Broken Boy || preview

Five

- J O S H U A -

I groan in pain as new bruises will form on my body. Probably a broken rib this time, if they get the job right.

That's right. Their job.

Mark won't let his hands get dirty so he let his men do it for him.

The price for them not doing it? I'm still not sure yet.

I don't even know how I'm holding up these days. I'm bound to fall apart but, it's as if a life was added to me for every hit I take.

It's stupid.

"Get off the kid, jocks." A masculine voice said.

They ignored him, I ignored him. This happens every day. Someone tries to stand up for me, but they get ignored, so they just leave me alone. By the feet of my abusers.

"I said, get off the kid, you fucktards." Somehow, they were pulled away from me and the jocks ran away.

The guy gives me time to recover as I cough endlessly until no blood comes from my mouth. I wince as I try to stand up, getting help from the wall beside me.

I gave him a nod of respect. I walked away from him to go to the bathroom to clean up the blood from my mouth.

The guy followed up to me and introduced himself. "Don't you remember me?" He asked.

I stopped to stare at him, then it clicks to me. "How come you look older when I met you?"

"Yeah, I get that a lot considering I'm supposed to be in college two years ago." A repeater. I shrug, walking away from him, well limping in this case.

I walked inside the bathroom only to cough some more blood. My vision became blurry but it's not because of the tears.

I limp towards the sink to stare at my reflection.

I can't see myself clearly. The world is spinning.

Soon enough, I was lying on the cold floor with plain black filling my vision.

- x -

"He needs some time to rest. He can get some days off school, recover, heal. Whatever he can get. I'm writing a note to the principal. I'll be back."

I groan in pain for the nth time today as I feel the ache of my body taking over me. I tried to stand up but a soft hand pushed me down gently, careful not to touch my bruises.

"Careful there, dude." A familiar voice said. Casey.

"You really have to stop bringing me to a clinic." I stated after I drank the water she's given me.

"Well, technically Mike brought you here, not me. And another friend did it the first time we met." I sit up, well tried to.

I wince and groan while sitting straight with Casey's help but I shrug it off, saying I got it. She narrows her eyes at me slightly but I ignored it.

"Does my mom know about this?" I asked her.

"No. He almost called her, due to the injuries you have but thankfully, I convinced him not to."

I mumble a small thanks and I fiddle with my ring. Awkward silence was wrapped around the both of us until she cleared her throat.

"Are you even going to introduce yourself?" She asked rudely.

I ignored her attitude and shrugged. "There's not much to know about me." She groaned.

"All I need is a name so I can stop calling you 'dude'."

"Joshua." I finally said.

She muttered something under her breath but I ignored it as I saw the nurse enter the clinic.