Inhale

Chapter 28:

Corey stared at him, as Joey took what he said in. His heart pounded as he shakily ran his hands through his hair. He didnt want to be looked down upon. Joey shouldnt...it wasnt his fault right? So Joey couldnt look down upon him....but what if Joey thought he was dirty, or well too dirty, corey was more that aware he was dirt. He shook his head. He couldnt believe he dropped his biggest secret upon Joey. Fuck.

Joey shook his head surely not, joey was certain, it wasnt true Corey was making it up. It just didnt seem like corey. Corey was big, Corey was strong. Corey wouldnt let someone just touch him like that. He had his whole anti physical contact thing which wound Joey up.

Corey was waiting for a response. His heart pounding against his chest beginning to hurt as he shook violently. He needed his boyfriend to tell him it was okay, not because it would be okay, but he didnt want to be seen as used or broken or stupid.

Joey looked at him before opening his mouth. "Uh..."

"No, I'm sorry I'm just."

"Yeah. No its uh.."

Corey looked away.

"I-thats heavy..."

"You asked."

The two fell back into silence.

"But youre over it right?" Joey asked eventually.

Corey faltered as he looked up at him "what?"

"I mean it happened uh...years ago. You're fine right?" Joey asked

"Well no..." corey said "why would I be? I...I...what?"

"Sorry."

The two were in silence until Joey opened his mouth

"What happened?" He asked

"I..uh I went where my best friends house...he wanted to hang out like usual...he took me downstairs where we usually hung out." Corey took a shakey breath "and that's where it happened." He cringed slightly.

"Oh."

"I..." corey closed his eyes

"Well it's a good thing nothing serious happened." Joey said

"What? Are you saying thats not serious...?"

"I got the impression he didnt continue?" Joey shrugged

"How?!" Corey snapped

"Well you dont act like a typical rape victim corey." Joey sighed "my moms worked with them before, nothing like you."

"I-what?"

"What?"

"He did continue."

"Corey.."

"He did until I bled!" Corey yelled loudly.

Again joey went silent for a while biting his lip.

Corey played with his hair, pulling at it and twisting it.

Joey stared at him "you could have just fought him?"

Corey looked up in shock "what?"

"Well, you're plenty strong enough to fight, why didn't you just fight him off?"

Corey's mouth fell open "what?" He repeated

"Like I know you corey and you wouldnt just let that happen. You know?" Joey shrugged emotionless

Corey felt his heart crack "uh..." he felt tears leak out his eyes.

"What?"

"I was ten...how was I suppose to...how was I suppose to fight him? he was sixteen!" Corey snapped suddenly