My Bubblegum King - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

I could feel the tight hand around my mouth and another set of hands holding my legs up as I'm dragged away from the road. My chest was beating so fast it was painful, even more painful than the grip on me.
Shit shit...
I tried to scream but it was to no avail, no sound was coming out and I bet I was going to have marks on my face from the fingers painfully around me. I struggled against them but they were two and they were obviously bigger than me. Nothing was going. My heart felt like it was going to burst out and I could already feel my eyes heavy with tears. I didn't want to die and I was so scared.
I had no idea how much distance they walked before I was literally thrown down to the ground. My shoulder slammed on a wall just as my ass hit the ground with a thud and I groaned at the sharp pain.
Oh Moses beard. . .
"Guy, I don't know how to do this," one of the guys whispered, I barely heard him over the sound of my thumping heart.
Were they going to ra—
The tears started falling rapidly. "Pl- please let me go please," I cried, keeping my eyes shut tight unconsciously. "Please I hav-haven't done anything please."
"Shut the fuck up!" The second one screamed at my face and I felt the pain of the punch to my face seconds after I was hit. I fell to the ground, I could taste the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and I was just going to lay there hopelessly but I didn't want to die.
"Guy, keep it down!" The first one harshly whispered and I could hear the fear in his voice.
I started searching for my phone... Where the fuck was it?! It wasn't on me or close by it must have fallen off when they hijacked me. More tears came forth and now occupied by small dejected moans. I had no hope. My eyes remained shut, I could feel my fingers shaking and I tried to think of something good.
Sebastian... Help me.
"Guy, I don't want to do this. Let's just go before something happens," the first guy complained, although I could barely hear them both now.
"We're already hear, just take his wallet and something else," the second guy said, he sounded like the braver one or the leader? I couldn't say.
I felt their hands on me soon enough and I started sobbing loudly and squirming. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I have done nothing but be kind to anyone. Why?!
"Found it," one of them said, I was too disoriented to think or focus.
"Take his pants too."
"No," I cried, scrambling backwards but there was just wall behind me.
"What? Why?"
"Extra evidence," the second guy snickered before grabbing me by my collar and pulling me forward to whisper in my ear. "For your own good, stay fucking still."
I froze, feeling a chill go down from my ear down to my toes. His lips touched my ear and I hated it and his breath felt like hot red iron, burning my skin at the touch. They exchanged few words among themselves that I couldn't hear because I was so out of it and I didn't think I could move until I felt their hands on my pants.
Somehow I'd forgotten what I just heard a few minutes ago and dread sank into my entire body. The fact that they were just taking my pants not registering as I started screaming "no," trying to fight them off and crying my eyes out.
"No, please, no. Leave me alone, please!"
"Shut up!" One of them yelled but I didn't hear him, all I could feel were the hands on my pants.
"Please leave me alone, I don't want to! I don't want to!" I felt something slam on my ribs painfully but that didn't stop the tears or the words that kept flying off my lips. I had slipped into a panic attack and nothing was going through. Not even the sound of my name coming from a distance.
Paxton!
"Please I don't want to. Please leave me alone," I chanted, kicking my legs and hands in an attempt to go free.
"Did you hear that? Someone's coming, let's go!"
"Fuck this dude," the hand on me let and I immediately curled myself up, wrapping my hands around my body like a protective shield. "Please leave me alone. Please I don't want to."
I heard them run off but that did nothing to stop my panic or ease my pain. It was like I was on a moving train that had no brakes and no stop.
"Paxton!"
"Please I don't want to. Please leave me alone!"
I heard new footsteps and my heart skipped, bringing in fresh new tears. "Freshman? Paxton, hey." The person came closer, kneeing down and when they fingers touch me, I gasped, crying out some more.
"No no, leave me alone. Please, I don't want to!"
"Paxton, it's me, it's me Diego!"
I kept shaking my head, my eyes closed tight as the words left my mouth without a stop. I felt the hand move, despite my fight until they were cupping my face.
"Freshman!"
Flynn!
My eyes snapped open and at first it was a blur because I couldn't see anything and then I blinked and blinked again and scared bright green eyes came into focus. I could feel the fear and apprehension seeping out my body and it was as if someone splashed water on me.
"Diego," my voice was hoarse and sounding like it wasn't mine.
He nodded, his lips twitching to a side and his thumb around my face moving in circles. "Yes, it's me Freshman... it's me Diego."
"Diego," I cried, throwing my hands around him as I broke down in more tears, this one sprung solely from relief and gratefulness.
Diego hugged me back, hands tight around like he read my mind. It gave me a sense of security and assurance. "It's me. I'm here, I'm right here."
I cried some more until the tears weren't coming anymore and the trembling reduced sufficiently. Diego talked to me, rubbing his hand on my back and wiping my tears until I calmed down. But then when he tried to get me up, as soon as I was on my feet, my knees went weak, my eyes rolled back and everything went black.
*
I was back at Jared home and I was fourteen years, he was nineteen. For some reason I didn't want to be here today but he insisted that I come see him because we've been talking— being friends, I guess dating? And I haven't been to his place before. He made me feel bad about it like I didn't care enough for him like he cared for me.
I liked him. That was true, my crush on him was something but I never ever thought it'd amount to anything. I was one of those wishful wishes that never come through, like crushing on your best friend's dad or even crushing on an actor on television. Those never became anything and that was how this one was supposed to be. Unfortunately or fortunately I guess, I wasn't like that.
"You know this isn't right," I had told him, standing awkwardly at a corner of the living room. "I'm not supposed to visit a teacher's house."
"Teacher?" Jared asked, then laughed. "Oh Paxton, I am not really a teacher."
I blushed nodding, "yeah but you teach at the school. At my school."
"Well," he put his hands in his pocket and faced me. "I'm the older one, I say it's right. Plus we're friends right? I mean, we're together right?"
My heart skipped at that, not necessary at joy or anything it was more apprehension. I knew that but I didn't like admitting it even to myself. I felt so wrong and out of place. But then Jared was the most handsome guy in school, in town even and he liked me. No guy has ever liked me. Except online but then all they wanted to do was share nude pics. Jared really liked me. He talked to me a lot and he helped me with my academic problems. He cared about me and wanted us to be closer.
I smiled, looking down at my feet. "Yes, we are."
"Great," his hand clamped on my shoulder making me gasp, I had no idea why I was so jumpy. But then his fingers gently started massaging my shoulder and I calmed down. "Relax, take a seat. I'd get us drinks and then we'd talk about the assignment you have."
I smiled, watching him walk away before I took at seat on the long sofa. "You mean that one you gave us?" I chuckled. "Are you supposed to help me with that? It's your assignment to me."
"Yes but you're not just any student," he appeared with drinks, winking at me. "And it's not like I'm doing it for you."
We drank and did the assignments together, sharing jokes and stories and I was completely relaxed and at peace. When the assignment was done, he turned on a movie and then I mentioned leaving because I need to be home before my mom does else I'd be in big trouble.
"Come on, you're not just going to leave are you?" He asked, his hand on mine. I blinked at him. "We barely have alone time together."
"Yes but I have to go now."
"Paxton I helped you with your assignments didn't I?" He asked and I nodded. "Aren't you supposed to do something for me too?"
I was confused. "Like what?"
He moved closer until there was little to no space between us. Then cupped my face. "Let's start with a kiss." My heart skipped again, not the good kind and I backed up but he followed until his lips was on mine. He was kissing me but my eyes remained open and my palms were fisted tight. Then I felt his hand on my pants, fumbling with the zipper.
I retreated, "no, I have to go."
"I'd be quick."
I shook my head, "I'm not ready."
"Oh come on Paxton, it's me. I won't hurt you, promise."
I shook my head again but he was already pulling my pants down. "No, I don't want to." I made to get up again but then his hand on my became really tight and he was pressing me down.
"Stay," he said and he didn't sound like the Jared from ten minutes ago laughing with me. "I won't hurt you, promise."
I shook my head. The hairs on my skin were standing, my heart was pounding and my stomach hurt from from. "No, please I don't want to."
Jared didn't hear me. It was either he had become deaf or I had become mute.
My eyes snapped open like they did in horror movies and I really felt like I was in one. The first thing I see is the ceiling with little dark stars on it and I didn't recognize it. My dorm room didn't have that, neither did my room at home, neither did Sebastian's place. Fright came over me and I turned my head to look around, ready to jump or scream and then I see a mop of dark brown hair. I blinked, a bit calmer because the person had their head down on the bed, with their hand on mine and they seemed familiar.
A second later, I recognized the person as Diego. A certain calmness that was startling even to me came over and I sighed, relaxing into the bed and trying to gather my thoughts. I had no idea where I was. I looked around and it's then I notice that I am connected to an IV drip, there was a tray containing drugs, a glass of water and a spoon with white substances on it. There was also a bowl of water and... Ice?
I turned back to Deigo and when I tried to lift up my hand to touch him but then a sharp pain had me groaning and keeping it back in place. "Ow."
Diego raised his head at the sound and his startled green eyes meet mine. I freeze looking at his beautiful eyes and then an image of them flashes through my eyes just that then, they were wide with raw fear and worry. My heart melted, turning into goo. The only people that have ever cared that much for me were my family and Sebastian. We stayed looking at each other and I didn't know exactly what was going on in his mind. I could see relief, worry, confusion and many other emotions overlapping at the same time.
Diego's eyes moved first, lowering to my lips and then his gaze hardened in what looked like anger. I blinked, wondering what changed his expression like that and my tongue reached out to feel. A wince flew out my mouth at contact with my lips, I guess I had an injury.
"You're finally awake," he whispered slowly. The sighed, "thank God." His eyes moved to the electrical clock lying on a bedside drawer, my eyes followed and I saw the time read 3:30 am.
"Where am I?" I asked, thinking my voice would be louder but it came out like whisper and my throat was scratchy like I had swallowed a handful of sand. I tried to clear my voice and Diego smiled, handing me a glass of water with a bendy straw.
"My place," he answered, I guess he heard me afterall. "I was going to take you to the hospital but then on getting there, I figured you'd be more startled if you get there and they would probably have to call your parents, which I didn't know if you'd want so I brought you to my place deciding if I couldn't take care of you then I'd take you back. But then you don't have any major injury, just cuts, bruises and an injured shoulder." He rambled, carefully watching me drink the water all the way. "Thankfully, I'm kind of a doctor with a very effective first aid kit, although some other things I used are from the clinic, sorry. And then I got some pills from a pharmacy."
I laughed causing him to pause and raise his eyes up to mine.
"What?"
"You're rambling and you haven't noticed that I'm not drinking the water anymore," I explained, smiling a little at him. It hurt to smile and laugh. My lower lip hurt and my jaw too.
"Oh," Deigo took the cup and straw away. "Sorry."
I sighed, "you haven't had any kind of sleep have you?"
He slowly shook his head, sinking his fingers into his hair and pulling a bit. "How can I?"
I looked down at his shirt, "I am sorry."
"Don't you dare apologize, I am the one who's sorry."
"What for?" I asked, confused. "You didn't send those guys to come at me."
"No, I didn't," he agreed and looked away biting on his lip. When he looked back at me, I was shocked to see his eyes teary.
"Diego..."
"Fuck," he muttered, looking away again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I came late Paxton."