save me

Chapter One

*

 "My one regret in life is that I am not someone else. "

Disclaimer/Warning:

This story is completely fictional. If you are under the age of 18, or if it is illegal to read such materials in your country, state, province or county, then please leave. If you are willing to take responsibility for your actions, then be my guest. This story contains descriptions of sexual activity between males, swearing, and some graphic violence. The author retains all rights to this story. Please do not publish anything without authorization.

This story revolves around the problems & desperate

Struggles in 4 people's lives over a hectic 5-hour period:

Julian Lewis, age 16.

Ross Freeman, age 24.

Stanley K. Trent, age 33.

Phillip Gretchen, age 40.

JULIAN

*

"Hi, umm, let's see... that'll be $2.50 please"

Julian handed the lady the money, and in return, she gave him the red rose that he wanted.

"Thanks"

"See you again."

     Julian carefully placed the rose in his bag and left the flower store, stepping out into a cool and chilly night. Looking at his watch, he realized that it was nearly nine o'clock, so he turned left, passed the diner, and kept on walking towards the direction of his house.

     It was a quiet night. He marveled at the sight of the canopy of stars that glowed above him as he casually walked down the sidewalk of his neighborhood. Sighing, he smiled to himself. It was only day 2 of his one week break, and he felt good. He needed to rest from the stress that school always seemed to provide. Luckily, he finished all his major projects the night before, so he had an easy week to himself.

He opened his house gate and walked up to the door, letting himself in.

"Julian? Is that you?"

"Yes, mom"

His mother appeared from the middle of nowhere and looked at him for a moment.

"Howard called just a moment ago, I said that you'd call him back."

"Oh, okay, did he say he needed anything?"

"No, he just asked me to ask you if you wanted to go out with him tomorrow for dinner." She said casually.

Julian blinked a couple of times.

"...for dinner...?" he asked curiously.

His attention diverted as his father came out of the room next door and wrapped one of his arms around his mom.

They both looked at him with soft expressions.

"A date." She replied simply, and gave him a small smile.

Oh my god.

Oh my god.

Howard!!! For fuck's sake!?!?

     Julian stood there dumbfounded, he didn't know what to say. But telling from his mother's expression, and, oh my god, his father's as well, they knew perfectly well. He had become friends with Howard a week ago. It started out simple enough. You know, hanging out and such. But then things became a little more than that. And before he knew it, they both had fallen for each other. And he asked Howard to give him a few days to think things out. Well, it has been 5 days.

"A date, huh? Ummm..."

He didn't know what to do.

"He seems like a nice guy..." His mom said.

Julian blushed a shade of blood red.

When he looked at his father, he looked serious.

"Something you want to tell us?" His deep voice asked.

It's now or never Julian.

He cleared his throat, and said-

"Yeah... I'm gay"

ROSS

*

     Ross stood by his stepfather's door and waited for someone to answer it. His heart was pumping furiously. Why? He didn't know either. He didn't have a reason to be like this. He waited a moment more before he placed his attention on the twinkling stars that filled the night sky. He smiled.

The door opens.

     Ross jumped from the unexpected noise, and his face fell from the sky, to his stepfather's face. It looked the same as before; his handsome features a little worn out. He wore a shirt and a pair of pants that seem a bit to fancy for the event, but none the less, he looked nice.

"Hey..." Ross started.

The innocent eyes of his stepfather met his, and a small smile crept on the man's face.

"Ross, come in"

Ross nodded and was about to grab his suitcase when-

"Let me get that fo-"

"Oh, it's okay, it's not that heavy"

His stepfather nodded and gave space for him to come inside.

When Ross stood in the middle of the hallway, holding his suitcase and looking a little nervous, his stepfather spoke.

"Uh, here, let me take that to your room (he grabs his suitcase), and you can go make yourself comfortable in the lounge. Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah"

"Okay, I'll be down in a bit"

     And with that, Ross was alone. He took a deep breath and moved to the lounge, seating himself in one of the blue arm chairs.

The first thing he noticed were the bottles of empty liquors on one of the far tables.

Apart from that, everything else was nice and clean.

His stepfather appeared.

"Hey, uhh, I forgot to tell you this but, I usually go play cards with my best friend on Sunday evenings... so, do you want to join?"

Ross didn't expect this.

"Oh, umm, you know what, I think I'll stay, I'm exhausted..."

His stepfather sighed in relief, it seemed.

"Well, I'm sorry that I have to leave, but, have you eaten yet?"

"Uh, yeah"

"Then I guess I'll see you in an hour or so?"

"Yeah, have fun"

Ross forced a smile.

His stepfather nodded and left.

15 minutes later, Ross was still sitting in the armchair, listening to the silent noises that floated through the empty house.

     Sighing, he took out the brown envelope the teen had given him outside a little earlier. This was it. He smiled to himself. It was the letter he had been expecting. A month ago, he had applied to go to the NY Medical School. When he took the tests, he whizzed through them. He was positive that he was going to be accepted. He had to, it was everything he planned for. All these years of studying, planning, studying, practicing, planning, studying, practicing were about to pay off. He still had a long way to go to become an internal medicine doctor, but this was something that would say

"You can make it" He spoke to himself.

He ripped the envelope open and read the paper.

But his face fell.

STANLEY

*

"Honey, I'm going to pay Philip's stepson a visit just now, I heard that he would arrive in the neighborhood anytime soon."

"Alright Eliza" Stanley said as he walked over to his wife, standing at the door.

He helped her put her coat on.

"You sure you don't want to come?"

"Yes, Philip is coming over remember?"

"Oh, right, cards... But why don't you invite Ross as well then?"

"Philip called a moment ago, and said that Ross was too tired to do anything."

"Oh, okay then, well I'll go say hi anyways."

She gave Stanley a kiss on the cheek and left him alone.

He smiled when he heard the car disappear.

"Oh how I love Sundays..." he whispered.

     He went up the stairs and moved to his bedroom, where he took a couple of items out of his bedside table and placed them on the bed. When he got back downstairs, he grabbed a bottle of vodka and placed it by two glasses in the lounge.

Tonight, he was going to get what his wife didn't want to give.

"It's showtime"

PHILIP

*

     Philip felt bad for leaving Ross like that. They had just met after 3 years of nothingness. The thought of this only made him feel lower than before, and he craved a drink to numb the pain. Why is he so unstable? He didn't know why either. He had the power to get over his wife's death, but for some weird reason, he didn't, and his depression manifested into a beast that would wake up every minute of his wasted life. And not to mention, he felt guilty. Not for not getting over his wife, but for what he did, and still does, after, to get rid of his depression.

He felt guilt, regret, and pain.

But tonight, for one hour, he would forget his life.

His best friend was going to make it right.

To be continued

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