding he glass. “Give me a minute.” Then, the ominous spider turned around and place the glass back in place. “There!”

“He's gonna kill me,” he whispered.

“Where is he?” Spider-Man asked, looking around Caelum. “What are you doing here anyway? This apartment looks expensive.”

Caelum sneered at the comment. “That's none of your business. Now, get out!”

Spider-Man rose his hands, “Hey, I didn't mean to offend you, I just―hey, your nose is bleeding.” Caelum rose a hand to his nose immediately. He saw Spider-Man lean forward, as if to further scrutinize him.under the shades of the silly dark goggles he wore.

Caelum looked away, “Get out.”

“What did he do to you? I―Peter told me to follow you after school and. . . well, he didn't say you looked this beat up.”

“Didn't I tell you to tell Parker to stop having you babysit me?” Caelum snarled. “I'm going to call the police.”

“How are you going to explain that,” he made a wide gesture to his face, “To them?” Caelum scowled. He moved away, limping slightly, and sat on the bed.

“Why do you care?” Caelum asked. “You're just going to follow me around because Peter asked you to? How do you even know him? In fact, why would you even do that for him? Is he paying you?”

“Paying me?” Spider-Man repeated, a bit incredulously.

“No, that's unrealistic, he's cheap.”

“Hey―!” Spider-Man exclaimed defensively and Caelum rose an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish. “I. . . I mean, Peter isn't cheap. That not very fair.”

“He doesn't have enough to hire someone like you,” Caelum explained, then he shook his head. “I just can't understand why you would do this. Just leave me alone. Tell Peter that everything is fine ― it's better that way. I don't want him involved.”

“He just wants to help, Cael.”

“What's he going to do? I can't avoid him forever. Peter will only get in the way, I don't have time for that.”

“You can't deal with all this yourself,” Spider-Man said.”You need help.”

“I need to be left alone,” Caelum said. “I'll be fine. I've done this for this long, I can survive until senior year.”

“Do you really want to live like this? Look at yourself, Cael―”

“Don't call me that.”

“You won't live long enough to see your senior year if you keep this up!”

“I. . .” Caelum shook his head, “I really don't have a choice. I need him.” His brother's couldn't go into the Foster System and be lost forever. He'd never forgive himself for it. “I'll make a plan, I'll think of something.”

Spider-Man was silent for a long few minutes. Then, he said, “I'm going to call the police.”

Caelum's heart leapt, “You can't―!”

“Cael―” he jumped off the bed in seconds, but Spider-Man was faster. He webbed his hand to the mattress and his foot to the floor. Caelum glared at him, feeling the back of his next prickle, wanting to possess someone but being unable to.

“Let me go!” He snapped. Spider-Man was pulling a phone out of his pocket. “Please! Don't! Please!” Caelum begged.

“Cael, this isn't―” He froze. Then, Caelum heard the front door click, the lock turning.

He was fast, diving forward and pulling the webbing off his hand and foot. “Get in the closet!” Caelum hissed, towards the door across the room. Spider-Man dove for it, and Caelum closed the doors just as the bedroom door opened.

Principal Davis was red in the face and angry. He snarled at Caelum, who took a step back. “Sir―”

“Shut up!” He hissed, and Caelum swallowed, watching his movements carefully. He was still injured, there was no way he could outrun him. “Hiring some bitch, thinking she can get away with that shit,” he growled, going to the side of the room, pouring himself a glass of Brandy. Caelum just watched, praying he didn't drink too much, if he did he would have a long night ahead of him.

“Sir,” Caelum started slowly, keeping his back pressed to the closet doors. He could hear Spider-Man breathing shallowly inside. Please, don't let this him be caught. “Is everything alright?”

This was wrong. His eyes flared immediately and his grip tightened on the glass in his hand. “No!” He boomed, advancing on him. Caelum stumbled on his feet to get away. “Nothing is alright! Because of you,” he grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking Caelum forward. “My wife wants a divorce! She thinks I've been 'sleeping around’!” He snarled, throwing Caelum on the ground with a heavy thud.

“I–I–I’m sorry about that, sir,” Caelum stammered, trying to get the situation under control.

“You'd better be,” he snarled. “She thinks she's the boss of me! I can do whatever the hell I want!”

“Ye–Yes,” Caelum glanced at the closet, making sure Spider-Man had stayed put.

He did, but Caelum could see the flash of his black goggles in the shutters of the closet. “Look at me!” Principal Davis snapped, and Caelum turned his attention to him.

“I'm―”

“Get on the bed,” he ordered. Caelum froze, Spider-Man was in the closet. He knew Peter. If he told Peter, Peter would hate him. He couldn't do this. Not tonight.

“Please, sir, I―”

“Don't back talk me!” He snapped. “Do as I say, boy!”

“Maybe, you need a drink,” Caelum suggested. “To–To calm―” He was fast, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him over. Caelum dug his heels in the ground. “Wait! Please! No!”

Principal Davis punched him, twice, straight in the face. His head snapped back and his sight blurred with tears. Blood trickled down his nose, and he nearly didn't feel Principal Davis’ hands on his waist.

“No,” he moaned, trying to turn and get away, he couldn't do this right now. He saw Principal Davis' rear back, ready to strike again.

The closet door opened, and he turned. Spider-Man came at him, webbing his hands together and then yanking him off Caelum. “What the hell―!?”

“You're not going to touch him anymore,” Spider-Man snapped, sounding a new level of furious. Principal Davis tried to stand, but Spider-Man was relentless, webbing him to the floor and sealing his mouth.

Caelum stared at the man as he struggled and squirmed. This was bad. “I called the police,” Spider-Man said. “They'll be here soon. Can you walk? We're going to go down to the lobby.”

“I. . .” he couldn't stop staring at Principal Davis, he was glaring up at him, making the back of his neck tingle.

“Come on,” he grabbed Caelum’s arm gently, helping him up. He wrapped his arms around his shoulder, bringing him out of the apartment. Caelum was in a daze the entire time, unable to really understand what just happened.

Spider-Man called the police. Someone was going to come get Principal Davis. He was going to jail, just like his father.

“―Second time I've had to call police for you,” Spider-Man muttered and Caelum turned to him.

“Sorry?” He wasn't listening.

“Nevermind.” They stepped into the elevator, silently going down to the first floor.

When they made it, a dark-haired, sullen-looking woman was standing there. She had a dark leather jacket and a camera around her neck. She rose and eyebrow, scrutinizing Caelum. “You're. . . a kid?” She said, almost surprised.

“Pardon?” She shook her head, sneering as Caelum and Spider-Man stepped out of the elevator.

Caelum heard her mutter, “Fucking sicko,” before the doors closed and she was gone.

The rest of the night was a blur. The police arrived, Spider-Man explained what he could then swung away. The paramedics treated his bruises, and luckily decided that he didn't have to go to the hospital. His nose just needed to be reset and he was to rest for a while.

The police went up the elevator. Sarah and Dorri came and hugged him, then yelled at him. The police came out the elevator, holding a bloody and bruised Principal Davis.

It was strange, Spider-Man didn't touch him. He vaguely wondered if that was the work of the sullen-looking woman. He didn't see her come down.

The police asked him to explain what happened. It took Caelum a minute to find his words, then he spoke.

He explained everything. He told the police that Principal Davis first started in ninth grade, taking him out for lunch and befriending him in-between and after classes. He would buy him gifts and make him happy. He was even paying the full scholarship for him, so he didn't have to get a job or tell his parents.

Then, he slowly stopped, and Caelum's debt to Principal Davis ran high. He was scared, but Principal Davis said that if he helped him out, he would waive the fees.

At first, it was small things, trying on clothes, talking, laughing at jokes, he didn't have a problem. Then, he told him to do darker things, kissing him, letting him lick his neck, taking his clothes off and showing him. He threatened to kick him out of the school if he didn't cooperate. His parents would have killed him if that happened, so he let him do what he wanted and he listened.

Then, Caelum had to get a job, because he had to pay for everything. The Shop hired him, and he worked as much as he could.

He did that all year, until the end of the year, he forced him on his knees and took off his pants. Caelum still had nightmares about it.

He came back next year and nothing changed. He kept paying and doing everything he told him to, until Peter found out and started protecting him. He started getting aggressive after that, beating him and strangling him.

He told the policemen what happened after his mother died, how he had him kidnapped and taken to the apartment. How he promised to help his brother's if he stayed with him. Caelum agreed and Principal Davis raped him.

“Why didn't ya say anythin’!?” Dorri snapped angry tears coming down her face. She held Sarah close to her chest, who had been crying into her hands. “Why didn't ya tell someone?”

“We needed the money,” Caelum explained calmly. “I couldn't get kicked out of the school. My dad would have. . . my parents wouldn't have been happy.”

“Look,” one of the officers said, anger all over his face. “That sick bastard is going to get what's coming to him. We're going to need you to come in for some tests and a statement.”

Caelum gave a dull nod, he was tired. He followed the men to the police car, Sarah and Dorri following him. “One of you two should go back,” Caelum said. “So that the boys won't be left alone for long.”

Sarah rose an eyebrow and sniffed, “Oh, sweetie,” she said, rubbing at a teary eye. “The boys are gone."