The locker room after school hours is always empty, vacant from any living soul. The air is thick and musty creating a dank environment with an eerie silence that hovers over the room like a foggy morning. Shadows, emphasized by the dark gray walls, creep from the corners of the room and stretch out across the floor like crawling hands. One lone high school student stood beside his gym locker with a towel wrapped around his waist and water droplets clinging to his body. Archie Rogers is a theatre enthusiast who always lands the lead role in whatever production his school is performing. Archie had finished taking a shower after a long rehearsal in the humid auditorium and was now changing into clean clothing. The locker room door creaked open slowly, the sound resonating throughout the room and startling Archie. Grabbing the towel around his waist, Archie inched his way to the opening of the stall and peered around the corner. Low murmurs of voices could be faintly heard as footsteps clapped loudly along the white tiled floors. Archie's body began to tremble, shaking like a leaf on a branch in a strong breeze, and he backed up until his back was pressed firmly against the lockers. He sank to the floor bringing his knees to his chest. Typically speaking, Archie is extroverted and laid-back. Many of the students enjoy his company and find him to be the life of the party. No one knows about Archie's hidden personality, the one who is compliant and obeys what anyone says when he is terrified. When the situation arises, Archie is considered a pusillanimous person, a person who would rather flee than fight.
The sound of the footsteps ceased in the next second and Archie stared unmoving at the opening of the locker stall. A large, abnormal shadow loomed across the tiles as it slowly slithered closer to Archie's shivering form. Finally after five agonizing seconds, the figure emerged from behind the lockers and Archie let out a whimper. Half of the intruder's face was lit by the overhead lights a few stalls over and the other half was completely covered in darkness. Despite only being able to see half of his face, Archie knew that it was James Kendall, running back on the varsity football team. Because Archie is in theatre, the two never interacted with each other unless it was James or his friends teasing Archie. He never understood why Tyler Evans insinuated that Archie needed to be punished, but whenever Tyler spoke of Archie there was an odd gleam in his eyes, partial resentment and partial admiration. James wanted to go against the grain, but Tyler had this sense of empowerment about him and it was difficult to not listen to him. James stands at six-foot-one and weighs one-hundred and eighty pounds. His biceps are well-built and as James flexed them, Archie let out another whimper. Archie's shaggy brunette hair fell over his sapphire blue eyes as he shifted his gaze to the tiled-floor. He bit his full bottom lip in an attempt to halt his trembling. James has broad shoulders and his muscular chest shows through his tight, white cotton t-shirt. His jeans were tight and hugged his legs like a child not wanting to leave their parent. James' heavy footsteps echoed in the empty locker room as he neared Archie curled in the corner. Archie's head snapped to the side smacking into the lockers as James' large hand slapped him across the face. A thin line of red dribbled down his lip and chin causing Archie to let out another whimper. A sadistic smirk appeared on James' lips masking the shame as he lifted his hand again and then swung it harder against the side of Archie's face. His head slammed into the lockers and created a gash in his right eyebrow, the blood sliding into his eye. James repeatedly punched Archie until he was curled into a ball on the ground whimpering with blood nearly covering his entire face. There was so much blood that it was nearly impossible to see the freckles that dotted across the bridge of Archie's nose. Smirking with grim satisfaction, James left Archie cowering on the floor in a puddle of blood. The lights reflected off the blood casting a red glow against the lockers.
A swift kick in the ribs brought Archie back to reality. His face was swollen and turning purple from the bruising James had caused. Another kick to the ribs was followed by a loud yelp of pain and a very clear snapping sound that emphasized a broken rib or two. Glancing up through his bloodied hair, Archie's blue eyes locked onto his new attacker, Carson Evans the linebacker for the football team. The smirk on his lips seemed more evil than the one that haunted James' lips and Carson's eyes were darker. Archie questioned why this was happening to him, not understanding why James or Carson would be attacking him. From what he knew, the two boys liked him and actually adored him. So then why would they resort to brutally beating him into a pulp? A strange expression flashed through Carson's eyes and the only thing Archie could gather was resentment. But again, what had Archie done to upset Carson? Carson has a similar build to James and the other football players, except that Carson is an inch taller and ten pounds heavier creating a more fearsome image. Archie cringed as Carson jerked his foot towards his ribs not actually making contact. Carson was teasing Archie instilling fear into his soul, torturing him mentally. Carson began degrading Archie, calling him insulting names referring to his sexuality. With each word, Carson would kick Archie in the legs, stomach, chest, and face harder and harder. Archie's face contorted into an expression of pain as another snap reverberated around the room. Several bones broke from the forces of the kicks in his left arm, right arm, and right knee. By now Archie was gasping for breaths that were very much needed at the moment, his lungs feeling like they were drowning in dark seas and could not surface for air. Carson left Archie bloodied, broken, and bruised on the once pristine tiles.
Archie shook with pain and fear. James and Carson were always the two out of the group who were less harsh. Blake Aarons, the vice captain, has a mean streak and finds enjoyment out of watching others squirm under his stare. No one comprehends why Blake enjoys people's misery, but most people just chalk it up to insecurity. Perhaps Blake is not satisfied with himself and therefore resorts to damaging others and degrading their self-esteem. Not only is Blake semi-unstable, the guy is built like an ox standing at six-foot-five and weighing in at two-hundred and thirty pounds. When Archie barely noticed the familiar scar across Blake's nose he shrank back against the base of the lockers attempting to sink right into them and disappear. He did not know how much more abuse he could be put through before his body gave in to the pain. Archie was yanked upwards to his knees and the towel now hung loosely around his hips hardly covering his lower half. Dark purple and blue spots were visible along every few inches of Archie's tanned skin and a fair amount of scratches littered his arms and legs. Still grasping Archie's hair, Blake threw an uppercut at his chin causing Archie's head to jerk upwards only to be pulled back down harshly by him. The only thing keeping him up at this point was the firm grip Blake had on his bloody hair. More blood spilled from Archie's mouth creating rings in the large puddle he knelt in. Blake threw another uppercut breaking Archie's jaw in the process. Looking down at Archie's near lifeless body, Blake felt remorseful for a split second before the remorse was replaced by anger. He was tired of being pushed around and told what to do. James and Carson may have an easier time taking the abuse, but Blake would not stand for it anymore. He would not allow himself to succumb to Tyler's every beck and call and this was how he was going to take control. All Blake's hatred poured out with each punch, creating multiple fractures in Archie's jaw and collarbone. Blake relentlessly pounded Archie's face each punch gaining power from hate. He let loose of Archie's hair and watched as his body crumbled to the floor in a heap. Archie remained still except for the minuscule movements of his chest from the short, shaky breaths he was able to take. Blake retreated from the frail form and Archie prayed that he would leave and not come back.
Unfortunately Blake came back with a baseball bat from the storage closet about ten feet away. Blood seeped into Archie's now wide eyes as his gaze narrowed onto the three feet of pure wood. Blake lifted Archie to his feet and slammed him into the lockers, his blood smearing across the blue surface turning it purple. Archie was barely able to keep upright, his legs wanting to give out beneath him. Blake reared the bat over his shoulder and swung with all his might, the bat making contact with the middle of Archie's back. Against his will, Archie let out a high-pitched scream that startled Blake causing the bat to fall to the floor as he covered his ears. Archie's scream faded shortly after and was replaced by raspy breaths. Glaring at the mutilated form on the floor, Blake grabbed the wooden bat stained red and swung at Archie's side. He recoiled against the lockers and groaned. Crimson drops of liquid splattered over the lockers like an artist splatters paint on an empty canvas. Blake raised the bat to hit him again when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing over his shoulder, Blake saw the cause of all this mess. He was the reason why James, Carson, and Blake were attacking Archie. None of them had any issues with Archie's sexuality and they actually liked him. Archie could make light of any situation and make anyone smile; anyone except for Tyler Evans, Carson's twin brother.
Tyler is homosexual. Tyler was also reprimanded by his father for being one. He remembered the beatings clearly as if they were merely yesterday. His father did not want a gay child who played football. Tyler suffered from severe beatings that his father handed out. The goal of his father was to beat the gay out of him. Tyler grew up fighting against himself, against what he naturally feels. His entire life has been a lie. Tyler stood two inches taller than Blake and weighs fifteen pounds more. His face is narrower, his eyes are sunken into his skull, and his skin is ghostly pale. Overall Tyler appears more demonic than any other person Archie has ever seen. Blake silently obeyed the unspoken command to leave, shooting an apologetic smile at Archie as he disappeared behind the row of lockers. Archie cringed backwards with each step Tyler made towards him. He bent down next to Archie's shaking body and ran his finger down Archie's jaw line, neck, and down his chest. Archie shivered under the soft touch hating the way his body reacted. Tyler's lips curled into a sadistic grin as he pulled Archie's face towards his own and slammed his lips against Archie's bloody ones. A mixture of a moan and groan escaped from Archie's throat despite his best efforts to stop the sound from leaving. Archie fell to the blood stained floor the instant Tyler released his chin. The towel that had once covered Archie was now thrown halfway across the floor soaked through and through with blood. Tyler smirked at the sight of Archie lying on the floor, blood smeared across his tan skin and small scratches marking up his perfect skin. Tyler was instantly aroused by how broken Archie appeared.
Tyler grabbed the broken boy by his hair and dragged his limp body towards the showers on the other end of the locker room. A long streak of blood was left in the path following Archie like a shadow. Tyler lifted Archie and propped him up on the shower wall. He then proceeded to strip off his own clothing discarding them just outside the shower. He turned the water on and Archie belted out a loud screech as the hot water burned his cuts. He began thrashing at the searing pain feeling as if he jumped into the middle of an active volcano. Tyler pressed his palms on Archie's shoulders holding the young boy in place. Steam rolled up the walls and dispersed over the top of the stall as blood swirled down the drain. Archie glanced up at Tyler, his hair matted down and soaking wet, small water droplets clinging to his eyelashes like frozen shards of ice, and his eyes pleading for him to stop. Tyler merely smirked menacingly at the shaking boy and ran his finger seductively down his neck and chest. Archie shivered in response again and bit his lower lip. Tyler placed his chapped lips against Archie's smooth skin over his collarbone and then placed butterfly kisses down his torso and stomach. Tyler was going to take what he wanted and no one was going to stop him. His father deprived him of what he always wanted and now he was going to take it by force. Tyler conned his friends and brother into weakening Archie because he could not deal with knowing he was causing Archie, his object of affection harm. By weakening Archie, Tyler could easily take what he wanted and no one would know anything because Archie would be too scared to say anything to anyone. People would question what happened, but he would say he got jumped on his way home. A low guttural sound came from Tyler as his body released all the sexual tension that had built up from watching Archie flaunt his sexuality for the past three years. Tyler stepped out of the shower and dried off replacing his clothing. The water ran cold as Archie, body tinged red, slid down the wall to the floor wrapping his arms around his body. Smirking with gratification Tyler exited the locker room leaving Archie shattered in pieces knowing that he was his and no one could take him away.