Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:36:16 +0000
From: Andrew Passey <andypassey69@gmail.com>
Subject: Will and Tom Part One (Young Friends)

New story here. One thing to say before it starts is that one of the
characters is loosely based on an autistic boy I knew very well. Autism
is a spectrum and not everyone's experience is the same. So the
character of Tom in this story is based on the behaviours this boy
exhibited. If anyone reading the story is autistic or knows someone who
is then i just want to emphasise I'm not suggesting all autistic boys
act like this etc. It's a broad spectrum after all.
It was a bit challenging to write at times as I wanted to do Tom and his
quirks justice but I'll let the reader judge if I've pulled that off..

On with the story...


"I know it's been hard for you William but this sort of behaviour is
not acceptable. I don't WANT to suspend or expel you. But you've got to
give me something to work with. It seems the slightest thing sets you off
and you go out of control. I know you're angry. I know you're
frustrated.  You're thirteen years old and you're having to deal with
things no thirteen year old should have to. This is your second year here
and I know it's been a horrendous one for you. There aren't too many
more weeks left before the summer holidays for you to get through. But
you need to try to improve your behaviour. You need to be better than you
are being. Channel that anger and frustration into excelling at school
rather than hitting whoever gets in your way or winds you up. I'm not
saying this is your last chance but that time is getting close."

Will sat on the chair opposite the headteacher as not for the first time
he was read the riot act. He felt miserable and disappointed in himself.
The headteacher was right. His behaviour was unacceptable but he didn't
seem to be able to stop it.

For as long as he could remember Will didn't feel like he fitted in.
When he was young he struggled to make friends. He always
felt....different. Being mixed race was definitely part of it. Living in
London meant growing up in a multi cultural society with many different
ethnicities. So being mixed race wasn't at all uncommon. However that
didn't stop Will feeling like he was different to everyone else. His
father was born in Jamaica to a nurse and a labourer. His Mum was born in
Canterbury to a university professor and a solicitor. Will was a mix of
blood. A mix of class. He knew it was irrational to feel different
because he was mixed race. After all at school his classmates were all of
different ethnicities and origins. There were white, black, mixed,
chinese, indian. He should have felt comfortable in his own skin with
them. If he really thought about it then a lot of his hang ups were
thanks to his maternal grandparents.

He knew from an early age that they didn't approve of his father. How
could their perfect middle class little white girl end up marrying a
working class black boy from Jamaica? His father's subsequent success as
an author may have ended up giving their daughter the type of life they
wanted for her but it didn't mean they accepted him. The casual perhaps
unconscious racism of their white middle class conservatism seemed to
mean they couldn't. Of course they'd be shocked if it was suggested
they were racist. It was nothing to do with that they'd insist. Just
that....something didn't feel quite right with him..

Will's Mum didn't care. She loved Will's Dad and found ignoring her
parents the best approach. Will however still felt it. The odd time
they'd visit he could tell they felt awkward about him. He'd very
occasionally stay over there and again it was clear they didn't really
want him there. It was strange. He barely ever saw them but they somehow
had managed to undermine his feeling of self worth. Somehow they had made
him feel like he didn't belong anywhere.

While he might take after his dad in looks his skin was a much lighter
shade, very light brown. It was clear to anyone looking that he was mixed
race. He knew no one really cared and that there were in reality loads of
boys like him. But he just wished he felt like he fitted in more. It was
frustrating though. As a teenager fitting in was what you wanted. To be
one of the crowd. Will was often part of the crowd but it still didn't
mean he felt like he fitted in.

His mind stopped wandering and brought him back to the matter of hand. He
was being bollocked again but it seemed that there wasn't serious
punishment this time.

"Now get yourself home William. I know things are hard and it's taking
a while to adjust to your new situation. That's natural. Just remember
the school is here to support you. Please don't end up removing that
support function. I may have an idea on how we can help you. I'll give
it some thought and we can talk at a later date."

With that the headteacher stood up and showed Will the door. He headed
off out of school and back home. The streets were full of other pupils
heading off on their way home. Some diverting to the shops of Upper
Street. Others rushing home as fast as they could. Islington was busy and
buzzing with energy. For Will there was no rush as there was nothing to
go home to. But he felt the familiar stirring in his pants and decided
he'd go home and have a shower before having some fun.

He walked up to the front door of the big townhouse he lived in. Unlocked
it and walked inside, dropping his school bag on the floor.

"I'm home!" He called out but he knew no one would answer. It had been
weeks since anyone had answered and he was still struggling to adjust to
that fact. It wasn't that long ago that his Mum or Dad would have
shouted out to him and asked how his day was. Now his return from school
was greeted with silence.

As often happened as he stood in the quiet hallway of his house, all of
his thoughts went back to the day that everything had changed for him.

It had all seemed so normal on that fateful day. Will had gone to school
as usual. His Mum had taken a day off from her work to spend it with his
Dad. They were off out for a day trip to visit a friend, something they
did fairly frequently. They had a less structured life than most of the
families he knew. His Dad didn't go out to an office from nine to five.
His Mum seemed to be able to work when she liked. It was just another
ordinary day for him. At least until he got home from school.

He hadn't expected them home just yet so it was no surprise to him that
it was quiet. He'd barely unlocked the door, got upstairs and fired up
his computer to look at porn when there was a knock at the door. He'd
ignored it at first but it was insistent. Cursing he pulled up his
trousers and pants. He'd rearranged himself to hide his hard dick before
running downstairs to open the door to see two policewomen standing
there.

He didn't really remember much of that evening. It was all a hazy
memory. He could tell from their faces something was wrong. He didn't
remember the words they used but he remembered breaking down in tears.
His parents were gone. Dead. Leaving him all alone. Something as trivial
and everyday as a car journey turning into a life changing event for
Will. They were hit by a large lorry and the car was flattened instantly.
He didn't like to think about those last few moments. Did they see their
impending deaths? Was he their last thought?

At first it didn't sink in but he was able to answer questions about
relatives. He remembered overhearing the telephone conversation that one
of the policewomen had with one of his grandparents. He didn't know
which one but he knew they'd be of one mind about it all.

"Well someone needs to look after him until we ascertain who his parents
have made his legal guardian."

He didn't hear the other side but he could pretty much guess what they
were saying, it was confirmed by the next sentence.

"But you're his closest relatives. If you won't take him in then the
state will get involved. He's just had a terrible shock. He's only
thirteen years old. He needs his family...........Yes I understand
that.........No I don't think you aren't legally obliged although if
you're given guardianship in the will you would have.....I understand
that but......hello? Hello?"

He remembered his grandparents hanging up on the policewoman. He'd
remembered her shocked face. He then knew they didn't want him. They
wouldn't even look after him while something else was sorted. Suddenly
he'd gone from a happy family life to facing life as a foster child.

He didn't remember much of the rest of the next couple of hours. The
policewomen had tracked down his Mum's best friend Sally at his
suggestion. She came over and looked after him. She was happy to stay
while something more permanent was arranged. It was all a blur though.
The next day Sally had got in touch with the family solicitor and he'd
come over to discuss Will's parent's will.

Unsurprisingly the house, their belongings and all their financial assets
had been left to Will although they were put in a trust until he was
eighteen. He couldn't access them until then and the family solicitor
would administer it on his behalf if he needed anything. It was made
clear he wasn't going to be able to spend it on whatever he wanted. He
didn't want it anyway. It was blood money. He'd rather just have his
parents back.

"So William. On the subject of your Guardianship your parents made your
uncle Robert your legal guardian. I understand from discussions with them
over the years that he lives overseas. I will start making arrangements
to contact him and let him know their wishes. It may be that we have to
keep the current set up with Sally looking after you until he can fly
back from where we he currently is."

Will and Sally sat on the sofa listening to him speak. Will was surprised
to hear his uncle would be taking him one but then again he didn't know
who else could do.

"I don't think I've ever even met him. Can't Sally look after me?"
Will asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry Will. I'm away with work so much that I know your parents
decided that wouldn't really be an option. I know you've never met him
and he doesn't really speak to the rest of the family but your Uncle is
a relative of yours. It makes sense for him to look after you. Don't
worry I'm not going to abandon you! I'll still be around to support
you."

Will had been disappointed with Sally's reply. He liked Sally. He knew
her well. Now he was going to be stuck with some he didn't know any had
barely met. He'd had no idea if Robert would even want to come home to
look after him.

Will shook his head to try to dispel the memories of the fateful day and
the days and weeks that followed. The funeral was torture particularly
with his grandparents being there. He had to stand close to them all the
whole time knowing they didn't want him. They pretended to be all upset
and affectionate to him but he knew the truth. It was just a show for the
other mourners. It was a traumatic experience and Will wasn't sure he'd
ever get over it. Maybe some wounds never heal he thought, the scab just
keeps scratched off again and again until it leaves a permanent scar.