"I'll meet you guys back at the car in 20 minutes. I need to pack my bags and say bye to my family."

"You sure you want to come with us?" Cameron checked, "Just because we're going back early, doesn't mean you have to if you don't want to."

Riley looked in the backseat and saw Jessie wearing a similar expression as Cameron. Knowing that he was thinking along the same lines of Cameron, Riley just ended up smiling at the both of them because of their concerns.

"You guys were my ride down here, you better believe that you're taking me back."

Riley was proud of his exit as he closed the car door behind him. It was still the middle of the night and he realised his mistake when he slammed the front door closed.

"Riley!" Natasha aggressively whispered. "It's the middle of the night and everyone's sleeping, what are you still doing up?"

Natasha walked down the stairs as she tied her bathrobe to talk to her son, without waking up the rest of the house.

Taking him into the kitchen, Natasha was ready to ask her son where he went so late at night.

"Jessie had a big fight with his parents, and his brother asked me to help look for him." Natasha was in the middle of asking if he was okay when Riley told her, "He's fine. They're driving back to the dorms tonight, and I'm going back with them."

Natasha knew her son was old enough and responsible enough to make his own decisions. As much as she wanted her whole family to be together as much as possible, she knew that Riley already had his mind set on this.

"Can't you wait until morning? It's really late and I don't want you to get into a car accident."

Riley shook his head and reached for his mom's hand. "The sooner that Jessie is away from his parents, the better he will be. Cameron agrees and thinks it's better for his well-being."

"I always knew those miserable old bastards were a piece of work," Natasha spat out. "No doubt there children will turn out just like them."

Riley didn't want his mom to compare Cameron and Jessie to their parents. He had no doubt that they were the complete opposite of their parents, and Riley wanted his mom to know that.

"They're both close friends of mine, and I would appreciate it if you don't put them on the same list as their parents." Riley told her firmly. "Cameron is a sensitive, caring, and a kind person to be around."

"And Jessie?" Natasha followed up with.

"Jessie always makes me happy."

Natasha watched her son's eyes shine as he chuckled to himself. She was worried that history would eventually repeat itself, and she wanted to save her son from being hurt like that again.

"I'm sorry to say this, but I think this is going to be a mistake." Natasha warned. She felt gutted when Riley pulled away his hand that she was holding, and she didn't miss the flash of hurt that was shown on his face. "You still like Jessie, and I'm afraid you're just going to get hurt all over again."

"Why are you so against the possibility of me and Jessie being together?" Riley whispered. He thought that she would be happy to finally see him in a relationship.

"It's not that I don't trust that boy and his family - because I don't. But I think it's a mistake because I think you're putting all of your hopes that he will eventually like you back Riley. You've been down this road before, and if nothing has changed in the past couple of years, then why will it now?"

Riley thought about this question for such a long time. Even after having sex with each other a countless number of times, Riley knew that Jessie never once showed any further interest in him. Jessie was so sure that he was straight and had no feelings for men, that them being together was never a possibility.

"Wishful thinking?"

"Oh honey..." Natasha grabbed her son's hands again and lifted his chin so that she could look into his sparkling blue eyes. "This is clearly doing you more harm than good, don't you think you should try and finally move on?"

"I've spent so many years liking him mom, and I can't just suddenly shake those years of feelings away."

Natasha wanted to remind Riley that those same pining years were spent in gloom, sadness, and hurt. But Riley didn't let her speak because he wasn't finished talking.

"I've waited this long for him to show just an ounce of romantic interest in me, and even though there's been none, I'm willing to wait a couple more years for him."

Natasha let out a sigh because she knew her son was too stubborn to change his mind. She just ended up hugging her son, as Riley then whispered one more thing before he started packing.

"This may be a mistake, but it's my mistake to make."

~~~~~~~~~~

After Riley told them to meet him back in the car 20 minutes later, Jessie was about to leave and pack until Cameron spoke quietly in the car.

"How long had they been treating you like this?"

Jessie closed the door that he had just opened, he folded his hands together and looked down at his lap. "Years."

Cameron got out of the driver's seat and climbed into the back. Sitting next to his brother, Cameron couldn't help but notice and point at the mark on his face. "Did they hurt you like this a lot?"

"Dad would grab my wrists sometimes, and mom would slap me more often than dad." Jessie defended, "It was never anything serious though."

Cameron felt sick when he realised the extent of the physical abuse. "That doesn't justify any of it, I'm so stupid and selfish for not seeing any of this."

Jessie shrugged his shoulders as he felt that Cameron couldn't have done anything back then to stop it.

There was only a 5 minute difference that separated their ages, and yet Cameron still felt ashamed of not taking the older, protective brother role more seriously.

"It was always in private, and they never let anyone see the marks." Jessie told him, "Mom would put some makeup on it to try and blend the occasional bruises - she said everything would be worse if people found out."

"So they bullied you into keeping it a secret..." Cameron whispered as he came to the harrowing conclusion.

When Cameron saw his brother slowly nod his head, he was devastated. Cameron wanted to slam his own head through the window, so he could experience just a fraction of what Jessie had to.

Cameron felt that the rose tinted glasses he used to see his parents in were shattered, and those shards were embedded into his eyes since everything could no longer be undone.

Cameron couldn't stand to think that his little brother could ever be hurt as much as he was hurting now.

Jessie then added, "Most of the time it was just verbal and passive aggressive stuff though. For example they gave you more praise when we both made it onto the team. They would show more genuine interest in your school and personal life. And they would always accuse me when something bad happens to us, because they don't trust me."

Hearing how his life was treated differently compared to his brother's, was like the feeling of when your head surfaces above the water. Cameron was suddenly waking up to how Jessie suffered quietly all these years, and Cameron wanted to blame himself for turning a blind eye onto how they had different parents. "Jessie..."

"It's not your fault," Jessie abruptly expressed. "They manipulated and coerced you into think they were saints. And maybe that's why you never saw anything, because they put themselves on a pedestal for you so that you could never imagine them doing any of this in the first place."

Cameron was growing irritated over how his younger brother was still being so considerate and empathetic with him. "You can't defend my lack of behaviours and actions Jessie, my ignorance on the matter makes everything even worse."

"How?"

"Because I'm your brother you idiot!" Cameron bursted out emotionally. "I should be by your side through everything that happens to you."

There wasn't a dry eye in the car, as both Jessie and Cameron let the tears flow down their faces.

Cameron held Jessie's face so that he could look him in the eyes. "When you're happy, I should already know... When you're sad, I should already know... When you're suffering because of our parents' hands, then I shouldn't be so fucking stupid and I should have fucking known!"

Jessie slapped his brother's face as it was the only way he could think to lighten and get past the heavily depressing and emotional mood.

Jessie slapped Cameron again when he saw his brother was still crying for him. This one was little bit harder because he preferred his brother being angry instead of sad.

Jessie was about to punch him instead when Cameron wrapped his arms around his brother, as if they wouldn't be able to be forced apart with any gods might.

"I'm so sorry." Cameron kept whispering the same words into Jessie's ear as he gently cradled his brother. "I'm so sorry."

~~~~~~~~~~

A little while later, they both walked into the house together as they silently made their way into their own rooms. Splitting up down the hallway, Jessie rushed to pack his belongings as he stuffed everything into his suitcase.

The aim was to stealthily leave without any more drama happening tonight. Jessie knew his parents wouldn't really care if he left, so he didn't bother to tell them as he made it to the bottom of the stairs.

However Jessie was momentarily stunned when he saw his parents smiling at him at the bottom of the stairs. He shook it away as he knew that everyone in the room didn't want him around the house.

"See you next time." Jude mocked.

"Would you like a bus fare?" Kathy offered.

Jessie grabbed his charger from the living room and stuffed it into his bag. "I'm waiting for Cameron, he said he's coming with me."

The sarcastic smile on Kathy's lips dropped off the face of the Earth. "You are not taking our precious son away from us."

"Don't drag Cameron away just because of your own issues, Jessie. Stop being so selfish and pathetic." Jude uttered venomously.

Jessie didn't know what to say, because he was equally confused on why and how they both sounded so psychotic and neurotic.

Their fears of losing their beloved son were becoming true once they saw Cameron carrying his own suitcase. He told them that he was taking Jessie back to the dorms so that he could both be away from them. "After hearing what you two have done all these years, I don't think I can be around you anymore either."

Kathy placed her glass on the side as she cuddled and latched onto Cameron. Placing several possessive kisses all over his face, "You know how dramatic Jessie can get darling. He's just having one of his hissy fits like when he stole your Christmas presents when you were 6."

Jude turned up the begging as he tried to compliment his way into getting Cameron to stay. "You are so kind in offering to just drop Jessie home. We'll leave the security system off so that you can come back without being annoyed by the alarm."

"And I can make you some food when you come back!" Kathy suggested, "I know you love lasagna. I'll make you a fresh one right now, just for you!"

Cameron understood the undertone of their neediness to try and please him. He pushed them both away as he physically stood by Jessie's side. "I'm staying with him."

Kathy manically laughed as she clutched onto Cameron again. "You were always the perceptive and caring brother, Cameron. I know you think you're doing right by him, but Jessie is just acting like the trouble child he loves to be."

"Jessie isn't as brave and strong as you Cameron," Jude added. "He's just too emotional, and so he blows everything out of proportion."

For a second, Jessie was slightly worried that Cameron would believe the words that he used to believe. Every time his parents would curse and criticise him, Jessie was too susceptible and believed them. That's why he looked teary eyed when Cameron looked back at him.

"You were always the one we didn't have to worry about Cameron. The teachers say you have so much potential, and I know the girl you're dating is just as amazing as you." Kathy then glanced at her other son harshly, "Unlike Jessie, he's destined to be alone because he never did know the right from wrong."

"That's enough!" Cameron yelled. He was sick of seeing and hearing his brother being their punching bag. "Let's just go Jessie, my ears are bleeding from just listening to this shit."

Kathy had yanked Cameron's hand away from Jessie, and she was shocked at how tight she was holding his wrists. "Don't go Cameron, we're sorry."

"Please son, we need you." His dad begged.

Cameron glared back at his parents as he ushered Jessie towards the door again. "And Jessie needs me."

They had picked a worst time to open the door, because Riley was standing on the other side of it.

Riley had been waiting by the car for an extra 15 minutes before he went to check what was keeping them. With neither of them answering their phones, Riley thought it was best to find out in person.

Judging by their faces, a lot must have happened. Jessie's demeanour was quite and drawn back, Cameron looked frustrated and tired, Kathy seemed hysterical and slightly drunk, while Jude was cold faced and hardy.

"Let's go." Cameron repeated as everyone followed them to the car.

They had all put their suitcases in the car when Jude realised that they were all serious about leaving together.

Grabbing Riley by the collar of his shirt, he pushed him against the car and screamed into his face. "This is all your fault! You drove our boys away from us!"

Jessie pushed his dad away from Riley as he stood between them. His eyes never left his dad as Jessie didn't want to add another victim to the list of people who his parents have assaulted.

"Of course you would defend your disgusting friend." Jude spat out. "You feel great about defending that vermin?"

Cameron scrunched his face when he asked, "What did you say?"

"That deviant lifestyle is sickening, and we know that you both leaving was their influencing." Kathy stood by her husband's side as she then pointed an accusing finger at Riley. "That sick pervert and his family have driven you boys away from us!"

Cameron didn't understand how Riley was involved in any of this. He had only learnt about the way they treated Jessie, but he didn't know it extended to Riley and his family.

"You both are fucking crazy." Riley said out loud.

Jude rushed forward to try and attack Riley again, but Jessie kept pushing him away before he could get close. "You and your family are the crazy ones you sick bastard!"

Cameron had gather all of the information again so that he could get a clearer picture of everything. "You guys have a problem with our neighbours because of that family's sexuality?"

Jessie answered his brother as he explained the bits of information he left out during their dinner earlier today. "They admitted earlier that it was part of the reason why they told me I couldn't be his friend when we were younger."

"But they knew he was my friend too! Fucking hell we're even roommates!" Cameron pointed out the hypocrisy, "If they have such a problem with Riley and his family, then why were they silent about it when I'm just as close to Riley?!"

"We knew you were stable enough to not succumb to that disgusting boy's behaviour, Cameron. That's why we trusted you when we learnt you're living together, because we know you aren't as needy and pathetic like your brother!" Kathy shrilled. "He would do anything for attention, and we don't want him infected with that gayness disease so that he could finally fit in."

"You're deranged... That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Kathy screeched with her voice cracking in the process. "Ever since his mom dated another woman, that boy became attracted to other boys too. That behaviour is completely wrong, and it is against what god envisioned."

Jude spat on the ground as he further discriminated against Riley, "The fact that Riley was your friend led you both to become disobedient and rebellious! Riley has influenced your negative behaviours, and look at you both!"

Cameron humoured his parents as he asked them what Riley did that effected them.

"You never used to defy us Cameron, you were always our special boy that listened to whatever we would tell you. Jessie on the other hand has always been a mess since he became Riley's friend, so we were never surprised when he began to rebel at an early age."

"Am I hearing this right?" Riley laughed. "They couldn't be my friends because I'm bisexual, and my mom is gay?"

Jessie nodded his head back at Riley as he felt ashamed of himself. He felt mentally and emotional weak for being torn away from his friend, just because of his parent's views on sexuality.

"Both of you get in the car." Cameron demanded. "I feel sick just being around here, and we don't need to listen to any of this anymore."

With one last attempt, Jude tried to drag Cameron towards the house so that he couldn't leave. Despite the adrenaline, he was no match to how much stronger Cameron was.

Physically, emotionally, and mentally separating himself from his parents, Cameron pushed his dad away from him and onto the ground. He ignored the horrified look on his mom, as he took the several chest beatings she was delivering.

Cameron didn't fight back because he thought he deserved them, for missing how they treated Jessie so badly, and for how terribly they acted towards Riley and his family.

Eventually getting in the car, Cameron started  the engine as he drove away with his brother and his friend, not looking back as they left the place he once called home.

===========