“So, is it okay if we take the van? Just to pick up everyone’s clothes and whatnot.” Sebastian asked as he hung up his blazer and set his bag on the couch, partially waking up the orange tabby. “Hey, Pumpkin.” The cat appreciated the soft pets as Sebastian’s mom answered.

“Sure, keys are on the kitchen counter. Just be safe. Oh, and make sure to get the banana bread from your mom, Felix. She keeps forgetting to bring it over. I swear you and her have terrible memory unless it involves books.”

Felix smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, she’s told me to bring it a few times. I’ll make sure to get it this time.”

Sebastian left for a moment before returning with a set of keys. “Alright, let’s roll.”

“I got homework, so I’ll leave my bag here.” Frankie rolled his eyes, annoyed as he placed his bag against the couch on the floor.

“Shit, so do I.” Ash groaned, tossing his bag onto the couch, disrupting Pumpkin’s sleep. The cat, visibly annoyed, had jumped out of the blanket, stretching before walking off down a hallway. “Sorry, Pumpkin.”

“I think we all have homework.” Kit huffed as he placed his bag down.

“Not me.” Felix smirked, knowing he was the more intelligent one in the group.

“Shut it, genius.” Cameron joked, also setting his bag beside Frankie’s.

Emerson kept his bag on, knowing he had also finished all his homework so far. It did surprise Emerson the amount of homework teachers give out already, but it was a prestigious university. The group quickly piled out of the house, Emerson following behind them, listening to them laugh and joke with each other.

“Alright, who lives the farthest?” Sebastian asked as the group stood next to the clean black van.

Kit raised his hand. “Probably me.”

“Emmy, where do you live?” Felix looked at the smallest male of the group.

“Uh, Summersville.” Emerson barely paid attention to his small home.

Felix nodded, “You are the farthest then. Do you walk to school?”

Emerson shook his head. “I ride the public bus to the stop down the road and then walk.”

“Alright, well, let’s go to Emmy’s place first.” Sebastian got into the driver seat.

Felix was in the passenger, Ash, Cameron and Frankie sat in the back row, and Emerson and Kit sat in the two middle seats. The ride was silent for Emerson, with the radio playing some random pop music. The others chatted among themselves. Emerson was staring out the window, watching the trees and buildings pass by.

Soon, they pulled into a small driveway of a plain small home. Emerson’s house was a little dilapidated, as his mother did not want him staying in a nice home or a nice neighborhood. Though, Emerson had no issues with his neighbours.

“I’ll be quick.” Emerson opened the door as the group had gone silent once they pulled in.

“Do you need help?” Kit asked. Emerson glanced at him and shrugged, “Sure.”

Kit followed Emerson into the small home. Emerson had plain furniture, old and used. He never stayed outside in his room and barely had food in his kitchen. Emerson wasn’t a good cook at all, so he typically ordered food or bought snack bars. Kit took in the plain living room as he followed the small male down a hallway and into a simple room. Emerson’s bed was made and had simple black sheets and a matching comforter. There was only one thin pillow and a single chest of drawers in a corner. Otherwise, the room was just as plain as the rest of the house. Kit watched as Emerson pulled a small duffle bag from under the bed. He began taking out some underwear and clothes from the chest.

“Is it just for tonight?” The male looked at Kit, noticing Kit’s worried eyes as he looked around the room.

“Uh, no the whole weekend. We will probably stay until school on Monday.” Kit answered.

Emerson nodded and began placing more clothes in the bag as well as another clean pair of the school uniform. It hung in his closet, the only thing in his closet.

“Could you get my toothbrush from the bathroom? It’s across the hall.” Emerson spoke as carefully folded the uniform and placed the clothes in the bag. Kit nodded and went into the small bathroom. It matched the rest of the house, plain and simple and slightly old looking. Kit grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste. He noticed the small jar of hair product but left it. He returned to Emerson standing outside his room.

“Thank you. We can go.” Emerson’s voice was soft, heavy with sadness. Well, at least Kit thought so. Emerson placed the toothpaste and brush in his bag as he led the way out of his small home.

Soon, they were back in the van and on their way to Kit’s place. It was quiet again. A song played, piano keys filling the air. Emerson loved playing piano, or he did. It had been a long time since he played. Memories of soft, sad music filled his mind. He remembered soft sunlight, the sound of rain tapping against the tall windows of the piano room, the smell of fresh flowers and a hint of whatever the cook was making; then he remembered harsh notes, loud yelling and the sound of vases shattering, the sight of blood splattered across the keys brought him back to reality.

However, he also gasped loudly, breathing heavily and making everyone look at him. They had just parked outside Kit’s house, the man already inside his house getting his own set of clothes.

“Emmy?” Cameron had partially crawled from the back row in between the middle seats. The male’s brown eyes were dark with worry. “Hey,” he gently wiped the unconscious tears that fell from Emerson’s eyes. Emerson flinched slightly before relaxing. “Hey, it’s okay. Wherever you went is not here okay?”

Emerson stared at him, confused as he usually was after reliving old memories. “I know.” He whispered, worried about being too loud.

Cameron smiled softly, sad almost, Emerson couldn’t tell. “Once Kit comes back we will switch seats around. Maybe you can nap a bit in the back row okay?”

Emerson nodded, knowing naps did help reset his energy quicker than staying awake after an episode of old memories replaying. And, almost on cue, Kit returned. Cameron explained the plan and soon they had all moved around. Ash sat in Emerson’s spot and Frankie switched with Kit. Emerson sat in between Cameron and Kit in the back row.

As Sebastian drove them towards Ash’s place, Emerson slowly fell asleep, exhausted from the day’s events and the memories. He didn’t dream, he rarely did. In his sleep, Emerson slouched against Cameron’s arm. Cameron, a soft smile on his face, shifted and gently laid the boy against his chest with his arm wrapped around the small boy.

“I think he has some trauma that he suffers from.” Kit’s voice was soft, still deep and hard to clearly understand at the quiet volume.

Cameron nodded. “I think so too.”

~~~~

Soon, the group finished their rounds and returned back to Sebastian’s house. Cameron shook Emerson gently, causing the male to jump awake, startled.

“Hey, woah, it’s okay. I just woke you up because we are at Seb’s house.” Cameron held his hands up in surrender.

Emerson stared, wide eyed, before looking out the window seeing the house. “Oh,” he relaxed slowly. “Sorry,” he stuttered out before he climbed out of the van.

“It’s okay,” Cameron smiled softly after he got out as well. “The guys are already inside. We typically all sleep in the game room, with a bunch of pillows and blankets on the ground. If you aren’t comfortable with that, I am sure you can sleep in Seb’s bedroom.”

Emerson nodded as he walked inside, hugging his arms tightly around his chest. Calm down, please, his thoughts were a mess as he tried to settle his heart.

“Woah!” Kit fell onto the couch. “Ash!” The taller jock laughed as he ran out of the living room to the backyard. Kit followed quickly behind, laughing as well.

Felix chuckled lightly as he went into the kitchen. “Sorry about them, Mrs. Pearce.”

“I feel old when you call me Mrs.” The woman sighs with a gentle smile. “Did you get the banana bread?”

“Yep,” Felix smiled brightly as he set down a wrapped loaf of banana bread. “She made this one just yesterday as the old one was not good anymore.”

“That’s because she kept forgetting to give it to me.” Mrs. Pearce’s laugh was warm and airy.

After a while, the group was upstairs in a massive room that was called the game room. Emerson loved the soft cream colored carpet and the hazelnut brown walls. There was a massive dark brown sectional couch in front of a large flat screen tv, a pool table in one corner and a bunch of video games and their consoles. All were neatly placed in specific areas. There were three wardrobe-like cabinets that revealed a lot of blankets, which the boys took out and began making a huge pile of comfortable blankets and pillows from Sebastian’s room. There were just enough pillows for everyone.

Emerson was laying on a soft cocoa colored blanket, watching everyone as they sat around the blanket pile.

“Now, I wanna get my homework over with.” Frankie huffed as he sat on a fluffy white blanket with his book bag beside him. “I hate English. Too many essays.”

“I could help you.” Emerson’s soft voice came from behind the cotton candy male.

Frankie looked behind him and smiled. “I would appreciate that. Thanks Emmy. I’ll move closer.” He picked up his bag and the fluffy white blanket before settling besides the cocoa colored blanket.

As Emerson immersed himself in the writings and literature of Shakespeare and another writer he did not know well, Ash and Kit fired up a PlayStation and began playing a multiplayer first person shooter game.

“God damn!” Kit growled as he died, waiting to respawn. “Ash, you have to watch my back!”

Ash grunted as he nearly missed shots that would’ve killed him. “What! You have to pay attention. Now, come on we are so close to winning.”

Sebastian chuckled at the two children (at least in his mind they were children). Felix was setting up the pool table for him and Cameron. The eldest decided to sit on a chair and watch the two play.

“Alright, Seb, who you betting is going to win?” Cameron smirked as he chalked up the tip of the cue stick.

Sebastian couldn’t help chuckling again. “I know for a fact, Felix will win.”

“Awe, thanks babe.” Felix laughed at Cameron as he side-hugged the blushing Sebastian.

Cameron groaned as they began their game.

It was not uncommon for the two eldest, Felix and Sebastian, to act like a couple. Most of the school believed they were together anyways. Despite that, the two were friends, close friends, but still only friends. Even if the two wanted more, but they were unaware of the other’s feelings.

“Woo-hoo!” Ash shouted as he threw his arm over Kit’s shoulder, cheering as they won the match. “I knew we could win!”

Frankie noticed Emerson’s body flinching at Ash’s loud voice. “Hey, we can go outside on the balcony if it’s too loud.”

“There’s a balcony?” Emerson was distracted from his past memories as he looked around the room.

It was then that he noticed a door near the pool table. He hadn’t noticed it before when they were all piling blankets and pillows on the floor. His mind felt strange that he had not noticed a detail for once. It was not something that happened.

“Yeah.” Frankie smiled standing up. “It’s a little cold out but we can take the blankets. Come on.”

Frankie put the book materials back into his backpack and grabbed the fluffy white blanket. Emerson followed with the cocoa colored blanket. Frankie opened the door and walked out onto a spacious balcony. Emerson was stunned as he shut the door.

The balcony had a beautiful stained glass table big enough for all seven of them. The chairs were plush and were the color of mahogany, though Emerson could barely tell as the night sky had darkened everything. The railing and the floor of the balcony were a soft oak wood. There was a bench in a nook near the railing and against the opposite wall with a dark red cushion.

Frankie settled on a chair, setting his things on top of the stained glass table. He began reading the requirements for the essay. Huffing and pouting at the words.

“Emmy, help.” The male glanced up at Emerson who was still standing at the door. “Emmy? Are you okay?”

Emerson blinked a few times before he focused on the concerned face of the cotton candy male. “Uh… sorry.” He sat down beside him and looked over the essay requirements.

“So, you need to write about how the views of Shakespeare relate to something in your life. Like, pick a Shakespeare play and review the themes you notice in them and relate them to something that has happened in your life.” Emerson explained softly, as his mind focused on the words heavily to make sure he didn’t say anything incorrectly.

Frankie beamed at him. “That makes so much more sense. Thank you, Emmy.” He hugged the older male, smiling brightly before beginning to write out an outline for the essay he will type up later.