Chapter 20~ The Truth

*IMPORTANT*

Okay so you have probably noticed that this story is heading in the direction of a boyxboy story. With that being said, I would like to point out that I am a straight female. I have no idea what it is like to be someone in the LGBTQ+ community. I apologize if i ever say anything inappropriate or offensive. That's the last thing I want to do. If I do say something, please educate me. I will fix it immediately and I will know for next time.

Austin's P.O.V

Denver is sitting beside me with a book in his hand. We have the type of friendship where we could sit with each other in silence for hours, and it would never be awkward. Denver and I haven't been friends for long, but I'm so glad I talked to him on my first day. Looking over at him, I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to be friends with him. He's hilarious once you get him to open up and trust you, and he's got this look that immediately had me wrapped around his finger.

I really don't see how anyone could ever be hurt him, he has a precious soul. I know people are. More specifically, I know Finn is. He hasn't ever told me about Finn, but I see how he looks when Finn is anywhere near him. He honestly looks terrified. I don't really want to ask him about it because I don't want to pry. He has told me about his parents, the man at the mall, and his brother's exes. He's been through so much and didn't have anyone to help him through it. So I have made a pact with myself. I will never do anything to hurt him. If anyone tries to hurt him, they will have to go through me first.

Despite all of these things, he's still just a big baby. He's literally the cutest human being. It's not even his looks that make him cute, even though he is attractive, its the little things he does that makes him adorable. Like how he always brings at least two books with him at all times because he might Finnish one, or at the movies, he will laugh into your shoulder to keep from drawing attention to himself. The list goes on and on. Denver looks up from his book and catches me staring at him. We are supposed to be watching a movie, but he got bored with it, so I'm watching a movie and reading.

"What?" He asks grinning

"Nothing just thinking," I reply, smiling at the boy.

"Oh," he says, sliding his bookmark in his book, giving me his full attention.

We are watching a movie in his room. Fairy lights are illuminating his face while he watched me intently. Watching him put the bookmark in, I see a scar I've never noticed before. It's on his arm, and it's about three inches long. It's faint, you would really have to be looking to see it. Growing curious, I decide to question him.

"where did you get that?" I ask, pointing to the scar.

He instantly tries to hide it. He acts like if I couldn't see it anymore, it would be erased from my memory.

"I fell," he says.

Even though that is something that could definitely happen to Denver. He is the clumsiest person I have ever met. I instantly know he's lying.

"Denver, you are a terrible liar," I tell him bluntly.

He just looks down because he knows I'm not going to let this go and that he can't lie to me without me catching him. I know him too well for him to pull that shit.

"Have I ever told you about my experiences with Finn Hall?" He asks, and to be honest, I thought it would take longer for him to open up to me about this. But here we are, and the truth is about to come out.

"Nope," I answer back.

He takes that as his cue to start talking and talking he does. He tells me about how Finn has been bullying him for a while now. How it began when they were little, and it just has gotten progressively worse. My heart breaks as he explains his story. I am quiet, I just let him talk. He needs someone to open up to. I plan on being that person, so I can't let my rage for Finn Hall get in the way of that. It's taking a lot for me not to hunt that son of a bitch down, and fucking kill him. My fists are clenched, and my jaw is locked. Hearing about all this is making my blood boil. He must have noticed because his story stops, and I feel a hand on my arm.

"Austin, are you okay?" He questions. His eyes are soft and full of tears.

I didn't even notice he was crying. I was too busy trying to not rip Finn's head off of his body.

Classic Denver, wondering if I'm okay when he has literal tears running down his cheeks.

"I'm fine pretty boy, don't worry about me. This is your time." I say, taking the pad of my thumb and wiping tears off of his face.

"You look like you are about to explode," he pushes.

"I'm just a little irritated at Finn, finish your story," I say, he gives me a look but continues anyway.

"And one day he...well he...he pushed me in the janitor's closet, and he..uh...straddled me to hold me down." He fucking did what? Next time I see Finns Hall, I'm going to lay his ass out. Denver can't even get the story out without stuttering. If Finn raped my boy, he would be a dead man. "He pried my mouth open and forced me to eat a Reese Cup."

"Wait, he made you eat a candy bar?" I say confused because that is not the direction I thought we were headed in.

"Yeah, a candy bar I'm deathly allergic to." He says, brushing past it like it's nothing.

"Allergic to, why are you allergic to it?" I ask frantically

"It has peanuts in it, and I'm deathly allergic to them." He says like it's common knowledge.

"That would have been nice to know. I have eaten peanut butter toast for breakfast since I met you!" I say stressing out

"it's okay Austin, I didn't eat it," he says, trying to calm me down.

Okay, well, no more peanut butter for me.

"Okay, anyway. Continue," I say before I go off on a tangent about peanuts.

His smile fades, but he continues anyway. "After he made me eat it, He left. I called Andrew hesitantly because, at this point, we were still fighting. The boys rushed to find me. When they did, I was fading in and out of consciousness. An Epipen and a couple hug late, I was good a new." He finishes his story with silent tears running down his face. He is clutching my hand like a life source.

"I'm sorry pretty boy, I wish you would have never had to go through that. As long as I'm here, Finn will not hurt you again. I promise.", I say, meaning every last word. I will not hesitate to hurt Finn, I don't give a flying fuck who his parents are.

"Thank you, I'm so glad you are in my life," He says, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck. I wrap my arms around him instantly. What he says next shocks the hell out of me.

" So, if you don't want to be friends with me anymore, I totally understand," he says, wiping his tears on his hoodie sleeve, hoping he got to them before I saw them.

I did see them, though. I also see the way some arrogant asshole has broken him into thinking he's nothing. I can't believe he would think something like this could ever come between us, he has done nothing wrong. He's my best friend, and nothing could ever change that.

"you can't get rid of me that easy," I say, as I use my sleeve covered thumb to wipe the tears he missed and wrap his small frame into another bone-crushing hug. He melts into the embrace, burying his face into the crook of my neck.

"I don't know what I ever did without you." He says with his face still in my neck.

" You'll never have to be without me," I say. I mean it too. This boy is quickly becoming my world.

"That's what I'm here for anyway pretty boy. I'm here to eat your food, annoy you, and protect you." I say, taking a handful of popcorn, shoving it in my mouth, and unpausing our movie.

I will do anything to keep that smile on his face. I will protect him at all costs.

Edited A/N~ This is another almost completely written chapters. I'm sorry I have been changing so much about this book. It still has pretty much the same story line though.