Truth be told, if not for Ethan's wonderous smile, if not for his open heart, if not for his gentle ways, Benny may not be there, in that room. He felt so hated. No one would play with him, no one would talk to him, unless they were insulting him, and he would recieve hurtful notes everyday, at the tender age of five. He was hated, oh, so hated. He two razors in his drawer, that he had taken from his dad's room, and belt under his bed, just in case, one day, he couldn't take it anymore. He had been considering using it, as he neared his sixth birthday. The razors were utilized everyday. The eating disorder hidden. His long-sleeved, loose-fitting shirts hid everything, and his longer hair, hid the sadness in his eyes. Every night he bled and threw up, feeling as though he had some relief. But he just lost a pint of blood, and he weighed 36 pounds, and he was unhealthy, and very sad.
He almost hit the wall, the breaking point. Then, a new kid showed up in class. He was a few inches taller than Benny, probably weighing more, too. Everyone did, even the girls. He had messy brown hair, and a Wolverine shirt on, a Star Trek backpack, and Spiderman shoes. This kid was a geek, an outsider. No one talked to him or said hello. He was just the normal height, weight, personality you saw in a classroom, all except for his love for superheroes. Except for his nerdy references, all of which Benny understood. He almost talked to him a few times, but backed out, fearing rejection, as he got it from everyone except his father and his grandma, who was busy in her kitchen, making odd recipes and knitting. His dad spent his time with his girlfriends, who he would be happy to stay with for even a week. His mother had divorced from him months after Benny was born. He didn't remember her. They didn't ignore him, but they didn't have time for him, either.
One day, as he watched the new kid, Ethan, eat his lunch, he got jealous. He had a mother, who cared enough to make his lunch, and buy clothes that actually fit. He was a loved boy. No one in school talked to him, but oh, when he went home...He must have gotten attention from his loving parents and possible siblings. Ethan saw him looking, and got up to sit next to him. Benny was shy, and wasn't about to start a conversation.
"Hey, you're Benny, right? You don't seem to talk much in class. I just moved to Whitechapel. I haven't been making many friends. Or rather, zero. Except for this Rory kid who keeps following. He's annoying, but he likes comic books. Do you like comic books?" Benny nodded. He was a bit on edge, wondering if he was being pranked. No one every talked to him.
"Who's your favorite superhero?" Benny looked over at the popular kids, who were minding their own business, laughing. He decided it was real.
"Batman."
"Mine, too! You seem nice, but kind of shy. I think we could be friends. Would you like to...maybe come over later?"
"Sure." Inside, Benny was exploding with happiness. That someone would invite him over, talk to him, without insulting him, was a miracle. When he went over, he learned that Ethan's parents were expecting a little girl, whom they were going to name Jane, that Ethan's room was a breeding ground for geeks and Trekkies, and that Ethan was a really nice guy. He started hanging out with Ethan, and through him, Rory. Everything seemed to change. He threw away the razors, and the belt, and the cuts healed over. He didn't have any scars. Nothing to remember the cuts by. They bled fresh, and dissapeard. He tried hard, and eventually, he was able to eat again. He was digesting food like a normal person, and from the gain of nutrients, it seemed, he grew taller, and gained weight, while still retaining his adorable, skinny shape. He grew up with Ethan all through middle school. He was still friends with him in high school, going to Algebra, where they were sitting right now. He thought of what Ethan might say if he knew of his old sadness, of his cutting and Anorexia. But that didn't matter now. There was only happiness, and the usual vampire. He was happy with Ethan, his best friend. His lifesaver.