Stabs At The Heart || ONGOING || Dnf

{Chapter 20} Snows Grasp

TW: burns, sensitive content

Once Clay's friend dropped off my backpack at his house, we were ready to leave for school. I was surprised on how much we had learned about each other during the past 2 days.

On the drive to school, Clay said to me, "Look George, I'm not too sure what's gonna happen at school regarding my friends. I'll try to get them to avoid you but no promises. Ya know what I mean?"

"I understand Clay. I've been used to that stuff for a while now anyway."

He obviously felt bad, a part of me knew he didn't want to continue this behavior. But it was out of his control, it was all peer pressure at this point. I didn't really mind, I've become numb to it all.

Clay dropped me off a couple blocks from the school then left to go park somewhere else. At school he got his friends to avoid me without telling them why, but when he wasn't around I'd get a few punches or a push into a locker.

It was now lunch and I was prepared to talk to Karl and Nick about everything. I saw the two at our usual table and went over to join them.

"I'd like to start off by saying I'm sorry Karl. But I actually have some really important stuff to tell you so please hear me out," I said while sitting down.

"It's fine George I was being immature anyway," Karl replied.

I went on to tell them everything. About how Clay beat me up on Friday, how Rowan turned out to be a homophobic prick, and that I ended up staying the next two nights at Clay house. The two look pretty worried when I finished explaining.

"Why didn't you call me George?" Nick asked.

"I didn't want to bother you. Besides I know you have work, you both do. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to see me Karl."

"George it was a silly little crush. But now I know the guy's a dick. I'm really sorry," Karl said.

I smiled and said, "It's fine man I get it."

"George we will always be here for you," Nick told me.

I felt so much better hearing these things, especially from my only friends. They didn't fully trust Clay and I didn't either, but I definitely trusted him more. I tried explaining that he's somewhat changed but they weren't buying it. The bell then rang and I went on the rest of my day with little to worry about.

_______A week later_______

It was a Wednesday and there was about a week and a half til Christmas break. I was super excited. My mom and I were taking a trip to Long Beach, California since I had never seen the ocean. (y'all idk where they're at rn I'll say Montana or smth😔)

Snow was falling as i walked to school. The other night we had gotten around 15-20 inches of snow. I always found a certain comfort in the cold snow. Obviously I was at the age where I felt too old for games like snowball fights and such, but that could also be because I grew up too fast.

When I arrived, people were building snowmen and making snow angels. I even saw a group of boys trying to make an igloo. It was very amusing seeing everyone have a good time.

At lunch, Karl, Nick and I decided to eat outside. We all agreed that the snow was very enjoyable, so we grabbed a hot meal from the cafeteria and made our way to the rose garden. The bushes were covered in snow and the roses had died out by now.

While we discussed our usual interests and ate our food, I heard the sound of jackets clashing with each other. I turned to find Clay and his friends walked over to us.

I quickly stood up but said, "Please, try to get out of here as soon as possible," to Nick and Karl before leaving towards Clay. The group stopped in their path as I approached them.

"What do you want?"

"That's not a nice way to greet us, especially after we haven't had fun in over a week," said one the Clays friend.

Suddenly, I took a hard punch to the face. The entire group had surrounded me in somewhat of a circle. I started receiving blows to my face and stomach, while being pushed around from person to person. Finally, I was pushed towards Clay, but he hesitated to strike me.

"C'mon Clay, punch him," someone shouted.

"Why don't we just do this another day?" he said.

"No, we're fucking tired of you purposely avoiding George. We need to blow some fucking steam and there's only one way to do that," said Clays friend, Will.

Clay went quiet, but eventually struck me in the stomach. I held onto myself, since he struck me close to my ribcage. I wasn't fully healed so the pain from all of this was excruciating.

Then, two people held me up by my arms while my feet were barely planted on the ground. Someone walked up to me and pulled something out of their pocket, then showed it to everyone around. There were two mini salt packets? Clay seemed to be just as confused as I was.

One guy rolled the sleeve up on my left arm and held it out. Then the guy in front of me started putting the salt on my arm. People started scooping up snow from the ground.

As they placed the snow on my arm, I felt a sharp pinch and then the burning started. I screamed from the pain. I squirmed around, trying to escape their grasp, but their grips were too strong. I thought my arm would burn off from this, like they lit it on fire.

After several minutes of crying from the burns, they tossed me on the ground and I brushed the snow and ice off my arm. This didn't help though, I only put pressure on my arm, causing more pain.

My skin was red in the center, and was peeling around the swelling, burnt area. I lifted my head up to look around at everyone, they all seemed satisfied with the sight I was providing them. Though I was mistaken.

A hand reached down and pulled my arm, directly on the burnt area. Their nails digged right into the center, I don't think I've ever screamed so loud.

"PLEASE STOP IT," I yelled while trying to pull their arm away with my free hand. But someone stopped me from doing so. I felt myself getting a headache and even lightheaded from the combination of pain and crying. Then I received a heavy blow to the back of my head.

Suddenly, all feeling in my body perished. Everything was going black and I could no longer hold myself up. The last thing I felt was my body collapsing onto the ground and the snow grasping my bare skin.