(Jack's P.O.V.)

Ann's coming tomorrow, Wednesday of our third week of school. And I'm so excited. Even though we're in different grades so we'll probably see each other less I don't care cause we can have lunch together, and we can hang out after school and it'll be amazing. So yeah, I'm excited. But right now I have something else on my mind. I'm late. 

Mark didn't stay over yesterday since he had homework, so we didn't hang out much. However, I still ended up staying up late and then I slept in. I promised Mark I wouldn't be late to class anymore but now I am late and it sucks and GAH! I run into the school building, quickly getting to my locker and grabbing my books. 

I put them in my bag real quick before running down the halls. Only to be stopped by a strong hand being placed on my backpack. I gasp as I'm pulled backwards, my backpack falling from my shoulders as I fall on the ground. Laughter, that's all I hear. I look up to see just who I expected. Chase Evans and his lackeys. 

"What the hell do you want Chase?" I ask, standing up. But as soon as I do I'm knocked back down. "What the fuck?" I ask, standing up once again. This time I stay standing.

"You're a fag, a bully, and you deserve to be punished." I stare at him with wide eyes, confused and hurt. 

"Listen, Chase, I'm sorry. But you don't have to do this, that's not me anymore." I say, trying to save myself. But he just shakes his head. 

"To bad so sad. Once a bully..." He rushes up to me, pushing me hard against the lockers "Always a bully." And with that the beating starts. 

He knocks me to the ground, punching me, kicking me, hurting me and calling me names. His lackeys follow suit, just beating me and hurting me. 

I take punch after punch, kick after kick, willing myself not to let tears fall. And I succeed. I don't cry out, I don't cry at all. I just lay there and I take it, wincing slightly but other than that showing no emotion, no reaction. I deserve it. I hurt them, they deserve to hurt me back. I don't even realize when they stop, my body numbing to the pain only slightly. 

"He isn't reacting to it." One of the lackeys say. Chase kneels down, staring me down. I stare at him back, my eyes narrow. 

"Why aren't you reacting?" He asks. I shrug, but leave it at that. He nods, unsatisfied with my answer. "We'll get a reaction eventually." He stands back up, but my eyes widen, fear suddenly over taking my features. 

"W-what?" I stammer. He chuckles. 

"Oh you thought this was it? No... We'll be back. We'll do this for the rest of the year if we have too. Because you hurt a lot of people. Now it's your turn to feel what it's like being bullied." And with that, and one last kick, he walks away with his friends trailing behind him. 

But I don't do anything. I don't get up. I don't try to get up. I just lay there, shaking, eyes wide, fear consuming my every thought. This wasn't a beating. This is... Bullying. This is bullying. Oh my god, it's just like elementary. It's just like the bullying back then, that's how it's going to get. It's going to get worse and worse and worse, and-and... I don't even notice Felix until he yells. 

"Jack!" I snap out of my thoughts, gasping, my eyes snapping up. I land on Felix, his face full of concern. 

"Holy shit dude..." He whispers, looking over my bruised and frail body. "Who was it?" He asks. I don't do anything, I just look him over. "Was it Chase?" I inhale slowly. 

"H-how did y-you know?" I ask quietly, voice still shaky. He shrugs. 

"A guess. Mainly cause I know he hates you and I saw him walking away from here." He says. I nod. Felix grabs my arm softly, helping me sit up. "You think you can walk?" I nod. "I'm taking you to the nurse. Then I'm getting Ma-" I cut him off, grabbing his shirt and looking him in the eyes with fear in my own. 

"Mark can't know. Please, please don't tell Mark." I whisper, begging him. If Mark knew he'd just want to protect me. He'd try to stick up for me. He'd try to help me. Chase would hurt him too. And that's the last thing I want. Felix looks at me doubtfully. 

"Jack he deserves to know." He says it quietly, and cautiously, as if speaking to a young child. I hold onto his shirt tighter, tears threatening to spill. 

"Please, if he knows he'll only get hurt." He's silent a moment longer. "Please Felix." Eventually he nods, agreeing with me and my decision. 

"Alright. Fine. I'm still taking you to the nurse." At this I nod, the pain flooding back. Felix helps me walk, since I'm suddenly very sore. The walk is slow, even though the office is only a couple hallways away. "Mrs. Walter was looking for you. First time you've been late all year. She's worried you're relapsing into skipping classes." Felix says, trying to make conversation. I chuckle, shaking my head. 

"I slept in. Then... This happened." I say weakly, talking making me even sleepier. He nods. 

"I figured as much. She won't be that mad, don't worry." He stops talking for a second before continuing. "Can't say anything for Mark though." I nod, the thought running through my mind. 

I know he won't be mad. He'll probably be upset, and concerned. I just... I just can't let him know. That's all that matters. If he knows he'll be hurt more, bullied again. I don't want to force him through that. Soon we get to the nurse's office, opening the door. 

"Nurse M!" Felix calls. I watch as Nurse Melanie comes from around the corner, glasses perched on her nose. However once she sees me her eyes widen and she takes her glasses off, directing Felix to put me on one of the beds. 

"What happened?" She asks me softly, checking over my body to make sure nothing is broken or sprained. I sigh. 

"Um..." I try to come up with an excuse but Felix speaks first. 

"Some kids did it to him." He says. I shoot a glare at Felix, who just raises his arms in defense. "Never said anything about her not knowing." He says. I sigh, closing my eyes. 

"Who did it?" Nurse Melanie asks strictly. I shake my head, saying without words that I refuse to tell. I open my eyes to see her hand on her forehead, eyes closed. "Felix, thank you for bringing him to me. Tell Mrs. Walter that I'm keeping him here for the rest of the period. You can go now." And with that Felix nods, smiles at me, and walks away. Nurse M sits down next to the bed and looks at me, shaking her head disapprovingly. 

"First Mark and then you... I swear he's a magnet for trouble and beatings..." She says. This just makes my cheeks go red, especially when she continues. "Speaking of, I never did find out who was beating him. It stopped though, right?" She asks. I nod. "Do you know who did it?" I nod again. "Who was it?" I shrug. She chuckles. "Well do you know why at least?" 

It's silent for a second. I have to process this question through my head myself, contemplating an answer. She shrugs, thinking I won't answer, and stands up, heading towards her desk to fill out an incident report. 

"Maybe they were afraid." She stops, looking up at me, but she doesn't speak. So I continue. "Maybe they were afraid of it happening to them. Afraid of being hurt. So they wanted to make a statement, a promise that he wasn't one to mess with." I speak quietly, maybe a little to quietly. She just smiles though, and nods. 

"Well, that may be so." And with that she turns and starts filling out paperwork. She knows it was me. But I also know that if Mark forgave me, she can too.

A/N: No more updates after this for a while! I wanna get some more done before I continue this, I just wanted you guys to have all the introductory chapters and know what the plot is. So here you go! =) <3 Enjoy and please be patient, you'll get updates eventually!