I HATE THAT I LOVE YOU ! ( byler )

ix. I'll Protect You (pt 2)

Warning: violence and mentions of self harm. Beware.

The ear piercing screams echoed through the woods behind Hawkins High.

"Shut up, fag!" Troy said through gritted teeth, punching Will's nose. A sickening crush emmited from the impact. Blood rushed down and Will cried out in pain. He curled up on the cold dirt, littered with leaves and trash.

Tears trickled down Will's face as Troy kicked his stomach. He coughed and watched as blood splattered from his mouth. Troy panted and James joined in. He shoved Will against the tree and punched him in the cheek. He plummeted on the ground and moaned. When would it all be over?

Troy walked up to Will's weak frame and took out his pocket knife. Will watched in terror. James furrowed his brows, confused and afraid.

"Troy, that's enough." James warned. Troy continued to hold Will down.

"Stop! Stop! No!" Will yelled and screamed. He sobbed and panicked. James widened his eyes.

"Troy! Dude that's enough! We're getting in so much trouble if they see this, i-if he tells-"

"Won't be around to snitch." Troy grunted. He slammed Will down on the ground and inched the knife down to his stomach. Will screeched and Troy cut his stomach slightly. Crimson spilled and Will cried louder. James was hyperventilating now.

"Troy!" He screamed. Troy stopped and for a second, both Will and James felt relief. But that relief was over as soon as it started. Troy walked towards James, knife in his grip.

"Since when are you such a pussy!?" Troy yelled, pushing James to the ground and punching him repeatedly. Will watched helplessly and crawled on the floor. He winced at James' cries and screams as Troy beat him up. Troy turned around and faced Will. The look of anger and craving petrified Will. He slowly walked up to him, knowing Will was too weak to run. He whimpered as Troy dragged him by the collar of his shirt and threw him on the ground. Will saw a fist heading for his face, then passed out.

●●●

"Stop!"

"Put the knife down!"

"Shut up-"

"Down! Hands up! Don't move!"

●●●

Will stood in front of the mirror, gazing at the scars and bruises scattered across his body. His purple eye swelles up, the cuts across his wrists slowly healed. The big purple blotch on his stomach looked disgusting, and that was how he felt.

Disgusting.

Will Byers felt disgusted at himself.

He plopped down on the squeaky bed. His grandmother didn't expect visitors, much less a severely damaged and injured one. He placed the ice bag on his face and draped the blanket over himself, succumbing to the darkness it brought.

He recounted the events that happened yesterday.

1. He went to school, was bullied, harrassed, and the english teacher probably failed him. Good thing he wasn't planning to be a writer in the future.

2. His one and only friend left him and moved to a different school, now he was all alone. At least he had Kyle, right?

3. Nevermind. He walks in on Kyle (his boyfriend, scratch that, ex boyfriend now) making out with some perverted, stupid, and basically lowlife girl called Ashley. Now he was lonely and heartbroken, can't get any worse now, right?