Like A Pet

"I'm glad that you're back, Lysander. Did everything go well back home? "

"As well as can be. Father is fine now, so I can fortunately come back to school. "

"Will you continue to keep your identity secret?"

Yes, I'll be using Lysander Asturias as usual. I'd like to enjoy the peaceful time I have here since no one knows me. That's why I don't do public appearances. " 

"I'm also glad to hear that. While it is an attraction and would make the school more popular, I'd rather not have the media camped out and hanging around, disrupting the school. Feel free to talk about it when you graduate, though. "

They both laughed. 

"Lysander, I'm a bit worried about you. Let me know if there's anything I can do or if I need to speak to your father---"

"It's fine, uncle Elias. I wouldn't want him to say I'm tatting on him. If he gets unbearably annoy---aggressive, I'll tell you first. "

"Good. By the way, we're doing a student exchange. They'll be using the building next to you. Will you try to make a friend? You constantly rebuff everyone. Do you know what I heard the teachers saying? That you're the campus's ice prince. Ice Prince, you know. " He buried his face in his hands. "It seems like you're a prince no matter where you go. I convinced your father to let you come here so you could experience real life and make lasting friends, and I couldn't even provide you with the opportunity to do so. Ahhhhh, I'm so ashamed of myself. After I had guaranteed you a normal college life."

He sighed, looking stressed.

"I'll try to make at least one, uncle."

"Do you promise?" He suddenly looked at him excitedly.

Lysander paused. He had said it because he had looked so down, but it seemed like he had been tricked into agreeing. Why were all these older folks so cunning? 

Lysander sighed, tired in his heart. No wonder Uncle Elias was his father's best friend. They were both alike. 

"I promise. "

*******

As Theia sat in the back of the car with Ezra, she wrapped her arms around him because she could tell he wanted to cry. She knew that she should be upset with him for participating in her father's plot, but she couldn't find it in her heart to do so. She wasn't a good person, nor was she some "forgiveness is everything" Mary Sue character from a book. As could be seen by her school record, she liked to get back at people for slights. It was just that she felt like Ezra was more of a victim. Also, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt instinctively close to him. It was almost like she felt when she met Alessia. No, more like when Alex hugged her the first time. Like family. Since he lost his today, they'd be his family from now on.

For now, let's go to your place, Alex. I'll text Alessia. "

Alex hummed in agreement, heading off to his condo.

When they got there, he had Theia take Ezra upstairs through the front while he headed to the underground garage. Theia had Ezra's hand, pulling him into the building and into the elevator. She pressed the button for the penthouse apartment. She held his hand, gently rubbing it like she did Alessia's when she was upset. Seeing the blank, lifeless look on his face tugged at her heartstrings and made her feel even more distaste toward the person who styled himself as her father. She had no doubt that he was playing both sides. If the plan worked and she had fallen for Ezra, once Ezra's parents didn't disown him, he would have let it happen. If the plan had failed and Mickel's plan had worked, he'd have helped Mikel and he owed him for it. Either way, he'd have won. 

No wonder he was so upset with her step-mother for approving her student exchange. She stepped out of the elevator, dragging him along with her, and entered the apartment. She put the television on and pulled him over to the couch with her. To her surprise, he curled himself up onto the couch and placed his head on her lap. She smiled to herself and stroked his hair, hoping that it would help him feel a bit better.

Ezra felt Theia's hands stroking his hair, and he finally cried. Even though he knew better than to expect anything from his parents, he still had hope for more from them. They threw him away so easily, as if he meant nothing to them. Was he worth so little to them? Did he not matter at all? Was he not even worth their name? Why didn't they want him? They never had. He had only had his grandparents and his sister. Now, his grandparents were gone, and he wasn't even allowed to contact his sister. The only reason he hadn't completely broken down was because of the very girl he had wanted to trick and her brother. Both of them made him feel as though he was one of them in their little space of time interacting with them. He just wished he had met them under better circumstances. 

As Alex drove to the garage, his mind was racing, attempting to figure out how best to fix Ezra's situation. His own mother spoke to him like he was dirt. She had picked him up and discarded him like a pet. What type of parent does that? His father aside, at least he hadn't known about Theia for years, but as a mother? A child you gave birth to and raised, abandoned just like that? His mother would never. Jared's mother would never and he knew for a fact that Theia's mother wouldn't. No mother he knew would do that. Disowned and required to change his surname? 

"What type of bullshit is that?" He muttered to himself. 

Wait, change his surname?