"Where's Julian?"   

Wynter looked up from his homework when his sister walked in. Her tiny fists were clenched and her pouty lips were quivering. It was five-thirty in the morning. She usually woke up at six-thirty for school.

He stood up immediately, kneeling before her to talk "Are you crying?"

"I want Julian!" she mumbled, her voice tight with tears. Wynter stroked back hair from her face, wiping the wetness on her cheeks.

"Julian went home. You can talk to me, though. Talk to Da-da."

She shook her adamantly, dark hair flying, some strands stuck to her face with tears "I want Julian. Da-da call Julian!"

All Wynter wanted to do was cry with her. To sit on the floor cross-legged and cry with her until Julian came home. He had never felt more like a fool in his entire life. He was scared. He was so scared, that he had lost the one happiness he had for himself.

"I'm sorry, love."

She had started to sob now, face and eyes turning red, snot dripping down her lips. He wiped her face with his hoodie sleeve, pressing a kiss to her head "What's wrong, Hayden? Are you alright?"

Wynter's heart broke when she pushed away his arms, stopping him from hugging her. "I told you not to! I told you not to and you still let him in! I hate the mean man! I hate him!"

"Hayden, that's dad--"

"No!" she screamed. "You're Da-da! You're my Dada!"

He looked on helplessly as she cried, "Well he's mine atleast. He's my dad. So we have to be nice to him."

"He stole my money, Da-da."

"What?"

She sniffled and shook her head, running back up the stairs and into her room.

Wynter inhaled sharply, disbelief filling his chest. Stealing from a child's piggy bank? His dad?

Nimbly he made his way to his father's bedroom, fist suspended mid-air. Contemplating whether he should knock or not? He believed Hayden. Of course he did. It was not like her to lie about things for the hell of it.

"Hey dad?"

He knocked a couple of times. The silence in the house broke with the click of the door. Strong smell of alcohol overwhelmed Wynter's senses. He gagged a little at the stench. His dad attempted a smile "The brat snitched. Didn't she?"

"So you did. You stole from her damn piggy bank? Dad, what the fuck is wrong with you? You stole money from a child?!"

"She gave it to me, man. C'mon boy, loosen up. I didn't beat her up or something like---"

"Oh, I'm supposed to be grateful? That you didn't touch her? It's the bare minimum as her father--"

"She calls you dad anyway. Not like I--

"Because you left. You weren't there. You aren't there for her."

Wynter saw his father in his reflection, every morning in the mirror. The high nose, same lips, strong chin. He hated it. He hated this. Honestly, Julian was more of a parent to Hayden than her own father was.

His dad exhaled impatiently "Look, I'm really tired. Can we do this later? I wanna get some sleep."

"No. We can't do this later, Dad. I want you to leave.---"

The man laughed a little, almost amusedly at this whole situation "What did you just say?"

Wynter steeled his nerves, louder this time "Please leave. I thought you'd changed. I was wrong."

"Boy, I am your father. All this was over some money? You owe me your life!"

Wynter scoffed at the audacity of this man, "I don't owe you anything. Mom would have been so disappointed in you."

His father inhaled sharply, face slackening "What did you just say?"

"Mom would have been disappointed in you."

There were fingers around his throat, cold and strong. He was forcefully pushed back against the wall, head hitting it with a thud. His father's breath was on his face "Say that again. Say that again--"

A loud scream interrupted them followed by terrified sobbing. Little Hayden stood in the hallway, holding her favourite teddy bear, chest heaving with fear and anger. "Da-da!"

Their father stepped back immediately, realising what he had almost done. He seemed lost for words, hands rubbing at his face in frustration. Wynter slid down the wall onto the floor, head in his knees. The bedroom door clicked open and his father disappeared back in.

Hayden was still crying. Wynter took one look at her and tears spilled out of his eyes "I'm sorry, Hayden. I'm so sorry." he whispered, head tipped backwards, hoping to halt the flow of his tears.

Hayden just climbed into his lap and hugged him around his waist "Don't cry Da-da. I love you, Da-da."

Wynter felt hopeless. A sobbing five year old was consoling him. He hugged his sister to him and let her warmth give his life purpose.

So he wiped his tears and stood up shakily. He made his sister get ready for school. Finished his homework and waited with her until she got on the bus. He went back to the house to get his bike. He didn't know if Julian would pick him up after their last conversation.

He peddled through the streets, cold air washing over him. He had almost forgotten how freezing it was during this time. He'd gotten used to Julian's car's heater. And Julian's warm smile. And Julian's teasing laughter.

Fuck.

He tightened his fingers on the handlebars and peddled faster.

The first person he saw when he stepped into school was Reagan. Her eyes widened dramatically when she saw him and she literally pushed past people to get to him "Bro, are you okay?"

"Not really---"

"Well duh. Let's go to the nurse. What happened to you?"

Wynter frowned, confused "What happened to me?"

Reagan stared at him for a second, "Your neck, Wynter. Did you get into a fight? Did someone try to choke you?"

As realisation set in, Wynter stepped away from her, "Do not tell anyone. I have to go. I'll see you in Geography."

Wynter pulled up his hood, sprinting to the other end of the hallway and disappearing into the Men's Washroom. It was empty but the smell made him gag. Did they even wash these?

He looked into the half broken mirror, at the reddish purple marks on his neck. Fingers leaving behind their mark on his tanned skin. How had he not felt the pain until now? There was no way this was on his skin and he hadn't known. He brushed a finger over the marks, wincing in pain.

His eyes met green ones in the mirror. Julian. That knowing smile and wise eyes. With his pink lips and long lashes. His hair sticking up in all directions as if someone had run their fingers through it.

"Julian...I--"

"It's okay."

He turned into Julian's arms, crying uncontrollably. Whispers in his ears and a hand on his hair. Warmth in his skin. Everything was okay.

Until he opened his eyes. In the mirror he was alone again. No Julian. Just him. Alone. Like it was always meant to be.