Star Riddled Skies

A few days passed uneventfully, making it Thursday, and I'm getting excited about my competition. Zach and I had become really close friends over those three days, sitting together in every lesson we had, standing together at breaks, Zach sat on the wall, me either sitting in his lap or standing between his legs, sharing his mp3 player. Ra and Justin spent every waking moment in each other's arms, much like Kikii and Tom, who weren't actually going out yet. Every moment Keek and I were alone I'd hiss at her to make a move or ask him out.

"Ash?" Zach whispers from over my shoulder, his hands moving from my middle, and I can hear the annoyance, if that's the word to describe it, in his voice.

"Mhmm?" I murmur, watching as Matt and Ollie set fire to some tictacs with that lighter Ollie nicked from the market that morning.

"Can you, uh, get off a min?" My face falls and I slide off his lap, turning to him. Zach's shaken his hair over his eyes that morning, so his face is almost hidden.

"Why Zachy, are you okay?" I ask, brushing the hair from my eyes.

He shrugs and slides off the wall, walking away and pulling his blazer around him. I hurry after him and touch his shoulder. He whirls round and I see a flash of purpley blotches across his temple and cheek.

I hop round so I'm in front of him, "Zach, what's on your face? Are you okay? What's happened?" He pushes me aside a little so I stumble. I stare after him in shock; Zach's never pushed me away.

I make to go after him but he turns at the top step into the main building, "Just leave me alone Ashton," I walk backwards until I feel brick against my calves, as I watch Zach walk away, head hanging

I fall onto the bench and stare at my feet, kicking them across the dirty slabs. Sam comes and sits next to me, touching my arm so I look up. I smile bleakly at him, the smile disappearing a split second later. The bell rings through the quad, and it takes a minute or two for us all to react, pulling our bags from the bench and heading to out next lessons. I'm not with Zach for those two lessons, and I spend History and Geography with my head on the desk, blindly scribbling down what Ra hisses at me, wondering what I've done wrong.

Ra asks what’s the matter too, but I just shake my head. When the bell rings for lunch and I finally drag myself to the quad I look around hopefully for Zach, but he's not there, not there for the whole of lunch. I stand against the wall as if Zach's there, like we always stand, hoping to feel his arms around my stomach.

I smile a fake smile when Ollie and Matt manage to melt the tictac packet down and stick it to the side of a building. I don't touch my food, despite Ra, Keek, Matt and Sam telling me too. Sam stays with me, though, even though I say it's okay. He tries to wrap an arm round my shoulders but I jerk them away and he scowls. The gang's now playing a game of nick Elliot's things and throw them about. Elliot doesn't really care, and is sat on the bench, watching with an amused smirk.

The bell rings again and Ra links her arm through mine. I mouth a goodbye to the gang, carefully dodging from Sam's hug, and about five minutes after the bell went we walk towards the main building. We stop at Justin and Zach's form, where Ra and Justin kiss goodbye and I crane my neck for Zach. I wait for Ra, carefully averting my eyes, and we walk to our form room. I just lean against Ra and answer my name tiredly.

"Ash, it's okay if you don't want to tell me, but I know you too well, something's up," Ra whispers in my ear as I rest my head on her shoulder.

"Well, it's Zach, he just snapped at me this morning, and he had this bruise down his face he wouldn't let me see, then walked off, and I haven't seen him all day," I pull a face and Ra hugs me tight.

"You guys go together real well, you'll make up,"

"Mm, I hope so,"

Double Art next. With Zach. I actually hurry to the Art rooms, but the seat next to me's empty, and stays empty for the double period. So I tiredly put my book back in my bag and say goodbye to everyone, telling them I probably wont be down the field tonight.

I'm walking home alone for once, head hanging, wishing I could be walking with Zach like yesterday, laughing and smiling. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out and I can't help smiling at the name, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach at the following conversation.

"Heyy," I say quietly.

"Ashy I'm really sorry," Zach's voice cracks on the other end and I slow my pace right down.

"It's okay," I lie.

"No, but it's not though Ashy. I shouldn't have snapped at you.. I'm just, just under a bit of pressure right now,"

I sigh quietly, "Zachy Zachy Zachy," I say, knowing he'll smile at our little joke, and he answers more happily.

"Ashy Ashy Ashy,"

"It's okay Zachy, I promise," I smile a little and there's a welling in my heart that I'm glad we're talking again.

"You going down the field?" Zach asks.

"Yeah," I say, starting walking quicker, "See you in like ten minutes,"

"Kay,"

"Byeeee!"

"Bye bye Ashyyy!"

I hang up and try to suppress the dizzy smile on my lips, but I find I can't and end up running home, pulling on some clothes, giving my cat a little stroke and telling him I love him to death, and running back down to the field.

I find Zach there and drop my bag to my feet, running at him. He catches me in his arm and lifts me clean off the floor, spinning me round.

"I'm so sor-" He says in my ear as he puts me down.

"Ah! I said no apologising! It's okay!" I interrupt, jumping back and waggling a finger at him.
"But I'm so-"

"Zach shurupppp!" I say again, hitting him round the arm lightly.

We fall to the floor with the group and Ra smiles at me and I shuffle closer to Zach and lean on his shoulder. We sit and talk, though I don’t really listen, I just feel Zach's breath on the top of my head, feel his heartbeat, hear his laugh. Someone suggests we go further into town, steal a few cans and get drunk for something to do, and we all cheer. Zach chews his lip a little, then smiles at me. He holds his hand out to me as we get up and stumble into town.

Ollie and Matt obviously have a lot of experience in supplying us with drink, since a few minutes after they go into the off licence they come out, pulling two six packs and three bottles of vodka from their bags.

"How can you get away with that for a fifteen year old?" I ask curiously as we all settle on the grass in front of the chip shop and open the tins and bottles.

"It's cause I'm so mature," Ollie says, taking a swig of some bottle. I smile and laugh at him, leaning back so I'm resting against Zach's chest and he's got one arm round me, the other holding a tin of Fosters.

I snatch a bottle of vodka from the pile and rip off the lid, taking a long swig. Then another, then another, until things get a little blurry. Then I find I've finished that bottle, so I lean up and take the Fosters from Zach's fingers, I down a few gulps of that and smile up at him.

He looks beautiful.

I look round and we're all drunk. Ollie and Matt are so amazingly hammered I'm surprised they haven't passed out, but have just come back from another trip to the off licence. Keek and Tom are making out somewhere, everyone carefully ignoring them, or occasionally throwing a can at them, when one of them sticks two fingers up at us. Justin and Ra aren't locking lips however, which is a little unexpected, but are sat with fingers entwined, whispering to each other.

We're so hammered we don't notice the group of about 15 chavs swaggering up to us, larger's in hand. Justin gets up from next to Ra to get more drink and the head idiot lumbers forward.

"Oi emo kids, fuck off, this is ours," he slurs, waving a can at us. I just raise my eyebrows but Zach pulls me a little closer.

"It's okay," I whisper in his ear, "It's always like this.. you can fight right?" I feel him nod behind me and smile.

"Oh yeah," Ra says sweetly, standing up and looking if she's going to move out the way, "I can see the 'Fucking Dickhead' written all over it,"

He lunges for her clumsily, waving his big fat arms, but Ra hops back a little and smirks at him. Justin's immediately at her side, fists clenched, "You touch my girlfriend you're fucking dead,"

"Oh, is that your girlfriend? I thought she was just that ugly whore everyone hates but you're too fucking emo and depressed to say you don't like her," I turn round to Zach, about to ask him what was the matter, until I hear what the bastard said, and wrench myself out of Zach's grip and stand. He stands behind me, tries to pull me back, but I storm forwards, face set into a scowl.

I slam my hand into the guy's throat and shock plasters over his face and I slam him back into the wall with a hand tight at his throat, "Shut the fuck up bastard, say one bad thing about my best friend I'll knock your face in,"

I don’t think he realises how serious I'm being, how many sore knuckles and black eyes I've had, since he smirks. I sigh, irritated, and drop my hand from his neck, turning away a little. I sense him lunge for me and I spin back round, colliding my fist with his nose so he stumbles back into the wall. The whole group gasps, and with a glance over my shoulder I see they're all stood, ready for hell to break loose.

The chavs stand there in shock for a few seconds, amazed that a girl could almost knock out one of the main guys in their gang, then run at us, yelling and swearing. But we're ready.
One of the girls pulls at my hair and I sneer at her, wishing the girls would learn to fight properly. I hit her across the face and she screeches so my ears hurt. I'm itching for a good fight, so I'm more than a little pissed off when a few middle-aged people yell at us and threaten to call the cops.

So we break apart, like two sides on a war and glare at each other. Matt steps forward just a little, throwing the empty bottle of vodka at their feet, making them jump back and swear.

"This ain't over," He hisses, and we nod fiercely, "Field near Westland's Park, ten minutes,"

We all stalk down to the field, leaving the chavs to go off somewhere else, and I know they'll be there. But I don’t think they realise the fields where we always are, I don’t think they realise we know every route in and out of that place.

We don't sink to the floor in little groups like usual, but stand, ready. A few minutes later the gang floods into the field, and we're ready, stood so, if we need to do, which I doubt, we can run.

One of them mutters something that they think will be insulting, but we all just laugh, and Matt throws another empty bottle at them so they all jump back again. They all rush forward and we mirror them. I crash into someone, who immediately punches me in the stomach. Any normal person would be a little winded, but I'm a step ahead of the bastard and get him round the neck, pushing him away and kneeing him where it hurts.

I'm caught by surprise, didn't hear the other from behind me over the swears and punches, and suddenly there's a hand round my neck, making me stumble backwards. He spins me round and leers in my face. The other one keeps hitting me, over and over until I'm damn sure I'll be purple all over.

"Get the fuck away from her," I hear a cold voice say, and I recognise it as Zach. I smile when he pulls them both away from me. I stumble back a little in shock when I see Zach angrier than I've seen him before. I swear he knocks one of them out, stumbling into the other one, who struggles to hold his fat mate up. He glares at them, fists clenched and suddenly the conscious one gets his nerve back.

"This piece of scum your girlfriend then emo kid?" he sneers at me, lumbering forward a little.

Zach blushes a fiery red, "No but if you call her that or anything else again I swear I'll knock
your face in," His voice steadily rises in volume until he's shouting, and the people around us look up from their punches and stare.

"Fuck you," He spits, looking us both up and down. Zach growls in anger and launches himself at the guy. The guy pushes his unconscious mate away and stands to greet Zach's offensive, their fists just blurs. Before I realise there's a circle round the two, and everyone's yelling, suddenly forgotten about their own little grudges and punches.

I watch nervously, reacting to every punch Zach receives as if I've felt it, bending lower so I can see through everyone to watch them. Zach brings his knee up and suddenly the guy falls away, groaning, clutching his crotch. Zach doesn't stop, snap kicking his foot into the guy’s stomach, making him fall to the ground.

He still doesn't stop, swearing at the boy on the floor, driving his fist over and over into his body. I see the blood on Zach's fist, see the blood on the guys lips, but it doesn't worry me. Not until we all hear the police sirens, and we all look up, like a pack of animals at a gunshot. I run forward as I hear the sirens getting louder, and haul Zach off the boy. He almost struggles until he realises it's me.

Then he hears the sirens, gives the boy one last sharp kick, then grabs my wrist. We run away from the street lamps, into the darkness of the fields and all the surrounding area, we're too fast for the coppers. I realise the gang's all split as just Zach and I keep running, slowing down to an inconspicuous walk once we're nearer civilisation.

I find Zach moving a little closer to me as we walk through a residential area I barely recognise. There's a bench on the side of the pavement where we both sit down, closer than before. I realise I'm shivering as I've only got a long sleeved neon pink shirt on, and Zach notices a little, putting his arm round me.

"T-Thanks," I say through chattering teeth and Zach tuts. He takes his arm from my shoulder and shrugs it out his open black hoodie, and drapes it over me. I have to shuffle closer since he still has the other arm in his hoodie, and I'm almost sitting in his lap until I can fit the hoodie across my shoulder.

I can feel his breath on my neck, just making my shivers worse. His loose arm slides across my back and round my shoulders, making me shiver a little more.

"Are you still cold?" Zach says, and I can feel his lips just touching my hair.

I shake my head softly, "That wasn't a cold shiver," I say so he can barely hear me, but I know he does. He squeezes my shoulders lightly and I turn to look up at him. I gasp a little when he's closer than I'd thought.

"Ashy Ashy Ashy," He murmurs softly, his breath washing over me.

"Zachy Zachy Zachy..." I reply, and he smiles, reaching up and brushing a soft hand through my hair. I stare at the bruise that's only half hidden by his hair, reaching out to touch it softly. Zach doesn't flinch as I brush his hair away, "What happened Zachy?"

Zach bits his lip and looks down, and I suddenly feel cold without his gaze on me. I reach up and turn his face towards the nearest streetlight, and I see the bruise in all its purple splendour. It stretches from just above his temple, and arches all the way down his cheek parallel to his lip.

"Who did this Zachy? It- it wasn’t the boy at the field, I know that," Zach looks up for a second, tries to say something, stumbling over his words, then looks back down, his face drained of all colour, except the blues, greens, purples and yellows of the bruise.

"You'll freak if I tell you," I have to lean closer to understand him, and our faces are almost touching. I feel his breath on my cheek as I tilt his chin up.

"I won't I promise, tell me who did this to you Zach," His eyes hold mine, and I feel warm again. I turn on the bench, so I'm almost facing him, his hoodie still round us.

Zach's eyes plead with me helplessly and I feel a lump in my throat, "Please," I murmur softly.

Zach looks down quickly, but I catch a glimpse of a tear in his left eye, "My dad,"