Pretty Boy- discontinued sorryyyy

• Chapter Eleven •

I really can't handle this right now.

"Aiden?" Alex's voice come out so quiet I'm not even sure he said anything. My breathing has all but stopped as I finally find a shirt to pull over my head and fall to the ground trying to hold back sobs.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I keep repeating over and over again incoherently through my now sobs.

"Aiden, Aiden- it's ok. Y-you didn't do anything wrong." He looks so panicked as he gently closes the door and rushes to my side, "please, please stop saying that. You didn't do anything wrong ok?" He runs a hand through his hair clearly not knowing what to do as I can't think straight.

They hate me now. He's going to tell them all and I'll just become another punching bag. Why can't I just be normal. Why can't I just be ok?

"Aiden? Aiden can I give you a hug? I really don't know what to do here," I can hear the tears in his own strained voice and just nod, needing any form of comfort I can get.

He just awkwardly wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a strange side hug as I lean into him.

"Ok, ok just- just breathe Aiden. It's gonna be ok. You're safe. You're ok, I promise."  He keeps talking, drawing my attention to him instead of my panic, and slowly my breathing calms and I'm just left there clinging to my older brother. One of the few people to ever see my scars.

"Can I," he hesitates, "can I look at them? Make sure it's nothing bad?"

"Please don't tell the others, please." I manage to stammer out burying my face into his shirt even more, I hadn't realized how much I needed a hug till now.

"Ok, ok I won't tell. Just, let me look at them please. They could be infected..."  I nod slowly and carefully pull off my shirt.

I can feel him suck in a breath in shock at looking at everything up close. A long jagged cut runs from my bellybutton and wraps around to my shoulder blades. My ribs are bright shades of healing bruises, thankfully not broken, only sore.

Alex's eyes scan over every scar and bruise on my body before reaching the one I never want to see again.

"Oh shit.." his hand hand traces the letters the were carefully burned onto my hip.

Pretty boy.

"Did our d-" he clears his throat, "did Hank... did he do this?"

"Not, not that one" I manage to choke out, not looking down at the words I know he can't look away from.

"And the other scars?"

I hesitate before meeting his gaze, "some."

"My god Aiden, no wonder you raced out of there..." he shakes his head, "I'm so sorry Aiden- I-I," he looks away trying to cover the own tears in his eyes as he chokes over his words, "no one is gonna ever hurt you again ok?" He hands me my shirt back which I thankfully throw back on.

"I know Blake is an absolute dick- and trust me I had some choice words for him downstairs," I smile a little as he continues, "but even he would never physically hurt you. You're safe here I promise."

"Thanks," my voice raspy from crying.

We sit there for awhile. My head resting on his shoulder, needing the physical touch. Terrible thing having love language as physical touch when and form of contact makes me flinch away. But with Alex I can finally relax. He knows. He know about my scars and didn't point and laugh or run out of the room in fear. He stayed.

He stayed while having know idea what to do and still managed to calm me down. He cares. And that's everything I need.

"Do you... do you wanna talk about it Aiden?"

I hesitate, I desperately do. I need to. I need to tell someone. But I can't he's watching. He'll know. Especially if he's already gotten to Blake. "I-I can't. I want to, I just can't."

"They can't hurt you anymore Aiden. I won't let them."

I shake my head and hug him tighter, acting like a literal child but I don't even care, "he's watching me," my voice is barely above a whisper, I'm not even sure he could hear me.

"What? Aiden, Aiden I'm not gonna let anyone near you or Ellie ok? Neither will anyone else."

I've got ears everywhere.

My friend says he misses you.

"The mall," is all I manage to say as my heart rate picks up again.

"He was at the mall?" Alex's eyes widen before he notices my increased panic. "Hey, hey it's fine. I don't care where this guy is, I'll never let him hurt you ok? Never again."

I just nod. Not knowing what else to say. But his words echo over and over again in my head. But these don't fill me with dread and panic. Alex's words give me the hope I needed.

Never again.