Here's some fanart of Cole by @QueenTrashelot

Thanks!
-Anon

×××

I woke up to the worst pain imaginable. Every bone and muscle in my body ached. I felt as though I'd been ripped in two. I felt as though my insides had become my outsides and my outsides had become my insides. I felt weak. I felt vulnerable.

I felt broken.

My cheeks were stained by tears, but I didn't have the heart to wipe them away. I couldn't move. If I moved it would hurt. I couldn't think. If I thought it would hurt even more.

So I stayed on the floor, silently staring at the blurry outline of my bedframe as I tried to keep my senses numb.

It was late.

I couldn't stay here forever. He'd come back for me.

I couldn't stay another second.

I had to leave.

It took a great deal of energy to get my limbs to move, but once they did, I gingerly reached down and pulled my pants back up to my hips.

I felt filthy, disgusted, angry, but above all, I felt afraid.

My hands shook as I rebuttoned my pants, and I used what was left of my strength to heave myself off the floor and shove some clothes into my back pack.

Standing still, the only sounds I could hear were my shaky breathing and the faint plop of my tears rolling off my chin and landing on my bag.

No. That was a lie. It was raining, and the rumbling thunder outside made itself known.

I tenderly put on my jacket, doing my best not to move too much, and slung my bag over my shoulder.

I pressed my ear against the door, trying to pinpoint the location of- of a monster.

I could hear the TV downstairs. I recognized the soundtrack for the title menu of some movie playing over and over again.

I listened carefully, and only dared to open the door when I'd heard it play three times start to finish.

As silently as I could, I crept down the stairs, avoiding the steps that creaked as I made my way to the first level.

My body screamed at the movement, but I did my best to stay numb. I had to get away from this house. I couldn't wake him up.

I could hear his soft snores from the living room, where he was no doubt buried in a mountain of empty beer bottles.

I held my breath as I limped to the door, forcing myself to only turn the lock and the knob millimeters at a time as to keep it quiet.

Once they were both in place, I used my other hand to steady the door on the frame as I slowly pulled it open.

I caught the latch with my finger before it could pop out and make a sound.

Without looking back, I stepped out into the rain and became swallowed by the black abyss of a starless night.

×××

I didn't realize where my feet were taking me until I was standing at the door.

Music thumped loudly through the walls, and colorful lights streamed through the windows. I could practically smell the mass of sweat riddled, hormonal, and drunken teenagers radiating from inside.

I hated that I came here.

I hated that I had nowhere else to go.

I rang the doorbell, praying to whatever god would listen that it'd be Ben to open the door and not one of the drunken cronies that liked to use me as a punching bag.

I waited a few minutes before ringing the doorbell again.

The door swung open.

"How much do I owe..." Ben trailed off as he looked down at me confusedly. "You're not the pizza guy."

"Ben, I-" was all I could get past the lump in my throat.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I- I need-" I tried.

"You need to leave before someone sees you out here."

"But-"

"I'm serious, Cole. If I'm seen with you, I'll lose my reputation. I'm finally in the popular group. This is what I've always wanted. You should be happy for me. Please don't ruin it."

"Please," I forced out, feeling tears blend with the rain water soaking every inch of me. "Can I sleep here? No one will know. I'll be quiet. I'll sleep in a closet, or the garage or something. I just-"

Ben shook his head as he glanced back at the party. "I'm sorry, Cole. I can't help you."

"Please," I practically begged.

Ben's eyes were filled with pity as he looked down at my soaked and shaking frame.

"Go home, Cole," he told me as he stepped back towards the door.

"I can't go home," I said helplessly.

"Then go somewhere else," he said plainly.

But he knew better than anyone...

There was nowhere else for me to go.

"I'm sorry," he said again as he grabbed the door knob and reentered his home.

Hanging my head, I hugged my arms tighter around my torso in an attempt to conserve some heat.

I tried to figure out what I was going to do as I backed away from my ex best friend's house, but a sudden shout had my heart freezing in my chest.

"Hey! Isn't that Dicker?"

I turned and did my best to half jog half limp away from the boys, but they caught me before I had a chance to get away.

"Come in, Dicky. Come have a drink."

"I don't drink," I grumbled lamely under my breath.

"Mm. That's a shame," one of them said as he gripped my upper arm so tightly it hurt.

"Get off me," I practically growled.

The guy laughed, along with his companions, but before he could do anything to stop me, I kneed him in the groin and ran away as fast as my sore body would let me.

"You little fucker! Get him!" The guy growled from his hunched over position.

I sprinted harder, listening to the sound of my feet slapping against the wet pavement and my heart thumping rapidly in my ears.

I had almost lost them when I tripped.

I threw my hands out to stop the fall and ended up scaping them on the concrete.

I hissed in pain as my whole body crashed to the ground. Hearing the others coming, I tried to push myself back up, but it was no use.

They were already there.

"You think it's okay to kick someone in the balls, you little shit? How do you like it?"

I yelped in pain, curling in on myself as I cowered away from them.

Back, stomach, neck, leg.

I don't know how long they kicked me, but I hurt so much that it just felt numb.

Once they went back to the party, I was left alone in the cold, wet, and dark night, trembling on the ground, too exhausted to move.

I closed my eyes, breathing shallowly as I realized I was content to drown in the centimeter of standing water beside my head. Before the night was over, it'd be deep enough to reach my nose, and I decided then that I didn't plan on moving.

But before fate could take me, I opened my eyes to find a pair of black combat boots in front of my face.

The owner crouched down and gently rolled me onto my back, and I swear in that moment, I saw an angel.

×××

A/N

Gah! He has arrived!

Who's excited?

I know I am!

Anywho,

What country are y'all from?

I'm from the United States!

Thanks!
-Anon