Oh!Darling

Mandi stirred and peeked her eye open.She was still in Paul's bed.He was tossed over the bed,hogging all the covers as usual and snoring.Mandi mumbled,sitting up and swinging her legs over the ledge.

She looked over at the clock that sat on his nightstand and groaned at the thought of being up so early.She took one last look at Paul before dashing towards his window and shimmying down the drain pipe.

Mandi tucked her hands in her pockets as she walked quickly down the street,avoiding eye contact with everyone she came in contact with.She even spotted the girl she had met last night at the pub,making her heart throb in her chest.

'She's so beautiful'She thought to herself but couldn't come to say it.She was aware of the people around her and the weird looks she was already being given.

Mandi shook her head and walked into the pub,where she knew the owner Jessie.He was a tall bigger type of lad that didn't really matter about Mandi's issue at all.He didn't see it as a problem and welcomed her with a slight wave of his hand,"Hey Amanda."

"Hey Jessie"She smiled sitting down on the chair,"How are you?"

"Doing fine.Just cleanin' up from last night"He muttered cleaning off a glass and putting it in front of her,"What can I get ya?"

"Just some rum and coke please."

"But it's not even twelve"

She shrugged and slapped the counter,"Oh well I guess.I'm a regular,you should know what I want"

Jessie chuckled and served her glass.Mandi sipped the drink and slipped him a shilling."No,no"He slipped it back to her."You're good,Mandi."

"Oh come on Jessie.It's only fair,mate.Take the shilling"She argued.

"The drinks on me,Mandi.Honestly,and it looks like you've got somethin' on yer mind girl.Talk to me.."He walked around the counter and sat down next to her.Mandi sighed,raking her hand through her long dark hair.

"I don't know Jessie.It's just-I found out some really fucked up shite last night,mate."She took another sip and quickly lit up a cigarette as a couple more customers came thudding into the pub.

Jessie cocked his brow,"What type of shite?"

Mandi shrugged,dabbing the ashes in a nearby ashtray,"Y'know some queer stuff.Don't worry about it,I'll be good.As long as I have some rum,coke and my shilling everythings alright"

She shot him a wide smile.Jessie shook his head and smiled aswell,"I'll never understand you,girl.Really."

Mandi's head flew back in laughter,"Of course you wouldn't,silly."She leaned towards him and whispered,"You're not lesbian,so you'd never understand."

Jessie chuckled and stood from his spot to serve the other customers,"Well,Mandi"He muttered placing his hand on her shoulder,"Apart of me is a lesbian y'know.I do like girls"

"As do I,Jessie"Mandi mumbled before finishing her drink and heading off to the washrooms.She finished her cigarette and ashed it out against one of the walls before walking into the washroom.She gazed at herself for a long time in the mirror before walking into one of the dirty stalls.

It was quiet in the washroom until she heard the door open and close and a bunch of whispers coming from the other side of the washroom stall.

Whispers that sounded like,"Where is she?and "That fuckin' queer".

Mandi froze finishing up and pulling up her trousers,she silently stood in the stall before the door was kicked open and the men were standing before her,"Well-Hullo there,girl"

Mandi's blood ran cold,"Fuck off you dick-less cunts"She spat pressing closer to the stall walls.Both of the men chuckled and crushed into the stall closer to her,"Did you hear me.."

The taller one grabbed her by the collar and pulled her towards them,"Yeah.We heard you queer."He whispered harshly,spitting on her face.He glanced to his friend whom was being amused at Mandi's fearless expression.

"Get'yer hands off me"She yelled and struggled against his restraints.The mans face changed from amused to anger,and slammed Mandi up against the wall.She whimpered.

"We don't like fuckin' queers around here."

Mandi cocked her head back and spit right in the mans face."Let me fuckin' go"

The man groaned and wiped the spit from his face as the much shorter one cocked his fist back and punched her in the stomach.Mandi doubled over and held onto the toilet seat."Pretty fuckin' queer princess--"She heard him mutter before getting another kick to the stomach.

---

Paul woke up to find the other side of the bed empty.His face down casted as his palm ran over the covers where she once was and sighed.He got up from the bed and traveled to the washroom,quickly hoping into the shower and avoiding Mike and his Da'.

He dried his hair with the towel and walked into the room,"Hey yea Paulie"

Paul shrieked and must've jumped five feet in the air.John doubled over in laughter as he came out from behind the door that Paul had walked through,"You fuckin' bastard"Paul spat.

"Nice hair"John said through bits of laughter.Paul rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed,pulling on some socks.

"Fuck off.What're you doin' here anyways?"

John shrugged and pulled up the desk chair to sit in front of Paul.He spread his legs and hung his arms over the back of the chair gazing at Paul,"I thought we could write a bit more..."

Paul chewed on his lip and looked to the ground.A sudden blush rising to his cheeks at the thought of what him and Mandi had talked about last night and he couldn't stand looking at John.With his legs spread in front of him.Staring at him,reading him like a fuckin' book.It surprised Paul that John hadn't figured it all out by now.

"Paul?"John called.Paul stuttered and slowly let his eyes travel up to John's face.First stopping at the crotch shot he was viewing,making Paul's stomach tighten.Paul sighed and just finished with looking at John.

"Yeah.I think thats a good idea,mate.Just lemme finish gettin' dressed and we can do some work"He mumbled walking over to the dresser and getting out some clothes.John nodded and watched the young lad make his way out of the room.He sighed soundlessly and stood from the chair,grabbing the guitar next to Paul's desk.He began strumming a tune that he had heard on the radio,perfecting it within hours of practice on the porch of Aunt Mimi's.

He was torn from his thoughts by a tap coming from the window.He turned his head and noticed Mandi nearly pressing herself up against the glass,face battered,bruised and blood trickling down her lip.

John gasped and threw the guitar on the bed,jogging over to the window.He opened it quickly and caught Mandi in his arms before she fell limp into the room,"Jesus fuckin' christ,Mands.What the 'ell happened to you?"

She moaned as he carried her over to the bed,sitting her down next to him,"Mandi.Amanda?"John repeated firmly,running his eyes over her wounds.She didn't respond to him only by flopping her head back to reveal more bruises on her neck and collar bone,"Jesus.Mandi,baby?"His hand reached around her neck to hold it up,"Tell me what happened?"

The door flew open and Paul stood in the doorway,wide eyed,"Jesus.What the hell happened?"He gasped rushing to kneel before Mandi,"Mandi?"

"It fuckin' hurts"She said through clenched teeth holding her stomach.Paul hesitated,looking to John,before he removed her hands and lifted her shirt to see her stomach.He gasped and pushed away from her slowly,"Oh god"

"Amanda.You've got to tell me who fuckin' did this to you"John spat firmly,trying to get an answer from her.But she didn't say anything.

"It's alright John,I'm fucking fine"She moaned.

"You look like you got the shite beat outta you.You're not fine and either will be the fuckin' people be once you tell me who did this.."John continued,eyes flaring with anger.Paul sat back on his knees,shocked.

"Wh-what happened Mandi?"He asked softly rubbing her swollen knee cap.Her dark eyes lingered to his and all he could see was sadness.He chewed on his lip and for some reason,he knew,"John.Can you go get some ice for her,please?"

John's nostrils flared and brows knitted together.He stood from his seat and dashed out of the room fuming and mumbling under his breath.Paul quickly stood and sat next to Mandi,caressing her hand in his.He wrapped her into a hug and that seemed to do it.She caved in and cried into his chest,"Shh,Mands.Tell me,what happened,luv."

"They did it."She moaned,tears staining his shirt.But he didn't mind,"Cause I was fuckin' queer,Paul.Thats all I heard 'em say."She pulled away from him with a disgusted look,"Fuckin' pretty queer princess,bam.Where's the queer at,bam again.Until I was nearly dead on the floor.."

"Oh my god,Amanda"Paul gasped and wrapped her into another hug.She began mumbling and crying more into his chest,"I'm so sorry,luv"

"Don't be sorry Paul."She cried,"Just don't become a queer"

Paul chewed on his lip.He wasn't queer,but he sure would get his ass kicked if anyone were to find out about his little issue with John.Surely they'd do the same to him that they did to Mandi.At that moment,he called off the whole thing with John.

At that moment.

"Mandi.Who cares what the other people think about you.There will always be haters of some sorts"Paul mumbled hooking his finger underneath her chin and lifting it to meet her gaze,"They don't know anything.They live in a closed box of shite,baby"

Her face scrunched up and tears flooded her face once again,"I look like shite,Paul"

"No you don't.You still look like the same Mandi to me"Paul mumbled before John came back into the room with the icepack.He sat next to Mandi and began applying it to her forehead.

"Imma get these son of a bitches,Mands.Mark me words,I'll kill'em"John spat angrily,"No one should be fuckin' doin' this shite,even if yer queer.I know how it feels,Mandi.."

Paul's heart jolted in his chest at a glance towards John.He looked so concerned with Mandi's wounds that he didn't notice Paul staring at him at all.And with that last statement he had made,he had wondered too,if John had ever had the thought of being in Mandi's place.

'I know how it feels...'Paul kept playing what John had said constantly in his mind.And everytime he just couldn't put his finger on it.What did it mean?