Chapter Text
Bryce was outside smoking when he was suddenly kicked to the ground by one of his classmates. "Who the fuck did that!?" He angrily demanded as he got back up.
It was Ethan Evans, the third year student who used to rule over Byuksan High School before Oswald Yang came along. Although Ethan was definitely stronger than Oswald and could take on his entire group, Oswald still had the powerful connection to his father. Ethan had been humiliated and could not fight back or else he'd risk incurring Oscar Yang's wrath.
"I heard that you're no longer in Oswald's gang anymore," Ethan smirked.
"So what?" Bryce glared at him.
"While we're still unable to attack Oswald directly," Ethan threw a punch and struck Bryce in the face. "We're now able to go after you for revenge. Partial revenge against one person is better than nothing,"
'We?' Bryce became terrified once he saw the other students who had gathered with Ethan.
Bryce tried to fight them off. However, not only was he outnumbered, but he was also not that great at fighting. He was used to beating up others without them retaliating, like when they beat up Donny or Stephen back in middle school. But now he was powerless. The blows kept on coming. He was punched and kicked. He was thrown across the grass and slammed against the wall. Bryce was reduced to a human punching bag.
The bell eventually rang to signify the end of lunch and most students left. However, there were still some students that didn't care about attending classes and was fine with skipping. The ones that stayed continued beating Bryce up until he finally lost consciousness.
When he finally woke up, he groaned as he forced himself to stand. His backpack had been opened and all of his books and papers were thrown around. Some of his things were torn up, stomped on, or crumpled. Bryce angrily clenched a fist as he gathered up his things and limped home.
Once he got home, he dropped his backpack to the floor and collapsed onto his bed. He groaned as he laid in bed. 'I haven't got this beaten up since Gray...' He clenched his eyes shut. 'No, these wounds are much worse. Gray just gave me a few slaps and punches. These guys did much worse...'
His chest ached but it wasn't from any of the hits he had endured during the beating. His heart ached because of Oswald. 'Oswald abandoned me. He tossed me aside as if I was just a toy he had grown tired of. Did our love really mean nothing to him? Did he never truly love me?'
Before he had dated Oswald and before he had become friends with Stephen and Gray, he had been alone but he had never been bullied. He was just ignored by everyone and although it was a little lonely, it was better than drawing attention and becoming a target.
'Is this how Stephen and Gray felt when I started hanging out with Oswald and his gang instead of with them?' He remembered how even though he already had plans with to hang out with Gray and Stephen, he had immediately tossed those plans away when Oswald offered to let him hang out with his gang instead. Instead of playing video games with Gray and Stephen, he chose to go to Gamma with Oswald and his gang to hang out with some girls. 'No, I shouldn't be thinking about those two losers! I don't need them! They're just losers and nothing at all! That's why I left them for Oswald...'
But now, he was back to being all alone. He was suffering a heartbreak after being dumped by Oswald, but he had no one to comfort him. He had thrown away the friends who had been the first ones to approach him when he was all alone.
XXX
Oswald wasn't bothered at all when he saw Bryce's empty seat as he entered the classroom. He expected Bryce to show up later, closer to when the bell would ring. He hid his concern behind his poker face when the bell rang and the teacher started to take attendance, but Bryce was nowhere to be found.
"Where the hell is Bryce?" Oswald asked, trying to sound uninterested.
"Probably icing his wounds," Desmond answered. "I heard he got jumped by some guys, including third and second years,"
"Jumped?" Oswald pretend to be a little interested in the story but not concerned for Bryce's safety.
"Yeah, a whole bunch of them gathered and beat him up during lunch," Desmond informed. "Maybe he was even hospitalized,"
'I shouldn't care about what happens to Bryce,' Oswald told himself. 'We're done. We're no longer together. He's nothing to me anymore. I don't care what happens to him,' Despite telling himself that, he was worried.
Oswald tried to ignore Bryce's absence by talking with his group about setting up a meet up with some girls at a bar. It partially worked but Oswald eventually still noticed Bryce's absence. Oswald didn't even really have any interest in going to those bars or hanging with girls right now. No matter what Oswald talked about or did, he kept thinking about Bryce.
Bryce didn't show up to school the next day either. Oswald once again distracted himself and tried to ignore the absence. However, on the third day, Oswald couldn't take it anymore. He headed to Bryce's apartment afterschool.
Oswald forced himself to hide his worry once he saw Bryce's injured state after the latter opened the door. Bryce glared at him. "What do you want?" His voice was so cold.
"Heard you got beaten up by some losers," Oswald mocked, not wanting to show that he still cared. At least he knew that Bryce wasn't hospitalized. "Can't believe you stopped showing up to school for the past three days just because of some beating,"
Bryce slammed the door in his ex-boyfriend's face. Oswald stood there in silence for a few minutes. He couldn't believe that someone, that Bryce had just slammed the door in his face like that! Furious, Oswald started pounding on the door.
Bryce opened the door again. "Why do you care whether I show up to school or not? You said that we're done. Or do you plan on making me your next victim now?"
"Bryce—"
"You won't have to worry about seeing me again," Bryce told him. "I'm going to ask my mom to let me move in with my aunt in the United States," He slammed the door shut again.