Ronin returned home soaked in Percy's pity; their walk was silent. Ronin didn't mind. If anything, he had hoped Percy wouldn't bring up the things he said and the things he didn't mean to say.
As usual, his father wasn't home. The house was a growing mess, the kitchen dishes unwashed, and the pizza box still coated the table. Ronin didn't care; if anything, he thought it fit him.
The wooden floors creaked as he shuffled upstairs. His throat hurt as if it was still in shock.
His room had reflected the rest of the house, only two times worse—a smell with it. He lay on his bed, saturating the thin covers under it. He began to think again; this time, it was different, rather an ashamed feeling, as if he was still waiting for the results he'd hoped for after finally saying the things he'd held back. He began to talk with himself, a mellow conversation, seeming as though in some way he was thanking himself.
Ronin had biked to school, only lighting his cigarette when he arrived, hoping for any action to distract him from himself. The long school halls were quiet, an almost peaceful environment before Ronin swung the doors open. A cigarette immediately followed him with a line of smoke as he strode down the hall. He glanced in each classroom, eventually stopping as he caught Percy's curly hair; Ronin leaned on the wall.
His eyes flashed across the halls as he caught a small figure passing between a further hall; a grin made its way upon Ronin as he pushed himself from the wall, following the wren silently. He curved around the corner, continuing to follow. He watched as she slowed down, barely pushing the bathroom door open with both arms. Ronin quickly grabbed the door, silently walking in behind her.
Ronin's arm had gripped her shoulder as he had crept around her side. Wren's eyes widened, her heart began to pound, and once she felt her side carrying the weight of the hand, she flung from his grip, slamming against the bathroom stall, a loud shriek following her.
Ronin leaped back, his hands levitated in the air, her voice still ringing in the enclosed bathroom. He looked at Wren, afraid of her reaction; he wasn't sure what to do. Wren's hunched figure sat against the wall, soon a soft sway back and forth with her. He knew his awkward presence wasn't helping—he never helped. But he wasn't sure how; he feared what Wren would do if he came close.
Wren had no recollection that Ronin was there as the bathroom had soon become a protector for the horrid memories to play through. Except she couldn't skip the parts she didn't like, she couldn't mute it when it was too loud, and she couldn't turn it off.
Ronin grew scared, afraid of what he had done. His voice shook when he wanted to speak; giving up, he pushed the door open quickly. Looking around, he sprinted down the hall, his palms sweating inside his pockets.
Wren's hands twitched against her ears. She looked around the room she could finally see again. She slowed her swaying, still unaware she was doing it; like the images in the back of her head, they continued. The bathroom door opened rather rapidly, catching her glance as two girls walked in, their shirts barely covering their chests, and more piercings than she could count.
"What shit are you on?" one asked, eager to join her. Disappointed, the girls watched as she attempted to stand up, almost embarrassed as she found Ronin's absence. She traveled to the door carefully, as if the floor beneath her shifted.
The halls soon filled with students. She navigated past them; she was almost mute to the sound of their voices. She turned the corner, sticking to the wall for support. She closed her eyes; a low sigh escaped her wet mouth, only relieved as she saw Percy's friendly stature walking towards her. His arms had raised; as he came close enough, he touched his finger to her hand before she grabbed it. Percy looked at Wren, feeling her slight shaking, quickly staring into her eyes. Her small pupils twitched across her face; Percy soon became worried as he quickly led her through the halls, watching her slight sway. He made sure to slow.
Percy stopped at a classroom. He turned around, looking at Wren. "Is this okay?" he asked. Wren looked at the familiar door before nodding. Upon the opening of the door, Wren was met with her psychology teacher. Percy looked intently at the man. Almost leaping from his desk, leaving the half-eaten sandwich, he approached the two carefully. The man looked at Percy with strong appreciation and respect.
Returning to Wren, he acknowledged her state before gently offering her a seat at his desk. A slow eye signaled Percy out of the room, to which Wren protested as she stopped her counted steps, looking back at Percy. The man signaled Percy to the back of the room before then assuring Wren he would be there. She took a seat, suddenly warmed by their combined presence.
The classroom had been filled with a calm and comfortable ambiance, filled with the sun's mid-day expression.
The man glanced back at Wren again before writing in his notebook, "Would you be comfortable telling me what happened?" The man's soft voice assured her as she nodded slightly, glancing back at Percy before she began.
Her explanation was choppy and quite slow, her hand rustled in her hair as she spoke, slightly griping harder with each word. She had spoken till the voice she hated stopped.
The man looked at Wren. He hid a stern face after her confession, "it's ok," he said, comforting her, "Do you know where Ronin is now?" He asked, "he didn't do anything wrong," Wren responded quickly, ignoring his question. The man looked at Wren with pity; she lacked the courage to lie or to tell the difference between a normal interaction and an abusive one.
"Wren, it's ok to tell me the truth," he said, looking at her for a response.
"Do you trust me wren?" Asking while he wrote. Wren was silent, she wasn't sure.
The man looked at Wren once more, examining the marks under the collar of her stretched shirt; his eyes met hers.
His eyes had initiated another question, he could tell she recognized it, as he made sure before he asked.
"Wren," he started slowly, watching her reaction, "Where did those marks come from?" Wren froze. She gripped the pencil in her hands, hiding it under the desk; she nodded once more.
The man was not confused. If anything, he was glad she did so. He thanked her for her time before standing from his desk. He noticed Percy's self walking towards him; he followed the man to the door, ensuring a distance from Wren, "if you wanted to know, you could've asked me?" He assured curious in the man's procedure.
"I know," he responded, looking almost eye to eye with Percy, "I had known the whole time," he stated, watching Percy understand, "then why didn't you do anything?" Percy asked, beginning to question the man, "Wren had to be able to tell me," he said finally before leaving the room, gently shutting the door behind him.
Percy looked over at Wren's hunched stature, her head hanging low. Percy sat down next to her; she could already feel his warmth as well as his hand in hers; she looked up. Met with his calm eyes, his eyes had asked for silent permission before he raised his hand, sliding her shirt gently above the marks he could tell she had tried to hide.
Like her face, she made sure to cover her thick hair covered her face. Her eyes usually stood out; even their deathly demeanor could somehow shine through.
Percy had started a small conversation; he couldn't tell if Wren had felt relieved or ashamed. Either way, she never made it obvious.
"Wren?" He asked solemnly, "Did Ronin hurt you?" he regurgitated, hiding his face, hating the question he felt compelled to ask.
"No," Wren said, relieved Percy began to talk.
"No," Wren said again; pursing her lips, Wren spoke, "he's hurt," Surprised, Percy's mouth drew open to her analysis, "y-yeah," he said softly, watching her mouth for more.
Ronin's voice had strung together in his head, the words Percy knew only he heard resonated in his chest.
Wren repeated a word of too under her breath before Percy met her eyes again, placing his hand on her shoulder; an immediate calm came over her as Percy spoke. His eyes were sealed shut.
She joined hoping the feeling would last longer.
Ronin sat on the steps outside the school, his cigarette still hanging from his mouth. His foot tapped the ground anxiously; all he could do was make fun of himself for rehearsing an apology in his head, knowing he would never say it.
Afraid, Ronin clenched his fists; he feared what would happen next.
He was afraid he had hurt Wren like Percy, but somehow worse,
Way worse.
His thoughts were halted as the doors behind him opened slowly, turning quickly Ronin started to speak. Immediately, he stood mute as a man emerged onto the steps. His face was stern.
Ronin's chest pounded, his forehead grew wet and his body tensed once again as reality came clear
He had done it again.
"He had fucked things up"