Bruised | ✔️

"Stop Trying" (7)

*One month time skip (September)*

The crisp autumn air chapped my lips instantly and brought goosebumps to my arms as I stepped out of the door.

Nothing has gotten better. Father still abuses me, or sexually harasses, I still cut, and sadly, Brett and I haven't said a word to each other since..since what happened.

I choose to ignore it though. The hurting in my heart. The pang in my chest when I see him in the hallways at school, which is where I'm headed to now. The anger has subsided, day by day, week by week, and yet..he hasn't even tried to speak to me.

I enter the hallways of what once was my safe haven. Mack had gotten sent to boarding school due to his vague amount of absences, detentions, and tardies. Ever since then, Zander has, sort of just, closed off. Now that they are out of my life, I still have Brett to deal with.

From down the hall I can see a white envelope taped to my locker. Curiously I walk faster towards my locker. When I reach there, I hastily tear the envelope open and read the card.

On the front says:

Friend

I open the card to see a long note written.

Alex,

I know we haven't talked in over a month. And that's because I've been trying to construct a proper and accurate apology. I can't stand to not have you in my life. It's like, you are my oxygen, my air that I need to breathe with, my only life support. And without you I'm just lost. Lost with no possible way to be found. I, I don't know how you can go on like this because I sure as hell can't. I like you so much, Alex. No, I love you. I love you so much. More than however many stars dot the sky at night. More than a mother loves her newborn baby. Alex, I love you more than the last number. Please just give me a chance to explain?

Brett

"So, will you?" Brett, himself, says from next to me. I ponder my decision for a few minutes. My mind is hazed over, I can barely think straight. Alex grabbed both of my hands in his.

"Alex, everything I said in that note was the truth. You may not believe me at this point in time but I figured it's worth a try. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness and of course I'm not just asking for that but, I want to be with you, I miss you." He finishes, with a sad look of desperation and regret on his face.

I stare back and forth between both of his eyes for a minute. My heart is saying 'Take him back, take him back!' but my head is saying 'Dont do it you imbecile. He hurt you.'

Deciding my answer I look Brett straight in the eyes and say, "I'm sorry but I can't."

Then I walk away.

⭕⭕

Later that day, after school, I lay staring blankly at my ceiling from my bed.

How can he just throw me under the bus and then come apologize like I'm going to happily bound into his arms?

I've been thinking about his apology though. A lot. Thinking of how he noted how important I am to him. I want to forgive him but at the same time I want to avoid all signs that point to him.

My door swings open and my father is standing there with a gruff look on his stubbly face. He storms towards me and I expect a hit or a kick but I stead he leans down to my ear.

"Your little friend is here. Say anything and you die." He seethed.

I nod eerily and swung my legs over the side of the bed as he left to his bedroom.

I bound down the stairs, missing one at a time, and jump to the bottom, my childish side kicking in. There stands Brett at my front door. The one person who'd be the last preferred to see.

He stands there, awkwardly, with his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. He looks uncomfortable.

"Alex," he begins, "I came here to try and apologize -" I cut him off.

"Well, stop trying, Brett. We're over and there is nothing you can do now except for get out of my face."

He is taken aback by my harsh words as am I and the color drains from his face. He stammers for a minute and stares into my eyes but I stand my ground with a cold, hard, look.

"O-Okay. Goodbye then." He turns on his heel and walks down the steps and towards his car with his head hung low.

I need to say one more thing, "Oh and Brett." I call, "When you decide to tell your mom the truth then I might reconsider your apology." Then I slam the door and venture back to my room.

Within a few minutes my dad comes in my room, a sick smile on his face, "Ready for a night of fun?" He brings out a pair of handcuffs and a bundle of rope from behind his back.

Kill me.

⭕⭕

Brett

After I had, slowly, driven home from Alex's house I decided to tell my mom the truth. How I'm going to do that? No idea. But if it means getting Alex back I would rather risk everything for him. He's my everything, I wish he'd just see that.

I hear a car pull in the driveway. That must be my mother because she usually she gets home around this time, which is 9:40 P.M.

Showtime.

Her keys jingle in the lock on the front door and my hands get clammier and clammier by the second. I hear her heels click against the floor in the kitchen.

"Mom! Can-Can you come here for a minute?" I yell downstairs.

She pounds up the stairs, obviously had taken her shoes off, and enters my room.

"Yes, Sweetie, what's-"

"I'm gay."

----------

......Before you shoot at me (again) just chill. As R.L. Stine once said "There are three consecutive parts to a story: The Beginning, The Middle, and The Twist." So BOOM. DONT HATE. Anyways don't forget to

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And stay tuned for chapter 8

~Ayzha