5. Discussion with BF

“That day your parents, my son and daughter in law weren´t only murdered by The Honey Budgers … you were a witness of that day. And I´m afraid that the gang found out, that you were there and saw them.“

What? That can´t be true. This is just too surreal.

Grandma Nona wouldn´t just be telling me out of nowhere that the murders of my parents are now after me.

"Nona ..." Words failed me.

"Listen, my sweetiest, you have to be careful. I researched the case of your parents for years now, I thoroughly collected all evidence about this case to be able to protect you, when they searched for you. ... A few weeks ago, when I wasn´t at home, it was broken into my home. They didn steal anything, but they were interested in my notes of the case. They took some of them and also a picture of you when you were younger. Please, be careful. I will talk about this with the police how we can protect you."

"You got robbed? Are you ok? Maybe you should move, grandma."

"I´ll be careful, my Love. You please watch after yourself. We will see each other again soon, dear."

After we hang up, I went up to my room and made myself comfortable.

This call felt like something out of a bad movie, that can´t possibly be real life.

I do remember some things from this night.

What I did before they got killed, how Mom pushed me into the storageroom, how I heared the shot, how Nona and the police arrived ... how I saw their dead bodies.

That I can say all of this is thanks to all the hours spend with a psychologist, when Nona couldn´t watch me crying myself to sleep every night.

But if The Honey Budgers think that I would be any threat to them or that I could identify the murders of my parents, their wrong.

The sessions with Mrs. Wong, my psychologist, could help me to face my nightmares and that way restore some of my memories, but my mind still won´t let me remember the faces of my parents murderes. My mind knows that I´m still not ready to remember such traumatic situations.

I rolled around my bed, trying to calm down after my fears surefaced again and now watched some series for my racing thoughts.

It was almost a surprise when sleep took me into it´s warm hands.

If it were up to me I could lay in bed and let the world pass me till I´m up to face it again.

Sadly reality is such a cruel place, which means that school is waiting for me.

And fate won´t stop playing with me this morning, because when I opened my locker a paper fell down.

"Hey lovely, hope your feeling better after I hit you yesterday with the ball. One of my friends knew your lockernumber and I remembered that we didn´t exchanged numbers, so here you go.

My number is 574XXXXX, I would like to hear from you and hopefully we can meet again. Please don´t feel shy to contact me, your pretty cute.

Love, Austin." Thats what the note says.

While I´m standing there, suddenly a hand placed itself on my shoulder. Startled I spined around and looked into huge smug grin.

"The little guy! Nice to see you again, I see that you just saw my note. I almost believed that you were too shy to text or call me.", Austin said.

"I´m not that tiny.", I stuttered, unsure of how to respond under these circumstances. "What´s with the note?"

"Oh, this? I wanted to stay in contact with you. Should I say you made a good impression on me? Our meeting yesterday was pretty impressive and you really blow my mind."

He wouldn´t be talking about what I think he would.

"To be honest, I wouldn´t recommend you to get too fond of me. My grandma will take me back under her care. Which means that I will move to 

His last statement gave me a flashback to the time when my family adopted me.

We were having a nice little smalltalk.

,,Hello, I'm Ashley Quinton. It's a pleasure to meet you."

,,Nice to meet you too, Ashley. We're Vanessa and Jack Wilston, but call us as you like.", the wife intruduced them both.

,,What are your hobbys, buddy? Do you like any sports?" The husband was tall, muscular and seemed a bit addicted to sports and working out.

The conversation is going ok and both of them are really friendly, but I can't really concentrate on anything thats said. ... After today I will most likely be gone to some other city and won't be thinking about this place anymore. How I spent 13 years in this place, saw social workers come and go, just like the kids would come and go.

,,I'm not really into sports. But I do a bit of swimming and karate.", I answered his question a bit late.

The man and I were talking a bit more about everyday stuff, my likes and dislikes, while the lady were listening and watching me curiously.

,,What about your friends? What kind of people are they? Do you have a girlfriend?", the lady started to ask.

I was taken aback from the topic, but told them anyways.

,,I have some friends here in the orphanage. But I don't have a girlfriend." With this casual answer I was trying to get out of the situation without telling them too much personal information.

,,What about a boyfriend?" She asked with no bad intentions, which I would learn later.

But back then Vanessas question hit me hard.

,,No, ... No, I don't have a boyfriend either. Why do you ask, Ma'am?" I didn't even know what to say anymore.

,,No need to be shy. You don't have to be ashamed if you like boys." Vanessa smiled friendly.

,,T-thats not it. Why are you assuming that anyway?"

,,Well, you just look like someone who already knows his taste, and because you answered so suspecially, I thought I´d asked you."

,,I'm sorry for my wife. She can get too personal sometimes. You don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable.", the man  interfered.

,,It's ok, thank you. Austin and I had a fight not long ago. He isn't my boyfriend." I told them truthfully.

,,I'm sorry about that. Hopefully you and your friend can make up. If you need some advice you can always ask." Jack was a really nice man offering help and I'm glad I got to meet such nice parents on trial.

The next minutes Austin seemed to be in shock and opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

,,Y-you do what?"

,,Honestly we don't have enough time for the whole story, but in short, I'm getting adopted today and won't be going to this school anymore. So don't blame yourself." I told him about the circumstances.

,,Really? ... What, why, how? Thats all so sudden." The brownhaired guy couldn't believe what I just told him.

Just how I felt when our social worker told me, haha.

His reaction almost made me smile, if the situation wouldn't almost bring me to tears.

,,To tell you the truth, I got also surprised with that yesterday. Our supervisior, Angelica, told me yesterday that I have an adoption talk today ..."

I was cut off by the school announcements and I took that as a sign to go to class now.

However, Austin wasn't having it.

The taller boy hold my wrist and  pulled me into a hug.

,,Ash, I love you. Let's talk later."

Austin left me alone with his last words.

I kinda knew that he felt this way after he confessed indirectly. And I also feared I would get put into it. But hearing him saying it out loud, not allowing any doubt, made my heart flutter.

True, Austin isn't my boyfriend, but he's ... my crush!?