Page 49 of Bend Him, Break Him

The hours following Leon’s deranged plan left Isaac dazed. Between the hospital visit, where Isaac spent more time avoiding medical treatment to check on Colton, and the grueling examination of Isaac’s throbbing arm, it was no wonder he hadn’t erupted on the poor medical staff trying to help him.

He had two fractures in his humerus bone, on the upper bicep where Leon’s bat hit particularly hard.

He had another fracture in his forearm but couldn’t recall the name since apparently there were a lot of bones in his arm, and his doctor felt the need to review all of them.

Surprisingly, Isaac only had one break located in whatever the other forearm bone was called.

He could handle the pain, any pain, so long as he knew Colton was okay.

That said, he hated the uncomfortable sling wrapped around his arm and the already itchy cast.

While the hospital visit had been excruciating with the waiting, the testing, the waiting again, the lectures, the explanations, the billing information Isaac wouldn’t be able to follow up on, he was grateful when they discharged him.

Though only after a lengthy review of recovery timelines, physical therapy, and potential surgery.

Isaac didn’t care. He needed to see Colton, who had an even longer wait time.

As if the hospital wasn’t exhausting enough, soon came the questions from the police.

Witness statements. Victim statements. A barrage of questions that felt leading to Isaac, so eventually, he told them to watch the video and leave him alone.

When they badgered him for clarification, when they insisted he needed to cooperate, when they wanted him to go over the timeline of events for a third time, Isaac told them to fuck off.

“Listen, young man, you attacked another person,” the officer said, side-stepping and blocking Isaac’s path in the sterile hospital hallway. “It’s important you cooperate so we can clear you of possible assault charges.”

“For defending myself?”

“ If your actions are deemed within the bounds of self-defense,” the officer clarified. “Some might consider stabbing someone an excessive action, and if I don’t feel your story adds up, there might be a need to continue this conversation down at the station.”

Isaac swallowed hard.

“So, you need to drop the attitude, sit down, and let’s review the evening again.”

“I’m sorry, he needs to what?” Mina materialized out of thin air.

Okay, probably not. Definitely not. But to Isaac, she swooped in like an all-powerful force; the stern expression on her face slowed time, and the deep bass in her aggravated voice made the walls quake.

Jazz and Carlos appeared on either side of Isaac, checking in on him, but he didn’t register a word they said.

He didn’t register any words, really, just Mina’s domineering attitude controlling the situation and bringing the officers to everyone’s attention.

Soon, the hall had an audience of curious nurses.

Mina ripped into the officer, spouting legal jargon from her courses, and suddenly Isaac found himself soothed by Mina’s rant and Jazz’s diplomatic commentary.

Carlos grabbed Isaac by his uninjured arm and brought him down a few hallways until they reached Colton’s room.

“Since we all know you’re not going to let the doctors properly examine you until you check in on your boyfriend, we thought we should find you,” Carlos explained. “Good thing, too. Knowing your attitude, you would’ve picked a fight with the cops.”

“I’m not an idiot.”

“Says the guy who blocked a bat with his arm.”

Isaac shrugged. “Better than blocking it with my face.”

Carlos led the way, bringing Isaac to Colton’s floor, where he slipped into the room without asking for permission. If he had to listen to someone else explain visiting hours or privacy or yet another irritating detail, Isaac believed he might literally explode.

“You’re okay…” Colton’s groggy voice stirred knots in Isaac’s stomach.

He took in the sleepy expression and giggly smile on Colton’s face as he lay in his bed.

“I am.” Isaac slowly approached. “Are you?”

“Tired mostly.” He shrugged. “People kept asking me questions. Then more people tried asking me questions, and other people made them leave, and then those people peopled in here.”

Isaac snorted. “I’m glad you’re doing well.”

“You took a baseball bat to the face for me.”

“Not quite my face.” Isaac grinned, ignoring the throb from where the second and third swings did rattle a bit against his head. It hurt, but not nearly as much as it would’ve hurt if something had happened to Colton.

Isaac wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if things had gone further. He already regretted arriving when he did, knowing he dragged his feet for nearly an hour debating whether or not he should go to the party.

“I’m so sorry for taking so long.”

“No. Perfectly timed.” Colton’s grin grew wide and goofy. “You missed the villain speech. There’s a video online about it.”

“It’s not online,” Isaac said, debating whether or not to explain the entirety of the situation to Colton.

He’d watched the recording while waiting for the ambulance. He’d also sent himself a copy before handing it over to the police, something he credited important now that they seemed to be dicking around with him instead of dealing with Leon.

“Can you stay with me?” Colton asked, pulling Isaac from his thoughts.

“Of course.” Isaac dragged a chair close to Colton’s bedside and sat beside him.

He leaned over, allowing a sleepy Colton to tousle his hair and whisper adorable nonsense as whatever drugs worked their way out of his system.

Hours passed, and late in the night, Colton shook Isaac awake. His expression had turned serious, his body had gone stiff, and his green eyes had gone glossy.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Colton replied, swallowing a lump in his throat. “I just needed to say thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“I do. If you hadn’t gotten there when you had…” There was a tremble in Colton’s voice, one likely consumed by all the horrors Leon intended to inflict.

Isaac crawled up and onto the bed, lying beside Colton and easing the anxiety stirring inside him.

“I’ll always be here for you,” Isaac whispered. “Always.”

“Thank you.” Colton rolled over and buried his head in Isaac’s chest, dozing off to sleep and leaving Isaac awake to gently hold him.

The days that followed turned into an even bigger whirlwind of chaos than the hospital itself.

Isaac couldn’t go anywhere on campus without eyes falling to him or to Colton, whose side he had kept close to since the party.

Isaac was done giving Colton space and had now latched to the baseball player like a shadow.

All the attention, the questions, the whispers, the phone calls, and emails seeking an inside story didn’t seem to bother Colton.

His coming out story had thrust him into the spotlight last year, and the sex scandal had only finally started dying down before the embers of gossip found a new flame to ignite Colton’s unwanted popularity.

At least the truth was out. Everyone knew Leon had a hand in the video leaking.

Everyone knew Leon drugged Colton. Everyone knew Leon had a dangerously dark obsession with Colton.

The only thing that people didn’t know was the reason why.

Sure, Colton tried to set the record straight, but rumors blossomed quickly, and every deranged theory was more fascinating to public appeal than the reality of Leon being a homophobic prick with an envious cancer eating away at his insides.

Isaac was partial to the belief that Leon was in love with Colton and attempting to take over his life.

Sure, it wasn’t exactly true, but it made Leon queer in the public eyes, and that likely pissed the asshole off even more.

Isaac had already been warned to keep his distance since his self-defense story wouldn’t work as well if repeated.

Not that he had to worry about Leon on campus.

The expulsion came down faster than anyone believed possible, and with the criminal charges coupled with the medical issues Leon faced in the coming months, he didn’t have the time to contest Clinton’s swift judgment.

Now came the time when the university would determine how to handle things with Colton and Isaac.

Well, with Colton. Isaac was pretty sure his thin ice was going to crack entirely despite his severe injuries.

He’d already pissed off the campus enough with the last scandal, and he wasn’t sure they’d care much that both incidents were Leon’s doing.

Colton had a meeting scheduled first, and Isaac wasn’t about to let him go alone.

The sting of his administrative meeting, where he lost both his campus jobs and housing all in one fell swoop, still hurt a hell of a lot more than the breaks in his arm from a heavy-handed bat swing.

Now, while Isaac suspected this was more of a groveling meeting where the dean would steer Colton toward saying something positive about CLIT University, Isaac didn’t want them manipulating his boyfriend and filling his head with drivel.

“Thanks for coming with me.” Colton held the door for Isaac, and the pair walked inside the building that led to the dean’s office.

Isaac buried his anxiety, his concern, his fear about his own impending meeting. The last time didn’t end well, and he didn’t hold out much hope for what came next.

“Colton, darling, you’re here.” An older woman called out, wearing large sunglasses which hid her face.

She wore a tight, powder blue dress that framed her small body and made her long, black hair all the more striking in the sunlight that pierced through the windows.

The glint of light reflected against her diamond ring, her sapphire bracelet, her jeweled necklace, and Isaac found himself in awe at the gaudy display, believing those trinkets she wore could pay his entire tuition.