Renga Fluff But I Hit You In The Head With The Skateboard Of Angst

13: one more month

Reki went home from Joe and Cherry's later that day, immediately after a call from his mom. The school had contacted her at his absence.

When he got home, both his parents were waiting for him.

He received a harsh beating. His mom held him against the wall while his dad punched him everywhere but his face.

Turns out, they had also been called by the school about Reki's bruises and other injuries. They completely avoided his face.

Reki couldn't walk after they were finished.

He limped to his bedroom, holding his breath the whole time. He shut himself inside his room, leaning against the door weakly and staring at the view. His bed was torn apart. His sheets were dirty.

He cringed, trying not to think of what happened two mornings ago in his own bed.

He looked over to his now locked window, double checking the lock. He felt incredibly faint. He hadn't talked to Langa all day.

He looked down at his phone, still leaning against his door, refusing to sit on his bed.

He had several texts from Langa. He felt a swell of guilt. He felt miserable.

He sent a text to Langa.

"Sorry for being distant. There's been a lot going on, I'll try to be answering more consistently soon. <333"

He didn't know why he felt the need to type the hearts, but it felt right.

He felt another buzz in his pocket as he limped over to his bed and began to pull off all the covers and sheets.

He went to the laundry room and started a load with his sheets. He then curled up on his mattress and fell asleep. He woke up to a nightmare. He pulled himself out of bed, his stomach churning.

Hitting from his father. The pulsing from the boy. No consent.

He hobbled to the bathroom and stood over the sink, trying to regain himself. He was taking deep, gasping breaths, unable to catch a break as he hyperventilated.

He gave it his everything to not start sobbing, but it wasn't enough. He was crying so hard he couldn't get a breath in. His body was shaking violently. He slid down against the wall, finding his hands on his head, grabbing over his ears into his hair. Gripping for something stable, something he couldn't find.

In a moment of clarity during a time of only uncertainty, he knew what he needed to do.

He pulled himself up, out of his bathroom and went to his desk drawer. He pulled it all the way open, letting everything inside jerk forward as the drawer suddenly stopped.

He grabbed the box cutter, pulled up his sleeve, and pressed it deep into his arm.

His whole focus went to the searing pain. For the first time in a couple minutes, he took a slow, deep breath.

Slow in, slow out.

It was like his arm was a seperate being than the rest of his body. Moving independently as it drew more bloody lines on his opposite arm. He did nothing to stop it, he simply let it happen.

He moved the operation to the bathroom and let the blood drip onto the tile.

He took another deep, controlled breath. He was feeling a little better. He put the blade down, suddenly fully aware of what he'd just done to himself.

"Oh holy shit." Reki said. It was the worst he'd ever done. His arm felt reconnected to his body.

He swallowed harshly as he dug for gauze and bandages.