Cliche {rewritten}

Chapter Three

Alexander stayed at the table for a moment. I don't believe you. He angrily walked off to his room, closing the door behind him. Alexander sat on his bed, holding his head in his shaking hands.

His breath was quick, nearly hyperventilating though Alex was unaware of it. He heard Mulligan walking down the hall and his head shot up, his eyes wide in fear.

"No, no, god please," He whispered, quickly getting off his bed and grabbing a chair from the desk.

He put it under the doors handle, tilting slightly. Alex had tears in his eyes, trying to find a place to hide in his room.

He heard a knock at the door, causing Alex's breath to hitch.

"Please," Hamilton said quietly, his voice cracking.

"Are you alright Alexander?" Mulligan asked.

Alex stayed frozen, staring at the door with wide eyes. He wanted to move to hide, but was too scared. His hands involuntarily shook while Mulligan knocked again.

It took Alex a moment before he slowly walked to the door, taking the chair away and back to the desk. Hamilton knew what was going to happen, so why draw it out. He was scared, no doubt, but he wanted it to be over quick. Alexander pulled off his sweatshirt, folding it and putting it on his bed, then doing the same for his shirt.

"Can I come in?" Mulligan asked.

Alex got on his knees, putting his folded hands on the bed and bracing himself.

"It'll be over quick." He muttered, trying to reassure himself.

"You can..um..Y-you can come in now." Alex said, wincing at his stutter. It was usually only with the letter S. Unless he was scared. Then his stutter was all over the place.

Mulligan opened the door and paused in confusion. "Alex..?"

"Just get it over with." Alex said, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"What do you mean? Alexander, I'm not-"

"Just beat me god damn it!" Alexander exclaimed, trying to anger Mulligan ever so slightly just so it might go faster.

"Just..J-just fucking beat me already." He said under his breath.

Mulligans eyes were wide but he knew Alex was much more scared then he was. He tried to suck it up and walked to Alexander's bed and handed him his shirt.

"I'm not going to beat you, kid." He said, trying to keep his nerves down.

Alex was in front of him, in tears and no doubt, utterly afraid of him.

"..You're not? Wha- why?" Alexander asked, slowly standing back up and taking his shirt.

"I'm never going to abuse you. You understand?" Hercules asked, smiling reassuringly.

"No, I don't. Why are you- I-"
Alex cut himself off, pulling on his shirt.

He sat down on his bed and furrowed his eyebrows looking at Mulligan.

"Why are you being nice to me?"
He asked.

"I'm not being nice to you. I'm treating you like a decent human being." Mulligan said.

Alex relaxed ever so slightly.

"..You understand?" Mulligan asked quietly.

"Yes..I think."

Mulligan grinned and nudged Alex.
"That's wonderful, kid. Everything's going to be alright." Hercules told him.

"You promise?" Alexander asked, looking at Mulligan almost with fierce eyes, despite his fear.

"I promise."

Alexander sighed softly, running a hand through his hair, seeming more relaxed though his shoulders stayed tense. They always were like that. It got to the point where Alex didn't realize he still did it anymore.

"Do you want to go to the park?" Hercules asked.

Alexander looked at him, a somewhat deadpanned look on his face.

"I'm going to take that as a no."

"I think I'm just going to stay inside until..s-summer is over. When s..school start-" Alexander cut himself off, furrowing his eyebrows. "When..school starts I'll do s-stuff outside."

He sighed, looking to Mulligan and expecting him to ridicule Alex for the stutter. The letter S is dumb anyway.

"Fair enough. Tell me if you change your mind," Mulligan said, standing up.

"I will." Alexander said.

"I mean I'll..I'll tell you if I change my mind not that I'm going to change my mind but I'll tell you if I do." He explained quickly in a slight panic.

"Gotcha. But they way, do you want water? Just to cool down your nerves a little bit." Mulligan said, now by the door.

"..Okay." Hamilton agreed after a moment of consideration.

Mulligan nodded, walking out. This was short lived though, as he came back in less then a few seconds later. He lazily leaned on the doorframe and said, "You want to use my IPad and watch Netflix? Somethin' tells me you don't want to leave this room anytime soon."

Alexander looked at him in shock but tried to mask that.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. Cool. Thanks."

Real smooth Alexander, He thought to himself, internally cringing at his answer.

"No problem Alex." Mulligan said walking out again.

Alexander bit his lip.
"Wait! I uh.." He trailed off, seeing Hercules sigh softly, walk back inside and smile.

"Yes?"

"Call me Alec. Its um..the Scottish version of my name. My family would call me it. Like my real family. My mum would..sometimes..yeah." He said, fiddling with his bracelet then looking back up at Mulligan.

"Aight kid. Alec." Hercules said, grinning.

Alexander smiled softly.
"Thanks."

Still, he had a small moment of panic and felt the need to explain himself.

"No one really at school calls me it though. I like it that way I guess. It makes the name more s..special somehow. I don't know. Not that that's a bad thing! I don't get bullied. I don't. I just..Yeah. Also Alec Benjamin. He's pretty ho- cool. He's pretty cool." Alexander said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Alec Benjamin?"

"Oh! He's a s-singer. He's not like one of those real popular singers though. Also he's from Arizona." Alex paused.

"I don't know why I told you that but..I don't know. He's from Phoenix." Hercules laughed, nodding.

"Sounds wonderful kid."