The fair boy fretted in anticipation for the end of the class, counting the minutes left until the ring bell would announce the well expected break. He looked to his right, at the plump, bespectacled boy, who was still taking notes in a frenzy, and he wanted to snicker at his dedication. Then to his left, at a short, dark-haired boy, who was randomly drawing on a piece of paper, and he exhaled in relief when he realized he wasn't the only one fed up with the Mathematics class.

Ralph was a decent student, although he had trouble keeping up with the schedule sometimes. One of the most significant issues that he had always dealt with was that he got easily distracted and fatigued, and his thoughts regularly seemed to get lost in the mist of his mind. On top of it, Maths was surely not his forte, so he unwillingly dozed off. Just as he was about to yawn, the elderly man that had been assigned as their professor for the semester attracted his attention – and that of the rest of the class- and criticized him for not focusing on the task.

The fair boy seethed, especially when he heard Merridew and Black jeer loudly at him from the back of the class, although he retaliated with a satisfied smile when the professor focused his attention on the two obnoxious boys and offered them the same treatment for being too loud.

He slightly turned his head, attempting to catch the attention of the biggest bully of their school, as he wanted the bastard to get a glimpse of the pleased smile that graced his features at the rebuke that he had received for mocking Ralph, but the wheel always turned around. Jack Merridew glared daggers at him, his pale blue eyes unnervingly piercing Ralph, and the fair boy instantly wiped the smile off his face at the vicious reaction, even though he forced himself to hold his ferocious stare. He admitted that he was quite often intimidated by Merridew, but that didn't make him let his guard down, in fact, it determined Ralph to try to be just as fierce and face his fears and his vulnerabilities.

But let's grapple with the beginning of the story, because obviously, it hadn't always been like this. More than ten years ago, Ralph had actually been best mates with Jack Merridew. He had been the first colleague Ralph had interacted with, when his parents had first placed him in school, and they got along quite well, shared the same humor, and Jack had accompanied him almost everywhere. In spite of this, after a while, one could not help but notice that Jack quite often enjoyed the company of another eerie, short bloke in their class, which eventually guided him to discover that he had more in common with the bloke than with Ralph.

The fair boy felt left out and lonely as he saw Jack and his new odd friend indulging in activities that Ralph didn't really agree with; violent and even scary ones, like torturing animals or bullying younger children. Ralph was torn apart, because he often longed for Jack's company, for his fiery, energetic nature, for the manner in which Jack sometimes smiled at him, something that Ralph had noticed that he wasn't doing with the odd Roger boy. The contrasting ways in which Jack treated him and Roger could not go unnoticed. In his company, Jack seemed to be softer, while in that of Roger, Jack turned into someone violent and vicious, someone Ralph couldn't approve of.

In time, they drifted apart due to their conflicting interests, so the fair boy gradually befriended other boys in his class. Peter was one of the children that were always pestered by the group- particularly by Jack and Roger and Ralph himself, to his latter regret-, the nickname of 'Piggy' having stuck with him due to particular weight and asthma problems that he displayed. Still, Ralph gave a chance to their friendship and eventually discovered that Peter could be a sensible lad and a moderately loyal friend. Simon was another outcast that Ralph had been reluctant to befriend at first, because his friendship with Peter had already created some problems for him among his peers. Still, the fair boy learned that keeping up a false sense of superiority and ending up with no friends because of this particular arrogance that Jack had rubbed off on him was worse than having friends like Peter and Simon, so he struggled to put his pride aside and allow himself to befriend different people. People that were not popular or charismatic or good at sports. People who were not conceited.

His first months alongside Peter and Simon went well and Ralph was thankful for their company, until half of year later, when the fair boy suddenly found himself cornered on the school's halls by a bigger figure. As he looked up, he saw the messy, rusty curls and a menacing gaze that fiercely probed him.

"What do you think you're doing," Jack snapped as the fair boy gazed back with wide eyes, full of surprise and confusion.

"What are you talking about, Jack? I don't under-"

"Don't play with me!" Jack yelled, punching the locker next to Ralph's head and Ralph jumped alarmed. "You're hanging out with Piggy and that batty kid. You're not allowed to hang out with them. You're my friend."

A sudden anger boiled inside the fair boy and he furrowed his brow, before he tried to push Jack away, to no avail because he barely budged.

"We are not friends anymore." Ralph retorted furiously, ducking and trying to escape under Jack's arm, but the other boy grabbed the upper part of his arm with a bruising force and dragged Ralph toward him.

"Just let me go!" Ralph struggled. Jack didn't listen to him, intent on making his point.

"Yes we are." Jack spoke through gritted teeth. "I'm your best mate and I'm not going to let you hang out with those bloody pathetic losers anymore!"

Ralph cringed for a moment at the bad words, before his fury made him raise his fist and punch the other boy straight in the jaw. Jack backed away, dumbfounded and slightly hurt for a fraction of second, his wide eyes staring at Ralph as if he was seeing him for the first time.

"You're not my friend anymore, Jack!" He exclaimed, on the verge of tears. "You have ignored me for so long and now you suddenly come to me and force me to bend to your will?!" He wiped a small tear from the corner of his eye. "Just leave me alone!"

Jack gawked with large, pale eyes at the sniveling boy and Ralph knew he didn't understand it. It wasn't in Jack's nature to understand sensitive things, just like it wasn't in Ralph's nature to understand why Jack and Roger never got tired of bullying other people. They looked at each other for a few moments, before Ralph turned away, which was a fatal mistake. The bigger boy suddenly jumped on him and crushed him with his weight, taking Ralph's hands and holding them behind his back with an almost unbearable strength.

"Let me go, Jack!" Ralph kicked and trashed, but this only fueled Jack more, who used his entire weight to sit on the back of the struggling boy, before he grabbed a fistful of fair hair and tugged at it; he leaned in close to the back of Ralph's head.

"You are my friend. Only mine." Jack repeated, as if possessed by a sinister power, which frightened the smaller boy even more. Ralph started screaming and yelling for help, but Jack covered his mouth with his palm, which only resulted in muffled, desperate sounds from the fair boy. Jack grasped his hair even tighter and wanted to hit his head on the hard floor to stop him from making noises, but in his distress, Ralph bit the inside of his palm, making him scream in pain. Just as he grasped the opportunity, he started yelling again.

"Help! Somebody help me!" He yelped teary-eyed, and Jack growled outraged and raised his fist for a strike.

"What's going on here?!" The shrilly voice of an older woman echoed in the halls, freezing the two boys in place, Jack with his fist raised and Ralph with wide, wet eyes and an open mouth in surprise. The fair boy was the first to recover and quickly yelled.

"Help! He's trying to beat me up!"

He felt Jack swell with fierce determination and fury; Ralph closed his eyes, preparing himself for a hit, but that's when he sensed Jack being pulled away from him by the steady hand of an adult and Ralph thanked God for the timing. He turned on his back and saw Jack creating a storm in the teacher's hands and flailing his legs and arms around with all of his seven year old strength.

"Let me go!" Jack screeched like a banshee, his burning blue eyes still glued to Ralph's shaking form, making the fair boy enlarge his eyes in apprehension at the negative emotions that were directed at him. "You'll pay, Ralph!" He threatened, while being carried away. "I'll never leave you alone, got that? You're mine, not theirs! Mine!"

The teacher struggled to hold him in place, as she chastised him.

"I can't believe you, Jack Merridew!" She scolded. "Your parents will be very disappointed in you for making this whole mess! And in your first year too!" She spoke scandalized, dragging the trashing boy after her, but Jack seemed not to care about her words, his powerful gaze still slashing through Ralph, who was staring at the whole scene in shock.

His wildly beating heart was slowing down as the fair boy processed everything that had just happened. He couldn't believe Jack had done that to him. He couldn't believe that Jack had tried to beat him for befriending boys other than him. That he had thought of Jack as a true friend once.

Jack hadn't been his friend. He hadn't deserved Ralph and the time Ralph had shared with him. Jack had shown his true face and he had proven to be dangerous and possessive and controlling, and simply terrifying.

He had revealed himself to be a beast and the fair boy's frustration and heavy disappointment and sorrow manifested themselves in the tears of an innocent and scared child, on the bridge of finding out about the dark side of the world for the first time in his life.

…

The afternoon glow fell over the three boys as they escaped the school and went out into the chilly autumn air. They laughed and joked, just like any other seventeen years old boys would, as they enjoyed the little free time they had at disposal, until they reached their homes, their sanctuaries, where they managed to get away from all the commotion for an appreciated time.

The calm spirits didn't last long. As soon as they passed the corner of the street, they were about to face one of their worst nightmares and greatest anxieties, but the three boys tried to walk with their chins up, they tried to ignore the snake pit they were about to walk in. As always, it was futile, because the so-called snakes were always eager to grasp the smallest opportunity to spill their venom at them.

The smallest, dark-haired boy timidly grabbed the sleeve of the fair one and they all tensed as they approached the vicious bullies, who were apparently enthusiastic about their appearance.

"It's them, Ralph." The plump boy announced, his voice trembling, even after all this time. "It's Merridew, Black, and Talbot. " He arranged his specs, drops of sweat trailing down the sides of his face. "Thankfully, the other two are not with them today."

"Yeah, thankfully." Ralph replied bitterly. "These are some of the worst out of the bunch though, Peter."

It had constantly been like this ever since Merridew threatened him in the first grade. Years of mocking, teasing, and bullying from Merridew and his group, because Ralph couldn't call those Merridew's friends, given the wolf pack attitude they shared. They only knew how to demolish and damage, they were Satan's spawns, if Ralph had to compare them to something. Especially Merridew and Black. Sometimes, Ralph and his friends escaped easily from their poisonous grasp, only getting evil remarks thrown at them, other times, their encounters ended up with blood, bruises or even broken arms or legs on both sides, especially when Ralph and Merridew ended up in their angry fist fights.

Simon didn't get hit too often, because the bullies seemed to be reluctant about hurting him more than necessary, but Peter and Samneric – who were missing at the moment, to Ralph's relief, because they weren't going to be involved at least this time- had some of the worst. At least the twins managed to defend themselves, throwing punches once in a while, but Peter always turned into a rag in their hands and ended up losing his specs or finding them broken.

After the first violent encounters, Ralph got desperate and asked his friends not to hang out with him anymore, since everything happened because of his and Merridew's feud, but they refused to leave Ralph and the boy got a deep gratefulness for their devotion.

Ralph wasn't sure why the Merridew group even bullied them after all this time, since their feud was too old already and they had been just children when it had begun. Ralph had hoped for years that the bastard would eventually put a stop to his torment, but it was in vain. Merridew was either still fixed on his revenge, or he and his group just enjoyed destroying other people again and again. Or both.

"Maybe they will just insult us and then leave us alone, at least this time." Simon spoke with vague hope, even though his green eyes betrayed the painful doubt.

Ralph cringed when he thought about the innocent boy having to be part of this again and his instinct was to run and drag his friends after him, but the ridiculous dignity stopped him from making those smart moves. It always had to be that ridiculous dignity.

It happened in a beat. The bullies' eyes were like headlights, their grins mentally biting from the three boys, before the leader's voice pierced the tension.

"Roger. Maurice. Grab the batty kid and Piggy."

Two dark heads smoothly moved through the air with feline agility and seized the respective boys in less than a second. Peter started breathing heavily, his asthma kicking in, while Simon remained like a rock, his small arms being forcefully pulled at by Black's claw-like hands. Ralph tried to protest and dashed toward the two bullies, but his own arm was hurtfully captured in a fiery grip.

"Just leave them alone, Merridew!" The fair boy turned his head and looked him straight in the eye. "They didn't do anything, it's me you want!"

Merridew laughed out loudly.

"Oh, the good ol' golden boy always trying to protect his little, pathetic friends." He smirked. "So just, so fair, so eager to be a hero, in his own little, pathetic world." He tightened the grip on Ralph's arm and the fair boy scrunched his features in pain, before Merridew leaned in close with a malevolent expression.

"But guess what? You're not a hero. You're not just and you're not fair." He stopped for a moment and mockingly scanned Ralph up and down. "Well, except for your pretty looks, that is."

Ralph furrowed his brow as his stomach tightened at the peculiar word choice. He felt even weirder for actually according importance to meaningless words from a brutish bully.

"This is the real world, golden boy." Merridew carried on in the same gloating manner. "And my tribe and I win here." He showed his sharp teeth, before he dragged Ralph, and the fair boy saw out of the corner of the eye the other two bullies pulling his friends away. Ralph started struggling and almost managed to kick Merridew in the gut, but the brute avoided the hit in time and grabbed his other arm too, twisting them behind his back.

There was a blur, as Ralph only felt the punches and the kicks. He heard the other two bullies laughing, he heard Simon's whimpers and Peter wailing and yelling after his glasses for the umpteenth time and Merridew spitting nasty words at him and Ralph retaliated with some of his own, as he and Merridew ended up in a tangle on the pavement, beating the life out of each other.

He saw Merridew's fist coming at him, but Ralph acted quickly and raised his knee, with the intention of kicking him in the pills, but he only landed one next to Merridew's thigh, before Merridew grabbed his shirt and turned him around and the image with them as seven years old boys flashed before Ralph's eyes, a sense of déjà-vu overwhelming him.

Merridew was on Ralph's back again, the rigid fingers plunging themselves in Ralph's fair locks and pulling at them, as another clutch forced its way around Ralph's neck, and the fair boy realized Merridew was attempting a strangulation on him. He struggled violently as his heartbeat fastened in terror and he heard Black's excited voice in all the dizziness that started getting him.

"Do him, chief! Do him!"

Merridew barked a rough laugh as Ralph trashed even more in panic at the bully's words. Merridew's voice then came from around his left ear.

"No worries, spot of sunshine, I'm only roughin' you up a little, giving you a little mark." The fingers dug themselves harder into the skin of his neck and the fair boy was almost desperate, as he wrestled and choked, a fog masking his view. But in all that chaos, Ralph was not as panicked about the fact that his archenemy was strangling him and that he was close to passing out, as much as he was about the fact that he didn't perceive the pain at the level at which he should have.

There was a tingling below his stomach and shivers prickled his skin, while Merridew's front unintentionally rubbed against his rear in all the struggle and this, combined with the euphoria that enveloped Ralph from the lack of oxygen and the vaguely perceived pain from around his neck, made Ralph erupt in a noise that shouldn't have ever been heard by the people that surrounded him in that moment.

It was the distinctive sound of a moan and, in his horror and extreme embarrassment, the fair boy realized he was aroused by what was Merridew doing to him. To a small degree of relief, the other boys didn't seem to have noticed that he had actually moaned in pleasure. They probably believed he had moaned in fear and pain, because Black kept shouting with the same sick excitement, while Talbot continued laughing.

But something was definitely not the same. And Ralph realized it was Merridew. He paused the violent act for a few moments and remained like that, before he started it again, but much softer, almost as if he pretended the earlier charade this time. He didn't even laugh anymore, he just kept his fingers in a tight clutch around Ralph's neck, before something even more horrifying happened.

He gave a harsher squeeze on Ralph's neck and his crotch subtly pushed into Ralph's rear with obvious intention at the same time, making the fair boy choke another moan, his own cock twitching in his pants. Ralph's inner voice yelled inside his head as it dawned on him that Merridew was humping him and making it look like a fight in front of the others.

He was humping him. Actually made sexual motions on him. And Ralph got harder because of it too. If this wasn't going to send him straight to hell, he didn't know what was.

Then everything stopped. Ralph felt Merridew remain still on his back, before he stood up, the weight disappearing, and he heard the others being silenced, while Merridew was calmly dusting off his pants. Ralph breathed heavily and he didn't dare to open his eyes, in fear for what was about to happen.

He was done. He actually was a poof, he'd had an erection for another boy and Merridew had realized it and did those last gestures to confirm it. He was going to tell everyone, he was going to mock him and ridicule him in front of the entire school and town and Ralph's father was going to find out, then disown him and throw him in the streets, or worse, in a mental hospital. It was over for him.

"Roger. Maurice. Release the whiners. Let's go."

There were protests and Ralph opened his eyes and looked up at the scene. He didn't dare to get up, in fear of the others seeing his 'problem', but he saw Merridew and the other bullies arguing to an extent, a whole bunch of names being thrown, while Simon and Peter looked fearful and confused.

In the end, Black and Talbot reluctantly followed Merridew, who threw Ralph one last look. The fair boy noticed that Merridew's stare was eerie and unreadable, his icy blue eyes not bearing the mocking, hateful glint that he always had when looking at Ralph.

It was probably the most twisted moment in Ralph's life.

Black gave Peter one last resentful push and the fat boy fell on the pavement, before the three bullies left them there, shaken up and more bewildered than ever.

"W-what has just happened?" Simon inquired in a trembling voice.

Peter gave Ralph a look, as if expecting the fair boy to explain the situation. When Ralph avoided his eyes, his head falling on the ground in defeat, the bespectacled boy furrowed his brow.

"I have no idea."