Benji's POV
I woke up to my alarm and I immediately shut it off so I wouldn't wake up my father. I couldn't believe it, I was starting school again and just this thought made my eyes water. Another year of bullying and name calling, luckily, this was my last year and then I'd be rid of this school, this town and my father.
I took my glasses from the nightstand, got up and dressed in a simple green t-shirt and blue jeans. I took my backpack from the corner of my room and tiptoed down the stairs. My father was sleeping on the couch, his feet hanging off of it. I slowly got out and closed the door. Mallory, my best friend, had texted me saying she wouldn't be able to drive me to school so I started walking. Luckily I had gotten up early and had a lot of time.
I was taking my books from my locker when somebody jumped on my back. My heart started beating really fast and I froze. The classes hadn't even begun and I was already being attacked, I was expecting the worst until I heard the sweet voice of my beloved friend:
"Bet I scared ya" said Mallory as she came in for a hug.
"Of course you did Mal, what is wrong with youu?!!" I answered before giving her a soft slap on the arm.
"Ohh, I missed you Benji"
"But we saw each other the day before yesterday..."
"And what? Can't I miss my best friend?"
"Ok, ok let's get to class before it starts. What do you have first?"
"Biology. And you?" asked Mal and I told her I had AP English so sadly we weren't in the same class. We parted ways and promised we'd meet next break by our lockers.
All I had to do now was try and avoid Jake and his group. I hoped they'd leave me alone on the first day of school, maybe they'd forgotten about me during the summer.
I entered the class and took a seat in the corner right in the back. All I had to do was focus during the classes and not make eye contact with anyone.
AP English went by fast and smooth with no bad encounters and so did the next 3 periods. At lunch, Mal and I took our seats at our usual table which luckily hadn't been occupied. We started talking about a library I had wanted to visit when Luke, one of the popular boys in our school, passed our table and greeted Mallory. I looked at her with questioning eyes and she blushes and looked away.
"Remember that party from last week I told you about? The one you didn't want to go to?"
"When do I ever want to go to a party?"
"Right. So I kinda forgot to tell you that I spoke with Luke for one hour..., ok the whole party"
"MALLORYY!! Why didn't you tell me?? You've always liked him"
"Well I would like to keep it between us and not tell the whole school, so could you please tone it down a little bit?!"
"Ok, sorry, sorry. Now tell me everything in detail"
"Well I was talking to Lilia and Jane when someone bumped into me and made me spill my drink on my dress. I was desperately looking for tissues and he offered to help and then we started talking and that's it"
"That's all? Are you sure..? Mal?" I looked at her with suspicious eyes and of course she cracked under pressure.
"Well, he also asked for my phone number and we've been texting back and forth. Are you mad? Sorry I didn't tell you but I just wanted to make a decision about him before getting you all excited"
"Of course I'm mad but I'm also really really happy for you. You can make it up to me by buying me a latte and promising to never ever keep something so important from me."
"Oh you're such a dickhead, okk, sure" she said before starting to laugh and punched me not so lightly in the arm.
School had finished and I was walking home (Mal was hanging out with Luke). This first day had been surprisingly peaceful and quite, I hadn't been bullied, I hadn't actually seen Jake and his minions in school today, not that it bothered me.
I had just cornered a street when I was almost run over. The car didn't stop and I said to myself "asshole" when I saw in horror that the car had stopped and was backing up. I recognized the car, Jake's car. My heart started beating really fast and I could feel my breath getting caught up in my throat. I started walking rapidly towards home but Jake caught up with me
"What the fuck did you just say, fag?"
"Oh, n-noth-nothing" I said as I kept my eyes on the ground and kept walking
"I'm talking to you bitch, don't you walk away from me and fucking listen. Don't even think for a second me and my friends forgot about you. We will NEVER forget you!" Jake got out of his car, luckily he was alone but that didn't mean he couldn't hurt me. He got out and took me by the collar of my t-shirt and started shaking me.
"Remember, FAG, you are nothing! No one loves you and no one cares about you" he let go of me and pushed me hard, making me fall on the ground.
He got in his car and with a last look of disgust towards my direction he drove away. I felt relieved, I had gotten out of this meeting with just scraped palms and sore arms. I got up and started going home. My palm were bloody but I didn't care. I was just happy our encounter had ended.
On the way home it started to rain and when I got home I was soaking wet. I saw my fathers car in the driveway. Damn it, my meeting with Jake had made me lose track of time and now my father had arrived home before me. Not how I'd planned, so I hoped he was either asleep which was unlikely considering it was just 6 pm or he'd ignore me. I opened the door and I made my way up the stairs, I had almost gotten to my room when I heard his voice:
"Benjamin, why the fuck is the floor wet? I almost slipped"
"Sorry dad, it started to rain and my clothes are all wet, I..."
"I don't fucking care, come downstairs, NOW!"
I sighed and made my way towards him. His shirt was dirty and he smelled like alcohol and sweat.
"You listen here boy, stop trying to make up excuses for everything, I thought I raised a man, not a little bitch. Now start wiping the floor where you made a mess"
I looked at my shoes and nodded my head. I turned my back towards him as I wanted to change out of this clothes so the water wouldn't continue to drip on the floor. I had gone up three stairs when I felt my t-shirt being grabbed. I was pulled down the stairs and I landed on my back, part of my legs on the bottom stair. I couldn't breathe, the shock had been so sudden I couldn't process it.
"You son of a bitch! Didn't I just tell you to wipe the fucking floor? Have I not made myself clear enough?" he kicked me with his leg in the abdomen and I brought my feet to my chin. He continued to kick me in the ribs and stomach until I couldn't breathe anymore, again.
"You always think that I'm the one who has to do everything. I feed you, I dress you and you're still an ungrateful scum. If it weren't for me, you'd be in a orphanage because your mom left you or dead. She didn't even love you, that's why she left. Because of you!"
My eyes began to water but I didn't look at him. When I was little, he wasn't like this. He wasn't really present in my life, my mom took care of me but not that good. Several times I had to walk all alone, at just 10 years old, from the other part of the city because she had forgotten me somewhere. Three years ago mom left unannounced and we've never heard from her. HE started drinking and this is my life from then on. I gathered all my strength and got up. With shaking legs and hands I started wiping the water with a cloth. Then I went to my room, closed the door and slumped on the bed. I started crying silently until I fell asleep.
YOU ARE READING
He's not THAT bad
Romance(Enemies to lovers) Benji is just trying to survive this last year in high school but it doesn't seem that his bullies and his father want him to. During this year, he makes unexpected friends with unexpected people and he experiences surprising th...
