A/N
WARNING! Viewer discretion is advised. The following story contains violence, abuse, self-harm, and bullying due to coming out.
Based on The Boy in the Bubble by Alec Benjamin, which is linked above.
Maya is not Maya. Maya came out as trans and has decided their name is Miles. Miles uses he/him pronouns.
Miles POV
6:48pm
I was walking home, step through the gate. Mom's not home. Working at the diner again I guess. There's chicken on a plate, but the food is cold. I go to the bathroom and look at the bruise around my eyes and nose. I grab makeup from before I came out and start covering them with concealer and foundation. When I'm done, it's covered, but still noticeable when you look hard enough. I go out to the living room and watch some TV and try to start on my homework.
"Miles! I'm home!"
"In the living room!"
"Be there in a sec!" I try to avoid watching for her to come into the room, hopefully she won't see it. "Miles."
"Mom."
"Boy, you gotta tell me what they did to you."
"You don't wanna know the things I had to do."
"Son you gotta tell me why you're black and blue." She wipes away some of the makeup carefully, but I still wince.
"I said I didn't want trouble. I'm the boy in the bubble, but then came trouble... My heart was pumping, chest was screaming. My mind was running, air was freezing. I told him I was ready for a fight."
~Flashback~
"Where do you think you're going tranny?" Lucas yells at me as he shoves me into the wall. "Huh?!"
"I don't want trouble Lucas. Just let me go."
"Not so easy Hart. You're a tranny and you know what happens to trannies around here? Especially when the steal a real mans girlfriend?" I put my hands up.
"I'm ready for a fight." Lucas punches my face.
"Fuck you Miles!" I smile as I look up at him.
"Knock me out, kick me when I'm on the ground. It's only gonna let you down." He shoves me to the ground and continues punching me in the ribs. I can't help but notice it's a dreary day. It's definitely going to storm tonight. Come the lightning and the thunder, he'll be the one to suffer...
I shoved him off of me and stood up, waiting for him to get up. I squared up but left my chest exposed.
"You gotta quick left hook. I think you broke my nose." I reach up and touch my face. I had thick red blood running down my clothes. I creepy smile came to my face 'cause I like it though. "I didn't want trouble." I'm the boy in the bubble... but then came trouble. He continued to beat me up.
"Go to your room Miles, and get yourself cleaned up." My mom smiles a weak smile at me. "If you think your nose is broke, tell me. I'll take you to the hospital. I just hope the boy who did this gets what he deserves.
"Don't say that..." I get up and walk away. I go to my room and watch out the window as Lucas walks into his house.
My blood on his hand... But like everyday he hesitated at the door, scared to go back to his house because his dad was home. I watch him walk to his kitchen and grab the bottle. Drowning his troubles, in whiskey bubbles. Just looking for trouble.
I watch as his father beats him with the belt. I slice into my leg with a razor for each lash of the belt. I can't help it I like the pain. I can't help that the things people say about me get under my skin. I have to release them somehow.
There's no excuse for the things he did, but there's a lot at home that he's dealing with. His dad's been drunk since we were kids. I hope one day that'll he say to him, 'Put down those bubbles, and that belt buckle, in this broken bubble.'
I heard a tap on my door.
"Come in."
"Miles... Babe... You're hurt." Riley walks over to me and kneels between my legs. "And you're cutting..." She takes a dirty shirt off my floor and applies firm pressure to my thigh.
"I know. It was just Lucas. I'm fine. He deals with worse at home." I nod my head towards my window to have her look. She cringes when she sees Lucas' dad bring the belt buckle down on his ribs again, for the millionth time probably.
"Let's get you cleaned up... I'll be right back. I'm gonna grab the first aid kit." I look back out the window at Lucas' house. His dad must have noticed that the curtains were open because they're closed now. "Hey. I'm back..." I turn back to Riley and she starts wiping away the makeup with a makeup wipe.
"Ouch."
"Sorry. I'm trying to be gentle."
"It's okay. I like the pain."
"Miles..." she trails off. She looks at my bloody shirt. "Take it off." I do as I'm told and she gasps at the bruises.
"Riles... I'm okay." I pull her up onto my lap and kiss her gently. "I'm okay. I'm here. I'm alive."
"Could you please try to stay out of fights?"
"I'll try to tone it down some..." I look at her eyes and she has a few tears streaming down her face. "Don't cry pretty lady. I love you." She buries her face in my chest.
"I lofahfdh yldjfldfkaflk" she mumbles unintelligibly.
"I can't understand you when you mumble into my chest baby girl." She pulls away and looks up at me.
"I said I love you too you dork." She leans up and kisses me gently. "I love you too."
