They arrived at the school at one quarter hour after seven a.m. Jaxsen’s heart was beating so hard in his chest it hurt his ribs. He kept reminding himself to be brave. He took a deep breath.

“Do you want me to come in with you?”

With his schedule clutched in his hands, Jaxsen closed his eyes and took another deep breath. This one did no better than the first to calm him. “No, I can do it. I know what to do.” He looked over at him then. “You’ll be here?”

“2:30 sharp. Jack,” Sebastian said, a hand on his arm before Jaxsen could exit the vehicle. “I will be here. Have fun today, okay? Make a friend.”

Jaxsen nodded. “I’ll try, Bastian.”

Sebastian watched him blend in with the other kids entering the building and vanish behind the doors before driving away.

The first half of his day in his new school had gone fine. He was introduced to each class he came to, shyly smiling at each introduction. Lunch came and he found himself to his own devices. He took his seat outside under the shade of a grand oak tree. He ate and wrote his thoughts in the camel leather bound journal his mother had brought back from India for his birthday. He remained quiet throughout the day, observing and learning his new surroundings. The rest of the day after lunch went smoothly enough, no one really bothering him or paying him any extra attention; for which he was grateful. He wanted to orient himself before anyone noticed his existence. He was thankful no one but the teachers called on him, and even they largely left him alone. Everyone seemed to collectively understand he needed his space to gain his bearings, respecting this need for an equilibrium balance. 

He watched the clock with nervous glances, not being able to contain the anxiousness overloading his system with an uncontained fear of abandonment. He walked outside with the horde of children being picked up or walking, remembering too many times how he’d gone for hours before being remembered. The outside air hit his face, the wind blowing his hair in and around his eyes. He barely noticed how cool the wind felt, the birds singing their sweet melodies, or the laughter of the other kids as they went about their way. 

His eyes scanned the crowds of parents and children, his heart rate increasing with every breath, with every second passing he did not spot Sebastian. It felt like days passed in the span of a few short seconds, but before the panic attack became full blown, he spotted Sebastian leaning up against a tree by the sidewalk, away from the crowd and easily locatable. The relief he felt was instant and he couldn’t find it in him to hide the smile that broke across his face as he ran, giggling, and leapt into Sebastian’s waiting arms.

The weekend came quickly, the school days coming and going in a continued procession until the last class of the last day of the week was finally dismissed. As the week progressed Jaxsen found himself being less anxious as the school day closed. He knew in his heart someone would be there waiting for him. Either Sebastian or Nizhoni and it being Friday he walked outside smiling and only a bit of anxiety and trepidation. 

Sebastian stood leaning against the same tree, his arms folded across his chest and a smile on his face upon seeing the boy emerge from the school. “Hey, kiddo,” he greeted with a soft ruffle of shaggy blond hair. “How was school?”

Jaxsen shrugged. “It was boring. Recess was fun, though.”

They began their trek back to the car. Sebastian shouldered the boy’s backpack as they walked.

“I thought you liked school.”

Another shrug. “I do. But it’s boring here.”

“Well I’m glad you had fun at recess, Jack.” Sebastian grinned at him.

Jaxsen smiled brightly. “I didn’t think anyone would want to play with me, but they did, they asked me to play with them! And then my team won!” Sebastian smiled as he listened with great alacrity. How something so small as a kickball game put such a big smile on his face and a gleam in his eyes. 

“Yeah? That’s great, Jack. I’m proud of you, kiddo.” Jaxsen beamed at the compliment, sitting up a bit straighter in the truck, his smile lighting his face as he talked about the kickball game and how his team had won the match.

“Do you have any homework?” Sebastian asked, following Jaxsen inside. The front door shut with a soft click and Sebastian threw the keys in the bowl that sat atop the table by the front door. They clanged loudly in the blue and white porcelain bowl.

“I already did it,” he replied, his head stuck in the refrigerator. He pulled out an apple Snapple, a drink Sebastian always kept stocked for him, and twisted off the cap. “Do you wanna see it?” He sat down at the kitchen table, swinging his legs.

“No, I believe you. You hungry? Dinner is going to be a little bit later than usual, so I’ll make you a snack if you want.”

“Do we have any rice pudding? That was really good.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes with a grin sneaking up to splay across his face. Jaxsen smiled, the picture of innocence. Chuckling Sebastian set a green crystal goblet of rice pudding in front of him and smiled to himself as Jaxsen dug in.

“Why is dinner gonna be late tonight?”

“Nizhoni is coming for dinner. She’s bringing it with her. She’s gotta stay at work a bit later than usual to finish up a few things.”

Jaxsen nodded around his spoonful of pudding. “I really like her, Bastian.”

Sebastian smiled. “Yeah?”

It was Jaxsen’s turn to smile, and he nodded shyly. “Yeah. She’s pretty. And she’s nice to me.” Jaxsen spoke the sentence in conversational tones, but Sebastian caught the undercurrent of his words.

“She absolutely loves you, Jaxsen.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. I’d say at this point she likes you more than she likes me.”

Jaxsen giggled. The sound lightened Sebastian’s heart and he smiled at the boy smiling at him.

It was just after half past seven when Sebastian opened the door to a smiling, dark haired beauty that took his breath away. Nizhoni’s smile widened and she greeted him with a hug and a light kiss that always left him wanting more. She handed Sebastian the plastic bag with a yellow happy face and ‘Thank You’ printed underneath.

“Where’s my favorite little man?” she asked, looking around the living room.

Sebastian chuckled. “He’s taking a shower.” 

She nodded, walking past him and into the kitchen to grab plates and cups. Nizhoni had just finished loading his plate and set it on the coffee table when Jaxsen walked into the living room. His smile was instant upon seeing her.

“Hi, Nizhoni!” He threw his arms around her in an exuberant hug and she returned it with just as much enthusiasm. 

“Hello, my Yanaha. How are you, my sweet?”

Jaxsen glanced at his plate just as his stomach growled. He giggled a laugh of pure innocence. “My tummy monster is hungry.”

Nizhoni handed him his plate after he’d sat beside her on the couch. Nizhoni herself sat centered between them and smiled. Glancing at Sebastian to her left and Jaxsen to her right she smiled more as she took a bite of the Chinese food she brought. Nizhoni’s gaze was directed toward the television, but the episode of The Simpsons was not what her concentration was on. Startled from her reverie she looked down. A hand lightly rested on hers and she followed it up to the face it belonged to. His eyes were worried, a question to her well being written clearly for her to read.

She smiled and nodded and turned her hand over, linking them together. She deposited her plate on the table upon finishing her meal and leaned into Sebastian. Automatically his arm wound around her, drawing her closer. To her right Jaxsen leaned bodily into her side, his head against her rib cage. Nizhoni’s arm rested along Jaxsen’s ribs, her fingers lightly tracing dancing patterns across his skin. She smiled as she watched him fall asleep. There was something inside her at that moment nestled between them that bloomed. A feeling unbeknown previously before this moment. She felt safe. A deeper safety than before. Even with Sebastian. She looked up at him from her vantage point. She knew the first time she saw him that there would be no other than he who would capture her so completely. Her smile then became soft as Jaxsen shifted then cuddled deeper into her with a content sigh.

She nurtured this feeling, wishing it would grow. This feeling of family.

Four days through Jaxsen’s fourth week of school, the peace he’d found in his solidarity shattered like porcelain against a rock face at the bottom of a cliff. 

Over the past couple weeks, Jaxsen noticed three boys in a couple of his classes cracking jokes and laughing in his direction. He’d put it from his mind and after a few days had forgotten of it. Until today. He’d largely ignored the snickering behind his back, chalking it up to nothing to do with him. He’d created a false sanctuary to keep his anxieties away. Anxiety he tried hard to keep from torturing his mind during the school week. He felt he was doing better at keeping control.

He could feel the abject fear slowly dissipate each day Sebastian or Nizhoni met him by the tree. On this day, however, all serenity and security went out the window when a fourth and new face emerged with the other three. Jaxsen knew instantly he was the ringleader to this little gang, just as he knew that whatever peace he’d been able to find was about to shatter and scatter to the four winds. The gong signaling new torments at lunch. 

As he had the past several weeks, Jaxsen walked with his lunch toward his favorite spot under the large oak tree that shaded a portion of the school yard. Ripped from his thoughts his lunch tray went flying, food particles flying in different directions, sticking to skin, clothes, and grass alike.

“Why don’t you watch where the fuck you’re going, geek?” the boy said, venom dripping from his tone like hatred soaked his words. Jaxsen met his gaze, sizing him up and decided this was a battle he’d best try and avoid. He said nothing, dropping eye contact. The other boys laughed with their friend, making sure to stamp the remains of his lunch further into the ground.

They pushed and shoved him as they passed, the whole time he kept silent, wanting to avoid any confrontation. His heart pounded and he stood still a moment, trying to draw even breaths and calm the panic driving its madness through his blood. He glanced back once. The boys moved on and no one noticed the solitary boy and his ruined lunch.