Marriage was exactly what the both of them needed. It provided stability in their relationship, a kind that remaining boyfriend and girlfriend just couldn't give. At 24 years old, Eileen figured it was time to start having kids. She gave birth to Anton on January 19th, 1993, and Caio on July 11th, 1997.
From a young age, Caio and all of his family had known he was different. His grandmother had been the first to tell his parents about his uniqueness. She explained that she'd had dreams that he would be different from Anton. His grandmother Gloria's Native background guided her beliefs, and she spent many summers telling Caio how special he was. He was sensitive and gentle, not rough and rowdy like his brother. He liked pretty things like butterflies and flower patches, not footballs and monster trucks. Because of his family's acceptance, Caio never once had to worry about being rejected simply because of who he was.
For Caio, his high school years changed him forever. His first kiss was with the girl who would become his best friend until this very day. Jenna was the prettiest girl in his freshman class, and she was attracted to him. In an attempt to not break her heart, he and Jenna made out at a party, and while it didn't go very well, the two of them both learned something invaluable; they were both as gay as the day was long. Rather than becoming a real couple, they became beards for one another, the perfect cover. They were as thick as thieves from that point on.
Jenna was the first person he told about his mother's affair. He'd biked home early one day to pick up some medicine for his headache when he saw the strange car in his parking lot. When he entered his home, he found his mother and a strange man in their room. For weeks, he kept this a secret until he let it slip to Jenna. He also told Anton, trusting that it would stay between them. It didn't. Anton told their father, and just like that, their family had fallen apart. His mother moved away, his father developed a nasty drinking habit, and Anton was left to raise his younger brother. Caio depended on his friends more than ever that year.
Caio's other friends included Mitch - a soccer jock that had a surprisingly soft side, Christian - theatre queen and the only girl in their grade that had parents that would buy booze for her, and Cameron - sarcastic asshole with a heart of gold. The five of them forged a friendship that would last for years longer than they expected. The first test of their bond was when Caio admitted what happened to him during their junior year. They swore to never tell a soul, and even then he had a hard time explaining his story.
Aaron Carmichael was the assistant for his English teacher, and he had a smile that could sail a thousand ships. He was personable, intelligent, and friendly to boot. It was no wonder Caio had developed a crush on him from the moment he spoke with him. This crush blossomed, and to Caio's surprise, Aaron felt the same way about him. Sure, the space between Caio's sixteen years and Aaron's twenty-three was quite large, but he was young and naive and believed that Aaron loved him. He believed this up until the man took advantage of him, pinning him down and assaulting him.
He was left with nothing, not even a sense of belonging in his own body. He felt sick in his skin, and dreamed of shredding it off and stepping into another body. He wanted it to end. His friends kept him sane and helped him cope with what Aaron had done to him. As badly as he wanted justice, Caio knew that nobody would believe him. This didn't happen to boys. He wanted it. That was what he deserved for being gay. Despite his wishes, his friends took justice into their own hands. Cameron and his brother's college friends followed Aaron home one night and beat him into the sidewalk, leaving him with one parting sentence. 'Quit your job.'
Aaron quit that following day. It wouldn't be the last time Caio would see him around town, but it was better than seeing him every fourth period. Time passed, and Caio was able to begin his healing process. He even developed a strange bond with Carmeron. Their feelings grew and grew until they were a thing. They were inseparable, and even when they fought, they made up quickly and were back to holding hands, cuddling, and kissing. Caio never said the words, but he was in love - totally and completely in love. Things looked up for him. His relationship with his mother slowly mended itself, and his father began therapy to cope with the divorce.
Then one day Cameron moved away. Caio found him in his room packing up, getting his belongings and getting out of town. He left with no explanation - no word or reason as to why he was abandoning everyone before graduation. It wasn't until months later that Caio found out that Cameron had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and didn't want anyone to see him. He moved to stay with extended family, and there, his left arm was amputated. Cameron had left to spare everyone the pain, cutting everyone from his life completely. Caio had never felt loss quite like this. With the help of his remaining friends, he learned to somewhat forgive Cameron and move on. He graduated just before the summer of 2015 and decided from that point on that he would make every day important. Life was too short to not appreciate every second of it.
