Hidden Tears

Chapter Three - Friends

ALEX

The next day I grab two books and keep my face down hiding the bruise. My abdomen still hurts from yesteday.

I walk into the bathroom and into a stall. I take out a small mirror and check my face, it's still healing but you can still kind of see it.

I sigh and close the mirror and walk out of the stall amd see John washing his hands in front of the mirror. He looks up and sees me by the reflection. I guess he saw the bruise because he rushed towards me and grabs my face.

"Alex!" He exclaims as he turns and stands in front of me.

I push past him to walk towards the door. But a hand grabs my arms and stops me.

"Stop."

"What do you want? Leave me alone!" I yell at his face.

"What's wrong with you? After I helped you this is how you treat me!"

"You did and thanks but that's it." I turn to leave but the hand keeps his hold. "Let me go."

"That day you saw me as a hero. So what's different now? You don't have to be alone!"

"Don't you get it? I can't. I'll get hurt even worse and if you do anything you'll also get hurt!"

"I'm not scared of them." He smirks.

"You should. And you know that. Leave while you can." I pull away my arm from his grip. I turn and leave without looking back. I'm doing the right thing. He is the first person to ever try to get close to me. Even though I hate it I shouldn't get close to him.

JOHN

I lied. I said that I wasn't scared of them but I am. That was the reason I didn't say anything either but when I saw his face bruised up I knew that I have to do something. There is something about those guys that I don't know about. Should I walk away?

----

Throughout the day I ask around to see if anyone could help but all I got were,

"No!"

"I-I don't know n-nothing."

"Don't ask."

It seem as if they were scared. I finally gave up on asking and sat at my desk. I sigh and put my face on my desk my arms surrounding it.

"Hey. I heard that you're asking about the Cross Gang." I hear a voice and look up.

I see a girl with long black hair and red tips with dark green eyes. She was wearing a black shirt and short finger sleeve gloves. She had dark shorts and red boots. She looks like a girl you don't want to miss with.

"Uh... Cross Gang?" I ask sitting up.

She pulls out a chair and sits infront of my desk. "I can answer your questions. Cross Gang are the guys that are bullying your Alex." She says leaning back in the seat. My Alex?

"What? You know about that? Why don't you do anything?" Ignoring the last two words. Anger starts rising in me. If people know about it why won't they do anything?

She rolls her eyes. "Those four guys are a gang called Cross Gang. Yes, they bully and everyone knows it. Except the faculty of course. But if you tell a soul they could kill you."

"What?!" The killing part caught my attention.

"You want to know why Alex won't say anything or get close to you? He could get killed and so can you. So if I were you I'd leave him alone." She stands up and walks away.

Killed?! Both of us?! Cross Gang! Yeah right ! Or maybe... Dammit! Now it is going to be harder.

Finally the last bell rings and I head out looking for Alex. I search the bathrooms and classrooms. I finally find him running through a hallway infront of me.

I chase after him and turn the corner that he turned. I stop when I see him standing there and the Cross Gang in front on him. One of them pulls back his arm ready to strike. Not this time!

I run in front of Alex and take the punch. It was strong enough to push me to the ground.

"John!" I hear Alex scream.

Suddenly I get picked up and face the puncher.

"You again! Who the hell are you?!" He yells. He clutches my shirt.

"Who are you?" I ask with a smirk which was a bad idea. I get thrown to the wall and my face hits first. He pulls me back and laughs.

"I didn't think you were stupid enough to come back. I was right. This is gonna be fun." He says as he pushes me to the floor and kicks me hard.

"Stop!" I hear Alex yell.

Alex was held back by other two guys who then push him down next to me. They kick him as well a couple of times.

We both get picked up by different guys and made us face each other. Holding us by our arms our feet get kicked from beneath us. We kneel down two feet from each other.

Feet making contact with our stomache. I cry in pain as Alex starts to sob. I'm weak.

I get picked up by my hair. I couldn't stand, my feet ache.

"This is what you get for interfering." He punches my stomach and knocks my feet of the ground slamming me on the floor.

Pushing Alex down one last time they walk away. I try to get up but I fail only having Alex being the one to get up. He helps me sit up and sits himself down.

"You idiot. " He whispers.

"Yeah. I'm an idiot." I reply laughing a little. It hurts.

"Why did you do it?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't just stand and watch." I shake my head a little.

"Don't tell anyone, please." He plead as tears streamed down. I look at him knowing what will happen if I did.

"Even though I should. I know I can't. I know we'll both be killed. But you know I would rather die then have them do this to anyone else." I look at the ceiling knowing that I was right.

"Please don't."

"Don't worry I'll make sure that you dont die just me."

"Don't die."

"Alright but promise one thing."

"What?"

"Don't hold on to this on your own. Count on me. I'm not gonna leave you alone. Ok?" I don't want to go through that again but I won't leave him alone. I need to find a way to stop this completely. I have to without Alex knowing.

He hesitates before mumbling, "Ok."

"Also we're friends."

"What?!"

"Alright?" I smirk.

"Ok." He whispers.