Before you were mine - Bennoda

• 7. Panic •

I stuttered "m-me?"

"Yeah!" Dave encouraged.. "Come stand here." Brad smiled motioning to the microphone..

Now I stood in front of the microphone nervously, the guys were looking at me full of expectation... if I fuck this up they'll be so disappointed..

I took a deep breath and read the lyrics one more time before starting off just singing "I cannot take this anymore
Saying everything I've said before
All these words they make no sense
I find bliss in ignorance.."

My voice turned a little rougher along the lines "Less I hear the less you'll say
You'll find that out anyway..."
I took another deep breath before singing with more aggression, nearly screaming "Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge
I'm about to break"

I finished the line and backed off from the Microphone.

I finished singing and the guys were smiling at me and Joe and Brad started clapping and cheering.

"Chester!" Mike said as he jumped up and walked over to me "you have to join the band! we need you!"

"S-sure heh.. are you sure? I'm n-not really that good." I said, placing a hand in my neck. Mike laughed a little "not that good?! Chester you are amazing! Just fucking perfect!"

I blushed madly and smiled looking at the ground "t-thanks."

"Welcome to Hybrid Theory, Chazzy!" Cheered Joe.

I smiled, in a matter of a few days I managed to Make friends.
—

Later that night we got to Mike's house, he told me his parents had left for the weekend so we were at his house alone since his brother stayed over at his friend's house.

"Okay, so you can either sleep in my bed or the guest room or on the floor in my room.." Mike spoke, raising his eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

"Uhm.. F-Floor is good" I said. Mike nodded and we got ready to go to sleep. We fell asleep after about half an hour since we left Joe's place pretty late.

—

The next day in Math class, I was working on lyrics since I hate math. Mike sat in front of me and next to him was Anna, they were laughing about something, more like soft laugh because we were in a classroom after all.

Then Anna Kissed Mike softly, I sighed, rolled my eyes and went back to the writing.

I glanced at them every once in a while, just more of the same sappy romance... maybe I'm just jealous..

The bell rang and I pushed all my books into my bag, I nearly ran outside but then I realized I had to go to Mike's house again.

I sighed and turned back, entering the building again... which was a huge mistake.. since I got out of the building fast, Luke and his friends weren't out of their classes yet, but oh they were now... I didn't even have the time to turn back around and leave.. before I could run or hide, A hand pulled my backpack and suddenly Luke's in front of me.

"What's wrong Bennington? Did your friends leave you already? I mean I see why. Who'd want to be friends with such a fucked up fag." Luke spat, making his friends, more like followers, laugh.

His friends were holding me, I'm pretty sure that I know what's coming now...

Luke chuckled as he punched into my lower stomach, followed by my face.. I couldn't move since his friends had such a tight grip on me I'm pretty sure it's gonna bruise. I tried to get away by moving my feet but he kicked my knee caps making me scream out. I'm lucky that it didn't seem damaged too much.

He punched my face until it had blood running down it, He threw all sorts of terrible insults at me... but one of them crossed the line "when will you fucking kill yourself?" Spat Luke, he's right.. when will I?

I mean, I didn't have a reason to be here till Mike and his friends came along, and they'll probably grow tired of me and I'll be alone again..

I saw Mike standing at the end of the hallway, holding Anna's hand, he was just looking at me..

Anna was trying to pull him away from the situation with an annoyed frown on her face.

Mike's PoV

I walked into the hallway where Anna's locker was with her hand intertwined with mine.

But I heard laughed and whimpers of pain and when we walked around the corner, I saw Chester getting held down by 2 guys and beaten by the other.

Anna tutted and sighed, before slightly pulling at my arm "I can get my stuff later, let's go."

I stared at the situation and I saw that Chester was looking at me, No expression but pain and sadness on his face.

"Mike if you go at Luke's group, and stick up for Bennington everyone will think you're that one weirdo that protects the school's fuck up." Anna said. I spun around to face her, making our hands let go, I scoffed "Excuse me? Chester's not a fuck up."

"Well he's not exactly a normal person." She said. I shook my head "Because that's what our school did to him. Do you think he asked to get beaten up?"

"I don't care Mike, but I do care about you, and If you help Chester, Your reputation will go down like a stone..." Anna spoke but I interrupted her "I don't care about reputation, Anna. Chester's a person too and for me it's just cruel to choose "popularity" or "reputation" over helping someone when that person is going through so much pain. So if you'll excuse me, I'm just not gonna be a dick." I said before jogging towards Chester "Hey, hey! let him go!" I yelled.

"Or what? By the way, I though you were cool Mike. What the fuck happened to you." Said Luke, backing off from Chester for a minute. I sighed "You used to be better too but I guess we all change."

"You know what Mike? Just because it's you, I will let him go, for now. I don't know when you started caring about the fag but here you go." He said, literally throwing Chester's limp and now weak form at me.

I couldn't catch Chester so he fell to the floor. His eyes were closed, he wasn't moving... fuck..
I started panicking.