Benjamin gets up off the floor, grabbing his phone off the bed. He looks around the room, looking at his closet to go sit inside it to be alone.
He sits on the closet floor, trying to catch his breath. He brings his knees up to his chest, setting his head on top of his knees.
He looks up and wipes his eyes, grabbing his phone. He scrolls on his phone with shaky hands, pressing on the call button for Noah's contact.
He brings his shaky hand up to his ear, pulling his sleeve down to wipe his nose.
Noah's phone rings a few times before he heard it. He lifts his head from his pillow, grabbing it, not caring to check the caller ID.
He lets out a loud yawn. "Hello?"
Benjamin sits up, wiping his tears. "Noah?" He asks with a wobbly voice.
Noah sits up a little in his bed, squinting his eyes. "Bebesita?"
"I-I'm sorry...I-I...I...I didn't know you w-we're sleeping a-and-."
"Hey, baby? What's going on? Are you crying? What happened with your dad?"
Benjamin doesn't respond, just letting a few more tears drop. "H-he hit me," Benjamin responds in a whisper, barely saying any words.
"What? Fuck, bebes, what happened?"
Benjamin takes in a few more shaky breathes before shaking his head. "I-... I don't...He hit me, Noah."
Noah sits up fully in his bed, wiping his eyes to wake himself up. "Bebesita? Want me to come get you? Are you safe?"
"I-I'm in my closet. I thought I was having a panic attack."
"Do you want me to come get you?"
"He'd never let that happen."
"Baby, call your mom. You don't need to stay there. You're gonna freak yourself out."
Benjamin doesn't say a word, just closing his eyes to try and calm himself down. Noah shakes his head, "Baby, give me like...a minute, okay? I'll call you right back".
"O-okay."
*
Noah calls back, almost a minute later, having called Benjamin's mom to tell her about what happened. She told Noah she was on her way to go pick him up.
"Baby?"
Benjamin nods his head. "I-I'm okay. I think I just freaked myself out."
"I know, bebesita. I'm so sorry. Do you wanna facetime? We can call until your mom gets there."
Benjamin shakes his head and wipes his face. "N-No. I'm too ugly and sad."
"Hey, baby. Don't do that. Wanna tell me what happened, or are you too upset."
Benjamin shrugs. "I think I'm too upset. He only hit me once but-."
"He shouldn't have hit you at all, bebesita. Once, twice, it doesn't matter. Don't invalidate how you feel."
"It could've been worse and...I'm here in my closet crying like a baby." Benjamin gets silent, and Noah can hear him start to sob quietly.
Noah frowns. "It's okay, Benjamín. I know it's scary, okay? But you're so strong, babe. So strong. You have the right to be upset, okay? I love you."
**
Olivia bangs on the door loudly. Anna had gone into the bedroom, while Damien was on the couch for the night.
Damien hears the banging in the door, sitting up and groaning. He grabs the TV remote from where he was watching a random show, standing up to answer the door.
Anna walks out, shaking her head. "Who's at the door?"
Damien shrugs. "Dunno."
He unlocks the two locks on the front door, opening it to see Olivia standing there. "Where is he?" She pushes past Damien and walks into the house.
Damien shuts the door, furrowing his brows. "Who? Benjamin? Up in his room, what are you doing here? It's like...Fucking twelve."
Olivia turns, getting into Damien's face. "Don't you ever put your fucking hands on my son! Do you hear me?"
Damien laughs. "Excuse me? That's my son. I do what I want. The kid needed some damn discipline, you let him get away with too much."
Anna sets her hand on her stomach, shaking her head. She walks past the two to get upstairs to find Benjamin.
"You don't put your hands on kids, Damien! He's a fucking kid!"
"Oh really? But he's not a kid when he's being a fucking fairy out in public with that ghetto boyfriend of his?"
"Do you hear yourself? What is wrong with you? That's your son! A product of you!"
"Oh, whatever. He's being a big baby! No need to be crying up there like a pussy. He needs to fucking man up."
Anna opens the bedroom door to Benjamin's room, looking inside. She fully opens the door when she doesn't see him, but hears faint talking from his closet.
She shuts the door behind her, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. She grabs the door handle, opening the closet door to see Benjamin curled up in the corner.
She frowns at him and bends down to his level. "Your mom is here."
Benjamin looks up at her and nods. "Okay."
Anna shakes her head. "I'm so sorry he hit you, honey. I don't know what's gotten into him. No father should ever do that."
Benjamin's eyes swell up with more tears and he nods. "I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
Benjamin nods his head and gives a small smile. "Yeah."
*
Benjamin puts his bag over his shoulders as he walks downstairs. He sees his mom standing by the door with her arms crossed as she was still yelling at Damien.
Benjamin walks down the stairs, running up to his mom to hug her.
Damien scoffs and rolls his eyes, almost laughing at him.
Olivia frowns at her son, running her hand up and down his back. "You okay, sweetheart?"
Benjamin nods and pulls away. "I'm fine."
Olivia looks up at Damien. "I'm taking him home. And don't expect to see him, got it?"
Olivia turns the door handle, holding the door opening for Benjamin. He walks out first before Olivia follows.
*
Benjamin was staring out the window as his mom was driving the two of them back home. He turns to his mom, reaching forward to turn down the radio.
"Mom? Can I tell you something?"
Olivia glances over at him before looking back to the road. "Of course, baby. What's up?"
"Um...That's not the first time dad has hit me."
"What? This has been happening? Every time you go over-."
Benjamin quickly shakes his head. "...No...but...Back then? W-When you guys were married."
Olivia glances at him again.
"I'd always wear long-sleeve shirts because he told me to...That if you ever found out...that you would leave me."
Benjamin's eyes fill up with tears again. "But then...You guys got divorced and we barely saw him, so I didn't think I'd ever have to say anything."
"Honey..."
**