Don't Hide Your Love Away

12

Julian POV
Me and Ally walked up to the school, where Aimee was waiting.
"Hey Ally." She said with a grin.
"Hey Aimee." Ally gave her a hug, and grabbed her hand.
"I'm gonna steal her for a bit before first period." She said, walking off into the school with Ally.
I walked around the school to the back yard to find Daysha.
She was sitting with Brandon and Chase, talking excitedly about something , throwing her hands around as she spoke.
"And Ally finally shotgunned a beer! I was so proud, I still am." She giggled, sipping her Boba Tea.
"Oh hey Jules. Did you talk to Dexter yet?"
I shook my head, setting my bag down on the table.
"Nah. He won't answer my texts either."
Daysha looked worried.
"Me either..."
"Fucking fag..." I sighed, drumming my fingers on the table.
Daysha let out a grunt and slammed her fist onto the table.
"Why are you so homophobic? You know Chase is gay?" She was angry angry.
I gulped, and glanced at Chase who looked quite upset.
"I'm sorry man I didn't know-"
"Yeah that makes it better! You still call people that! Doesn't matter if you hide the fact in front of them or not, that word makes people feel like shit! Who knows how bad it is for them." Daysha was borderline crying.
I felt a lump in my throat, and I just had to look away.
"I am sorry-"
"Maybe thays why Dexter dont trust you or even us with anything. You are mean and we allow it. You need to think better." She tapped my hand to show she cared, and I nodded.

---
It was lunchtime, and I had just gotten my food and made my way over to our table. Social studies and Math kicked my ass... I was definitely ready for 40 minutes of just hanging out.
"Hey Jules." Danita smiled at me, and I sat next to her.
She grabbed my hand and placed it on her leg, giving me a sly smile.
"Woah get a room guys!" Daysha laughed, sitting down with Brandon, plopping her tray down on the table.
Ally walked up with Aimee, setting down her lunchbag as Aimee just dropped her tray onto the table.
"Sup fellas, lady." She said, nodding at each of us.
"Dexter hasn't talked to me, or anyone I've asked so far today." Daysha said.
I rubbed Danitas thigh, and grinned when she bit her lip.
"Maybe he's just-"
"I am fine." Dexter was behind us out of nowhere, and he sat down next to Daysha.
He had a black eye, bruises all over the right side of his face, a fat and cut lip, and not only hickies all over his neck but regular bruises too. He was fucked up.
"Dex I'm sorry." I said awkwardly, my leg jumping when Danita placed her hand on my crotch.
He shrugged, playing with hands.
"It's whatever."
He looked perplexed, and I really couldn't stand it.
"Is something going on with you? You've been weird ever since the spaghetti dinner." I said, realizing as soon as I said it that that was when he started being weird.
He glanced at me, the skin under his eyes red and raw as if he'd been crying.
He shrugged, yet again, not saying anything.
I sighed, surprised when Danita kissed my cheek.
"I need to pee." She said, and I nodded, looking at her before kissing her.
"Ok."
She smiled at me, and rose to her feet.
I looked back at Dexter, just as he whipped his hood up and dropped his head onto the table.
"Dex, talk to us man." I sighed.
He lifted his head up and plopped it onto his hand, looking at me with very empty eyes I'd say.
"About my range of problems I have? No. Maybe once I feel better I'll be myself again but it won't be right fucking now."
His eyes were wide, and he kept drumming his fingers on his cheek very fast.
"Why not?" I questioned, growing angry again.
"Why do you get mad I don't tell you my secrets?" He looked around the room quickly, before looking back at me
I glared at him, crossing my arms.
"Guys.." Daysha whispered, looking nervous.
"Well I'm not acting any different because of them. Ok, fine... I fucked Ally."
Ally looked shocked, and covered her mouth in surprise. Aimee raised a brow at me like that was disrespectful or something.
"I fucked Daysha."
Daysha had a similar reaction, though Brandon looked kind of shocked I would say that.
Meanwhile Dexter just looked increasingly angry. Maybe I should keep going.
" I fucked Meghan, Grace, Harper. I wanna fuck Ms.Prance, she's hot. For a teacher-"
"Yeah ok." Dexter waved me off, poking his bruised eye.
Ally frowned and swatted his hand away from his face, so he let out a pout.
"Oh so you're still too good to tell us anything about what's going on with you?" I snapped, slamming my fist on the table.
Dexter scoffed, eyeing me like I was a retard. He was standing up now and then sitting down. He was fidgeting bad.
"I don't have to tell you shit, why the fuck do you care? Shut up. You're not a therapist. Stay out of my brain. Go away you cocksucker. And you just told me who you fucked. That's not a secret. Wow you fucked some girls good for you mother fucker.."
What the fuck.
"What?!!"
"Julian..." Daysha looked nervous.
"... Stop talking like a ganster."
"What's going on?" Danita walked up to the table and sat down next to me.
"Dexter's just not a good friend, he doesnt trust me."
"No youre just a fucking Cunt! Im not a fucking GANGSTER you piece of- SHIT!" He yelled, slamming his tray off the table onto the floor, making me jump back.
Danita looked at Dexter, everyone including me had wide eyes..
"Are you doing coke?"
Dexter looked offended.
"What are you some drug inspector?" He snapped, dragging his hands down his face.
"You do coke?!" Daysha asked, grabbing his face.
"No it isn't coke!" He whispered, resting his head in Daysha's hand.
"What? So you are high?" Ally asked.
Dexter looked away.
Brandon and Chase definitely chose a bad day to sit with us.
Then I had an idea.
"You kill your family or something? You some drug king pin?" I asked.
Everyone's jaws literally dropped... except for Dexter.
"Jules that's fucking racist!"
"Your brothers a lot nicer than you. I told him some stuff with my mouth right here." He actually had the nerve to smirk at me and stick his tongue out, while pointing at himself.
"You're a prick!"
I waited for Daysha and Ally to respond, but when I looked at them they just shared a look. Wide eyes, jaw open, and red faces.
"No I'm not."
"G-guys come on-" Ally tried. Brandon, Chase, and Aimee were watching in disbelief.
"Oh right like the girls don't have any info too hurtful to share." Dexter cut Ally off.
The girls looked at Dexter, confused.
"What does that mean?"
"What bad things happen to girls all the time you don't have to tell people."
"You mean like rights being abolished and getting raped?" Danita asked.
Dexter cringed.
"I mean-"
"Dexy you just made it sound like you've been assaulted or something." Daysha said, eyeing him.
"I'm not for pitying. No one assaulted me I'm fine. Mathew beats me up assault me once. Whyd I say that."
"What... doyou mean by assault?" Ally whispered, completely horrified.
"Do you want me to beat him up for you." Chase asked, an odd look on his face as well. Why does everyone look like they know something I dont-
I just glared, fuck off I'm his best friend.
He shook his head.
"Dex why can't you trust me? Why can't you tell me?"
"Because nothing matters! I don't care!" His voice cracked. "I am lonely."
Dexter's face fell, and he muttered something under his breath.
"Oh. Why was that so hard to tell us?" I asked, feeling bad. Shit. He looks really hurt right now.
Ally and Daysha looked pleased I wasn't mad.
"Why was it so hard to tell meee your brother was fuckin all your friends" He asked, shrugging.
My eye twitched, and I shot him a cold glare.
"Don't bring that up. Why is that relevant?" I muttered.
"Dexy..."
Dexter whipped his head to the side to look at Daysha.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
He sighed, wiping his black eyes in a painful looking manner.
"I look like a fucking... fuckhead." Dexter started sobbing with the flick of a switch.
My eyes widened a bit with surprise- Jesus he's like fucked up off something for sure.
"My family Don't do no fuckin drugs man- fuckin fuck I'm not doing that many you piece of shit- you're so mean to me.." He wiped his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie as Daysha and Ally looked on in actual fear, and tried to comfort him, patting his back
"Julian, what'd you do to him?" Danita asked quietly.
"Your brother is cool." He was calm all of a sudden, and that's when I realized he was STILL wearing my brother's Hoodie.
"Stop talking about him! Please man-"
"I can... talk about his big-"
Daysha slapped a hand over Dexter's mouth, and started laughing.
What the fuck was he about to sa-
"Yeah his hoodie is pretty big." She laughed awkwardly, but Dexter glaring, moving Dayshas hand.
"Oh I fuckeddd Ally and Daysha... that doesn't hurt me brooseph... they way you wantt ." He was slurring like a madman now, and he stood up shakily, pushing Dayshas hand away... who was completely shocked.
"I can uh.." He looked at his arms, trailing off for a moment.
Right then I noticed I wasn't feeling any anger... but I was definitely terrified of what was happening to my buddy.
"What was I talking about." He muttered.
"H-hey Dexy... cmon buddy back to earth." I didn't think he'd hear me speaking so softly, but he looked right at me pupils completely blown amd his eyes stretched as far open as humanly possible.
"Don't call me that. Wanna see my arms?"
"Uh what-"
Then he rolled his sleeves up, before lifting the bottom of his shirt. He was cut and stitched all over his arm and he had a gash in his stomach and a strange burn on his hip bone.
"Dex what did you do to yourself-"
"Oi I've been branded... when I was 9?" He laughed.
"W-what?!" Daysha shouted, and Brandon was patting her back, his brows turned upwards in total surprise and confusion.
Ally was silent, and I saw every glance towards me she made. Her hands were up against her temples, everyone in a blurry muffled daze.
"Dexter-" I snapped out of it, seeing that he had started punching himself.
"Jesus christ we need like an ambulance-" I heard Chase whisper to Danita, face twisted up in fear.
"I want.. to fucking... DIE" I jumped up and ran over, grabbing him. He was so much smaller than I realized- he was swimming in- my brother's God damn shirt... what the-
I grabbed his wrist, stopping it midair, gulping when I got blood on my hand.
"Hey hey." I tried to have him hear me, but that's when he just stopped, and pushed me away, before starting to walk off.
"Dexter man-" I started to follow him but he whipped around angrily, looking at all the eyes that were on him.
"Oh no what the fuck did you do to me?!" Uh oh. He noticed right away his sleeves were up- and then he was running away.