Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:35:24 -0700 From: Saudade Survivor Subject: Tabula rasa Ch. 3 This story, depicting sex between a consenting seventeen-year-old male and other consenting males, if this subject offends you or is illegal in your area please do not read. This story will also deal with sexual assault, child neglect ( emotional), Anti-LGBT Bigotry, Racism, Ableism, Discrimination and other possibly sensitive topics.this story is fiction and completely a product of my imagination. The author retains all rights to this work. If you enjoy it, or wish to contact me, or tell me what you think, questions etc please tell me so at SaudadeSurvivor@gmail.com im always happy to hear what you guys think! i havent heard any feedback yet and i'd love to hear from you guys if you like the story! Hearing from you guys, what you think, really is invigorating! This story is brought to you by Nifty, providing interested readers with entertainment and pleasure. If you enjoy reading Nifty, please support it. Please remember to donate to Nifty if you are capable of doing so. your donations keep this as well as other stories and reading materials on the site free to the public. Thank you! Ch. 3 A lot worse than it seems I have been sitting in Mr Nemik's office for over five minutes now, nervously fidgeting with my fingers in my lap. He had called me into the small cubicle like office right after class had finished. After the basic orientation on what was expected took the majority of the class period he had us simply walk laps around the gym. At this point in my life I had honed a somewhat sixth sense of feeling when someone was looking at me. And I could feel three sets of eyes staring into me the entire time. Chet, Izz, and Mr. Nemik had all been staring at me until the bell rang. I just tried to keep my eyes down and walk quietly next to Gabbs and Carlotta. After the final bell had announced the end of the period, and the last student had left the locker room, Mr nemik walked into his office and, with an audible click, closed and locked the door. I looked over at the teacher's familiar face as he dejectedly slumped into his office chair, looking down at the papers on his desk. The awkward silence was palpable. I tried to study his face as he sat there, it looked like a million thoughts were running through his mind a minute. I couldn't bring myself to start speaking first. Finally after six or seven full minutes of awkward silence he gave out a hearty chuckle. " You know I wasn't expecting to see you this soon after our last meet up." He looked up at me with a sorry smile as he tried to break the ice with a joke. " I thought you said you were twenty?" He asked with a slight shake of his head. " Actually, I didn't, you assumed I was and I just didn't correct you" I admit with a half hearted smile. "Alex I had hoped you'd at least be eighteen for god's sake you were on a gay hook up app..." He went on starting to become a little upset. " Well it IS the easiest way to hook up these days" I stared bluntly in return. He shook his head. " Alex, you understand that if anyone found out about what we'd been doing I would lose more than just my marriage... I'd go to prison, Alex, I'd be marked a sex offender, a sexual predator, God even if I got out I'd NEVER get to work around kids ever again!" I rubbed my temple with my left hand as I began getting a mild migrain. "Mr Nemik, listen, you don't need to worry about me saying anything ok?" I took a short pause to get my bearings. "There's a reason I didn't get on a first name basis with you before." I explained to him. " I'm not all that thrilled I'm your student either... I don't really want a reputation around school that I'm some slut, let alone that I slept with one of my teachers, I'm already expecting shit for how I look. If my personal activities got out it would be ten times worse." I state dejectedly He gave a rather loud sigh of relief " Alex I want you to know that I am not embarrassed by you or think less of you for what we did." He explained as he gave me a look of sincerity. " My wife and I have not been happy for quite some time, so we came up with a "don't ask don't tell" sort of policy between ourselves. " He went on as he started fiddling with a pen on his desk. " We both work here and we both love our jobs so we don't really want to go through what a divorce might do to our working life." I put my hands up as I stood from his desk. " I don't really need to know this sir, it's none of my business, just, know that I have no intention, nor any want, to get you in trouble or hurt your wife, period." I started back towards the door as I picked up my bag. He got up and grabbed my shoulder giving a light squeeze. " Thank you Alex, you're a very kind and caring young man, and, if anyone gives you trouble please tell me" he said with a firm squeeze once more before letting go. " I don't tolerate bullying between my students, be it physical or verbal, and especially not towards someone so sweet as you." I gave him a nod but didn't turn to face him and simply unlocked the door and left. On my way to my car I felt a great need to use the bathroom. Thankfully there was one on the way towards the parking lot. I entered the empty bathroom and quickly made my way up to one of the urinals and started to relieve my full bladder. I was surprised how well the conversation with Mr nemik went. He had been a rather rough and blunt lover, so it was quite a surprise to find him to be much more caring and concerned outside the bedroom. I had expected him to be concerned for himself, I mean in my experiences I found that men tend to usually only care for themselves, and rarely others, or at the most second to themselves. I had been in such deep thought of what just happened that I hadn't heard anyone enter the empty room. Barely had I gotten my zipper back up before I was twirled around by my shoulder and slammed up against the wall to my left. I felt a pain in my back as I was slammed into the brick wall, having the wind knocked out of me as I looked up to see the menacing, sneering visage that was Chet's expression. I had barely begun to get the air back in my lungs before his clenched fist was planted harshly into my stomach. I fell down to the floor as the pain radiated from where the blow hit. "Think you can talk shit to me In front of the other guys and get away with it you piece of shit?!" The animosity and vitriol in his tone made me sure that Chet was not accustomed to others being curt with him in public, let alone talking back like I had. " You. don't. Disrespect. ME! You fucking queer!" Each syllable was emphasized with a rough kick to my ribs as I tried to crawl into a fetal position. I did not fight back, I did not say even a single word in response for fear of making his beating worse. I knew if I just stayed quiet it would be over soon. After his final kick I felt him lean down, yank me up by my shirt, ripping the fabric as he did before slamming me back against the wall. He gripped my ruined shirt in his fists as he looked down at me with sheer rage and animosity. I felt the rough sting across my cheek, heard the audible sound of skin hitting skin as he roughly slapped me across the face, one, two, three times, He spoke as he backhanded me. " You don't ever talk back to me you hear me you fucking faggot?!" I was too stunned and in too much pain to speak so I merely tried to nod my head as quickly as I could. He grasped my shirt in both hands as he roughly pulled me forward before shoving me back against the wall " speak you fucking waste of skin! I said, "Do you hear me?!" " I kept shaking my head as I could feel my cheek swell and bruise, the residual sting aching across my face. "Ye-yes Ch-Chet I understand, I understand, please stop!" I cried out, I could feel the tears run down my stinging cheeks as I felt shame and humiliation for giving in so easily. Chet looked down at my now cowering frame with an evil sneer. My eyes opened wide with shock as I felt something that I thought would never happen in a million years. Chet had forced his tongue into my mouth, his lips roughly crashing into mine as he forced himself on top of me. His much larger frame fully hid me from the rest of the empty room as he forced himself against me as tightly as he could. I could feel against my stomach with a throb from the denim of his pants how much the physical abuse he had put me through had excited him. I have never been more fearful in my life. As quickly as his oral invasion had begun it was over. He threw me to the floor with a satisfied smile as he looked down at my cowering frame. Never have I felt so small and helpless. "Be here tomorrow, same time... you do not want me to have to come looking for you, Lexy" he added his new feminine pet name with an evil inflection, leaving me alone on the floor in the bathroom. Once I heard the door close behind him I let out a sob. I pulled my knees into my chest, laying on my side. I couldn't do anything but shiver and cry on the floor as I tried to take in what had just happened to me. I stayed on the cold floor of the bathroom for a few hours after he left me there. I was in too much pain, and too fearful to see him outside to leave right away. Once the pain in my stomach became little more than a dull throbbing I finally picked myself up and looked in the mirror. My right cheek was bruised and beginning to change color under the tear ruined mess that was my makeup running down my face. I took a few minutes to clean my face with warm water, my breath still shaky as I did so. I have had the shit beaten out of me more times than I can remember at the many private schools I had been forced to attend, but this was the first time I had ever been sexually assaulted. I felt dirty, humiliated and Utterly helpless. Even after the worst Physical Altercation I had ever had, which had sent me to the hospital with two broken ribs, a broken nose and a pierced lung in ninth grade, I still felt a sense of indifference and pride for being who I was. This was completely different. After I left the school and started driving home, I realized that it being only five my aunt would still be home for another hour or so before her shift. I didn't want her to see me like this. I had instinctively started heading towards the Boardwalk when flashbacks of Sunday night came pouring in. I tried to think of where I could go to be alone, and found myself driving the forty-five minutes out to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. No matter what state or city my parents had sent me I could always find a quiet place to be in nature to just relax and more now than ever I just wanted to lose myself and be alone. As I parked in one of the many empty spaces near the more wooded areas of the reservatory I decided to just sit there, engine off and try to breathe. I closed my eyes and focused on the quiet sounds of the reserve. Each time I tried to empty my mind a car would go zooming by, and with it flashes of the bathroom came flooding back. After the fourth or fifth car zoomed past I gave a groan of frustration, grabbed my bag from the side and started walking down one of the trails into the wooded area in front of me. After about ten or fifteen minutes of walking into the shaded forest path I saw one of the few benches to the side and decided that this would be a pretty good spot. I sat down on the wooden planks. Taking out a cigarette and lighting the thing I took a very slow inhale as I looked into the forest Greenery on the opposite side of the pathway. Absentmindedly smoking, my breathing now at a normal pace, I started to relax and think. Today had started out as such a good day. A few bumps at first but god dammit it was going so well. No one bothered me much, and for the first time I had actually felt like I belonged. I had never had a group of friends to just sit and chat with. It was so lovely. Every single one of my school experiences had been that of a loner, no one paying me mind unless they had to for a school project, or felt like beating the queer kid up. Once I had hit puberty I had noticed how a lot of those same guys who would beat the shit out of me would look at me with sexual thirst behind their eyes. I learned that I could get less physical abuse if I clandestinely gave them the sort of experience they had wanted. From there I learned that I could at least feel wanted and desired through sex. I knew I was physically what a lot of gay guys enjoyed, especially the jock types: small, lithe, easy to manipulate and toss around. Even when I learned to seduce my antagonists, at least, the ones I could tell were repressed and very interested, to gain their favor and protection, I had never been forced to do something I did not want to; not that there was much I didn't want to do. I mean hell I was a pretty horny teen, and now even on the cusp of young adulthood I am still a pretty randy guy. The fact that causing me such physical pain had turned Chet on terrified me. He wanted me to, no, he ordered me to meet him there tomorrow after school. What will he do to me if I do? What would he do if I didn't? Getting the shit beaten out of me never terrified me. In fact after a couple years it's something I've come to simply expect. This was different though... My physical pain had never been for someone else's sexual gratification. After putting out the butt of my cigarette on the sole of my sneaker I took out a second and went to light it but stopped. At first I thought the feeling of being watched had been from one of the couple of squirrels I'd seen running up and down the trees in front of me. However I knew that wasn't the case when the sudden realization that all the sounds of the forest, the birds chirping in the distance, had gone completely silent, and even the squirrel I had been absentmindedly watching while I thought had gone completely still. Snap! I instinctively jumped from fright as a branch had been stepped on by someone or something. I looked to the left with my peripheral vision to see a figure in a black hoodie looking out from behind a tree right off the trail. They had not seemed to notice that they had been seen. I got up off the bench slowly, trying to act as if I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary and began walking down the trail in the opposite direction. "Perhaps" I thought " it's just someone else who wanted to be alone" That idea went directly out the window when after about three or four minutes of walking I could hear them following me. I started to quicken my speed a bit and they kept pace. I slowed and sped up and slowed down to see if they would match my speed and they did. After another five minutes of the stranger following me I realized I was going the opposite direction of where I had parked, that I had started walking further down the trail Deeper into the woods. Without a second of hesitation I turned to my left sprinting off into the thick wood off the trail. Maybe I could lose them in the brush. My only hope if they had ill intentions was to try and loop back around behind them in the direction of the parking lot. I could hear the person Gaining on me. I dared not look back in fear of slowing down. I started zig-zagging, running behind different trees, ducking behind bushes in hope of losing them. After twenty minutes of running, I hid under some brush behind a large tree and held my breath. The figure slowed to a walk before stopping right in front of my hiding space. A pair of dirty ripped jeans staring back at me as I waited. Finally after a couple of minutes of looking around, the person turned and headed back the way they came. I sighed, trying to breathe quietly, now realizing how winded I felt thanks to my smoking habits. I waited for a couple minutes before slowly peeking my head out. Seeing no danger I stood up and started to turn back around the large tree. A strong Familiar Grasp around my waist yanked me back against someone. That Pale hand that I was so familiar with from my dreams, and from underneath the pier wrapped around my mouth as I tried to scream. "Shshshh...don't scream My pretty little snack" That Familiar voice whispered into my ear. My heart raced as tears began to run down my face for the second time that afternoon. My pulse must have been going a million miles a second. I felt a wet, sickening tongue slide along my ear as he spoke. " Mmh your Heart is Fluttering so fast little Rabbit." I tried to plead from behind the grasping hand across my mouth as the other around my waist started to slowly slide along my exposed tummy. Only then did I realize I was still wearing the shirt Chet had ripped. The hand tightened over my face as cold, pale fingers started to slide below the waistline of my leather pants. " You shouldnt run from me, my pet, I'll always catch you ..." I tried to pull away but to no avail. "Give in to me, stop struggling, and you may even enjoy it.." I felt something sharp slide along my neck as his hand wrenched my head to the side. I could feel his breath crawl across my skin like the legs of a spider you didn't know was on you. Was this how I died? A victim in the woods, so far away that no one would find my corpse before scavengers got to it? I felt the sharp sting of something piercing my neck, right before he froze. A rustling noise from behind us had caught his attention. Followed by a deep guttural Growl. My attacker Spun with me still in his grasp. My eyes went wide as I heard my assailant cuss. Standing in front of us had to be the largest wolf I had ever seen. Its deep chestnut brown fur stood on end. Large drooling teeth bared with its upper lip curled. It seemed to look at us with fierce animosity. " Fucking mutt,..." the voice behind me muttered " Can't you see I'm busy?!" The wolf merely growled louder, slowly approaching, if I knew better I would have sworn it was looking at the man behind me, and not at both of us. We must have walked into its territory, or disturbed its slumber. "I'll find you again my little rabbit, and we can continue then." The thing gave my neck a lewd swipe with its tongue before shoving me forwards. My scream stuck in my throat as I fell towards the large canine beast, sure that it would tear me apart, a much easier prey than the man standing behind me. The large wolf seemed to ignore me completely as I fell to the dirt, actually stepping over me as it continued to snarl at my assailant. I could feel the fur from the large wolf above me as I tried to crawl into a fetal position, instinctively trying to make myself as small as possible. I chanced a glance from between the wolf's legs, seeing my assailant, whatever it was, run off with a blur, inhumanly fast. I heard the sounds of the forest return, and realized the wolf above me wasn't growling anymore. I looked up to see the thing staring at me. It's deep, dark, eyes seeming so familiar to me... The massive beast moved away from being over me, staring at me the entire time. "Y-your not gonna hurt me are you..." I had said it out loud more to myself than this massive, dangerous creature in front of me. I pushed myself up off of the ground onto my knees, careful not to move too fast, or to take my eyes off of the large magnificent creature before me. I was sure this thing would tear into me at any point. The massive canine tilted its head as it watched me move into a more comfortable position. " Good... boy,....you're not such a bad guy are you?" I slowly reached my hand out towards the chestnut colored wolf. Even on my knees the thing was so tall its neck came up to my eyes. The massive snout came closer to sniff my hand before pressing its muzzle underneath it. " You want me to pet you huh?.... " I slowly ran my hand along the soft fur on the side of the wild animal's muzzle. I gave a small smile, slowly running my fingers through the warm fur of its cheek. I could have sworn it was pressing its face into my palm. I slowly ran my fingers again through the long fur along the side of its face before sliding up to scratch behind its ear as it made what sounded like a quiet whine. " What a good boy" I practically whispered, my other hand sliding up to rub along his other ear. The large beast walked closer until his large, heavy head pressed into my barely covered chest. I could feel the large thing sniff my bruising stomach, its body becoming rigid with a pause before its butting head pushed me rather forcefully onto my back in the dirt. I started to crawl backwards but immediately stopped as a deep growl escaped from the massive thing. I tried to stay as still as possible as the massive beast began to sniff around my, what I was now keenly aware of, bare and very vulnerable stomach. The large thing seemed to be intently sniffing at the bruises chet had left there. The Massive wolf gave a deep growl after he had stopped, walking over me before it started to sniff my neck where I had felt the painful pierce from whatever, or whomever had tried to assault me just a few minutes ago. I held my breath as I felt the cold wet nose rub along my neck as he sniffed. Somehow the position I was in below this massive wolf felt more possessive, somewhat erotic even, as opposed to dangerous. I don't know what compelled me to, but I slid my hands up along the large beasts shoulders, fingers running through the thick pelt of fur along its back...it felt right somehow. I felt surprisingly safe below this massive animal. I yelped out as I felt the massive jaws quickly yet forcefully bite into my shoulder. The bite was over as quickly as it had begun. It felt more like a possessive nip, than a full on attack, however I could tell from the sting that the sharp teeth had broken skin. I felt the thick wide tongue of the massive wolf slide along the pierced skin where it had bitten, cleaning the new wound. After it had seemed to be satisfied with its cleaning it looked back into my eyes for a few seconds. I simply laid underneath the massive creature, my breath caught in my throat at the deep stare of those dark eyes. The large wolf gave my cheek one long lick before turning and running off into the forest. I stared after it as it left before leaning back and simply looking up at the darkening canopy above me. After finally pulling up to my aunt's house, for the first time I was actually glad to see she hadn't left for work yet. I quickly walked inside the front door to find my aunt packing her lunch into a brown bag. " Alex, you're home before I left for work that's a fir-" Looking up at me her smirk slid off her face as she took in my battered and bruising state. She quickly rushed over to me, looking more closely at my ripped shirt. "What the hell happened to you?!" Confusingly her face looked more angry than concerned, as if she cared less how I felt and more upset how damaged I looked. " Well, first I was beaten up by a psychopath in school, stalked and assaulted by some monster, and then bitten by one of the largest wolves I've ever seen" I explain in a rather quick and nonchalant manner. " You were bitten by a wolf?" Her eyes widening as she moves closer, looking at the bite marks along my collar, peeking through my ruined shirt. I shook my head in surprise. "Did you not hear the first half of what I said?" I asked, perplexed. She seemed to ignore what I asked. " Did the thing attack you?" I gave an angry sigh. " Well, no it actually had defended me against the thing stalking me... before it nipped me on the shoulder, and then ran off... Do I need to get a rabies shot?" She shook her head as she looked at the bite. " No." She said curtly. " Are you sure?" I ask, confused. " A rabid wolf isn't going to just nip you and run off." She stated bluntly before, without another word, pulled me into the bathroom and began taking out her first aid kit. " Here." She took out a cotton ball, coating it in rubbing alcohol and began to dab the chemical along the small pierced skin along my collarbone. "Tshh!" I inhaled in pain, the alcohol stinging along the bite. " Oh stop, It's not that bad" she stated with a look of irritation, before stepping back, and staring at my bruised and bitten body. She had taken out her cellphone and was lightly tapping it into her palm as she got lost in thought. "....yes?" I broke the silence with my question, my voice dripped with irritation. " Just...finish up with that ...I need to make a call .." she said absentmindedly as if still thinking. I continued to clean the wound before I started rubbing some soothing mint lotion into my bruises as she stepped into the hall, unintentionally leaving the door open just a sliver. I hadn't even been paying attention to what she was saying at whomever was on the line, until I heard her say my name. I quietly inched closer to the door as I strained my ear against the small space between the door and the wall to listen in. " Yes... No they don't know.." a voice I couldn't make out was speaking rather quickly on the other side of the line. " No madam, I have said nothing, just like you ordered me to..." "I haven't said a thing, I've just been acting as guardian like you ordered..." " I don't know what my sister has told him... I doubt she or her husband would of defied you" "No but things might need to be hastened...you know they take mate-markings seriously" My eyes widened at what I was hearing. What did she mean "as you ordered" ? Who's ordering my aunt to be my guardian? What the hell is a mate+marking? I tried to listen in more, but they had slowly walked out of earshot down the hall as they talked. Just as well, right at that time my phone pinged with a message from Gabbs. G: hey so the weirdest thing happened just now, did you talk to Izz this evening? Me: No? Not since before lunch, why? G: Well, he wants to know if you wanna go to the pier with me, Mark, Xander, Carlotta and his two friends Loay and Moss? I looked down at my bruises, and the bite marks with a frown at thinking of going out. Me: Honestly Gabbs I don't know if I'm up for it. G: oh come on pleeaaaase? Me: I'm not sure ...I'd need some time to get ready.. G: Alex come on, he's asking for you. YOU. You do realize that this guy hasn't gone out with anyone all of high school , he's said no to every girl who's asked him out and he wants you to come with us. I furrowed my brows as I read her texts. Just another jock who wants to fuck I'm sure. I've never had a guy want to hang out socially, especially around a group of people though. My mind went completely blank. I didn't know how to respond to this. No one has ever really asked me to just...hang out. No guy has ever asked to hang out in public. G: Alex? What should I tell him? I took a deep breath. Well l... fuck it why not? Me: fine I'll come. It's not like I'm doing anything anyways. G: awesome! You'll have a lot of fun I promise! I shook my head with how excited her texts sounded. I walked downstairs, throwing my phone on my bed as I went to my dresser. Staring back at me was a gangly, frowning bruised mess. I gave a dejected sigh as I slid off the ripped and completely ruined shirt, tossing it into the bin. My hand slid down the bruises along my torso. Darkening purple and yellow covering my tummy, small peach colored nipples the only other thing to stand out. The feeling of Chet holding me against the wall came rushing back, the feeling of fear and sheer terror as I felt him become aroused from causing me pain. I looked up from the bruising of my chest and into the light blue eyes of my reflection as warm tears ran down my cheeks. " Be here tomorrow at the same time" Chet's voice rang in my mind. What did he want to do to me tomorrow? My mind raced at what he may do. I had no doubt I wasn't getting out of there without getting him off...but how more bruised and broken would that cost? I was brought out of my memory from a ping from my phone. I went over to my bed, took my phone and read a new text from Gabby. G: Izz says he'll be there to pick you up In twenty. I quickly typed back, my eyes wide. Me: I didn't say I wanted to be picked up?! G: he didn't really ask, he just sort of stated it and drove off. How does he even know where I live? Gabbs doesn't even know where I live. I tossed the phone back on my bed, moving back to my dresser. Not soon after that I heard my aunt leave for work. I pulled out one of the very few long baggy Tees I owned to make sure the bruises on my stomach were well hidden. I decided to throw on a pair of baggy black cargo pants to go with the long sleeve top, tucked into some black boots and one of my aunt's baggy windbreaker jackets. I made sure to cover the bruising on my face with concealer before working on my eyeliner once again. Right as I finished with my eyeliner I heard a truck pull up outside followed by a horn honk and knew even before I walked out it was him. I quickly locked the door and ran over to the side of a tall green and red two door truck. As I approached, the door flew open and Izz's friend with the black military style haircut jumped out and stood aside with a wide inviting grin. I gave him a small smile in return with a quiet hello as I went to pull myself up into the front of the truck. He offered me his hand to steady myself as I stepped up into the seat. The car had one long bench seat instead of two or three like most modern trucks did. I quickly scooted up next to Izz who was smiling over at me from his spot at the wheel. " Hey Alex...,you're looking pretty good tonight" I looked at him with a bashful blushing smile from the compliment. I was pushed a little closer to him as his friend slid up into the bench. I jumped slightly as he slammed the door and went to put his seatbelt on. " This is my bro Loay'' Izz stated with a rough nod towards the big guy on my right. He looked over with a polite nod at me in response. " Hello Loay, it's lovely to meet you" I squirmed, a little uncomfortable as I looked up into his face, my small frame somewhat squished between these two massively muscular tall frames, both men radiating body heat. The big guy just smiled down at me. " You too little man, you can just call me Lo, everyone else does." He said with a shrug. " O-ok Lo heh" I had to place my hands in my lap with how little room there was, my shoulders pressed firmly against both of theirs on either side. I felt so dwarfed by these large guys. Lo leaned over a bit with a sly smile as he talked in a fake whisper. " It's nice to finally meet the cutie that Izz won't shut up about hehe" I heard a low growl come from Izz on my left, Lo leaned away in response with a chuckle. Izz pulled out from my aunt's driveway and a thought came back at that moment. " ...hey Izz... how did you know where I lived? I don't remember telling you, and I mean, I haven't even had a chance to tell Gabby yet heh." He merely shrugged, giving me a sly glance." I drive by here on my way to and from school..., I saw your car at school and it sticks out like a sore thumb in your driveway so... when I saw it was your car, it was merely putting two and two together" I felt like I had been so overly paranoid. I gave a light laugh and shook my head. " So what brings such a pale cutie like you to sunny Santa Monica? Seems like a weird time to have to change schools, last year and all." Izz asked with a nudge of his shoulder. I noticed every few minutes the big guy would take glances at me from his gaze on the road. " Oh, well actually my parents died in a car crash a few months ago, a drunk trucker ran a red light, T-boned the back of their car" My hands were tightly clasped in my lap as I responded. " Ah man, I'm so sorry little guy, that must be really hard...I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to my parents" Lu responded with what sounded like genuine sadness in his baritone voice. " Yeah that sounds horrible..." Izz interjected. I shook my head with a quiet unintentional snort. " It's honestly not that big of a deal, I mean it's awful they died but I get just as much attention from them now as I did before they were killed. Honestly the only thing that's changed is my living situation and even that not by much". " ... Oh. Wait, what do you mean?" Izz asked with a frown. I simply shrugged my shoulders, each one rubbing against the two larger males. " Well, my parents had always been busy, even when they weren't they acted like I didn't exist, or like they didn't see me..." I went on. " Ever since middle school I had been put into private schools and admittedly I tried so hard to get my parents' attention that I would end up being expelled or transferred to a new school nearly every year with my antics... " "honestly the only people that gave me any time of day were the help, and aside from my Governess it felt like they only did because it was their job to." I could feel both of them looking at me with pity. " Me and Izz grew up in a small tight knit community, even those who aren't related by blood treat each other like family, and to have your own parents treat you like that... I don't even know, it sounds so unforgivable." Lu said, as he gave my leg a light pat to try and comfort me. I gave a half hearted smile his way in response. " Honestly that sounds so nice, you two are lucky to have so many people care for and about you" I admit honestly. " Honestly I'm kind of jealous heh '' Suddenly I felt Izz's heavy arm wrap around my shoulders and squeeze me tightly against his side. I could feel my cheeks heat up with blush as I looked up at his stoic face staring forward at the road In Front of us. " Don't be jealous little guy, we'll be here for you, what are friends for right?" He glanced down at me with one of the warmest smiles I had ever seen. It made me melt into his side. "Besides, a new place, new beginnings, everyone deserves a clean slate, maybe that's what this is for you, maybe you'll get to be part of a caring loving community sooner than you think" He spoke such bohemian ideals with a glint in his eyes, as if he already knew some great truth. We sat silent the rest of the ride to the boardwalk, Izz kept his arm around my shoulder the entire drive. I noticed Lu had started humming a light tune not long after we finished talking. As Izz parked his truck I noticed a familiar group hanging out around the car to our left. I couldn't resist a smile. Gabby, Xander and Mark, with his arm around Carlotta, were leaning against Gabbs car talking to Izz's friend Moss, who had his arm around a girl I'd never seen before. I forgot that Izz had his arm around my shoulders until he pulled it back as he and Lu stepped out from the truck. I quickly followed, hopping down onto the pavement from the high seat. I walked over and gave Gabbs a warm hug. " Hey you made it!" I gave a light nod waving at the others as Izz and Lu walked over. " Hey guys, oh Alex this is Moss and his girl Sandy" Izz gestured towards the other guy who I had always seen around him. Moss gave a two finger salute, his arm around a girl I could only describe as ferally energetic. Sandy ran up from under Moss' arm to give me a full on squeeze. Her hair seemed to have just a bit too much hairspray which matched her name in color all too well. she was nearly as tall as the three guys, and almost as muscular, "she must really work out a lot" I thought to myself as she practically crushed the air out of me. "Oh-my-gosh! So this is the sweetie that has Izz unable to shut up? You're so cute!" She squealed. " Sandy!" Both Moss and Izz said in unison. " Sorry sorry! I know I can be such a lap dog sometimes!" She gave me a knowing smile and a giggle though I had no idea why. " Aha it's lovely to meet you Sandy,... Though I don't know why Izz would be talking about me, we barely know each other" I admit under my breath. Sandy gave a worried look over at Izz who in turn looked rather stern. She quickly walked back over to Moss who wrapped his arms around her waist once more. " Hey Alex it's nice to see you out and about, I was worried we'd have to kidnap you to get you to hang!" Xander said with a fake sneer. " Hey, I like my alone time, so shoot me." I sarcastically replied as we all started walking towards the boardwalk as a group. " Honestly Alex, it's nice you could join us" Gabbs started with a warm smile. Carlotta nodded as she wrapped her arm around marks tightly. "I was worried you'd say no," she said. "I've been coming around here for weeks since I moved here to people watch, it's nice to be here with friends" I genuinely admit as we hit the throngs of people among the boardwalks' many shops and restaurants. "What should we do first?" Sandy asked excitedly. " Let's go do some of the game booths, maybe the arcade? I haven't done any of those games since I was a kid" Carlotta offered. "Yeah that sounds super!" Gabbs interjected as she led the way towards the massive arcade near the center of the boardwalk. I noticed while we walked that Izz stayed pretty close to my left, with Lu on my right and sandy with Moss close behind, as if they were guarding me or something. The arcade was alive with lights and sounds of the many coin operated games. Hundreds of kids and young adults enjoying the games together. I actually found myself smiling and feeling genuinely part of the group as one by one they'd take up a game, many of them two players while the rest of us would watch or also start a game nearby. Sandy and Moss had started a racing game together while Izz, Lu and I watched, the others had gone to watch Gabbs and Xander stand off against each other in a dancing game. Suddenly I felt someone's eyes on me. I turned around and saw a leering, animosity filled Chet looking back at me. He had his arm around the cheerleader I had seen him with in the parking lot, as other cheerleaders and jocks played some of the arcade games near them. My heart felt like it had jumped into my throat. I could feel my breathing begin to increase as he stared at me like I was his toy. He was biting his lower lip as he adjusted himself in his pants, gesturing his head down towards the sizable mound in his jeans as he lewdly groped himself in public. The girl on his arm didn't seem to be paying attention, more interested in her friend playing pinball In Front of them. I could feel myself beginning to hyperventilate with the horrible thoughts of what he was capable of running through my mind. Suddenly I found myself jumping in surprise as a heavy, warm arm wrapped around my shoulders, yanking me tightly against the muscular side of the body it was attached to. I looked up to the arms owner, a stern and angry Izzy stared back at Chet, who looked startled before turning his back to us. I leaned into the warm crook of his arm and chest as I looked back up to him. His face looked back into mine with a caring expression, softening his hard features. I lost myself in those deep dark eyes. I nearly forgot how he often looked at me like a predator stalking its prey. I felt the bite marks on my shoulder become warm strangely. He silently turned us back to the others as they continued their racing game. I felt his hand tighten around my shoulder as I leaned further into his chest. All the fear and anxiety seemed to melt away as I inhaled his scent. fresh pine and that familiar rich spice mixed with a clean masculine musk. The heady scent assaulted my nostrils as I leaned into the space between his pec and bicep. I opened my eyes after taking a deep inhale, a stupid grin on my face as I noticed Xander giving me a knowing look. I quickly stood back up, but didn't pull away from his grip, worried if I did he'd let go. After the arcade and some fun fair games near the Faris wheel we all piled into a large booth in a little seafood shack of a restaurant later in the night. " Mm I think I'm gonna have the lobster!" Sandy exclaimed to the group from behind her menu. " God that sounds good babe!" Moss responded. "What about you Alex? What do you want?" Sandy asked from my right. I was smooshed between her and Izz on my left. He hadn't left my side the entire night after the encounter with chet. " I'm not really one for seafood really, I think I'll just get the shrimp cocktail" I reply with a shrug. Izz gave a light snicker " such a small dish though... I'm gonna do the surf N' Terf" he responded, Moss, Lu and surprisingly Carlotta all said they'd be getting the same While Gabbs had the Shrimp scampi. Not even halfway through the meal I had finished my shrimp and decided that I needed to go to the bathroom. " I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be right back". Before anyone could move I lithely slipped under the table and came up on the other side "no need for you guys to get up don't worry heh" I quickly made my way to the bathroom and let loose a stream at the urinals. I thought about the night so far. So much had happened today and what seemed like an awful day was turning out to be somewhat better. Or at least that's what it had seemed with Izz being so close to me so far. I gave a dreamy sigh as I reminisced about his possessive arm around me. I felt so safe in his arms. I tensed up as I heard the door open, remembering what had happened last time I was alone in a bathroom. A rather tall slender looking surfer dude walked in and over to one of the urinals. He looked almost homeless with how ragged and torn his clothes were. I tried to sneak a glance at his face but the dirty, yet nearly bleach blonde shoulder length hair cascaded down, hiding his face and making it hard to do so. I went to the sink after I finished relieving myself and began washing my hands. The surfer dude came over to the adjacent sink not soon after. I realized as he started washing his hands that I hadn't even heard him let out a stream at the urinal. I glanced up at his face in the mirror and froze. A very handsome but disheveled scruffy pale face looked back at me, a familiar set of deep green eyes that sent full blown dread down my spine sat as the centerpiece of his look. "Hello my little rabbit."