I felt the coolness of the window seep into the window as I leaned against the car door, eyes darting as The trees bristled past my view. The storm that sweeped against the city in December was finally on its last breath, the only signs of its existance was the scatter of snow on the streets. I wore a simple hoodie and jeans, doubling up my socks to protect me from the frigid winter air outside. But right now, in Oliver's second hand audi, the heater was on full.

He drove the car slowly into the parking spot, careful not to damage any part of it. There was a photo of him sitting against the hood of the car, grinning ear to ear, holding a set of car keys like it was a trophy; It was buried in my camera roll within the millions of photos I saved of him.

Once he braked, he turned around to the backseat to look at the both of us.

'Bye guys! I'll pick you up later!' His gap tooth peeked out from beneath his plump, rosy lips. On frigid January mornings like this, Oliver was a visceral ray of unneeded and welcomed optimism. Beside me in the passenger seat, Maniraj's pine eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Taking his gloved hands of his pocket, he signed 'What are you, my mum? Might as well move back in with my parents if you keep picking and dropping us off like this,'

'Well, excuse me for caring if you freeze outside.' Oliver scoffed back, aligning with Maniraj's attitude. 'Next time, I'll just leave you at the bus stop where you can turn into an ice cube waiting for it.'

Maniraj blinked once with his long eyelashes before a slow smile crept on his face 'But you wont.'

'You're right.' Oliver leaned back on his seat with a thump 'I'll always have some kind of empathy for your grouchy butt.'

'Me being 'grouchy' is a huge over exaggeration. Plus. It's completely understandable when I come down into the kitchen and you two fatties ate all my cereal.'

'Hey, hey, that cereal was glorious. Plus, you never said it was yours anyways.' I chimed in, turning my head from the window to glance at Maniraj. He stared back in annoyance before slapping my leg playfully.

'Who invited Mr thunder thighs in this conversation?' A sharp exhale left his mouth as he snapped his head towards me. 'Fine. Fine. Maybe I should not have put it on the communal grocery list. But come on! How was I meant to know that you would like high protein honey loops too?'

'Hah! You admit it then. You're a cheat! trying to get us to pay for your fancy cereal that you secret hoped we wont eat because its your fancy gym stuff.'

'I- oh screw off. Least it shows I lift weights often. You can't even lift 1kg bag of sugar without whining like a newborn deer.'

'I'm not even that weak!' I laugh as he gives me a deadpan expression.

'I asked you to spot me and you almost took away the chance I'll have children.' He stepped outside, gabbing the lunch Oliver made; A Mediterranean salad, with extra feta cheese and chicken 'At least you won't have to worry about paying that medical bill, nepo baby.'

He slammed the car door with a thud, storming off into the campus.

'Love you too, bro!' Oliver called out before turning back to me. He placed a hand on his chest, lips curving into a pout as his eyes sparkled 'Oh Bonbon...I cant believe my kid is all grown up, going into his first day of collage'

'First day in this semester, you absolute melodramatic bum.' my fingers grazed the spot where the remnants of Maniraj's slap resided. My scarred legs, which for the first time in days, don't ache as much. I mean, I can finally walk for an hour straight before needing to sit down.

'You call me if you want to leave early okay? I'm not letting you and Maniraj walk home alone in this weather.'

'Yes father. No father. Three bags full father.'

'Oh just shoo, you.' He grinned once more as I left the car, a wave of pure warmth started to spread within my chest, and like my stripy socks, protected me from the cold. I watched Oliver drive in the distance becoming smaller and smaller until he disappeared.

My footsteps was mute compared to the bustle of the university. I slowed and turned my head to the campus cafe. I could really go for a hot drink right about now. Specifically a frothy hot cocoa with whipped cream. My mouth began to water at the thought.

Stepping through the door, I let the sweet smell of various drinks fill my nostrils. The chatter of other students lulled into this quiet, comforting buzz. I joined the queue, getting engulfed in the warm lighting.

A hard smack brought me back to my senses. Turning around, I found myself staring into two deep brown pools.

'Long time, no see man!' Kai laughed 'I noticed that hair from a mile away.'

'Gee, thanks. It's not that bright.' I stood back, letting him join the queue behind me 'Did I miss anything important?'

'Blackburn droning on about how 'these exams would affect the rest of years,' A few hundred graphs, a couple thousand equations' His voice deepened 'Don't worry if you fail these. You can always resit them. You will just carry the shame of being a tiny bit behind your peers for the rest of your life.'

'Oh yea, because my one bad grade from 30 years ago still keeps me up in bed at night so now I have to traumatize the next generation of students' I joined in the mockery 'Well? Will you be kept up at night?'

'Luckily, no. This exam season was easy. I'm sure I will be an A grade student.' He smiled 'You?'

'The last few questions were a bit difficult. I definitely got question 12 wrong.'

He blinked in disbelief 'You were sat at home. If I was you, I would have gotten one of my roommates to hold up a sign with a huge cheatsheet so it wont be caught in the webcam.'

'And unlike you, I have morals. What do you want to drink?'

'W-what? me?' he pointed a tanned finger to himself 'You're treating me like a lady.'

'Everyone and their mum knows you're broke, Carter.' I got out my card 'Now give me your order or forever hold your peace.'

A smile traced his lips 'You're so kind. I want the loaded fudge frappe with an extra brownie.'

The audacity of this man. stepping forward, I barely glanced at the barista as told our orders, deciding to scroll on tiktok for a bit. A post from Maniraj popped up- a selfie of him leaning against some drums with his twin sister with the caption 'Back where I belong'

Oh buddy, I know how long you missed your home. You were playing that damn guitar until 2 in the morning. Not that I didn't enjoy it.

'Sir, would you like the hot cocoa to be made with oat milk?'

I finally looked up from the phone. The woman was about my ma's age, with small eyes and deep Brown hair. The bottom of her eyes were a deep rose hue, her shoulders shaking slightly.

'Excuse me miss... are you ok?' The question flew out of my mouth instinctively.

'Yea...I just...just need to do my job.' Her eyes darted back and forth between the unfilled coffee cup and my face. This is the weirdest customer service I ever encountered, and I'm a cashier; I had m own share of awkward interactions.

'I don't mind if you take a long time, honestly, can wait-'

'I said it's fine, sir!' She spat the words like a bullet before quickly turning around to make my drinks. A small lump formed at the pit of my throat, but I quickly swallowed it down.

A few moments later, I grabbed the drinks off the counter and walked back over to where Carter is. This idiot ordered the most expensive drink on the menu, fully knowing that I would so graciously pay for it. An itch spread on my arm as I felt the urge to dump it all over his head.

'Here you go your majesty- Carter?' my eyes took in his form. He was clutching his phone so tight his knuckles began to whiten, his face taking on a pale hue.

'Carter? What's wrong man?'

'Class is canceled.' He murmured, running his hand through his dreads 'Moving fully online until further notice.'

'You? Getting freaked out over class?' I tried to joke, but my laugh came out all funny. 'No. That's an impossible feat. Usually you're on your hands and knees begging for class to end.'

He shook his head, and actually stated trembling. 'Benjy- Benjy check your emails.'

I scoff, putting the cups down. He better be overreacting. He has to.

I opened my phone, ans between all the junk messages, a single email from the administration sat there.

'To all business study students.
It saddens me to say that the body of Mr Oscar Blackburn was found in lecture hall WOL12 early this morning. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and pronounced dead by medical professionals. Unfortunately, all classes will be moved online until a suitable substitute would be found for him.
If you would like to leave a message of goodbye...'

Well, that's one way to start a semester.

'Mr Benjamin Parks?'

I looked down at the maroon pumps that the dean wore, before glancing back up towards her tight lipped face. Her periwinkle eyes glanced to her computer before looking back at me.

'Your parents messaged us. They think its best if...if you don't come into university for the rest of the academic year.'

My head snapped up in pure shock. 'They suggested what?'

'With the extra protection they put on you, and the death of Mr Blackburn, they suggested that it's just not safe for you to attend school.'

'I- But-'

My brain drifted back in time, freshly 18, where I sat on a wooden chair. On the table was a bunch of documents, but my eyes were not focused on any of the important words within its pages. Instead, they remained fixated on a dark patch on the mahogany table, as my mum's firm voice flooded my ears.

'Grandma Nora left the property to me, to be distributed as I wish. Me and your father were thinking...your collage is close by. It would make more sense if you-'

'Ma, why, why can't I live in the dorms, there are security there, I'll be safe.'

'No.' Her tone was firm 'You're already moving so far away from us, if you're on a family owned property, then..then there is less chance nothing bad would happen.'

'Oh come on, ma!' I pursed my lips together tight 'I doubt that my attackers from 7 years would hurt me from far out there-'

'I don't care if it was 7 or 17 years ago, BenjY. It is my duty as a mother to keep you safe. And it's your duty as my child to shut up and listen to me.' She snapped back, before the hazel eyes we both shared softened 'Look, I know I kept you sheltered, but-'

'Sheltered? in all my years, I never been on a field trip or...or a residential.' My laugh came out all wrong 'The only breaks I ever had away from school and family is the god damn Hospital'

'And I'm over here trying to prevent you from getting yourself into any more incidents that will get you wound up back there again.' She slammed her hand against the table, hands clenched.

'Ma, you are acting as if I'm the one that tied myself to the stake and-'

'Don't you dare finish that sentence, Benjamin Parks.' Her voice cracked as tears began to fill her eyes.

All the anger that was boiling over began to evaporate as watch my ma blink quickly. Slowly, I reached forward with my scarred arms and placed my fingers on top of hers 'Ma...I- I'm-'

'Benjy.' She took a deep breath, her voice steadying 'I'm so. so sorry, but I have to protect you. I'll explain it one day, I promise honey, but you just have to trust me.'

'Benjamin?'

The dean sat in front of me, her presence bringing me back to reality. I glanced back at the piece of paper she gave me, a letter from my parents requesting that I move my classes online. I traced my hands over both their signatures.

'How did he die?'

The dean's head turned back towards me 'What did you say?'

'He wasn't ill, was he?' I stood up slowly 'Nor did he have any underlying health conditions.'

'Mr Blackburn died of a sudden heart attack. Tragic thing, but common for men his age...'

I let her drawl on, my stomach forming a civilization of knots and frustration. I wanted to scream at her, grab her keyboard and roam through every single one of her files on her computer until one single piece of truth comes out.

My rationality pulled me from the edge. 'I get it. I'm being stupid. I'll head home now, miss.'

I pulled open the door, not looking back towards her expression. I have a fragile label stamped on my forehead, and the expression I'm assuming she bore was one I saw a hundred times before- like one wrong word and I'll shatter.

Thank god the people my age don't have the same qualms as the elders. It comes at the cost of withholding information that the elders seem to know about me, but I'll take the risk of getting hut if it feels like I'm normal and not a priceless heirloom people need to protect.

Opening my phone, I texted kai, making up some bullcrap about me having a flareup in my legs and needing to stay home to reduce the pain. My phone pinged with a bunch of crying emojis.

My finger hovered over Oliver's number before I slid my phone back in my pocket. I'll walk back home like a prisoner enjoying his last moments of freedom.

The feeling that engulfed me as I stepped along the sidewalk was an achingly familiar one, made of the same emotions that ebbed through me when the doctor told me that I should rest and not go out for a while, or when I watched the bus of middle schoolers go camping without me.

But within the storm of emotion, a small flare flickered.

When my mum handed me the deed of the house to sign, she told me that the house would be too commodious for me to live all by myself in. She handed me two extra sets of keys and told me to choose someone to come with me.

One set resides in the the pocket of a pair of faded ripped shorts that was a staple in Maniraj's fashion sense. The other set is part of a keychain ring, each selected carefully by Oliver.