Mark’s chest heaves as broken sobs escaped his lips.  His head was throbbing and his heart pounding as tears streamed down his face.  He couldn’t put up with this bull for much longer.  It was sick.  The only comforting thing to him in his immediate area was the cold locker room tile against his cheek.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.  Mark pressed his palms to the tile, pushing himself up and hooking his backpack over his shoulder.  He pressed the back of his hand to his flushed cheek, then to his eyes to wipe the moistness from his face.

Suddenly, and without warning, the locker room door swung open.  Mark lost his balance from shock, sliding into the lockers, his head banging on the metal door behind him.  He collapsed on the floor, covering his head with his arms, more tears swelling in his eyes.

There was a sound of books hitting the ground, and there was a body next to him.  First touches on his back and shoulders, then he was embraced.

“Mark, Mark, Mark.” his name was whispered by the person around him. Jackson.   He couldn’t have thought of a better timed entrance for his boyfriend.  Jackson squeezed Mark tighter and pressed kisses to any exposed part of Mark’s body.

Jackson pulled away, Mark’s face in his hands. He analyzed his boyfriends busted lip and bruised cheek bone; eyebrows knit in worry.

“W-who did this?” Jackson’s words were choked in the back of his throat, his fingers grazing the other boy’s red cheeks.

Mark only pressed himself closer to Jackson, his body shaking.  Jackson landed his lips on the top of Mark’s head.  Mark did his best to steady his breathing.

“I’m okay.” he hiccuped, his voice small.

“N-no, this is my fault.  I could have been there.  I-I could have stopped them.”

Mark shook his head, his vision going blurry. “I don’t want them to hurt you.”

Jackson worried his bottom lip between his teeth and Mark’s hair carefully, caressing the side of his face.

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Mark begged, “Please.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you.” Jackson began, kissing both of Mark’s cheeks and then his lips, desperate for Mark to confess that he couldn’t do this alone.  Jackson closed his eyes, tears threatening to fall, “I just don’t want you to go through this anymore.”

Mark only nodded, acknowledging what Jackson was saying, but not entirely understanding.