It’s a good bit shorter than the other two but it beats nothing. Maybe. To me Ethan feels out of character? I don’t like it so constructive criticism is highly welcomed :)

Also, I was wondering if anyone would want to beta this? I don’t want to search for someone using the beta programme because I personally wouldn’t want to beta a story I didn’t like so I think finding one here will be my best bet. Just email or PM me if you’re interested - thanks!

Thanks to all who read this and to those who take the time to review!

---

Avery dropped Ethan off at home and as Ethan walked into his kitchen he did a double take at the figure sitting at the table. “Urm, hi mum.”

“Oh hello sweetheart, where have you been?”

Where have you been for the past couple of days?

“Just out…”

“That’s odd,” you think? As if Ethan ever went anywhere! “Everything alri- oh Ethan, what on earth happened to your face?” Ethan almost snorted - there’s a couple of people in school who would love to answer that question he thought…

“Nothing, I just got in some trouble at school that’s all.”

“It is not nothing! Tomorrow I’ll ring the school up and complain, come here, let me look.” Softly she grazed over his bruised face as he tried not to flinch. She gave him a hug, which he returned awkwardly whilst trying to hide his wrist. He didn’t want to worry her.

“How come you’re back so early?”

“They changed my shifts so I came home for a couple hours sleep.” She fondly ruffled his hair, and he moved towards upstairs trying to act normal and move as though he wasn’t hurt, he had managed to drape his jacket over his bandaged wrist so she didn’t see. The only reason that he wasn’t kicking up a fuss over her ringing into school was because he knew that she would forget.

“See you later sweetheart, I’m going to bed.”

“Night mum.” Ethan liked it when his parents were in, they got on well and loved each other, he just didn’t see them much. They had always been around when he was younger but he was old enough to be left by himself now so they were furthering their careers as surgeons. Long hours of demanding work. He was used to it. When he was sure he had heard the door to his parents bedroom shut he made his way to his own. Shutting the door behind him he dropped his school bag to the floor and sat on his bed cradling his arm, he would put more ice on it later. He sat there and couldn’t help but wonder what tomorrow would be like. He was already anxious, yet he was curious too…would they leave him alone? He himself was living proof that people could be controlled with physical violence, but then again he was a wimp.

One thing was certain though; things would get worse if they didn’t get better.

It wasn’t a thought that was exactly comforting to him.

---

Tuesday morning it took all of Ethan’s self resolve to drag himself to school, he could admit he was scared shitless. Throughout the day Ethan was glared at constantly by four idiots sporting heavy bruises. He was sneered at and poked fun at and his bandaged wrist was laughed at regularly. He got shoved into a wall and found himself sprawled out on the floor twice.

It was actually, a very good day.

“Oi. Waste of space,” it was the end of the day and Ethan froze dead in the hallway, a sneering voice whispered insults straight into his ear and a hand gripped his shoulder hard. He faced rigidly forward, he didn’t need to look to know who it was. It was Jamie. Ethan’s heart sunk and his breathing almost stopped, “when your little boyfriend dumps you for someone who’s actually worth a fucking damn then we’ll pick right back up from where we left off. Just think of everyday we leave you alone, as one more punch for when your bodyguard disappears.” A sharp shove forced Ethan forward causing him to stumble, and then something unbelievable happened – Jamie left.

Ethan thought he was going to be killed.

And he wasn’t. It was because of this, that Ethan had a very good day at school.

That was his idea of a good day at school because he was never even touched.

Avery’s threats had actually worked.

---

Avery had promised him that he would meet him after school and that they would get a drink or something, and Ethan was astonished to see that Avery had kept his word. His shock must have shown on his face – “Surprised to see me?” Ethan nodded figuring he might as well be honest. “Get any trouble?”

“No.”

“I hope you know you can’t lie for shit.”

“Just insults, nothing even worth mentioning, I swear it was the best day at school I’ve had in a while. Thank you.”

Avery parked outside a little café, they ordered drinks, cake and sat and talked. Most of the time it was Avery talking because otherwise they would sit in silence, Ethan didn’t like directing the conversation and he wasn’t used to speaking loads anyway. However a conversation point opened up when their food arrived. A tall good looking boy, who Ethan guessed to be the same age as Avery all but stomped over to them and forcibly placed their plates onto the table, “anything else?” He snarled. Ethan flinched but the waiter wasn’t sparing him a second glance, he was glaring at Avery who was clearly trying not to laugh.

“No thanks babe.” The waiter stormed off, and Avery offered an explanation, “My ex. Dumped him when we were in school, don’t think he’s forgiven me.”

“How come?”

“He was boring as fuck.”

So Avery was into guys?

Who cares, Ethan thought dejectedly, he’d never be into him. He’d rather Avery be straight than just not interested.

More to get his mind off of that thought, school being mentioned made Ethan realise there was one question he wanted to ask.

“How come you were in school anyway…on Friday?”

“Oh yeah I never said. My uncle teaches there, I had to nip in and see him. Was just passing the bathroom at the right time.”

“Oh.”

“What’s the deal with that shit that that cuntbucket was making you say about yourself?”

Ethan flushed. Fuck. “Nothing.”

“I wouldn’t call a crushing of your confidence just for kicks nothing.”

“Jamie just, hates me. He thinks its funny to make me say…that.”

“What does he make you say?”

If there was one thing more humiliating than having to say that in front of a group of bullies, it was saying it in front of someone that was claiming to be his friend.

“I…I thought you heard it all.”

“Just say it.”

Ethan looked down and flushed, he wanted to fucking run. “I’m a useless waste of space and deserve everything I have coming to me.”

“You believe that.” It wasn’t a question.

Ethan nodded without looking up.

“Look at me Ethan. Look at me or I’ll make you.” Their eyes met, “Why?” Ethan raised his eyebrows, that question had to be rhetorical. “Listen, you need some fucking confidence.” His voice rose and Ethan flinched. “I’m not getting on at you, you need to listen to me when I say I wouldn’t be sat here with you if I thought you were a waste of space because I don’t waste my time. Here, take this money, go up to the counter and pay. Lets start small.”

Ethan hated himself a little bit more that someone considered paying in a tiny café a ‘small’ thing when he got nervous and embarrassed over it.

---

A week later, his wrist had healed and he was sat on Avery’s settee before being told to get up.

“I’m going to help you stand up for yourself. Basic self-defence.” He stood in the middle of his apartment with both of them opposite each other, Avery took a few steps back, “Right, I’m going to walk forward whilst punching and you’re going to walk back and block me. When you block me, shove my arm to the side and move your own out to punch, then the next time we step forward we’ll do it with our other hands. Punch with your front two knuckles and don’t put your thumb inside or you’ll break it if you ever punch someone for real.”

Ethan’s head was swimming. He’d never even thought about defending himself before, there was no point when he knew it would make things worse for him, he knew he had no chance. If he ever tried to defend himself his attackers would most likely just fall down laughing.

It was evident that Avery wasn’t kidding when he said that he was awesome at martial arts and after an hour and a half at it they were picking up speed, and things seemed to be going well until Avery accidentally punched Ethan in the stomach.

Ethan couldn’t believe it, he laid on the floor and blinked back tears, he didn’t understand what he’d done. It didn’t matter though, he’d never done anything to Jamie and his friends either. “It’s okay, ill go,” he whispered.

His stomach hurt but it wasn’t the physical pain that bothered him. He’d rather Avery had told him to fuck off from the start rather than pretending to like him just to get annoyed and then punch him.

“Fuck, Ethan I’m so sorry!” Avery knelt down to Ethan’s level.

“You, you’re apologising?” Ethan didn’t understand.

“Well yeah! I didn’t do it on purpose! You lost concentration and I forgot I wasn’t in class where I could try a lot harder.”

“You didn’t do it on purpose?”

“If I had I wouldn’t have saved you from those twatbags at school would I?”

“I dunno.” Other people seem to enjoy punching the shit out of me.

“Well obviously I don’t, I’m sorry yeah? We’ll leave it there for now but I want to do that again because you were doing alright. And at least, when we get to know each other a bit more and things pan out how I want them too you now know what will happen if you ever cheat on me or leave me right?” Avery joked but Ethan just blinked.

Did he just get handed both a threat and a relationship prospect at once?