Military school (bxb book)

Chapter 13

'Well isn't this just the right time for Brighton to walk in' wasn't all that Clayton could think about. How long has this been going on? How does the school not know? Was this the bunk that Jack was talking about, the one John was being bullied? How does he beat the shit out of Brighton without getting in trouble? He knew the knew the last one wasn't possible, but still he had to wonder.

"What's going on?" Was all Brighton asked. There was a moment of silence before everyone started to yell and talk over each other. Brighton blew his whistle loud and hard, a silence fell over the room. "Manzi, talk now. Everyone else shut up" Brighton said with a very straight look on his face. "That asshole was being very homophobic towards Martin, he even spit on him, I know I shouldn't have hit him and I'm realizing I just cussed, didn't I" Clayton slowly started to get quite. Brighton just nodded at him.

"Smart, what happened?" He asked Smart, giving him a look that Clayton only described as 'you better say what I want to hear'. "Well you know how Johnson is, he makes fun of Martin all the time, but it got a little out of hand and Manzi punched him".

'That's his name' was all Clayton could think to himself. He had no intention of learning it but now he needed to know it because he was going straight to Masterson about this the next time he saw him. This wasn't snitching, this was doing the right thing, since it seems like no one else was going to speak up on what's been happening here. Smart just admitted it, Johnson makes fun of Martin all the time. Clayton could only imagine how much worse it's been for Martin before he got here.

"Thank you, Manzi you're running extra laps every morning for a week". Clayton couldn't believe it "what, why am I in trouble?" He had a point he was only trying to defend someone who had clearly been going through this tournament for a while now. "No writing home to your family for a month" Brighton was stacking the punishments on harder now. "What? You can't do that" he couldn't believe this abuse of power.

"You're not allowed to sit with your old bunk mates either" he could see Clayton getting ready to protest "say one more thing and I'll add on more". Clay knew that last one was to stop him for telling Masterson what was going on here. He hated to admit it but Brighton was smart, that's probably how he's allowed this to go on this long.

Clay felt a soft hand touch the back of his arm. He turned around and saw it was Martin. "Come on let's ice your hand" now that he mentioned it, his hand was burning really badly like he had just stuck his hand into a fire. Clayton shot one last look at Johnson and he gave him a look back. "Let's go" Martin said while pulling him into the bathroom.

When they made it to the bathroom Martin pulled two stools from under the sink and sat Clay down before sitting down himself. Martin could see the anger in his face. "Hey I know this sucks but your punishments could've been worse" "he shouldn't be allowed to do that" was all Clay could say as Martin disappeared to get ice and a rag.

"I know that but somehow he can" Martin said while taking Clayton's hand in his and putting the rag full of ice on his knuckles. "Thank you for standing up for me but next time don't, I don't want you getting in trouble or to hate me" "what are you saying? What happened is wrong and I'm not gonna stand by while these guys treat you like that". Martin was quite and looking down at Clayton's hand.

"Hey" Clay said while lifting his head with his hand. Just then he noticed the spit drying up on Martin's face and it made him more angry. "You are a human being like everyone else here and you don't deserve that. Who cares about your past, we all have one that's why we're all here" Clayton said while trying his best to whip the spit off of Martin's face with one hand.

He could feel Martin's face getting hot under his hand like he was going to crying or maybe from nerves. "I was sexually assaulted and physically abused by the boys in my old home, I didn't just sleep around" he didn't need to explain himself to Clayton but he felt safe enough to tell him what really happened . "The one who started all of it. Told me he liked me and wanted to be closer to me, he was also sent to this school and he told everyone here that I slept around and used my body to things I wanted. Now everyone here thinks".

Martin couldn't even speak anymore because he was crying so hard. Clayton stood up and pulled him into a hug "I'm so sorry that happened to you, it's not right." There was a short pause before Clayton spoke again. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to the boy who spread the rumors?" Martin took a few deep breaths before he spoke "he got to old to be enrolled in the school and the state came and picked him up".

"What?" Clayton asked a little confused. "When you get sent here by the state like we did, once you turn 20 you're too old to be enrolled in the school, so they come and get you" Martin explained. "You said that you're 14 right?" Clayton asked shocked, already knowing the answer and coming to a realization. "Yes" Martin answered sadly.

Just then Clayton had noticed how quite it was in the bunk. Everyone must've disappeared off somewhere. Clayton didn't even realize it but he was still holding Martin's head into his chest and patting his head, he looked down and noticed that Martin just leaned into the touch. This probably the first time in a long time that someone has been kind or gentle with him.

Just then Martin looked up at him, with tears still in his eyes and for the first time Clay felt like he actually getting a good look at him. Martin was kinda cute with strong features, his hair was almost silver, he had light brown eyes but in his left eye there was a part it that was green or hazel and he had a small patch of black hair in his mostly silver eyebrows above that eye. How could anyone ever be mean to a person like this? Was all Clayton could think to himself. He didn't even realize how long he had been looking at Martin.

Clayton sat back down and looked at him "that means you're here until the state picks you up again" Martin just nodded. So many thoughts were running through Clay's mind. How was this allowed? Did he really have to spend 6 years here? He had to talk to Masterson about this but he knew he couldn't.

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine, I've lasted this long without anything seriously bad happening" Martin said and Clay gave him a questioning look. "I haven't broken a bone yet" "you can't be fucking serious right now" Clay said completely spooked because Martin was being very serious. Was that how far he would allow it go before he finally spoke up for himself? That's not okay, how could he believe that any of this is fine.

Just then an alarm went off, it was Martin's watch letting him know it was time for dinner. "Dinner time" he said looking up at Clay "let's go" he said taking Martin's hand, making his way to the door. This wasn't the end of this conversation, Clay wouldn't allow it to be.

Everything was fine in the cafeteria until all the boys from his old bunk saw him sitting with his new bunk mates. As Clay sat down next to Martin, Masterson shot him a look of confusion, he just turned his head and started to talk to Martin.

Clayton wanted to tell him everything that was going on, the terrible things he has witnessed so far but he couldn't because he wasn't allowed to sit with them anymore. Brighton sent him a smirk from across the table knowing he'd still be able to get away with the horrific things happening to Martin in that bunk. You're with your bunk master all day, never apart no longer than 5 minutes.

They were there to be like an annoying big brother. Constantly nagging you and reminding you to do the right thing. If 5 minutes was all that he could get to tell Masterson what was going on, then 5 minutes it is. He knew he had to start planning the perfect time and everything he wanted to say perfectly without missing any details but still getting all of the information out.

Clayton decided he'd spend the next few days figuring out when they would be left alone and how long it would be. Once he figured that out he would tell Masterson and hopefully get Brighton kicked out of the school.

How did he even get into the position he's in? He's a terrible person. When dinner was over all the boys headed back to the bunk together. No one talking to him or Martin. 'Great already the outcast in my new bunk' was all that Clay could think to himself.

That night he dreaded going to sleep know he'd have to run extra laps in the morning. Silently pray that Brighton wouldn't say anything crazy like running 10 extra laps. He couldn't, if Clayton missed breakfasts then Brighton would get in trouble. Just that thought made him come up with what he hoped would be a great idea. He would have to wait until tomorrow to see.