The Worst of Times

Chapter 2

"Mike, are you feeling alright?" My mom asked me when she walked inside my room. I only groaned in response. "Honey, I know you still miss Chester-"

"No, I don't! If he wants to be stupid and destroy himself, I can't help him!" I yelled.

"Michael, that is no way to talk to your mother!" She snapped.

"I'm sorry, mom."

"Don't do it again. Your friends are here. Go out for a while." She said sympathetically and I rolled out of bed and got dressed.
~
"Come on, Mikey, we have to go to Lincoln Park." Phoenix stated once I stepped outside. I looked at him oddly. "It's Tuesday."

"Oh." I said tonelessly. Almost every Tuesday, the guys and I go to Lincoln Park and almost every time, this guy named Sean is there. He always talks to us about Chester and what he's up to.

He hadn't said too much lately, just that things are getting worse. He said Chester's in a relationship with John. I'm familiar with him from past tournaments and rumors between our school and his. I've heard he can be a real ass and he's into drugs. I can only hope he isn't getting Chester into them too.

We went to the park and immediately Sean came up to us, he didn't look happy.

"John said he's going to come beat your ass." He said tonelessly, eyes on me.

"What?! I thought you and I were cool!" I gasped.

"You and I? Yeah, we're cool. These are John's words, not mine. I wouldn't want any of you guys or Chester getting hurt."

"What do you mean or Chester? Has John been hurting him?" I asked quickly, beginning to panic.

"I... No. He's not hurting Chester." Sean said and I didn't believe him.

"Tell me if he's hurting him." I demanded and Sean looked me directly in the eyes.

"It doesn't matter. All of you have to stay away from John and Chester. He'll fucking kill you." He said firmly and quickly left. I wanted to scream and cry my eyes out and hold Chester again. Letting him go was the worst mistake I've ever made.

"Maybe we should check up on him." Phoenix suggested and I roughly shook my head.

"No way, not after the last time you guys went." I sighed.
~
"You fucking pieces of shits won't take him away from me!" John spat, ready to charge at Phoenix and Joe who were simply trying to see Chester. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"John, stop!" Chester cried and tried to pull him back into the house. John swung an arm back around towards Chester but he ducked and it missed.

"You're mine! They won't take you!" John bellowed and Chester cowered.

"I know, I know. I'm yours. They won't take me. Close the door." Chester said slowly and John obeyed but kept his eyes on Chester.
~
"God, it was terrifying. Chester looked scared even and he's John's boyfriend!" Joe said loudly and I sighed.

"Poor, Chaz. What if he's being hurt by him?" I said softly and the other guys sat him down at a picnic table.

"You broke up with him, remember?" Phoenix placed gently and I tensed a little. The guys all knew that it was hard for me to talk about but if Chester's being hurt by John, they'd need me.

"I know!" I snapped. "It's not my fault!"

"We talked to the teacher that got him into the watch, she said he didn't attempt, it just scared her that he tried before and seemed to wish it would've worked." Phoenix reminded me softly and I huffed in frustration.

"Phoenix, I know he would've attempted-"

"How?"

"Okay, I didn't." I admitted. "I was just afraid. You can't blame me for being afraid."

"I guess not but now Chester's with John." Phoenix sighed and I understood. He wasn't completely blaming me but pointing your finger at someone helps sometimes so I let him.

"I miss him so fucking much." I croaked, my voice cracking as tears came out. Although I was crying, the guys smiled.

"You admitted it. You always try to push him away and say you hate him or something but we always knew you still loved him!" Brad exclaimed with a bright smile. "We can get him back now!"

"No, we can't. John will fucking murder Mike. Plus..." Rob trailed off and grabbed a poster out of his pocket and it was passed around. "There were lots of these posters all around town."

'Grey Daze
Come and see our fucking perfect vocalist, Chester, in our next performance! Don't forget Sean and all his friends will be there too!
~Sean, Chester, Dave, Bobby, John~'

"I'm getting him back." I said firmly and the others gaped at me. "We're going to that concert and we're ganging up on John if he even as much as puts a hand on Chester. I think he's hurting him."

"Mike, you're doing this way too fast. Think for a moment. He's got a few years on you, remember he was held back for like three years?" Phoenix said and I growled.

"I need all of you to help me get him back! You're either with me or against me." I stated and that seemed to catch everyone off guard a little.

"You don't even know if John's hurting him! What if Chester's happy with him?" Joe intervened and the guys looked at me, waiting for my response.

"I'll text Sean and get it out of him." I snapped.

Me: Look, you really need to tell me if John's hurting Chester. I want to get him back and I need to know if Chester's unhappy with him

Sean replied almost instantly.

Sean: Look, man, I shouldn't be telling you shit but yeah. John tends to beat the shit out of Chaz and often does other things but you can't make their relationship end badly, I still need Ches in my band.

Me: Don't tell me you place your band over Chester's safety...

Sean: Of course not! I just want this to end the best way it can. I hate seeing Chester get hurt, man.

Me: Okay. When's that concert of yours?

Sean: Saw our poster?

Me: Yes

Sean: Fucking Bobby didn't put the date on there. It's this weekend.

Me: So soon?

Sean: Yeah, Bobby was supposed to get the posters out weeks ago.

Me: Oh lol well thanks. I'll see you then.

Sean: Alright, I got your back man.

"Mike!" Phoenix shook me and I looked up at him. "So?"

"Yeah. Sean said he's hurting him amongst other things. Their concert is this weekend."

"So soon?" He gapped and I nodded. "Alright. I'll buy our tickets."

"Cool, thanks." I smiled gratefully.

"No problem, anything to get Chaz man back."
***
How are you guys liking this second story so far?!

Hopefully it doesn't seemed too rushed. I just have SO many plans that this probably won't even seem too big by the end of the story. cx

Happy readings!
~-_LPBennoda_~-