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Mr. King (Bentley's Father)
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Bentley was surprised when Kieth didn't show up for months when he entered the 9th grade. During school it was understandable but Kieth would always come early in the morning when Bentley was in middle school.
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The teachers gave raised eyebrows to Kieth for his not weird behavior. At this time Kieth should be crawling on the floor to get out, make any & all kinds of excuses, be dramatic, skip the class and try to catch Bentley. Kieth only ducked his head bringing down the bennie over his ears and went about his day.
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It was not until January that the first thing Kieth did after abandoning his bennie under his bed -because he wasn't going to throw it away- what if he needed it again when dad shaved off his had as a punishment (again),- Kieth ran first thing in the morning to the school and clutched Bentley in his arms.
Sweet heaven.
"God finally." Kieth nuzzled his nose deeper and realized it was a hip. Bentley wasn't that tall and shouldn't have grown in the last seven and half months, that Kith would come barely to his waist.
When Kieth stepped back his face went pale and eyes almost pop out as he looked wide-eyed at the tall, very tall bulky man with his own surprised wide eyes looking down at Kieth.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry sir." Kieth whimpered under the big man's stare.
"It's alright sweety." It was Bentley's mom who came from behind the car, placing her hand on the man's shoulder, Bentley's dad. "He's just shocked, feeling all gooey inside that someone actually hugged him that nicely." She laughed sweetly her black hair waving in the air creating a magical field around her and her husband.
Kieth wanted to die of embarrassment.
Bentley snickered. Kieth glared at him, he had dodged from his approach and made him look like some lunatic in front of his parents.
"Babe I think you should lose the frown, you are scaring the kid."
Kieth was looking down. He was scared, what if the man hit him like dad did and sometimes dad's friends tossed him out of the house so they could do illegal business.
Dad was getting more frustrated, daring and violent as the days passed. He blamed Kieth for every single thing, for his failing business, the losing poker night, the empty fridge, the lack of beer in the house, or when Kieth cried when dad punched him in the stomach multiple times, he hit him because Kieth cried, he crunched his cigarettes on Kieth's arms because he could, he shouted at him because Kith was an embarrassment because Kieth was so small and dad was just angry all the time at him.
If Bentley's dad hit him, it was okay, he was wearing a shirt so they wouldn't have to ask him to hide the scars. Kieth was just waiting for the first hit.
