𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲 | 𝐦. 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧

eight.

tw : bullying, violence

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monday felt normal. you and michael spent lunch together, sitting in silence and eating as you had been for the past couple weeks. he was quiet like he was on the first day you sat with him, being distant after you felt like you were finally making progress with him. you were just glad it didn’t feel like he was avoiding you again. you could tell that he was going out of his way to not see you in the halls before but now he was acting normal. as normal as he could be anyway. his somewhat usual self. the michael you knew.

tuesday went the same way. you ran into him and walked with him in the morning, spent lunch with him, saw him in history, and walked home with him. things were okay until wednesday rolled around. you didn’t see him in the morning but that didn’t bother you too much, he left at random times so walking to school with him wasn’t a guarantee. however, you didn’t see him all day. you didn’t see him during lunch, you didn’t see him in the halls, and you didn’t see him during your last period. 

you didn’t know but when michael got to school, ricky gave him hell. not for any reason in particular. just because michael’s bruises were fading and he decided he needed to fix that. he dragged michael off to a secluded area with his friends and roughed him up. he had to make sure to remind michael of his place and keep him there. while joshua, jeremy and ricky kicked the shit out of michael, dennis kept watch. 

initially, michael did try to defend himself, putting his arms up and pushing them away. he asked for them to just leave him alone but it didn’t work of course. he asked as politely as he could while they kicked him in the shins and punched him in the stomach. once he grew fed up, he put his arms down and stared them down. the three paused, still grinning as they waited for what he would do next. he dropped his bag before closing his hands into fists. he hit joshua with an uppercut, hitting him square in the jaw as he used his other fist to punch jeremy in the stomach. he pushed them away from him afterward but before he could do more, ricky tackled him and pinned him to the ground. 

michael got the wind knocked out of him as his back slammed against the concrete. his lungs cried for air, pathetic sounds leaving him as he squirmed beneath ricky. he had him pinned as he sat on his stomach and pinned his arms down to the blacktop. he struggled for words, choking as strained groans escaped him. even as michael was gasping for air and was nearly helpless beneath him ricky was still beating him up.

by the time the three of them were done with him, his exposed skin was littered with bruises and cuts from being pushed onto the ground over and over. he could hardly stand but that didn’t stop them from kicking him and abusing him more. ricky looked over him, a wicked grin on his face as he just scoffed. he leaned forward a bit, tilting his head and waiting for him to stand back up.

“is that all you got, afton? no fun,” he said and let out a sinister laugh. he bent down, grabbing a fistful of michael’s hair and lifting his head. he examined his face, smiling as if he was proud of his work. a job well done in his opinion. they busted his lip, left bruises on his jaw, and gave him a black eye. “just know that every time those bruises fade, i’ll come back and make sure to give you more,” ricky promised, snickering to himself as he looked at michael laying in utter defeat on the ground. he was hardly awake. it was too early in the morning for this. he couldn’t even fight back. he dropped his head back onto the concrete before standing back up straight and shoving his hands in his pockets. ricky kicked him in the side, earning a groan from michael. he balled up, holding his side and cursing to himself. 

“just go away, ricky,” he mumbled, looking up at him and glaring the same way he had before ricky beat him up. the bell rang before ricky could respond and he just laughed before walking away with his friends. michael lay on the ground in silence, only listening to the sounds of himself struggling to breathe. he rolled onto his back to look up at the sky and watched the clouds slowly float by. he let out a heavy sigh and blinked back tears before standing up. everything was sore and it felt like his body was burning. he was in such terrible pain. 

once he was up he picked up his bag and walked away from the school building. he was not planning on going to his classes. not while he looked like this. he looked terrible and he knew the nurse would get him into trouble for getting into fights. he didn't want to go to his classes anyways so this was a perfect excuse. he felt bad leaving you all alone for lunch, history, and your walk home but he didn't really want you to see him like this. he knew he looked horrible but it really wasn't that bad. nothing was broken. he would live.