From chapter 9:
About that time Mark started to stir. I looked at Rick with scared eyes. "Don't worry, he feels really bad about what he did you." Rick said. That helped a little bit, but I was still scared. He heard us talking and opened his eyes. Seeing me, he immediately sat upright. "Where am I?" he asked. "Your in my room." I responded. "My friend Rick here, sensed that you were in trouble, and brought you back here. Your friends really did a number on you, didn't they?" I asked. With a sheepish look on his face, he lowered his head. I knew I had hit a sensitive subject. I moved to where I was sitting next to him. I layed my hand on his leg, and he looked at me, with a look of confusion in his eyes. "I know you were just following what Billy told you to do." I told him, in hopes of calming him down. Which worked, because he relaxed a little bit.
And now for Chapter Ten:
"Why don't you tell me what happened." I said, trying to get Mark to open up a little. He was still a little skittish, which I could understand. "I was trying to get them to stop their plan to beat you up, and they thought I was turning queer on them, so the beat me up too. The thing is, I think I already am gay. I have always liked Billy, and all the girls those two have ever tried to set me up on a date with, never did anything for me."
With this admittion, I was totally floored. Someone that I hated with every ounce of my being, was coming out to me. I looked over at Rick and he was just sitting on the side of my bed listening to every word that Mark was saying. I just didn't know what to do, or how to react to what I was hearing.
"It really bothered me when we beat you up." He said to me. "I've always liked you, but with Billy and John being my best friends, I didn't want to loose that. I knew if I admitted that I like you, and want to be your friend, that I would loose their friendship." With saying that, he started to cry again.
I just sat there trying to soak up what he had just said. The only thing I could think of to do, is to pull him into a hug. He eagerly let me hug him, but when his head hit my shoulder, he just broke down and started to sob. I looked over at Rick and all he did was nod with approval.
When Mark finally settled down, I looked at the time, it was almost 6:30pm. Not knowing if he had eaten today, I looked at him and asked, "Are you hungry?" Wiping the tears from his eyes he looked at me and nodded. I stood up and said, "I'll be right back, I'm going to go tell mom that we will have an extra person for supper and that you will be staying the night." Marks' face had a look of terror come across it when I mentioned that he would be staying the night. Before I had a chance to notice it, I had turned and went into the kitchen, where I knew my mom was fixing supper.
"Mom, we're going to have a guest for supper and he's going to be staying the night tonight." My mom looked at me and said, "Do I know this person?" Not knowing how to answer the question, I just told the truth. "Yes you do. It's Mark." My mom dropped the spoon she had in her hand. "Does your father know he's here?" She asked with a worried tone in her voice. "No, he doesn't. Billy and John really beat Mark up. He was trying to protect me from another beating, and they really let into him. He's ok now, but just a couple of minutes ago he came out to me." At that time, I saw my moms' knees go weak. I rushed to her and held her up. "Are you ok?" I asked. "Give me a second to gain my composure." She replied.
When she was able to stand on her own two feet, she asked, "Where is Mark?" "In my room with Rick." I answered. She headed for my room before I could ask why. When she walked into my room, Mark backed himself in the farthest corner. Seeing this, my mom rushed up to him and pulled him into a motherly embrace. Upon doing this, he busted in to another wave of tears.
My family knew what kind of family life all three of the bullies came from, so it wasn't surprising to see Mark cry from my moms' embrace. Marks mom and dad worked three jobs to support him and his three sisters and two brothers. So they were never home. Billys' mom and dad divorced when he was 8. So, he was sent to live with his mom, who was always drinking. Johns' father was abusive, but no one dared do anything to him, due to the fact he was the mayor of our town. His mother left about a year prior, because she couldn't handle the beating she got every night.
Seeing the care that my mom showed for Mark, just made me start to tear up. Rick sensed this and came to my side and put his arm around my shoulders. I moved next to Mark and asked him, "what are you going to know?"
"I don't know, I can't hang out with John and Billy any more. I'm too afraid to tell my parents, so I guess I'll just sit at home all the time.
"I won't hear of that. Let me talk to the school board and I'll see if I can get your expulsion lifted." Was Ricks' reply.
To Be Continued . . .
