Trigger Warning: Slurs

James, approximately nine months before the disappearance

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Bo blocked the only exit, leaving them trapped.

Austin held his hands up and took a couple of steps forward. "Hold up, it's not what it looks like." He didn't recognize Bo. How could he? They'd never met.

Bo struck like a snake, shooting forward and hooking Austin by the shoulders. "Shut up, fag." He tossed him out the door like a piece of trash and turned back to James.

That got Austin out of the room, at least. Please don't be hurt.

"As if it's not bad enough that my brother's a faggot, he's also a sissy." He advanced slowly, coiled and ready to strike again.

Despite the shock, James' anger flared, hands balling into tight fists. "We were filming a video. Now how the hell did you get in here?"

"This is the kind of content you're making?" He started laughing. "Guess that's one way to get views."

Here goes nothing.

James charged while Bo laughed, launching himself at his brick wall of a brother. Bo tripped back out the door as James tumbled and slid across the wooden floor onto the stage.

Two of Bo's friends from the football team stood outside the door, one holding Austin from behind. He looked unharmed so far.

Damn. Should have realized he'd have backup. Bo never did anything alone.

"Holy shit, Bo! It's your brother!" Andy said, gripping Austin tighter as he struggled.

Austin's eyes widened and swung to him. James gave a quick nod. This was his fault. All his fault.

"Brooooo! What kind of freaky shit is going on here?" Kyle asked, smacking his fist against his palm. The excitement radiating from him felt sinister.

Bo silenced them with a glare, no hint of amusement or excitement. Only malice. Pure malice.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't happen. He skittered back as Bo approached him, not daring to take his eye off him again. Sure, Bo was stronger. And scarier. And a bigger asshole. But they'd gotten in plenty of fights before. Never when Bo raged like this, but James was still smarter. All he needed to do was dodge and wait for an opening. As long as they weren't hurting Austin, he could worry about Bo's friends after evening the odds.

Easier said than done.

"I spotted the truck outside. Never thought this is what you'd be up to."

"How'd you get in?" James asked to keep him talking.

Bo snorted. "Andy."

Andy grunted, a smug grin on his face. Right. His father worked at the school as a janitor, so they must have taken his keys. As if on cue, Andy loosened his grip, grabbing the large keyring clipped to his belt loop with his left hand. What an idiot.

Austin seized the opportunity, stomping his foot down on Andy's as he twisted out of his grasp and ran.

"Shit, that hurt!" Andy yelped. "That asshole smashed down on my instep!"

"You beta!" Bo laughed. Kyle copied his laughter, every bit Bo's lackey. "Forget that asshole. We'll grab him after."

With Bo distracted again, James scrambled up.

"I don't think so," Bo said, aiming a kick at his ribs and sending him back across the floor. Pain bloomed from his right side. That one might be bruised. Then Bo spit on him.

Kyle continued cackling as James wiped the spit off his cheek with the back of his hand. Bo was going to pay for that. They all were.

"Looks like your boyfriend ran away." Good. He hoped he'd be smart enough to flee. "Anyhow, we head to Andy's house to party after the game, like always. "Didja know he lives around the corner? Nah, 'cause who'd ever invite you to a party?" More laughter from his crew. "Then I spotted the truck. Where could you be? Nothing's around here but Andy's place and the school." Bo stepped closer.

Get up, get up, get up.

"Now what would you be into at school after hours?"

"We was thinking drugs," Kyle said.

"Shut up, Kyle." Bo never took his eyes off of James. "Honestly? I just thought you left the truck behind and went off with someone. But Kyle's old man has the keys to the kingdom, and he ain't too good about securing them, so why not check it out?" He darted forward, aiming another kick at James's rib.

James had been paying attention, though. He grabbed Bo's foot when he struck, sending Bo off balance and avoiding most of the blow. Bo didn't fall, but the disruption meant that only James noticed Austin peek out behind the side curtain. He charged out holding one of the old music stands, swinging the pole at the side of Bo's knee and dropping him immediately.

"You asshole!" Bo curled to the side and grabbed his knee while his Yes-men froze, easily confused without direct orders. "You're gonna pay for that."

"I don't think so," Austin said, his eyes cold and dead. Then he swung again. This time he hit Bo in the back as he tried to get to his feet. Bo sprawled forward, yelling in agony.

That woke up Bo's friends. James pushed to his feet. "Watch out!" he yelled as they charged.

Just in time, Austin smacked Kyle in the side. Then he flung the music stand out of his hands as he ducked low to trip Andy. Andy tumbled straight into the corner wall of the stage, banging his head and howling while the stand clattered into a row of seats. Neither of the guys got up, but neither seemed disabled, either. Cowards.

For the first time since they were kids, James saw fear in Bo's eyes.

"You okay?" Austin.

James swallowed. "I think so. You?"

Austin's face softened, his eyes sweeping over James, checking for injury. "I will be."

"Your friend is psycho. Just wait 'til we get out of here. He'll spend the rest of his life in a cell," Bo hissed.

James straightened out his ridiculous dress before turning his own eyes on his brother. "You and Dad deserve each other." Then he aimed a hard kick at Bo's ribs and spat in his face. James no longer felt fear. Adrenaline coursed through his body, fear and pain replaced by steel. Bo curled in on himself, wheezing.

Austin touched his shoulder before he could kick Bo again. "Go change and grab your things. Quickly."

James whipped around, shaking in anger. He nodded, waiting a moment to regain control before heading to the costume room. He changed quickly, shoving the dress back where they'd found it. When he reappeared, he found Austin waiting by the door for him, gripping another music stand. Nobody else had moved.

"I grabbed the bag, lights, and phones. You got everything else?"

James nodded. "Let's go."

"You're mad!" Kyle shouted at them, crawling over to Bo as they left. "This isn't over."

Kyle was right about that. Bo wouldn't drop it.

"He's fine," Austin said. "Call an ambulance or not. I don't care. But you shouldn't go looking for trouble if you can't handle it." Then they left through an emergency side door ditching the music stand behind. Even if there had been an alarm, it didn't matter now.

"Keys. I'll drive."

James handed them to him without thinking. He stared out the window as Austin drove away.

"Say something," Austin pleaded after a few minutes of silence.

"He'll kill me. That or my father will." This wasn't like their other fights. He knew that the moment Bo kicked him. "I can't go home." The streetlights flashed like a strobe against the windshield. "I can't stay here at all."

"One thing at a time. Tell me how to get to your place."

"What do you mean? I just said I can't go back."

"Your dad passes out every night, right?"

James nodded. "Yeah."

"And your brother's friends ain't moving too quick. We'll beat 'em back to the house. You got five minutes once we get there. Grab anything useful–food, water bottles, fishing poles, lighter, sleeping bags, stuff like that. If you got camping gear, grab that, too. Don't forget extra clothing and money if you can find it. But get it and get out in five minutes, no more."

He nodded again. Five minutes to pack up his life. Probably didn't even need all that. Besides his directions, they rode in silence the rest of the way back.

"It's gonna be alright." Austin parked and took his hand. "I'll take care of you. Just please, please don't hate me." His eyes watered. "Never meant for this to happen to you, too."

"Hate you?" That snapped James out of it. "You saved me." He swallowed. "I mean it. I think Bo might have seriously hurt me if you hadn't shown up."

"Bo wouldn't have even been there if it hadn't been for me. You wouldn't have been there." Two tears spilled down the side of his face.

James leaned in, resting his forehead against Austin's. "How can I blame you? It was my plan to go into the high school." He squeezed his eyes shut, his face wet now, too. "I'm supposed to be protecting you, not the other way around."

"No. We protect each other." Austin wiped James' tears off with the back of his hand. "Now, go. Move quickly. Remember, only five minutes. I'll get a cab."

James paused. "Why?"

"The truck's a liability if it's reported stolen."

"Oh." After all this, his family was more likely to look for the truck than him.

"We can spend the night at the truck stop and figure out a better plan from there."

James nodded and slid out of the truck. Dad never even woke up when he came back in. Lucky. He studied his father there, asleep in the chair. Snoring, with his gut peeking out of his shirt, reeking of sweat and stale beer. He looked at his father for another moment and felt nothing.

Then he gathered most of the stuff that Austin suggested, filling a backpack and a duffel bag, moving gingerly because of his bruised rib. It could have been worse. Much worse.

When he brought the bags out, the cab was already waiting. Friday night meant more cabs, so lucky again. Austin grabbed his bags and tossed them in the trunk, while James took a second to run his fingers along the truck. Crazy, but he'd probably miss the truck most of all. He'd gotten it working, after all.

Then he turned around and slid into the cab next to Austin. No point in looking back. His path lay ahead.