James, wasn't one to show he was in pain. He would spend his days and nights hiding it with a bright smile and sarcasm.

Of course Otis and Eric could always tell when he was lying, he felt like everyone could read him now.

He couldn't hide it anymore, and part of him didn't know if he felt happy or sad about it.

He laid on the couch, his body aching with each turn he made. He let out an annoyed breath as he looked outside.

The sun wasn't out yet, but he knew when it was he'd have to wake up.

He didn't want Otis and Eric to see him like this, with bruises and scars on his face.

Marks that reminded how much his father truly hated him. He didn't understand why.

After a while he forced himself to get up and dressed for the day.

Of course he didn't wanna attend school. But he knew if he ditched Otis and Eric would question him a lot more.

He left Maeves in a hurry getting onto his bike once he was on the road.

He always enjoyed the ride too Otis's house in the morning, it was peaceful.

He approached the duo who were talking he took his helmet off "hey E-Man!".

He turned gasping "James, what's happened to your face!" he touched his cheek.

"Oh you know, got into a little bike wreck. It was actually kinda funny after the fact".

"Oh this is why I tell you to wear a helmet!" James held onto himself "don't worry, I have one".

"As I was just telling Otis here, tonight is Aimee Gs party" Eric smiled brightly.

"We need an invite!" James let out a small laugh "I've already been invited, I can bring you if you want".

"You got an invite!" he nodded as he looked at a man walk past them.

Eric gripped James shoulder "you've gotten to take us with you tonight".

"Of course, although I tend too go late. So I'll meet you two there".

He got onto his bike "let's hit the road!".

—

He put his lock onto his bike letting his helmet sit on the handle bars as he looked at Eric and Otis.

"I'm gonna go inside early, I've left my homework. So I gotta do it fast before class".

Eric nodded and patted his shoulder "I'll save you a seat at lunch!" James smiled "thanks E-Man".

He walked towards the building nearly knocking Ruby down as she ran right into him.

"Bloody hell Ruby!" he moved to the side and she huffed at him as she glared at him.

"Watch where you're going" he rolled his eyes "you ran into me!".

"Whatever" she looked at his face frowning "what's happened to your face?".

"Like you care" he pushed a cigarette into his mouth as he walked past her.

She watched him closely as he entered the abandoned building behind the school.

She looked around before following him. He sat in the window seal the window slightly open.

He hummed to himself as he kicked his feet in the air letting himself just think.

She watched him as she quietly walked inside making sure he didn't see her.

"I heard you walk in, if you're gonna sneak in maybe don't wear high heels".

He looked at her the second she turned the corner, she rolled her eyes.

"Of course you've heard me" he jumped off the window seal putting the cigarette out with his shoe.

"You're not good at being sneaky" he leaned into the wall "so, why have you followed me?".

"You didn't answer my question" she pushed her purse into her side as she walked towards him.

"Oh I didn't think you actually cared about that" he let out a weak laugh as he sat back down.

"I'm just curious, you normally don't look like shit" she smirked and he sighed.

"Bike accident, slammed right into a tree on my way home, nothing dramatic".

"I think you're lying" she put her hands against her hips as she stared at him intensely.

"I'm not lying" he pushed his hair away from his eyes as she nodded her head.

"You're an awful liar, I'll figure it out" she went to leave but he stood up grabbing hold of her arm.

She looked at him "why do you wanna know so badly? So you can run off and tell everyone?".

She was silent for a moment and he sighed "so you have something against me".

He let her arm go and moved back "you wanna know so badly, I'll tell you because either way you'll find out".

"Then tell me already" she lifted her head up with confidence. He knew it would fade the second she let himself speak.

"My father beat me up, happy?" she felt guilty in that moment. The smirk on her lips left so fast.

She felt stuck when he walked past her, surely off to hate himself more.

"Wait!" he turned around and she was right in front of him. "That was a bitchy thing to do, I didn't know...".

"Well now you do, I reckon you'll tell the school. Just get it over with so I can go about my day".

She shock her head and he grabbed her phone "in fact why don't I do it for you!".

"Hey!" she moved forward trying to grab the phone from his grasp but he lifted it into the air.

"Stop that! Give it back!" he let out a laugh as he looked at her "go ahead and try grabbing it".

She jumped her shortness making her sigh angrily as he hovered over her like a tree.

She smacked her hands against his chest "give it back! Right now!".

She looked so angry as she jumped forward trying to grab her phone.

"I don't know, I don't think you deserve it" he pushed it behind his back and she sneered at him.

She acted fast and grabbed it from his hand making sure she held it so it wouldn't fall.

But he grabbed her wrist making her pause as he showed her the phone in his other hand.

She had only grabbed her stupid phone case "you're so annoying!". She moved back and he handed her the phone back which she took with no hesitation,

"I wouldn't have said anything, you would've just run off and told everyone about what happened during summer".

"I wouldn't have, honestly it's a shitty thing to do and it was a mistake, that I got over".

"Well I haven't gotten over it, so keep your mouth shut and don't say anything".

He was surprised to hear her actually say she wasn't over it. He of course lied on his behave, he didn't want her to see him weak.

Didn't want her seeing he still thought about it, that night meant something to him.

Even if it was once, and he was drunk he still found himself thinking deeply on it.

That was the first time he actually looked at a girl and felt something real.

It didn't feel forced or fake, it was real and here she was right in front of him.

He knew she'd never actually go for someone like him, someone who she looked down on.

"Why do you think I would say anything?" she sighed as she put her phone into her pocket.

"Because, it'll ruin my reputation. Everyone would think I'm crazy for sleeping with you. I imagine you'd be so happy about it. Having people laughing at me".

"I'm not that type of person Ruby. Which honestly you'd know if you actually asked me about it".

"I imagine you've told your two stupid friends" he blinked "I didn't actually, but something tells me you won't believe me".

She rolled her eyes walking past him "why does it bother you so much".

She let out an angry breath turning and looking at him "because I can't stop thinking about you! And it's getting really annoying!".

She gripped his shirt roughly "and if you tell anyone I said that, I'll ruin your life".

He gripped her arm "go ahead and ruin it then" he stared right at her intensely.

He wasn't afraid of her ruining his life, he didn't have anything else to lose.

She threw herself at him her lips smashing against his roughly as he leaned into her.

She pushed him into the wall her purse falling to the ground as he pushed her hair away from her face.

At the sound of the bell ringing she moved back her breathing heavy as she grabbed her purse off the floor.

"If you tell anyone about this!" he sighed "yeah you'll ruin my life".

She walked off and he leaned into the wall smiling softly as he grabbed his bag off the windowsill.

—

The second he walked into the party he neared the large crowd. The second he saw Eric holding a banana he knew something bad was gonna happen.

"All right, go on then, Eric" James moved forward pushing through people.

"Rule number one, enthusiasm is more important than technique, yeah?".

The sight of phones didn't bother him, but the fact that poor Eric would surely be judged for this later.

That's what made James worry so much, he didn't wanna watch Eric slowly break.

"Don't go too deep. Looks awkward" he looked around his hand gripping a banana tightly.

James ached to scream and stop him, but he knew Eric wouldn't listen to him.

"You can use a bit more pressure than you think, actually, but no teeth, especially, if you're packin' metal, Natalie!".

James sighed as he walked into the kitchen, he needed a drink desperately.

He ignored the loud shouting of people, as he sat on the counter drinking.

Ruby ran into the kitchen grabbing hold of napkins as she struggled to get throw up off her dress.

"Might I suggest using hot water, it helps get the throw up off. And you can wash it when you go back home".

She glared at him not even noticing he was here, "I can do this myself".

He pushed himself off the counter grabbing hold of a towel and turning the sink on.

"You're clearly not doing well if it's not coming off, and I can tell you're slightly drunk".

"I am not drunk!" she pulled her dress away from him and grabbed the towel from him.

"I can do it myself" she walked off nearing the bathroom as he sighed.

He walked in after her watching as she let out a frustrated yell. "It won't come off!".

He took his hoodie off "here just put this over it" she glared at him "I am not wearing that!".

"Then by all means, walk around with throw up all over your dress"

She sighed grabbing the hoodie from him "I better go, my friends need me".

He walked off and when he was gone Ruby held onto the hoodie tightly a smile on her lips.