Family

After classes Senna and Keith went to Keith's house, as according to Senna his parents were at home and neither of them would be comfortable with such people. They are both aware of this. So they had no choice but to go to Keith's, which is always immensely lonely.

—Do you want some juice? — Asked Keith as he pointed to the refrigerator.

His friend nodded his head. Keith then pours two glasses of juice and both boys go straight to Keith's room to study a little before meeting their friends.

— Keith. — His friend calls him and looks at him. —I must ask you something... —He mumbled.

—Tell me. — Keith sits on the edge of his bed. —Does it have to do with what happened?

—Yes, it's about Dean. —Answered Senna. —Do you think he did it? Do you think he's guilty?

Keith sighs. This is bad. Keith sees in his dark eyes that he is tense. Senna has been tense lately and that's understandable because Keith is tense too.

— I don't know, Senna. —Answer Keith gently. —I know, he had problems with his stepfather, but I don't think he was capable of something like that...

That can't be possible.

— Can it? You know him better than anyone else, you should know the truth.

Senna looks away and starts taking out his notebook along with a couple of books. Silence lingers in the room until Keith hears him sigh. Then Senna looks at Keith and starts talking.

— He doesn't, but everyone thinks he did. — He concluded.

— It's complicated, we can defend him with all our might, but the reality is we weren't there and we don't know what happened.

— That old man was supposed to die, we all knew that...

Keith nods his head.

— What that old man was doing to him and his mother when he lost his head...

Keith hears a grunt from Senna.

— It's unforgivable. —He concluded.

— You're right about that, but… — Keith is in denial. —We need to know what really happened that day, so we can help him.

— Yes. Thank you, Keith. — He looks at his friend. — If you said yes, he would have died of disappointment.

— I couldn't doubt my friend. —Keith comes up to Senna and twirls his hair lovingly. —Besides, he's the one you like. I couldn't be against him if I wanted to. He adds with a laugh.

And that's the truth. Nobody knows exactly what happened that day, but Keith can't doubt his friend.

***

With his hand on his chin, Nathan began to look at the documents on the table; these photos and of course the information in general are familiar to him. Each one of them was unfortunately familiar to him, and that made everything more complicated.

He took one of the photos with his free hand and was fascinated by it for a few minutes; the dark hair of the boy in the photo made his pale skin stand out, and this, together with his full cherry-colored lips, made a beautiful combination with the natural blush of his cheeks.

"God, it's so much more beautiful than before". Nathan thought.

No, he always was. His pleasant personality and warm smile were always attractive to Nathan, although he never told him so. Nathan knows he was an idiot. He had to tell him how he felt and what his feelings were for him, but at that time Nathan felt he could not be more than his friend. That's what he needed before, a friend. Will he need it now? It's absurd to ask, because his attitude during the interrogation made him see how much the boy of his dreams had changed.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and without waiting for Nathan to answer; his friend and colleague went into the office that had been assigned to Nathan temporarily while he was here.

Saint, his best friend, sits down in a small armchair while he leaves a folder with copies of the documents on the table. He's also a detective in charge of the case.

—I never thought we'd see each other in this strange situation. —Said Nathan.

—I know it.

—…Us chasing Dean for a possible homicide, and interrogating our old friends to find him...

Nathan leans back from the chair and sighs; he's tired and stressed out from thinking about it.

—Nathan, believe me. —Saint sighed. —This is as strange for me as it is for you.

This issue has been complicated for him too, Nathan knows that.

—We know each one of them and we know their stories, but even with that we cannot help them as much as we would like.

—I know, as long as Dean doesn't show up and tell his side of the story, he's still the prime suspect.

—Yeah, that's the reality.

And with that, his friends are also in the police eye.

—That means they're in our court. —Saint sighed. —At worst, it's up to us to catch him, and if any of the others cover up for him, which they probably will, they'll suffer the same fate.

—I know it, Saint... And that's what hurts me most about this. —He concluded.

—It was strange to see them again. —Saint said. —They've grown up... —He laughed.

—Yes, they've grown a lot.

—We all have.

Nathan nods at her words, his friend is right. They're all adults now.

—You know what I'm curious about?

Nathan nods his head so Saint can keep talking.

—I wonder if they managed to overcome their fears and defects and if they were different from us, who certainly still live with one foot in the past and one in the present.

—I have the slightest suspicion that they have not yet done so.

Nathan takes the document containing Dean's information and gives it to Saint

—We are all still living the same realities from the past. —Nathan sighed.

—Are you ready to begin this search?

—I am, although I don't want to hit the target at all.

If they hit the target, it won't be a good thing. Not for those who were his old friends.

***

Senna sees his watch and it strikes 21:00h; he, with Keith, is in front of a door, which is in the back of the nightclub where one of his friends works; that is where they have decided to meet to talk. It's not good to raise suspicions, let alone with the police on top of them, so the place is perfect. So the police won't find it strange.

Senna turns his head in both directions, to the main avenue and to the end of the alley, this he did in search of someone following them, but it seems that they are alone so Senna tries to calm down himself. Senna doesn't know if it's the nerves from being held up by the police the other day or if he's right, but he feels a look on top of him, as if that person can see him but Senna can't.

Is it nerves? Or has he lost his mind?

—Hey, guys. —Taylor greeted his friends with a smile.

Senna and Keith return the greeting and are happy to see that their friend, who has orange dyed hair, is fine.

—Shaun's already here. —He added.

They enter then, and as they do, they are greeted by the warm smile of a dark-haired boy, who also hugs each of them. It's amazing how warmly he radiates both his smile and his motherly affection.

—I am so happy to see them. —Shaun said smiling.

—We're fine, Shaun. Don't worry about it.

—I was worried. I wanted to talk to you when we left the police station but you were on your way home.

—Well, we're here, then. —Mumbled Taylor.

—Yes, we are. —Senna replied.

—Well, first of all I want to tell you that we only have 30 minutes because it's my break.

—That's all we need, thanks Taylor. —Said Shaun smiling.

—Yes, this won't take long. —Said Keith.

—So, Dean hasn't contacted you, Keith? How about you, Senna? —Taylor asked.

—No, he hasn't contacted anyone. —Answered Senna.

—He has disappeared completely, as if the earth had swallowed him up. —Added Keith.

—We must find him first before Nathan, or Saint do; they are the enemies now. —Muttered Shaun.

—Yes. No matter what, we must look for him. —Senna said.

Everyone nods; they agree to protect their friend.

—And we must swear right here that we will protect him.

—Just like old times, —Said Shaun.

—Yeah. Even, if he has done something so horrible...Well… We'll help him escape if we have to. —Senna concluded seriously.

—That sounds pretty bad, little Senna. —Mumbled Taylor.

He scratched the back of his neck as he made a thoughtful face.

—But I will be with you no matter what, you know that well. —He concluded, and then he put his hand on top of Senna's while smiling.

—I'm the oldest in the group, after Nathan and Saint... So I have to protect them. —Shaun added his hand to the pile.

Shaun laughs.

—Besides, I love each one of you and I won't let anyone hurt you. —He concluded.

Everyone looks at the last member of the group, who has his arms crossed over his chest. Keith looks at them seriously and seems to be struggling for something. Maybe he's not sure about this.

—Keith... —Senna whispered his name. —I know what happened in the past, I know it better than anyone...

Keith looks away, he knows Senna is talking about the feelings he once had for Nathan, who one day disappeared along with Saint, without saying anything. Keith was depressed and sad about it; he suffered a lot in the past.

—I don't want you to hate Nathan or Saint, but please don't abandon Dean, your friend... Not now... —Implored Senna.

—I wasn't going to. —Answered Keith.

So he put it together with the others, they're in this together.

—We are a family, and Dean is part of it.

—Thank you… —Said Senna and smiled happily at his best friend's decision, who was smiling too.

—We will continue with the same version until the end, we don't know about it, but we are sure that he is innocent. —Said Shaun.

—That's the version we'll all stick to. —Taylor said.

—No matter what they prove to us, we will not stop supporting him. And that is the promise that none of us can break. —Added Shaun.

Everyone nods, and as they let go of each other's hands they hold each other like the loving family they are.

—That's what we are. —Whispered Senna. —We are a family. —He concluded, this time aloud.

The others smile and nod their heads.

Senna and Keith then say goodbye to Taylor, who must continue to work as a bartender. Shaun also waves goodbye and gets into his car while Senna and Keith start walking to the nearest shop.

—I won't be long. —Said Keith and then entered the store.

Senna stays in front of the store to check his phone, and being so distracted he didn't notice at all that someone was standing in front of him. Senna looked up and his eyes opened with surprise. The man in front of Senna grabbed his right arm and started walking until he reached an alley. Then he puts him against a wall and looks into his eyes for a few seconds, which seemed like hours to Senna. He had red cheeks due to the shame, his strength and the muscles of the man around Senna's body, makes him feel excited.

—I need your help. —Said the man as he took off his hood.

—Of course, I will. —Answered Senna.