Stabs At The Heart || Dnf || ONGOING

{Chapter 5} Stare

More time passed and Clay got...stranger. After beating me by himself, he'd sit and watch me as I laid on the ground helplessly. He'd stare at my eyes, my arms, my legs, my chest, my lips. All of it.

It changed when his friends would beat me. When they finished, he just walked away with them.

But when we were alone. He'd just stare at me. I just closed my eyes and ignored him, but I felt his gaze beam at me. Eventually I would just wait until I heard him get up and walk away.

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Next thing I knew, Thanksgiving break was coming up. My mom was too poor to take us anywhere but I never minded it because I loved staying at home.

There were 2 days left until the week-long break which was exciting. A week at home, watching movies with my mom on the couch and my aunt coming over Thanksgiving night to have dinner.

She was the only family we had left. After my father died, his family cut ties with us for some odd reason we didn't know of.

I put on some baggy jeans and popped an oversized band T-shirt on top of it for school.

Someone was waiting for me at the front gate of the school.

"Good to see ya George," said Clay with a grin.

He signaled me with his eyes to head with him to the back of the school. Once I caught up we walked together.

"Aren't you being kinda rude to your friends by beating me up like this and then leaving me for them?" I asked.

"Not at all. In fact I think they quite enjoy me not hogging you anymore."

I scoffed at the statement in annoyance. "God! You're making it sound like you're all a bunch of kids fighting for a toy!"

All he did was laugh at my point.

When we reached the back of the school I set my bags down and prepared myself for another dreadful lash.

Unexpectedly, Clay pinned me to the wall, gripping his hands around my wrists.

He moved both my hands above my head and held them with one hand.

"Oh George. Don't you know how I love our little chats? You've been growing quite comfortable with me recently. Aren't I right?" he said.

He used his free hand and caressed my jawline with his index finger.

"Comfortable?" I chuckled. "At the end of the day, no matter what attitude I give you, I'm left with a beating. And what I say changes nothing."

"Then maybe I should beat you harder and start joining in on my friends," he smirked.

"Do as you please, it's not like I get a saying in this."

There was silence for a moment. Then Clay let go of me and took a step back.

"Why don't you fight back?" he asked.

It was a surprising question. All of this was unexpected. Why are we talking? Why isn't he hitting me? And what's with this question?

"I'm weak. And it's 1 against 10 or something." I mumbled out.

"8 actually," he said.

"I don't care just get this over with and beat me. That's what you want right!?" I yelled.

It took him a moment to raise his fist at me, but I ended up getting my beating.

Why did he hesitate though?

He didn't end up staring at me today and left immediately.