A Good Start to a Bad Day
by David Heulfryn

 

Eddie was excited as he waited for Max on the street corner. Max could tell as Eddie moved about, his hands twitching and turning by his sides.

“Hey, Max!” Eddie called out the moment he saw his friend. He waved at Max and started to run over to him.

Max smiled at Eddie. He saw the glint in his eyes; his excitement was infectious. “Hey, Eddie. What’s got you all worked up?”

“Mum says she was so proud of me yesterday. She expected me to have a meltdown, but I said it was all because of you.” Eddie surprised Max by jumping on his and hugging him tightly.

“Well, thanks.”

“I spent about two hours talking about you when I got home. You are really my best friend in the whole wide world.” Eddie kissed Max on the lips and then blushed as he looked away.

“Thanks,” Max didn’t know what else to say.

“Let’s get to school.” Eddie held Max’s hand as they walked.

“You know I have a boyfriend.” Max tried to say as casually as possible.

Eddie burst out laughing.

“What?” Max frowned.

“I know.” Eddie kept laughing. “Did you think I was coming on to you?”

Max looked sheepish, “You did kiss me on the lips.”

“You are such a pillock. You’re my best friend. I don’t want to be your boyfriend.” Eddie giggled.

“Sorry, I misunderstood,” Max said, and they stopped walking.

Eddie turned to Max, “It’s not you that I fancy. It’s your brother.” Eddie smiled, “Well, give your best friend a kiss.”

Max leant forward and kissed Eddie on the cheek.

“I’m your best friend, not your Mum.” Eddie laughed, “Kiss me properly.”

This time Max kissed Eddie on the lips.

“That’s better.” Eddie took Max’s hand again and dragged him along as they walked to school.

Max was confused. What the hell was going off? Eddie had found some extra self-confidence. It appeared that being forced to wank together in front of a nurse, and Neil’s mother had boosted his confidence.

“Does Finn know that you fancy him?” Max asked.

“I don’t think so. I think he has his eyes on someone else. I wish it were me.” Eddie pouted. “He’s so cute.”

“So you wouldn’t be upset if he didn’t want to be your boyfriend?”

“No. I’d rather Finn be my friend and my Coach again. When is he coming back?” Eddie seemed to get upset.

“If all goes well, he’ll be home at the weekend.”

That cheered Eddie up. “I told Mum how much I enjoyed masturbating with you. I’d only ever done it alone before, but it’s much more fun to do it with someone else.”

Max blushed, “What did your Mum say.”

“She said I could do it again if I wanted to, and only if you agree.” Eddie paused, “You will agree, won’t you? I really want to do it again.”

“We’ll see.” Max tried to deflect the question.

“Come on, Max. You’re my best friend, and friends do things together. I want to do this together.”

“Come on, Eddie. Let’s just get to school. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Goody!” Eddie seemed to think Max had agreed to wank with him again.

Eddie walked with Max like a toddler holding his mother’s hand, swinging their arms as they walked. Max kept looking at Eddie and saw his broad smile. He didn’t want to ruin Eddie’s newfound self-confidence. He reasoned that, if necessary, he would wank with Eddie again, just to keep him happy. After all, that’s what a friend would do. Max smiled as he thought about Eddie’s naïve innocence.

Any joy and happiness were quickly wiped from their faces as they saw Neil and his goons. They glared at Max and Eddie and strode towards them as they approached the school gates.

“You pair of fucking perverts. How fucking dare you.” Neil pushed Max, who staggered backwards. Eddie released his hand and stood still as the goons stood on either side of him. He looked at the pavement. “My Mum told me what you did. You stood in front of her, staring at her while you wanked. And you,” Neil turned to Eddie, “you nearly fucking came over her. You’re a pair of fucking perverts.”

Max wouldn’t be spoken to like that, “Your Mum is a fucking bitch. She looked at me like I was a piece of shit. She treated Eddie like he was retarded. She’s a stuck-up bitch.”

Neil pushed Max again. He staggered into the road, causing a car to swerve and blast him with his horn. “Don’t you fucking talk about her like that. She knows you got me punished. She hates you as much as I do. You may look all sweet and innocent, but we know what an evil prick you are.”

“Pack it in, Neil.” Max stepped back on the pavement. “I’ve done nothing to you. You got punished because you treated me like shit. It was your fucking fault, so just piss off and get your goons to suck you off.”

Neil stepped forward so he was nose to nose with Max. “I’m fucking straight, you queer bastard.”

Max smiled, “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

This caused Eddie to laugh, and Neil saw red. He stood back, and before Max could react, he felt a fist connect with his cheek. Max staggard back, but Neil lept on him, throwing more punches. Max heard Eddie squeal in terror but didn’t see him run off.

The goons grabbed Neil, trying to pull him off Max, but the punches to his face and body kept coming. Max couldn’t fight back even if he wanted to. Neil was sitting on him and preventing him from lifting his arms.

Neil was dragged off Max by some boys who saw the unfair fight. Neil was panting and loomed over Max. He sneered in pleasure at Max’s bloody face.

Max felt his ribs ache and his entire head throb in pain. He looked around and couldn’t see Eddie. Max was concerned about him. He didn’t think about himself, his bloody nose, the ache in his chest, and ran into school, leaving Neil and his goons. Max ran to their tree and found Eddie sitting, hugging his knees, crying. Max sat next to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Eddie looked up and saw the blood on Max’s face and wailed.

“It’s alright, Eddie.”

“I didn’t help. I ran. I hate myself.” Eddie wailed.

“You couldn’t have done anything, Eddie. They would have beat you up, too. I don’t blame you. I don’t hate you. You are still my best friend.”

Max spent time consoling Eddie and ignored the commotion around them.

Mr Johnson rushed over to Max when he eventually found him. He crouched down and looked at the blood drying on his face and lips. “I need to get you to the school nurse,” he grabbed Max’s arm and tried to pull him to his feet, but Max winced in pain, clutching his chest.

“Max! What’s wrong?” Eddie cried and saw the blood on his friend’s face.

“Help me up, Eddie.” Max clutched Eddie’s shoulder and tried to stand. Eddie helped him to his feet.

Max clutched his ribs and tried not to let the pain make him cry. The initial burst of adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain grew.

“Will you help me, Eddie?”

Eddie helped Max to see the school nurse, followed by Mr Johnson. He left the boys in the nurse’s care and went to see the headmaster. Eddie helped Max out of his blazer and untied his tie. Max would wince when his ribs were knocked, but now he felt free to let some tears streak his cheeks and dilute the dried blood. Eddie unbuttoned Max’s shirt. Eddie felt sad when he saw the blue-black bruises growing on his abdomen.

“They look painful,” Eddie said as he tried to pull off Max’s shirt and stopped when Max winced.

“I’m fine,” Max said, letting Eddie remove his shirt.

“May I check the patient now, Mr Mason?” The nurse said, and Eddie stepped aside. Despite the blood on his face, his ribs concerned her. She warned Max that it might hurt as she examined him. Her diagnosis was a couple of broken ribs, but she wanted a doctor to take a look to make sure it was nothing more serious. While she waited for one of the Cockaigne Pharma doctors to arrive, she cleaned up Max’s face and wiped clean the drying blood.

With the blood gone, Eddie could see the cut above Max’s left eye and the split in his bottom lip.

“You’re lucky you don’t have a broken nose.” The nurse said, “But I expect the bruising around your eyes to come in the next few hours.” She held Max’s chin so he looked her in the eye, “Promise me, Max, that if you get blurred vision, you will see a doctor immediately.”

Max nodded.

“I had hoped never to see you two boys in front of me ever again after what happened earlier this term.” The headmaster looked at Max and Neil, who stood in front of his desk.

Max had been seen by a visiting doctor and was told to take painkillers for the pain and not to twist, lift or put any stress on his ribs. The doctor confirmed he had two fractured ribs and would suffer bruising to his face and abdomen. Max couldn’t put his bloodstained white school shirt back on, so he stood in front of the headmaster barechested with his blazer draped over his shoulders.

“Mr Wilson has given me his version of events, and I don’t intend to waste any more time over this. It has been taken out of my hands.” There was a knock on the door, and Mr Price told the visitor to enter.

Senior Officer Nathan Morehead entered the headmaster’s office.

“Officer Morehead is here to ensure you two boys are never in front of me again.”

Max began to shiver. He knew it wasn’t because he was cold. He was afraid of what would happen to him. Being caught fighting twice in a term might mean he would be expelled. But with a senior security officer present, he might get harsher punishment than being caned in front of the school.

“Neil has told me what happened,” Mr Price explained, “He has signed a witness statement, and his two friends have corroborated his version of events. It seems that you were the instigator, Max. And you started this altercation. I have plenty of witness statements suggesting the same, and although Neil may have acted in self-defence, it seems he may have only been overzealous in repelling your attack.”

Neil grinned.

Max was crestfallen. His life was over. Neil had beaten the crap out of him, and he was at fault. He felt like breaking down but refused to let his feelings overwhelm him, at least while Neil was with him.

“Max,” Mr Price smiled at him. Max was confused. It wasn’t a smile telling him he was in big trouble. It was a smile telling him that he was up to something. “After reviewing all the evidence, I had no option but to involve security. You see, the incident happened outside the school premises, so I cannot use my authority to deal with the matter and punish those involved. So you see, Max. I had to ask Officer Morehead to join us today.” There was that smile again. Max was confused, but Neil looked cocky. “I have given all CCTV coverage of the incident to Officer Nathan. It clearly shows the aggressor, and Officer Nathan will take Mr Wilson into custody while he makes further enquiries.”

“What!” Neil shouted, “It’s that bastard that caused it.”

Mr Price looked at Neil. “You have gone too far this time, Mr Wilson. Not even your mother can get you out of this .”

“Where is she? She should be in the school watching people wank because of this queer’s brother.”

“I’ve told her to meet you at the Central Security Station. This is no longer a school matter, Neil. This is a police matter.”

“You bastard!” Neil sneered at the headmaster.

“Please remove your uniform, Mr Wilson.” Officer Nathan instructed.

“You’ll fucking regret this, Price.” Neil sneered as he took off his clothes. He’d lived in Cockaigne long enough not to refuse what a security officer told him to do.

“Max, I’ve called your mother and asked her to collect you. You need rest and recuperation. No doubt Officer Nathan will be round to see you at some point to get a statement. But I have been assured you will not be punished, so don’t worry.”

“I’ll get you both for this!” Neil spat as Officer Nathan cuffed his hands behind his back.

“I’ll be in touch, Mr Price. Let you know how we decide to deal with him.”

“Thank you, Officer. I know he’ll be treated fairly.”

Officer Nathan guided Neil out of the office.

“May I speak to Eddie before I leave, Sir?” Max asked.

“You two have become quite close, haven’t you?” The headmaster said.

“We have. I know he’s different, but he’s interestingly different. He trusts implicitly, people think he is naïve, but he isn’t. He’s quite intelligent but rarely gets the chance to prove it. I hate to use the word normal, but he isn’t normal. He sees things from a unique perspective.” Max finally said, “He makes me think.”

“I’ll ask him to come here, and please sit down, Max. You’re not in trouble. I hope you didn’t mind my little game. But I needed to give Neil a lesson.”

Max winced in pain as he sat down, his ribs ached, but the pain distracted him from the throbbing in his face.

“I’m afraid Neil will be in a lot of trouble,” Mr Price explained, “He assaulted you off school premises, so that will mean it is in the hands of a magistrate. Not even his mother can influence our legal system. Neil also forgot about the CCTV cameras we had installed at the gates. They caught everything. They also capture sound, and we could make out what was said.” Max looked worried. He knew he had insulted Neil’s mother. Mr Price saw the concern on his face, “Don’t worry, Max. Nothing you said could get you into trouble. You neither pushed Neil nor punched him, although, looking at the footage, it seems you never got the chance to retaliate or defend yourself. But that’s good.” It didn’t feel good to Max. “The evidence shows you were the victim.”

“What will happen to him?” Max asked.

“That depends on him. He has lied about what happened, and his friends have lied, so they will also be punished. But if Neil pleads guilty, the magistrate will decide on a suitable punishment. That may be birching on the punishment stage, definitely enforced nudity. But the magistrate also has the option to issue a period of Community Servitude, Victim Restitution, and even a stay at the Cockaigne Correctional Centre.”

“What’s Victim Restitution?” Max asked.

“It’s where the victim has to make amends to their victim. It can take many forms and depends on what the victim wants. In your case, you could get Neil to help you dress, carry your bags, clean your room, and do any chores your parents have you do at home, such as mowing the lawn.”

“It sounds like he could be my personal slave. Is that right? I’m not sure I would feel comfortable with that.” Max thought having someone do whatever he wanted would make him feel uncomfortable.

“That’s just one possibility. I have known some young men sent to 3C for lesser offences.”

“3C?” Max asked.

“Cockaigne Correctional Centre, the local prison.”

“I’m not sure he deserves that,” Max said in an almost whisper.

“That’s for the magistrate to decide, but before you ask for clemency, take a look at yourself in a mirror. He beat you quite badly.”

Max drew in a deep breath and winced in pain. There was a knock on the door, and Eddie came in when the headmaster told them to enter. He looked ashamed and wouldn’t look Max in the eyes.

“Come sit down, Eddie.” Eddie sat next to Max.

“I’m so sorry, Max. I’m a bad friend.” Eddie seemed to be on the verge of crying.

Max slowly turned to look at Eddie. He didn’t want to show him that he was in pain. “There was nothing you could have done, Eddie. I don’t blame you. It would have happened if you were there or not.”

“But I didn’t help.” Eddie sniffed away a tear.

“You couldn’t, Eddie. His two goons would have held you back and perhaps beaten you up if you had tried. You don’t deserve that.”

“You didn’t deserve it either.” Eddie kept sniffing away his tears.

“I know.” Max carefully leaned over and placed his hand on Eddie’s knee. “I need to know if you’re okay, Eddie. I worry about you when things like this happen.”

“I’m fine,” Eddie sniffed.

“Look at me, Eddie,” Max said softly and watched Eddie slowly lift his head. Max could now see his friend’s red eyes. “I will heal. It will take time, but there is no permanent damage. My Mum is coming to take me home soon. I won’t be able to rest unless I know you aren’t going to have a meltdown or hide away inside yourself. You have friends Eddie. Talk to Adam and Scott. They are in your class. They will be there for you.” Max looked at Mr Price, who nodded, indicating he would speak to Adam and Scott to look after Eddie.

“Can I see Finn after school?” Eddie asked.

“Of course, you don’t need to ask. You can see Finn whenever you want. But please tell him that I’m fine. I don’t want him to worry.” Max said.

“I will,” Eddie wiped his nose on the sleeve of his blazer, making the headmaster screw up his face.

When Lily arrived, Mr Price took Eddie back to class while Lily talked to Max.

Lily took Max home and put him to bed. She helped Max out of his school trousers and neatly folded them. Max’s bloodied shirt was scrunched up in his school bag. She retrieved it, taking it downstairs to presoak it to ensure the blood didn’t permanently stain his previously crisp white shirt. She took Max a glass of water and some painkillers and placed them by his bed in case he needed them. She looked at her eldest son, lying nearly naked on his bed, wearing only some tight white briefs. She could see the bruises on his chest, mostly around his flanks. But she had to hold back her emotions as she looked at her son’s face. His left eye was swollen and bruised, and his puffy bottom lip was split. Max regularly rubbed his tongue over the forming scab, tasting metal and salt from his blood and sweat.

Lily told Max she should go and see Finn.

Max wasn’t tired; he just ached and lay on his bed. He measured his breathing, working out how deep he could take a breath without causing any pain. He didn’t want to be alone but knew his mother needed to tell Finn before the news reached him. Max wished Finn was with him, he wished his mother was with him, and he wished James was with him. He just wanted somebody. He let some tears escape and roll down his swollen face.

Max didn’t want to wallow in self-pity. He eased himself off his bed and gingerly bent down to get his mobile phone from his school bag. He slumped back onto his bed and turned on his phone. He sent a text message to James. It was simple and short, ‘Ring me when you can’. He put his phone on his bed next to his hip.

Finn knew something was wrong the moment he saw his mother’s face. He didn’t give her an immediate hug. Instead, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lily sat Finn down and told him about Max.

“I need to see him. I can’t stay here wanking. I need to be with Max.” Finn became agitated. He felt useless, stuck in Cockaigne Pharma wanking three times a day just for them to test his semen. It was a waste of his time when his brother needed him. “I’ve got to get out of here!”

Finn was angry. Angry with himself for being away from his family, angry with Neil for what he did and angry with the school for letting it happen.

Once he’d calmed down, Lily hugged Finn and held him tight. They both let out a few tears.

“I’m sorry, Mum.” Finn held her hand across the table. Finn looked at the white space between them. “It’s my fault this is all happening. Sometimes I wish we hadn’t moved here.”

“You don’t mean that, Sweetie.” Lily stroked his hand with her thumbs.

“But this wouldn’t be happening if we didn’t live here. Max wouldn’t have been caned and humiliated in school, and he wouldn’t have been beaten up. I wouldn’t be stuck here with overactive balls.”

“But look what we’ve gained.” Lily squeezed Finn’s hand hard; it almost hurt. He looked at her, “Your Dad and I are closer than ever. You have become a sensitive and confident young man, and Max has also grown in confidence. Both of you have befriended a sweet and vulnerable boy and brought him out of his shell. All four of us were vegetating in our old lives. And it was a joint decision to move here, Finn. It wasn’t all down to you.”

“I know. I just feel so out of it. I want to go home.” For the first time, Finn sounded melancholy.

“You’ll be home in a few days, Finn. I’ll look after Max. That’s my job.” Lily smiled at him. “I’ll be glad to have a chance to look after your brother. When you’re around, I never get the chance. You are always looking after him, and he you. Sometimes I feel neither of you needs me anymore.”

“We need you, Mum.” Finn asserted. “It may not always seem so, but we do. And Dad too.”

The nurse interrupted them. “It’s time for another sample, Finn.”

Finn sighed and stood up, “They make wanking such a chore.”

“Do you want me to stay?” Lily asked.

“No,” Finn went around the table and hugged his mother, “You go home and look after my brother. I’d hate to think what he’d got up to while you’ve been here.” Finn forced a chuckle.

“I will.” Lily kissed Finn on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”

As she turned to leave, Finn called out, “Give Max a kiss from me and tell him I miss him.”

Lilly turned and glanced at Finn, “I will. See you tomorrow, and if Max feels up to it, I’ll bring him with me. He won’t be going to school, at least for the rest of this week.”

“Thanks, Mum. I love you too.”

“You will always be my little boy,” Lily returned to hug Finn goodbye. “Now go have your mid-morning wank.” She chuckled.

Finn was taken through to what he now called the ‘wank room’ and lay on the examination table. He reached for his soft cock and began playing with it. He pulled back his foreskin, exposing his knob and gently gliding a finger of the moist tip. He kept stroking but couldn’t entice his cock to inflate. He tried to think about Adam, naked, and his red pubes and smooth white cock. But his mind kept returning to Max, his broken ribs, and his pain. No matter what or who he thought about, his cock wouldn’t get hard.

“Do you want me to do it?” The nurse was getting frustrated.

“Just leave me alone, and I’ll keep trying.”

“This is the first time I’ve known a fourteen-year-old boy not to get hard.” The nurse muttered.

“Your brother has not just been beaten to a pulp. You try wanking when you’ve just been told a member of your family is hurt.”

She sighed, knowing it would take longer to get the sample she needed. “Alright, just take your time. Your mother says your brother is okay, so you don’t need to worry about him. Just concentrate on what you need to do. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can go.”

“Really!” Finn perked up and looked at the usually indifferent and sometimes hostile nurse, “I can go home after this?”

The nurse laughed mockingly, “No! The sooner you go back to your cell.”

Finn released his limp cock and glared at her. “Take me back now. There is no way I can do it now. And nothing you can do or say can make me hard.” He got off the table and stood facing her, his arms crossed.

The nurse realised she wouldn’t get her sample so she told Finn to go back to his room.

When Lily got home, she found Max still lying on his bed in tight white briefs. He looked forlorn.

“Are you okay, Max?” Lily asked as she stood over him.

“I can’t get comfortable. I’ve tried everything. It hurts if I lie on my side, and I’ve never been able to sleep on my back.”

“Did the painkillers help?”

“A little. But I called James when he was between classes. That helped. He was going to drop everything and come over, but I persuaded him to stay at College. But I really wanted him, Mum.” Max held back a sob.

Lily knelt by his bed and grabbed his hand. She knew it would hurt him. “I know, Max. I know you’d prefer James or Finn to be here, but you’ll have to cope with me looking after you. I wish I could take the pain away, Max. I really do.”

“I know, Mum.”

“I have something for you from Finn.” Lily leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. “He wishes he could be here, but it will only be a few days before they let him go.”

“I know.”

“Do you feel up to coming downstairs? Have a cup of tea, perhaps a biscuit.”

“I’ll try, but I don’t think I could get dressed.”

“There’s no need; just come down as you are. There’s no need to be embarrassed.”

“I’m not. You’ve seen it all many times before.” Max chuckled but winced as he felt a jolt of pain in his ribs. “I can’t even laugh.”

“Then don’t. Just flash me one of your beautiful smiles every now and again.” Lily stroked Max’s cheek, “You really do have the most genuine smile.”

Max blushed.

 

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