Escaping Reality...With My Enemy

Part XII ~ Bruises

TW: mention of bruises

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

*Dream's POV*

I walked into the building and scanned the area looking for one of the only people I liked in the whole world right now.

I spotted him by his locker almost solemnly putting his books on the top shelf, standing on his tiptoes to reach it. I carefully approached him slowly, constantly, flicking my eyes back and forth, hoping it was still too early for anyone else to be here. I watched him raise a shaky hand to his cheek and examine it in his small locker mirror. He seemed so lost, and whatever was on his cheekbone, he didn't see me approaching in the mirror.

I grabbed his waist and put my head on his shoulder. George immediately jumped, banging his head against the locker's door. "Fuck!" he half yelled, holding his now red for head.

"Sorry, Georgie," I whispered in his ear, a seductive tone gently lacing my words. I kissed his neck, slowly, hoping to leave him wanting. I pressed myself against George's backside.

He whimpered and said, "Please, stop, Dream."

I stopped kissing and removed my hands from his shaking body. It was silent in the nearly empty halls for a few seconds before I asked, "Sorry... you okay?"

"Yep," he replied quickly.

He closed his locker, and as he did, I caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. He tried to walk away, mumbling that we should head to the library for tutoring, but I caught him by the shoulder. "George-" I tried to step to his side to get another look, but he turned away from me. I tried again, but failed for the second time. "George... it's okay."

I moved his chin with my index finger. I could barely muster up a complete thought. "How...no, did someone...what happened?" I reached up to touch his blackened eye. His cheek below was dark red and purple, little patches mixed together.

He slapped my hand away and looked away from my gaze. "It's nothing." he dismissed my worries and continued to head to the library.

I scoffed and held him back again. "No, it's not. Tell me who." I gently held his shoulders against the wall, not letting him leave until he explained.

His eyes widened at my actions. Instead of keeping them filled with surprise, his eyes were flooded with intense fear. I felt his breathing growing rapid it on my face.

"Sorry," I whispered, backing up and taking my hands off him. He looked down. "But you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"So you can tell your friends?" He scoffed and started walking towards library again.

"If you don't want me to I won't." I walked beside him.

"You tell your friends everything. I don't trust you, Dream... and you can't blame me for that."

"Okay, but I never told them we're fucking each other."

"That's different. One, they'd never believe that and two, your pristine reputation would be completely ruined if that got out."

He rolled his eyes. I shrugged. I'll give him that.

"So you gonna tell me what happened or no?" I said, after we sat down at one of the tables in the library.

George pressed his lips together contemplating. His eyes flicked around the room, and upon seeing two people across the room, lowered his voice and mumbled, "I was attacked after school yesterday."

It was quiet for a minute. Even the people at the other table had stopped talking and seemed to be vigorously writing in their notebooks.

"What?" was all I could say at first.

"I was jumped... by some seniors."

My eyes narrowed and then it clicked. "Football players?" Though it was phrased as a question, it wasn't necessarily one. George nodded anyway. "I am going to kill them," I muttered. I straightened out my voice and swallowed hard. "I think I'm okay with history, let's end early."

"But we've barely started..."

"I think I need to pay a visit to the seniors," I said, packing up.

George grabbed my wrist just as I stood up. He pulled me back down to the table. "No!" he said a little too loud. The librarian glanced over at us. He lowered his voice. "Don't, Dream."

I looked into his dark, pleading eyes. Did he really expect me to let this go? Some idiots attack someone I really care about and he expects me not to beat the shit out of them? My eyes softened when his expression didn't change.

"Please, promise me you won't." He clutched my hand with his.

A small blush crept on my face. A little bit of contact goes a long way for me apparently. I nodded, sighing loudly, annoyed. "Fine."

I unpacked my materials and we started the session once again.

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

I smacked my test beside George's locker. He jumped. "Jesus! You wanna stop freaking me out every time you're behind me?" He closed his locker and started walking away.

I caught him by the collar of his shirt. "Look!" I shoved the test into his hands.

His mouth hung open. "Dream - a B+!" He jumped up and embraced me tightly. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. I couldn't help but blush. I held him up in my arms, his toes barely touching the floor. We broke away from the hug but I kept my hands around his waist. We both leaned in, but I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Dream?" Sapnap stared at me with one of his eyebrow raised.

I subtly pushed George away. "Oh, hey!" I rubbed my neck. "I was just thanking George for his help." I smiled and showed him the test. "A B+!"

Sapnap smiled half-heartedly. "Oh...good for you."

I blinked slowly. "It's a B+! I haven't gotten a B since last year. All I've gotten this semester are Ds but I got a B!"

Sap's voice brightened a little bit. "No, it's great, Dream. That's good for you. And good for um -" he gave George a head nod. His eyes lingered on George's face. George put his hood up and hid the bruises. Sapnap looked at the floor then sped walked away.

I turned to George. "Do you know what that was about?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No..." I looked at him, head down, shuffling through the halls. He looked like a guilty puppy roaming around the school. "He usually tells me everything but something is off."

I pressed my lips together then walked to my locker to retrieve my items for the rest of classes.