Descendants of the fallen

"Ahhh" Vaxen screams as he wakes up from his nightmare.

His mom Zaya bursts into his room with a frightened look on her face. She rushes to her son and sits on the side of his bed.

"What is it this time? A friend chasing you? A random person? A dog?"

Still frightened he answers "No, something was chasing you this time"

"Me?"

"Yes. I couldn't see its face but it chased us and you fought it and..."

"It's just stupid nightmares Vaxen, don't you worry" Zaya gently brushes his medium-length, wavy dark brown hair back, trying to soothe him, but Vaxen can see the concern she's trying to hide behind her smile. She's used to his nightmares-he's had them for as long as he can remember

but something about this one feels different. He shivers, still feeling the weight of the dream pressing down on him.

"Try to get some rest, Vaxen.I'll make some Lavender tea for you, okay? It'll help you sleep better"

"Okay."

She gives him one last look before turning off the light and closing the door behind her. Vaxen lies back down, staring at the ceiling, the figure in his dream still lurking in the corners of his mind.

Vaxen closes his eyes, trying to force the images from his mind, but the more he tries, the more vivid they become. The figure, the way his mother fought it with a strength he never knew she had-it all felt too real. His body is still tense, adrenaline humming just beneath his skin, making it impossible to relax.

He can hear faint sounds from the kitchen as his mom prepares the lavender tea, the gentle clinking of a spoon against the cup, the soft rush of boiling water. He's grateful for her care, but the gnawing unease refuses to leave him.

A few minutes later, Zaya returns with a steaming cup in hand. The soothing scent of lavender fills the room as she sets it on the nightstand beside him.

"Here you go, sweetheart," she says, her voice soft and comforting. "This should help."

"Thanks, Mom," Vaxen replies, managing a small smile. He sits up, taking the cup in his hands, the warmth seeping into his fingers.

He nods, but the doubt lingers. He takes a sip of the tea, feeling the tension in his body start to ease as the warm liquid slides down his throat. The lavender's calming effect begins to work almost immediately, and the edges of his fear start to blur.

Zaya leans over and kisses his forehead. "Goodnight, Vaxen. See you in the morning ."

"Goodnight, Mom."

As she leaves the room, Vaxen takes another sip of the tea, his eyes growing heavy. But even as sleep begins to pull him under, the figure from his dream remains at the edges of his consciousness, a dark silhouette against the brightness of his mother's love.

*6:00 AM*

"Vaxen, get up! It's time for school," Henry's voice booms from outside his son's bedroom door.

Vaxen groans softly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he rolls out of bed. He goes through his usual morning routine, pulling on his clothes with a sense of reluctance.

When he finally makes his way downstairs, the smell of breakfast greets him. Henry stands by the kitchen island, a warm smile on his face. He looks almost like an older version of Vaxen-same rich brown skin, deep-set gray eyes, and medium-length, wavy dark brown hair. At 6'1", his lean, athletic build is a clear reflection of Vaxen's own physique. The only real difference between them is their personalities and interests: Vaxen takes after his mother in his gentle, caring nature, while Henry's rugged demeanor is more traditionally masculine. Still, they share a common love for sports, something that keeps them close.

"Breakfast is ready," Henry says, nodding toward the plate on the table.

Vaxen slides onto a stool by the kitchen island, eyeing the spread of four pancakes, two eggs, and two sausages. He wastes no time and begins to eat, quickly devouring everything on his plate.

Vaxen rides his bicycle to school, just as he's done since elementary school. The trip takes about ten minutes, and the familiar routine helps clear his mind. Once he arrives, he drops his bike at the rack and heads inside. It's still early, with a half-hour to spare before first period at 8:00, so the halls are mostly empty.

He walks into homeroom and spots Chase, Liora's boyfriend, sitting near the front. They're not friends, but they exchange casual greetings whenever they see each other. Vaxen gives a nod and a brief "hey." Chase, with his dark brown eyes and warm smile, looks up from his phone just long enough to return the greeting before diving back into whatever has him so engrossed.

Not wanting to linger or risk any awkward conversation, Vaxen heads to the back of the room. He and Chase have never really gotten along in the two years since Chase started dating Liora. Their personalities are just too different-Chase is outgoing, charismatic, and politically minded, while Vaxen is more reserved and introspective. It's these differences that keep them from being anything more than distant acquaintances.

Boop

A few minutes later, more students start to walk in, and the teacher arrives exactly at 8:00. After the first period, everyone leaves, but Vaxen stays behind-he has a free period next. Romeo walks in, probably looking for his friend Dionne. They sit opposite me, talking about whatever popular athletes talk about.

"No, definitely not! How dare you say Reese's is better than Twix?" Dionne screams. She's the captain of the tennis team and is really pretty. Her butterfly locs are styled to the back, and she's wearing a cream-colored, long-sleeved, oversized sweater with a slightly cropped fit. It matches her cream-colored pleated mini skirt, light beige tights, and cream-colored knee-high boots.

Romeo, meanwhile, is dressed in an oversized dark gray hoodie with a graphic print on the front, paired with loose-fitting, light gray jeans. He completes the look with white sneakers and a black backpack, contributing to his relaxed and laid-back vibe.

"IT'S JUST BETTER!" Romeo insists.

"No, it isn't," Dionne laughs, then turns to me. "What do you think, Vaxen?"

It takes me a moment, but I finally answer, "Well, I think Twix is better."

"THANK YOU!" she yells, while Romeo rolls his eyes.

Romeo stands at 6'2" with a tall, slightly muscular build that's both broad-shouldered and well-defined. His almond-shaped dark brown eyes, deep and expressive, contrast with his sleek jet-black hair. With medium olive skin, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline, he exudes a confident, charismatic aura, often marked by a hint of mystery.

Just then, the bell rings for the next period, interrupting Dionne's little celebration. They all sprint to their next class.

4:00 PM

"I'm here for detention," Vaxen says, receiving a cold glare from Mr. Sharpe.

"Drop your phone here and have a seat," Mr. Sharpe says, sliding a small brown box with a pile of phones in it toward him.

Vaxen has detention for arriving late to class. He takes a seat next to a group of miscreants and delinquents, who are either reading, doing homework, or sleeping. This extra time gives Vaxen a head start on his history paper. Just as he pulls it out of his backpack, Liora enters, followed by Fran, her girlfriend, and Romeo. They all drop their phones into the box and take their seats, with Liora and Fran sitting close to him. Unlike Chase, Fran and Vaxen get along very well. The three of them have been friends for two years now, and Liora always makes time for Vaxen, which he appreciates despite her being in a relationship.

Liora is tall, standing at 5'10" with a slim, willowy frame that gives her a graceful presence. Her vivid blue eyes, framed by long dark lashes, contrast with her fair skin, which has a subtle radiance. Her short, jet-black hair, high cheekbones, and softly angular jawline enhance her delicate appearance. She's wearing all black, as usual. Fran, on the other hand, is 5'5" with a slim, petite build. She has almond-shaped eyes and a warm smile. Her dark skin is smooth and radiant, complementing her overall refined and approachable demeanor.

"Hi guys," Vaxen waves at them.

"Hey, Vax," Liora says, side-hugging him.

"Why didn't you come for first period?" he asks.

She leans in and whispers, "Well, Fran and I were busy," causing Vaxen to scrunch up his nose.

"Shut up!" Mr. Sharpe yells.

After detention ends at 5:00, Fran and Liora leave immediately. Vaxen, being a bit of a perfectionist, stays behind to finish up some details on his history paper. When he finally gets up, everyone has already left, including Mr. Sharpe. He retrieves his phone from the brown box and checks the time-5:46 already?

He heads out to the hallway and spots Dionne and Jesse, her friend and Romeo's best friend, talking. He walks past them until Dionne calls his name. He turns and she gestures for him to come over.

"Can you help me out?" she asks. "I sprained my ankle while training. Jesse is taking me home. Could you take my books from my locker in the girls' locker room and give them to Romeo? He's on the football field."

"Sure," Vaxen replies with a warm smile. It's a small task that should only take about ten minutes, and since it's Dionne asking, he can't say no.

She gives him her locker combination, and he heads to the girls' locker room. As he's collecting her books, he hears footsteps approaching.

"I was waiting on the football field, but I thought it'd be faster to come here," he hears Romeo say.

Vaxen finishes packing the books and hands them to Romeo. Suddenly, they hear someone say "perverts" and the sound of a key turning in the lock. They both rush to the door, only to find it locked.

Beep

As they sit in the dimly lit locker room, Vaxen paces back and forth, trying to figure out how to get out. Romeo lounges against a locker, scrolling through his phone with a relaxed demeanor.

"Still no luck on the door?" Vaxen asks, frustration creeping into his voice.

Romeo looks up, shrugging. "Nah, but it's just a minor inconvenience. We'll get out soon enough."

Vaxen glances at Romeo, a bit annoyed. "You don't seem very concerned. Some of us have important things to do."

Romeo raises an eyebrow. "I'm just trying to stay calm. No point in stressing over something we can't control right now."

Vaxen's irritation grows. "It's not about stressing out; it's about being proactive. You could at least help me figure out a way to open this door."

Romeo puts his phone away and stands up. "Alright, let's think smart. I already texted Jesse; he's on his way. But hey, I figured you'd prefer to handle this yourself since you seem to have it all under control."

Vaxen rolls his eyes, annoyed that Romeo's comment hits a nerve.

The two sit on opposite benches, their initial irritation at being locked in making their conversation terse.

"This is just great," Vaxen mutters. "First detention, and now this."

"Yeah, it's a real nightmare," Romeo replies dryly. "But we'll get out eventually. Jesse's close."

An awkward silence follows. To break it, Romeo glances at Vaxen. "Soooo,what do you usually do when you're not stuck in a locker room?"

"You go first," Vaxen replies.

Romeo chuckles. "Well, I'm on the football team, so I'm usually either practicing or hanging out with Jesse and Dionne. Now your turn. Every time I see you, you're always reading or doing homework."

Vaxen shrugs. "I guess I like having things in order. It's kind of an escape for me."

Romeo raises an eyebrow. "Escape from what?"

"From personal stuff. School's predictable, and it's nice to have something I can control," Vaxen admits.

Romeo nods, understanding. "I get that. Football's my escape. It's a chance to zone out and focus on something physical."

"So, how did you and Dionne become friends?" Vaxen asks.

"We met in elementary school and just hit it off," Romeo answers.

"Are you two together or something?" Vaxen inquires.

Romeo smirks. "You like her, don't you?"

"God, no. I'm gay," Vaxen replies.

"Oh, sorry," Romeo says, shifting uncomfortably. An awkward silence falls again.

"So, what's that like? Do you find me attractive?" Romeo asks, earning a surprised look from Vaxen.

"It's like when a boy and a girl like each other, but it's just two guys," Vaxen explains.

Romeo nods awkwardly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm not. I just don't know what to say."

"Well, you know what they say: if you don't have anything nice or meaningful to say, just shut the fuck up and don't look at me," Vaxen says calmly, making Romeo chuckle.

"What?" Vaxen asks.

"You're cute," Romeo says with a grin.

Vaxen is a bit flustered and taken aback by Romeo's comment. "Thanks."

Romeo smiles, the atmosphere lightening. "I didn't mean it as a compliment, just a casual observation."

Vaxen doesn't respond, so Romeo grins again. "Fair enough. So, if you're not interested in Dionne, what's your type?"

Vaxen shrugs. "I don't really have a type. Just someone who's genuine, attractive, and good for me."

Romeo laughs. "That doesn't sound like a challenge. I'm pretty laid-back, so I think I'd be a good fit," he jokes.

"Maybe," Vaxen says with a smirk, "but I don't date religious fuckboys."

"Ohh, burn," Romeo says sarcastically, then adds with a smile, "Sometimes it's the differences that make things interesting."

Suddenly, Vaxen's smile falters, and he clutches his head, his face going pale. Romeo notices the change immediately.

"Hey, are you okay?" Romeo asks, concern evident in his voice.

Before Vaxen can respond, he starts to convulse. Romeo quickly realizes what's happening and rushes to Vaxen's side.

"Vaxen!!" Romeo says urgently, carefully trying to support Vaxen's head to prevent him from injuring himself.

Vaxen's body shakes uncontrollably, and he gasps for breath. Romeo, panicking but trying to stay calm, remembers some first aid his mom, a nurse, taught him and tries to ensure Vaxen's safety. He places his jacket under Vaxen's head and moves any nearby objects out of the way.

After what feels like an eternity, the seizure begins to subside. Vaxen's breathing gradually steadies, though he remains disoriented.

Romeo sits beside him, his own hands shaking slightly. "You're going to be okay, Vaxen. Just breathe. Jesse's on his way."

As Vaxen slowly regains awareness, he looks at Romeo with a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. "Sorry... I didn't mean to-"

"Don't apologize," Romeo says firmly. "You need to take care of yourself. I'm just glad you're okay."

The sound of footsteps approaching interrupts them. Jesse's voice calls out, "Hey, I'm here. What's going on?"

Romeo stands up, waving. "Vaxen had a seizure. We need to get him out of here." He somehow manages to pick the lock.

Jesse hurries in, quickly assessing the situation. "Okay, let's get him out of here."

With Jesse's help, they carefully assist Vaxen out of the locker room. "I'm fine," Vaxen says softly.

Vaxen looks at Romeo, grateful and a bit shaky. "Thank you."

Romeo gives him a reassuring smile. "No need to thank me. I'm just glad I could help. Let's get you to the nurse and make sure you're okay."

"No, just take me home," Vaxen insists.