BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

(Aaron's Pov)

I had been washed clean of all the self-righteous, audacious ideas. “Nothing,” I screamed out immediately. “Nothing, Jack!”

“That's right,” he said, his voice smug but I didn't care. I had just had enough.

He let go of my head, letting my body drop fully to the wet floor. A moment later his weight was off me, but it was immediately replaced by the full weight of shame and embarrassment.

I saw his feet walk away, his cronies following behind. The cafeteria was still silent, the ground cold against my cheek.

I flinched away from the next hands I felt. 

“It's me Aaron,” Kyle said quietly, “come on, let's go. Let's get you out of those wet clothes.”

Everything was blurry. Whether that was because of the water and tears mixture still in my eyes or because I just didn't want to see anyone and my brain granted me that small mercy, I didn't care. I just wanted everything to melt away.

Kyle helped my floppy body off the floor, which was no small feat for.being shorter than I was.  But we staggered out of there, straight to the nurse's office, my hand over his shoulder.

Up until he pushed the door open, I could feel the stares as we passed. Word travelled fast in William-Alfie, so was sure everyone knew what had happened by now

“What happened?” I heard Nurse Nina ask. Well, almost everyone.

I sighed, and slid my hand off Kyle's shoulders. I didn't want to talk. I just went behind the curtains where I knew some light, generic shirts and shorts were stored for when patients were going to stay in the infirmary. I was usually in and out of here anyway, a little hideaway with all the bullying.

I wanted to stay now again. I didn't want to go back out there, couldn't.

I could hear Kyle explaining what had happened as I stripped and changed. By the time I came back out, Nurse Nina was looking at me with a twinge of pity. Just like everyone would for days to come.

She showed me to a bed in the wide, empty space and left. Kyle sat with me quietly, until he too had to leave for classes.

Then I closed my eyes and had a nap.

It was hours later when I opened them. Thankfully, it was a dreamless sleep but I had a feeling that wouldn't stay the case later in my bed.

But for now, I could push it to the back of my mind. I could pretend in the empty room that I hadn't just been humiliated in a spectacular way, at least until I had to walk out of here to go home.

I sighed and leisurely turned my head, only to be met with the most horrific sight lying a few beds away from me. A scream jammed in my throat and I reared back.

Jack Pierce was here, glaring at me like he wanted his hands around my neck.

It felt like I was seeing the vengeful ghost of someone I'd killed. What the fuck was he doing here?

“You did this,” he growled.

I blinked at him, now very confused. I— What did I do?

Jack tried to stand, but before I could try and plan an escape, he made a horrible retching noise and dropped back down to the bed. 

I watched him groan, clutching his stomach. What the fuck was wrong with him?

“You!” he growled again

“Me what?” I managed to ask, glancing at the door. 

He laughed, a horrible cruel sound. “Don't even bother to deny it, I know you did this. Once I get out of here you're dead.”

I was beginning to get less and less afraid but more and more confused. “For fucks sake, did what?” I burst out.

His face was locked in a hard look and, for a moment, I thought he wouldn't respond. “Congratulatons, I don't know what you put in my food but it was fucking effective.”

What I put in his food…? “I don't know what you're talking about.”

He chuckled, a sound holding no amusement whatsoever. “You must think I'm stupid,” he muttered angrily and turned his head away from me.

I blinked at his figure, almost curled up into a ball. “Jack I didn't—”

“Shut up.”

“Jack—”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“No but really I didn't—”

“Nurse!”

Nurse Nina opened the door almost immediately. “What's going on?” She asked worriedly. “Did you need anything?”

“Aaron here is ready to go back to class,” Jack said firmly, leaving no room for debate. That was a command. “He's fine, and he's disturbing my fucking peace.”

Nurse Nina glanced from me to him and back at me again. She walked into the room, and looked me over. 

Then, almost apologetically, she beckoned at me to stand up.

_ 

It was almost nine pm and I was still confused about what Jack was talking about.

As I slid into Kyle's car, I made a conscious effort to push it away. We were soon en route to Kyle's house, and to whatever this big gift was.

My parents had gotten me mostly what I wanted and I was very happy about that. A new laptop, shoes and the complete, hardback and signed series of one of my favourite fantasy authors, who coincidentally was also born today, so it was like a birthday gift for both of us.

Kyle had the windows down, blasting music that we'd both occasionally burst into song along. It was only about ten minutes of driving, when I still hadn't recognize the route that my brows furrowed. 

I turned down the music a little, so he'd hear me when I asked, “where are we going?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes forward.

I'd been going to his house since we became friends years ago so I knew all the routes, and this was not know of rhem. “What do you mean what do I mean? This isn't the way your house.”

 “Who said we were going to my house?”

“What?”

Now, he glanced at me out of the corner of my eyes. “I never said that. You just assumed.”

I squinted at the smug look on his face. And he'd let me assume all day. Even when we'd left the house, I'd told my parents we were going to Kyle's and he hadn't said anything.

“So where are we going?’

“Oh come on Aaron, I can't tell you that,” he sighed. “We're almost there though.”

I blinked at him, getting curiouser and curiouser, but I didn't push any more. I leaned back into my seat and he increased the volume back to loud. I kept looking outside the window to try and guess where we were going.

No such luck.

We were driving for five minutes more before he started to slow. My mouth slowly dropped open as he started to turn. 

Kyle slid into an empty spot, parking my seventeen year old virgin ass in the front of a strip club.  

And a gay one too, judging  from the wildly suggestive neon image flashing beside the sign