'Wake up dudeeee." My eyes peel open as I look at my older brother grinning down at me, his school uniform on before mine for once. After I got home from my early morning escapade I was too drained, emotionally, spiritually and physically, to walk all the way up the stairs to my room, so I crawled onto the couch and crashed instantly. "Wake UpPPPpPPPPpp." He screams again, shaking my arm loosely as I responded with a loud groan.

"Fuck off Harvey. I'm not going to school today - I'm too tired." He scoffs and whips my blanket off of me; the coldness of the living room attacking my bare legs as I pull myself up off of the sticky leather couch.

"Yes. The. Fuck. You. Are. If Mum and Dad were here they would make you go-"

"Well they're not here. They're never here. I am the Mum and Dad Harvey so just leave me alone." I change his mood instantly as he throws the blanket back down onto me. Fuck. He's taken it harder then me ever since our parents have heavily prioritised work over the last half-decade. I guess he is older so he was around them a lot more, but, they never seemed to like me as much. Mum purely because she was a busy person, but Dad, I feel as though he actually doesn't like me: as a person, as his son, as a ga-...at all. I groan as the front door slams and Harvey storms out, his face hidden but I can already recreate it in my head: destroyed.

I lift my legs up the staircase and crash sluggishly into bed, letting sleep whip me away to the land of eternal comfort.

**********

A loud shrilling ringing forces my eyes open - giving me a heart attack as I scramble around my bed reaching for my phone, which reveals an unknown number illuminating my screen. I press the red icon and decline the call, while looking at the time: . I've slept the whole bloody day away - a good use of my time if I do say so myself. I stretch out tiredly, still in dire need of more sleep.

The screen illuminates again, sending the loud shrill piercing my ears once again.

Incoming call from Unknown Number. I relent and accept the call, pulling the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey dudeee." It's Casey - of course it's Casey. "I was expecting to see you rock up to the lunch table, but you never came. Just wanted to thank you again for last night." He thanks in a chirpy tone, as fresh and as happy as always. Well, at least he's not crying - that's good.

"Um yeah. I'm not coming to school today." I gurgle back into the phone.

"Oh lol. Why not?"

"I just um. I don't feel like it. Um look, I gotta go I'm really busy and have to study." I lie. I don't know what Casey wants, or needs, from me - but he'll have to find it somewhere else. It's a bit bizarre that my brother's friend can find refuge in me, and only me.

"But you don't like studying?" I cut him off and hang up the phone and stare at it as the end call screen flashes to black - my heart burning through my loosely fitting shirt. My world spins before my eyes as I slam my head back down onto my pillow.

I decide to shower and head towards my ensuite, stripping down before letting the boiling water spill down my body. My eyes flutter as the shampoo foams in my hair, and sinks down the drain. My body lotion exfoliates away the stresses of the day and follows the path of the shampoo - kissing me with a subtly, sweet mint scent.

I dry off and drop the towel into the laundry basket next to the sink, pausing to sweep my eyes over my body. My nude skin freshly shining through the foggy reflection. My hazel eyes complimenting my slightly tanned, with a touch of paleness, skin. A light touching of hair decorating my body, subtly ombreing up towards my torso.

With a final wink in the mirror I swing open the bedroom door before stepping into my bedroom. My bedroom.

"AGHHHHHHH!" I scream as Casey looks up from his phone, staring straight at me with his green orbs: straight at my naked body. I scramble to cover my groin with my hand as his jaw drops slowly. I scramble my naked body back into the ensuite and slam my door closed. My chest heaves in panic as I grab my towel and tie it tightly around my waist, securing it with a tucked knot.

"Um...I'm SO sorry...I was gonna surprise you...I didn't know you'd be...um...ya'know?" He mumbles through the door. I let my heartbeat return to normal before unlocking the door and opening it, covering my chest with my folded arms.

"Close your eyes." I command. His eyes flutter closed as I rush to my dresser and pull an outfit out of air - pulling a shirt and a pair shorts on before finally allowing him to re-open his eyes. He turns his eyes towards me, a sly grin on his face.

"Look I'm sorry. You weren't coming to school and...sorry I saw your dick...It was cute if it helps" He drifts off, the grin turning into a muffled laugh. I grab my pillow and swing it against his head, knocking him towards the floor as his muffled laugh turns into a full on chuckle.

"Ugh. I fucking hate you." I slam my face into my pillow, hiding the arising redness. My embarrassment suffocating me. He called me dick...cute...I need to end it all now.

"Hey! It was just a joke lol." He says between his continuous chuckles. He places his hand on my back and starts rubbing in circular motions, comforting against my cotton shirt. The warmth radiating onto my back. A little to comfortable, I roll onto my stomach and push his hand away from me - regrettably at that. "If it makes you feel better. You can see mine...oh wait...it would probably make you feel worse if you know what I mean." He starts chuckling again, standing up to continue his mockery.

I crawl under my blanket and feel the bed dip as he sits beside me.

"Hey," he starts while sliding the duvet off of me. "Is everything alright? I thought everything was like algoods last night?" His enticing gaze turns into soft puppy eyes, instantly dissipating my mood.

"Yeah. I'm just tired. I just needa take a nap. Another nap. Good night." I retrieve the duvet from his had and pull it back above me. I feel the bed dip as he gets up. Is he going? I want him to go. But I don't want him to go. Ugh.

I hear a slight thud on the ground, forcing my eyes to snap open. Casey stands there proudly, with his jeans around his ankle.

"I want a nap too. I have been awake since like 5am because I went to the gym. And then I had to rush over here because someone was being a drama queen on the phone." I glare at him as he reaches for the hem of his shirt. "Come on...we've napped together heaps of times...now 'Close your eyes'." He laughs while mocking what I said to him before. The bed sinks and I feel him crawl under the duvet, as he pulls a pillow from my bed base and slides it between us.

"Night...or afternoon lol.." He says as his breaths rubs against my neck. Night I mumble back. His hand falls over the pillow as he places his hand on my hip and his breath slows as he falls away into the land of dreams. I follow soon after, sleeping the rest of the afternoon away.

**********

"WAKE UP DANTÉ. IT'S LIKE 7 O'CLOCK!" I scramble in my bed, again, being woken by Harvey...again... I look beside me and the bed is empty...again. It's deja vu. "Please don't yell at me lol." He holds his hands up defensively.

"Hey Harvey." He pauses as he gets to the door. "I appreciate you. Thanks" He places his hand on his heart and grins before walking to his room.

I reach for my phone under my pillow.

Hey had to gap soz lol. Txt me wen u get this. Anutha trip lol??

I groan into my phone and drop it onto my bed. Fuck.

A/N

The whole parents disowning gay kids is such a devastating reality in our modern-day political climate. I can't believe it's 2019 and homophobia is still so present in our world! :(

Anyways! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! :)

- YOP