Chapter 18: XVIII• TYLER

It was crazy.

The amount of fear that consumed Hayden.

As he walked towards where Tyler was, hands still linked in Raven's, he could feel his surroundings blur out.

His senses had become duller yet sharper, focused on one thing and negligent to all else.

He'd drowned out the murmurs and blocked his sight from everyone and everything else.

The only thing he could focus on was Tyler, and the crippling fear the sight of the guy brought him.

He was suddenly in the bathroom stall again, screaming as blow after blow was pounded into his abdomen.

He was begging again, crying for them to stop.

The image of Tyler hit different, with the knowledge of what the guy could do, and would do.

And even though there'd been no explanation of why he'd been beaten that day, Hayden couldn't think of a single thing about him that could warrant envy, except his relationship with Raven.