So Cold • Hardzello

Chapter 6

Merry Christmas! Here's an early chapter as a Christmas present :)
———
Ah-ah, ah!
Ah-ah, ah!
We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow

Ah, the simple magnificent yet sorrowful song that pulled Ben from his slumber every morning, except for the weekends of course. Reaching under his pillow, Ben pressed on the volume button knowing it was the one to throw the alarm into snooze. He just wanted to sleep and not be bothered by being woken up. Ben knew he couldn't escape the next alarm, but these next 10 minutes would be the best of his life. He never understood how the feeling of going back to sleep after being woke up could feel so good. He knew that he wouldn't fall back to sleep, but just closing his eyes and resting there just felt amazing.
    
He did doze off some as the alarm started up, but as it began playing, he was wide awake. He groaned and pulled his phone out from underneath his pillow, pressing cancel. The music and vibrating stopped. He laid his phone on his bedside table and stared at the ceiling.
    
"Another day, another migraine." He grumbled, quoting Squidward. He lifted the comforter and threw his feet over the side of the bed. His feet hit the cold floor and he walked to the bathroom. He used the bathroom then put the new contacts in for a second time. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and covered his bruises with concealer. He then returned to his room to change. A new yellow t-shirt, jean jacket and a pair of jeans, and some Vans would do nicely.

He grabbed his backpack and phone on his way downstairs. Of course like always, his parents had already left for work. On the kitchen counter sat a note.

Ben, your breakfast is in the microwave :)
-Love Mum

Ben walked over to the microwave and found it to be a couple of Cinnamon Rolls.

"Oh my God, thanks, Mum!" Ben exclaimed to himself, pulling the still-warm pastries out of the microwave.

He grabbed a fork which wasn't like a normal person. He just didn't want to get his hands sticky eating it by hand. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured himself a glass of milk. He sat at the table and quickly ate, keeping an eye on the time. Once he finished, he lightly rinsed off his dishes and placed them in the dishwasher to be cleaned later.

He grabbed his backpack, which he placed on the back of his chair when he made it to the kitchen and headed out. The chilly morning wasn't that bad and actually felt great. Ben started up his car and like every morning, plugged up his phone with the aux cord. He shuffled his playlist and it landed on Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Ben pulled out of his driveway and tapped on the steering wheel to the beat.
    
When he pulled into the parking lot, Come As You Are by Nirvana started playing and it made Ben "sad." He'd have to listen to it later. He parked his car in his parking space and made his way towards the school building. On his way to his locker, the bell rung alerting him he had five minutes till the tardy bell. He got his notebook out and shut his locker only for Tyler to be on the other side.
    
"Hey, nerd, what happened to your glasses? I'm sorry, did I break them?" The taller man mocked, doing the fake crying thing.
    
"I got contacts." Ben tried to walk off, but he was caught by his backpack.
    
"Hey, where do you think you're going? I didn't say you could leave." He let go of Ben, who was panicking now. In Tyler's hand was a binder. "I need you to do my homework that's due tomorrow and I want it back by tomorrow morning. If you purposefully do answers wrong, I will hurt you." He shoved the binder into Ben's chest, a maniacal grin on his face as he walked off. Ben took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. He now only had three minutes to get to class so he took off down the hall to math.
    
As soon as he got through the door, the bell rang.
    
"That was a close one." Lucy said as Ben took his seat, opening his bag to shove Tyler's binder in.
    
"Yeah, it was." Ben laughed, just happy to get to class on time and not have the shit beat out of him.
    
Ben listened intently to the lesson, writing down every note then doodling on the side of the page. Lucy tossed him a note to which he unfolded.