The Shadow Under The Staircase

Henry had just been let out of the hospital, his sister Demi was killed in the accident but he only suffered minor injuries his family was grieving and his brother was Ill again. The first day of school was a drag, as usual, he avoided Kyle all day but he couldn't avoid him at lunch. 

Jaiden followed Henry around watching him like a hawk, Jaiden and Henry have been best friends since Preschool. Jaiden always had Henry's back, although Henry was gay and Jaiden was straight that never changed how he viewed his friend. 

Being apart of Kyle's Posse was an honor, for most people but for Evan it was hell. He hated picking on people, he hated watching his buddies do it but he couldn't stand up to them because he knew they'd hate him for it and he's been friends with these guys for years. So he dealt with it distastefully.

Kyle was looking around the school for victims all day. During lunch, he found the one he was looking for in particular. He smirked as he approached Henry, shoving him in his back while he was walking with food to his table. 

Dylan had followed Kyle around all day, knowing exactly why Kyle was the way he was. He didn't like Kyle's actions but he would stick around anyway to watch out for his brother.

Jaiden watched in horror as Kyle shoved Henry. He hated how Kyle would treat his best friend. He absolutely hated it. Henry had been through so much. 

Henry fell down and got food all over his shirt he wished that Parker hadn't graduated. He got up and ran to the nurse's office to see if she had a shirt he could use. 

Evan watched in horror wanting to yell at Kyle. But he kept his mouth shut. Distastefully so. 

Jaiden followed Henry to the nurse's office in a hurry after throwing a pained glance at Dylan.

Dylan had returned Jaiden's glance with his own apologetic one.

Kyle chuckled a little to himself before carrying on, getting food and sitting down to talk to his friends like nothing had just conspired.

Evan sat next to Dylan at lunch as he usually did, and ate quietly. 

Henry burst into the nurse's office "Hey Nurse Shelly. Do you have a shirt I can use?" 

Nurse Shelly nodded and picked up a box with clothes and set them on the table.

Jaiden sat down on a chair in the nurse's office and waited for Henry to get dressed so they could go back to lunch.

Dylan also sat down at Kyle's table. Except he sat on the other side of Even. He liked being Kyle's friend but that doesn't mean he has to like the guy constantly. 

Kyle ate a little bit of his food before getting up to dump the rest and return the tray. After doing this he headed to the library to find a book he needed for a class. Once said book was found he decided to bully the nerds, geeks, and other sorry social outcasts who decided to come to the library.

Evan looked up when he realized that Kyle was gone and turned to Dylan, "Are you okay?"

Henry returned to lunch with Jaiden following behind him they sat at their table Jaiden shared some of his food with him.

Dylan's expression soured. "Hell no. I have to watch my brother's best friend to get hurt more than once a day and just sit back and watch. I know Kyle has issues, but damn. Get a fucking punching bag.." Dylan sighed ran a hand through his hair.

Evan nodded "I know how you feel, I don't like it either, I used to date Henry's older brother Parker and always thought of Henry as family even though Parker and I ended on a sour note." 

Henry got up from the table to throw the food Jaiden gave him away while Jaiden continued to eat his sandwich

Dylan nodded and set his head down on the table. "I have a headache again.. Got any drugs?" Dylan chuckled. 

After Kyle had decided he was done tormenting the innocent, he headed back to the lunchroom to meet up with his friends. Watch Henry when no one paid attention to him. Eventually, Kyle got up again and went over to Henry. "Hey, fag." He said rather cruelly.

Evan chuckled "you know I don't. I mean I do have some pain killers." 

Henry looked at Kyle with a nasty scowl "hello idiot. What do you want this time."

Jaiden watched horrifically at them both then his head turned in the direction of Dylan and Evan hoping they'd see him and help.

Dylan smiled nodded a little. "It’s what I meant." 

Kyle smirked and grabbed Henry’s wrist painfully hard. It would definitely bruise, but Kyle didn't care as he dragged the smaller boy to the bathrooms

Jaiden got up and walked over to Dylan and Evan in a hurry

Evan took the bag with the painkillers out and handed Dylan two pills "just let me know if you need any more in 4 hours"

Henry scowled more at Kyle "let go of me."

Dylan nodded and thanked Evan before taking the pills and looking over at his brother. "Yes, Jay?" 

Kyle chuckled, "stop the tough shit act, faggot." He replied to Henry's scowl by slapping him, hard, leaving Henry with a busted lip a furiously red cheek. Kyle then proceeded to pin Henry against the wall by choking him against it. Obviously not enough to knock him out but enough to be uncomfortable and keep him still.

Evan looked at Jaiden too. 

Jaiden had horror written all over his face "Kyle has Henry" 

Henry kept a scowl on his face, his face throbbing but he tried to ignore it.

Dylan's eyes widen in shock before he looked around the room. "Oh my god. I don't see either of them. Jaiden please tell me you saw where they went." He asked in a worried tone. 

Kyle growled, growing tired of not getting a reaction from the boy. He decided to punch him in the gut as hard as he possibly could. "What did I fucking tell you?!"

Evan looked around the room now worried too. 

Jaiden nodded "bathrooms" 

Henry doubled over in pain and groaned.

Kyle took advantage of this and shoved Henry onto the ground, kicking his ribs and side rather hard but not as hard as he could. "You aren't tough shit, faggot! You're fucking nothing!" He shouted. 

Dylan nodded, "good, which ones? By the nurse's office or by the music room?"

Henry groaned in pain and tried to move away from Kyle. 

Jaiden thought for a moment "nurses office"

Evan got up and got ready to head to the bathrooms.