Code Black (N.S)

1.

Niall's POV

"Watch where you're going, fag," I could hear a harsh voice call out from somewhere behind me. The surrounding students immediately fell silent as the voice spoke up, causing everything to feel almost ominous. Something that I had grown considerably used to feeling. 

I turned around slowly, only to see the jet black hair and the cold blue eyes of who was probably one of the most sinister and cold-hearted people in my entire life; Cody. Cody was the perfect example of a school bully. He was nearly double my size and was one of the most heartless people to ever exist. 

Like all good bullies, he was one of those individuals that enjoyed exploiting other people's weaknesses to turn everyone against them. Unfortunately, no one ever saw that outside of the school gates and I was the only one who had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of it. Well, I wasn't the only one but it seemed as if Cody saved the worst of it for me. 

I just so happened to be the perfect example of the school bully's victim. I was small and I never spoke up about anything because I knew that it would only make it worse for myself. To the inconsiderate and cruel student body, I was nothing more than an easy target. People like Cody would simply use me as a way to make themselves feel better and who was I to defend myself? 

Before I could say anything, perhaps tell him that he was the one who ran into me, I felt him harshly push me into the lockers, my head painfully making contact with the cold metal door.

I didn't respond to him, no matter how much I wanted to. I knew that whatever I said, no matter how correct it may be, would only make things worse. Cody, however, didn't appreciate my silence, which I knew was because he was hoping that I would say something stupid, giving him another excuse to hurt me.

Not that he ever needed a reason.  

"Are you going to apologise to me, bitch? Or do I have to force it out of you?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing with the hatred that I returned but wasn't stupid enough to show.

I was admittedly a little worried at his comment. The reason for this being that he had never physically hit me unless I were to count the occasional shove to the locker. As horrible as Cody was, he only relied on his words to inflict pain, which may be harmful but they left no physical damage to me.

Knowing things would be over quicker if I just responded, I silently shook my head. The harshness in his eyes intensified and I knew I had pissed him off pretty bad this time. Much like every other time. 

I hadn't done anything to him to ever give him a reason to hurt me but because of who I was, everything that happened was just automatically my fault. I had learned to just accept that and try to live my life as normally as I could. 

"Use your words, Niall," he hissed, my name coming out in a sneer. 

"Sorry," I finally let out, my voice coming out as a weak and shaky whisper. I was scared to raise my voice any louder, as it would further highlight my obvious fear, in turn giving Cody another reason to torment me. 

"Then stay out of my fucking way. No one cares about faggots like you. Things would be better for everyone if you would just kill yourself," he hissed.

I avoided his gaze, feeling my eyes gloss over with tears that I didn't want to shed. Of course, it wasn't the first time someone had told me to kill myself but things like that never get any less painful to hear.

Usually, I would never let myself do something as weak looking as to cry in front of a bully but there were limits to what I could take. Sadly, people seemed perfectly fine with crossing those lines.