Better than me.[bowers gang]

Chapter nine: his lighter

•WARNING: VULGAR LANGUAGE, SLURS, AND PHYSICAL/MENTAL VIOLENCE•

Patrick and Henry took their time walking back to Henry's place. They would point at certain buildings or places where they had significant memories together. The two laughed and teased each other as they normally did, Henry was having a surprisingly great time. Henry would sometimes glance at Patrick and then back down to the gravel, he admired his best friend but said nothing about it. "You're a crazy bitch." Patrick said. "..not a bad thing though." He followed his sentence with a small laugh. "don't act like you're not crazy either..!" Henry snapped back. "oh I know I'm crazy. if people wanna call me that, I'll just own the name." He smirked. Henry let Patrick fall a few steps ahead just so he could kick the back of his legs. "Hey! Watch yourself, quit being a dumbass." He hissed. Henry laughed quietly to himself and caught back up with patrick. "random idea buuuuut.. we should switch our weapons. You give me the lighter and I'll give you my knife, just don't lose it." "You really like to take my stuff don't you?" Patrick rolled his eyes. "Duh, it's fun! Now fork over the lighter." "Fine. If you lose it I'll kill you! It's my favorite zippo. It's my ONLY zippo." He said as he pulled the silver lighter out from his back pocket. He shoved it towards the shorter boy. "There. Give me the knife now." Henry pulled the switchblade off of the waistband of his jeans and set the knife down onto Patrick's open palm. He clasped the knife tightly and placed it into his pocket, Henry held the lighter in his hand instead of putting it away.

The pair approached Henry's house and began to say their goodbyes. "I'll see you tomorrow." Henry mumbled as he began to walk up the dirt driveway. "Wait.!" Patrick called out to him as he ran up behind him to turn him around. He twisted Henry around to face him. Without saying a word, Patrick embraced him. Henry slowly put his arms around him. The two hugged for the first time in a few years, they slowly let go and looked each other in the eyes. "I'll catch you later, Bowers." Patrick said with a soft smile. He walked off into the dusk and Henry couldn't help but feel.. warm inside over what had just happened. The boy ran inside and began down the hallway to his room. Before he could get any further a tall and sturdy figure stood in front of him, blocking his path. "I made dinner. Come sit down at the table with me." His tone was demanding. "Y..-Yes sir." Henry mumbled as he slowly walked over to the dining table in the next room over. His father sat down across from him and began eating the food on his plate. Henry wasnt hungry, he just felt sick. He stared down at the plate of mushy frozen vegetables, he kinda wanted to gag. "I see you hanging around with that boy, the tall one." His father said blankly. "Patrick..?" "Mhm. What's his last name.. hmm.. something with an h.. ah! It's Hockstetter. Well, I don't trust him."  "um.. why not..? He's fine.." Henry said quietly while poking at the gag worthy food on his plate with a fork. "He's a fuckin queer. I don't want him to rub off on you. My son won't ever be a fucking faggot." His tone began to become more aggressive as he talked. "don't talk about him like that." Henry snapped. He didn't like when people other than him messed with Patrick. "Don't talk back to me, boy." His father stood up from the table. Henry's rage began to boil inside of him. "All I'm saying is that kid is a fag. I don't want you hanging around him so much." That was it. That pushed Henry overboard. He stood up so roughly he knocked his chair backwards and it slammed loudly onto the floor. "I SAID DONT FUCKING TALK ABOUT PATRICK THAT WAY. HE ISNT LIKE THAT. SHUT THE F..FUCK UP!" He screamed at the man across from him. "What did you just say to me..?" He began to approach Henry. "I said.. don't fucking talk about my friend that way." Henry began to stutter as the fear kicked in. His heart was racing 1000 miles a minute. "DONT EVER TALK BACK TO ME AGAIN." He smacked his son hard across the face. "YOU HEAR ME?? DONT YOU FUCKING CRY." He shouted at the boy. Henry's eyes began to burn as he held back the tears he felt rushing forward, his hands shook in fear and he slowly raised a hand to his cheek. Placing his hand on the side of his own face, his father hit him again. But harder this time. He punched him. Henry let out a yelp as he sunk lower to the floor, raising his arms above his face to protect himself. His nose ached as a bit of blood began to drip down to his lip, his dad shoved him into the wall and continued to yell at him. "YOURE ACTING LIKE ONE OF THOSE STUPID GAYS, CUT IT OUT. BE A FUCKING MAN! GROW UP! MEN DONT CRY."  Henry couldn't feel anything other than the pain in his face. He was spacing out, he pulled himself together and stood up. He looked at his father once more before rushing into his room and locking the door. He pressed his back against the door and slowly slid down the door, he stared blankly at the wall in front of him as the tears and blood ran down his face. He didn't bother to wipe the blood off since he could already feel the bruising. The tears spilled down his cheeks quicker than they ever have, "I hate him. I hope he rots.." he whispers to himself angrily. a few hours pass by, 1am rolls around and Henry's house is silent. he slowly unlocks the door and peaks around the door frame, his dad was asleep on the reclining chair per usual. Henry felt a wave of relief pass over him, he was safe for a bit. He inches out of his bedroom to the wall phone nearby. he quietly dialed Patrick's home number, desperately hoping he would pick up instead of his parents. "pick up.. pick up.." the phone rang.. and rang. Until a sleepy voice answered with a yawn. "uh... hello..?" It was Patrick. "h..hey Patrick I.. I really.. uh..-" Henry was talking quietly into the phone so he wouldn't wake his father. "Henry?? is that you? You okay?" Patrick said groggily. "m..my dad hit me again.." Henry began to shake again just at the thought of it. "oh man.. how about I sneak out and over to your place.. then we can go to the quarry or wherever the fuck you want.. We can just ditch school tomorrow.. we'll go home and sleep in the spare car we have in the garage once we're bored..sound like a deal..?" Patrick suggested. "yeah.. sounds g.. ..good." "Alright great.. I'll be over to your place in a few minutes just let me put some clothes on.." he hung up the phone started to rush to get ready. He didn't wanna leave Henry waiting. Henry made his way to the bathroom and stared in the mirror against the tile wall, his blood stained lips and chin from his nosebleed earlier. The bruising was pretty noticeable. He stared at his reflection for a few more seconds before he turned on the sink and leaned downwards to wash off the blood. Once all the blood had washed off of his bruised face, he leaned back up and used his shirt to dry off his face. "I should probably change.. yeah I'll go change." Henry talked to himself as he slid his new clothes on. A red muscle top he cut on his own, and some ripped denim jeans. He took a deep breath before exiting back out of his room into the hallways again, he slunk down the hallway and into the living room. The boy tip toed his way behind the recliner chair in which his father, Oscar, slept. He quietly opened the front door and snuck out without a single sound, as soon as Henry shut that door he booked it off the porch and down the driveway. All he wanted was to be away from that place. But.. he didn't forget Patrick's lighter. He stepped onto the paved road and looked to the left, there was patrick walking towards him. The two saw each other and ran towards each other at lighting speed, Henry ran a little too fast and ultimately knocked Patrick over. "Woah fuck!" Exclaimed Henry. Patrick just laughed as the smaller boy lied on top of him, "you're stupid." ... "but I like that." He laughed a bit more before helping Henry up, along with himself. Patrick brushed himself off and looked at Henry. "Let's go have some fun.." he snickers as he grabbed Henry's wrist and began running down the road, Henry followed. They ran for a bit before stopping to catch their breath, after the two regained their breath they began running again. The boys walked the rest of the way to the quarry, Patrick walked over to the cliff edge and looked out at the stars. Still slightly catching his breath, Henry followed and stood next to him. "Man I really wish I brought something fun out here.. ive got cigarettes at least. You want one?" "sure why not." Henry sighed. "I brought your lighter with me, here." He mumbled as he pulled the silver zippo out of his pocket, handing it to his best friend. Patrick pulled the cigarette package out of his front pocket and popped open the cardboard lid, pulling two cigarettes out. He handed the first one to Henry, "you ever smoked before?" Patrick said as he put the cigarette in between his lips and flicked the lighter on. "not really.." Henry replied, he felt kinda lame for not smoking yet. Victor was the first to smoke and Patrick was the second, guess Henry is third. Patrick lit the cigarette and took a deep breath, letting the smoke fill his lungs before exiting again. "Damn, I thought you would've smoked by now. I'm younger than you and I tried em before you. Hah. Anyways, hold the cigarette between your lips and I'll light it for you." Henry followed the command, Patrick lit his cigarette then put the lighter back into his own pocket. "All you have to do is inhale and exhale, don't hold your breath too long though. It'll make you cough." Patrick told him. Henry just nodded and attempted to smoke the cigarette correctly. It burned his lungs a bit at first but, he liked it. They finished off the cigs and flicked what was left to the water below them. "I don't think I've been out here at night with someone else before.." Henry bit his lip nervously. "Really? Man you have not lived at ALL, huh? it's fun out here at night because you can shout whatever the fuck you want, you can blast music, I didn't bring my boombox though so.. sadly no music tonight. We can listen to that once we get back to my place."
"Cool.. cool.. I'm good with that."

Patrick stretched a bit before talking again. He walked away from the cliff and more towards the dirt again. Henry tilted his head a bit in confusion at what Patrick was doing. "The hell you doing over there, gay lord??" He snappily asked him. "I'm not doing anything." Patrick replies as he turned around with a smirk and his hands slightly raised in the air to show he has nothing. "No need to be so paranoid.. babes." The smirk appeared again. Henry opened his mouth to speak but no words fell out. His face became bright red and he broke eye contact. "Hey!! Don't call me stupid names." He said all flustered and clearly worked up. "Fine, I'll be nice tonight."