The Innocent and the Bad Boy (CLOSED)

"I know… but I don't have access to a lot of those things… or I find them boring." He shrugged.

She blushed and looked at the ground. "Oh. That's alright." I'm boring?

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by that, by the way," He said, wrapping an arm around her, "I've just never been interested in that type of thing. Motorbikes, cars and more hands on stuff helps me…"

She nodded. "I get it. It's fine." I'm boring… Shut up! She leaned against him and sighed softly.

Cole rested his head on top of her, pulling her closer, "I'm sorry if you took that the wrong way."

She hummed softly and curled against him. "I didn't. It's fine."

He nodded slowly and closed his eyes, "Okay…" He muttered.

She listened to the sound of his breathing. "Do you trust me enough yet to tell me about your home life?" she asked quietly.

His breathing hitched a little, "Yes… I do," He said quietly, "But I don't know if you want to hear it…"

She looked at him meaningfully. "I do."

He released a breath, "Well…" He swallowed, "My home life isn't the best. I don't have a mum, she… left when I was little. I didn't and still don't know her. My dad he… he's an alcoholic. It wasn't bad at first, but then he lost his job and it got worse."

Paige gently rubbed her hand over his chest to soothe him.

He took a deep breath before continuing, "He got stricter on me. Made me buy him things with the money mum left me for collage. Mainly drugs and alcohol. His friends came over more often and they'd be loud and would yell at me over the littlest of things. When I was… maybe thirteen, he started… becoming abusive. It was only a slap here or there and then it was every night."

Paige whimpered as if it was her getting slapped. "Colton…" she whispered quietly.

He took her hand in hers, "He got a girlfriend, Kristie, who helped him and the beatings stopped for a while. That's when I got my car and my bike… and then she left and it went back to the way it was. His new girlfriend, Emily… she joins in occasionally but nothing more then a whip or two."

(His backstory is better than I had hoped, thank you!)

She looked horrified. "He whips you?" The words were shaky and faint.

(You're welcome! There's more messed up stuff but… shrugs)

He rested his forehead on hers and nodded slowly, "I won't tell you the details, but yeah, he does."

Her eyes looked lost, helpless for him. "Colton…" she murmured again, every movement careful.

"Don't look at me like that, please," He whispered, tears on the verge of spilling, "I'm fine."

"Don't lie," she murmured, gently cupping his face.

That was all it took. Colton broke down. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to regulate his breathing.

Oh my God, I made him cry! Worriedly, she hugged him tightly. "Colton?"

He hugged her back, trying to calm himself just a little, “I can’t do it anymore Paige…” He sighed shakily, “I just can’t…”

"Shh," she urged, kissing his cheek and gently rubbing his back. "Shh shh… it'll be alright. I promise."

Ben let out another choked sob before he stopped crying. The bad boy had finally broken, “What if it’s not?”

Paige pulled slightly out of the hug. "It will be. I'll help you," she promised.

“P-Promise?” He whispered.

"More than anything," she replied and kissed him softly.

He kissed her back gently, a couple more tears sliding down.