Threat

I’m fine.
It doesn’t hurt.

I’m fine.

“Get up, you piece of shit!”

I don’t feel anything.
I’m fine.

“I said get up!”

My eyes met with those familiar bright green ones, and soon reality came crashing down.

Everything ached and itched – who knows how many cuts and bruises I had now.
I could taste iron – strong and sickening.

A hand entangled in my hair, yanking it up so that I’d have no choice but to move with it.

“What the fuck did you tell Michael?!”
“I…I didn’t tell him anything…!”

She struck me across the face with her free hand.

“I received another very unpleasant response from him when I warned him again about talking to you. What the hell did you say to him?!”
“Nothing…I swear…!”

She let go of my hair, only to straddle me and bring her hands to my throat.

“No! Marcia, please no! I didn’t tell him anything! I swear! Please don’t do this!”
Her fingers wrapped around as her grip grew tighter.

I kicked and squirmed, hoping that she would be merciful.

But the grip only grew tighter and tighter.

I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t.
It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

I’m scared.
I’m so scared.

I tried to pry her hands away, but my body was growing weak from the lack of oxygen.
All I could do was shake my head, pleading her to stop as tears fell from my eyes.

I’m going to die this way.
I’m so scared.

“You’re mine, Tyler! You’re all that I have…! Can’t you understand that…?!”

Her grip weakened as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I can’t lose you, baby boy…I love you so much…! I can’t lose you…! It’s all over if I do…”

She finally let go, moving her hands to cover her face.
I took a moment to catch my breath before slowly sitting up and taking her hands into mine.

“Don’t touch me…!”
She yanked her hands away before moving off of me.

“It’s your fault for being friends with him! He’s going to tear our relationship apart and it’s going to be your fault…!”

I wanted to say something but my throat ached and my head was spinning.

It wasn’t long until I heard angry footsteps followed by the slam of the front door.

It was silent, and I could hear my phone ringing in the next room.
I slowly stood up and sluggishly made my way towards it.

I picked it up and answered it, instantly knowing who it was.

“Please…I told you to stop calling me…!”
“What’s wrong with your voice…?”

“I just have a sore throat…why are you calling me?”
“Because it’s been three weeks since I last saw you or had any contact with you. I’m fucking worried about you…!”

“I’m fine, Michael—”
“No, you’re not! I don’t care how many times you lie to me or to yourself for that matter. You are far from fine!”

I couldn’t respond.
I didn’t know how to respond…

“Is she there?”
“No…she just left…Why?”

“I’m coming over.”
“Michael, wait—”

But he had already hung up.

I groaned and carefully made my way up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Clean myself up.
Apply foundation where it’s needed.

I frowned.

There isn’t enough for the large, purple bruises around my neck.

So without thinking, I quickly got out of my sweater and put on another one with a turtleneck.
And that’s when the doorbell rang.

I carefully made my way downstairs and answered the door.

I was scared, but I couldn’t help the smile that appeared when I saw his face.

He didn’t hesitate to pull me into his arms, hugging me tightly.

I bit down on my lip to keep myself from crying out in pain.

It doesn’t hurt.
It doesn’t hurt.

I hesitated at first, but I ended up hugging him back.

It doesn’t hurt.
It doesn’t hurt…

He pulled away and closed the door behind him, instantly bringing his attention back to me.

Hands gently prodding me as eyes scanned me.
He rolls up my sleeves, giving a sad glance towards those familiar pale lines.

“I told you that I’m fine, Michael…Nothing to worry about.”
I gave him a small smile, but he wasn’t convinced.

His hand moved quickly.

“W-Wait—!”

But I couldn’t stop him from pulling down the collar of my sweater.

His eyes wouldn’t stop staring.
A horrified expression before it developed into anger.

“She did it again.”
“Michael…”

“Why? Why the fuck do you stay with her?! I know you know the situation that you’re in, Tyler! This isn’t safe! This isn’t healthy! How many times has she hurt you?! How many marks has she left on you, Tyler?! You need to get away from her!”

“I can’t leave her, Michael!”
“Yes you can, Tyler! Don’t you see what she’s doing to you?!”

I balled up my fists, anger growing.

“No! I can’t leave her! No matter how much it hurts! She needs me…!”

The anger disappeared as I found myself wiping tears away.

“I realize how fucked up she is, Michael…but I can’t leave her! I’m all that she has…! She’ll kill herself if I do…! And it’ll be all my fault because she’ll think that I didn’t love her, even though that is the opposite of what I feel for her…!”

“How are you so sure that she’ll do something like that?”
“I just know, Michael…I just know…”

A hand was placed onto my cheek; a thumb wiping the tears away.

“When was the last time you thought of yourself, Tyler? Ever since high school, you were always putting others before yourself!”

He let out a shaky exhale.

“An empty threat isn’t worth giving up your life for.”

He moved away before pulling a small card out from his pocket.

“I didn’t know when I would see you again, so I brought this for you. I forgot the other present though…”

I took it into my hands, instantly recognizing it as the card I saw on the countertop in the flower shop.

It was for…me?

“Y-You need to leave…Marcia can come back any minute.”

But he didn’t listen.

Instead, he picked me up bridal-style and carried me into the bathroom, setting me on top of the counter of the sink.

“Where’s your first-aid kit?”
“What makes you think I need first-aid…?!”

He glanced towards my stomach; I followed his gaze; red was bleeding through my sweater in that spot.

How much did I ignore this not to feel it…?

“Where is it?”
“U-Under the sink…”

He got what he needed before standing in front of me.

“Take it off.”
I shook my head.

“Don’t make me take it off for you, Tyler.”
His stern expression didn’t change, and so I reluctantly complied.

I didn’t look at him.
I knew he could see all of the cuts, marks, and bruises that were made.

“Tyler…”
He sounded so pained by this.

I could only feel guilty for not concealing them better.

He moved from my torso and began examining my face.

“How much foundation did you put on this time?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“There’s no use in lying about this anymore.”

A wet cotton ball, dabbing away the concealer.

There was nothing left to hide from him.
And knowing that only made me feel vulnerable.

“Why…?”

“I know you didn’t want me to see any of this. But dammit! I’m your best friend, Tyler…! We swore to each other that we would always be there for each other, no matter what happens!”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“I don’t care that we were ten when we said that. Always. Means. Always.”

I bit down on my lip.
He came closer, placing a hand on my cheek.

“…You need to leave…Marcia—”
“I’ll take my chances.”

He leant in, pausing with a look of guilt, before pressing his lips to my forehead.

“She can get mad at me all she wants, but I’m not leaving until I know that you’re going to be okay by yourself.”

I didn’t protest anymore.

Minutes passed – Michael was still here.
Hours passed – Michael hadn’t left.

I grew tired, and the last thing I remember was Michael picking me up and putting me to bed before I closed my eyes.

“…Sweet dreams, Tyler.”