things change - byler

.23

i walk to school, the school that I lived 2 miles from. El and I walked together, semi quietly. we barely talked. I could tell she was getting annoyed by my presents because I was so quiet and awkward now, I just tried to shake it off and ignore it. The talk I had with my dad over the weekend also ruined my mood for the entire week, I fucking hate him. I hate going to school, mostly because of the people there. I dreaded seeing Troy again today, I knew he was going to try to talk to me. he always loved to mess with me, and usually I would just let him. But it's different now, after what he did. It made me more scared of him, he tried to kill me and assaulted me. I only have 3 classes with him, hopefully they'll go by quickly.
I wore black jeans with a light orange and peach colored long sleeve polo that had a white colored collar paired with white and red Nike shoes. My hair was starting to get fluffier for some reason, and thicker. I wasn't used to it, but I couldn't make it go back to my normal straight hair. It's getting wavier every day.
el and I walked into the school building together, I saw some people that were at the party staring at me. Probably because they saw me crying like a dumb little kid.
i walked to my locker and separated from el when she walked to hers. I opened mine and a paper was pinned onto the inside with a magnet. It was a note.

"Let's talk before first period, AV room."

i looked around, Mike wasn't at his locker. It must be from him. I shut my locker before walking down the stairs again to the back of the school where the av room was. it was kind of dark in there, besides the morning light shining through the windows. But that light wasn't bright enough for me to notice that it was Troy that was in there. But it was too late, I already shut the door behind me. It wasn't James with him, it was just him.
I tried to turn around and run away but he grabbed the back of my bag pulling me back.
-"Byers, I want to talk to you!" He yelled.
-"what do you want?!" I yelled back with a shaky voice.
he held onto both of my shoulders squeezing my arms.
-"don't be scared of me, I'm just trying to talk to you." He said calmly.
tears formed my eyes from the calmness in his voice, the same kind of calmness when he tried to...
-"listen, I know about you and mike. I also know that you knew you were being followed all summer."
-"that was you?!" I gasped a bit.
-"yep. I have tons of proof of you and mike together. I know you wouldn't like it for everyone to know about you and mikes dirty little secret." He whispered.
-"sure, mike and I are together! Is that what you wanted to hear? why are you so bothered about our relationship?" I raised my voice.
-"because, you're a fag. It's disgusting and wrong." He said, still with a calm voice.
-"Troy, you sexually assaulted me! That makes you a faggot, too-"
he slammed his fist into the side of my jaw, making me fall back to the counter, but I caught myself before I fell to the ground.
-"I'm not a faggot!! I was just playing around, do you want a do-over?" he threatened.
i started to get worried, I didn't want to go through that again. I just shook my head, putting my hand over my face where he had punched.
-"well, I thought it was fun. Didn't you?" He asked, whispering and walking towards me.
i backed up to the counter, trying to avoid him. I didn't know what to say.
when it was silent, I couldn't find myself to leave or say anything. I guess I didn't realize the bell had rang, because I was already 3 minutes late. As I was looking up at the clock, he grabbed the straps of my back pack and tried to pull it off before grabbing the front of my slightly loose shirt.
I had fear in my eyes, and jumped when the AV room door opened. I was so relieved to see Mike, standing at the door with a cardboard box in his hands.
Troy blocked my view, so he didn't see me.
-"Troy? What are you doing in here?" he asked, setting the box next to the sink.
-"just talking with my friend, Will." he said, moving out of the way.
Mike saw me, corned to the counter, with a pale and scared face. He could read my thoughts.
-"what the hells going on?? What's on your face" He raised his voice, noticing the reddish spot on my face, that was soon going to turn purple.
-"mike, let's just go." I whispered, trying to pull him out of the room by his shirt.
-"the fuck you doing with Will, Harrington?!" he yelled.
-"I don't know, wheeler. What did you and Byers do in the woods on the 4th of July??" he asked, shocking me.
he was there, too. He was the one in the bushes.
mike tried to run to him, but I pushed him away from Troy and out of the door.
I wanted to cry, but not in front of Mike. I'd rather die then have to cry in front of him again.
As the door shut behind us, he stopped me from walking away by stomping in front of me and blocking the hallway.
-"what was he doing?? Was he messing with you?" he asked, not letting through.
-"no, we were just talking." I lied with a shaky voice.
-"then why do you look so freaked out and shaken?! And why do you have a bruise on your face??" He demanded an answer from me.
-"mike, let me by." I pressed my hand on his chest, angrily looking at him.
he could tell I was serious, I gently moved him out of my way before I quickly walked upstairs to history, where I was now 5 minutes late. I walked in, everyone staring at me. I took my seat next to max, she didn't speak to me. Mostly because the teacher was talking, but she also read my emotions, and from what happened over the weekend. Also because she could see someone had just hit me, it's been a while since I've taken a blow to the face like that. well, not that long ago.l
i sat there, trying to pay attention to what she was teaching us, but couldn't. I was too busy thinking about Troy.
how could he follow me all year?
how did he even know I was back in town?
how long has he been stalking me?
should I tell someone?
that's illegal.
everything he's done to me is illegal.
he's older than me, he could be arrested.
he's only 1 year older, but it could still count.
But I'm not ready to tell anyone about what happened that day, not in full detail. Especially my mom? Hopper? El? Mike..
mike would literally kill Troy.
Im not being sarcastic.
mike would actually try to kill him.
when he found out in the 3rd grade that a boy at recess broke my favorite Star Wars toy that he got me, he slammed his face into the fence, breaking his nose. He was suspended, but when he came back he bought me a new Star Wars toy to replace my old one.
he was always so sweet to me.
he always protected me.
god, I love him.
i just wish I could be happier around him.
I wish I wasn't such a sensitive, emotional person now.
It's all Troys fault.
or maybe it's mine.
if I wasn't such a baby, and stuck up for myself. He never would've assaulted me and got so far with it.
technically it's my fault.
it's all my fault.