A Place Called Safe

Xander couldn’t stop thinking about Marcus.

Not in the way people talked about crushes.

Not in the way his classmates whispered about girls they liked.

It wasn’t like that.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

He just…

Worried.

That was all.

Anyone would worry after seeing someone break down the way Marcus had.

Anyone would think about the tears.

About the way his voice cracked.

About how exhausted he sounded when he said, “I’m tired.”

Xander stared at the ceiling of his bedroom.

Sleep felt impossible.

The image of Marcus crying kept replaying in his head.

He had looked so different.

Not polished.

Not perfect.

Not like the boy who always smiled and somehow knew exactly what to say.

Just human.

Broken.

Real.

And somehow Xander couldn’t stop thinking that he preferred that version.

The real version.

The one nobody else seemed to know.

The one who trusted him enough to let the walls fall down.

A strange ache settled in his chest.

He hated it.

Because all he wanted was to go back to the chapel.

To make sure Marcus was okay.

To see him again.

To hear his voice.

Just once.

The thought should’ve worried him.

Instead it made him smile.

⸻

The next morning, his sister noticed immediately.

“You look ridiculous.”

Xander nearly dropped his spoon.

“What?”

She sat across from him at the kitchen table.

“You’ve been staring at that cereal for five minutes.”

“I have not.”

“You have.”

He rolled his eyes.

His sister grinned.

“Who’s the girl?”

“There isn’t a girl.”

Her grin widened.

“Oh, there definitely is.”

Xander groaned.

“There isn’t.”

“Then what’s his name?”

He choked on his cereal.

His sister burst out laughing.

“Oh my God.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh my God.”

“Seriously, shut up.”

She laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair.

Xander threw a napkin at her.

Unfortunately, her smile didn’t disappear.

Instead she leaned forward.

“So.”

“No.”

“So.”

“No.”

“Tell me.”

Xander sighed heavily.

Because despite everything—

She was his best friend.

The only person he trusted completely.

The only person who really knew him.

So eventually he gave in.

“There is someone.”

Her eyes widened.

“I knew it.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Mhm.”

“It isn’t.”

“Mhm.”

Xander glared.

She ignored him.

“What’s he like?”

For some reason, answering felt easy.

Too easy.

A small smile appeared before he could stop it.

“His eyes are weird.”

His sister blinked.

“That’s your opening statement?”

“They are.”

“How?”

Xander thought for a moment.

“They’re blue.”

“Lots of people have blue eyes.”

“Not like his.”

He struggled to explain.

“They look different in sunlight.”

His sister stared.

“You’ve paid attention.”

Xander ignored that.

“And his hair is always a mess.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And he smiles too much.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“That’s a complaint?”

“No.”

The answer came too quickly.

His sister’s smile grew.

Xander continued talking anyway.

Because somehow he couldn’t stop.

“He has this voice.”

“What kind of voice?”

“I don’t know.”

A laugh escaped him.

“It’s annoying.”

“Why?”

“Because whenever he starts talking, I end up listening.”

His sister’s expression softened.

Xander looked away.

“He acts like everything is okay all the time.”

“But it isn’t.”

“No.”

His voice became quieter.

“It really isn’t.”

The kitchen fell silent.

His sister watched him carefully.

“You care about him.”

Xander swallowed.

A lot.

More than he wanted to admit.

More than made sense.

“I just don’t want him getting hurt.”

The words felt honest.

Completely honest.

His sister smiled sadly.

“Sometimes that’s how it starts.”

Xander frowned.

“What does?”

She only shrugged.

⸻

Three days later, everything changed.

Xander was helping unload supplies from a truck when he overheard two older men talking nearby.

The conversation wasn’t important at first.

Just gossip.

The kind adults always seemed obsessed with.

Then he heard a familiar name.

Marcus.

His hands froze.

“You mean Nathaniel Beaumont’s son?”

“Yeah.”

Xander’s stomach dropped.

Beaumont.

No.

No way.

The Beaumont family was practically royalty in town.

Rich.

Powerful.

Respected.

Everyone knew them.

Everyone knew Nathaniel Beaumont.

The wealthiest man in the region.

The loudest supporter of the church.

The man who donated money to every religious event.

The man adults described as a saint.

The same man Marcus described with fear in his eyes.

Suddenly everything made sense.

The expensive clothes.

The perfect manners.

The impossible expectations.

The pressure.

The bruises.

Xander felt sick.

Because Marcus wasn’t just anyone.

He was Nathaniel Beaumont’s son.

And if what Marcus said was true—

Then nobody knew what happened behind closed doors.

⸻

That night Xander sat alone outside his house.

The sky stretched endlessly above him.

Dark and filled with stars.

Normally it made him feel peaceful.

Tonight it only made him think.

About Marcus.

Again.

Always Marcus.

His sister eventually joined him.

“You look like you’re planning a robbery.”

Xander snorted.

Then his expression faded.

“I found out who he is.”

She sat beside him.

“Who?”

“Marcus.”

Her smile disappeared immediately.

“What happened?”

Xander looked toward the horizon.

“He’s Nathaniel Beaumont’s son.”

Her eyes widened.

“Oh.”

Yeah.

Oh.

The weight of it settled heavily between them.

Because everyone knew what that meant.

Different worlds.

Different families.

Different expectations.

Different lives.

His sister broke the silence first.

“Are you scared?”

The answer came immediately.

“Yes.”

He wasn’t scared of Marcus.

Never Marcus.

He was scared of everything surrounding him.

The church.

The expectations.

The family.

The power.

Nathaniel Beaumont could destroy lives without lifting a finger.

And if he ever discovered Marcus spending time with someone like Xander—

Someone from the wrong side of town—

The chapel meetings would end instantly.

Maybe worse.

The thought made Xander’s chest tighten.

Because he wasn’t ready for that.

He wasn’t ready to lose him.

The realization hit harder than expected.

His sister noticed.

Of course she did.

“You really care about him.”

Xander looked down.

For once he didn’t argue.

Because he did.

More than he should.

More than he understood.

He wanted Marcus safe.

He wanted Marcus smiling for real.

He wanted Marcus free from the fear that followed him everywhere.

Most of all—

He wanted another night at the chapel.

Another conversation.

Another laugh.

Another chance to see the version of Marcus nobody else knew existed.

The stars glittered above.

Silent witnesses to thoughts Xander wasn’t ready to name.

And somewhere across town, hidden behind wealth, religion, and impossible expectations—

Marcus was probably staring at the same sky.

For the first time in years, Xander found himself hoping tomorrow would come faster.

Because tomorrow meant he might see Marcus

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