School the next day was horrendous. A lot of people shoved me. A lot of people threatened me. A lot of people.
But one person in particular went beyond subtle words and pushes. This particular person decided he wanted to beat me up after school. This particular person was strong, and he made it hurt more than ever. Percy.
He pushed me up against the wall. He pulled me behind the school, so no one saw. So no one cared. So no one could help me.
First, he punched me in the jaw. I groaned and fell to the side, knowing that would bruise.
"You're a piece of crap, Nico." Percy insulted, kicking my ribs.
"Percy, stop, pleas-"
He kicked my stomach. I coughed and wheezed for a second to catch my brother. He then straddled me, and began punching away at my face. I tried putting my arms up to block, but it did little good. As he hit my nose and my lips bled, and my eyes were blacked, I felt tears escape the brims of my eyes.
"S-stop." I croaked at him.
How could someone that loved you... do this to you?
He didn't stop.
He didn't stop.
He didn't stop.
He didn't stop.
And then he did. I felt like I could breathe again with his weight off me. I flopped onto my stomach, wheezing and cursing and holding my hand to my nose and mouth. I pulled it away and it was red. Then I looked at my hands, and they were bruised too, from being continuously punched at with my face.
I stood shakily and looked towards Percy, who was being cussed out by a blonde boy. My ears were ringing, I just noticed. Suddenly, waves of pain succumb me, and I cry out as I fall back to the ground. My head... My face, my hands... My vision blurs, and I close my eyes as I feel hands wrap around my torso and someone leans me against their chest.
"W-Will..." I know it's him. I start sobbing, and the wave of pain ends. Though I'm still crying.
"It's okay, Nico, it's-"
"It's not okay!" I exclaim. "I don't understand..."
Will isn't a friend. But he's still someone I can spill my guts too, without much fear of being hurt or hurting him. He's an acquaintance, at most.
"I don't understand why it matters so much!"
"Why what matters, Nico?" Will asks, cradling me in his arms, bringing a rag that I assume is his shirt to my face, but I can't tell since my vision is still gone.
"Why something as subtle as synesthesia makes people... do this to me!" I cry. I bury my head into Will's shirt.
"Nico, I..." Will sought out words. "I don't know, Nico. I'm sorry. Come on, we need to get you to the hospital."
Will lifted me to my feet. I stumbled, not able to see, and let him guide me to a vehicle I assumed was his. I crashed into shotgun. He buckled me and hopped into the driver's seat. He started up the car, and I groaned, leaning against the window, my head in my elbow.
Will put a hand on my knee to calm me down. I don't know why but it worked. My breathing steadied a bit more. I felt like crap. My nose hurt like Tartarus. My eye definitely felt swelled. My lips were the least of my worries, but they still stung. Maybe I lost a couple teeth...
"It's okay, Nico." Will assured, maybe himself before me.
I realized just now how embarrassing this is. I tried to bury my head deeper into my arm without it hurting.
The rest of the car ride was silent. As we hit bumps, I winced, but other than that and the bleeding, I was fine. I just wish that didn't happen. It did, but I wish it didn't. Percy, he...
Percy never loved me. You don't do that to the ones you loved. He was a bigger liar than I ever was.
That realization brought more tears to my eyes. The rest of the car ride, I was crying. I don't know what to think now, so many thoughts cancelling each other out. But one thought stuck, even if I didn't want it to: Why?
