Xiaojun woke up unable to move. The events that took place the night before left him stuck in his bed. His face was clean but his chest was black and blue with gashes littering his once perfect skin. His legs were weak and trembling with various-sized scars littering his young skin. His back left welted from the impact of his fathers belt. Ringing in his head is the words he hears every day of his life. Worthless. Waste of space. Pathetic. Mistake. He knows he isn't making it to school today and only hopes his father doesn't find out. It's a vicious cycle seemingly never-ending. Or so he thought.
Hendery woke up that morning alone, but nonetheless happy. He knew his friends awaited him at school and was excited to see what the day would bring. He was dressed and out the door 20 minutes later. With a smile on his face, he began walking, taking a different route than usual, not knowing that the quiet and peaceful neighborhood he was walking through held dark secrets and a trapped boy desperate to escape.
...
Hendery passed a small yellow house with a white picket fence that was growing the most beautiful red roses along the fence line. He stopped, bending over to smell the sweet scent emitting from the flowers that hid the cry for help inside. He left not looking back at the house that held the boy whose life he would eventually save.
As Hendery left, Xiaojun lay paralyzed with silent tears streaming down his face. He didn't know the boy he saw outside his bedroom window and yet he envied his freedom. He hated how the boy could come and go as he pleased and he was stuck, always afraid of what would happen next. He had tried running once but was only met with more pain, and having nowhere to go he never tried again. So instead he remains bearing the monster alone afraid of its return.
...
Xiaojun's father didn't come home the day he saw the boy smell the roses and so he was able to attend class the next day without any new wounds. Luckily it was a cold day so no one would question his long sleeves and sweatpants. He arrived that morning mustering up every ounce of strength he had to plaster a smile on his face. He couldn't risk anyone finding out about the wounds because if his father found out someone knew there would only be more. Instead, he held his smile and avoided others touching him. At least he tried his best.
Hendery arrived that morning a little flustered since he was almost late and ended up running straight into a boy knocking him over. Panicking he reached down to help him up apologizing profusely to the boy who could only laugh at his flustered state. After assuring Hendery he was okay, Xiaojun walked away trying his best to hide the pain he felt. His efforts didn't go unnoticed, however, as Hendery had noticed his slight limp and shaking arms. But thought nothing of it and Hendery left as well.
Xiaojun had gone straight to the bathroom, locking himself in a stall as he began to gasp for air. With his hand grasping his stomach the silent tears had begun to fall yet again. When the pain had subdued to a mere ache he unlocked his stall stepping out to face himself in the mirror.
Hendery had a free period for study hall so he decided to use the bathroom before the lunch rush would crowd the building. He walked in and froze staring at the boy he had bumped into earlier.
Panicking, Xiaojun dropped his shirt and turned to face the boy who had seen his wounds. He had opened his mouth to speak but before he could get any words out Hendery had his shirt pulled up again, fingers grazing softly over his newest bruises and cuts. Without hesitating, Hendery told the boy to stay where he was and he left to get a first aid kit. Every fiber in Xiaojun's body told him to get out before he came back, but alas he stayed frozen yet again where he stood.
Hendery returned and, quickly before students would be let out for lunch, helped Xiaojun bandage up his torso. Neither boy had said anything the entire time until Hendery broke the silence by asking what happened. Not wanting to tell the truth, Xiaojun lied. He played it off by saying he got in a fight with some teenagers on his way home. Believing what Xiaojun had said, Hendery offered to walk him home. Xiaojun tried to decline but Hendery won the argument.
