I pull up to the park with Charlie in the passenger's seat. I'd texted everyone in the crew that I was ready to apologize and make things right. I can see them all out there, Tony and O'Malley on a bench and Scout swinging slowly.

I turn to Charlie. "Now, don't take their shit and let me do all of the talking, okay?"

"I— Okay." He nods.

"Are you nervous?"

"No. You said you'd keep me safe."

"Good. Exactly. Let's go." I pat his shoulder and get out of the car.

Charlie gets out of the car and stands beside me, leaving more space between us than usual.

We walk over to the bench and my friends stand. O'Malley points at Charlie. "What the fuck is he doing here?"

Tony eyes us. "Isn't that the freshman's new faggot?"

I clench my fists. "Watch your language. I brought him as a peace offering." I look at O'Malley. "He's my friend, his name is Charlie—"

"Your friend?!" She interrupts and laughs. "Please, Ethan, as if you'd be friends with a cocksucker."

"Hey!" I shove her. "I said watch your fucking language!"

O'Malley sneers, but backs down and I continue. "His name is Charlie and I brought him here because he's offering to help you. His parents are lawyers and they have friends in social services. They can help get you and your sister away from your dad."

O'Malley stares at me, mouth agape. "What?! What the fuck?! You told an outsider about my dad?" She grabs my jacket and yanks me towards her, shaking me with each word. "Who the fuck gave you the right, huh? WHO?!"

I push her off of me. "Nobody, and I'm sorry, but he can help—"

"You think I want help from some fag?!" She snaps. "I fucking don't. Get the fuck out of here, Ethan. I never want to fucking see you ever again!"

"Hey, Carmen, calm down!" I grab her arm.

"Let her go."

I turn to see Tony, staring me down with his gun aimed at my head. I let O'Malley go immediately. "Tony—"

Charlie steps in between me and the gun, holding his arms out protectively. "Don't hurt him. You'll regret it. I'm just trying to help. You don't have to like me. You don't even have to acknowledge that it's me who is giving the help, just say it's Ethan. Ethan cares. He wants it to end. He wants you to be happy. Hate me, but don't hate him. I mean, he even befriended the faggot to get you help."

Tony glares at Charlie and I can see him snap. He takes a step forwards and shoves Charlie. "You think you can tell me what to fucking do, shithead?" He shoves him again and gets all up in his face. "I should fucking kill you where you stand. One less ass eater in the world. No one would even care."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe no one will care, but I don't give a fuck. I don't care what you think because you're not who Ethan's trying to help." He leans forward and kisses Tony. "Oh no. I gave you the gay. Want to eat my ass now, bitch?"

Tony fumes, raising his gun and I knock it out of his hands before he can shoot Charlie. I shove Charlie behind me and punch Tony in the face, grabbing his jacket and yanking him forwards. "Don't you fucking dare hurt him!"

"Damn, you really like him, huh?" Tony spits in my face. "Don't tell me you're a fag too?"

I clock him again and he stumbles before regaining his balance and punching me in the gut. I heave and he takes the moment to trip me, sending me to the ground where he begins to kick me mercilessly. "You know you're fucking worthless without us, cunt? How dare you betray your family! You're fucking disgusting and when I'm done with you, I'm gonna kill him."

I cough up blood and catch his foot, causing him to go down as well. I climb on top of him and squeeze his throat while he flails. He manages to get a hit on my nose and I'm forced to let go and he slams our heads together before rolling us over so that he's on top of me.

He starts wailing on me, punch after punch until I can't see anymore and then suddenly, he stops.

Tony falls to the ground and I see a blurry figure who I recognize as Scout to be standing behind him with a snake wrapped around her arm, its fangs bloody.

I feel arms wrap around me and the person who they belong to seems to be shaking. They pull me further away from Tony before letting me go.

"Stay away from him," Charlie's voice comes out broken. "Family doesn't do that. He's not a fag; he's not like me. I'm just here to do what he wants. Don't touch him." His arms tense and I notice he's holding a pocket knife.

"Ch-Charlie?" I cough up blood.

"I'm not your enemy." Scouts voice says from in front of us. "We need to go. Carmen will tend to Tony. They won't follow us."

"He's not a fag... I'm not his friend... He just wants to help..." He continues to shake, but it gets worse.

I feel around until I find his hand and I grip it tightly. "Charlie, no- it's okay."

He sobs. "He's not a fag; I'm not his friend. He's not a fag; I'm not his friend. He's not a fag; I'm not his friend. He's not a fag; I'm not his fri—" He retracts his hand and grips the knife tighter, staying in front of me, trying to be my shield despite being so broken. "Don't hurt him... It's my fault. Please don't hurt him..."

"I'm not going to hurt him." Scout says calmly and I see O'Malley dragging Tony into her car out of the corner of my eye.

"Charlie... it's okay. Come here, it's okay."

He doesn't come, just sits there. "I... I need to call an ambulance. I need to get him help." He pulls out his phone.

Scout takes a step forward.

Charlie quickly puts his arm with the phone out, holding the one with the knife in front of him. "I-I don't know you."

"Please, cut me if you would like." Scout holds her snake-free arm out. "I mean you no harm. My name is Scout. I am Ethan's friend."

Charlie lowers the knife slowly, but doesn't drop it. "You have a snake... I used to have a snake..." He laughs brokenly.

"This is Vanir." She pets the snake's head. "She is poisonous, but harmless unless you piss me off." She smiles. "I've had my eye on you for a while, King of Hearts. You are good for Ethan."

His eyes don't leave the snake. "No I'm not..."

"I never lie, sir." She says then slowly walks around him to get to me.

Charlie watches, looking at his phone and us back and forth.

"Charlie," I croak, my hand reaching out to him. "Please, I need you."

He looks conflicted and looks around to see that O'Malley and Tony left before coming closer, burying his face in my frame. "I'm sor-sorry."

I run my fingers through his hair. "It wasn't your fault. It was a fifty-fifty shot, I expected this. I'm just glad you're safe."

"You're hurt because of me, Ethan. If you showed up alone, none of this would have happened."

"I don't care." I shake my head. "I'll be fine. We'll be fine. It's not your fault."

"Scout wants to talk to you I think," he whispers.

"Okay." I hold him close and look to Scout who kneels next to my head.

"You are very stupid." She tells me and I laugh, groaning when it hurts.

"Aren't I always stupid, Jones?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, for helping."

"He deserves it." She nods. "I will watch them and make sure they don't hurt your boyfriend again."

"I told you that your stunt would get around, dumbass," Charlie scolds, though his tone lacks bite.

I just smile at him.

"Dumbass."

"Did you call an ambulance or are we taking him home?" Scout asks Charlie.

"I called an ambulance. Is that okay?" Charlie asks, peeking out to look at her.

"Modern medicine is good, but I will make him a poultice too." She stands and begins foraging around the playground for ingredients.

"Charlie," I grab his sleeve. "I can't pay for a trip to the hospital right now."

"I can." He hugs me. "I need to make sure you're okay."

I sigh and pet him. "Okay."

"If you weren't hurt, I'd punch you."

I chuckle. "I told you I'd keep you safe, didn't I?"

Hs scrunches up his nose. "I still got hurt, asshole. I'm distressed. You're going to give me grays."

I pat his head. "I'll make it up to you."

Charlie sighs. "We should've saved some of those brownies."

"We should make more." I suggest mischievously.

"Yeah, yeah. That's if the hospital lets me take you home." He pokes me and hugs me again, his grip tight. "I was going to stab him. I was scared. I didn't know what to do."

I pull him as close as physically possible. "That's okay, Charlie. No one would've known what to do in that situation. You did exactly what I wanted, nothing."

"I should've done something. I could have stopped him." Charlie shakes his head. "He pulled a gun on you."

"If you had tried to stop him, he would've hurt you instead." I pull his head up so he's looking me in the eyes. "If he'd done this to you, I would've killed him, you understand?"

Charlie looks frustrated, stuck. "I never asked you to kill for me, Ethan."

I deflate. "I'm sorry." I let my hands drop to the ground.

He grabs my hands and squeezes them. "Roughin' him up a bit is all that's needed. If you're in prison, then I won't get to see you anymore."

"That's true. I guess everything worked out then." I lean towards him. "Thank you for protecting me, even from the ninety pound girl."

The blond's mouth drops. "Excuse me?!"

"I was thanking you!" I chuckle and pull him into me. "I'm just teasin' ya. I really am grateful."

"Well, next time I'll do a better job." Charlie scoffs.

"No, you did perfect." I pull him up and kiss him.

"You really have a death wish, kissing me like that, Dechart." Charlie shakes his head.

I smile and tuck his hair behind his ear. "I wouldn't mind dying for your kisses."

"You know what, Ethan?" Charlie asks.

"What?"

"That was pretty fucking gay."

I burst out laughing. "You're right. It was."

"Alert the churches; Charlie King can give people the gay. Oh no, I infected the asshole." Charlie giggles.

"I love being infected." I chuckle. "Let them never find the cure!"

Charlie laughs before getting really serious. "You kissed me after I kissed him, so you basically kissed Tony."

I scrunch up my nose. "Eww."

"He tasted like weed."

"Yeah, they do that a lot. You were totally savage by the way, it was kinda hot." I smirk.

"Oh, whatever." The freshman rests his forehead against mine and quirks an eyebrow. "You were pretty hot too, Superstar."

The wails of the ambulance cause Charlie to stiffen, but he quickly relaxes, chastely kissing my lips before crawling out of my lap for the EMTs to size me up when they get here.

Scout walks over and places a worm on my forehead. "A friend for luck."

"Thanks, Scout." I smile. When I was a kid I used to love catching worms and I got sad whenever I saw them dried out on the driveways and sidewalks. I don't remember telling Scout, but I must've.

The ambulance gets here and Scout removes the worm and the EMTs come to assess me and load me up.

"Can my friends come?" I ask.

The guy nods reluctantly. "Sure."

Scout climbs into the ambulance, but Charlie stays behind.

Charlie dangles my keys from his left hand. "I'm gonna follow behind. Is that okay?"

"Yeah." I nod and they shut the doors.

The ride is short and sweet and before I know it, I'm being treated. After everything, the doctor gives me the rundown.

"There's a lot of bruising, but nothing too bad. You also have two broken ribs." He tells me. "So I'll give you some painkillers and you take it easy for the next few weeks. Sound good?"

"Yeah," I crack a smile. "Thanks, doc, and can you tell my friends they can come in?"

"Sure. You can leave at any time." He smiles and leaves.

Charlie walks in wearing my cowboy hat. "How are you feeling?"

I smile. "Shitty."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Just be here." I hold out my hand.

He grabs my hand and interlaces our fingers. "I'm sorry to say this, but hospital clothes, not so hot on you."

I chuckle. "Yeah, I'm sure the bruises aren't helping either. Unless you're into that kinda thing."

"Pfft. Please, I'm not twelve. I'm not going to get off on you looking more like a 'bad boy' when I know how you got those bruises." He touches my hair with his free hand. "The bruises make me sad in all honesty."

"I know. Tony's a dick. I'm sorry you had to go through that." I squeeze his hand.

"It's fine. When are you allowed to leave? How bad is it?"

"Whenever. I just broke some ribs. Nothing grotesque."

Charlie's eyes widen and he pulls my covers down and grabs the hem of the hospital gown, asking permission.

"Go ahead."

He lifts it and pulls it up, wincing at the blacks and blues on my skin. Charlie kisses my ribs and then pulls the gown down. "All better." He ruffles my hair before grabbing my clothes and setting them by the bedside table. "I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"Okay." I watch him leave and Scout comes in.

"Good?" She asks.

"Good." I confirm and she nods.

"I'm going to go. Stay safe." She kisses my forehead, hands me the poultice she made, and leaves.

Charlie returns with bloodshot eyes. He'd been crying. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

"I should be good." I stand and curse. I pull my gown off and get dressed slowly.

Charlie sets the hat on my head. "Do you want to go to my house or yours?"

"Yours, mine is fucking cramped."

"Sounds like a plan." He throws one of my arms around his shoulders. "Let's go home."

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