no one has to know || muke

five

luke was walking to the copy room to pick up a stack of papers he printed out, tapping his fingers against his thighs along to a beat in his head.

he came to a halt, nearly tripping over his own two feet as something that caught his eyes.

everyone was suppose to be in class. the halls were suppose to be empty. no student was suppose to be out here unless given permission from their teacher, but something told luke that the three students standing in the hallway didn't have the permission they needed.

luke stood there, witnessing a boy get pushed up against the lockers. the boy held him there, as another with a smug smile on his lips whispered something into the boys ear who was pressed against the lockers, before his fist collided into his stomach.

luke could feel his fingernails digging into his palms as his hands curled into fist. he recognized the boy who was being held against his will. he recognized the brown hair, and the red lips, and the pale skin. it was michael.

he could feel his heart drop into the pit of his stomach as he saw the small boys face scrunch up from pain. he could see the crystal tears falling down his rosy cheeks, and drip off his chin. it felt like luke had been standing there for an eternity, just watching when he should have been doing something.

"hey, what's going on?!" luke managed to yell out, his feet quickly taking him over to the scene that he couldn't bare to look at anymore.

the one boy, who was shorter, but more muscular than luke, released the handful of michael's shirt, the limp boy immediately dropping down onto the tiled floors. the other boy, who had punched michael in the stomach, just stood beside his friend.

luke instantly dropped to his knees next to michael, placing his hand over his jean covered knee. the seventeen year old was clutching his stomach, "michael, are you okay? do you need the nurse?"

not being able to get words out, michael shook his head. he took shaky breaths, his stomach hurting with each one. he closed his eyes as more tears escaped, turning his head the opposite way from everyone else so they didn't see how weak he was.

"just relax, okay?" luke told him, giving him a reassuring squeeze on his bony knee, "everything is fine now."

luke fully stood back up, pushing his shoulders back so he looked bigger than he actually was. he looked between the two boys, a disgusted look on the blondes face as he realized how much bigger they were than michael. the small boy wouldn't have had a chance against them.

"do you two feel good about yourselves? doing this to someone your twice the size as," luke hissed.

the more muscular one chuckled, finding this situation amusing and not at all phased by the teachers words, "he was being a brat, ignoring me when I asked him a question."

it was now luke's turn to laugh, the sound filling the silent hallways, "so you decided to do what you did because he ignored you?" the boy nodded, crossing his arms over his chest, "so if I were to ignore you, you would do that to me?"

the boy shrugged, glancing at his friend beside him who was standing there silently, before looking back at the teacher, "your a teacher, that's different."

"I don't think me ignoring you is any different than him ignoring you."

"whatever, it's no big deal."

luke nodded, "you play football, right?"

"yes," the boy answered.

"and you wouldn't want to get kicked off the team, right?"

he bit down on his lip, and released it quickly before talking, "no, I wouldn't."

"then I suggest you leave michael alone, and if I see this happening to him or anyone else ever again, I'll have a word with your coach," luke threatened, trying his best to sound intimidating, but he had a feeling he might have failed terribly.

the boy rolled his eyes, mumbling a quick 'whatever' as he shoved his way past the teacher, and going wherever it was he pleased.

luke bit the inside of his cheek, holding back anything he wanted to say to the kid that could cost him his job. instead, he put his attention back on the small boy curled up on the ground, suddenly forgetting about the other two boys.

"is there anything I can do, michael? do you want me to see if your parents can pick you up?" luke questioned, not sure what he was suppose to do in this situation.

"no, I'm okay," michael managed to speak, wiping away a tear on his cheek. usually, he would have never turned down an offer to go home, but he knew his mum would only be mad if he made her leave work.

luke sighed, "I don't have a class right now, how about you come to my classroom and I'll get you some ice?"

michael sniffed, wiping under his nose with his sleeve as he nodded. luke faintly smiled, helping the seventeen year old back up onto his feet.

michael took a seat in the back of the room where he would normally sit for class. he kept his head down, fiddling with his fingers. neither made any attempt to talk at first. luke decides to go back to the small fridge, grabbing out an icepack and giving it to the hurting boy.

"michael?" luke said quietly, looking down at the boy as he remained standing. when the brown haired boy picked his head up to make eye contact with luke, he took that as a sign to continue, "have they done anything to you before?"

"no," he lied right through his teeth, setting the ice pack right where the kid has hit him.

"you don't have to lie for them. if they have ever done anything in the past, you can tell me. you have to let me know these kinds of things," luke encouraged.

michael only shook his head, letting a few pieces of his hair fall into his face, "they never did anything before."

luke didn't have kids. the only time he ever associated with kids was during school hours, so he had a difficult time trying to decide whether michael was lying or not. in the end, he only let it slip.

"I know I'm just your teacher, but if you ever need anything, you can talk to me. no matter what it is, I'll always listen."

michael didn't know why he began crying again. sure, his stomach was filled with pain, but in the back of his head, he knew that's it wasn't the reason for the tears. it was because in that moment for a split second, he felt like someone was actually worried about him.

"michael, why are you crying? are you sure you don't need me to call your parents?" luke asked urgently, hating to see the boy sitting below him crying.

and when michael stood up, wrapping his arms around the skinny torso of his teacher, luke understood. he understood that michael needed some affection, and sincereness.

the only thing he could do right now was pull michael tighter into his embrace, never wanting to let go.

+ + +

i read over this chapter over and over again because i really don't like adding chapters like this into a story since it can be a sensitive topic and personally, for me, it's not very mature writing. but i figured i would keep it, just so everyone can see how michael grows throughout the story and becomes more independent.

thank you for reading, xx