Heading towards the main entrance, he saw Kelley O’Brian with her mates. The girls stopped talking and focused on him, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
Kelley ran up to him, a yellowing bruise colouring her left eye. She had shoulder length auburn hair that was uneven, as though someone had carelessly hacked at it. The last time he’d seen her it had been longer. “How ya doin’, Ash? Everyone’s been worried ‘bout you.”
He shrugged nervously, not comfortable around her.
“Why’re you out of uniform?” she asked.
He glanced down at his jeans and hoodie. “Didn’t plan on coming to school today.”
“Sorry ‘bout what happened to you.”
“What do you know?” he snapped.
She flinched. “Um … ‘bout you gettin’ beaten up and your mum killed.”
He relaxed a little. After Tiana’s brother had found out about the rape, he’d been paranoid that others would too. “I don’t wanna talk ‘bout it.”
She smiled sadly. “I understand, but if you need an ear just say.”
“I won’t, and what happened to your eye and hair?” he said, diverting the topic away from him.
“I was bein’ a klutz. I wasn’t payin’ attention at P.E. and got hit in the eye with a baseball.” She brushed her hair back, her expression embarrassed. “And I decided to cut my hair cos it was too long.”
A klutz? He didn’t believe her for a second, because everyone knew Kelley was far from clumsy, her sporting ability excellent. More likely she was punched. But since she wasn’t a friend, he didn’t think it was his place to question her. Everyone had their secrets, and he had enough of his own to deal with without knowing hers.
A blush coloured her fair complexion. “Why’re you staring at me?”
He blinked. “Sorry, got distracted.”
“It’s okay, I do that loads, half the time not realising I’m staring at someone, just off in my own thoughts. That’s why I’m always gettin’ injured, cos I’m not paying attention...”
Again, he didn’t believe her. For a second he wondered whether he should ask if someone was bullying her, then the thought disappeared as he tried to keep up with her chatter as she rapidly flicked between subjects like a fantail bird changing direction.
“I’m pro’bly boring you,” she said, touching his wrist.
He whipped his arm away. “Don’t touch me.”
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean anything by it. I would never do anything to you like that again. Please don’t tell Jenna.” She looked like she was about to burst into tears.
He realised she was talking about the pool incident. He almost felt like asking why she’d done that to him, because he didn’t understand why people were targeting him. It wasn’t like he was weak, far from it, but he still got people forcing themselves onto him. He glanced to his left as Llewellyn Davies walked past, Ash’s classmate smiling at him shyly. Now, that kid looked like a stereotypical victim. Short, with ginger hair and freckles, Llewellyn never seemed to have any friends and was way too emotional, crying like a girl if he got hurt.
Kelley’s lips started quivering. “Please, Ash, don’t tell her.”
“Calm down, I just got a surprise.”
“You won’t tell Jenna then?”
“Why should I? She ain’t my girlfriend.”
Kelley exhaled, the relief on her face stark. “I really didn’t mean anything by it. I promise I wasn’t hitting on you.”
“I didn’t think you were,” he lied.
The first bell rang.
“You coming to class?” Kelley asked.
“I haven’t brought my bag.”
“That doesn’t matter, I’m sure the teachers will understand.”
He stood still for a moment, unsure. Maybe school could take his mind of things.
She smiled, her expression nervous rather than sympathetic. “C’mon, at least you’ll distract Ant from insulting everyone.”
“Yeah, he’s a prick. I don’t know how you could’ve gone out with him.”
She shrugged, looking sheepish. “I plead insanity.”
“Since he’s my mate, I must be insane too, though I’d be happy to never see him again.”
She appeared surprised. “You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do. I can do without mates like him. I’m sick of the way he treats people.”
“He’s not all bad, he can be sweet sometimes.”
“Why ya defending him? I thought you hated him.”
“Everyone has a bit of goodness in them, and I dislike Jenna more, but even she has her moments, though few and really far between.” She cocked her head towards the entrance. “So … you coming?”
“S’pose so.” He followed Kelley through the entrance, her friends joining them. Aside from Kelley, there were three of them, what Jenna called the slag brigade. He didn’t know why, because out of all of them only Kelley was known for sleeping around, but then again Jenna did have a need to categorise everyone—something he didn’t like.
What would she categorise me as if she knew what Chaz had done?
Kelley’s friends started whispering to each other as they walked down the hallway towards their homeroom, their furtive glances making him feeling uncomfortable. He looked down at his feet, almost banging into Kelley as she stopped in front of her locker. His gaze moved over her head to where his three mates were standing. Joel spotted him first, and barged through Kelley’s friends to get to him. Two of the girls snapped at Joel, which earned them a “Can it, bitches.” Ash laughed. He’d told Joel off for doing it in the past, but for some reason it seemed hilarious right now.
Joel cocked an eyebrow, which was newly pierced. “What’s so funny?”
Ash shook his head, unable to stop from laughing.
Joel looked perplexed. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but where the hell have ya been? Two weeks without a word.”
Ash stopped laughing, the reminder bringing him crashing back down. “Dargaville.”
“Wuz that where the funeral wuz?”
Ash nodded, cringing as images ran through his mind: his grandmother breaking down, the horror on the twins’ faces when they finally realised who the funeral was for and Dante being restrained by their grandfather as he tried to stop the coffin from being lowered into the ground. Ash looked up at the ceiling, confused at how he’d gone from laughing to feeling depressed in an instant.
Joel’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Me and my old man wanted to come, but Hunter refused to tell us where it wuz.”
“Why?”
“Hunter still holds a grudge against my dad over sumpthin’ to do with his business. I have no idea what, but it’s pro’bly why he treats my family like shit.”
“He had no right to keep you guys away,” Ash said, now annoyed with Hunter.
“Thanks, man, and I’m sorry for what happened at the party. Who wuz the nasty ho that Hunter said tried to jump ya?”
Ash’s gaze shifted to his left, shocked as the female in question walked up to them as though she’d been given a cue. Salma wrapped her arms around Joel’s waist and kissed his cheek, then winked at Ash.
Joel glanced behind him, jolting in surprise. “Salma, not here.”
She let go of him. “You could at least hug me after what we did together.”
“Don’t gimme that, you’re the one who’s been avoiding me, not the other way round.”
“I’ve been a bit preoccupied, gorgeous.” Salma grabbed Joel again, mouthing fag over his shoulder so that only Ash could see.
“Stop grabbing me.” Joel’s eyes darted about as though he was afraid to be seen with Salma. Ash wondered whether it had anything to do with Lavinia, because she seemed to be the topic of most of Joel’s conversations. Although it was a bit too late now, because it was going to be all over the class with the way Kelley’s mates were listening in on the conversation.
Salma let go of Joel. “You weren’t so shy in my bedro
om.”
“That wuz private.”
She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. “Okay, cutie, no touching for the mo, but only if you promise you’ll come over to my house after school. Say six o’clock? My parents are away again. Bring your mate too. Ash, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s Ash,” Joel said, “but if I bring him we can’t, you know, get down.”
“And I’m busy,” Ash said, because there was no way he was going back to her place EVER.
“Oh, c’mon, Ash,” she said. “You should definitely cum, cos threesomes are so much fun.”
Both Ash and Joel’s mouths dropped open.
She laughed. “I was just joking; don’t blow a load over it. I got a video out that you guys might like. It’s called Philadelphia.”
Ash’s face froze.
“Hell, no, we ain’t watching that shit,” Joel said. “That’s about a faggot.”
“That’s rather rude, what if one of your mates were gay?” Salma’s gaze flicked back to Ash. “You might upset him.”
“None of my mates are fags,” Joel said.
“You never know who’s hiding dirty li’l secrets. There was this one kid in my class that had to leave school cos it got round he was gay. He was even beaten up cos of it. How horrible is that?”
“Serves him right.”
Salma smacked Joel’s arm. “There’s nuthin’ wrong with bein’ gay. And you’re a bigot.”
Joel frowned. “A big what?”
“It’s lucky you’re so cute.” She grabbed Joel’s face and gave him a kiss, then turned and sashayed away, shouting, “See ya at lunch!”
“After school!” Joel hollered, then mumbled something.
Ash stared down the hallway as Salma disappeared into the mass of students. Why was she doing this to him?
“Oi, Ash, you listening to me?”
Ash’s gaze moved to Joel. “What?”
“I asked, what’s a bigot?”
“You should know that.”
“You don’t hafta be a smart cunt and rub it in my face.”
Ash rolled his eyes. God, his mate was thick. “She called you prejudice.”
“What has hating fags gotta do with bein’ racist?”
Marko laughed behind Joel. “You really are a dumb cunt.”
Joel spun around. “You can’t talk, dumbarse Croatian.”
“You bein’ Maori means you’re pro’bly related to us dumbarse Croats,” Marko replied. “We conquered the North by doin’ all your women.”
“Bastard.” Joel shoved a sniggering Marko away.
Ant walked over to Joel and put an arm around his shoulders. “Joel did better than you, Marko. He’s the one who had the hot Samoan babe all over him. So, us Maoris are one up on you Croatians.”
“I’m also part Maori,” Marko said.
“Nope,” Ant said. “You forfeit being Maori by looking like a white bastard.”
Joel stuck his tongue out. “Yeah, Pakeha.”
Marko shook his head. “I can’t be Pakeha if I’ve got Maori in me, moron.”
Joel sneered. “The only Maori you have in ya is when your faggot boyfriend fucks ya.”
“Only in your dreams, homo, cos once the hot Samoan babe realises you fantasise over me she’ll be gettin’ some real man.” Marko grabbed his own crotch.
The second bell rang for them to be in class. Ash turned and walked towards the exit. In the past he would’ve laughed over their crude ribbing, probably would’ve joined in too, but today he wanted to punch the arseholes for their gay jokes.
Would they believe Salma if she told them her lies? Marko and Joel probably wouldn’t, but Ant might, the bastard already having called him a fag for standing up for Llewellyn Davies in the past. It wasn’t like Ash even cared about the kid, just thought it was wrong that Ant picked on people that couldn’t defend themselves. He remembered the way that Ant had yanked down Llewellyn’s pants once, calling Llewellyn a bitch in front of the other guys in the locker room. Ash again questioned why he was friends with Ant, because right now he understood how Llewellyn must’ve felt, the action reminding him of Chaz.
“Ash! Where ya goin’?” Joel ran after him.
Ash kept on walking. “Home.”
“Nah, mate, stay.”
“No, school sucks, I shouldn’t have come.”
Joel continued to follow. “But I don’t want cha to leave. And Ant’s got a new spacies game we can play under the desk.”
Ash glanced back. Ant was talking to Marko, while Kelley and her friends had disappeared. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“You’re here already, and maths’s up first. We got a substitute teacher, cos Mr. Kennan got his useless arse fired, and subs are great to make fun off.”
Ash breathed out. “I don’t needa be here.”
“C’mon, man, I’ve missed ja like crazy. Those two pricks are always taking off at lunch to play rugby. Don’t ditch me too.”
Yeah, Marko and Ant did do that a lot. “Okay. Whatever.”
“Sweet.” Joel changed direction, heading for their homeroom.
Ash followed, his gut telling him that he was making the wrong decision.
36
Tiana
Tiana watched Ash across the quad from her seat. He was sitting on the benches in front of the English wing, staring at something on the ground, while his mates were busy throwing paper airplanes at the back of Kelley and her friends.
Lavinia pulled her lunch out of her bag. “You gonna talk to Ash?”
Tiana shook her head, relieved that Monika and Sonia weren’t around to hear their conversation. “I’m too scared. He hasn’t looked at me all morning.”
A loud “Stop it!” came from Kelley, who turned to glare at Ash’s mates. The guys laughed, Joel making a lewd hand gesture.
“He’s disgusting,” Lavinia said. “I dunno how any female can go with him.”
“Salma’s way worse than Joel.” Tiana’s focus shifted to her right. “And talk of the evil cow, here she comes now.”
Salma walked over and sat on Joel’s lap. Joel pushed her off, his gaze going to Lavinia. Salma sat back down on his lap and started kissing him. Ant yelled, “Get a room!”
“Why does she hafta be all over him?” Lavinia said. “It’s disrespectful treating Joel like that.”
Tiana laughed. “Did you just say that?”
“What?”
“You defended Joel.”
“Did not. And anyone can tell he doesn’t want her sitting on his lap, yet she’s ignoring his feelings.”
“I thought you said he didn’t have feelings.”
Lavinia scowled. “He’s still my stepbrother.”
“Is that why you said he should burn in hell?”
“That was ages ago, and I’ve gotten to know him better since then. He was really nice to me after we found out about Ash’s attack. Unfortunately, now he’s gone back to his normal crude self.”
“He’s not insulting you again, is he?”
“No, nuthin’ like that. In a warped way he’s pro’bly complimenting me, but I told him to stop it, cos it’s not right and I’ve got a boyfriend.”
Tiana sat up straight. “What has he been saying?”
Lavinia covered her face with a hand. “In cruder terms, he said I’ve got great breasts and that he would love to touch them.” Lavinia smacked Tiana. “Stop laughing. That wasn’t the worst one. He never knocks and he walked in on me last week doin’…” She covered her face again.
Tiana tugged on Lavinia’s arm. “Doin’ what, doin’ what? You’ve gotta tell me.”
“No, it’s too embarrassing.”
“You can’t just start sumpthin’ and not finish it.”
Lavinia mumbled.
“I can’t hear you.”
Lavinia whispered into Tiana’s ear.
Tiana burst out laughing. “He caught you masturbating?”
“Ssssh.” Lavinia looked around in a panic. “Keep your voice down.”
&nb
sp; “What did he say?”
“That he was more than happy to get his hands dirty for me.”
Unable to stop laughing, Tiana covered her mouth.
Lavinia hit her arm. “It’s not funny. I was so humiliated. Now every time I do the dishes he asks if I’ve washed my hands, cos he says he knows where they’ve been.”
“You’ve cheered me up.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re happier over my humiliation,” Lavinia said sarcastically, then glanced up as a shadow appeared over them. “Not you again.”
Tiana looked up at Jenna. The girl had her pink and blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and a loose black tie around her neck, which wasn’t part of the uniform.
“What humiliation?” Jenna asked.
“None of your business,” Lavinia said. “And stop stalking us. You’ve got friends, though God only knows why.”
“Hardy-har-har, a lame religious joke. And I’m not here for you, Mother Teresa.” Jenna focused on Tiana. “How’re we gonna get Ash talking to us again?”
“I don’t know,” Tiana said. “He won’t even look at me.”
“Me neither. I tried earlier, but he shot off like he was scared.” Jenna glanced over her shoulder. “And right now he looks miserable. It doesn’t help either with that slut hanging all over his mate. Joel should be talking to him, not making out. Insensitive sod.”
“It’s not Joel’s fault,” Lavinia piped up. “He tried pushing her off.”
Jenna’s head snapped around to Lavinia. “So … you like Joel now he’s got someone else?”
Lavinia’s face dropped. “No! Just stating a fact.”
“Liar, liar your granny knickers are on fire. I saw you staring at dreadlock boy. By the way, he has the major hots for you, so you’d have no probs stealing him off Miss Lap Dance.”
“I’m not interested in him like that, and I’ve already got a boyfriend.”
Graffiti Heaven (Graffiti Heaven #1) Page 22