Chapter 3

HENRY POV

Why is he staring at me? Do I have something on my face. I can feel the heat burning my whole face and my neck. Why did he hug me, it seems that he must have zoned off but he snaps out of it the minute I ask him what was wrong. He didn't say anything and just left to get out of the toilet before turning to ask if I was coming and he looked to be deep in thought.

We made it back to the office in silence and I can't help but stare at him and wonder if I did anything wrong. He was grumpier than usual but maybe that was the stress.

After work I went home and I couldn't stop thinking about what happened in work today, the way his arms circled me when he found me in distress, the warmth and feeling of safety I felt in his arms, I never want to forget that feeling but it is not my place to be feeling this way I'm sure if he found out that I'm having strange feelings for him hell be creeped out and ill loose my job but I cant stop thinking about what triggered the hug. The feelings of shame and inadequacy, I'm sure he thinks that I'm weird for crying for no reason.

But anytime I think about that night that's all I feel. Six years ago when I was still in high school I had a boyfriend his name was Carter. He was my first everything. I mean I knew I was gay from the young age of thirteen but I never told anyone, not even my parents or my best friend at that time, her name was Kylie, we were best friends since grade school. We told each other everything but this I just had to keep to myself. I was so afraid of coming out because I didn't know how the people I love were going to react. I know they loved me but I just didn't know if they could overlook the whole gay thing.

I and Carter started dating in freshman year. We were just like any teenager in high school young and full of hormones. Of course we had a secret relationship as he was in the football team and oh so popular but I didn't want to come out either so we told no one. In junior year the relationship became rocky but I still loved him so I stayed plus the sex was great. I found out that Kylie had a crush on Carter but it was no big deal cos I knew that he was gay and she didn't although it hurt every time girls flirts with him and he flirts back and I tried to understand that he didn't want to look uncool and all that so I put up with it. It wasn't until senior year that everything started happening all at once.

First Kylie caught I and Carter together. It was strange she told me she was going for cheer practice and that we couldn't hang out and we agreed to meet up in school the next day so I called Carter over since he didn't have football practice. Carter came over I was so happy to see him cause I hadn't seen him all day and yesterday so lets just say that I jumped him. Just as we were really getting into it the door opened and I knew that it wasn't my parents because they work late. We jumped apart but you would still know that something was going on because we were half naked in our boxers and our faces were flushed, our lips were red and plump. Kylie came in looking smug and not surprised at all. I asked what she was doing she wasn't supposed to come over but all she did was laugh at me and take pictures of us she showed us the ones she took from my window.

I couldn't understand why she was doing this. She didn't look like the girl I had known all my life. She even threatened to out me to the whole school and to my parents. I asked her why she was doing this and all she said was that I didn't deserve Carter and Carter belonged to her. Carter on the other hand abandoned me when I needed him the most he left the room when Kylie barged in on us and started spewing bullshit on how he belonged to her. He left me to deal with Kylie on my own. It felt like everything was crashing down on me.

I thought she was just bluffing until I got to school the next day and saw the pictures pasted everywhere on school grounds only it was just my face, Carters face was scratched out. I couldn't believe that my best friend could do this to me. I looked all around for Carter and when I saw him i felt so betrayed. I saw my boyfriend and my now ex best friend making out in the hallway for everyone. see. I guess I figured out then why his face was erased. That was when the bullying began every single day I was beat to pulp by everyone including my boyfriend.. well ex boyfriend. Kylie got what she wanted at last, to date Carter and Carter got to keep hiding in the closet. I tried confronting him alone once tried begging him to consider but he only broke me more said no one could ever love me. He hurt me more than everyone else, he beat me, abused me, called me worthless so many times I started to believe him.

My parents found out of course and they didn't take it well so I wasn't spared at home either. My father also beat me all the time for no reason. I was going to hell anyway and he tried beating the gay out of me while my mom beat me, she also used her words and let me tell you those hurt the worst. To watch the woman who gave birth to you look at you with so much hate while she told you to kill yourself. Everywhere I went I was told to kill myself and it didn't help that I wanted to do it either.

I would cut to take away the pain but even that did not help so I decided to end it once and for all. it wasn't like anyone was going to miss me.

I was coming back from school through my normal route and I figured out the best way to die. The bridge. The reason why people don't pass here is because this bridge has a long history of deaths and suicides. It was the perfect way to die. It was secluded as no one passes here. I didn't hesitate to jump I've only been wishing for death since all this happened at least they'll all be better off without me. I hit the cool water with a splash. I couldn't swim anyway so it wasn't much of a struggle, I just waited for the cold arms of death to carry me away.

The plan was perfect, too perfect I was supposed to die alone in the water but I guess it wasn't my time yet because the next time I woke up was in the hospital. this wasn't meant to happen. I was in so much agony. I don't know what went wrong. I couldn't even die right. I wanted to die why couldn't I have that.

I found out that the person that saved me was a man who was new to town. He was jogging in that area when he heard the splash. He didn't leave me alone in the hospital when he found out that no one was coming for me. I didn't trust him at first I mean why would he save me. I didn't ask to be saved.

He asked me why I tried to kill myself, why I still want to kill myself. I couldn't hold it in anymore I told him everything thing and waited for the beatings to come. Nothing happened and I looked up to see him crying. I didn't understand why didn't he hate me like the others.

He told me it wasn't my fault that I was gay. He said he was going to help me. I tried believing him but I couldn't they all left in the end. But he proved me wrong. He helped me get rid of the suicidal thoughts, he made me happy again and for that I will be grateful. He became my father, best friend, brother, you name, he was all of it. The only person that has ever been truly there for me.

He helped me leave that toxic town and begin afresh. He became my only family when I left my old one behind. I wasn't alone anymore he made sure of that.

I don't know why those people did what they did and honestly I don't care. What I do know is that karma is a bitch in 12 inch heels and she is going to kick them all in their asses.