The Boy He Broke, The Love That Healed Me

My boyfriend had people bully me to avenge the girl he loved.

He ruined my hands so I could never play piano again.

He humiliated me as he pleased and turned me into everyones target.

Heartbroken, I turned and left.

But then he begged for my forgiveness like he had gone insane.

My boyfriend left scar after scar across both my hands.

Why Ethan, why are you doing this to me?

My hands were covered in blood, and I could never play the piano again.

Ethan Hale spat at his feet and said, Dont call me that, it makes me sick.

He kicked me and said, A rapists son got exactly what he deserved.

If you want to blame someone, blame your dad for being a rapist, because if he hadnt done that to Chloe

His words stopped halfway, and Ethan Hale walked toward me step by step, then stepped on my hand.

I wouldnt have wanted to get close to you either, because youre gay, and you disgust me.

If it werent for avenging Chloe, I wouldnt have wanted to be near you for even one second.

Bitter tears kept falling.

So he had gotten close to me to avenge the girl he loved.

Because I had a rapist for a father, I was met with cold stares and isolation at school.

To me, Ethan Hale had been a beam of light shining into my world.

He would stand up for me when I was bullied.

He stood in front of me in front of everyone and said, Anyone who dares bully him again is going against me.

When everyone isolated me, he took the initiative to come near me.

Even after learning that my dad was a rapist, he only said, But that isnt your fault.

He confessed to me and said he wanted to protect me for the rest of my life.

I thought he really was my angel.

But he was also the one who broke my wings with his own hands.

Now I could never play piano again.

The competition spot also ended up in Chloes hands.

I knew all of this was Ethan Hales doing.

He was a rich heir, and his family had plenty of money.

He helped me climb all the way to the top, then pushed me down.

Everything Ethan Hale did was only to pave the way for Chloe.

Everyone knew I had offended Ethan Hale.

Ethan Hale was like a fuse once it was lit, and the bullying only grew worse.

They threw my things outside the door.

I could only curl up in the stairwell and spend the night there.

Ethan Hale looked down at me from above and said, Lick my shoes clean, and Ill let you stay for one night.

I did not speak and turned my head away, but my useless tears still fell.

He snorted coldly, pinched my chin, and said, Why are you pretending to be pitiful, do you think Ill let you off because of this?

He was right, because he would not let me off so easily.

Everyone looked at me with even more contempt.

Someone carved one hundred dollars per time onto my desk.

My drawer was filled with trash and razor blades.

My seat had also been thrown into the trash pile.

So disgusting, the father is a rapist, and the son is gay.

I think fifty dollars is enough.

In the cafeteria, I would get knocked down for no reason.

Scalding hot soup spilled onto my hands.

Ah, Im so sorry, Chloe said as she looked at me smugly.

Your hands look like they cant play piano anymore.

The burning sensation tore open the wounds on my hands.

Ethan Hale pulled Chloe away and said, Stay away from him, hes dirty.

I was dirty?

Then why had he pursued me so passionately back then?

Now he despised me in every way.

I did not want to live the rest of my life like this.

I went to find the judge and asked him to give me another chance.

Ethan Hale came to find me and pressed the remaining half of a cigarette into my hand.

Noah Lane, dont even think about climbing back up!

Your dad hurt Chloe like that, and you think this is all?

Ethan Hale, Im begging you, let me go, I begged him like a dog.

I only wanted to keep competing and fulfill my dream.

I clearly had done nothing, so why were so many accusations forced onto me?

Ethan Hale sneered coldly and said, You want to compete, fine, its my birthday this weekend, and you have to come.

After he left, I curled up in the corner in exhaustion.

On Ethan Hales birthday, I symbolically took a small gift and went to find him.

The people around looked at me with contempt.

Why is he here, what bad luck.

I lowered my head and tried my best to make myself look even less noticeable.

But the malicious labels on me were exposed for everyone to see.

I handed the gift in my hand to Ethan Hale and said, Happy birthday.

Ethan Hale looked at the gift with contempt, picked it up, and threw it onto the ground.

So dirty.

When I gave Ethan Hale his first birthday gift in the past, he had been very happy.

Noah, the gift you gave me today is the best one, and Im so happy.

Everyones gaze shone on me like spotlights.

Ethan Hale picked up the microphone and looked at me, saying, Let me introduce someone to everyone.

This is Noah Lane, his dad is a rapist, and he is a disgusting gay guy.

I heard his mom jumped to her death, but that makes sense, since her son is gay and her husband is a rapist.

I listened to these words in humiliation and turned to leave, but Ethan Hale held me in place.

Youre leaving already? If you leave, your spot will be gone.

Ethan Hale had me firmly in his grip.

He was certain I would not leave.

You made me come here just to humiliate me in front of all these people?

Ethan Hale tightened the hand gripping my shoulder.

This is what you deserve.

Ethan Hale, my dad is already dead, so what else do you want?

Ethan Hale shrugged and said, So what?

Chloe cried out in surprise, Oh no, my necklace fell in.

That was the keepsake my mom left me

A smile hung on Ethan Hales lips as he said, Its okay, Chloe, someone will fish it out for you.

He turned to look at me and said, Fish it out for Chloe, and your spot will be safe.

I looked at the deep, dark lake, gritted my teeth, and jumped in.

The lake water soaked my clothes, and when the wind blew, I shivered in the water.

I searched for most of the day but found nothing.

Chloe suddenly shouted, I found it, sorry, I made a mistake.

She looked at me smugly, as if the more than half hour I had spent underwater was nothing but a joke to her.

Ethan Hale dragged me into a room.

There were also several rich young men inside.

Ethan Hale, I want to leave.

Unease rose inside me in waves, and I wanted to leave this place.

Ethan Hale kicked me hard and said, Leave? Noah Lane, today was specially prepared for you.

I just want to see what the difference is between gay men and us.

Do you like men because youre not good enough down there?

The whole room roared with laughter, trapping me inside it.

They tugged at my pants, no matter how much I cried or shouted.

Tears of humiliation kept falling as I said, Ethan Hale, Im begging you, dont do this.

Ethan Hale held a cigarette between his lips, lifted his phone, and took several photos and videos from every angle.

Noah Lane, today was very enjoyable, and your competition spot is safe.

I dragged my soaking wet body out of the Hale familys villa.

Pain pulsed through my chest.

Suddenly, my vision went black.

Someone put a sack over my head, and punches and kicks rained down on me.

So disgusting, if Mr. Hale hadnt arranged it, I wouldnt even want to touch this gay guy.

I gave up struggling and let them do whatever they wanted.

Seeing that I did not react, they left after only a few more hits and said, Tch, this is fucking boring.

I pulled open the sack and stared blankly at the pitch-black sky, and my useless tears fell again.

I successfully kept my competition spot and could go play the piano.

They looked at me with disgust and said, See that? I heard he sold his body to keep this spot.

Ethan Hale posted the video on the school forum.

I fell into even greater malice.

After the school received complaints, they asked me to call my parents over.

Noah Lane, although the school usually does not interfere with your private life, this matter has too great an impact on the school.

Call your parents over, or you may be advised to withdraw because of this.

No one could come for me, so I said, My parents are both gone.

I held back my tears and refused to let them fall.

I took the video and went to find Ethan Hale.

Did you post the video?

Why did you do this?

Ethan Hale said indifferently, as if it had nothing to do with him, No reason, I just didnt want to see you living too comfortably.

You cant take this? This is only the beginning.

I worked hard to play piano, even when the wounds on my palms tore open from the range of motion.

I still did not give up.

If I won this competition, I could go to another school as an exchange student.

Then I could stay far away from this place.

On the day the competition began, I made full preparations.

Noah Lane, do you know that Im definitely going to win this competition?

Ethan Hale bought the predetermined winning spot this time, so you dont need to waste your energy.

Chloe looked at me smugly.

I suddenly looked up at her and said, Chloe, did my dad really rape you?

Chloe was caught off guard by my question, snorted coldly, and left.

I walked quietly onto the stage and sat in front of the piano.

But as soon as I pressed the piano keys, I sensed something was wrong, because razor blades were jammed inside every key.

This competition was truly important to me.

I endured the razor blades cutting my hands, even as blood dyed both my hands red and kept flowing down over the piano keys.

I still did not stop, and I endured the pain to finish the entire piece.

I held up my blood-soaked hands and bowed to the judges below the stage.

Chloe was right, because she had already been the predetermined champion long ago.

But I also got second place, which counted as a decent result, and at least it could add points for my future.

I had just stepped up to receive the award when I heard a familiar voice.

Ethan Hale, no, dont do this!

Im begging you, Im begging you let me go.

In the video, I was curled up on the floor in humiliation, but the clothes on my body had been stripped off.

I froze in place and turned to look below the stage.

Ethan Hale looked at me with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

He did it.

My spot was canceled.

I looked at my hands, cut beyond recognition by an apology.

I went to find Ethan Hale and said, Why? Why are you still unwilling to let me go?

Ethan Hale sneered and said, How could a rapists son deserve to appear so brightly in other peoples sight?

Noah Lane, stop struggling, youre destined to be dirty for the rest of your life.

He looked at my palms and gave a light laugh, saying, Your hands were cut, and you probably havent had time to disinfect them yet, right?

Then he took out the saline water he had prepared and poured it bit by bit onto my wounds.

I curled up on the ground in pain.

But Ethan Hale hummed a song and left.

I was advised to withdraw from school.

I looked at my dream, picked up the baseball bat beside me, and smashed the piano I loved most with my own hands.

Tears streamed down my face, and the railing on the rooftop was a little cold.

I looked downstairs, where crowds of people had gathered and the sound of fire trucks surrounded me.

My dream had shattered, and there was nothing left worth clinging to.

I closed my eyes, turned around, and fell backward.

I slowly opened my eyes, and the area around me was filled with the sharp smell of disinfectant.

I was a little dazed.