Chapter 59 59

Chapter 59 59


The morning sun reflected through the window, bright lines cutting across the bed and Azxel’s bare shoulder. Jaelen blinked awake slowly, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.

The clock on the wall showed past eight. They had slept longer than planned, but today wasn’t about rushing.

“Wake up, Zel,” Jaelen said quietly, his voice still thick from sleep. He rolled onto his side, propped up on one elbow, and brushed Azxel’s messy hair back from his forehead.

Azxel made a low sound in a groan and continued to protest and turned his face deeper into the pillow. “It’s too early…”

Jaelen huffed a small laugh. “It’s not early. Mum’s already up. I heard her moving around, you need to get ready.”

Azxel cracked one eye open, squinting at Jaelen. “Ready for what?”

Jaelen sat up, the sheets falling to his waist. “Today. You leave for the rehab school, did you forget? That’s not funny Zel. We leave at ten.”

Azxel pushed himself up on his elbow. His eyes brightened instantly sharp and excited.
“Today,” he repeated with a low voice, like the word tasted good. “Sky will be there, That means i get to see Sky today.”

Jaelen nodded. “Yeah.”

Azxel sat up fully now, the sheets pooling around him. He looked at Jaelen for a long second, his eyes searching, hungry in that same way from last night.

Jaelen reached over and cupped Azxel’s jaw gently, then brushed his cheek with his thumb. “You okay?”

Azxel leaned into the touch. “I will be.”

Jaelen kissed him quickly soft, “morning kiss,” he said with a smile.

Azxel chased it a little when Jaelen pulled back, but Jaelen smiled and stood.
“Come on, shower, then breakfast. Mum’s making something.”

Azxel watched him walk to the wardrobe, pulling out the small duffel bag, the same one from last time. Azxel stayed on the bed, his knees drawn up, and his arms wrapped around them.

Jaelen tossed a fresh t-shirt and boxers onto the mattress. “You first. I’ll start packing your stuff.”

Azxel caught the clothes but didn’t move yet.
“Jaelen.”

Jaelen looked over his shoulder. Azxel’s voice came quiet. “You’ll drive me today?”

Jaelen nodded. “Yeah. I told you yesterday.”

Azxel swallowed. “That’s true.”

Jaelen turned fully, and walked back to the bed, sat on the edge. “Always.”

Azxel reached out, took Jaelen’s hand and held it tight for a second, then he let go and stood up walking to the bathroom.

Jaelen started packing clothes for Azxel, the ones that made him comfortable like his jeans, hoodies, underwears and the small notebook he had noticed Azxel sometimes wrote in.

He folded everything neatly. He worked quiet, listening to the shower running.

Azxel came out ten minutes later, with a towel draped around his waist and his hair dripping wet. He looked calmer and less hollow.

Jaelen handed him an oversized t-shirt. Azxel pulled it on, then sat on the bed beside the bag.

Jaelen kept folding. Azxel spoke after a minute. “I don’t want to go back.”

Jaelen’s hands paused. “I know.”

“But…” Azxel looked at the bag. “Sky’s there.”

Jaelen zipped the bag halfway. “And I’ll be here. When you come back next break.”

Azxel nodded slowly.

Jaelen stood. “Come on, mum’s waiting with breakfast.”

Azxel followed him out, his mother had already set plates of spaghetti and sauce, simple. She looked up when they entered, and smiled tiredly, she was always worn out.

“Sit,” she said. “After breakfast, Jaelen would take you there.”

Azxel sat down quietly while Jaelen sat beside him. They ate quietly .

After breakfast, Azxel helped clear the table, first time in weeks he didn’t just leave the dishes.

His mother noticed, she was so happy her son was coming back to normal but she didn’t ’t comment. She just smiled, touching his arm once when he passed her.

The morning moved faster than expected, Azxel stood by the front door, with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and Jaelen stood beside him with his keys in hand.

His mother came over and hugged Azxel tightly, like she was afraid he’d disappear.
“Be good,” she whispered. “Call me if anything happens.”

Azxel nodded into her shoulder. “I will.”

She pulled back and turned towards Jaelen. “Drive safely.”

Jaelen nodded. “I will.”

They walked out together, with Jaelen asking Azxel to pass the duffel to him but Azxel refused.

Azxel threw the duffel into the back seat and got in the passenger seat. Jaelen started the engine and they set off.

Azxel’s hand subconsciously went to Jaelen’s thigh right away, it had become a little habit of his. Jaelen covered it with his own.

They drove in silence and Azxel staring at Jaelen the whole way.

Jaelen didn’t speak, he just let Azxel stare at him and do whatever he wanted.

“Jae, this is not the way to the school.” Azxel pointed out after realizing Jaelen had droven the wrong way.

“Jae?” Jaelen looked surprised, “Did you just call me Jae? You called me the nickname?”

Jaelen continued driving, his eyes fixed on the road, but a small smile tugged at his lips.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Jae. You haven’t called me that in… a long time.”

Azxel blinked, like he only just realized what slipped out. His fingers tightened on Jaelen’s thigh. “I… I don’t know why I said it. Have i called you that before?”

Jaelen glanced at him once. “You’ve forgotten but It’s okay….”

Azxel looked out the window again. The streets weren’t leading to the rehab school. The familiar turns toward the gates were missing.

Instead, Jaelen was heading toward the city center. Azxel’s breathing changed quickly.
“Jae,” he said again, his voice tighter this time. “This isn’t the way.”

Jaelen’s grip on the wheel stayed steady. “I know.”

Azxel’s hand jerked back from Jaelen’s thigh like it burned. “Stop the car.”

Jaelen didn’t, he signaled left instead and turned into a quieter road that led straight to the main hospital entrance.

Azxel’s chest started rising and falling too fast. “Jae… stop. Stop the fucking car.”

Jaelen pulled into the hospital parking lot, found a spot near the emergency entrance, and killed the engine.

Azxel’s hands flew to his chest. “You lied to me? I thought, you said you were taking me to school. You said—”

“I didn’t lie,” Jaelen said calmly, turning to face him. “I said I was driving you. I didn’t say to where.”

Azxel’s eyes went wide, panic flooding in. “You’re taking me to the hospital? Why? I’m not, I’m not sick, I’m fine. I just —Sky is waiting at school. You said —”

His words cut off and his breathing turned ragged, his hands shaking and his vision blurring at the edges.

Jaelen reached over slowly, with an open palm. “Azxel, breathe with me. In… out. You’re okay.”

Azxel slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me. You tricked me. You and Mum, you both planned this, right? You lied just to drag me here today. You—”

He gasped, clutching his shirt. “I can’t breathe. Jae— I can’t—”

Jaelen unbuckled his seatbelt fast. “I’m getting help, stay here.”

He stepped out, and ran toward the emergency doors, waving down the first nurse he saw.

Azxel stayed in the car, with the door open now and his legs hanging out. He placed his head between his knees trying to breathe but failing.

The world tilted, footsteps approached him, then a shadow he could recognize even if he were blind appeared.

Azxel looked up through blurry eyes. Sky stood there with a black hoodie and a sharp smirk. His piercing dark eyes locked on Azxel like nothing else existed.

“Hey,” Sky said. “You came looking for me.”

Azxel’s breath hitched. “Sky…”

Behind Sky, his dad he hadn’t seen for years appeared.

“Azxel,” his dad called gently. “Let us help you.”

Azxel stared between them, “What’s going on here?”