The Boy That Changed My Life

Chapter 12

Mitch's P.O.V.

When I reopened my eyes I was positioned on my back on my bed. How the hell did I get here? I looked around and saw that it was nine in the evening. I could here a low chatter down stairs and decided that I would go down there.

I cautiously walked down the stairs, one step at a time. The back of my throat still burned from the acids and food that I had thrown up three hours ago.

I pushed open the kitchen door and was surprised when I saw Scott, Dad and Mom all sat around the dinner table. "Hey honey." I heard Mom say as I stepped over the threshold. Scott immediately turned around to face me.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked. I noticed that his tone of voice was a kind and gentle one.

"Yeah, so much." I said sitting down next to him. I pulled my chair closer to his so our legs were touching. I reached over and linked my fingers with his under the table.

He turned his head and smiled at me, squeezing my hand a little. I felt my heart melt at his smile. It was so beautiful. He was so beautiful. I looked pas this smile though. I looked into his eyes and I saw it. That emotion that I didn't recognise. The one that seemed to always be luring on Scott's back.

"Are you still staying over?" I asked. He nodded his head in response.

"Only if you want me to of course!" He said brightly. I nodded to that. I needed to talk to him and tonight was the night I was going to get it out of him.

.....

As the night went on I became more and more reluctant to ask him. At three am he finally fell asleep. I just couldn't do it.

I sat up in bed and grabbed and notebook. Maybe if I wrote something or drew something I would stop thinking about it. It worked for a while until.

"Help! Help!" I could hear Scott gasping for breath beside me. He was shouting and crying. His face was bright red and his arms and legs were flailing from side to side. "Stop! No! I don't want to!" He shouted. I jumped down from my bed and ran to his side.

"Scott. Wake up. It's okay. Your dreaming. Wake up Scott." I whispered. I really didn't want my parents to wake. Then they would take this into their hands.

Scott's head shot up, his eyes wide open. He was panting for breath. Long streams of tears dripped down his face.

"Scott, it's alright. What's wrong? Tell me!" I said calmly trying to get him to sit up and breath.

"I... He was... I..." Scott stuttered. I took his hands into mine as they began to shake.

"Scott, you need to calm down and take some deep breaths. In and out for me." I told him. He breathed deeply but seemed to not be able to fill his lungs fully.

His breathing started to even out after a few minutes and he started to calm down although there were still stray tears falling down his cheeks.

"What's wrong? You need to tell me." I whispered. Scott fell into my arms. I could literally feel him break down. His tears began to violently fall and his body began to shake like an earthquake. "Sh, sh, it's okay. I'm here. But you need to tell me what's going on? I know there is something you aren't telling me." I whispered trying to get him to sit back up again.

"I... I..." Scott stuttered, sitting back up. I reached behind me and grabbed the box of tissues on my nightstand. I handed him one and he began to dab at his eyes. "Your family are so nice. It makes me so sad to know that my family aren't like that. I- I haven't seen my dad in years. My mom works away from home. She only comes home every couple weeks now."

"Who do you stay with Scott?" I asked, knowing full well what his answer was.

"My step dad. But I don't like staying with him. I don't..... Want to stay with him." His voice became very quiet.

"Have you talked to your mom? Why is she working away?" I asked, the truth was I was trying to avoid the question that would answer all of the questions running through my head.

"I don't know. She won't tell me. Probably because she doesn't love me." Scott admitted pulling at the bed sheets.

"Of course she loves you!" I placed my hand on Scott's leg in comfort.

"Then why would she leave me with Him then? Why?!" Scott snapped pulling away from me. I took three long and deep breaths before asking my next questions. I didn't want the words to come out of my mouth because maybe if I didn't say them then it wouldn't be true. But I had to.

"Scott, does your step dad do some stuff that you don't like?" I asked. Scott's head moved down so he was looking in his lap. The silence answered the question for me but I needed him to say something for definite. "Does your step dad hurt you?" I asked, rephrasing my question.

I noticed that Scott's hand began to shake in mine. Like a delicate little butterfly found by a small child. I took my other hand and gently lifted his chin. His eyes were closed in pain. I wished I could take all the pain away right there and then. "Does he hurt you Scott?" I asked again. I watched Scott's face for signs and then slowly he nodded.

I felt my heart shatter into a million and one pieces. Tears spilled over my cheeks. How could anyone do that to him?

I took another deep breath. "Scott what does he do to you?" I asked. I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand and watched over Scott's face. He wouldn't answer. "You can tell me. If you tell me then I will help to make it to stop." I whispered, reassuring him that I was his friend and not some official therapist person.

Scott's eyes opened and I could see the blue shimmering with his tears. "He- he hits me. Try's to burn me on the fire or the cooker. He- kicks me and punches me. He pushes me to the ground. And he- he....." Scott stopped mid-sentence.

I lifted Scott's hands to my lips and tenderly kissed the back of them. "He what, Scott?" I asked. I could feel my stomach turning at the endless possibilities.

"He- he rapes me." Scott whispered letting fresh tears fall down his face. It felt like I had been shot. Every part of me seized up. I couldn't move. My head began to spin. But then I realised. Scott needed me.

I slowly wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "It's okay. It's okay. Your fine. I'm going to get help. Don't worry. I'll fix this." I promised him, pressing my lips against his head. "I promise."