Virgil POV

I followed Roman outside.  He sat down on a bench under one of the trees.  I followed slowly, starting to get super anxious.  I wasn't sure how angry or upset Roman was with what had happened. 

I sat down next to him.  I was trying to keep myself from shaking.  Roman sighed deeply, before putting his head in his hands. 

"I'm so sorry Virgil.  I made everything worse by trying to help you."  He said emotionally.  "I didn't mean for people to accuse you of that." 

I didn't say anything for a few seconds, unsure of how to respond. I was shocked he wasn't angry with me. Instead he was apologizing, for something he didn't do.

"It's okay."  I told him quietly.  "I actually made a few friends because of it."  Roman looked up at me in surprise.

"Really?"  He asked, sounding hopeful. 

"Yeah."  I said with a laugh.  "Patton, Emile, and Remy."

"That's good."  Roman said slowly. 

"You jealous Princey?"  I asked with a smirk. 

"Never!"  Scoffed Roman.  We looked at each for a while before bursting out laughing. 

"Anyways..."  I said when we returned to silence.  "Don't think I'll stick with them though." 

"What?  Why?" 

"Too much commitment, too much stress."  I mumbled.  "Always been a loner, it's weird getting thrown into a friends group...especially after what happened this morning."

"I'm so sorry about this morning."  Roman told me again.  "I didn't think people would do something like this just because I got in a fight with Jackson over you." 

"You did what?"  I hissed, my anxiety starting to rise again. 

"Sorry, shouldn't have brought that up."  Roman said apologetically. 

"Is that why you have a bruise on your chin?"  I asked.  Roman nodded, running his fingers over the bruise. 

"Jackson was making fun of you and I yelled at him for it.  We were at a party and drunk and things escalated."  Roman explained.  "I can only assume that Jackson was the one who spray painted our lockers because he accused me of being gay for you." 

At that, we both blushed heavily.  My heart seemed to jump when he said that and I felt my breathing becoming shallower as my anxiety got worse. 

"Sorry...that was..."  Roman said awkwardly, trying to apologize. 

"It's fine Princey."  I sighed.

"Can we still be friends?" Asked Roman. He gave me a hopeful look.

"Maybe." I told him. "But wouldn't that just prove what they wrote on our lockers."

Roman looked down at the ground. Obviously he hadn't thought of that.

"Don't you have a girlfriend too?" I asked.

"No, Chloe broke up with me this morning." Roman informed me. "She didn't want to be with me in case I was gay." 

"Oh sorry." I said quickly.

"I don't mind. Didn't really like her anyways." Roman told me. "Never felt right. Than again it never feels right with any girl I date."

"Oh?"  I asked.  Roman isn't gay is he?  That would be amazing-NO!  I'm not falling for him. 

"I know this is kinda straightforward consider we just became friends,"  Started Roman.  "But I do think I might be gay." 

I blushed heavily and looked over at him.  Roman was looking at the ground, his face bright red. 

"It's okay if you are."  I told him gently.  "You don't have to be afraid of being gay." 

"Are you sure?"  Asked Roman. 

"Yeah, your at the top of the school."  I said.  "You kinda run everything here.  I don't think anyone would do anything to you as long as you do something about Jackson." 

Roman let out a long sigh and leaned back against the bench. 

"I don't know what to do about Jackson."  Said Roman with another sigh.  "Kinda just wish I wasn't popular.  Too much drama." 

"Than don't."  I said.  "Drop out of that group and come be an outcast with me."  Roman gently shoved me while laughing. 

"Might just hold you to it."  Roman told me.  Faintly, I heard the sound of a camera taking a photo.

"What's going on out here?"  Laughed a voice.  I could practically hear the smirk on the person's face.  I jumped slightly, turning with Roman to see Jackson and some of Roman's other friends. 

"What do you want Jackson?"  Asked Roman while standing up. 

"Just proving to everyone that you two are freaks."  Said Jackson.  He held his phone up, showing a photo of Roman and I sitting and laughing together. 

"Delete that photo."  Hissed Roman, stalking over towards Jackson. 

"I think I'd rather post it everywhere with the caption 'here's your proof of these two being gay freaks'."  Said Jackson with a laugh. 

"There is nothing wrong with me being friends with Virgil."  Said Roman.  "The only problem here is you." 

"How?"  Asked Jackson.  "I'm the normal one."

"No, your just the insecure douche bag who takes his anger out on those who can't defend themselves." Growled Roman. Jackson faltered for a second, his smirk disappearing.

"That's it," Jackson hissed, anger spreading across his face. "Grab him."

Instantly two people grabbed my arms, pulling me backwards. I let out a scream in fear and shock.

I struggled as one pulled me into a headlock the other was trying to hold down my arms and legs. I could see Roman struggling to get to me, but Jackson was holding him back.

"Let go of him!" Roman yelled, pushing Jackson off of him. Jackson grabbed one of Roman's legs, causing Roman to fall face forward onto the ground.

One of Jackson's friends came over and kept Roman on the ground, making sure he couldn't get up.

Jackson walked over towards me. I struggled, trying to get out of his friends grip. They moved back to just tightly gripping my arms.

I looked at Jackson in fear, feeling tears in my eyes. Jackson just smirked and sucker punched me in the stomach.

I let out a whimper in pain and doubled over, but his friends kept me standing up. Jackson grabbed my hair and made me look up at him.

"Your even uglier up close." Said Jackson with a laugh. "I don't understand what Roman see's in you freak."

He yanked my hair up quickly, causing me to whimper in pain. He grabbed something out of his pocket. He held a pocket knife up to me and he opened it.

I flinched heavily as he pointed the blade at me. I was all too familiar with the feeling of having a blade run over my skin. More specifically my wrists and thighs.

"Don't! Jackson stop!" Roman yelled, struggling against whoever was keeping him on the ground.

"Are you sure about this man?" Asked one of the guys holding my arms. "This seems a little too far."

"Shut up or you'll be the next one I cut." Growled Jackson, pointing the knife at the one who talked.

Jackson pushed the blade against my cheek. I was paralyzed in fear. The cold feeling of the metal against my skin was terrifying.

"I wonder if the emo freak self harms." Jackson wondered aloud. I started panicking even more. I struggled, trying to pull my arms out of their grip. Jackson laughed and grabbed at one of my arms.

I struggled, screaming in my mind for him to stop. He pulled down the sleeve to reveal nothing.  Jackson sighed in disappointment.  All that was there was a black hair tie. 

I could feel tears threatening to spill from my eyes. I was shaking horribly, both in fear and relief.  I was glad all the cuts had faded, but it'd be bad if any of these guys knew what the hair tie was for. 

"Drop him." Jackson whispered silently, putting his knife away. I let out a shaky breath in relief, but the worst was yet to come.

The two people dropped me, causing me to hit the ground hard. Instantly, Jackson's foot connected with my stomach.

I let out a scream of pain and curled in on myself. Jackson kept kicking me. I screamed at every kick as pain shot through my body. I curled up, just trying to control my breathing so I didn't have a panic attack.

Than suddenly, the kicking stopped. I looked up to see Roman wrapping his arms around Jackson's neck and pulling him off me.

He threw Jackson to the ground and ran over to me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me upwards.

And we ran.