A Shift To Remember // DOFTY

Broken Parts

Special thanks to @FangirlFromGalafray for giving me some direction and the plot to this chapter that they wanted to see ❤️

Dom and Lofty spent a great deal of their first week in the summer holidays messing around in the park with Sheilagh. Ben was so pleased to see a smile back on Dom's face, and in turn, Sheilagh was pleased to she that the poor boy was coping alright after the stress and hardship that he had been through.

It was a warm day and Sheilagh was on her way down to the park with two iced drinks for the boys and a bottle of sun cream. It was one of the first times Dom had come knocking on Ben's door, rather than the other way around. Sheilagh smiled at the boy's progress, as he was no longer as jumpy around new people and seemed more relaxed than he had when he had just come from Isaac's the day Sheilagh had met him for the first time. Ben had told her all about how Dom had split up with Isaac again, this time over a phone call rather than in person in case anyone ended up injured again. She blinked away a tear that started forming in her left eye, and sighed heavily. No one should have to go through what Dominic Copeland has; no teenager should have experienced the hate and the abuse first hand without having done anything to deserve it. Even then, the physical and emotional torment that the poor boy had experienced was not to be wished upon anyone, even Isaac Mayfield himself, and she knew both the boys felt this way, even despite the strong emotions Ben felt for Dom, which would have caused him do anything to protect him.

Dom and Ben had left their street around ten minutes ago, and were nearly at the park that they had spent the majority of their summer holidays at. It was a quiet day, with hardly any cars around, the majority of people out of the house dog walkers, parents with younger children and sweaty runners (seriously though, why do so many people think it's a good idea to go running in the summer when it is sweltering?!). Captivated by Dom's face as he half smiled over at him, Ben didn't think look where he was going.
Dom smiled, trying to contain his laughter when the boy next to him walked face first into a lamppost. Ben was alright, a small smirk appearing on his face as the rest of it flushed a bright red. The two carried on, laughing and pushing each other playfully, as they walked down the pavement towards the park, which was just at the end of the street.

Checking the road, the two boys stepped out to cross, by the time they had reached the middle of the road, and by the time it was too late to jump back onto the curb, an expensive silver car came screeching around the corner. Ben froze, staring at the oncoming car, literally like a deer in the headlamps. His eyes widened and fear was etched upon his face.
Dominic Copeland saw past the car. Dominic Copeland saw the person in the car. He saw the determination set upon the drivers face, the clenched jaw and the narrowed eyes. As if time had stopped and everything but him had slowed down, Dom turned to look at Lofty. God, his frozen face looked so vulnerable. So innocent. Wide, round eyes, with the colours of the speeding car reflecting in them. Curls swept back of his face as he turned his head and looked straight at Dom. The glistening of tears in his eyes. The one stray tear that fell. Dom wished he could have all the time in the world to slowly wipe that tear away.
As if having second thoughts, the drivers slammed the breaks down. But it was too late. Dom reacted instantly. He wrapped himself around Ben and turned his back to the approaching car, in an attempt to shield the boy that meant so much to him.

The young adult was given wary glances and judgemental looks as he angrily threw open the door of his silver car that his parents had bought him when he passed his driving test. He fastened his seat belt and slammed the door closed behind him. Huffing irritably, he rested his head on the steering wheel, and let the sour thoughts that dominated his mind rattle around. He had seen his ex with another boy today, and he was so ready to throttle them. It was that same boy that was there when his ex had broken up with him as well. That annoying little - 
A horn distracted Isaac from his train of thought. He looked around to see who it was, when he realised his clenched fist, shaking with anger, positioned perfectly over the horn. Isaac took in a deep breath. Dominic was making a mistake. He needed Isaac and he needed someone to have that control over him. Chiltern couldn't give him that. No, Ben was a follower. Like a little sheep. He was so easy to use, Isaac remembered hearing Ben's parents talking once whilst he had been with Dom (ughh, that stupid boy!) in the Copeland's front garden. They had been discussing why they really left their old place. There had been a girl from another school. A pretty, blonde, thin girl. The kind which looked good and knew it, with perfect nails, make up and not a hair on her hair out of place. Dom ('breathe, Isaac') had gone inside for a drink, when Isaac had heard the juiciest part. How this girl had played on Ben. Leached onto his innocent, naïve character and made a real impression on him. She said she loved him. She kissed him. She text him every night. Until she stopped all contact. The next time Ben saw her was when she walked down his street. Arm in arm with a boy. Then back again an hour later with another one. Ben had been heart broken. And then even more heart broken when she came around to his house the next night. She was all over him. Isaac smirked. That was a girl that he would like to meet.
Stamping down on the accelerator, Isaac sped off. He spun around the corner and saw those two people who he could happily run over. Dominic looked straight at him. Isaac pushed harder. Ben stared, shellshocked. Isaac smirked. The he saw the woman who cried out the boy's names, running towards them.  Then he thought of the consequences that came with running people over. He slammed down on the brakes. Not soon enough. He hit the two boys, stopping just before their crumpled bodies.

Isaac heard the sirens. The last thing he heard before he blacked out was the urgent cries of the paramedics, and the sobs from Ben Chiltern's grandmother.

Thanks @FangirlFromGalafray and @hey_yahh for being so enthusiastic and encouraging ❤️❤️❤️