Author's Notes: Thank-you to Bunnies On Fire, LilwenKeitha, AmeliaMC, Back of Beyond and LuciaLightning for reviewing the first chapter of this story. It was awesome knowing at least five people enjoyed my story. Thanks again you guys.

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within these chemical bonds

two: crash like a wave

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Pacing his room, Kyle Rio was trying to get the idea of having another sibling wrapped around his head. He hadn’t been pleased about the decision but his mother had disregarded his open opposition to the change and had instead gone with Daniel. Daniel being the whacked out bastard he was (starving artists were generally of that sort) had smiled and told Kyle’s mum that she had never had a better idea. It’s not like he was going to live with whoever the hell was going to be part of their big, “happy” family.

He’d called his best friend Jake nineteen times in the last seven hours and the last conversation had ended with Jake telling him off because he wanted to make out with the random chick he’d met at the mall in peace. He’d tried Dona’s number too but she wasn’t picking up. God knows whose pants she had her hand down.

He sighed, falling down onto his bed. They were going to “bring him home” any minute now and Kyle seriously didn’t want some guy his mother adopted out of pity screwing with his life. He heard the sound of the garage opening and knew his parents had arrived. Readying himself, Kyle got up and walked out of his room to stand at the top of the stairs. His sister, Kelsie, who was oddly excited about all of this had already flung open the door and run outside.

That was one thing he hadn’t understood. His sister, who strove to be Ms. Popularity, had actually easily accepted his parent’s decision to adopt. It was as if she was expecting some scared, little cat like the three that already roamed the house.

-

As Colin stepped out of the luxury Sedan, he felt an odd sort of nervousness that he generally never felt going into any new situations. Of course, he didn’t count any of the Center incidents as part of it since those weren’t ever his fault. This was completely his decision and if he was going to be honest with himself, Colin was terrified.

He was also incredibly sore but he was hiding the fact well. Kevin and Neal had always made sure not to mark his face besides bruising his lips. He had hidden the bruise marks on the rest of his body with a pair of jeans and a grey, hooded sweater. He was even trying to make sure they didn’t notice how stiff or awkwardly he walked. Even though he was out of Neal’s grasp, he somehow felt that if they found out Neal would get him back.

He wanted the year to go by without any unnecessary trouble because once he turned eighteen he was going to ditch the family and the town. Ashville. It was only an hour’s drive away from Toronto which was where he planned to spend the rest of his life.

Looking around, Colin noticed a white fence around the front yard which was as green and properly kept as the houses around his school had been unkempt and brown. The car he’d ridden in had been a small indication as to how well off the family who’d adopted him was. Now, as he looked at their house, he was a bit star struck. Colin had spent the majority of his life living from one shithole to the other. The Center had been the worst, mostly due to the abuse but as far as amenities went it was for shit too.

This house, on the other hand, looked like something out of a movie. He’d seen few of those two, having snuck into the theatres a few times with Luke on occasion. Most of the foster homes he’d been in had just got by so he’d never really had a chance to watch too many movies. It was one of the biggest houses he’d ever seen, not that he had a lot to compare to, but the red brick exterior stretched out on both sides and as Colin took it all in, from the decoratively planted flowers to the remodelled driveway he was at a loss for words. A large window stood behind the porch rails, upon which a girl stood. She had a smile on her face and an excited look in her light grey eyes. Colin noticed that they were a lot like Claire’s. In fact, she looked like a mini Claire; same blond hair that hung in small waves around her face with the same thin, red lips. She was shorter than Claire and had a tanned complexion. Her body was petit and she looked around fourteen or fifteen.

Colin found himself reminded of an older girl he’d once lived with. She had been really friendly with him which was rare in itself but had also gotten a bit protective of him. It had been the first and last time that Colin had ever come close to caring for someone to the point where he’d actually say he had loved her. He had only been around nine then and when his tenth birthday had come around she’d been taken to a new home. He hadn’t seen or heard of her since.

As he stared at her for a bit longer and he smiled, a bit hesitantly, if only in memory of Jessica. He was older than this girl and he couldn’t really see himself being as nice to her as Jessica had been to him.

‘Come on Colin,’ Claire smiled. Jonathon was already grabbing the little he possessed out of the trunk. Claire had said something about him borrowing her son’s older clothes until they got him new ones. He had liked the idea of getting new clothes. Anything he owned that he remotely liked he’d gotten through prostitution. ‘This is my daughter Kelsie. You remember I told you about her?’

Colin nodded, dropping his smile for a slightly guarded look. The girl, almost as excited as her mother, grinned as he got close to the porch and took a step toward him. ‘Hi! I’m Kelsie. I know my mum already told you but I like introducing myself.’

‘Hi,’ Colin replied, trying for a smile. He was really horrible at them he realized. Nothing genuinely made him happy any more so what smiles he did give were usually, always half-hearted.

She didn’t seem to take this as a bad thing because she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. ‘I’ll give you a tour of the house; show you to your new room. I helped mom with it you know. She seriously has no taste so I had to step in to make sure you’d like your room just a little bit.’

Colin realised quickly that this girl liked to invade personal space which was something he wasn’t too keen on and talked too much. Jessica hadn’t been like that. He didn’t pull his arm away from her though and let her yank him from room to room. Claire had wandered off somewhere and he wasn’t sure where.

In the process he had noticed a boy, about his age, possibly older or younger standing at the top of the stairs which were pretty much directly in front on the front door. He didn’t look happy about his presence in the house; in fact, Colin felt the same kind of hate he got from Kevin coming from the guy.

Suddenly dread consumed him. What if he was like Kevin? Was this just going to be another hell? He was starting to feel panicked and he yanked his arm away from Kelsie, finding the feel of her hand on him incredibly uncomfortable. She seemed startled, obviously thinking he’d been okay with her touching. He wasn’t. He wasn’t okay with anyone touching him.

‘Sorry,’ he said, as a means to clarify his action. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of the sweater he was wearing and waited for the girl to continue with her tour. She gave him a look for a second, one he couldn’t quite read but then she began again with the same vigour. Colin risked one more glance at the boy before he followed Kelsie into the kitchen.

The boy did nothing to hide his contempt, eyes glaring down at him, lips pressed tightly together in anger. He probably didn’t want Colin to be there. Someone always didn’t want Colin around so it wasn’t like he was new to the scorn but fear tingled within his body. He barely paid any attention to Kelsie who was dragging him through her living room which led into the front foyer. When Colin glanced up at the stairs again, the boy was gone and Colin felt slightly better. Kelsie seemed to grow more excited as she went up the stairs. She pointed to her room which, as she told him, used to be her older brother Daniel’s room but since he’d left for University she’d taken it. Kyle, who Colin assumed was the boy who didn’t like him, apparently had also wanted the room but Claire had said Kelsie would get the room. Kelsie took great pride in this won battle. She swung open the door to the room and showed him the inside.

It was pink and frilly and female. It screamed fifteen year old teenage girl. At least the one sort of fifteen year old teenage girl. The room had a large window at the back the opened to the backyard. Colin could see why she’d wanted the room. It was a nice view and good sunshine. Kelsie went on to babble about her room but Colin didn’t pay much attention. When she finished her ramble, she squeezed past him without touching him. At least she paid attention. She pointed out her parent’s room at the other end of the hallway, which curved so that the front foyer opened up to the second floor, a good sixteen feet.

There were four more doors, one a washroom, another leading to a closet. The remaining two were bedrooms. I frowned at that. If they had enough rooms for each of them to have their own why had they fought for their brother’s? Kelsie, who seemed to be more intelligent then she looked, caught on to the look.

‘My brother Daniel pretty much took everything from his room to his new apartment in Toronto this summer. He says he’s going to live there from now since his best friend and he can afford a place. Daniel’s room was the biggest after the master bedroom so Kyle and I both wanted it,’ Kelsie explained.

‘You’re getting my old room, actually,’ she added, opening a door that sat directly in front of the entrance of the staircase. The washroom door was beside it. Colin assumed that the remaining door led into Kyle’s room, one he didn’t want to visit. He turned his attention to his own room and found the walls painted a dark blue colour. There was a mostly empty bookcase in one corner made of a dark wood that added to the room’s dark and eloquent look. A computer desk sat beside it and across from the desk, in the corner of the room you couldn’t quite see when you entered was the bed. There was a small window beside the bed, not as big as the one in Kelsie’s room but big enough for Colin.

‘Do you like it?’ Kelsie asked. She seemed overly excited about the room.

Colin didn’t bother answering, instead he wandered over to the desk, notching that Jonathon had set his stuff on the bed and found a silver laptop sitting upon it. He didn’t even have the guts to extend a hand to touch it but he stared in wonder. As a kid from the Center the only contact you had with technology was through school. No one had cell phones or iPods, or for that matter, any form of entertainment save the small television in the sleeping area which Kevin and his gang had usually occupied anyways. Well, when they weren’t fucking with him.

‘It’s brand new!’ Kelsie smiled from beside him. This startled Colin who immediately drew away from her. She frowned and apologized, ‘Sorry. I… You don’t like it when people get in your personal space do you?’

‘Took you long enough,’ he mumbled.

‘Pardon?’

‘Yeah,’ he said, giving her a quick glare. Actually he wanted to be left alone right about now. Something told him she wasn’t going to leave if he didn’t tell her to. ‘Can you leave?’ He paused before he added a hasty, ‘Please?’

‘Sure,’ she trailed, giving him a weak smile. ‘If you need anything, call?’

He nodded, not bothering to reply. He watched her leave the room. He sighed in relief. He had never acted so…polite in his life. Well maybe when he was younger and he still believed people weren’t bastards. His body sagged as the tension of being under Kelsie’s gaze left him. He trailed to the bed, ignoring the laptop and collapsed into the velvet red sheets. They were softer than anything he’d ever slept in. That included the one house he’d actually liked being a foster kid in.

Now that he really looked around the room, it had a pleasing colour scheme. The curtains on the window were a light shade of blue and were tied back by dark orange strings. His desk had a matching coloured orange lamp and some of the matching blue pencil holders. Effort had been put into the room that was for sure. Colin sat up, and sighed. Effort that was going to go to waste. He hardly appreciated good décor.

Just as he was about to get up to open a door that looked like it led to a closet, there was a knock at his door. He groaned but got up to open it. As the door fell open he came face to face with the boy. He immediately swallowed and moved aside for the boy. It was his house after all, if he wanted to come inside who was he to stop him. The boy, Kyle he reminded himself, gave him a disgusting look.

‘What the fuck makes you think I want to come in?’ A bit startled by the question, Colin gave the boy a slightly confused look before letting his nerves and confusion get the better of him. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t act out.

‘Then why the fuck are you here?’ he snapped. It would have been an understatement at the moment to say he was a tiny bit aggravated.

The boy, who Colin stared at with glaring eyes, grew even angrier. ‘Fuck you, you piece of shit. I’m here because my mother told me to come meet you. I could care less about some obnoxious, orphan boy.’

Colin felt something sink in his gut as Kyle finished his sentence. He didn’t bother replying, knowing very well that his reply wouldn’t be a verbal one. He slammed the door in Kyle’s face and fell onto the bed. Inhaling deeply, he exhaled equally long trying to get some grasp over his nerves and emotions.

It’s this or the Center. This or the Center. He told himself, and he definitely knew which one he preferred.

-

Kyle wanted to kick the door open but refrained. His mother would blame him and that would be the end of it. He was really starting to hate the kid. And what was with his hair? Was he trying to be punk or something? Because he had it all wrong.

Furious, he returned to his room and grabbed his cell off of his bed. He immediately dialled Jake who picked up on the fifth ring.

‘If this is about your stupid, adopted broth– ”

Kyle didn’t give a moment longer to speak and cut in, ‘He’s some skinny shit with attitude. Told me to fuck off in my fucking house. Jake, I’m gonna beat the shit out of him!’

He heard Jake sigh and an ‘I’ll be over in five.’ After that it was just him and dial tone which he listened to for a good few seconds before snapping his phone shut. He had half a mind to whip his phone against a wall but refrained. His phone was something special.

He was definitely lucky that Jake lived a little bit up the street. Although he was surprised because he had thought Jake had been with a girl. Maybe she’d come over to his place. He shrugged his introspection off, not really caring what Jake had been doing prior to his phone call. Right now he needed someone to agree with him about how stupid this all was. Who adopts a kid when they already have three? Especially one that was only a year younger than their middle child?

He didn’t need more people to deal with. It was hard enough with his dad who thought he was a disappointment. It was all Daniel’s fault. He got all the liberties and when it came to him, he was expected to be some studious, over-achieving nerd who followed in his Dad’s footsteps. He had no intention of becoming a lawyer of any sort. Besides, it wasn’t like his dad had ever been there for him.

There was a knock on his door before it opened. Kyle turned around to see who had come in. It was Jake. Kyle suddenly felt easier and his body eased up.

‘Man, seriously, you’re such a dick,’ Jake grumbled, shoving Kyle over and flopping down onto his bed.

Kyle didn’t bother replying but joined his best friend on the bed. He wrapped his arm around Jake’s waist and placed his head on his chest. He felt the other boy pull him closer, arm wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Letting out a breath, Kyle breathed in Jake’s scent of cologne, making out and coffee. ‘This is entirely unfair you know.’

His friend hummed in agreement, fingers lacing through the tips of Kyle’s hair. Kyle enjoyed the feel and lay in his friend’s arms a while longer. Before he’d told his friends about his sexual preferences, Kyle used to have two best friends. One of the them had taken the news badly, the one that Kyle had always been closer to and had pretty much just abandoned him. Jake, on the other hand, had stepped in to rescue him and hold him close. Now-a-days, Kyle didn’t know what he would do without him. Jake had easily accommodated to Kyle being extremely physical with him, always in his space. It wasn’t that Kyle didn’t know Jake was straight but he depended on him quite a bit and Jake accepted that easily.

‘Thanks,’ he said quietly.

‘Anytime,’ Jake whispered back. Kyle could imagine his face right now. Eyes closed with a peaceful smile on his face.

‘Stay over for dinner,’ Kyle said. He didn’t bother asking, Jake would. Over the years showing up at the dinner table unannounced had become habit. Their mothers were always making a little extra in case which meant leftovers but it’s not like Kyle bothered to eat them.

There was a moment of silence before Jake spoke up, ‘So you know Stacie Morrison?’

‘Yeah?’ Kyle pretty much knew where this was going.

‘I totally went to third with her today. She’s so friggin’ easy,’ Jake giggled. Kyle rolled his eyes and slipped out from the embrace. It always made him feel all sorts of uncomfortable when Jake started talking about the girls he was making out with. Kyle had long ago figured out that Jake didn’t get serious about girls; he liked being single. The only thing he took seriously was his friends and family and even then it was always playfully hidden.

‘Dona would kick your ass if she heard you right now,’ Kyle replied, walking over to his stereo to put on some music. He went with Portugal. The Man, a band he’d really gotten into over the past few weeks.

‘Probably, but she’s off being a lesbian.’

Kyle turned around and gave Jake a dirty look. ‘Shut up you lesbo-phobe.’

‘I resent that!’ Jake cried, sitting up in the bed. He had a lop-sided grin on his face which told Kyle just how much he “resented” it.

‘Whatever,’ he muttered.

-

Colin had finally gotten around to looking at his laptop. His. The concept was startling. He wasn’t a laptop expert but he loved it already. He’d never really gotten anything like it before and he knew he’d treasure it more than anything, possibly because kids like him just didn’t get laptops everyday. Mostly because it was awesome.

He took the present as one of good fortune which for him only lasted so long. After the encounter with Kyle he was feeling extremely unnerved. He kept reminding himself that Kyle wasn’t and never had to live the sort of life an orphaned child. Therefore he couldn’t possibly do anything like what Kevin had done. But then again, Neal wasn’t parent-less. In fact his mother had visited a few times, professing her happiness that Neal was doing something so selfless for the kids at the Center. Colin remembered holding back a guffaw of disbelief. Neal had noticed. The night that followed hadn’t been very pleasant.

Sighing, Colin delicately placed the device back on the desk. And as he was about to go lie in the bed to get some sleep because he was feeling more tired than usual, or ever really, his door creaked open. He turned to the noise sharply expecting Kyle but instead he got Claire’s smiling face.

‘Hey,’ she smiled, eyes full of the same happiness he always saw. He didn’t get it. Actually it pissed him off that she was always so happy.

He made some sort of noise at the back of the throat to say “hello” in return. She took this as a sign to come in and although it was totally her house and Colin wasn’t about to tell her to stay out he sort of wanted to.

‘How’re you finding it?’ she asked genteelly.

‘Good,’ Colin answered because, well, it was. Her smile grew wider and that somehow made him feel better. It was a confirmation that for now he was staying in the house.

‘I’m glad. I was worried you weren’t going to like your room…You do like it?’

Colin almost laughed at how afraid she was of disappointing him. Was she for real? He’d never even had his own room before let alone one decorated just for him. He found the words slipping from his mouth before he could rephrase them from sounding so pleased. ‘I love it.’

The smile turned into a wide grin and she laughed. It was a laugh of relief. Had she really been that concerned? Colin found the behaviour absurd. ‘Come here.’ She ushered him toward herself and Colin found himself obliging. She patted on a spot on the bed beside her and he sat down. Her arm wrapped around his shoulders and she gave him a squeeze.

‘I know this is probably hard for you and I’m sure Kyle isn’t making you feel welcome but he’s really a good boy. I hope you believe me when I say this but I already consider you to be my son. One day I hope you can feel the same way about me and your family.’

Colin was a bit bewildered. Maybe being adopted was different than being sent to a foster home. None of the parents had really ever gone to this length with him. A few of them had been really nice about it and had tried to make him feel at ease but somehow they always didn’t like him in a few months and he found himself in a new room. A new room that he seemed to always share with some other kid. He lost track of how many there had been.

He didn’t know what to say in return so he did the only thing he felt he could. He leaned into her, just a little bit and gingerly rested his head on her shoulder. It was all foreign but he felt her owed as much. He liked to think he wasn’t an ungrateful brat. She seemed to like the gesture because her arm tightened around him and she gave him a squeeze.

‘Will you help me set the table?’ she asked, quietly afterwards.

‘Sure,’ Colin replied, leaning away from her. She smiled at him and led him downstairs. His eyes trailed the walls, studying pictures and home décor. Claire certainly loved to decorate. But in good modesty and taste. He liked how homey the house felt. It didn’t feel foreign and dead like the Center had. Like the Center always had.

‘The dishes are right here,’ Claire said pointing to a cupboard. He nodded before opening it. He found the dishes stacked on top of one another and took out a bunch. ‘Set the table for six, Kyle’s friend is having dinner with us today.’

He counted six plates and put the rest back. The dinner table, he assumed, was the one sitting right in front of the glass backdoor. The blinds were drawn back and let in the soft, blue light of evening. He placed the plates around the table and started with the glasses next. Before long Claire called everyone down for dinner and Colin, filled with a feeling of anxiety shuffled over to the island counter top in the kitchen and leaned against it.

Just as Claire came back, Colin caught sight of Kevin and another boy walked behind him. There was actually a slight smile on Kyle’s lips. Colin found himself absorbing the boy in, having not bothered to notice his physical attributes beyond his glare the two previous times. He was tall and lean but not without muscle. Colin guessed they were from a sport. Some of the boys who played basketball at his school (was it his old school now?) had the same lean, muscular look. His shoulders were broad and were possibly the only thing that made the painted on jeans he was wearing look misplaced. His hair was a messy black that was cut so it looked choppy yet somehow appealing. He parted it from the right and nearly all of it fell to the left, covering his eye. The one eye Colin could see was a much darker grey colour than his mother’s. His face was oblong, and his jaw defined sharply. He was good-looking to say the least.

However, Colin felt nothing but a strange uneasiness. Then again he hardly ever liked anyone in his life. Well, not in a non- platonic way and he’d never quite bothered either. There wasn’t room for romance when he was either being raped or beaten about.

‘Jake!’ Claire smiled, just as she turned around with the pot roast she’d made. The other boy, who had a lip ring and the most luscious lips Colin had ever seen grinned wide. His brown eyes shined at Claire and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Shaggy light brown hair fell in his eyes and he had a creamy, flawless complexion. What’s with the pretty boys? He thought absently to himself. The boy, Jake, gave him a wink which Colin had no clue what to make of.

‘Love the hair,’ he grinned which earned him a growl from Kyle. ‘Relax. You gotta give compliments where due, right Ms. Rio?’

‘Now if only Kyle believed so too huh?’ she laughed, setting down a bowl filled with salad. Colin felt his ears burn a bit but otherwise kept any gratitude to himself. He loved his hair and was glad at least one other person liked it too.

‘Sit down Colin,’ Claire said, waving him toward the table. ‘And thank-you so much for setting the table.’

Colin gave her nod, dragging his feet to the table so he sat across from Jake. ‘No problem.’

At that point Jonathon walked in, followed by Kelsie. ‘Jake, how’re you doing my man?’

‘Great sir,’ Jake answered. Colin noticed that he was a happy sort of guy. Not Claire happy but carefree. He seemed to get along with everyone. He found that admirable but kept the opinion to himself. It was obvious Kyle didn’t want his friend to like him which was fine with him because Colin wasn’t exactly feeling it for Kyle either.

‘And how’re your parents? I haven’t spoken to them in a while,’ Jonathon continued flashing Jake a smile. Kyle muttered something under his breath but when his Jonathon asked him to repeat himself he answered with a, ‘Nothing.’

Jake gave Kyle a look that Colin wasn’t sure how to interpret. ‘They’re doing well. Mum’s on some sort of selling spree, seriously she sold five houses last week and two apartments ad Dad’s practice is as usual.’

‘That’s wonderful,’ Claire smiled, taking a seat across the table from her husband. Kelsie had sat down beside Colin and was already filling her plate. She appeared to be in a rush. Colin didn’t take much notice, focusing on the tension that seemed to exist between Kyle and Jonathon. It was as if Jonathon paid more attention to Jake and Kyle didn’t care that much. Colin had half a mind to ask Claire what was up but told himself not to. It wasn’t any of his business. Besides, Kyle was an asshole. He’d probably done something to his dad.

‘Sweetie you haven’t eaten anything,’ Claire said from beside him. He realised he’d just been picking at his food. He wasn’t all that hungry.

‘I’m not that hungry,’ he responded. He felt sorta bad after how she’d treated him and how much effort she’d put into the meal.

There was a snort from across the table followed by an, ‘Ungrateful brat.’

Colin’s stomach clenched as did his jaw. He wasn’t going to say anything. He wasn’t.

‘Kyle Eugene Rio, to your room this instant!’ Claire ordered. He could hear the anger in her tone and he felt an odd sort of contentment from this.

‘How is this my fault?!’ Kyle snapped, throwing his mother a glare. Colin swallowed and looked back at Claire who looked about as angry and disappointed as a doting mother could.

‘I asked you to go to your room. We’ll discuss this later,’ she said rather calmly. Kyle threw a fit. He gave Colin a rather vicious glare and threw his utensils down on the table before storming out of the kitchen. Jake just sort of stared at Colin and then at Kyle’s back.

Eventually he spoke up, ‘Er, I’ll be, uh, going then.’ So he wasn’t terribly good with situations of an awkward or bad nature.

‘Oh no, finish your dinner please,’ Claire told him, smiling weakly. He nodded and the rest of dinner went by quietly.

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Author's Notes: Review please! I know this was a quick update and I'm sorry to say that you shouldn't expect anymore at this rate in the future. I wanted to get this chapter out before school started and since it's my last year it's going to be hectic.

Just to clear it up, Ashville is an entirely fictional town as I am quite sure there is no such place anywhere within a one hour radius of Toronto. In fact, I don't even think such a place exists in Ontario, possibly somewhere in Canada but not near Toronto. If, by some irrational and entirely freaky chance, such a place does exist it is in no way related to this story. I am using the name and location as a means to tell a story. Thanks.

Thank-you for reading, you're all dolls.