Husbands But Not

3: Wimp

Kent

I sat at lunch on my own, the table instantly becoming mine, because obviously no one wanted to associate with me.

I did not care. Better be alone than with a bunch of fake people.

Noah was sitting with Ruby, Sawyer, and a few others who I didn't recognise by name.

I may have gazed a little too long at their table, because the next thing I knew I was being yanked by the collar of my shirt. My legs were being lifted higher and higher.

"You like being an annoying little fag don't you?" The guy said harshly, spit spraying out of his mouth. "I said this table is ours, go find somewhere else to sit."

"Your sewer line is broken," I said as I wiped spit off of my face "and it's leaking all over my face". I've never been good with keeping a decent attitude against bullies, despite my lack of rigidity. Needless to say, it landed me a punch in the face, knocking me to the ground.

I didn't know how much time passed while I was knocked out, but when I opened my eyes, Noah was the first thing I saw. I thought I was dreaming at first, but then I heard the words "Are you okay?!" and a look of concern on his face.

"Uh I gotta go" I said and stood up hurriedly, which made me a little dizzy and uneasy on my feet to the point that I almost fell back again.
Noah quickly clutched my arm tightly so I wouldn't fall.

"Thanks." I muttered and rushed out of the cafeteria. I went directly to the bathrooms. My mind was racing with many thoughts as I looked in the mirror. I tentatively touched my face where the punch landed, right next to my left eyebrow, and I hissed in pain upon touching it. I knew it was going to bruise in few hours. Great, just what I wanted.

I washed my face with cold water and freshened up. I heard the bell ring announcing the start of the next class.

The rest of the classes passed smoothly, and nothing else happened. I went back home to find it empty as usual. Dad didn't get home until 7-8pm so I had to make my own lunch, and his too. I was really good at cooking, but not good enough for my dad's tastes. Though most of the times he didn't complain. When he did, it was brief and I'd spend it sprawled on my bed trying so hard not to hear him yell.

I ended up making pasta. I ate, did the dishes, and went up to my room. I needed a shower and a long nap to get the horrible day out of my head.

I let the slightly hotter than warm water, soothe my body. I tried to remember as much as I could but wasn't able make out most of what happened at lunch. It was like a blur, Noah's voice, blur again. Then his face brought me back to consciousness with concern. Why was he even giving a flying fuck about me? I was nothing and nothing I was gonna remain.

I finished my shower and went straight to bed. When I woke up, it was to the sounds of my dad yelling my name. I looked at the clock, 7:08pm. I slept for more than 4 hours.

"Kent... Kent." dad screamed, his heavy footsteps rattling our house as he took the stairs.

Here it comes.

"Why aren't you answering me?" he asked the moment he reached the doorway.

"I was asleep." I replied. He didn't look angry at first, but when he saw my face, rage took over him.

"What the hell happened to your eye?"

"It's nothing."

"When will you stop being a wimp and start fighting your battles?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer, he just left the room.

Thank goodness. I wasn't in a mood to handle one of his anger swings and end up with my second eye bruised. I didn't see him again that night.

When I went to sleep again, it was past 10. I spent the rest of the time in my room reading a book. I've always saved a part of my allowance to buy books. It was weird that dad gave me a decent allowance, even without me asking. Sometimes he was the nicest father in the world, and sometimes it was a nightmare.

I fell asleep almost instantly.

The next day at school, Noah wasn't there for English. Nor at Home Economics. Nor the other classes I shared with him.

He just wasn't there. I got instantly worried for some reason, and I thought it was my fault, even though it probably had nothing to do with me, but I couldn't shake off the feeling.

The next day, he wasn't there either. However, I noticed that one of the guys who sit with him, and Ruby, were giving me strange looks, almost angrily annoyed looks, as if I did something wrong.

When I sat at my table, I saw them approaching me. The curly haired boy obviously tried to stop them, and so did Sawyer, but Ruby and the other guy were too angry to comply. They all ended up coming. My heart was caught in my throat upon realizing that they were actually angry at me. But what did I do? I literally just existed and that was enough for most people to hate me.

"YOU." The guy yelled, pointing his finger at me.

"Spyder, let's not do this here, leave the guy alone. It's not his fault." Curly said.

"Yeah Spy, he is right." Sawyer said.

"No, it is his fault. Noah got suspended the whole week because of him." Well that explained why Noah wasn't here. This made me swallow my heart and regurgitate it back up again. I wanted to speak but I couldn't form words.
Noah was suspended.

But what did he do that's worth suspension? And why am I involved. I. Just. Existed.

"Noah is suspended?" You can barely call it a whisper, but I said it nonetheless.

"Yes, and it's all because of your wimpy self" Spyder shot me with his words. I wanted to say it hurt but I didn't give a damn about what he said at that point.

"Wh-What did he do?" I asked, my eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"He got into a fight with the boys who bullied you the other day, and broke one of their noses. A teacher saw the incident, and knew that they bullied you first, but he got suspended the rest of the week." Ruby explained. "'There are other ways to deal with violence other than violence' I hate this school."

It took me a few moments to take it all in. Noah got into a fight. Defending me. ME.

"So it's your responsibility. You're gonna pay for that." Spyder sneered.

"He's not gonna pay for anything, no one asked Noah to do what he did, it's his fault not..." Curly was talking but stopped for a second, "What's your name again? Kent?"

"Kent." I said quickly.

"Whose side are you on?" he aimed his aggression Curly.

"I'm not on anyone's side, I'm just stating common sense. Noah took matters into his own hands. He wasn't asked to do so, he did it out of his own will, so It's his fault." Curly was clearly done with the whole situation. Trust me, so was I.

"Now come on and leave the boy alone for fuck's sake." Sawyer demanded.

"You better stay away from us or the next one to beat you up is going to be me, got that?" Spyder said.

I didn't have time to reply or even react before they were dragging him back to their table, ending the whole thing. As for my heart, it was still beating.

In My Throat.

A/N: Vote and comment, I wanna know what you think. More soon x.