“I don’t understand how Maxx can put up with him. He’s so stubborn,” I groaned.

                “Look who’s talking,” Mark said, rolling his eyes.

                I was sitting upside down on his couch, bitching my white girl drama to him. This whole mess with Chandler was driving me crazy.

                “But Mark, come on. Dating someone doesn’t make you a whore, and Chandler knows it,” I argued.

                “Shaw, Maxx told me some of the things people used to do to Chandler. I don’t blame him for being scared,” Mark said quietly.

                I sighed and flipped myself around so that I could look into Mark’s eyes. “I know he got bullied Mark. Tortured, actually. I understand that he’s terrified and traumatized. But couldn’t Maxx help convince him?” I asked.

                Mark groaned. “Shaw, are you asking me to drag my boyfriend into this?”

                I flashed him a charming smile and puppy dog eyes.

                “Fine,” he said with a pout. “I’ll ask Maxx to help you hook up with Chandler.”  

                “HOORAY!” I cheered and wrapped my arms around Mark, tackling him back on to the couch. “This is why I love you Marky!”

                His cat, Jude, meowed loudly as he watched us. Mark laughed and shoved me off of him, pulling out his cell phone to call Maxx.

                                                                                ***Chandler’s POV***

                “Well, I don’t know what to do about it Tammy! He won’t tell me how it happened,” dad was saying.

                I was sitting outside of my parents’ bedroom, listening to them argue about me and my knee injury. I shouldn’t have come home when I freaked out. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let my parents see me injured. They’d never leave me alone until I told them the truth. But I didn’t want to admit I had gotten hit by some stupid homophobes.

                “Henry, what are we supposed to do then? If he’s being bullied again, we need to know,” mom said desperately.

                “Calm down. We’ll find out, and we’ll protect him,” dad said soothingly.

                I got up slowly and limped back to my bedroom, silently shutting my door. I collapsed on my bed and stared up at my ceiling. I wasn’t a little kid. I didn’t need my parents to protect me. I didn’t need anyone to protect me.

                Shaw.

                Shaw was protective. Hell, he was a lot of other things, too. Funny, loyal, hot, caring, nice. But I couldn’t be with him. I knew myself too well. A boy like Shaw, I would want. I would sleep with him, and break my promise to myself.

                Plus, why would Shaw ever want me? I was Chandler Martin. I wasn’t trustworthy. I was a cheater, I was a liar, and I used people. Shaw knew that. His best friend knew that. Hell, my best friend knew that.

                There was a knock on my bedroom door and then my mom appeared. She sat on the edge of my bed and frowned deeply.

                “Chandler, what happened to you? Please tell us,” she begged quietly.

                “Fell down the stairs. I’ll keep saying that, because that’s what really happened mom,” I said in annoyance.

                “I don’t believe you Chandler. But we’ll talk later. Maxx is here. He’s out in the living room,” she said, standing up.

                I got up and limped out to my living room. Maxx watched me as I sat down across from him, trying to act casual. I didn’t want him to know how hurt I was.

                “We need to talk Chand,” he said simply.

                “About…?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

                “Shaw.”

                I glared at him. “I don’t want to talk about Shaw. Get out of my house,” I snapped in annoyance. I wasn’t doing this. I couldn’t do it. Thinking about Shaw gave me a headache.

                Maxx leaned back and shrugged. “Fine. You don’t want to hear me out about Shaw? Then I bet your mom and dad would love to hear me out about you knee.”

                My eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t,” I hissed.

                Maxx smirked. “Try me.”

                “I like him, I’m not dating him, end of story,” I grumbled.

                “Because that makes so much sense.”

                “Maxx, you know I could never be in a serious relationship,” I said, dropping my gaze from his. “I’ve tried, and it never works out.”

                “I thought I could never be in a serious relationship either Chandler, but I’ve been with Mark for months and I’m happier than I could have ever imagined,” he said honestly. “I really think you and Shaw would have the same chance.”

                “Maxx…what if he’s like the others?” I asked silently.

                “Chandler, stop. I wasn’t like the others. Shaw definitely isn’t like them. Not everyone is going to try to hurt you,” he said softly.

                I thoughtlessly placed my hand over my shirt where my tattoo was. I had been abused so much throughout my life. I couldn’t help but be terrified of everyone. Maxx had been the only true friend I’d ever had. Everyone else had turned on me and hurt me.

                “Chand, just give him a chance. Please. If it doesn’t go well, I’ll take the blame,” he promised.

                I looked at him suspiciously. “They put you up to this, didn’t they Maxx?” I demanded.

                He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, nodding. “Shaw asked Mark to. But I agree with it, which is why I went along with it. I really think you’re worrying too much. Shaw won’t do anything to you Chandler,” he assured.

                I nodded and Maxx hung out for a little before leaving. I went to bed and laid down, my iPod playing quietly to help me fall asleep.

                “I had to walk away. Now it’s broken; it’s the price I pay, but it was worth it. Now I can say your name without falling apart. We always end up at the start.”

                I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut. I tried to push thoughts of Shaw out of my mind as I slipped off to sleep.

                My heart was slamming as I hid behind a tree. I was so, so close to Maxx’s house. I was five houses away from it.

                But across the street, kids were riding their bikes. The kids that always pushed me down and laughed at me at school.

                My hands were shaking violently and I clutched my shirt to try to stop them. If I ran for it, maybe I could make it.

                I took a deep breath before taking off at a sprint towards Maxx’s house.

                I didn’t make it very far.

                “Hey! There’s the crybaby! Get him!” one of them, Brent, screamed.

                I heard them riding after me, and tried to run faster. I cried out in pain as one of them hit me and I was flung sideways. I gripped at my legs. The bike had hit one, and I had scrapped the other when I fell.

                “Leave me alone!” I screamed, covering my face as they began to circle around me, laughing.

                “Crybaby! Crybaby! Crybaby!” they chanted.

                They jumped off of their bikes and pulled me to my feet, only to shove me around. Brent grabbed his bike and hit me with it. I cried out in pain and fell to the ground, crying hard now. I curled up on the ground and tried to cover my head as they all laughed and copied him.

                “Hey! Hey! HEY!”

                The furious voice had the kids squealing and riding away on their bikes. I felt someone gently pulling me to my feet and shakily pulled my hands away from my face.

                “Come on Chandler. Let’s get you inside. Your legs are cut up,” Steve, Maxx’s dad, said softly.

                He led me into the house and sat me down in the kitchen as Maxx’s mom looked at me and gasped. “Oh Chandler,” she cried with a frown.”What happened to you?”

                “I fell off my bike,” I lied quietly. I always had to lie to my mom and dad when I got hurt.

                Maxx came out and gasped as he looked at me. He frowned deeply and hurried over to me as his dad followed with the first aid kit.

                The concern in Maxx’s eyes had my own eyes watering again. I ducked my face so that him and his parents wouldn’t see. I was so sick of this. So sick of being hurt and scared. So sick of being bullied by the other kids.

                I sat up in bed, my heart slamming. The memory of that day slammed into my brain and I threw the covers off of myself, suddenly feeling too hot.

                Let’s see…That day had happened just a few months before Maxx’s mom caught Steve cheating on her. So, we were around 8 or 9 years old.

                I got up and took a shower before heading out to the kitchen. I made myself breakfast and sat down, starting to eat.

                “Chand? What are you doing up? It’s only 5,” my dad said, coming out about a half hour later.

                I shrugged. “Wasn’t tired,” I lied. I was exhausted.

                “You had another nightmare,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me.

                “No I didn’t,” I lied, rolling my eyes.

                “Then why did I hear you screaming?”

                “Dammit dad!” I snapped. “I said I was fine now leave me alone!” I stood up furiously, sick of this. Sick of feeling terrified and alone. Sick of feeling confused. Sick of being so afraid to just trust someone.

                My dad grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Chandler, please don’t do this to me. Please just tell me what’s wrong. Your mother and I want to help you, but we can’t do that if you lie to us and keep us in the dark,” he said desperately.

                “I don’t need help!” I cried angrily, yanking my arm out of his grip and storming into my room. I threw on my clothes and called up Maxx, waking him up and demanding for him to pick me up.

                I jumped out of my window about ten minutes later and hurried into Maxx’s car before my dad could catch me. Maxx pulled out of the driveway and sped down the street.

                “What happened?” he demanded.

                “Nothing,” I growled, hoping he would get the point to just shut up. Luckily, he did.

                We got to school a while later and went inside together. I walked around with Maxx until he spotted Mark. I followed him over.

                “Chandler, you don’t look so good,” Mark said with a frown, taking Maxx’s hand.

                “Thanks Mark. I love hearing that in the morning,” I said sarcastically.

                “Well, he’s right. You look like Marilyn Manson,” Shaw said, popping out of nowhere.

                “Maybe I wanted to look like Marilyn Manson!” I said angrily.

                “Don’t break my heart and I won’t break your heart shaped glasses?” Shaw sang awkwardly.

                The bell rang and Mark sighed. “See you later Shaw. I have to get to my locker,” he said and he and Maxx walked off.

                “Chandler, what’s wrong?” Shaw asked with a concerned frown, stepping closer to me.

                “My life is fucking falling apart,” I whispered, my head starting to throb.

                Shaw wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. I hugged him back and squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe I would give Shaw a chance…

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A.N.- What do you guys think of Chandler? ;p