Silver Linings

More than special thanks to my editor cjl4991, who's been subjected to my crazy acts of randomness and was more than willing to help me craft this into what it is now.

As this is the first story I'm posting, all critique, comments and criticisms are accepted and welcomed should you choose to do so. I hope you enjoy reading all in hopes of expanding into a chapter 2 of which I have already started. Hope you enjoy! ^^

Also, there's no erotic scene in this chapter, but there will be quite a few l8r ;)

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The cool night air wisped about me on the back of my street bike as I had left my final class at Nova. I felt calmer than usual so I'd decided to take a lap around campus before heading back home. As I came to the traffic light to leave the campus, the quiet and still atmosphere was disturbed by voices climbing in octaves.

"W-w-w-w-what do you want from me!!!!" was the shrilling voice in the air

"Time to get rid of you corrupting ass pirates once and for all!" was screeched by a deep voiced guy followed by an assortment of "Yeahs."

"Oh god! Somebody help me!!!" screamed the shrilling voice again.

"That voice...." slipped from my lips in an agitated whisper.

As I turned around on my bike and sped towards the commotion, there was a THUD and a quick but loud yelp....as I was approaching the dimly lit part of the parking lot.

POV of the victim

As I screamed out for help, I heard the buzzing of a motorbike drawing closer in a locked speed. However my screams were interrupted by a foot in the mouth from the bigoted gang. My vision went blurry and sounds were obscured. As I found myself being kicked and slipping into unconsciousness.....I manage to see someone jump off the bike as it hit the person that kicked me and tackled another guy on the side. I remember nothing else beyond that....

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As my eyes crept open, I began to feel pain shoot up my sides and into my brain, my vision still blurry from forced knocked out slumber. It took me a while to realize that I woke up in a white room that was foreign to me.

"Where the fuck am I?!"

"You're smarter than that Noah! Take a look at yourself and then look around. You'll come to the most obvious guess."

"A snide comment like that can only come from a true jackass like Jade Selphere." I muttered

As my eyes was adjusting to focus to everything, it was focusing on the outline towering tall figure over me, taller than me by maybe an inch or 2. Light yet deep brown hair wildly but nicely kept; and eyes that glowed a pale green matched with a concerned but cocky facial expression. Such was Jade Selphere.

"Glad to hear you haven't lost your pep or half sharp wit my friend. Guess that means you're not more brain damaged than usual." Jade said with a grin "So have u guessed where you are yet?"

"Before I get up and knock your happy ass over....what happened Jade?"

"Wait just a moment Noah, I need to buzz the doctor before I answer your questions.....it won't be long, scouts honor!"

"There's no need to buzz me....I'm already here Mr. Selphere." said the doctor. At first glance he seemed to be very young and extremely beautiful with a very kind yet assuring voice.

"Oh...oh d-d-doctor...h-hi" Jade muttered as his cheeks turned crimson. "As you can see, he's f-f-finally woken up." Embarrassed, he quickly spun on his heels and walked to the other side of the room which I guessing he was trying make himself disappear.

I must admit, the doctor was very gorgeous. Through his long pure white med coat, even I can see he pays attention to arms and chest when working out. Completely and totally Jade's type! Body structure wise anyway. I really have no affinity for blondes but he made it work for him...definitely, especially at a staggering 6 ft. 6 in. I decided that I'd talk with him through my rough stay to get some info about him, you know 'best friend bro duties' and all. For now, I'll just sit back and enjoy watching Jade die from his own instant fatal attraction. Heheh!

After the brief normal checkup that consisted of eye, ear, throat exams and the usual questions of "do you feel pain here or here?" Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity of teasing Jade then my letting out little moans as I was being examined. If looks could kill, I'd be a dead man twice over form the look I was receiving from my roomie. Heh!

After explaining about my moderate concussion, broken ribs and bruises that matched in and around my body, was when he shifted those questions to the heart of the matter....

"Mr. Taylor, do you remember the night of the incident in any kind of way at all?"

"Yes Doctor?"

"Hatzilakos, but feel free to just go by Dr. H" he said with care.

Smiling, I noticed then that Jade had turned back around in interest to the story. "Well Dr. H, I had just finished my classes for the evening and was heading to the bus stop to get home when I was approached by the people that did this to me. The word 'faggot' was thrown around as they drew closer. It was then that I realized I was cornered and about to be in the fight of my life....."

"Anything else, Mr. Taylor?"

"Well, it was too dark to recognize faces if that's what you mean, but I'll never forget the voices and the feel of how much hate was tied to it." At that moment, I realized I began sobbing but continued on anyway. "After some exchange of words between us...I screamed for help....to anyone, anything that could help me.....but before I could finish, the guy who seemed to be team leader, planted a boot to my face....flooring the back of my head to the pavement."

Jade came over and held my hand to soothe me with real concern in his eyes. Though he was rough around the edges, he was still my best friend all in all. Through misty eyes, I gave him an awkward smile. It may seem a bit weird but Jade had become extremely protective of me ever since we decided to 'come out' to our parents together. Don't get me wrong we never dated and it never came to mind to think of him romantically, we just decided to do it as support for one another. His family took it so well, his mother laughed and just asked him to fetch a pitcher of lemonade because she was thirsty. Mine ended very badly, and since then he's always been like a brother to me. I'd often tease him about being so fussy that he'd become my new mother.

"Was there any more to the story?" asked Dr. H

Jade looked at me then furrowed his brow as he turned to the kind doctor about to open his mouth at what I can guess would be an insulting quibble he was famous for....

"Just a little more....just after the blow to my head, my vision and hearing became foggy-like and felt myself slipping into unconsciousness but held on as long I could seeing the area lit up with light and vaguely hearing the sound of an approaching street bike as I was being kicked and stomped all over. Like some kind of unreal action movie, the bike ran head first into the team leader and the rider jumped off just before then and tackled one of the others nearby....after that everything just faded to black."

"Are you up for me to fill in some of the blanks for you?" Jade looked at me then looked at the doctor seeking approval. The doctor nodded his head and Jade clenched through my fingers tighter and began his filler part of the story. "Well there is much I still don't understand about the story but let me just tell you, you've been out for almost 2 days. As for the rider and the others in the fight;

......well....the rider managed to knock one of them out. I can only guess that the others ran away but....he found your cell phone, called an ambulance then called me. I just glad we both live close to campus and the hospital." Jade's voice began to crack. Pausing for a minute or 2 just to gather himself as I used a little force on my hand to give him some comfort too.

"So what happened Jade?! Don't keep me in the dark like you usually do to tease me!!"

He chuckled and rolled his eyes "Alright, alright!" and beamed a smile. Then his smile drifted away as he began explaining.

As he put it, he reached before the ambulance came and saw the rider tending to me. Apparently blood was pooled around my head on the concrete and noticed that jacket was placed under and around my head as the biker began to makeshift bandage raw wounds from his shirt.

"I'm guessing by now that you'll be wanting to know who this mysterious rider is right?" snided Jade

"Stop doing that shit you asswipe and tell me already!!!!!"

He released a series of cackles into the air then shook his head. "I still wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen it....but the rider was the one we call Silver."

I felt my eyes open to astronomical proportions as I blushed so hard that I felt steam making a massive exit through my ears. It just couldn't be! As I scanned the room to try and regain some composure, I glimpsed the doc and just for a moment, I thought I saw his reaction to that name put him into some deep thought. Of course it could have been my imagination.

Still, the most gorgeous guy on campus and the most beautiful guy I'd ever seen. The one guy on campus who's name no one knows, shrouded in mystery as he speaks and gestures to no one, as the air about him makes anyone around him too scared to approach for the paralyzing feeling you get when he looks at you. Standing at exactly 6 ft. with shining jet black hair that flowed almost to the small of his back and strange otherworldly violet eyes that I noticed by staring at him long enough. Many nights before bed and wakeup call mornings I used him as the object of my desire. And believe me, the payload was more than any time I've ever done before laying eyes on him. Sounds stalker-ish, I know but you've just never seen the guy. He was something that dreams dream about!

"But...but I've seen him walk past squabbles before as if it was non-existent before.....why would he....."

The doctor's beeper went off interrupting me mid-sentence. "I'm sorry, I have to handle this......but I'll be back as soon as I can. Mr. Taylor? For now...just rest easy until I get back. As for you Mr. Selphere, will you be here for him for a while? I would prefer someone who knows him well to keep him company....to keep him awake for now."

"Sure doctor, I have nowhere else to be right now....."

"But doesn't your shift start soon?" I said

Jade gave me a 'shut the fuck up if you know what's good for you' look. I sat back with an evil knowing smile on my face. The doctor just gave Jade a brilliant smile that could illuminate all of space and wink then left. Jade just blushed furiously and hang his head low as I laughed at his uncommon behavior.

"I think Dr. H likes you" I said with a mischievous grin

"I-I-I think Silver likes YOU!!" he snapped back in desperation

"What on earth would make you think that!!!!!"

"Because I think he was enjoying himself a little too much when he was practicing CPR on you as I came into the parking lot." he said in his 'rightly so' tone of his.

If I blushed any more than that...my body would have spontaneously combusted. I fail to believe someone like the mysterious Silver would want someone like me. I mean, I know I had some looks but my body was the form of a soft lanky teen with a somewhat pear shape that I was always embarrassed about and amongst a crowd, I'd easily blend into the background, wallpaper or just the wall. Sight unseen. Most of all....he had to be a no nonsense straight type right? Just had to be!!!

Jade shocked me out of my deep thoughts with his annoyingly amazing mind reading ability he has on me. "Noah....Stop doing that to yourself! You're not a bad looking man, I just happen to look better and I'm just more charming."

"Go kill yourself Jade." I puffed

We both burst into laughter.

"By the way Noah, detectives have been here every day since the incident happened. Do you think you can muster some morale to answer a few of their questions today?"

"Hmmm.....I'm not in the mood but.....it's best to get it over with." I sighed

It was gonna be a long day for me and I knew it.