I hate summer

Episode 26

"Am I seeing this right?" Tyler asks for confirmation, wondering if he might just be going crazy.

We're all leaning over the table, looking at Ashlyn's shadow. It's hair is short, just like how she cut it last night.

"Woah, that's pretty rad--" Aiden says in awe, picking up one of Ashlyn's long braids.

Her eyes snap at him. "Let go before I break your arm." She threatens.

"Ha... another mystery..." Taylor sighs. She was clearly tired of all this.

"This might have something to do with why injuries from the phantom dimension don't transfer over to our dimension." Logan glances at the table, though he doesn't look nervous.

"Speaking of injured, how are you holding up?" Ashlyn asks, looking at me.

"Oh." I look down at my side, remembering last night's events. "It hurts if I stretch too much or run. It also feels sore." I explain, touching my ribs.

Ashlyn lifts up her arm and looks at where her scratch would be. "And what about you guys? What happened?" Ashlyn turns her attention to Aiden and Ben.

"Ah- right. That." Aiden sweats slightly. "Ya sure you want me to tell 'em?" He asks Ben.

Ben stares at the table for a moment, then picks up his phone. He types for a few moments, then a voice from his phone speaks. "It's best if we have these things out in the open if we're going to be a team."

"'These types of things'?" Taylor questions with a curious look.

"But I'm putting my earbuds in until he's done." The robotic voice finishes. With that, Ben puts his earbuds in, taps a button, and heads to la la land.

"Ight well, that's that then." Aiden shrugs. "He is right though, it's probably best to let you guys know before you accidentally set him off or something."

"Set him off?" Ashlyn raises a brow.

"Yup." Aiden smiles. "But... This conversation doesn't go outside this group. Understood?" His face goes dark and his eyes sends me goosebumps, reminding me of a villain. How bad could this thing be?

"Okay." We all agree together.

"Don't tell me what to--" Tyler starts, but I quickly elbow him in the ribs. "Ow! Fine."

"I don't think any of you have realized this yet but, Ben has anger issues. Like- extreme haha." Aiden laughs. "Much worse than half-wit over there." Aiden grins, making me snort. Tyler glares and him and me.

"And..." Aiden continues. "The reason also has to do with why he doesn't speak. Ben was in the sixth grade when the incident happened. Or was it seventh...? Anyway... He was always a big guy for his age. And that tended to intimidate people. Despite his appearance though, he was pretty timid. And more than anything, he loved music. It was everything to him."

That statement made me smile, a warm feeling going through my body. Did he sing at home?

"However, because his appearance didn't match his personality, he started getting bullied for it. It didn't start off as bullying, the group of idiots offered to 'fix' him first."

I stiffen, glancing at Taylor. We share a worried look before Aiden continues. "Offering for him to join their group and they would teach him how to fight. Once Ben refused though, that's when it started. They started to beat him nearly every day."

I suck in a shaky breath, my leg starting to bounce. It's just like when...

"Afterwards, the leader, Shane, would ask Ben to join his group, and every time, Ben told him no. Then, one day, Shane decided to take things to a drastic level."