We go back to the clearing and see Tomas and Bobby hanging upside down from a rope. Bobby was passed out, his nose bloodied and his eye was now black. Tomas was struggling and squirming. He had a bloody lip and was looking all over the place. Surrounding them was the group of kids we saw. 6 tall, grubby looking teenage boys who were wearing shiny masks, black hoodies, gloves, black jeans, and combat boots.
One boy held a bat, a bat that didn't look too friendly. It had graffiti all over it and it looked like it would give you splinters if you held it without gloves. It was red, which I hoped was to paint. The bat was probably the scariest thing in this clearing.
"So, what is this?," asked the boy with the bat, "What is your name? Tomas looked at the guy holding the bat with wide eyes. He was breathing heavily and looked like he was trying not to scream. "I said, WHAT IS YOUR NAME!" the boy yelled and hit Tomas's torso with the bat.
Tomas let out another scream. Jack tried to go after him, but I held him back. "We've got to help him!" Jack whispered. His face had a few wet lines, Jack had been crying.
Jack and Tomas have been best friends for a long time. I could tell this was hard for him, watching his best friend get beat up. The boy with the bat punched Tomas right in the mouth. Tomas spit out blood and looked like he was about to pass out.
"To-To-Tomas M-Martin." Tomas finally spits out. The boy with the bat chuckled. "Tomas Martin. That name sounds familiar." The boy walked back and forth like he was trying to figure out where he had heard that name before.
He gasped and held up his pointer finger, "You're friends with Mike Daniels, aren't you?" I widened my eyes. How did he know my name? I thought about who he could be, but nothing came to my mind. "You also hang out with Jack Renson, don't you?" The boy sighed, "Jack. Always cracking jokes. Mike, he turned me down once." when he said that, it dawned on me. Hick Donald. 6th grade, Hick had come up to me and asked me to join his gang. I had refused, it wasn't my thing. I didn't think that he would hold a grudge against me for this long. But, how did he know Jack? I looked at Jack who had a sad look on his face.
"How, how?" Tomas muttered. Hick took off his mask. He had messy blonde hair, green eyes, and olive skin. Hick had a scar that ran down his neck. He had a hateful look in his eyes. "How do I know who, Jack or Mike?" Hick tilted his head. Tomas just blinks. "Jack." Hick laughed and looked down at his feet.
"Jack. Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack," He said over and over again, "how do I know Jack? Well, I'll tell you how. We used to be friends, before you and him." Hick scratched his neck. Jack was looking at his hands. His right hand had a scar running from his pinky to his thumb. "We took an oath. A blood oath when we were 9," Hick said holding up his right hand. It had the same exact scar as Jacks, "An oath to never leave each other behind, to never betray each other, to never fight each other, to be there for each other forever!" Hick yelled, "But I guess that didn't mean anything, because then we hit 6th grade. He avoided me and didn't want to talk to me anymore. I felt hurt, betrayed. He lied! He took that oath and he failed to keep his promise." Hick's voice started to break.
I could tell how hurt he was. I could tell that Jack had really messed with this guy. What could Jack have done that messed this guy up so bad? I looked at Jack and he was tearing up, this time I don't think it was because of Tomas. Tomas's breathing had slowed almost to a stop. I was about to jump out when Jack put his hand on my chest. He shook his head and got up.
Jack walked out from our hiding spot keeping his eyes on Hick. Jack's spikey black hair was messed up and was now wavy. His icy eyes weren't blinking, just staring as he walked slowly around the clearing. Jack had dirt on his legs and arms. Hick's eyes got wide as he saw Jack. His face got red and he started to get all jittery.
"Jack Renson," Hick whispered. He looked at his followers and tilted his head in a jurk. They all scattered amongst the trees. Jack now paced back and forth about 8 feet from Hick, tightening and un-tightening his jaw. "Jack… jack," Tomas whispered. His eyes were closing and fluttering back open. Bobby was still passed out. Hick went to the tree and took out a switchblade. He went to the rope that was holding Tomas and Bobby and cut it. Tomas and Bobby fell to the ground with a thud. Bobby twitched and Tomas groaned. Jack stopped pacing and just stood there looking at Hick.
"Why are you here, Jack," Hick asked holding the knife in his hand, "just to humiliate me? To tell everyone my little secret?"
"To humiliate you? Humiliate? I don't think you know what that word means."
"I know what that word means." Hick hissed. Jack shook his head and chuckled. "You think that you know what humiliating means. I was humiliated. Why? Why," Jack said, his look so sad now. Hick's expression began to soften. Hick's eyes started to water and his breathing slowed.
"It just happened. I couldn't stop it." What could they be talking about? I was so confused, I don't remember much of sixth grade, and I never knew that Hick and Jack were friends. "I didn't think that you would stop talking to me and hanging out with me. I thought that you would say you weren't into that and we would try to not let it ruin our friendship." Hick and Jack seemed to be having a secret message. A message that held the secret, but was beating around the secret.
"You think that would happen," Jack yelled, "I didn't want to be around you because it was too weird. You just can't drop feelings." Hick let a tear run down his cheek. Jack crumbled to the ground and started crying. "You were my best friend and then you, you." Jack didn't finish his sentence. Tomas started to stir and tried to crawl towards Jack.
Hick was crying now, too. "I, I know you can't just stop feeling that way, that's why I still feel that way." Hick turned and ran into the trees. I ran out of my spot and ran towards Tomas.
"Tomas! Tomas?" I held Tomas in my arms. His eyes were rolling around in his head. I looked at Jack who was holding himself and rocking back and forth. I set Tomas down and scooted towards Jack. I put my hand on his shoulder and he lurched up into a hug. Jack was full of the girl crying into my shoulder whispering, "He was my best friend." I hugged him back and whispered, "I know." I didn't really know, but I didn't know what else to say. I never had somebody crying into my shoulder like this before. It was kinda weird but I knew that whatever it was, it was hard on him.
"Jack, Jack what was it?" I whispered. Jack sat back and looked at me. His eyes were puffy and his nose was red. He blinked and sighed. "He... He," Jack took a deep breath, "he tried to kiss me. I wasn't for it, so I pushed him away. I called him weird, said I had to go, and left. I avoided him because it was so weird." I just sat there, stunned. I didn't know what to think. I was kinda confused. "Jack I know this is hard for you, but we got to go."