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hated rumors and rumors spread like a wildfire.

Somehow, the day Maddox and Evelyn were trapped in school, managed to stay a secret for about three weeks. And then it blew up.

The secret was fun while it lasted.

Walking through the halls as people stared her down was sort of new. She'd been through the process of stares, but it was usually a few here and there.

Right now, she had all two eyes of each student in the hallway. Whispers flooded her ears, nasty words had her subtly cringing. Picking up her pace, she tried to leave as fast as she could. The longer she stayed, the more likely she was to be hurt one way or another.

Her father loved to hurt her in the places she was already hurting. If she came home with a bruise on her hip, her father would somehow find out and probably hit her in that exact place.

Thinking of that kind of situation arising later in the day had her running into the janitor's closet.

She didn't mind skipping lunch. She'd done it before, she'd anyways been deprived of food often so going hungry was not a new feeling to her.

Relief flooded her veins as the door blocked the view of everyone walking down to lunch, gossiping about her. Sympathizing with Maddox.

Slipping down to the floor, she rested her back against the shelf behind her. Sniffling, she attempted to calm herself. The anxiety and panic filled her lungs, her breaths stopped short. Her hands started to shake slightly. Squeezing her eyes shut, a whimper slipped past her lips. Opening her eyes, tears blurred her vision.

Blinking, a tear finally escaped. And many more came after.

"Stop," she whispered to herself.

If she continued on, it would be harder to mask the redness of her eyes and the puffiness surrounding them. Everyone would know what they had done. That they had made her cry. They would all celebrate.

As she wiped the tears that continued downwards, she heard footsteps. Coming closer and closer until they eventually stopped right outside the closet.

Holding her breath, she tried to muffle her whimpers so as to not give her hiding spot away.

A knock came down on the door.

"Evelyn."

The voice was soft spoken and hesitant. Biting her lip, she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Maddox?"

Her voice came out faint and almost nonexistent, but just enough for him to hear.

"Can I come in?" he gently questioned.

She stayed silent.

She wasn't sure if he could come in. Why was he here? She'd heard all the harsh whispers. He didn't need to be around her. She was an embarrassment enough. But for some reason, she didn't think of him or his reputation.

She thought of herself. And how she just needed a shoulder to cry on.

"Yes."

Watching as the handle turned and light engulfed the room, she squinted. Entering the tiny space, Maddox closed the door before pulling on the little chain to turn on the old dim lighted bulb.

Looking up at him, they made eye contact. A frown adorned his face and she didn't know why, but she had a suspicion.

His association with her was really killing his social image. He'd said it before, and he was certainly telling the truth. She pushed that encounter to the back of her mind, but right now, it was haunting every corner. It echoed so loudly, she winced.

She downcast her eyes before looking back up at him. The frown faded as a tired sigh left him. Kneeling down in front of her, he gently wiped the tears that bled against her skin.

"Why are you crying?" he murmured.

Shaking her head, she moved her head away from his hands. "Nothing."

Grabbing her chin, he forced her to look back at him. "I call bullshit."

As they stared at each other, his eyes dared her to brush his question off again.

"They know," she whispered.

"What do they know?"

"You being trapped in school with me that day."

Frowning, his eyes held a look of genuine confusion, "And why is that so bad?"

"I know you've heard everything they said," she said, "How tragic it is that you were stuck with me for 3 hours. How being around me for even 10 minutes is bad enough and it's shocking how you managed to survive. Would you like to hear more examples?"

Sighing, he maneuvered himself to sit beside her, his back resting against the shelf. Reaching around her waist and under her knees, he picked her up before settling her between his legs. Taking the rubber band out of her hair, he let her loose ponytail out.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled. The heat crept up her neck, flushing her cheeks red with blood.

Never had she been in such a compromising position with a boy.

Well a boy she was comfortable around.

"You look like you need to relax. Stop tensing yourself," he lightly chuckled.

Pushing against her back muscles, he gently massaged her shoulders. Losing herself in the pleasure, she relaxed and her head lulled into the crevice of his neck and shoulder.

"Yeah, I know they know. That doesn't really mean I care. Didn't I say we were friends? You crying is more important than them knowing. Just stop crying," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice, "I don't know what to do with a blubbering mess."

A laugh escaped her state of tears. Wiping her eyes and cheeks again, she took a deep breath attempting to relax her muscles and the migraine that pounded the left side of her head.

"I think you're doing just fine," she whispered cracking a smile.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he rested his chin atop her head.

"You need to stop letting their words take over."

She shook her head in disagreement. "Their words have guided me most of my life."

Brushing a hair away from her face, he spoke once again. "That's my point," he mumbled into her ear sending a shiver down her spine. "Letting them control you is causing you to not grow a backbone. Causing you to hurt so easily. Toughen up and show them you're worth a battle."

"I have a backbone," she shakily spoke. She was strong. What the hell was he talking about? "Who are you to say I don't have a backbone?"

"Someone who's been watching from the sidelines for way too long," he snorted.

"I've endured it for this long haven't I," she snapped back. Uncrossing his arms from around her, she scooted away from him.

"Yet you go by everything they say," he said raising an eyebrow. The smug look on his face told her everything. How right he believed he was.

"That's because I've been taught to listen and act. My parents taught me to regard all their comments."

Sitting up straighter, the look of annoyance became more prominent on his face. "Oh right. The parents who've disregarded you for most of their lives? Those ones am I right? You've been silently following along and you never questioned a thing."

Her bottom lip started to quiver. She hated how right he was.

"Don't say that about me," she weakly shouted, "You know nothing." Standing up, she dusted off her uniform. "I do have a backbone. I just haven't been put in a situation where I really need it."

Turning around, she opened the closet door and stepped out. For extra effect, she slammed the door shut.

That'll show him.

She was mad.

Walking down the halls, she heard her stomach grumble and internally groaned. She needed some food eventually.

"Hungry aren't you?" a voice spoke out from behind her.

Turning around, her back stiffened as she made eye contact with Brent. Swallowing, she felt her heart race.

"N-no I'm fine," she stuttered.

Dauntingly walking towards her, his teasing steps caused a chill to freeze her in her place. It was better if she stayed in the closet, it was safe. Maddox wouldn't hurt her.

Brent on the other hand, was capable of more than just platonic abuse.

Just as Brent backed her up against the lockers, another voice interrupted their little conversation.

Turning her head to the side, she managed to make out a figure casually walking down the hallway.

If Maddox could hurry up that would be great. He's acting like he's on a stroll in the park.

Letting go of her neck, Brent stepped back to greet Maddox.

Are they friends? The relief that had entered Evelyn soon left as the thought crossed her mind.

"Maddox," he nodded. "How are you man?" he asked with an easy smile.

Staring at him, Maddox blinked with a blank look on his face.

"No," he muttered before taking Evelyn's hand and dragging her away leaving a confused Brent in their wake.

She herself was confused.

"Huh?" she voiced out.

"He's annoying," Maddox grumbled, "I mean if he hasn't gotten the message that I'm not interested then he's plain stupid."

"In a relationship?"

Whipping his head around to look at her, Maddox shrugged. "No. But if I swung that way, then definitely not him," he said scrunching his nose.

Continuing to walk quietly beside each other, Evelyn wondered who would talk first.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Sev—

"So you have a backbone," Maddox awkwardly said. His voice held a tone that wasn't going to budge, he knew what he was saying.

Nodding her head, she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I was a little aggressive," she winced thinking back to her aggravated nature in the closet.

"Well at least you have a backbone," he said with a shrug.

Maddox sat on the stairs, giving her time to catch up before she herself collapsed onto them as well. "You're always so tired."

Disregarding his comment, her fingers brushed against the tender skin on her neck. "Are there bruises," she quietly asked him. Jutting her chin out and up, she allowed him to get a better view.

Feeling his fingers skim her skin, her breath stopped short. It tickled.

"Yeah," he murmured. "He had a solid grip on you."

Bringing her head back down, she dully nodded attempting to get rid of the bruises. Her soft strokes against her skin turned into her furiously rubbing at the bruises, as if they would fade off just like that.

A strangled cry caught in her mouth and it soon escaped as she rubbed harder.

Just make it go away.

"Hey hey hey," Maddox started, "Stop. Evelyn stop."

Prying her hands away from her neck, he tried to calm her down.

A sob left her mouth as she let her head rest against her knees. "It won't go away," she cried softly.

Rubbing the back of her hands with him thumbs, he slowly soothed her stiff body.

"It's fine," he comforted her.

"No it isn't," she said looking up at him teary-eyed, "I don't like when their marks are on me. They remind me too much."

"Hey. Look at me. Hey," he tilted her chin up towards him. "You do have a backbone. Forget what I said. Those bruises, those marks, they are your battle scars. Wear them proudly."

Staring at him, she felt a surge of calmness go through her veins. He was right. They were just a sign of bravery, her resilience, her patience.

Her battle scars.

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