the brain project [1]

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aidan

he doesn't remember trudging to his room, but he has, and his phone is probably buzzing with texts, but he can't hear anything but the muffled sound of a lawn mower in the distance.

falling onto his bed, he's about to doze off, until light creeps into his room. "it's three in the afternoon. get up, aidan. i know you have homework."

his mother casts a shadow while she leans against the doorframe, her arms crossed.

fear prickles in his spine, and he sits up, hoping she can't see him in the darkness from the barely-lit room and closed curtains.

she does. "what the hell?"

"mom—"

she strides over to him in nearly two steps, turning on the lamp on the nightstand and tilting his face toward it. "who did this to you? i want names! i want to call that school, and i want to sue whoever did this!" she yells, her face burning. "tell me, aidan!"

"it was nothing, mom," he says, trying to sound reassuring, trying to ignore the pounding in his head at her raised voice.

"don't you dare tell me this is nothing, young man!"

he climbs out of bed and limps towards her. "mom, please. it was just a misunderstanding—"

she cups his face again, her thumb running gently over the large bruise under his eye, the cut on his lip. "tell me who did this, aidan."

"just a few kids in the locker room."

her intuition is excellent. "is everett behind this?"

"just let me explain."

"fine," she sighs. "explain."