Silenced

Chapter 5

Billie Joe walked into second period late the next day. None of his teachers minded, for they thought that was better than not having him show up at all like the day before.

He decided to walk to school again that day, hence why he was late. Billie didn't want to sit next to Mike and have him see the new cuts on his chin and lip. He threw on a hoodie that day in an effort to hide his injuries.

Billie Joe silently walked into the classroom and tried not to disturb the lesson. He kept his head down just in case Mike happened to see him walking in.

His legs led him to an empty seat that was a good distance from Mike. Billie could feel Mike's questionable eyes on his back. He always sat next to Mike in second period, so he must have found it strange to see Billie Joe sit his things down at a desk completely across the room.

Of course Billie had come to school with cuts and bruises on his face before, but he had just kept his head down and out of Mike and Tré's sight. But now he had to be more careful. Mike was getting worried, and lord knows how much Tré will pressure a person into saying something they don't want to say.

Billie Joe blocked his face from Mike the whole class. He cursed under his breath when he heard the bell for lunch. Lunch meant that he had to face his friends. Lunch meant them seeing his face. No, he can't go to lunch today.

Before anyone else could get up from their seats, Billie jumped up and was out the door in seconds. He was trying to make it to the bathroom before Mike could see him. He was planning on staying in there the whole lunch, and if Mike asked, he would tell him his stomach was hurting...if he could get the words out.

Just when Billie Joe was about to make it through the doors that led to a smelly room where toilets surrounded him, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Billie jumped at the touch, considering he was always on the edge of his seat because of how Steve abused him. He whirled around and looked down to see Mike's shoes. He was too scared to look at his face.

"Whoa! Sorry, man. I didn't mean to scare you," Mike chuckled.

Billie kept looking down, not daring to respond to Mike's question.

"You alright? I thought you were heading to lunch," Mike asked. His confusion was so audible that it pained Billie Joe to ignore him.

Billie shrugged, still looking down. Mike sighed in defeat.

"Okay well, Tré's waiting so we should probably head to the cafeteria now, bud," Mike cheered in hopes of getting Billie to respond.

Billie Joe yet again acted as if he didn't even hear Mike. He still kept his head down, not wanting Mike to see his face. Not wanting Mike to worry. Not wanting anyone to worry. He didn't want anyone to worry about him. He was fine.

"Hey," Mike said before he laid a gentle hand under Billie's chin. He wanted Billie Joe to look at him.

Billie flinched away from the touch. One reason being that he had a cut under his chin that Mike was so close to touching. Another being that he didn't want Mike to see him.

"Look at me, Bill."

Billie Joe still didn't look at Mike and only kept his eyes on his shoes, trying to find them some what interesting. He shook his head in response.

Mike took matters into his own hands, and reached under Billie's chin again, softly of course. He would never want to hurt Billie. Mike gasped harshly and put both hands over his mouth when he saw Billie Joe's face.

Billie Joe had a bruise across one of his cheeks that was threateningly purple. His bottom lip was split open and had scabbed over night. His chin seemed to be cut wide open, but the bleeding had stopped by then and looked as though it was cleaned out.

"Oh, Billie."

Billie pulled away from Mike at his words of sympathy. He was ashamed that he tried to hide it from Mike, and now Mike knew. And he knew he was trying to hide it.

"What happened?" Mike asked, although he had a feeling that it had something to do with Steve.

"I fell."

Mike lifted an eyebrow in confusion. What does he mean 'he fell?'

"You fell?" Mike urged.

Billie Joe merely nodded.

"What do you mean 'you fell', Billie Joe?" Mike asked. He was trying to get something out of Billie, anything at all.

"I fell," Billie shrugged.

Mike knew that was the most he was probably ever going to get out of Billie Joe. He nodded and motioned Billie to walk ahead of him to the cafeteria.

As they walked to lunch, the halls were empty. Mike tried to desperately push his second thoughts on what Billie said away. Billie Joe fell. That's all there is to it. He's fine Mike. Stop worrying. You're just paranoid.

When they walked into the cafeteria, Billie Joe shuffled over to Tré. He sat down next to him and put his head down on the table looking tired. Mike trailed behind, watching Billie closely.

"Hey, Mike. Hey, Bill!" Tré cheered. He popped another fry into his mouth.

"Hey, Tré," Mike greeted. Billie Joe didn't respond. Shocker.

"Where did you go yesterday, man?" Tré asked Billie who had his head in the table.

Billie Joe distantly shrugged, trying to keep his face out of the sight of his peers. They would look at him weirder than they already do.

"Billie Joe, please sit up," Mike said, trying to let Tré see the injuries that Billie got from falling.

Billie obeyed Mike and slowly sat up to look at Tré. Tré's eyes widened as he saw the cuts and bruises on Billie Joe's face. Billie looked away from his eyes, feeling insecure about his features.

"Man! What happened, Billie?" Tré asked curiously.

"He fell," Mike answered for him. He knew Billie Joe wasn't going to speak another word for the rest of the day. The words 'I fell' was enough last him a week.

"Aw man, I'm sorry, bud."

Billie Joe didn't respond to Tré and only put his head back on the table, yet again hiding something he was planning on hiding all day. But now his friends had seen it, and they are started to question him. When will they start to catch onto his lies?

The bell that ended lunch finally rang and Billie was more thankful than ever. He got up and left Tré and Mike at the table and headed to third period. He wasn't going to see Mike or Tré in anymore of his classes that day, so he had some stress lifted off his shoulders.

Mike watched Billie Joe go, taking notice on how he held his ribcage as if it was sore in some way. He sighed before turning back to Tré.

"I'll see you later, Tré."

"Alright!" Tré cheered, still oblivious to Billie's situation.

As Mike walked back to class, he didn't know what to believe. He wanted to say that Steve was abusing Billie Joe, but that would be insane...right? Billie would've told him by now...right? His head was like a tornado as he sat down in third period. He soon came to a conclusion.

Billie Joe didn't fall.