The nerve of that guy! Eric angrily thought as he flopped down on the bed in the supposedly now large bedroom. It was actually laughable at how small the bedroom was compared to the rest of the house.

And Kayden didn't make living arrangements any easier since there were two twin beds only four feet apart from each other. He wasn't looking forward to sleeping that close to anyone.

Eric heaved a huge sigh as he sat up and pulled off his flimsy backpack. Out of all the possessions he had owned throughout his seventeen years of life, he only kept his mother's silver locket and his father's intricate pocketwatch.

He was often told how fortunate he was to have been inside with the babysitter when his parents were murdered.

But he didn't feel lucky.

He still had nightmares every night. And it suddenly pained him to know that the eyes he once used as a beacon of safety no longer held the same meaning. 

Kayden hadn't recognized him.

Eric had always daydreamed of the exact moment when they would see each other again. Kayden would have let out a grin and pulled him into a long hug, much like he did when they were younger.

But Kayden hadn't done that and it pissed Eric off to know that while he had used their friendship to keep his head above water, Kayden had tossed it aside like a piece of garbage.

Eric unzipped his backpack and pulled out his two most cherished possessions.

He had once yearned for a family when he was still a child. He had needed to be held and loved and wanted. But that was all before he went through hell the moment he stepped foot through that family's door.

Eric gently picked up the locket that held a picture of him and his parents—the only one left—and quickly fastened it around his neck before slipping it beneath his shirt. He tucked the pocketwatch in the safety of his pocket before zipping the backpack up and tossing it to the floor.

Just then, the door busrt open, causing Eric to let out a startled yell. "What the hell?" He demanded after seeing Kayden's amused smirk.

"Be my friend." Kayden stated without preamble.

Eric gave him a look of disbelief.

"Eric, be my friend." Kayden stated in a harder voice.

"Why should I be friends with someone that forgot about me?" Eric snapped, his face reddening in anger.

"I never forgot about you." Kayden replied in a softer voice. "I just didn't recognize you beacuse you've grown so much."

Eric rolled his eyes as he made to stand up. But Kayden was suddenly right in front of him while gently pushing him back on the bed to sit down.

"What are you doing?" Eric snapped as he tried to shrug off Kayden's hands on his shoulders.

"Let me apologize," Kayden demanded as he locked eyes with Eric and sat down on his own bed. "Let's be friends like we used to."

"What if I don't want that anymore?" Eric shot back.

Kayden raised an amused eyebrow before dropping his hold on Eric. "I already told my Dad what I did to the room. There's not much we can do about the beds though."

Eric opened his mouth to argue but Kayden held up a hand before saying, "Mom demanded I give you a house tour so follow me."

"I don't want to." Eric spat.

Kayden let out a loud sigh before striding across the room and picking Eric up off the bed, not quite tossing him out the door, but close.

"Hey!" Eric protested as he stumbled into the door frame.

Kayden only winked at him before pushing him into the office space. "I feel as if we're already becoming fast friends."

Eric let out a huff as he caught his balance and walked towards the door. "Asshole."

"See?" Kayden's voice was suddenly in Eric's ear. "We're becoming closer already."

Eric flinched away as he fought to control the sudden blush and pounding of his heart.

He did not need to be attracted to Kayden.