THIS STORY IS COPYRIGHT © 2017-2024 BY ZAREK DRAGON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DISTRIBUTION FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, POSTING ON SITES OR NEWSGROUPS, DISTRIBUTION AS PARTS OR IN BOOK FORM (EITHER AS A WHOLE OR PART OF A COMPILATION) WITH OR WITHOUT A FEE, OR DISTRIBUTION ON CD, DVD, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC MEDIA WITH OR WITHOUT A FEE, IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S WRITTEN CONSENT. YOU MAY DOWNLOAD ONE (1) COPY OF THIS STORY FOR PERSONAL USE; ANY AND ALL COMMERCIAL USE EXCEPTING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS REQUIRES THE AUTHOR'S WRITTEN CONSENT. THE AUTHOR MAY BE CONTACTED AT: zarekdragon@truesfandom.com
Lenny King and Nick Archer rescued thirty boys in the house the FBI raided, then they rescued another thirty boys in a truck and finally discovered Ethan thanks to the help of one of the boys rescued.
Three boys joined the Home after their mother died of cancer. Their grandfather donated horses to the Home, one hundred of them. Each boy at the Home was given a horse to take care of.
Several days had passed since the Home officially opened. There were ninety-nine boys residing in the dorms. Patrick was back to sleeping in his own bed with Jake sleeping beside him on most days. It was seven o'clock and the doorbell rang; Patrick went to answer it. There stood a man that he had never seen. "Can I help you?"
"I'm here to see my son, Zac Schoen," the man said.
"Sorry, you have the Bolt residence. I don't know any Zac Schoen."
Zac had come to see who was at the door, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm your father, what do you think I'm doing? Tomorrow is your birthday."
Patrick looked confused, "I thought Grandpa Vince was your dad."
"He is," Zac glared. "This man took off when I was your age, never paid child support until Dad gave him the money so he would sign papers, so I could be adopted, and he could stay out of jail." Zac turned to the man, "Louis, you may have donated the seed for me to be born, but you are NOT my father. When you lived with Mom and me, you never did one damn thing with me. And since you left, this is the first time you've made any kind of contact."
"And that's my fault, I know. I regret every bit of that."
"Then what took you so long? I feel like you are here wanting something."
Louis looked down, "I was hoping…" As Louis paused, Zac looked at his birth father, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. "I was hoping that I could borrow some money. I only need a thousand dollars and you have this nice ranch, and…"
Zac interrupted him, "HELL NO!!! You come back into my life after all this time JUST to ask for money?"
"What do you need it for?" Patrick inquired.
"No, Patrick, I won't let you give him any money. You may need it someday and once you give it to this man, it will be gone."
"The boy has that kind of money?" Louis questioned. "I will tell you what I need it for, kid… gambling debts. If I don't pay today, DiMarco is going to break my legs."
"Then you better get a wheel chair," Zac spoke coldly.
Patrick looked sympathetic but said, "You shouldn't bet what you don't have. Papa is right, even though I do have that much saved, I can't give it to you, not for that."
"I always knew you were worthless. I wish Marilyn would have aborted you like I told her to do."
"You've said enough, get off my property or I will call Dad, he's Head of Security for the ranch. Or I may call my father-in-law, the Sheriff. If I ever see you on this property again, I will have you arrested." Zac closed the door.
Patrick watched as the man got in his truck. He didn't leave right away but drove through the corral. Fortunately, no horses were in it at the time. Zac called Nick, then Vince and finally the insurance company.
"I'm glad you're nothing like him," Patrick commented.
Zac smiled, thinking, That's the nicest thing you could have said.
On the morning of the sixteenth, Patrick rushed out of his room. Today was Papa's birthday and he wanted to hurry and wish him a happy birthday. As he ran out into the hall, he bumped a black stallion statue. The statue started to fall so instinctively, Patrick went to grab it. He managed to get ahold of the leg, which snapped off in his hand.
Jim and Zac were in the kitchen making breakfast when Patrick walked in. Patrick looked as if he were nervous and said, "Dad, Papa, I have something to tell you, but I am afraid you will get mad."
Jim looked at Patrick and stated, "First, thank you for coming to us, and second, never let fear keep you from telling us anything. If you've done something wrong and we discover it before you tell us, we will be more upset than if you tell us right away. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir, I do," Patrick's tension eased a little, but he was obviously still nervous. "You know that statue in the hallway upstairs?"
Zac questioned, "The black stallion?"
"Yeah, well as I was coming out of my room, I must have come out too fast. I ran into it and it started to fall. I tried to catch it, and almost had it, but then the leg broke off."
"It wasn't intentional?" Zac inquired, knowing full well that Patrick wouldn't have done it on purpose.
"Oh, no Sir. I promise, it was an accident."
Jim questioned, "Do you think it can be fixed?"
"Maybe, but I don't know if it'll look right."
"Well, thank you for your honesty," Zac replied, then asked, "What do you think a fair punishment should be?"
Patrick started to cry, "I don't know, I would just replace it, but I don't know how much it costs, and I didn't work while Trevor was here, so I won't get a paycheck until next week. I do have some in my bank."
Jim put a hand on Patrick's shoulder, "It was an accident; why don't you see if you can fix it. And if it doesn't look right, you can replace it, but I don't want you using the money in your bank."
"But I just said that I won't get a paycheck this week," Patrick continued sobbing.
"But you did keep an eye on Jake while you were camping; we can give you an allowance this time for that," Zac offered. "Besides, we know you have money in your bank."
"How much will a new statue cost?"
Jim responded, "That statue was $89.95, and you watched Jake for four days while you were camping. We'll give you a hundred dollars"
"Thanks, Dad," Patrick offered while giving Jim a hug, then he turned to Zac, "Thanks, Papa."
"Again, thank you for telling us right away. We love you."
"I know, and that helped make telling you easier."
Next, they heard a crash and Jake saying, "Uh oh."
Zac chuckled, "Maybe that wasn't the best spot for that statue. Dad and I will replace it this time, and still give you the allowance. Just be careful in the future." Jim ran up to check on Jake.
Patrick looked at Zac, "With breaking the statue, I almost forgot why I was rushing out of my room. Happy Birthday, Papa."
"Come here so I can give you birthday spankings," Zac teased.
Patrick smiled and shook his head, "No way, I'm supposed to give YOU birthday spankings."
"Oh," Zac chuckled, "is THAT how it's supposed to work."
Jim returned with Jake, "That statue is gone."
"With how it sounded, I had a feeling."
Jake started to cry, "I'm sorry."
"What did Daddy tell you?" Jim asked.
"That Patrick ran into it, too, and you know it was an accident."
Zac told Jake, "The fact that you care makes me feel good, but don't let it upset you."
"Okay Papa, and happy birthday."
Jim looked at Patrick, "Do you know what else today is?"
Patrick looked thoughtful and almost said "no." Then he realized, "It was Papa's birthday when I moved in with you last year."
"Yup, you've been living with us for a year."
"It's hard to believe that my parents died a year ago yesterday," Patrick lamented.
"You want to go to the cemetery?" Jim asked.
Patrick shook his head, "They're not there, that was just a shell they used. I talk to them in my heart all the time."
"Still, sometimes it helps to go to their gravesite. I went to my dad's once a week when we lived in Montana."
"Thanks for asking, but I feel their presence with me and they are happy for me," Patrick offered. "Besides, if I go to the cemetery, I might break down."
"If that is the case, maybe you need to go. I admit, when I saw Dad's tombstone, I cried every time. Even today, I still miss my dad," Jim had tears forming.
Patrick inquired, "Would taking me to the cemetery help you?"
"It might," Jim responded.
"Then, can we go after breakfast?"
"Not right away, we need to take care of the horses and then we can go."
That was one thing the hands at the ranch always admired. Jim and Chris helped every day with the horses even though they were part owners. Zac helps occasionally, but not as much as Jim and Chris. Jackson checked up on them and helped when needed, but again, not like Jim and Chris.
As the boys were sitting down to breakfast, Jake looked at a plate that had a few bacon crumbs on it. "Where's the bacon?" he asked.
Zac teased, "Patrick, did you eat it?"
"No, you must have, but it is your birthday, so I guess it's allowed," Patrick answered.
Jake started to pout until Jim brought over a plate full of bacon. "We were just playing a trick on you, Jake."
"Mean trick," Jake giggled.
Later in the day, Sebastian Hardin was dropped off. Zac looked at him, "I thought you had three more months before you got out."
"I did, but thanks to overcrowding and good behavior, I was let out early. I was told to come here right away to get on the payroll," Sebastian answered.
Zac smiled, "If you would like to come in the office to fill out your paperwork, we can start you working tomorrow."
"Cool, that will give me time to find a place to live after."
"I have a place in mind if you would like," Jim suggested.
Sebastian turned his head, "Not with you, I hope."
"No, Sebastian, you would live alone, but the property is owned by a boy in the Boys' Home, so you would need to go through Joe."
Sebastian asked, "How much will the rent be?"
"Property tax averages out to $510 a month and I know Joe would like the boy to get a little extra to help cover normal wear and tear," Jim started.
Sebastian's eyes went big, "How big is the place? That's quite a bit for one person, and with utilities and having to repay Chris's medical bills, I may still be in debt when my probation is over."
"It was just a suggestion. I know the judge ordered twenty hours a week, but if you can work forty, you'll make enough to afford it. And the place has three bedrooms. If you know anyone that can share the rent with you…"
"I might," Sebastian stated, "but I would like to see the place before I commit."
"That sounds logical. Let me see if Joe will be able to take you after you are done here."
While Zac had Sebastian filling out his paperwork, Jim went to speak with Joe and Peter.
Joe went into the office. Part of him wanted to go off on Sebastian for shooting Chris but part of him understood about the boy being hurt by Wallace. That didn't excuse him, nor was Sebastian giving any excuses. He did take full responsibility.
"Jim said that $600 might be a little too much for you."
"But he also said that if I work forty hours instead of twenty, I would be able to swing it. And I could get a roommate or two."
"What if we drop the rent to $550 a month unless you get a roommate. If you get any roommates, it'll remain at $600. Any damage beyond normal wear and tear, you will be responsible for."
"That sounds fair. I appreciate you working with me on the rent. That's not much of a discount, but I can understand wanting to get at least enough to cover taxes and some extra for normal damages. When can I see the place?"
"Have you finished your paperwork?" Joe inquired.
"I have one more signature to write."
"Then as soon as you write your name, we can go over. Do you have a vehicle?"
Sebastian shook his head, "No, I was dropped off."
"Peter actually owns the place. He will be riding with me, you can too, if you would like.
When Joe let Sebastian into the house, the first thing he noticed was all the furniture. "Will all of this be staying, or will I need to buy some?"
Peter answered, "Everything you see will be staying unless you have your own furniture. Grandpa just took his television and his bed. He left the beds in the smaller rooms."
"Awesome, that will save me having to buy anything, well, other than a TV. And I won't be in a rush for that. And I can swipe one of the beds from another room for now."
"This was Grandpa's bedroom," Peter stated as he opened a door off the living room. "The other two bedrooms are upstairs."
"Two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs?" Sebastian inquired.
"Two bathrooms. Each bedroom has its own."
Sebastian commented, "And it looks like a full bathroom through this bedroom."
"That is correct, plus you have a half bath off the kitchen," Peter grinned.
"Are the barns part of the property?"
"You can use them to park, or if you get any horses. Each barn has fifty stalls."
"I doubt I’ll get THAT many horses. I'll be lucky if I get one."
Joe chuckled, "It'll surprise me if you don't."
"I really do like this place," Sebastian admitted, then he looked at Joe, "I know you must hate me or at least be mad at me for shooting one of your brothers, so why are you helping me?"
"Sebastian, we believed you when you said you didn't know the gun had a round in it. I saw your face and you were genuinely scared when it went off. Yes, you were doing a hate crime at the time, and we understand your reasoning for hating gays. It is our goal to prove to you that not all gays are like Wallace. We hope that you will see we are no different than you other than who we love. We hope to maybe be friends, nothing more."
"I believe you," Sebastian started to cry. "I would love to rent this home, but I won't have any money until I start getting paid."
Peter looked at Sebastian, "If it's alright with Joe, I'll let you stay here the rest of this month for free and then you can start paying the first of the month."
"It's your house; if you want to do that, we can sign a lease at the first."
Sebastian inquired, "What about a deposit?"
"You can make payments on it," Peter offered.
"I don't deserve this, and I am thankful. Joe, I hope you do earn my trust and we CAN be friends. Moreover, I hope I earn your trust. I did wrong by your family and know I have a long way to go."
"Probably not as long as you think. Do you need to go back to the ranch or someplace to get your stuff?"
"No, everything I own, I am wearing. Dad threw out anything I had when I went to jail."
"I'm sorry to hear that. If you need to go any place, just ask for a ride."
"Thanks again, Joe."
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
Sebastian started working at 6:00. Jim and Patrick were teaching him about caring for the horses. Sebastian was surprised when Jim started cracking jokes. Patrick looked at him and asked, "Have you ever seen the Catskill Mountains?"
"No, but I've seen them kill mice," Jim chuckled.
"Daaaaad," Patrick whined.
"You mean you were serious?"
"That's where Mr. and Mrs. Gavin took Scott."
"Who's Scott?" Sebastian asked.
Patrick got excited, "He's my boyfriend!"
"Oh," Sebastian turned serious. "So, were you gay before Jim adopted you?"
"As a matter of fact, I was. I didn't know it at the time, but I am gay, and it wasn't a choice," Patrick lectured. "I didn't turn gay any more than you turned straight."
"I never turned straight, I was born straight," Sebastian assured.
Patrick nodded and smiled, "Exactly. So, you are the one who shot Uncle Chris?"
Sebastian slowly nodded his head and tears started coming out of his eyes, "I wish I would have made sure the gun was empty, or better yet, not grabbed it at all. I was being totally stupid."
Patrick looked at him, "You were, and you seem too smart for that."
"Thanks, kid. I'm not sure everyone would agree with that."
"Sebastian, you are not stupid," Jim argued, "You made a stupid mistake, but you learned from it, right?"
"I see where you are going. I don't deserve this, but I see where you are going and thank you, fag."
"Will you stop calling Dad a fag? Yes, he is one, but how you say it sounds mean."
"It's alright, Patrick, Sebastian just hasn't gotten all the anger out from what Wallace did to him. If it helps, I can take it."
Sebastian looked at Jim in disbelief, "You are serious, aren't you?"
"Do I like you calling me a fag like that? No, but if it helps you, I am willing to take it. I do ask however, that you refrain whenever any of the boys from the Home are around."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't call you that."
Around noon, Sebastian asked, "Do you mind if I take off my shirt? You have me working up a sweat."
"I don't mind, just don't think anything of it if I catch a few glances. Mind you, I will always be faithful to Zac, but I am still a red-blooded American gay boy and you do have a nice body. We take our shirts off all the time." As if to make a point, Jim removed his shirt. Sebastian didn't hesitate.
With the last of the stalls mucked and the horses all taken care of, Jim asked Sebastian what he knew about riding horses. "I grew up on a farm around horses," Sebastian claimed.
"Good, grab Psycho Mare and her saddle, then go to the cross ties."
"Who named her that? She seems like a good horse," Sebastian spouted.
"She is, or I wouldn't have you ride her for your first time of me seeing you ride. As for her name, her previous owner named her. I think he was trying to be funny."
Once Sebastian had Psycho Mare tied between the cross ties, he started brushing the mare. Patrick asked, "And why do we brush the horse before we ride?"
"Because we want her looking pretty," Sebastian joked, but then added, "no, seriously, we want to make sure no burrs get under the saddle. After I've brushed her, I need to check the saddle."
"I guess you do know something about horses," Patrick acknowledged.
"Being a hundred percent honest, I can't think of a time when I have ever lied. I won't say that I never had, but I don't recall ever lying, even to get out of trouble, so when I said I grew up on a farm, I meant it," Sebastian chimed.
Patrick was amazed, "Wow, I know I can't say that, but I don't purposefully lie."
"The thing about a lie is, you have to remember what you said and who you told. If you stick with the truth, you only have to remember what happened."
"I will say this about you, Sebastian," Jim started, "you have a good moral compass, at least in THAT aspect. Trying to force me to have sex with you, not so much, but thank you for sharing about having to remember lies."
"I know, I shouldn't have done that. I was being a stupid bully. The judge wanted me to think about my actions while I was in jail, and I did just that. Everything I've done just made you mad and hurt Chris. It didn't do anything for me except get me in trouble. My only true regret is, I started trying to bully you. If I hadn't, nothing else would have happened, Chris wouldn't have been shot, I wouldn't have gone to jail…"
"Okay, enough of that, let's put that behind us and move forward. You have a fresh new opportunity staring you in the face, I suggest you take it."
"Thanks, Jim." Patrick smiled when he heard Sebastian call his dad by his name instead of "fag."
Sebastian had just finished saddling the horse and was getting ready to mount when a man approached. Sebastian, introduced him, "Jim, this is my probation officer, Bill Zeigler. Bill, this is one of my new bosses. He's also the… the guy I tried to bully in school."
"I see you've learned to quit calling him a fag," the man noted, then he held out his hand to Jim, "Pleased to meet you, as Sebastian said, my name is Bill. If Sebastian gets out of hand, don't hesitate to call me."
"I don't think that will be necessary. We have a way to go, but I think Sebastian will be a great asset for the Ranch. Even after his probation is over, if he wants to stay on, I wouldn't have a problem," Jim shook Bill's hand. "Name is actually James, but I prefer Jim."
"Well, I was just making sure Sebastian was following the court order of coming here to work twenty hours a week."
"They supplied me with a place to stay and said I can get forty hours," Sebastian clarified. "I have my address written down and was hoping you would come out to check." Sebastian pulled out his wallet, then the slip of paper on which he wrote the address.
Bill took the paper, "Thank you, Sebastian. I'll be by sometime to check it out."
"It's just on the other side of this ranch in that direction," Jim pointed toward the house where Sebastian will be staying.
Bill left, and Sebastian asked, "Did you mean what you told Bill?"
"Wouldn't have said it if I didn't. I wish I would have seen this side of you when we were in school. Your life could have been so much different."
"I have a feeling, I'm going to like working here, even with you being gay."
"I'll like working with you, that is once you realize that gay or straight, it doesn't matter."
Sebastian grinned, "I am learning, I am learning."
"Good, now mount that horse and let's go for a ride."
As they approached the lake, Patrick asked, "Sebastian, you want to go swimming?"
"It sounds like fun, but I don't even own a swim suit."
"We normally don't wear any as long as no girls are around," Jim informed Sebastian, "but we do keep some in the cabin. If it'll make you feel more comfortable, all three of us can wear suits, and I'll let you keep the one you wear."
Sebastian didn't respond but looked thoughtful. Jim surmised that he must be considering it. Once they were at the lake, the horses went into the corral and their saddles were removed. Jim started toward the cabin and Sebastian finally spoke, "If you don't mind wearing a suit, I would appreciate it, at least for now. As I get more comfortable around you, maybe we can skinny-dip, but for now…"
"We totally understand. One thing about this ranch, we don't believe in forcing someone into doing something they are uncomfortable doing, unless it is work related."
"Come on, Sebastian, I will help you select the suit you want," Patrick offered.
It was getting late in the afternoon and Zac started wondering where Jim and Patrick were. He began walking toward the barn when they came riding in. "I hadn't heard anything from either of you and I started to worry."
Thinking Zac was referring to him, Sebastian responded, "I'm sorry, I was with Jim, so I didn't think anything of it."
"Relax, Sebastian. One thing you will learn about this ranch, as long as you get what you need to do done, we don't care how long or quick you are. If you get done quick and have time to go swimming, that's good."
"I hope you don't mind, but Jim gave me a pair of the trunks that were in the cabin. I didn't have any and…"
"That's cool, it's one of the reasons we keep trunks out there. Joe told me that everything you own is what you are wearing." Sebastian hung his head and nodded. Zac continued, "When you clock in tomorrow, we'll take you to Jake's Trading Post, so you can get some clothes. Jake will let you charge it as long as you are working at the Ranch."
"Your youngest son has a trading post?" Sebastian seemed confused.
Jim laughed, "No, this is Jake Shadetree. Counting our son, we actually know three Jakes, but one goes by Jacob."
"So… how much will I have to pay him out of each check?" Sebastian was trying to be careful with his money, especially with not being sure how much he will have.
Zac stated, "The ranch will pay the bill in full the first month, and then you can pay us back as you are able. I think it's smart of you asking that."
"What if I don't think I can pay anything for a while?" Sebastian asked.
Jim slapped his hand onto Sebastian's shoulder, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it; if we get to it. Just relax, let us help you and don't worry."
At that time, Chris came riding to the corral. "Hey, Sebastian. I heard you got out early and started working here."
"Chris… I… umm… I am… umm… so sorry for shooting you. I never meant to hurt anyone?"
Chris looked at Sebastian, seriously looked at him, "So you keep saying. If you really mean that, quit mentioning it. I have already forgiven you. All that I ask of you is to leave it in the past, move on, do the work that needs to be done and enjoy the work we do."
Sebastian wiped a tear from his eye, "I can do that, thank you."
Zac informed Sebastian, "Okay, with Jim taking you to the lake, you put in a full day here, so if you want to head home, you may. Might I suggest using a horse, or one of us can give you a ride."
"Can I use Psycho Mare? She's a good horse."
Jim chuckled, "I had a feeling you would like her. If you head to the Home, go to the right of it and head north, that will take you home. If you want, Patrick can ride with you the first time."
"Do you want to ride with me, Patrick?"
"Sure, Sebastian, I would be happy to help you figure out the best way to get home."
Will and Peter Collins were talking at the Home. Will asked, "What do you know about the new guy at the Ranch? I think his name is Sebastian."
"He's going to be renting my place until I am old enough to live there. Why do you ask?"
Will responded, "I think he's cute, and I wouldn't mind dating him."
"Joe said that he's straight and very homophobic," Peter warned. "I heard that the deputy that was arrested last year had raped him when he was younger."
"In that case," Will was thinking, "I guess I will just be his friend, but if he does decide he wants to be with a guy, I wouldn't turn him down."
"Good luck with that," Peter chuckled.
"What about you?" Will asked, "Are you gay?"
"To be honest, I've never given it much thought. I mean, I haven't been with a guy or a girl, but I have seen a few of each that I would consider experimenting with."
"Whoever you decide to be with better consider themselves lucky," Will assured.
"I… I… I wouldn't mind experimenting with you," Peter nervously declared.
Will was taken aback… "Seriously? You think I'm cute?"
"Cute is only part of it, but yes, I think you are very cute. I also think you have a great personality and I feel like I can trust you."
Will smiled, "Okay, we can experiment together, but if you discover that you are straight, please let me know. I don't want to do anything if it feels uncomfortable to you."
"Can we kiss?" Peter asked.
Will put his arms around Peter and pulled him in for a hug. Then he leaned down and pressed his lips to Peter's. At first, the kiss was a bit sloppy, but once Peter figured out what to do, it became beautiful.
Joe and Maurice were cleaning up the cafeteria area after supper when a redheaded boy came walking in. Joe stopped what he was doing and walked up to the boy, "Can I help you?"
"Ummm… I need a place to sleep and was hoping you could help."
"What's your name? Why do you need a place to stay? What happened to your family and your home?"
"I'm Tom Harper; my dad was in the military and died in Iraq. Mom remarried two weeks ago, and today, my stepdad found out I am gay."
"Did he throw you out?" Joe inquired.
"No but… after supper… he came into my room, hugged me and kissed me."
"Okay, you mean like sexually?" Joe was clarifying.
"He stuck his tongue in my mouth, and then his hands caressed my rear. He told me that he loved me and wanted me. It creeped me out, so I got out of there. I'm not sure what to do."
"And he's your stepdad? How old is he?"
"He's closer to my age than Mom's. He's almost two years older than me."
"And you are?"
"I just turned seventeen on June third," Tom replied. "Ralph will be nineteen in October. Mom turned thirty-seven in March."
Joe was trying to wrap his head around all of this. He decided someone more qualified should handle it. "Tom, you are welcome to stay as long as necessary. Maurice, can you take Tom to one of the beds."
After Maurice took Tom to one of the beds, Joe called Nick.
Thursday, 18 August 2016
Tom was the first boy to show up for breakfast. Joe asked him, "How'd you sleep?"
"Well, I was surprised with how comfortable the bed was. I slept great."
"Good, Sheriff Archer would like to speak with you while you eat."
Reluctantly, Tom spoke with Nick and told him everything. He told Nick about the hugging and kissing. When he was done, Nick replied, "It sounds like he hasn't broken any laws yet but might have been on the verge of it. I'll go talk with him."
Tom started to cry, "You do that, you might break up Mom's marriage."
"He should have thought of that, but I need to let your mom and him know where you are and why," Nick stated.
"Do I have to go? I don't want to see him again and I'm afraid Mom will be pissed at me."
Slowly shaking his head, Nick replied, "No Tom, for now, stay here. After I've talked with your family, I will let you know what will happen."
Author's Note: You should NEVER try to bully anyone for any reason. If you think it makes you look superior to them, you are wrong. If someone is bullying you, don't bully back. As the saying goes, two wrongs don't make a right. You do have the right to defend yourself, but don't instigate anything. If you are still in school, let someone in authority know about it. If you are under the age of eighteen, let your parents know.
I hope you enjoy the story and that it draws you in, wanting more. If you have any suggestions or concerns, don’t hesitate to email me. Thoughts and suggestions are always welcomed and may or may not be implemented. Concerns will be considered and addressed as much as possible.
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