Graffiti Heaven

by Marita A. Hansen

  “No. It’s none of your business.”

  “The police need to know.”

  Ash frowned. “The police?”

  “They’ve come in twice, but you were sleeping—”

  “You didn’t tell them I went to the pub, didja?”

  “No, they wanted to talk to you ‘bout Chaz.”

  “Why?”

  “You don’t remember anything ‘bout what he did to you?”

  Ash pulled a face. “What’re ya goin’ on about? He did nuthin’ to me.”

  “He…” Hunter rubbed his face. “I didn’t want to tell ya so soon. I personally think you should be left to recover, but the cops are bein’ insistent.”

  “About what?”

  “Your mother…” Hunter exhaled. “She came home from Dargaville early. A neighbour phoned her, said shouting was coming from your house.”

  Ash remembered about the prop coming over.

  Hunter continued, “Dante said your mother thought it wuz your father. She tried to phone me, but I’d turned off my mobile cos your father kept ringing all bloody Saturday. And cos she couldn’t get through to either me or Chaz, she left the twins with your grandparents and came back with Dante. Though, Christ only knows why she brought your brother if she thought your father had returned.”

  Ash forced his eyes to stay open. “Then where is she? And why am I so tired?”

  “You were given a drug.”

  “Why’d the doctors do that for?”

  “It wuzn’t the doctor. I told ja yesterday that Chaz gave you sumpthin’. He would’ve dropped it into whatever you were drinking.”

  Ash wiped his face. “Chaz didn’t do anything.”

  “Chaz is the reason you’re in hospital!”

  Taken aback by Hunter’s outburst, Ash went still.

  Hunter screwed up his face. “I’m sorry, Ash, I don’t know how to handle this, but you need to know what happened. Chaz took advantage of you.” He held up a hand to stop Ash from interrupting. “Your mother and Dante walked in on him doin’ it. There wuz a fight and your mother tried to stab him—”

  “No! You must’ve heard me sleep talking, you must’ve, that wuz a dream.”

  “It wuzn’t, Chaz turned the knife on her. I’m sorry, Ash, but she’s dead.”

  “You’re lying!”

  “I’m not, the roofie messed with your head, making you think it wuzn’t real.”

  Ash tried his best to breathe out, but it remained stuck in his chest.

  Hunter stood up, his expression worried. “You alright, cuz? Do ya need a nurse?”

  Ash shook his head, trying to calm himself down. It was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream… He yawned, forcing out a breath. “Why are you doin’ this to me?” he said, glaring up at Hunter.

  “Cos it happened.”

  It was a dream... Ash repeated the words in his head.

  Hunter continued, “Depending on the strength, roofies either knock people out pretty quick or can take a bit longer. By the sound of your nightmares, I think you took longer. You pro’bly drifted in and out of consciousness, and what you think were dreams would’ve been the drug clouding your mind.”

  “Maybe I’m still dreaming,” Ash mumbled.

  “I wish you were.”

  Ash shook his head. This was real, he knew that, but what he dreamed after the pub wasn’t. “I don’t care what you say, Chaz did nuthin’ to me. So, get my mum.”

  “But the roofie—”

  “Stoppit! I don’t even know what that shit is.”

  Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose like he had a bad headache. He dropped his hand then looked back at Ash for a moment before speaking. “It’s a date rape drug, Ash. Chaz raped you.”

  28

  Jenna

  As Jenna entered her homeroom it hit her full in the face. Not literally, but a sombre mood that permeated the room like a noxious gas. A boy and a few girls were crying, Kelley O’Brian being one of them. It was obvious they all knew about Ash being attacked. Though, Jenna didn’t know why the short-arsed boy in the corner was bawling like a pussy, because Ash’s mates usually picked on him. Okay, Ash didn’t, but Ant was relentless, pushing the boy around gym class like Ginger was his own personal basketball. Ginger wasn’t the boy’s name, just his hair colour, but she could never remember what he was called other than it was Welsh and had loads of l’s in it.

  In the opposite corner Ash’s mates were quiet. Marko was staring out the window, while Ant dug into his desk with a pocketknife. Behind them, Lavinia had a hand on Joel’s back as he looked down, his face hidden by dreadlocks. Jenna glanced over at Tiana’s empty chair, wondering where she was. Probably at home, she thought, because the girl really hadn’t looked well yesterday.

  Jenna walked in between desks and plonked herself down behind hers, noticing AGAIN that the teacher hadn’t graced the class with his zitty presence. She thought Mr. Kennan needed to get fired, which said a lot, because she rarely paid attention to ugly teachers. She’d discussed this with the principal two weeks back when she’d been sent to his office after getting caught sleeping. She’d told him that if he employed more hot teachers like Mr. Daniels then maybe she wouldn’t pass out from boredom. The principal gave her a week’s detention because of that comment, saying that she needed to take things more seriously. But she WAS being serious.

  She grunted, wishing she was home instead of school. In the seat in front of her, Cassidy turned to face her. Right now Jenna didn’t want to talk with her mate, because she was still pissed off that Cassidy had gotten jealous over her sitting with the Catholic congregation on Friday. Cassidy had even used the word “cheating” like they were bloody dating. The girl was odd at times, but Jenna usually overlooked it, especially since Cassidy always paid when they went to the mall or movies.

  “Didja hear ‘bout what happened to Ash?” Cassidy asked.

  Jenna nodded, her irritation growing by her mate’s lack of upset. Even worse, Cassidy appeared almost excited.

  Cassidy continued, “Joel said Ash was attacked by his stepdad, and that the guy murdered Ash’s mother. Murdered? Can you believe it? It’s freaky.”

  Insensitive bitch. Jenna placed her hands under the desk so she wouldn’t be tempted to punch her.

  On Jenna’s left, Kelley started crying louder. Jenna felt like smacking her too, because the girl had no right to cry—Jenna did. Kelley hadn’t gone out with Ash, yet was bawling like a baby while Jenna had to hold things in. Jenna clenched her hands and glared at the girl, who seemed oblivious to her.

  “I saw Ash’s stepdad once,” Cassidy continued. “Do ya remember that time you took me to Ash’s house and I said I thought his stepdad was hot?”

  Jenna’s gaze snapped back to Cassidy. “I punched you for that.”

  Cassidy’s face soured. “Yeah, you did too, you nasty bitch, and it wasn’t even my fault. You know I like guys with blondish hair.”

  “Watch who you call a bitch. And I told ja he was scum, but you kept goin’ on about his looks, you superficial bitch.”

  Cassidy’s back straightened, not something usual considering she was always slouching. “Look who’s talking. I remember you saying you wanted Ash cos—” she made quote marks, “—‘he’s fuckin’ hot.’”

  Jenna pressed her right thumb and forefinger together. “I’m this far away from punching someone, so you better shut it if ya don’t want it to be you.”

  Cassidy moved her head away from Jenna. “You wouldn’t.”

  “You bet I would.”

  Like the volume on a radio, Kelley’s crying cranked up another notch, distracting Jenna from Cassidy.

  “Stop crying, you ho!” Jenna shouted.

  The class went silent. Kelley turned around and glared at Jenna. “I have a right to cry.”

  Jenna stood up. “No, you don’t! You didn’t know Ash like I did.” She stopped for a moment, her words making it sound like Ash was dead. And he wasn’t! When she’d visited Hunter’s place on Sun
day with the others, Ash’s grandfather was there with the twins. He’d been too upset to talk much, other than to say that Ash was very sick from being given something. He wouldn’t explain what that something was and had eventually lost his temper when Tiana pushed him too far. He’d shouted in what Jenna assumed was Croatian, then slammed the door shut in Tiana’s face.

  “I have every right to care about Ash,” Kelley said, snapping Jenna back to the present.

  Jenna took a step towards Kelley. “No, you don’t. You don’t even have a right to think about him, let alone talk about him.” She thrust a finger at Kelley. “If you cared ‘bout Ash you wouldn’t have done that disgusting shit to him in the swimming pool last summer, cos it embarrassed the hell outta him. Everyone in here knows what you are. An A grade slut who only cares ‘bout gettin’ herself off, but doesn’t give a shit ‘bout the poor guy she does it to.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset him, it was a misunderstanding. And you paid me back with a cracked rib. You’re lucky I didn’t go to the police.”

  Jenna heard someone ask what Kelley did, but ignored them. “You got off lightly.”

  Kelley stood up, something that surprised Jenna. Usually the girl would cower when threatened, like last week when Kelley had taken off before Jenna could pay her back for making a snide remark. Although Kelley had escaped that time, Jenna still got revenge in gym class the next day by throwing a volley ball at the slapper’s face. Lucky the teacher thought it was an accident.

  Kelley continued, “And I understand what he’s goin’ through.”

  Jenna screwed up her face. “How?”

  “One of my family was murdered.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother.”

  Jenna pulled another face. Kelley had never mentioned a brother when they were mates last year. Yeah, they weren’t friends for long, but she’d been to Kelley’s house. “You’re lying.”

  “How would you know, you self-centred bitch! You only pay attention to yourself and what you want, and stuff anyone else who gets in your way. You humiliated Ash when he dumped your sorry arse, bullied any girl who went near him, and you punch and slag me off all the time just cos I stopped bein’ your friend.”

  Jenna stared at her, completely lost for words, Kelley’s verbal attack totally unexpected.

  The door banged open and a plump woman in a navy suit entered the room. “Please take a seat, everyone,” the school counsellor said.

  Both Jenna and Kelley sat down. Kelley glanced over her shoulder at Jenna, her glare full of hate.

  The counsellor cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, students, but your teacher is no longer at this school, so I will be looking after you during homeroom. Usually a substitute teacher would be appointed, but due to what has happened to Ashley Rata the principal thinks it would be better if I take over.”

  The boy in the far corner sobbed a bit louder. Jenna glanced over at Ginger, still wondering what the kid’s problem was. Ant started swearing, calling the boy a faggot.

  “Anthony,” the counsellor said, “I understand you’re upset, but please be sensitive to other people’s feelings.”

  Jenna moved her attention to Ant, who continued swearing. Luckily he wasn’t holding his knife anymore, because the guy looked like he was ready to attack someone.

  “I think you need to leave, Anthony,” the counsellor said. “You can go to the restroom if you require time to calm down.”

  Ant grabbed his bag and headed for the door, giving the counsellor the finger as he walked past. A few seconds later, Marko and Joel followed him out.

  The counsellor coughed then resumed talking, her voice a little shaky. “What happened to Ashley and his family has shocked everyone. Because of this you will be feeling a breadth of emotions, ranging from grief and anger to disbelief, which you may not know how to handle. So, if anyone wishes to go home we can notify your parents, but they will have to pick you up as I don’t want any student taking advantage of this tragedy. If you choose to stay, and would like a sympathetic ear, I am here for you. Outside of the homeroom I will be in my office. If you need to talk to me during another class, tell your teacher and they will allow you to come see me. They have all been briefed this morning, which is why I’m late, so you will encounter no opposition from them.”

  Some of the students murmured thanks. Jenna instead dropped her gaze, knowing she wouldn’t be visiting the counsellor. There was no way she’d confess her feelings to some busybody who didn’t know Ash well enough to realise he hated being called Ashley. Jenna clenched her hands, wondering if she could find that tough Tongan girl with the nasty punch during lunchtime, because she needed to deal with her emotions—her own way.

  29

  Tiana

  Tuesday, August 29.

  As soon as Tiana saw Jenna heading for her, she spun around and started walking in the opposite direction. Although Jenna had been nice to her on Sunday, the memory of last Wednesday was still too fresh. Plus, her nerves were already frayed from worrying about both Ash and her parents. Her father had moved out yesterday, saying he needed some time apart from her mother.

  “Oi! T, where ya goin’?” Jenna called out.

  Tiana kept weaving her way through the mash of students. The ringing of the bell filled the hallway, warning everyone that homeroom was in ten minutes.

  Jenna grabbed Tiana’s arm. “Hold up, T.”

  “Let go of me!” Tiana shook herself free, then stopped in surprise. Jenna looked like she’d been in a car crash with her black-eye, cut lip and swollen cheek.

  “Man, talk about agro,” Jenna said. “I just wanna see how you’re doin’.”

  “Like you care.”

  “You don’t needa get shitty with me. You looked like crap on Sunday, and since you didn’t show at school yesterday I was kinda worried ‘bout you.”

  Taken aback, Tiana stared at the girl. But then again, Jenna could be lying, putting her off guard before striking. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that after last week?”

  “Okay, I was a shit, but you know I have a thing for Ash, and it wasn’t personal, I would’ve done it to anyone who’d taken him away from me.”

  “He wasn’t with you when he asked me out. And you absolutely humiliated me.”

  “Get over it, everyone else has.”

  “You punched me.”

  Jenna dumped her bag on the ground and started rubbing her right shoulder, her expression pained. “Sheesh, I got a whole lot worse than that yesterday, yet do ya see me complaining?”

  Sweet karma. Tiana smiled inwardly, then instantly felt guilty. “Who beat you up?”

  A grin replaced Jenna’s scowl. “I took the counsellor’s advice and got rid of some of my emotions.”

  “Eh?”

  “I had a run in with Fafafini Helu.”

  Tiana grimaced at the reference to the nastiest girl in school. Even Jenna was an angel in comparison. “You mean Falala Helu. A fafafini is a Samoan guy who lives like a girl.”

  “Hence, why I call her that. That chick has to have a dick.”

  “Fa’s Tongan, and that’s racist and sexist.”

  Jenna pulled a face. “I don’t give a damn what race she is. And sexist? Get off. It’s not my fault the she-male was born with a foreskin lining, cos no girl can punch that hard. And by the way, I won. Well, sort of.”

  “How?”

  Jenna sniggered. “I pepper sprayed her. But it wasn’t like I didn’t give the fight a good go. I only pulled out the spray when I decided I wanted to keep my teeth. That she-male doesn’t stop.”

  “Isn’t pepper spray illegal?”

  Jenna shrugged. “I swiped it outta my mum’s purse, so it must be legal. Anyway, it could’ve been mace or something similar.”

  “I guess ya had to protect yourself. Sorry to hear that Fa attacked you.”

  “No worries, she may have thrown the first punch but I kinda asked for it. I told her that she shouldn’t wear the girls’ uniform, cos it mad
e her look like an ugly drag queen with a school girl fetish.”

  “Are ya nuts? Why would ja say that?”

  “I was upset over what happened to Ash. I needed to take it out on someone, and Fafafini was my best bet.” Jenna picked up her bag. “Let’s go to class.”

  Tiana followed, both fascinated and jealous of Jenna’s total lack of fear—and self-preservation. “I wouldn’t go near Fa, let alone talk to her. She holds Hamlet-like grudges. I used to be friends with her back in primary until a guy she liked showed interest in me. After that, I couldn’t go near her without gettin’ pushed about. Even now she still slams me into lockers, and it’s been seven years.”

  Jenna’s brows shot up. “Seriously? She likes guys?”

  “Yup.” Tiana stopped at her locker, pulled out her textbooks, and stuffed them into her bag.

  “Poor cow, now I feel sorry for her, cos she ain’t ever gonna get a date.” Jenna started laughing. “Nah, just joking, I don’t feel sorry one bit. And you don’t hafta worry ‘bout her anymore, cos she’s been expelled.” Jenna held up a hand. “Don’t look at me like that, it had nuthin’ to do with me.”

  “I wasn’t blaming you. And why would I complain? Good riddance. She terrorised me more than you.”

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “Man, talk about melodramatic. I didn’t terrorise you.”

  “You bullied me.” Tiana shut her locker and did the combination.

  “Get over it. And if you’re gonna be a cow, I won’t tell ya ‘bout what Ash’s grandpa said.”

  Tiana turned around so fast her books slipped out of her bag. “What did he say?”

  “Unfortunately, stuff all. Once the old dude got over my bruised face, he told me the same old line that Hunter has been spewing: That Ash isn’t well enough to see anyone. Of course I tried to get more outta him by asking what Chaz is bein’ charged with, so I could find out what he did to Ash, but unfortunately it set Mr. Talich off. He wouldn’t stop ranting ‘bout how he wanted to kill Chaz and that if the government ran the country properly then these things wouldn’t happen.”

  “I don’t see how he could blame the government. Guess grief makes people say strange things.”