Scars Don't Heal When You Keep Cutting

I ended up dragging Ben home with me later that afternoon. We have something to discuss.

I forgot to lock the door this morning, so I just barge in.

"Guys I'm home and I brought Ben with me again and we have something important to talk about so I'll be in my room if you need me!" I scream to the top of my lungs in one breath on my way up to my room. I slam the door shut behind me and let go of Ben's hoodie.

He looks pretty freaked out.

I wait for him to calm down before I speak, "Ben, I know DJ's been picking on you. Tell me about it, please."

He doesn't seem too thrilled to be having this conversation, and I'm not either, bur I gotta do it for his own good. He doesn't say anything for a moment. I open my mouth to speak, but he beats me to it.

"Yeah, DJ's been picking on me since tenth grade," he says as he sits down on the bed. I frown as I sit next to him, slightly surprised that I didn't have to ask him again but pissed at the same time because of his answer, but I calm myself down so I can have this conversation with him.

"Oh, has he now?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask angrily. Not at him, but at my stupid self for not realizing it when I first noticed signs of it and at DJ himself for fucking with him in the first place.

"I didn't wanna start drama."

"Is that it?"

"Part of the reason." He leans his head on my shoulder. I lean my head on his.

"Mind telling me the other part?"

"I guess I can tell you now," he says, more to himself than to me. "I was scared that you'd agree with him and pick on me too."

I sigh sympathetically and sadly. I'd never make fun of anyone, it's just not me.

"You need a hug, I'm about to hug you," I warn him, not wanting to scare him again. I wrap my arms around his waist gently and pull him into a side hug, definitely noticing how skinny he is. He hesitantly lets his right arm rest around my waist, it being his way of awkwardly hugging me back.

It's cute.

"Do you know why DJ picks on you? And what started it?" I look to him. He shakes is head.

"I don't wanna talk about it," he tells me. I nod.

"Alright, Benji. I won't make you. But tell me when you do. I'm always here for you. I'll never judge you."

He nods as I let my eyes wander. My room's cleaner than it was earlier, I've just noticed. I guess Mom came in while I was at school and cleaned. My eyes stop at the small bag by the door. I smile. That's Ben's bag, he left it here.

"Oh, Ben, there's your bag," I say, unwrapping one of my arms from Ben's waist as I point at the door.

"Ah, okay, thanks," he mumbles as I put my arm back to Ben's waist.

"You know, you're really fun to hug," I say out of nowhere, inhaling. I smell the scent of Ben's hair in the process. Still smells good.

"How so?" he asks me.

"I don't know, it just is."

"But we've never properly hugged, really. Just a side hug like this." Point there, but that's kinda his fault. He freaked out when I gave him a real hug.

"You don't like hugs," I mutter quietly.

"I know. Sorry, Dan."

We sit like that for a decent while, until Ben spoke up again.

"So, why'd you backhand DJ at lunch today?"

"Ain't he a freak?" he whispers quietly to me.

And with one swift movement, I stretched my arm out behind Trenton and backhand that motherfucker DJ in the face.

The force and speed of the back of my hand making contact with his lips sends him tumbling back and out of his seat, drawing attention towards this table. Everything is dead silent, until someone starts laughing, that someone turning into the majority of the cafeteria. I glare at the idiot laying on his back on the dirty floor as he glares back. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ben covering his mouth with his hands, his shoulders trembling and his face red like a tomato, so I can tell he's laughing.

But I'm far too pissed to be happy about it.

DJ gets back up to his feet as his glare gets more intense and I get up from my seat as well, feeling a fight coming on. He throws a punch, but I grab his arm before it can hit me and throw a punch myself. The power of the blow knocks him over, and he would've fallen to the floor if I wasn't holding onto his arm.

The students in the cafeteria are chanting for a fight. That's exactly what they're gonna get, too. I throw DJ down, taunting him until he gets back up to his feet.

"Why don't we take this shit outside?" DJ asks angrily, slightly shaking from how angry he is.

"Fuck yeah." I follow him outside, the whole cafeteria seeming to follow. I haven't given a decent ass whooping in so long!

"He said something I didn't like. Doubt he'll be telling me shit like that anytime soon," I answer with a proud smirk.

"Yeah, I saw the fight. You kicked his ass," Ben agrees with a nod.

"Ms. King said I have to eat lunch in her class for the rest of the week, trying to keep me out if trouble, she says," I tell him.

"She told me. She wanted me to go with you."

"I really like Ms. King. I've never had a teacher like her," I admit, feeling a bit awkward from the random confession.

"Did you know she's like, five years older than us?"

"Nope."

"You're one of her favorite students. That's why she wants us to eat in her classroom. She does the same for Trenton when he gets in trouble. You know, 'cause he's one of her favorite students too."

I nod, followed by a long silence.

"Danny?" Ben speaks, barely audible.

"Yeah, Benji?" He snuggles closer to me.

"You're special."

I feel a blush rising to my cheeks when he says that. I've been called many pet names by many good people, but special coming from Ben Bruce? This one was... special...

"What'cha mean by that, Benji?" I ask him quietly.

"I don't trust people. I don't like talking to people. I fucking hate people. I avoid being social as much as possible, but look. We merely met yesterday and you're already my best friend. Now, doesn't that make you feel special?"

I smile wide. It does make me feel special as fuck when he puts it that way.

"It sure does, and you're special, too. Very special."

"Eh..." I finally pull out of the hug we were sharing and turn to face him. He turns to face me too at the loss.

"Yes you are! Out of all the many friends I've ever had, I love you the most." He hangs his head low, allowing his hair to fall over his face. I gently grab his face and force him to look at me.

He's blushing.

It makes him even cuter, if that's even possible.

"I love you, Ben," I say with a smile as I keep my hold on his face. I smile wider as he blushes even more.

"Aren't you gonna say you love me back?" I ask playfully.

"I love you too," he says quietly as he blushes even harder.

I'm enjoying this a bit too much, but that doesn't stop me from continuing. Hopefully I don't regret anything later...

"You're cute when you blush."

You guessed it.

"Nope," is all he can say as he bites his pierced lip.

"Awe, you're so adorable!" Now his face looks just like a fire truck.

Not literally, of course.

You're so fucking lame, Danny! You're not funny, either.

"No I'm not!" I laugh and let go of his face, and the second I do, he buries his face into the crook of my neck.

"That wasn't cool, Danny."

"I'm sorry," I apologize with a giggle.

"Like hell you are."