Star Wars: A High-School Story

Comfort

Hux

I think I am the only one at my school that actually looks forward to going. See, my dad has been an abusive ass ever since my mom died six years ago. It's my fault, and he won't let me forget. Ever. He uses it as an excuse to hit and belittle me whenever I've done nothing wrong. It has become very clear that the man hates me.

Even though it is hot outside, I wear pants and a jacket to cover what he has done to me. He caught me sneaking back into my room last night after being out with my friends, and he lost it. It still hurts, so much so that I am limping down the sidewalk as I walk to school.

When I arrive, a sophomore girl scurried by me. She looked to be crying, and she looked like that senior in my art class, Kylo's, girlfriend. Judging by how she is sobbing into her friends shoulder, something bad had just happened.

_____the end of the school day_____

I run a singular hand through my ginger hair as I make my way out of the building. I wince as I do so, the bruises gifted to me by my father still aching. As I approach the men's locker room, I hear a sob echo out. Curious as to whom has chosen to cry in the locker room at this time of day, I walk in. I turn the corner at the of the locker isle, and see that the source of the sobbing is none other than Kylo, the senior from my art class and boyfriend of that sophomore.

"Are you okay?" I ask him, even though he is clearly not.

"No." He sobs out in his deep voice, looking at me. I see the state that he is currently in more clearly. Snot everywhere.

"I'm Hux." I offer as I sit down next to him.

"I know. You're in my art class." Kylo said, calming down.

"Do you want to talk about why you're crying?" I ask. "It will make you feel better."

"I... I broke up with my girlfriend after I found out something fucked up." He tells me, putting his head on my shoulder. "I'm not supposed to tell her, or anyone for that matter. It's so fucked up though."

"You don't have to tell me. You have been asked not to tell me something, and I get it." I tell him, then I check the time on my phone. 4:15. "Shit."

"What?" Kylo asks.

"I gotta get home. My dad's gonna be pissed." I say, trying to get up. I whimper and fall back to the ground as all the pain from my bruises came back all at once.

Kylo jumps to his feet and helped me up. I quickly thanked him and left him as fast as I possibly could. I was embarrassed. Embarrassed that he heard me whimper and that he possibly now has connected the dots and has found out about my father's abusive tendencies.

When I get home, my father is waiting for me in the dining room. He stands up, towering over me. I cower.

"Where were you, boy?" He asks.

"At school." I answer him timidly. "I left one of my books in one of my classes, but I didn't remember which."

"Lier." He yelled, striking me in the face with the palm of his hand.

"I'm not, I promise." I pleaded.

"I don't care, you're the reason your mother is dead, that is a good enough reason to give you a good beating!" He yelled.

He knocked me down with a punch to the face. He continued until I was bloody and half conscious on the floor. I stayed there for what felt like forever until I felt I was safe to move. I limp up the stairs to my room, and fall into the comfort of my bed. I was late for school the next morning because the pain was to much to bear through.