27. set me free

34 2 11
                                    

11:21 AM

In the cafeteria, Nini and I were there, slicing the silence. "Yo, I gotta spill some tea, and then I got this idea for you and Gina," I threw it out there. She bobbed her head, cue for me to let it all out. "First, yeah, I sung that vampire song for EJ, and it was very awkward. He even did a whole apology speech. It was crazy." That got Nini's eyes flying wide.

"Apology speech? That's so not EJ Caswell." Nini was on edge, eyes snapping back to EJ, catching him with Thiago. That low-down rotten jerk.

In the leaf-framed landscape of Massachusetts, Natasha radiated, outshining even the sunniest day. Her presence was magnetic, she commanded rooms and hearts effortlessly. I walked her to kindergarten, where this miniature boy, just five, already smitten. I knew damn well she was beautiful, but I never saw it progressing to stealing her virginity.

Mind that she's my sister and she's fourteen.

"Ricky! Ricky!" My gaze ripped back to Nini. "Why's your look all glued on Thiago Martinez? What did mess up?" Nini's eyes pinged with worry. I sighed, dragging my stare back to Thiago.

Get justice.

I yanked off my hoodie and tossed it to Nini. "Ricky, what's up with you?" Venturing towards Thiago, all pumped, clueless about what's next. "Ricky! No!" Nini hollered. No, couldn't cool off. Not yet.

I hollered out, "Yo, Thiago! How's it hanging?" I playfully, but punched him hard on the arm,m. "What's good?"  EJ shot me a look, picking up on the tension between me and Thiago.

"I'm cool, Bowen. All good?" Thiago quizzed, missing the vibe completely. Fury spiked as I served him a hard punch at the nose. "Ow, fuck!" Good.

He was in pain

Just like my sister

The entire cafeteria went silent, all stunned.

"You wanna fucking touch my sister, huh?" I roared. EJ pulling me back, trying to stop the brawl, but the rage, oh the rage.

"Ricky, Ricky, calm down, let's talk about this-"

"NO! I cant calm down, EJ! This fucking bitch... my sister!" I threw another punch out of pulsing anger. My hand hammered on table - a raw, roaring threat. "Lay a finger on my sister, and I will fucking kill you. I will fucking kill you and it will be slow and painful, you will wish you never raped her."

"Ricky! Enough!" Nini rushed over. Yet, rage drove another punch. He laughed, infuriatingly. It made my brain itch with anger.

"Cute threat, Bowen!" He mockingly grinned. A final punch. Nose fractured. No regrets. His pain-filled yelp satisfied me.

Tears formed, thoughts of my sister ran wild. I hit him. Over and over. "RICKY! Enough!" EJ's arms locked around me.

"Why can he hurt my sister and get away with it? It's not fair!" My forehead hit EJ's, letting out all my tears of rage into his chest.

"Ricky Bowen!" I looked up to see the assistant principal called. "My office, now."

12:00 PM

"My son would never do such a thing! There must be a valid explanation," Dad grappled with the news, a veneer of disappointment clouding his features.

"Well violence is never the answer, Mr. Bowen, and your son should actually be in jail right now, but fights break out all the time in school. So for now, we are giving you a week of suspension." the stern voice of authority explained.

"What?" I expressed my disbelief furrowing my brows,"That's so unfair! He's the one who hurt my sister! He should get full expulsion! Jailtime! Maybe a death sentence even?"

"Ricky," As soon as she whispered my name, a tranquil hush blanketed me, stirring a well of emotions within. "You are the one who decided to display their actions, and those actions have consequences-"

"Yeah, but I had a valid reason. This bitch hurt my sister. I think I would have every right to display that action, and even if so, I'm a very overprotective brother, ma'am. So even if you tried to keep me out of school, or in jail, or something like that, I will find a way to tear him apart, because what he did was unfair. He should be the one in this room and he should be the one suffering."

I departed the room, my dad's presence shadowing me. We journeyed home, a silence enveloped us,

heavy with unspoken emotions.

2:13 PM

Immersed in the harmony of my room, I was breaths away from capturing the last note of my track when an intrusive ring echoed. A twinge of annoyance sparked within me as I glanced at the caller ID—it was EJ.

I hastily picked up the ringing distraction, my voice a soft whisper, "Hey."

"Ricky, what happened back there?" He meant what happened with Thiago? He raped Nat?" EJ's voice strained with concern. Yet, I diverted from the looming confrontation, steering the dialogue to uncharted territories.

"What was that yesterday? When we almost kissed, are we not gonna talk about that?" My question hung in the cool air, unanswered.

"No, Ricky, we can't just get away with what happened with your sister. I'm gonna talk to him. I'm sorry that happened." EJ stated this with an unwavering conviction.

Cautiously, I ventured, "C-can you come over? I just need you." My voice fractured under the weight of implications

"Y-yeah. Sure. Of course, Ricky." his voice offered a comforting balm echoing through the silence.

I just need him to set me free from this disaster.

𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 - 𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘫 𝘢𝘶Where stories live. Discover now