Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2016 05:41:22 -0400
From: Chuck S <ascouter4@gmail.com>
Subject: Academy in the Forest Chapter 11

This story is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real life persons,
places, or events is purely coincidence.

I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel free to email me at
ascouter4@gmail.com


The Academy in the Forest by Chuck S– Chapter 11

<Tim>

I woke suddenly with a sharp pain in my leg, and I could feel my eyes
starting to water. I'm not sure what time it was, but it was still dark in
the room. There weren't even any early morning rays of sunshine filtering
through the blinds on the window. I sat up on the side of the bed for a
moment, hoping that the pain would pass. After a few minutes, there was no
change in the level of pain. I leaned over to turn on my bedside lamp, and
in the process ended up putting some weight on my injured leg. Needless to
say, that was a mistake, and I let out a loud yelp as the pain
significantly increased.

"Hey, are you okay?" Scott asked, his voice full of concern. He quickly
threw his covers off and crossed the room to sit down next to me on my bed.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder to comfort me. "Is it your leg?"

"Yeah. I guess what ever they gave me yesterday wore off, and now my leg
really hurts." I answered, trying my best to keep as much of the pain out
of my voice as I could. I don't think Scott bought it however.

"Give me your phone." Scott said, holding his hand out. After a moment I
handed it to him and he make a call.

"Hey Mr. Stevenson, or Dad now I guess. Sorry to bother you so early, but
Tim woke up and is in a lot of pain." Scott told our dad. That was going to
take some getting used to. Anyway, I couldn't hear what Dad was saying to
Scott. "I don't know, he kind of yelped and that woke me up. It's bad
enough that he is in tears." There was another short pause. "Okay, we'll
see you when you get here." Scott finished and hung up the phone before
handing it back to me.

"You didn't have to do that Scott." I said as the dam finally broke and
tears began to flow down my cheeks. Scott just pulled me in tighter and
held me close.

"Look Tim, I know that you are always trying to be strong, always trying to
keep everything in. You don't want to be a bother to anyone. You were used
to being alone, where everyone just picked on you and bullied you. You have
been my rock these past few weeks, supporting me through everything, and
now it's my turn. I get it. Up until a couple of weeks ago you were alone.
Well, you aren't alone any more! You have me, you have friends, you have
the team now. Tim, I love you, and I want to be here for you, but you have
to let me." Scott said with a passion as tears appeared in his eyes,
causing them to shine like opulent sapphires.

"You... you said..." I was taken aback by Scott's speech, but there was one
line that caught me completely off guard. He said that he loved me. Never
in my wildest dreams did I see a boy like Scott coming in to my life and
falling in love with me. In that moment, I could see the rest of my life
laid out in front of me. I could see my future with Scott, growing up
together, spending our adult lives together, growing old together. The
thought made me happy. Up until I met Scott, I was living day to day, just
trying to survive. Fighting through depression, and coping with the
bullying. For the first time since I can remember, there was a light at the
end of the tunnel, and the light was bright!

"Yes. I know. I'll say it again." Scott looked directly into my eyes. The
look in his eyes conveyed so many emotions, and such deep feelings. I felt
like I was looking directly into his soul when he did say it again, "I love
you Tim."

Scott slowly leaned in and gave me the most passionate kiss we had shared
up to this point in our relationship. I felt like that at this moment, our
relationship became cemented together. I knew that without a doubt, I loved
Scott too.

"I love you too Scott." I said breaking our kiss for only a moment before
placing my lips back against his. When we stopped for a breath, I added, "I
love you so much Scott." As I leaned in to kiss him once again, my weight
shifted, sending another sharp pain through my leg, causing me to yelp once
again. Scott backed away, afraid to cause me any more pain.

"Dad is on the way. He will know what to do. For now, just try to sit there
okay. I don't like seeing you in pain Tim. I'd do anything to take it
away." Scott gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze as there was a knock on
the door which he quickly went to answer.

Opening the door, standing outside our room was Dad, and Dr. Burt, the
school's doctor. Scott quickly showed them in, and they walked over to take
a look at me.

"What happened Tim?" Dad asked with concern in his eyes.

"I'm not sure. I woke up and my leg was hurting. I sat up, hoping the pain
would get better, but it didn't. When I went to turn on the light and
accidentally put some weight on my leg which hurt a lot. That's when Scott
woke up and called you."

"Well, let's have a look at your leg Tim." Dr. Burt said, kneeling down in
front of me. I was glad that I decided to sleep with my boxers on, because
it would be mildly embarrassing to have both the doctor, and my dad
checking out my leg if I was naked. The doctor took a look at my leg, and
pushed on my shin gently, causing me to yelp softly in pain. "Well your leg
is swollen, and you have quite a bruise starting to come in now. I don't
think that your leg is any worse. Have you taken the pain medicine you were
prescribed?"

"We weren't able to fill the prescription yesterday. By the time we got out
of the emergency room, the local pharmacy was closed." My dad answered.

"I'm sorry. If I had known, I could have made a phone call. The pharmacist
is a friend of mine. We could have gotten that all taken care of" Dr. Burt
said. "Luckily, I do have some pain medicine in my office that the school
keeps on hand just in case. I'll be back in a few minutes okay Tim? Hang in
there bud, it will all be okay. I'll also get you excused from your classes
for the day, some rest will do you good. Especially once you have some more
pain medicine."

Dr. Burt left the room leaving Scott, Dad, and I behind. Dad let out a big
sigh. "Tim, I'm sorry that you got hurt bud. I don't know what else I can
do for you. It sounds like Dr. Burt will get you squared away, and it looks
like Scott is looking after you quite well. I'm sorry this happened, and I
hope you don't let this discourage you. You have been doing great son! I
can't tell you how great it is to see you finally happy. You have friends,
and someone special in your life now. This is just a bump in the road, and
you will get over it okay?"

"Dad, I know things are better. When you first told me we were moving, I
really didn't want to. Now, I'm glad we did. Earlier, I thought about my
future, and how there is a light at the end of the tunnel now. Thank you
Dad. I really like it here." I said, trying not to be emotional.

"If it's okay with you Tim, I'm going to head out. I'll arrange a sub for
my first period or two today and pick up your medicine. I'll be back with
it as soon as I can okay?" Dad said, ruffling my hair.

"Okay Dad. Thanks for coming." I said as he walked toward the door. He gave
a quick wave before walking out the door.

"Want to watch some TV while we wait for the doctor to come back?" Scott
asked, standing and moving toward the TV.

"Sure, that will work, and thanks Scott. For everything."

"The pleasure is all mine. I hope you don't mind, but I'll sit on my bed at
least until your pain is a bit better. Don't want to jostle you around any
more than needed." Scott said as he turned on the TV, and turned on Netflix.

About ten minutes later, Dr. Burt returned with some pain medicine for me
to take. He did warn me that it would likely make me drowsy, but since he
had excused me from classes for the day, that sleeping was the best thing
for me. As expected, about twenty minutes after the doctor left, I started
getting sleepy. Soon after, I had fallen asleep.



<Scott>

I sat on the side of my bed with the TV on, but all I was watching was Tim
as he slept. Seeing him get hurt yesterday, and seeing him in pain this
morning really put into perspective just what he meant to me. I knew that I
really liked him, and I mean really liked him a lot, but seeing him get
hurt? It made me realize that I never wanted to lose him. Admittedly, I
knew I was in love with him before he got hurt, It's just that the roller
coaster of emotions I've been on over the past couple of weeks more or less
culminated when Tim's cry of pain woke me up this morning. I wanted to wait
for the perfect moment to tell Tim that I loved him, but I was so worried
about him, it just sort of came out. Seeing the look on his face when I
said it though, and hearing him say it back was so worth it. Maybe there is
no such thing as the perfect time. You can try to plan everything to the
smallest detail, but almost always, something wont go to plan. Maybe
telling him that I loved him at a time that he needed my support, and a
time that I was concerned about him truly was perfect.

I turned the TV off, and double checked my alarm before turning off the
light and going back to sleep for another couple hours before I had to get
up for the last day of classes for this week. We would have one more week
of classes before spring break, then it would be off to California for
Disneyland with my new family. I still was a bit overwhelmed by everything.
I had been at an all time low when I found out that my parents had given up
custody. I was so worried that I'd be taken away and put in to some random
foster home. I'd lose Tim, I'd lose my friends and team mates. I'd lose
everything

Before Tim came in to my life, I was in a dark place. My parents had
rejected me. Sure I talked to some of the other guys around school, but I
didn't feel like any of them were really my friends, even if they thought
they were mine. They were just faces that I passed by as I went through the
motions. Soccer was an outlet for my frustrations, I'm not sure that it was
fun. When Tim came in to my life everything changed. The blur that was the
life I had suddenly became clear. It wasn't just going through the motions
anymore. My life was finally real. It had meaning.

Then my parents threatened to take it all away, and the world I was
starting to actually like came crashing down. I'm not going to lie, if I
had to to leave everything behind to go to some foster home. I'd have
killed myself. I don't know how, but I'd have done it. Done. The end. Good
bye. That would have been it, but Tim saved me. Tim and his family saved
me. Now they were my family. I don't think that things could have turned
out any better. I am so thankful that Tim came into my life, and I'm so
thankful that his family is taking me as one of their own. I couldn't wait
to see where things went from here.



That concludes chapter 11.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, more than
42,000 Americans commit suicide every year, making suicide the 10th leading
cause of death in the United States. Unfortunately, these numbers are only
on the rise. If you are depressed or suicidal, please know that there is
help out there for you. The biggest step is asking for help, and I know it
is the hardest step. If you or someone you know are contemplating suicide,
please, I implore you, call the suicide prevention hotline. If you live in
the US, the number is 1-800-273-8255