The Mark

5

Thankfully the boys did keep mostly quiet for the rest of the class. Finally the bell rings and everyone starts to file out. I wait for most of them to escape the room while I pack away my stuff and I notice that Josh's friends are sticking in their seats. That's odd.

I stand from my chair and pick up my bag slinging it over my shoulder.

"Ahem" I hear behind me. Fuuccckkkkk it's one of those idiots.

"Something I can help you with fellas?" I turn around to face the three of them.

"Let's go outside Joseph." One gritted. He was quite loud when he talked. We stand in silence for a second. How is the teacher not saying anything? Surely she heard us? I turn to see if she's at her desk ...Oh she left the room with the students.

"Oh I hope Joshy will be joining us." I try to keep up a tough act but hopefully unbeknownst to them my knees are shaking and my legs feel like jello around them. I turn around and head for the door ignoring them. I feel someone roughly grab my shoulder.

"Joseph," he said almost like a warning. I never really bothered to learn their names but I think this one is Brandon. Sounds like a dumb brute name. "Go outside and to the back of the school next to the portable classrooms."

"And why should I listen to you?" I shrug his hand off of my shoulder in an aggressive manner and cross my arms.

"Just... ugh please go out there." He groaned. That's weird.

"Am I facing an attack?"

"No." I could practically hear his eye roll after he said that.

"Fine."

I make my way around the school with them behind me to the back where the portables are. It's a pretty wooded area so it's extra cold in the shade. And actually quite dark. If I am facing a jumping then it'll be my fault for listening to these douche bags.

After walking for a few minutes I'm finally where I'm supposed to be when one of them tells me to stop.

I stop in my tracks still not facing them. Suddenly I feel cloth being thrown over my head to where I can't see anything and some work jerking my backpack off, then I feel it. A blow to my stomach. Fuck. I fall down at the sudden pain and grab my stomach. Another one. A kick. Another. Another. Fuuuuccckkkkkking knew it.

I'm coughing and gasping for air while curled in the fetal position. Crying. The sour metallic taste fills my mouth.

"I hope you learn your lesson about watching that fucking mouth of yours Joseph." Someone spat. Kicking my face.

"Please..." I breathe out barely above a whisper. One more blow to my shoulder and I can hear foot steps quickly approaching.

"HEY WOAH WHAT THE FUCK?!" He yells. I know that voice. "What the fuck are you guys doing?" I can hear that he's next to them above me now. I can't really move so I continue to lay there lifelessly. I tried my best to keep a steady breath but it hurts.

"Teaching this bitch a lesson about what he says to you." Brandon says.

"Don't fight my fucking fights for me. Get the hell out of here." He gritted. I hear foot steps retreating.

After the footsteps are far enough away figuring that they all left, I hear him say "Fuck I'm sorry Tyler." Tyler? He knows my name? It sounds different when he says it. The word sounded foreign to him. I don't think he's ever had that come past his lips. He gets down to his knees kneeling beside me.

"Josh?" I breathe out. He gently removes the cloth bag from my head. I groan and squeeze my eyes shut from the infiltration of light and pain.

"I really am sorry. I didn't know this was going to happen." He sounded exasperated.

I cough again and spit out some blood. He rolls me over so I'm on my back. I open my eyes and stare up at the gray sky as it peers through the trees.

"You...," I breath in, "You didn't plan that... with them?" I shakily ask expecting him to be the one kicking.

"God no. I wouldn't let it get this far." He runs his hand through his bright dyed red hair and continues, "A shove here and there yeah but not an attack." Shaking his head.

"Why weren't you in fourth block?" I could feel the tears stinging my eyes but I wouldn't dare cry in front of Josh. No not Josh Dun.

"I uh... I was helping someone with something." He responded quickly.

"An attack?" I close my eyes to try to ease the stinging.

"God no. I don't know why they did that Tyler. I'm sorry. I don't like you but I don't hate you enough to almost kill you." He chuckles and fully sits on the gravel beneath us. I let out a breath as a laugh.

I try to slowly get my breath back and steady my rhythm. Bringing my hands to my face to wipe away my hair and the blood. Josh continues to sit beside me.

After a few minutes of steady breathing I broke the silence. "You know you don't have to stay with me. If you didn't plan the attack then don't feel guilty and try to help me." It came out a bit more aggressive than I meant for it to.

He groans. "Someone has to help you."

I hum in response.

"Come on let's get you cleaned up." He stands and offers me a hand. The pain in my stomach still radiating throughout my entire body. I reach out my hand for his and he gently tries to lift me up. The pain from my stomach shoots through all my appendages. I pull my hand from his and lay back down.

"Josh I can't." I cough again and turn my head to spit some blood. "It hurts so bad I don't think I can't walk. You can just leave me here and I'll get up later."

"Fuuuuccckkkk." He sighs out and wipes his hands over his face leaving a look of contemplation for a moment. "Okay."

I close my eyes and expect to hear foot steps hitting the gravel but instead I feel two hands sliding under my pain riddled body and lift me from the ground. I open my eyes and make eye contact with him.

"Wha..." I start to ask before getting cut off.

"Don't ever fucking mention this or I swear to god Tyler I will..." The name still sounds weird coming from him.

"I won't." It was my turn to interrupt him. "I promise."

I relax my before stiff body in his arms as he begins to walk towards the back of the school. He makes carrying me seem effortless.

"Most of the students and teachers should be gone by now so let's get you taken care of." He pushes through the door with his back so I'm not too disturbed in his arms. He continues to carry me to a usually unused bathroom in the back of the school and softly sits me on the counter.

"There we go."