So Cold • Hardzello

Chapter 12

Here's a chapter early because this chapter and the chapter I have for tomorrow go hand in hand

TW warning for this chapter btw
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One

Two

Three

When Tyler said, he'd make Ben's life a living hell, he meant it. Any chance they got, they would gang up on the boy. They would wait till he was alone and drag him off to take care of him. It's funny because Ben would always take it. Three punches to the face and Ben didn't even flinch.

There was no escaping the inevitable. Ben would just take the beating and wait till they were done so he could just leave.

He didn't even dare to fight back again. He might have been on the muscular side and strong, but not compared to Tyler. To add to that, one guy couldn't take on four.

When they finished bullying him and would leave him alone in whatever place they'd dragged him, he would finally breakdown. He'd never show emotion to them, he wanted to show he was strong.

His body was always scattered with bruises thanks to the jocks. His body was like a blank canvas and afterward, he became the Mona Lisa or something.

"Hey, are you okay?" Joe asked as they sat in Ben's room, working on their project. Ben had been quieter than he usually was. He had hardly said anything since Joe had been there. It wasn't like Ben.

"I'm fine." Ben replied, never looking up from typing. His eyes were glued to the screen.

Ben's body ached, he had to skip soccer practice just on account of the pain. He almost told Joe not to come today, but he still let him come.

"Ben..." Joe started but Ben cut him off.

"I said I'm fine." Ben said a little too loud and a little too cold. His vision was pulled to the boy and the look on Joe's face made Ben realize his mistake.

"Right. Fine." Joe closed his laptop and began to get up from the desk chair. "See you Monday."

"Joe, what about tomorrow?"

"Ben, I think you need some time to yourself, to figure out whatever's going on with you." Joe glared over his shoulder at the blond, his eyes said he was hurt. Ben didn't mean to raise his voice like he did.

"Joe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice." Ben trying to apologize, he didn't mean to.

"I know you didn't mean to, but you really need some time to yourself." Joe watched out the door and Ben let him. Jesus, he was being a horrible friend. Ben had been so stressed that he acted before he thought.

He heard Joe's vehicle start up from outside and moved to his window. He watched him pull out of his driveway and leave.

Ben hit his head onto the wall and thoughts of him being stupid ran through his head.

Ben went to the bathroom and got ready for a shoulder. Ben looked in the mirror, as always, when he undressed to check on every bruise.

After his shower, he put his glasses on and he went shirtless as it was more comfortable yet every bruise, scratch, scrape, and cut was exposed. No one was there though to see them.

When he came to his bedroom, he landed face-first into his bed and began sob. He had been holding it back for hours and finally letting it go.

He didn't realize that the ginger stood at his open bedroom door. Joe had forgotten his jacket and came back for it. His own heart broke hearing Ben cry and seeing every bruise on his body. Who had done this to him?