Chapter 39
“Pepper, you have to come out,” Hero demanded. “Don’t let him win.”
Months had passed, and the situation with Benji had only gotten worse. Some days, I found myself locked in my own room. The days when the guilt would eat me alive. I wouldn’t eat. I wouldn’t drink. I would just lay on the floor, curled into a fetal position and bawling my eyes out.
Ayden was correct; Benji had put the blame on him, telling his parents that Ayden was the one who beat him up. Not only was college permanently taken away from him, he was also outed as gay to the entire class—no, to the entire school.
What had happened was, somehow, Benji managed to befriend the bullies with his charm—or he could’ve been using potions or spells he had memorized.
They bonded over the fact they all hated Hero.
As he got close to them, he made his way as their leader.
He kicked Ayden out the friend group, separating him and Xavier.
Fortunately, Xavier was brave enough to leave the friend group and continued speaking with Ayden. But that only made Benji mad. He hated when things didn’t go his way. That’s when he outed Ayden.
Both of them, actually.
He had told Colin that Ayden and Xavier were dating. Colin had told Reese, who told Gwendolyn, who then posted about it online. And…word spread fast. In a span of a couple days, everyone at school knew Ayden and Xavier were gay. All two-hundred or so students.
Not all of them were homophobic. A few were supportive, but it didn’t make Ayden feel better. Nobody at Pineshire Academy was openly gay, and it was clear why. It wasn’t a supportive place.
‘They shouldn’t have even known in the first place’ were his exact words as he vented to me about it.
And it was true. He didn’t want to be openly gay.
It was personal, and he had no obligation to tell a single soul.
Ever. Even in ten years, or fifty years, he never had to tell anybody, if he so wished.
But Benji ruined that. He ruined everything for Ayden. He ruined me.
A lot happened in these past months. A lot I don’t want to remember. Honestly, I must’ve blocked most of it out. But what I did remember was that Marina had legally adopted me. She was my mom now.
“How do you not feel guilty?” I sniffled. “How is it not affecting you?” Even Marina had felt guilt. She truly thought she had made a difference and helped us. And we thought she did too.
“I do. It does,” he replied. “But I have to be strong, and so do you.”
“I can’t.”
“Let me in.” He rattled the doorknob. “Let me see you.”
I was still in my bunny pajamas, my hair a tangled mess. I hadn’t slept in days. My eye bags were extremely visible. I didn’t want him to see me like this.
“Pepper,” he said sternly, “you can’t keep doing this. This makes me feel even more guilty, y’know.”
“I’m sorry.” That was all I managed to say.
“I miss you, so please,” he strained. He rarely showed his vulnerable side, so I knew it took him courage to get those words out. “It hurts me to see you like this.”
“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t see me.” I stared at the door, Hero’s black socks visible underneath the doorframe. “I’m a mess.”
“I don’t care, Pepper.” He sounded annoyed, but he meant it with love. Softening his tone, he said, “I want to be there for you.”
It was hard to resist him. Dragging myself off the floor, I shuffled my feet towards the door and unlocked it. Still hesitant for him to see me like this, I just stood there, hoping he wouldn’t open the door.
But he did.
And immediately pulled me into a warm embrace. One that I desperately needed. “I’m here,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head.
I truly felt loved.
The world around me felt lighter. No more stress. Just Hero and me against the world. Against Benji.
“I’ll protect you,” he whispered. “I’ll protect us. All three of us.”
Himself. Me. Ayden.
He released himself from the hug and stared into my eyes. “Don’t focus on Benji, okay?”
“What am I supposed to focus on then?” I asked, sniffling.
“Prom,” he suggested. “That’s coming up soon, right?”
Prom was coming up in two weeks. Most schools only allowed Juniors and Seniors to attend, but Pineshire Academy was different—all grades were able to attend. Last year, Hero and Ayden didn’t attend because they didn’t want me to feel excluded. Now we were all going.
I was really looking forward to the day I was slow dancing with Hero on the dance floor, and Ayden was dancing with Xavier.