Where Are You

HOLA PEEPS!! THANK YOU for sticking with me during the course of "Where Are You".

Readers can make or break a writer...and your support meant the world to me. I thank you xx

This is the FINAL episode of the story. I hope I do you guys justice. Enjoy!

Stay safe, Ryan

WHERE ARE YOU

** PREVIOUS CHAPTER **

"We finish the game, and then you stay away from me."

Zack was halfway back to the goal line when he turned around and looked Tyler straight in the eye...

"You don't know how much I loved you..."

CHAPTER FIVE

"Can I ask, what exactly is the purpose of your visit here, Mister Garrett? In all the years that Mister Jackson has been here, he had only ever received visits from his biological mother. And even that was in sheer moderation."

"We are...well shall we say, old friends? I haven't seen him in four long years. I thought I'd look him up and I was told he was here. I think he will be surprised...maybe, even stunned, to see me."

The ward sister typed in some needless information on her station laptop and after a few moments, she returned her focus towards Zack.

"You're in luck, Mister Garrett. Visiting hours are in about ten minutes time. You're more than welcome to enter the hall where all family and friends are awaiting the students."

"Thank you, Nurse. You don't know what this visit will mean to me."

**

Inside, Zack sat down, his fingers unable to stay still. His heart was beating rapidly. His teeth was tightly clenched, so much so, that he actually managed to bite the inside of his bottom lip.

Tasting the clear red blood, he was once again reminded why he was here. He had an old score to settle. One he had been waiting for, for four long years.

He closed his eyes, reliving all the bullying he had suffered over the years at the hands of the guy he was visiting.

All the hurt and sadness. All the pushing, shoving, the beatings after school. Knowing that telling the teachers about it, complaining to his parents, or asking his classmates for help, wouldn't have worked, because as always, the allegations would only be denied.

After he had recovered from his head injury years ago, and was facing a future where epilepsy would be playing a huge part in his life, his father had taken him to the gym, in order to toughen him up. Although he couldn't remember anything, little bits and pieces here and there, but not enough to understand why he was bullied, he vowed never, ever to be anyone's victim ever again.

Every hurt, every pain, every muscle spasm, every leg cramp...and every time he wanted to give up, every time he was so out of breath, he couldn't stand straight, because the work out was getting too next level...he would imagine himself facing his attackers again sometime.

Only this time, in a world, where he would be the main man. Where they would be scared shitless of him, Zachary Palmer.

He never gave up, even when he had suffered seizures as a result overdoing a work out. It was like something inside his brain was egging him on...do more! Do more!

One more set of sit ups. One more set of weightlifting. Early morning runs, and even doing several laps inside his pool at home, even when in winter and his body was freezing. He kept going.

Until, one day, there was nothing left of the little boy he once was. The one who was bullied relentlessly. Who had been everyone's punching bag back in middle school.

Suddenly, he had the respect of his peers. Girl's eyes widened as they saw him without his shirt on. Boys actually wanted to be like him, and be his friends. People went out of their way to hang out with him. He was actually...INVITED to school parties and get together's after school and on the weekends.

For the first-time ever...his new persona had changed his entire life, for the better.

He was never, ever bullied again, to the present day.

Zachary Palmer had truly evolved into Zack Garrett.

That's who he truly was.

**

And, here he was. Today, he was going to look that bastard straight in the eyes and make him apologise for ruining his life.

For ruining everything.

For ruining himself and the one boy that he still, even after everything had been thrown out into the open, he still loved with all his heart.

His fingers clenched tightly into fists as the first of the students were let out into the hall where their families and friends were gathered. Some hugged their siblings, others only shook hands, whilst some of the older boys simply sat down with their visitors and refused to speak.

Zack's eyes near quite bolted inside their sockets as he finally saw the person who he had come all the way to see.

My God.

He was a mere shadow of his former self, to say the least. The big bad bully of middle school, who near every body who wasn't inside his circle of skanks were terrified of. Petrified even. The one boy who you REALLY didn't wanna cross. Or grass on.

Said boy was looking urgently around the hall, searching for who ever had come to visit him. Only ever his mother did, according to the nurse, and god knows she wasn't in the room...

A frown appeared on the face of the overweight, oversized lump of a boy. He then spotted Zack, in the corner of the room.

Two pairs of eyes made contact for the first time in four years...for the first time since the afternoon that said bully had been hitting thirteen year old Zack in his stomach repeatedly, so much so, that blood had spat from his mouth and onto his school clothes and on the tarred street.

So much so, that he, in a state of total fear for his life, had kicked this monster of a person in his nuts and had sped off to where he thought he would be safe...only to of course, run into Tyler...who was stationed there on this...this despicable human being's orders before him.

Zack stood up. He stretched out his lanky, muscled arms, as if this was a normal session at the gym. His legs were strong, almost like tree trunks. The shirt he was wearing left nothing, I repeat, nothing to the imagination. His abs were rock solid, his upper chest was ripped.

Zack Garrett was a powerhouse.

Zachary Palmer, was not.

Signalling at the boy who had a scowl on his face from the moment he had seen him, Zack sat down at the only remaining open table. He was soon joined by the sheer fat slob, and up close, he looked even worse.

Somewhere, somebody must have given him a real good thrashing. The bruises looked fresh and recent. His eyes were both swollen and black, his arms were splattered with blue-yellow marks and he seemed to walk with a slightly weakened leg.

There was nothing...absolutely nothing left of the former big boss of middle school students...in other circumstances it would have been rather sad.

Zack felt absolutely no emotion as the boy sat down in the chair opposite him. He thought he might, when he had driven over here, and especially when he was waiting inside the corridor.

There was nothing. He knew, at this moment, he was untouchable. He had the upper hand.

How the world could change, and in only four short years...

**

"Who the fuck are ya?"

Zack leaned back and with a slight smile on his dashing face, he never took his eyes off the lump opposite him.

"Wow...you really don't recognise me?"

"Look dude, no one ever comes to see me, so if you are just gonna sit there and smile at me, I have better things to do."

"Not nice being someone's bitch, is it?"

The boy turned around, just as he was about to get off the chair. His eyes, or what was currently left of them, narrowed as he desperately tried to place who exactly this muscled man was.

"You don't know anything about me..." he snarled, gripping his chair with shaking hands.

Zack smiled even wider and leaned forward, his voice nothing more than a sheer whisper...

"Oh, I think I do. You like bullying little kids. You like being in-charge. Being the big man. You like getting away with your crap, because you know your friends and your girlfriend will support you."

The boy's body seemed to slump inside his chair. His eyes now as wide as saucers. Zack though, wasn't finished.

"I also know, that four years ago you beat up a little boy, after school, so hard that he felt the need to attack you. He kicked you in the balls!"

Eyes flickering. A memory recollected...

"He ran away from you. He didn't make it very far. Because YOU...YOU had one of your minions ready and waiting for him. That fucker pushed the little boy so damn hard that he fell and sliced his head open."

The overweight former bully lost the last bit of colour that was still inside his plump cheeks.

"I was that little boy, Paxton. You remember me, now?"

Paxton puffed, which turned into a full on cough for breath. Zack simply sat there and watched him until one of the fellow students walked past them, slapping Pax on his back twice, to stop the terrible gargling noise that he was making.

Paxton's eyes and nose were bright red as he recovered from his sudden burst of panic. Zack smirked inwardly as he saw Pax glance over his strong upper body, his shoulders, his good looks, his handsome posture and of course...his biceps which were ridded with muscle.

"Zachary Palmer..." Paxton whispered in sheer disbelief.

"Ten out of ten. Right you are," Zack said, raising his hand towards Paxton for a fist bump. Needless to say, Pax wasn't in the mood to make friends.

"No...no, you died...you disappeared. This...you can't be him. That nerd was a little faggot who deserved what he got! You...with that body...no, you can't be him. Tell me who you really are, or I swear I'll..."

"You'll what? Hit me? Bully me? Tell Beyonce to give you, Tipp and Tyler false alibis?"

Realization struck Paxton like a dick inside his ass. He still, ever so slightly were shaking his head, as if trying to find that nerdy little geek poof inside this beautiful, handsome stud sitting opposite him.

God...he wasn't lying...this dude knew way too much accurate info to be conning him. This was well and truly...

"Zachary...so what now? Come in here to gloat? To show off? To get some revenge? Bad luck, pal! I'm outta here when I turn eighteen. And that's next week. So what ever you are trying to pull here, it ain't working."

The smile never left Zack's face. Paxton looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel.

"Look here, you faggot. I don't care how big you are now. I don't care how many muscles you have. If you don't leave me the fuck alone now, I'll come for you. When I leave next week, you will be the first on my list. I'll damn well slice you open. I hate gays. I can't stand them. Y'all deserve to be gassed...now get out and never come back!"

Zack leaned forward, his biceps flexing. He saw the intimidation in Paxton's eyes, as reluctantly as it was. It was there.

Paxton was scared...both of them knew it. Good God...how long had he waited for this day...

"Well Pax, after four years of reformatory school, you're still just the same, hateful, smug, bastard you always were. Money well spent, then. You know...I'd love...LOVE to see how you will, in your words, slice me up. Firstly, I doubt if you can catch me with that fat suit you're wearing. Secondly, even if you do, this little nerd, has grown some muscles. Your fat ass won't know what hit it. Thirdly...and this is truly fascinating...you WON'T be going home next week, when you turn eighteen."

Pax looked like he really, desperately wanted to lurch across the table and choke the life out of Zack...he glanced towards the guards stationed at every exit and swallowed hard, his face a demeaning wretch on society.

"I'm getting out of here. Reform school can't hold you after you turn eighteen. Check the facts!" He spat out, his saliva literally missing Zack's face by a sheer whisker.

Zack sat back and showed his killer smile to his former tormentor.

"I didn't say you weren't getting out of here, my dude. I said you won't be going home."

"Shut up, you nasty little cunt..."

"No, you shut up!"

Zack sat forward in blistering speed, Paxton was shoved a little backwards in retaliation. What he saw in Zack's eyes was four years of hurt, anger and unfairness bundled up into one human being.

Not for the first time since Zack had spoken, he, Paxton, was engulfed by fear. This wasn't the little blond boy with glasses he once knew...not by a long shot...

"I had memory loss ever since Tyler pushed me onto that pavement. I have epilepsy because of it, you piece of shit! Last week, my memory finally returned. I remember everything. EVERYTHING. And guess what...I told the cops to reopen the case they were forced to close four years ago. They remember it well. And...oh yeah ...and I finally told them who had attacked me."

Pax's arms slumped next to his near life less body... as Zack once and for all, played his trump card ...and finally got his revenge...

"Frankie "Tipp" Greyson...and Paxton Jackson."

"YOU FUCKING FAGGOT!"

Paxton was immediately held by two of the security guards who had been watching the boys close since they had sat down in the first place. They cuffed him and violently dragged him back to his quarters, kicking and screaming more than what his overweight body must have done in a very long time.

"You think you won? You think you're so strong now? I'll GET you! I'm gonna KILL you, you stupid FAGGOT...!"

Zack stood up and calmly faced all the people that was still inside the visiting hall, who were looking at him in sheer fascination after all that commotion...

Zack straightened out his clothing and pointed towards where the guards had taken Paxton.

"That...was my middle school bully. He's going to trial for attempted murder, and assault next week. Feels good. Real good."

Placing his sunglasses on his face, the hall burst out in thunderous applause, as Zachary Garrett Palmer made his way out of the reformatory school.

**

Outside in his car, he took off the glasses, as tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Two days ago, he went to the police station with his parents, in full mind and body to confess the three, yes, three names of the kids who had been responsible for his terrible attack...yet somehow, for some reason, he could only name two of his attackers.

The remaining name was left silent. He wanted to name and shame. He knew it was the right thing to do...but saying the name out in words...calling out Tyler Johnson as his third attacker...he just...couldn't.

Both Tipp and Paxton would now get their just rewards, if everything went well.

For now, that was enough for Zack.

**

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, man...dunno what to say. Dunno how it happened."

"What, are you six? You really dunno how it happened?"

"Well, of course I KNOW! But still...it's scary ain't it? I'm shaking here, bro!"

Tyler reached out and hugged Kyle towards him in a brotherly manner. The poor guy was indeed, shaking like a leaf.

"What am I, a red card here?" Lenny said laughing and joined in the hug.

The three friends held each other tight, the first time they had actually ever done so. Friendship went deeper than that...because, with the news that they had just been given, they damn well earned it!

"So what happens now?" Tyler asked as he released Kyle and Lenny, the former plonking himself down on Tyler's bed, in what seemed like defeat.

"I dunno. She wants to have the abortion but my parents said no, they won't allow that."

"Do they even have a say, bro? I mean, this is Yvonne's baby at the end of the day..."

"Fuck about! It's mine too!" Kyle said, frustration and sweat mingling on his forehead.

"Then go and talk to her. Nothing is gonna be solved if you guys just ignore each other. Look Kyle, being a dad at seventeen, well, it sounds kinda crap. But I bet ya...when you hold your son or baby girl in your arms...I know, you'll love that baby with everything you got."

Kyle sat for a minute, quietly, and thought what Tyler had just said, before openly tearing up and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Y'all think so? I'm scared, man..."

"Know so!" both Tyler and Lenny said in unison, before they burst out into their cackling laughter.

Kyle wasn't exactly amused.

"At least I know that my cum is powerful enough to get a girl preggers!" he shot back in utter humiliation.

"Dude! I don't WANT my cum to be THAT potent! I'm happy to fuck every girl that moves! I don't wanna be a dad! And as for Tyler...well he's not gonna knock up a guy, now is he?"

Tyler smiled ruefully.

"Have you heard from him? Zack, I mean," Lenny asked, carefully.

Tyler shook his head, sadly.

"Nope. Been leaving messages like mad. No reply. He's not gonna get over this. It's done, boys. We're done. And I got no one to blame but myself."

"Can't understand why you just didn't tell him the god damn truth, when you discovered who he really was," Kyle said his attention finally away from his newly pregnant girlfriend.

"Kyle...bro, have you ever been in love?"

"Sure I have! Girls I had fucked..."

"That's not what I asked. Have you ever loved someone so much, that it hurts when they're not with you? That you think of twenty-four hours a day? That makes you smile and warm inside your chest when you see them? Well? Have you?"

Lenny, as well as Kyle had their heads down, and both admitting that they hadn't. Not in THAT way.

"I'm not a bully, guys. I never did the things Pax and Tipp did. Doesn't excuse me from anything though. I pushed him. Hard. Trying to defend myself. If I could go back in time, I would. But I can't!"

It was Lenny who placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder and softly caressed it.

"If you love something, you set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never really was."

Both Tyler and Kyle had dropped open mouths at what had just come out of Lenny's mouth.

"You high, bro?" Kyle asked.

"No. I read it on the toilet paper when I was having a shit this morning," Lenny replied and popped another crisp into his mouth.

**

A knock at the window. It was after nine in the evening and like every day before a big match, Kyle made sure that he was in bed by half past eight, at least. It was kinda his ritual...he needed to mentally prepare unless he wanted to risk losing his captaincy. Now more than ever.

The school's under 17 soccer team were already in sheer last place on the log, after being crowned champions only the term before. A terrible start to this term, had owned to both Tyler and Zack being unable to play, and the team had collectively decided to forfeit those four games. Of the three that they had played since, they won one, and lost two.

Saying that the team had felt the effects of Tyler and Zack's breakup was an understatement. The two clashed in every way on the pitch, making bad decisions in games out of sheer spite and anger in their personal lives. Yesterday, Coach Anderson had threatened to take away captaincy from Tyler and give it to Lenny, if he didn't pull his socks up. Immediately.

Once more, Zack heard the knock at the window, followed closely by a small rock or something being thrown at it.

Tyler got up and peered out of his window, and saw a tall, blonde, handsome boy standing, hiding a few feet away.

"Zack!" he whispered, before opening the window wide enough for Zack to climb in.

"Can we talk?" Zack asked, his face emotionless.

"Yeah, of course," Tyler hastily replied and stepped back to allow Zack and his long limbs to get inside, and out of the cold.

Zack rubbed his two hands together, they were absolutely freezing. He was relieved to be inside the warmth of Tyler's bedroom...yeah...THAT was the only reason...the warmth...

"Look, I won't stay long..."

"I really don't mind, it's so good to see..."

"I went to see Paxton."

Tyler's eyes widened. As always, when he heard that name, his heart rate started to drastically increase.

"Why the fuck would you do that?"

Zack sat down on Tyler's bed. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I looked that son of a bitch directly in his eyes and told him what I really wanted to all these years. Plus, he's not getting out next week, as he thought. I gave his and Tipp's names to the cops as the boys who attacked me. They reopened the case. There is gonna be a hearing now on Monday."

"Are you serious? Are you sure you got your memory back?" Tyler asked, his voice hoarse with disbelief.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zack asked, irritatingly so.

Tyler sat down next to his ex-boyfriend.

"You have any idea how dangerous Pax was aged thirteen? He's even more so now! I hear stuff, all the time! You taunting him isn't gonna help your case! He'll simply do what he did in middle school! Get people to back him up and Tipp will be the first to deny they did it!"

Zack continued to rub his hands as Tyler spoke, before he blew out his pent up breath.

"If you testify against them, it's all over. You were a part of their gang. Your testimony will bury him."

Tyler was quiet for a minute or so. He seemed in two minds of what to do. Was he really prepared to, for the first time in his life, do what he was too cowardly to do back then...turn against Paxton?

Even four years too late?

Zack frowned as he studied Tyler.

"You know why I jumped you that day?"

Tyler looked straight into Zack's beautiful emerald green eyes. The most beautiful human being he had ever seen...

"I thought you weren't gonna help me. They were after me, and you were in my way. Have you seen Tipp's size, never mind Paxton's? I had to do SOMETHING! Are you gonna leave me hanging again? Whilst you wonder what to do?"

Zack slowly, reluctantly, placed his hand solidly on Tyler's shoulder, and he felt the other boy shudder at his touch...Zack swallowed hard...he loved this guy...so much had happened...and yet, he couldn't for the life of him, find it inside his heart to hate Tyler.

"How about doing the right thing, this time?" Zack whispered, gently rubbing Tyler's shoulder.

Two boys, both who had been through so much these last four years, stared deeply into each other's eyes, as if they were the only two teenagers on this green earth.

"I'm sorry I spat on you..." Zack whispered.

"I'm sorry I lied to you..." Tyler quietly replied.

Little by little their two pairs of lips drew ever closer, until they finally touched...the sheer force of magnetism that drew them together, unstoppable, like a vice.

One solid kiss...that was it.

Tyler nibbled on Zack's lower lip before he released it. He pressed his forehead against that of Zack...the latter doing nothing to stop it.

"I have to go," Zack whispered.

"We have a game tomorrow..." Tyler replied.

"Yeah..." Zack sighed as he stood up and walked quickly over to the window. He was so damn rock hard inside his trousers, he could fuck a watermelon right then...if he had to stay with Tyler for one more second...he wouldn't be responsible for his actions...

"Zack, wait."

Zack stopped, but he didn't turn around. He could hear Tyler urgently rummaging through some stuff on his desk. His dick had managed to cool down some, and just as he felt okay to face Tyler, the boy was behind him. He had a book in his hand, that looked almost like a diary of some sort.

"I can't force to you read this, but you always said you wanted the truth. It's all in there. Look at March, twenty-first."

Zack saw that the dairy was dated back to 2016...March 2016...?

"I had my accident in March of 2016" he said quietly.

Tyler took hold of Zack's large hands and carefully placed the diary inside, before caressing the boy's knuckles with his thumb.

"Just read it. Please."

**

"Mister Johnson! Did you hear what I said?"

Tyler was shoved back into reality. He looked over to the prosecutor, who was getting just, a little fed up with him.

Behind said prosecutor, was Tipp and Paxton, glaring at him, as if they wanted to murder him through laser beams shot directly from their eyes.

Zack had already given his statement, but so did both bullies as well, who exactly as both Tyler and Zack had thought, solemnly denied the charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.

Say about Tipp and Paxton what you wanted, but they sure as fuck weren't gonna go down easily.

Where as Paxton had his downslide in life, Tipp had been a little more self responsible...and had gotten decent grades and was due to graduate the following year. Although not as badly turned out as his buddy Paxton, he was still scum...just, unlike Paxton, he was clever scum.

Both Tyler and Zack knew they were in for a fight when Beyonce of all people were called to the stand.

Tyler shook his head...after all this time...how did they manage to convince her to lie for them...AGAIN?

Beyonce and Zack were friends from Kindergarten! Best friends! You would have never guessed it ...she stood on that podium and told a solid pack of lies that made Paxton look like a saint on legs.

Tyler wasn't giving up though, and had managed to gather several of the teenagers who were bullied by both Tipp and Paxton over the years. Some of them had given damning evidence, in one instance, in the form of a note that Pax had written to the boy back then, threatening to murder his newly born puppy dog, if he ever told his parents he was being bullied.

Of course Pax denied it being his handwriting...a monster, he truly was.

Finally, now, it was Tyler's turn to testify. Being inside Pax's gang himself, his testimony could swing things either way. He cast his eyes over towards Zack... he really needs this. He needed justice. Bullied mercilessly by these two for years and years...this had to stop.

He had made his decision.

It would stop. It stops right here.

He knew what had to be done.

Tyler took a deep breath...

**

"It was me, Your Honour. I pushed Mister Palmer off me, in self defence. As a result, he tripped over his feet, allowing him to fall and smash his head in."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Zack stood up and screamed top of his voice, his face crazy with emotion, his eyes blood shot and fiery red.

"It's true, Your Honour. Misters Jackson and Greyson attacked Mister Palmer physically, I personally saw Tipp, I mean, Mister Greyson hold Mister Palmer's hands behind his back, so that Pax, I mean, Mister Jackson could assault him. He was lying on the tarred road, bleeding, begging for mercy. Pax grabbed him again, and told Tipp to let his arm get loose. Pax got right inside Zack's face and told him what he thought of gay people. Your Honour, he went as far as saying that he would kill Zack if he told anyone he had hurt him. He said it twice, I heard it! I never wanted to hurt, Mister Palmer. I was too much of a coward, to stop them. Desperate for protection at school and from peer pressure."

Tyler wiped the tears that was rolling from his eyes. He sunk in his stomach. His breathing was struggling to be kept under control. He looked at Zack...the latter was holding his head in his hands, staring straight at the floor.

"Zack then defended himself by kicking Pax in his privates. He sped off, scared of what they might do in retaliation. He ran straight into me, where Paxton had told me to wait. I was in two minds whether to help him or not, I was so afraid of Paxton. I waited too long, and Zack jumped me. In my defence, I pushed him back, and he fell on his head. It's my fault. It's all my fault..."

**

Tyler was inside the chamber waiting for the final verdict along with Lenny and Kyle when in burst, a desperate Zack.

"Why? Why, Tyler? I told you not to say anything! You're gonna go to jail now with them, for fuck's sake...this was all for nothing! Damn you, Tyler! I love you, you stupid idiot! Why do this to me?"

Tyler saw the angst the sadness, the utter condemnation inside Zack's crying eyes. He stood up and hugged his best friend, very tightly, and held him against his chest whilst Zack cried.

"I love you...always...always have and always will...I couldn't be a hypocrite any longer. It had to come out. You don't know what I've been going through keeping that secret. The nightmares..."

Zack let out a soft roar of sadness and held Tyler tighter.

"If I go to jail, then so be it. At least, now, finally, my conscious is clear. I can move on. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear."

Zack buried his face inside the crook of Tyler's neck.

"I can't...I need you..."

"You, my friend, are one of the strongest people I know. You survived an unspeakable accident. You turned your life around...no one in their right mind would EVER mess with Zachary Palmer ever again."

Tyler released Zack from the hug, and held his face inside his hands. Gently, slowly, as if he would break if he so much as touched him, he wiped away Zack's tears from his eyes.

"You did it, buddy. Those two are finally gonna pay for everything they had done to all those kids. You did it, you bloody hero."

Zack smiled sadly, and kissed Tyler.

Tyler in return, caressed Zack's wavy blond hair that he loved so much.

"Never again...whether I'm in prison or not, will I have to remember little Zachary Palmer's body on that pavement and wonder...Where Are You? I love you, so much."

Kyle and Lenny stood up and just like before inside Tyler's bedroom, this time with the addition of Zack, the four friends came together in solidarity. The group hug was just what they had needed.

A bell sounded inside the courtroom upstairs.

The jury had made their decisions.

The verdict was in.

**

"Mister Frankie, aka Tipp Greyson has pleaded NOT GUILTY to the accusation of assault to cause grievous bodily harm towards Mister Zachary Garrett Palmer. How does the Jury find the accused?"

An old-ish bald man stood up with a list of papers in front of him, and answered the Judge's question on the behalf of the jury members.

"We find the accused...

...GUILTY on all charges."

"Fuckkkk..." Kyle whispered, as he and Lenny both had their arms around Zack in support.

Zack was emotionless. His body shuddered as the verdict was delivered, but that was it.

Tipp had a look on his face that somehow matched somewhere between disbelief and toothache.

He casted one, last comdemning look towards Zack...as if he still had not seemed to believe that this...unbelievably strong young man was in fact that little boy he had tormented years ago, as they cuffed him, and silently led him away, he would remain in prison until his sentencing.

"Mister Paxton Jackson, please stand."

Both Lenny and Kyle shook with shock as Zack suddenly sat upright, his hands trembling on his knees.

Please...please...

**

"Mister Paxton Jackson has pleaded NOT GUILTY to the accusations of attempted murder towards Mister Zachary Garrett Palmer. How does the Jury find the accused?"

Please ...please God...

"We find the accused...

...NOT GUILTY!"

"FUCK ABOUT!" Kyle yelled in sheer anger.

Paxton's face was a sheer picture of pride and self confidence. He laughed as he looked over to first, Zack and then finally, at a devastated Tyler.

"The Jury found that there was insufficient evidence to convict the accused of premeditated murder."

"He said he would kill me. (Chapter 1). Over and over. He even said it at the reform school...how...?" Zack murmured, complete and utter defeat inside his soul.

"There's no justice in this world..." Lenny said, scowling.

**

"Now to the second charge against the accused...assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm towards Mister Zachary Garrett Palmer...the accused has pleaded NOT GUILTY. The Jury finds the accused...?"

Once more, the bald man shuffled his papers.

This was it.

Paxton has already managed to escape attempted murder...if he somehow was equitted of the second charge as well...

A entire court collectively held its breath.

"The jury finds the accused, Paxton Jackson...

...GUILTY on charges of assault!"

Tyler closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer upwards towards the Big Man upstairs. At least, some justice had been served.

All the teenagers, who were bullied as middle school leaners by Paxton stood up united as one to applaud the decision, as did majority of the court.

As for Paxton himself, his body seemed to slumped forward as the security guards literally had to drag him away, after cuffing him. He would too, await in jail, to hear his sentencing.

If only one could go back in time, and tell each and every one of Paxton's victims that they would, one day, get their justice in court...and redemption of every survivor that had been bullied by him...if only...

**

Meanwhile, Zack's eyes were like daggers. It was time for Tyler's sentence...

**

Mister Tyler Johnson, please stand."

Tyler stood up and puffed out his chest. He imagined himself being on the soccer field. His team was drawing 1-1 and he was about to take a last minute penalty, and if he scored, he would win the game for his team.

"How do you find the accused, Tyler Johnson, in his own admittance, on the charges of assault, in order to cause grievous bodily harm towards Zachary Garrett Palmer?"

The bald man wiped away the sweat from his brow.

"The Jury finds Tyler Johnson..."

Tyler closed his eyes.

Zack prayed to the heavens.

"...NOT GUILTY of all charges!"

A ROAR as loud as the court had ever heard broke out in sheer celebration as the verdict was made.

Tyler's eyes was still closed shut as he felt a pair of arms grab him and pull him tightly against a body. Zack's deodorant gave away who it was.

"It's over. It's all over...I love you. I love you so much..." he could hear Zack whisper in his ear, only so that he alone, could hear the beautiful, powerful words.

Tyler stood inside Zack's arms...his nightmare finally over. His relief, the sheer love he had for Zack, his soulmate, was more than he had deserved.

He had scored the penalty...and won the game.

For four long years, since that terrible afternoon back in middle school, he had refused to allow himself any sort of happiness, the guilt, the agony over what happened to little Zachary Palmer, was over, at long last.

Tyler reached around with his arms and hugged the boy he loved towards him.

This...was what dreams, were made of.

** FOUR YEARS LATER **

"Zep! I told you to stay away from the fire! Come here, you stupid kid..."

Zep squeaked with delight, knowing his father didn't mean it, and as Kyle finally caught hold of his son, both of them fell onto the freshly cut grass, both of them giggling like sheer little boys.

"That boy is four years old today and I still can't believe you called your son, Zeppelin..." Lenny said, holding hands with his girlfriend as she slipped a cold beer into his hand.

"I happen to like Led Zeppelin, y'all know that," Kyle said, smirking as he gave his son a kiss. The boy screamed in sheer excitement. It was clear he loved and adored his father, and very much at that.

"Obsessed more like it," Lenny whispered so only Tyler could hear, with the latter nodding in his smile.

"Food is almost done! Ty, gimme a hand over here..." Zack asked as he winked at his boyfriend.

Tyler put down his own beer and jogged with Zack over towards the barbeque.

"Ty, I didn't wanna say anything in front of the others, just yet..."

"What the hell happened now? Don't tell me Paxton got parole or something..."

"After stabbing that inmate last week? Doubt it. He's looking at twenty-five to life! Nothing bad, it's just...Mrs Milner from the adoption agency phoned me a minute ago...we've been approved!"

"What the...that's great news! Dude...next year this time we could have our own little family..." Tyler hissed excitedly, as he stood upwards and hugged Zack towards him.

They stood hugging in total unison until they smelled something burning...

"Shit! The sausages!" Tyler yelled and between giggles, they quickly managed to get the food under control.

"I can't believe how far we have come, dude," Zack said, his arm around Tyler's as he had done since they had been reintroduced way back inside Coach Anderson's office on the soccer team.

"It's been a ride, Zack. I almost never had you to begin with..." Tyler said, his emotions still getting the better of him when he talked about middle school.

Zack held his hand and leaned down to kiss him.

"I don't have memory loss any more. I haven't had a seizure in months. And when I do have them, I know you'll be here, to help me," said Zack, both still very much in love as they were in high school and now, inside their new lives and jobs.

Zack worked as a personal trainer and Tyler was trying to make pro in the soccer game, as he was in the reserves currently for the one and only LA Galaxy, in the MLS.

Sadly, Zack's epilepsy took away the chance for him too, to make pro in MLS, as no clubs would take a gamble on him.

Kyle and Yvonne, his baby mama, didn't always see eye to eye and each of them had little Zep for two weeks at a chance. Kyle was a server in a fine dining restaurant, but they got by. Off and on, both Zack or Tyler and even Lenny would secretly help Kyle if he was struggling financially, because they knew he worked hard, and long hours, complete with a toddler in tow.

Lenny ended up taking over from his dad, in their events company, when unfortunately his dad had a stroke. He and his girlfriend of three years, Gemma, was running it together now, with mixed results so far. Still, it kept food on their tables.

As the four friends, along with little Zep and Gemma sat down around the outside table to eat the fabulous food Zack and Tyler had prepared, every single one of them realised how blessed they were.

How far they had come.

How it was the little things in life, that in the end, was your greatest achievement.

**

"Remember this?"

"My diary...the one I gave you years ago...but wait, what's it doing here?"

Zack placed the book down, and curled his arms around his soulmate. He gently stroked the hairs at the back of Tyler's neck.

"You told me to read it. I can't even...you poured your heart and soul into that. Every emotion you felt, all the pain, the agony and self loathing over what happened to me...why do you think I was so angry four years ago in court when you gave yourself up? You're a good person, who made a mistake. We all make mistakes. Unlike Paxton and Tipp, you never MEANT to hurt me. I know that. You know that."

Tyler's eyes widened as Zack took the diary and solemnly tossed it into the fireplace. Slowly, the warm flames curled around the pages of the book as it symbolically went up in flames.

"New start from today. We never have to talk about that day again. I'm yours, and you're mine. Which reminds me..."

"Zack...what the hell...?"

Tyler was speechless as he saw Zack kneel down, and grab a small black box from his Jean's pocket.

"Tyler Johnson..."

"...Zack...oh my god, man..."

"...will you marry me?"

Tyler looked down, the ring utterly shone inside the flaring flickers of the flames.

There was only one answer.

"Fuck yeah, I will," he said as he reached down and grabbed his man, kissing him fiercely and as passionately as he could.

As one journey had just been completed for Zack and Tyler, where it started with a horrible attack inside a lonely road after middle school...another one was just beginning.

Together.

As one.

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