Love In The Hallways (BL)

New friend

The boy raised his fist, ready to deliver the finishing blow. But before he could, Josh stepped in, blocking the punch with his forearm.

"That's enough," Josh said, his tone cold and even. "I won't have you beating up my servant."

The boy glared at Josh, then turned and stormed off, muttering curses under his breath. Josh watched him go, then turned to Ben, a strange expression on his face.

"Come on," he said, offering Ben a hand up. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Ben took Josh's hand, his body still sore from the fight. He followed Josh back to the courtyard, where the other boys were milling about, nursing their wounds.

Josh led Ben to the bench and gestured for him to sit. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

Ben nodded, wincing at the pain in his chest. "I think so. Just a few bruises."

Josh's expression softened. "You saved me back there. I wouldn't have gotten out of that fight without you."

Ben blushed, embarrassed by Josh's gratitude. "It was nothing, Senior Josh. Just doing my job."

Josh shook his head. "No, it wasn't nothing. You took a punch for me, Ben. I'm in your debt."

Ben was stunned by the sincerity in Josh's voice. It was so different from the bullying, arrogant boy he'd come to know. He didn't know what to say.

Josh looked away, seeming embarrassed himself. "Anyway, thanks. And if you need anything, just let me know.

Ben smiled, his eyes still locked on Josh's face. "You're like an onion, Senior Josh," he said. "There's more to you than meets the eye."

Josh laughed, a deep, genuine laugh that seemed to surprise even him. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

Ben shrugged, his smile widening. "Maybe a bit of both. But you know what I mean."

Josh met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, I guess I do."

Josh's face got hard and mean. "You're my servant, Ben. You should rest in the nurse's office. I will take you home after school."

Ben tried to say no, but Josh didn't let him. "You don't want to say no to me," Josh said, his voice cold and scary.

Ben nodded, scared of making Josh mad. "No, sir," he said quietly.

Josh nodded, his face still mean. "Good."

Josh turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Ben alone in the courtyard. Ben sighed, his shoulders slumping as the adrenaline from the fight drained out of him.

He knew that Josh's kindness was only temporary, that it would be gone as quickly as it had appeared. But in that brief moment, he had seen a side of Josh that few people had. He wondered if there was any hope of reaching him, of breaking through the walls he had built up.

Ben shook his head, scolding himself for being so naive. Josh was dangerous, and he needed to remember that.

Ben made his way to the sick bay, wincing with every step. The nurse took one look at his bruised chest and insisted on bandaging him up, despite his protests that he was fine.

As she wrapped the bandage around his torso, Ben thought about his first day at school. It had been anything but normal. He had been bullied, beaten up, and now he was in the sick bay, being treated for injuries he had sustained while saving the very person who had been tormenting him.

It was all very confusing, and Ben wasn't sure what to make of it.

After a while, the nurse left, and Ben was left alone in the sick bay, staring up at the ceiling. Suddenly, he heard the door open and turned to see Sofia standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Ben," she said, her voice warm and concerned. "How are you feeling?"

Ben smiled weakly. "I'm okay, Sofia. Just a little sore."

Sofia shook her head, her lips turning up in a wry smile. "That's the understatement of the year. You saved Josh's butt back there, didn't you?"

Ben blushed, his eyes darting away from Sofia's gaze. "I...I just did what I thought was right."

Sofia laughed, sitting down next to him on the bed. "You're too humble, Ben. You're a hero."

Ben couldn't help but smile at her words. It was nice to hear someone call him a hero, even if it was just Sofia.

"So, what happens now?" he asked, his voice hesitant. "I mean, Josh is still my master, isn't he?"

Sofia's expression turned serious.

"Listen, Ben," Sofia said, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Josh may be your master now, but that doesn't mean he owns you. You still have your own thoughts, your own feelings.

"You can't let him walk all over you, just because he's stronger or richer or more popular. You're worth more than that."

Ben was quiet for a moment, digesting Sofia's words. He knew she was right, but he also knew that standing up to Josh was easier said than done.

"Thanks, Sofia," Ben said finally, giving her a small, grateful smile. "I appreciate the advice. But I don't know what to do. Josh is still my master, and I owe him for taking me in. And now I've saved him.

"It's like we're caught in this weird circle of helping each other out, but I don't know what it means."

Sofia chuckled, shaking her head. "I know, it's pretty complicated. But hey, maybe this is a chance for you to get to know Josh better."

Ben frowned, considering Sofia's words. He wasn't sure he wanted to get to know Josh better, but he also knew that there was something strange happening between them.

"Maybe," he said finally. "But I don't think Josh is interested in being friends. He seems to enjoy having power over me."

Sofia nodded sympathetically. "I know, and that's why you have to be careful, Ben. I don't want to see you getting hurt."

Ben sighed, the weight of his situation heavy on his shoulders.

As Ben sat there, mulling over his situation, he was startled by the sound of footsteps approaching the sick bay. He turned, expecting to see the nurse or maybe even Josh, but instead he saw a boy he didn't recognize.

The boy was tall and thin, with long, messy hair that hung over his eyes. He looked at Ben with a slight frown, as if he was puzzled by his presence.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, his voice soft but curious.

Ben swallowed, unsure how to respond.

"I'm Ben," he said finally, his voice just as soft as the boy's. "I'm new here."

The boy nodded, his gaze lingering on Ben's bandaged chest. "New and already in the sick bay, huh? Rough start."

Ben couldn't help but smile a little at that. "Yeah, it's been an eventful first day."

The boy smiled back, extending a hand. "I'm Adrian. I'm new here too."

Ben took Adrian's hand, shaking it gently. "Nice to meet you, Adrian. What brought you to this school?"

Adrian shrugged, a wry smile on his face. "Oh, you know. The usual. Dad got a promotion, Mom wanted to move. They thought this was the best school for me."

Ben nodded, his own expression wry. "Sounds familiar. I got a scholarship, and now I'm here."

Adrian laughed softly. "Looks like we're both in the same boat."

"Yeah," Ben agreed, "except your boat hasn't taken on any water yet." He gestured to his bandaged chest.

Adrian chuckled, sitting down on the bed next to Ben. "Touché. But hey, at least you've got a good story to tell now. Not everyone can say they've already been in a fight on their first day of school."

Ben's smile faded a little, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess so. But it wasn't really a fair fight.