Wynter was in detention. He sat at the back of the class, arms crossed, knee bouncing impatiently. He had to get back home. Hayden was probably hungry. She hated being hungry. He glared at the teacher in the front of the class for a second and then looked away when he realised doing that won't make the man let him go home. He had to wait for more twelve minutes and then he'd be free.

He couldn't go to the lake anyway. It was too late. He had to go home, cook for Hayden, do the dishes, help her clean her closet, do his homework, write his essay assignment and then go to sleep so that he could wake up for school again.

Wynter ran a hand through his hair, eyes stuck on the clock hanging above the blackboard. Ten minutes now.

Julian Sanders walked in. His hair was messed up and his cheeks were flushed pink from exertion. He had probably run all the way here. His mint green eyes flicked around the room until they found Wynter.

Mr Roberts reluctantly looked up from the very amusing YouTube video he was watching " Yes Julian?"

Julian glanced once again at Wynter before steeling his nerves and clearing his throat " Mr Roberts, I know Wynter really pissed you off in class today but we have a project due tomorrow and I really need the grades. Just please let him go this once. Please? I need the grades. And I wouldn't ask if I was absolutely desperate."

" What subject?" Mr Roberts asked.
" Literature" Wynter and Julian replied together.

Either Mr Roberts believed them or maybe he just didn't care. He nodded at Wynter and gestured for him to get out of the room. Wynter stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He strided towards the door. He and Julian walked out together. Neither of them said a word until they were in the parking lot.

" Thanks" Wynter muttered gratefully.

Julian simply smiled at Wynter " No problem. So your place or mine? The project?"

Wynter scowled immediately " Wait. We actually have a project?"
" Duh. You didn't think I was lying, did you?"

Catching the look on Wynter's face Julian frowned " You thought I was lying?"

" Yeah!" Wynter threw his hands up in the air " I mean I didn't know you were this much of a teacher's pet. Plus dude, what in the world is wrong with you? Why would you want me as your partner?"

Julian shook his head at Wynter " Man do you come to school drunk? We sit next to each other. So I have no choice."

" My condolences to you. I can't help. I'm sorry. I have to take care of my little sister." Wynter told him, starting towards his bicycle.

Julian followed after him "  My curfew is not until ten. I'll come with."

Wynter exhaled heavily " Julian, I'm sorry. Just do the work and tell Miss Taylors that I didn't help—"

" She won't grade me then. We have to do this together"

" Then just tell her I helped..." Wynter advised generously.

Julian narrowed his eyes in irritation " I'm coming over. We're doing the project together. End of story. Now can you please put your bike in my car and get in so that we can get to your home early and finish the project early so that I can leave for home early. Please and thank you"

And so a few minutes later, Wynter sat beside Julian in the car fiddling with the radio.

" Why were you in detention anyway?" Julian asked, eyes flicking from the road to look at Wynter for a second.

" I got caught sleeping in geometry class. Can't blame me. That stuff is boring"

Wynter could tell that Julian strongly disagreed judging by how his knuckles had tightened on the steering wheel as a sign of displeasure. But Julian still nodded in answer and went on to ask him if he was hungry. When Wynter said he wasn't, Julian still stopped at a McDonalds drive thru and ordered 10 pieces of McNuggets before turning to ask Wynter if his sister liked Chocolate Shake, and then ordering three.

" Julian....why are you buying food when I specifically told you I wasn't hungry?"

Julian shot Wynter a look of disbelief " The McNuggets are for your sister. Everyone likes Nuggets. Also the shakes are for me and her"

" But you bought three" Wynter reminded, wondering if Julian had tripped over something and hurt his head while running to the detention room.

" Yeah and I always drink two shakes. If you want one then I can sacrifice. It's not a big deal"
" No thanks" Wynter snorted.

Julian silently smiled at Wynter's antics and drove forward. When the man at the window handed him the tray Julian handed one of the shakes to Wynter.

Wynter looked outside the window, quietly sipping on his shake. Beads of condensed water rolled down the side of the container. Although Wynter had his pride he wouldn't ever refuse free food. Food was food and refusing it was the dumbest thing you could ever do.

" I'll do the typing and presentation. Since you're the smartest one of us I was thinking you can do the content"

Wynter shrugged in reply to the green eyed boy beside him almost like he couldn't care less even if Julian destroyed the whole earth and decided to hunt for rhinos on Jupiter. It was quite surprising that Wynter still hadn't gotten sick of Julian. He found most boys his age shallow, careless and stupid with an ego that was the size of the sun. Julian however didn't look that the kind that would pummel someone to their death just because they talked to his girlfriend for more than five minutes.

Teenage boys are so caught up in trying to be the perfect alpha male their parents want them to be that they forget who they are. They forget right and wrong. They only search for acceptance. And those who are accepted search for opportunities to prove themselves. Because this society cannot stand someone different, they make sure to let the person know that they are not welcome.

In this world fitting in means commenting about how good someone is in bed, fitting in means talking behind people's backs, fitting in means following everyone else and agreeing with them blindly, fitting in means never letting yourself be you.

Fitting in means letting no one see the real you.

Julian didn't understand. He didn't understand anything about Wynter Black. The mysterious dark-haired boy was still a mystery to him. Everyone talked to Julian about everything. They literally spilled out their life problems to him. It wasn't that they hoped for advice or a solution but rather that they felt a certain comfort in confiding in him. They felt safe now that they knew someone knew what they were going through and when time came they could always seek out Julian Sanders.

Julian liked that people felt comfortable around him. Only Wynter Black looked like he wanted to escape the car and run away from Julian forever. It was frustrating. All your life you think you're good at something and then this random guy comes along and you're like Oh shit. I'm not as good as I thought I was. That's exactly how Julian felt.

" Take a right here" Wynter instructed, voice cutting through the silence.

" Hey Wynter? Do I look like...I don't know...the cliche golden boy who actually talks behind people's backs? You know, like that senior when we were freshmen? Ansel Welch?"

Wynter looked at Julian, features expressing disbelief " You? The golden boy? No. Definitely not. More like the popular guy who's popular because he has a golden heart and everybody loves him because he helps them with their devastatingly important life problems. I mean I'm not calling you sunshine and rainbows but your optimism makes me feel like....." he trailed off searching for polite words to express his rather vulgar opinion.

" Like you want to throw up?" Julian supplied helpfully and when Wynter nodded he smiled " Yeah me too"

Wynter shifted in his seat to face Julian " Then why do you...."

Julian swallowed and then forced a smile onto his face " Majority of the people in the world feel like they are the only ones with problems. Everyone has problems but the ones who don't show it are usually the ones who are the most saddest. People talk to me Wynter. They tell me things. They cry on my shoulder. I make them feel better and in return listening to them reminds me that I'm not the only person in the world with problems. So I suck it up and move forward. Keeps me grounded"

Julian hadn't expected Wynter to reply but he did " So who's going to listen to your problems? Ever thought about that?"

" The world has enough to worry about. They don't need my problems too" was the only thing Julian said.

" That's the one. The house with no flowers. Yeah"

Julian pulled up into the driveway and killed the engine. He unlocked the doors and started to get out. When Wynter didn't move, he poked his head back in " You coming?"

Wynter muttered a Yes in answer and stepped out, shutting the door with a soft thud.

The boys walked next to each other in the direction of the front door. A nosy neighbour who had come out to check out the sound of the car, choked on her green tea when she saw Julian.

Julian raised a hand and waved with a wide smile " How you doing Mrs.Kipling?"

The lady glared at him before looking at Wynter " Take care honey. Don't let Julian Sanders influence you"

Wynter only blinked in confusion while Mrs. Kipling vanished into her house and started to pull the curtains.

" Man what'd you do to her? Did you tell her you were an atheist?" Wynter asked the boy next to him.

Julian snorted " Worse. I kissed her son. I mean he kissed me back but that's not the point. She thinks and I quote 'You are the spawn of Satan. He sent you to ruin the purity of my child. Begone you abomination! God hates you so you will rot in hell' She's such a naive person. I actually kinda pity her"

" You pity her? Please explain."

It almost surprised Julian how Wynter had just ignored his I am gay announcement. Almost.

Julian had just started to discover that Wynter Black was a big box of surprises.

" She thinks god hates me. Isn't that kind of untrue? I mean god doesn't hate anyone. He only loves. Hate is just not his thing. Plus if god creates everyone then I'm blaming him for this apparent malfunction inside me."

" Malfunction? Wow! You really hate yourself, don't you?" Wynter mumbled sticking the keys into the keyhole in the door and twisting the door handle. The door clicked open and he stepped aside, letting Julian walk in before him.

Before Julian could reply, a ball of dark blue came charging out of the living room holding a plastic baseball bat. The little girl's brown eyes flashed with determination and then she swung her weapon at Julian's knees which was the only body part she could reach. The green eyed boy hissed at the sharp pain and then the baseball bat was out the girl's hands and in Wynter's.

" Hayden! Why did you hit him?" Wynter demanded tossing the baseball bat into a corner and lifting up Hayden into his arms. She frowned and tilted her head towards the stranger.

" You said that if strangers come into the house when I'm alone I should hit them first and ask questions later"

" Well he's not a stranger. He's a friend. Julian. Julian this is Hayden, my little sister"

" But Da-da you don't have friends" Hayden reminded, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as she scanned Julian top to bottom. They stopped on his dark blue graphic shirt and her expression relaxed. Seeing as how everything the little girl was wearing was dark blue in colour, Julian guessed that her favourite colour was dark blue.

" Agreed. He doesn't have any friends. Hi Hayden! I'm Julian Sanders. My favourite colour is brown and I love chicken nuggets and chocolate shake. What about you?"

Hayden cleared her throat and held out her hand to shake his professionally " I'm Hayden Celina Black. My favourite colour is dark blue. And I like chicken nuggets and chocolate shake too"

" Aw come here" Julian cooed taking Hayden from Wynter's arms.

Wynter ventured deeper into the house, legs carrying him directly to the kitchen where he kept his laptop. Wynter liked to eat while studying. It gave him a constant supply of energy.

" Da-da! Julian watches Harry Potter too!"

" That's amazing, love" Wynter muttered absently, trying to remember his Microsoft password. He concentrated his ears on the living room and his eyes on the laptop screen. Taking care of a kid can help you multi task perfectly.

" Julian! Get in here! Check out my notes and make the presentation"

" You write notes?" Julian questioned unbelievingly.

" How else do I study? Sorry to disappoint but I don't have a photographic memory" Wynter said, tossing a notebook in the other boy's direction.

Julian hopped up onto the kitchen counter and crossed his legs, before reaching back down to pick up and place Hayden on his lap. She smiled widely and leaned forward trying to read what was written on the screen.

Wynter shook his head at the both of them, leaning forward on his elbows he watched Julian's fingers move over the keyboard. He was downloading an app from the internet.

" You make graphics?" he asked suddenly.

" Yeah. I always thought graphics are beautiful. So I learned to make them. Helps me out in getting good grades for presentations"

" Can I make them too?" Hayden asked, tilting her head up to look at the green eyed boy.

Julian smiled down at her " I'll teach you when you're older"

" But I'm going to be five!!" Hayden held up five fingers for emphasis.

" Exactly. I'll teach you when you're ten. That way you can learn better"

Wynter waited for Hayden's protests and sulking. Whenever she had wanted to learn something and no one taught her, she would sulk for days.

But when his little sister didn't pout, Wynter's eyebrows lifted up in surprise.

She held out her pinky finger to Julian " Promise?"

He nodded solemnly and hooked his finger through the brown-eyed little girl's " I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die"

Wynter watched them for hours bickering about colours and effects and filters. He answered occasionally when Julian asked him to clarify a point. He smiled when Hayden made Julian change the whole theme to dark blue.

" Hayden? What do you think? Should I make the text blink or fade?"

When Hayden didn't reply, Julian looked down at the girl who wouldn't stop shooting suggestions at him since the past two hours. Hayden was asleep, her head propped up against his chest.

" Wynter!" Julian whisper-yelled at the dark haired boy who was chewing on his bottom lip, eyes focused on his hands on the table.

" Wynter!" Julian tried again, successfully snapping the other boy out of his thoughts.

" Hmm? Yeah?," he asked and when his eyes fell on his asleep sister he stood up, " Here. I'll take Hayden to her bedroom"

Julian carefully shifted Hayden from his lap into Wynter's arms and watched him stroke her back and shush her gently when she started to mutter something about a mean man.

" Da-da. Da-da? Dad! Da-da!"

" Shh. Don't worry Hayden. Da-da is here. I won't let anyone take you away. Go to sleep, love. I'm here"

He whispered comforts into her ear until she stopped calling out for him. Wynter kissed her hair and sighed, going up the stairs careful not to let his movements wake her up.

And Julian stared after him. He looked at the way Wynter held his sister close as if he was afraid of losing her. As if he was afraid that she would someday walk away. Pure brotherly protectiveness radiated off him.

" Does she have nightmares?" Julian asked in a low tone when Wynter was back in the kitchen.

" Rarely" he answered going through the presentation on the laptop, keeping an eye out for any typos or mistakes.

" Wynter...are you the only one who takes care of your sister?"

" Yes"

" I can't believe it. Is it genetic or have you rubbed off on her?"

Wynter looked up, eyes slitted " What are you talking about?"

" The independence. I'm telling you, that little girl doesn't need no man to protect her. She's going to live by her own rules and kick the asses of everyone who tells her how to live."

" I rubbed off on her a little and the rest she learnt from the bed time stories I tell her"

" I've never had someone tell me bedtime stories. Must be nice" Julian muttered, remembering how his mother used to hum her favourite songs out to him. She never told stories, now Julian knew why.

Stories tell about rebels, bravery, courage. All that will make a child want to be different and stand up for themselves. She always said— Stories are for people who only dream.

And it was too late by the time Julian realised that it is when you dream that you actually live. Dreams are an important part of life. Your dreams define who you are and who you want to be.

" It is. A story makes you live a whole different life. When you read books you live hundreds of lives. You can escape or just go for a vacation or just believe for some time in things that are not real. Things like luck and coincidences"

Wynter looked up when Julian didn't reply. Julian was staring at a text on his phone with a look of extreme and pure disbelief.

Julian couldn't hear anything. His ears were ringing with a strange sound and his eyes ran again and again over Ren's text message.

adRENaline-junkie: Ur mom is setting u up. Im pretty sure she invited Layla Russel over for dinner.
adRENaline-junkie:Just a heads up. Sry bro. It's best u don't go home.

" Wynter...I...I need to go. I'm sorry—"

" Don't worry. Yeah. I'll see you later?"

Julian paused his rushing to shoot a wide smile at Wynter " Yeah. You will."

Wynter froze when Julian randomly threw an arm across his back in a side hug " Night Wynter. I'll see you at school" he said and a few seconds later Wynter heard the front door slam shut.

Another few seconds later he heard Mrs.Kipling shrieking.

" Begone you child of Satan! Get your sinful soul away from me!"

Julian's ever cheerful voice replied " Yes I'll definitely see you later Mrs Kipling! Glad to see you're so fond of me! Have a wonderful evening"