Chapter Two: Harder to Breathe 2/3

“Yeah?” she asked.

I just kept in pace with her as she walked.

“Yeah,” she said, “I saw you too.”

I liked the two of them together, they were cute.

“Our room doesn’t look any different,” she stated, “Ren didn’t bring any decorations.”

I felt myself frown. I would have if that was an option.

“Okay,” she said to him before turning to me, “Gus wants to Skype.”

I shrugged, “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Alright,” she said, “Let us get back to our room, and I’ll call you.”

She hung up the phone.

“Does this normally happen?” I asked.

She shrugged, “We don’t get to see each other very much, so we do what we can.”

It was sweet. He gave off this tough guy image that would be more believable if I hadn’t seen him around Benny.

“So, Ren,” Benny said.

“Yeah?” I asked.

She unlocked the door but caught me off guard with what came out of her mouth.

“Are you a virgin?” She asked me dead seriously.

I started to cough, and my face went crimson.

“Way to throw a curveball my way.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she grinned.

“So what?” I demanded, “Boys don’t like me.”

In fact, most people that took one good look at me high tailed it in the opposite direction.

She looked at me, confused, “I don’t see anything wrong with you.”

I had to look away from her. I knew that she was just being nice.

“Ren,” she said seriously, and I met her eyes again “Despite what you may think, you are beautiful.”

I felt a strange wave of emotion go through me, still not sure exactly what it was.

My gaze shifted to the side “You don’t know me very well.”

She shrugged, “I have time to know you.”

I felt somehow relieved to hear her say that.

There was a short silence while I tried to pull myself back together, and the first thing I thought blurted out of my mouth.

“What about you?” I asked her.

“Not anymore,” she said.

Part of me was a little surprised that she didn’t hesitate to answer for even a second.

“Gus?” I asked.

“Duh,” she giggled “We’ve been together for a long time, it had to happen eventually.”

“Romantic,” I said.

“It really was,” she smiled at me “There are boys, and then there are men. He is definitely a man.”

I made a face, “What exactly are you referring to?”

She smiled at me, “Obviously, I mean him in general, and his dick, of course.”

I fought the urge to laugh. She was too much.

It was cute, though, the love they had for each other. I didn’t know the two of them very well, but I could feel it.

She looked at herself in the mirror and fixed her hair, “How do I look?”

“For what?” I asked.

She pointed to the computer, “I’m about to call them.”

“You look great,” I smiled, “No video sex, virgin ears over here.”

She grinned at me before doing stuff on her computer.

“You better get over here, Ren,” she hissed.

“Wait, me? Why?” I asked nervously.

“Hey, Benny!” I heard a very excited Gus.

“Put some clothes on Ren,” Benny hissed “You can’t walk around naked! I’ve got the webcam on!”

It went silent before she laughed.

I, of course, was red in the face again. She sure had a way of making me feel a little off guard, but fortunately, I knew it was just her way of including me in their reindeer games.

I peeked into the camera, “Hi.”

Gus smiled wide, “Morning, Ren.”

The room behind them was dark. The walls were a darker gray color.

“Is the King in?” Benny asked.

Gus turned around, “Michael!”

“What?” we could hear him hiss.

He walked out, and his shirt was off.

Benny was quick to cover my face.

I got a glimpse of just how big the tree on his body was. I needed to see it again. It looked like it took up his whole left side.

“Put some clothes on Michael,” Benny hissed.

“Why are you covering her face?” Gus asked.

“She’s a virgin!” she hissed.

I forced her hands away, and I regretted it instantly.

“That’s an ass,” I pointed.

I was quick to turn around. I was trying to see the tattoo, but instead, I was pretty sure I saw scars.

“Put some clothes on Michael,” Gus said.

I heard a noise of protest.

“What happened to your lady plans?” Benny asked.

“Blew her off,” Michael stated.

Kinky?

“He’s dressed,” Benny said.

I turned around to see him fully dressed now.

“Hi,” I said awkwardly.

“She doesn’t seem like a virgin,” Gus stated.

“Guys don’t like me,” I whined.

Gus looked at me, funny, “I don’t see anything wrong with you.”

“That’s what I said,” Benny shrugged.

“I see why,” Michael stated.

How was I as offended as I was?

“Look how much clothing she is wearing” he pointed at me, “This isn’t the middle ages, guys these days like to see a little more skin than your hands, ankles, and face.”

I had to turn away.

“Maybe she likes to bundle up?” Benny hissed.

“Or she’s a cutter,” Michael stated.

My heart hammered in my chest. If I wasn’t so myself, I would have been thankful that they all avoided the obvious. I moved closer towards my bed to remove myself from the camera's view.

“He didn’t mean it, Ren,” Gus said.

“I meant it,” he said, “Clearly, I’m right.”

I got in front of the screen again to glare at the dirty blond male. “So what if I do?”

He didn’t seem phased. “You aren’t the only one with scars idiot.”

“Don’t call me names asshole,” I hissed.

“You can add that to your list of reasons,” he stated.

“It’s better than me fucking everything with a hole,” I hissed.

Benny and Gus both went wide-eyed.

It is I Ren, the girl whose foot currently resides in her mouth.

“I…” I was interrupted.

“You’re right,” Michael stated, “I’d like to see you handle being a little fucked up.”

“Seriously,” I said, “You think I’m not?”

“You’re a goody-two-shoes, I doubt it.”

I stood up straight and shook my head “My family sent me away.”

“So, you can become a lady,” he stated.

I laughed dryly, “Right, so I can become a lady.”

They all looked at me.

You know nothing… I wanted to say it, but I couldn’t.

Part of me regretted my outburst, but it was the truth. I wasn’t wanted.

“Maybe we should cut this short,” Benny suggested.

“But I want to talk to you,” Gus said from the other end.

“You guys can talk,” I said, “I don’t mind.”

“You’re angry for a reason,” I heard Michael say, “Clearly, that little notebook of yours holds more than you let on.”

Panic filled me, and I made my way to the computer again, “Go fuck yourself.”

Benny made a face as she looked at me “Don’t talk to him like that.”

“Shut up, Benny,” Michael stated, “She’s exactly fucking like you.”

She looked at the screen before looking at me.

Guilt formed heavily in my gut as I looked back at her. I knew that I had a temper, that was, unfortunately, one of the reasons I was sent away.

“Ren,” Michael said, “Be free next weekend, we have plans to do something else.”

I stared wide-eyed and confused at Benny, who returned my expression.

“Where are you going?” Gus asked him.

“My schedule suddenly became clear.”

“Ass,” Benny said.

“He’s right, though,” Gus said.

“About what?” she demanded.

“About Ren,” he stated, “You were the only one brave enough to talk to him like that, other than me.”

I didn’t know what to say, I was a total bitch.

“I’m sorry, Ren,” she said.

“No, I’m the one that should be sorry,” I said, feeling ashamed “I deserve it, I never even told you guys why I ended up here in the first place.”

She looked at me, “Seriously?”

“Any longer back home, and I’d be at the neighboring school,” I admitted.

“No way,” she grinned.

“Seriously?” Gus asked.

“Not like I talk about it,” I stated, “No more talking about me.”

“I like her,” Gus stated.

“I like her, too,” Benny stated.

“And I like you guys,” I said.

“Awe guys,” Benny said, “We’re an orgy.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“If only Michael would go for Ren,” Benny stated.

“Pardon?” I demanded.

She laughed “It would be a dream come true if he found a girl like you.”

“He doesn’t even bother fighting with most women,” Gus said.

He doesn’t? I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

A loud booming sound came from Benny, and she looked down.

“I have to go change over the laundry,” she said to Gus.

Has it really been an hour already?

“I can do it,” I said.

“You sure?” she asked me.

“Yeah,” I stood by the door “Don’t lock me out.”

She nodded, and I walked out and headed for the gym again.

I found myself walking somewhat close to the black gate.

Once I got to the gym, I switched our clothes over and set an alarm on my phone.

I walked out and stared at the black gate again.

It’s hard to imagine what I would be like if I were on that side of the gate instead of this one.

A voice startled me.

“Stop it, you look ridiculous.”

I heard a voice, and I turned around quickly. No one was there, not that I could see anyway.

I listened for another minute, and I swear I heard a low moan.

This immediately got awkward.

“Come on,” it was a female voice, “Do something.”

“Go fuck yourself,” a male voice hissed.

I headed in the direction I heard the voices. There was a section behind the gym, and the hedges angled in the weirdest direction, and it made a small blind spot to anyone trying to see you. It was a small place that anyone on either side could meet with somebody without being seen. I wouldn’t have found it, if not for the strange sounds.

A girl was kneeling by the gate.

“Uh,” I said awkwardly, “Is everything alright?”

The girl was quick to turn, and I recognized her, it was the headmaster’s granddaughter, the girl I called a cunt. Wait, no it wasn’t, they had the same hair color, and the way they did their makeup was the same, but that was it.

She was quick to glare at me “Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?”

I just looked at her.

“We,” the guy began, “Were not in the middle of anything. You were annoying the hell out of me.”

I knew that pissy voice.

“Michael?” I asked.

The male stood up, and he smirked: “Well, isn’t this a surprise?”

The girl looked at him.

He just ignored her.

“Still mad?” he asked me.

She looked at me, pissed.

“Can you give us a minute?” she asked.

“How about you go?” he suggested.

“I was here first,” she hissed.

“Fuck off,” he said.

Her jaw dropped before she stormed away.

Was this normal? It didn’t feel normal. Was I on camera? I glanced around before looking at him again.

“Are you normally this mean to girls?” I asked.

He shrugged before sitting down again, “I’m certainly not nice to them.”

“Why?” I asked.

He looked at me for a minute, “Are you still mad?”

I shook my head, “I may have overreacted.”

He looked as if he was trying to study me.

“What?” I asked awkwardly.

“Let me see your wrists,” he said.

I glared at him, “No.”

“Ren,” he said, “Let me see.”

I knelt down as close to the gate as I could, and he reached through the gate to grab my left arm and pulled my sleeve up before checking my other one.

He looked confused as he stared at the bare discolored skin.

“What?” I asked after a minute of silence, “Were you expecting scars?”

He released my arm, and I was quick to pull my sleeves back over my exposed skin.

“I’ve gotten used to wearing layers,” I admitted.

I was about to say more but quickly stopped myself.

“Say it,” he said.

“Who said I was going to say anything?” I demanded.

“Your face,” he said, “What was the reason you overdressed?”

“Other than the obvious,” I looked to the side, “I used to get beat up a lot.”

He didn’t say anything, he just looked away.

“The extra clothes made it easier to cover the bruises and my birthmark.”

His attention returned to me, and he didn’t look away.

This boys’ gaze was intense.

“Do you have a phone?”

I looked at him, confused, “Yeah, why?”

He held his hand out, “Let me see it.”

I hesitated before pulling my phone out of my pocket, and I pushed in my password before I handed it to him.

He was doing something on it, and I was getting nervous.

It took a minute before he handed it back.

“I put my number in,” he said before pulling his own phone out “And I sent myself yours.”

I stared down at his contact information, “Would you get mad if I called you King?”

“Yes.”

I only nodded in response.

“Maybe in the future,” he said, “Maybe then it will be okay.”

“Are there rules?” I asked half-joking.

He just looked at me.

“Is it just a nickname friend’s use for you?” I asked.

He shook his head, “Only people who know me.”

I wanted to get technical and tell him I know him, but in reality, I didn’t. I didn’t know what he had been through, I barely knew this boy.

“Earlier, you said something,” I stated.

“I said a few things,” he stated, “To which one are you referring?”

“You said I wasn’t the only one with scars,” I said, “I thought I saw some on you.”

“You probably did,” he shrugged.

I opened my mouth to speak again, but the alarm on my phone went off. The clothes in the dryer were done.