Attenuated || Book 1 || ✔

{ 'Fag' }

Jonathan's POV

It was now lunch and I was sitting at our table with the guys, I thought nothing of it when a random person yelled 'fag' at someone else. It wasn't until someone called my name did I realized someone called me a 'fag'.

I turned in my chair to face the people who were yelling disrespectful things at me. The jock from the bathroom, a few other jocks and a couple of girls.

They continued to yell things at me, things involving makeup and me liking dick. I am assuming the jock had told his friends about me putting makeup on in the bathroom.

I glanced at the guys. Tyler, Brian, Marcel and David were flipping them off and defending me with disrespectful words of their own. Brock, Lui, and Evan were all looking at me. Evan had his hand on my shoulder, it was comforting... I guess.

I shrugged off his hand and looked down at my uneaten food. The words were getting louder and apparently more people from their group of friends were yelling shit at me. I tried to ignore it, I did.

I looked at everyone else in my group they were all defending me now, which to me was odd. They haven't even known me long.

I would join them, defend myself, but I feel like if I yelled my rib cage and throat would start hurting.

All of the guys sat down at the table, no longer speaking or yelling words at the dickheads from the other table. I assumed they left, but that assumption was thrown out the window when a bunch of water splashed upon my skin.

I froze for a second or two, the guys back up and fighting for me.

"What the fuck was that for?" Evan shouted at the one if the guys. I was facing away so I couldn't really tell what the other group was doing.

"He wears makeup! I washed it off for him." A guy explained in a shout.

I turned around in my chair to look at the group. Two guys were holding a giant bucket which I assumed had the water in it, the other guys were staying quite as well as the girls.

Actually everyone was quiet. There was no sound anywhere.

"Jon...what...what happened to your face...?" Evan whispered in concern and the silence made sense now. Whispered roared through the cafeteria and I stood, bolting from the place.

I turned a corner and entered the janitors closest. I closed the door, unable to lock it, but it was still closed.

I stayed there for a while in silence before the door clicked open and Evan shuffled in. Closing the door behind him before leaning against it and looking me in the eyes.

Soon his brown eyes fell down to lower on my face, the bruise on my jaw, the bruise around my eye.

"What...what happened?" He asked in a whisper. His voice still laced with that same concern, but also curiosity. "Who did this to you?"

"What? Who did what to me?" I played stupid. His face fell before walking up to me, of course I backed away as far as I could before my back hit the pole of a metal shelf.

He reached his hands up to touch my face and I flinched away. He retracted his hands a bit as a frown formed on his face. I didn't expect him to, but he put his hands gently on my face, I thought after my flinch he would back away and leave like so many people before.

His thumb gently traced over the bruise on my cheek, "who did this to you?"

I wanted to move away, run. I wanted to leave and never speak to anyone ever again. I wanted to move away, like last time so I don't have to deal with all the questions and concerns of other people.

I didn't. I didn't even so much as move or speak. Not only that, but part of me was saying to tell Evan and to stay here. I couldn't decide, my mind at war with itself.

"You can tell me. I won't tell anyone else. I promise." That part of me that wanted to stay believed him so much, it was winning the war now. I don't know why though. I can't trust him. I can't trust anybody, but Jackie.

"Jonathan…please…" I looked into his brown eyes. They held concern, warmth, but also hurt. "Please…"

"Some…people." My voice cracked, I thought for sure he would back away. Like the friend I had before when I told them that same answer. They left, and I don't know or understand why.

"Who?" He pressed for more information that I can't give him. I can't tell him that Greta beats me. I can't. If I do then he might tell someone and they might arrest her and then me and Jackie will be put into foster care and separated.

"Just some people… I didn't know them…" I shrugged, leaning my head against the warmth that is Evan's hand.

His features were graced with a small smile when I did this, but it was almost immediately replaced by a serious look.

"Listen, if they ever touch you again: I will beat them into oblivion." His voice was deep when he said this, but that smile he always wore was on his face by the time he finished speaking.

Part me wanted to say I didn't need his help. That part of me wanted to push him away and hope that he forgets this moment of weakness. The other part of me wants to hug him and thank him. I could sort of do both…

I wrapped my arms around his chest and pulled him closer to me. The hands he had on my face fell to around my shoulders and chest and we just stayed there for a bit in silence.

"Thank you…but I am pretty sure I can protect myself." I whispered into his shoulder.

"If you could then you wouldn't be bruised," he started, " I get that you don't want to drag other people into your problems — whatever those problems are — but no one can handle everything alone. We are friends and I get we only met a couple of weeks ago, but I want you to trust me. I want to be able to help you. Now, if you ever run into those people again: call me and we can get them back together, okay?" He pulls me away and holds my shoulders at arms length away.

"Yeah…okay…" I offer him a smile which he returns, his way brighter than mine ever could be. "Can we not talk or tell the guys about this?" His smile grows before he pretends to zip his lips and throw away the key.

"Now, Jonny boy," he starts, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and bringing me out of the janitors closet, "let's ditch school."