Chapter 5 Five

Well, at least this morning went to plan I got up early and did lunch for both me and Joshua though my mom tried to give me money Which I blatantly refused she insisted that she wouldn't give up god I wished she would. I met Aaron outside of the house.

'Have you got lunch today?'

'Yeah. Here.' I said passing him the money.

'Keep it.'

'Bu..'

'Keep it.'

'I can't.'

'You can Lil, you're my friend and you'd do the same given the chance out it away.'

'Bu..'

'Put it away.'

I slipped it back into my pocket.

'Come on we've got to meet Josh and the guys.'

'What?'

'Not a problem is it?'

'No. They're your friends not mine,'

'I was hoping that we could all be friends.'

'Only when he'll freeze over.'

'I don't know why you two hate each other so much.'

'It causes...' I stop.

Joshua looks up and drops his cigarette on the floor stomping it. 'Nice to see you've joined us today Lil.' he smirks.

I smile sarcastically.

'Come on let's split.'

We all walked away.

We all went into registration and to our first lesson two hours of hell.

Joshua was in my class and the dick had paired us for the paper. 'Hello study buddy.'

I sat saying nothing.

'So did you do my lunch?'

I nodded.

'Words Lilly.'

'Yes.'

'Did you do everything I like?'

I nodded.'

'What did I just say Lilly words.'

'Yes.' How could I forget? He'd text me early this morning about his likes, dislikes and what he could and couldn't eat.

'Good girl.' He smiled. 'We'll meet after school and do the paper at your house. I need good grades, Lil.'

'Fine.' I huffed.

I took the sandwich box out of my bag passing it to him he slid it into his bag.

The bell rang.

'Don't forget lunch, Lilly.'

'I won't.'

After the break, I went to the lesson before meeting Aaron, Joshua and his friends.

It went smoothly, he waited at the gates smoking as I approached him.

'So are we ready to go?'

'Where are your friends and Aaron.'

'I'm here.' He said catching us up.' Where are the guys?'

'Detention let's go.'

We all walked away. 'Not going home tonight Josh?' Aaron joked.'

'Nope, I and Lilly have a paper to do the dickwodd teacher pared us.'

'Okay well, I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Yeah, later bro.'

'Bye Lil.'

'Bye Aaron.'

He jogged away leaving me alone with Joshua.

'Let's get this over and done with.'

'I know you're not happy with this Lily neither am I but I need good grades so can we please Just try and be hospitable to each other for one and hopefully the dick won't pair us again.'

'Okay.'

He smiled as I opened the door. 'Come through.'

He followed me through sitting down. Have you got any munchies? 'I can't concentrate without food.'

'Yeah sure.'

I walked into the kitchen got some snacks and cans of Pepsi went back into the lounge placing them down.

'Thanks, princess.'

I look at him weirdly and sit down. 'Lest get this over and done with.'

God, I hate my mom sometimes she never listens and I was right She's asked why I was doing an extra lunch when he'd give me money.

I tried to argue but it wasn't working she'd shot me down and put everything away she said I shouldn't be doing lunch for a boy when he can get his own, did she not realise that I would not eat through her foolishness? This had made Joshua mad and he'd taken my money every day and had declined Aaron's offer of lunch just to appease him.

I was having a mental break down my mom could see I was falling and struggling with everything around me but I refused to tell her the real reason behind it by the end of the week I could no longer function, I wasn't eating lunch and I was hardly eating at home. I could hardly see what was in front of me, I was beginning to feel dizzy that's when I hit the floor losing consciousness.

PRESENT DAY

Aaron sat in the single leather seat of the private room in the hospital, he'd been there almost everything night since she'd been admitted. Watching and waiting hoping she'd pull through, she'd been hooked up to so many contraptions it was unreal. He'd told the guys not to leave her there, they'd told him someone would find her and then they all were in a whole world of shit. Joshua had reassured him that no one would grass on them cause they'd either be in a hospital bed or six feet under.

The scream came from the girl's bathroom, from one of the girls that had found her. The other rushed to get the nurse and the head teacher. She lay unconscious on the bathroom floor, her blood circled her head. The sirens echoed in the afternoon sun and the paramedics came running through with the stretcher that they lifted her onto and bulking her onto It, rushing her back down the corridors everyone watching and taking pictures it was nothing out of the ordinary for someone to be taken to hospital, though the school had an anti-bullying policy and it tolerated no bulling what so ever there was always those who seemed to slip the net and get away with murder if she didn't wake there would be police everywhere.

The rumour going around was she was barely breathing and the gash to her head

could have caused internal bleeding in the brain. He wished he'd stopped it, he tried, but it was too late and they'd made him a part of it. God, it made him feel sick inside, nausea growing inside him.

She was his friend he should've protected her instead he'd allowed it to happen and he doubted very much she'd ever trust him again.

Her eyes slowly flickered. He watched in anticipation hoping that they'd open. When they finally did she looked around the very bland room, the smell of disinfectant flickered through her nostrils making her heave. 'Where am I?' She asked groggily.

'Hospital.'

She looked at him he smiled she lay nervously going for the buzzer. He placed his hand over hers stopping her. 'Please Lil I'm sorry.'

'You let them rape me.'

'I know. I'm sorry.'

'Are you?'

'Yes, I am.'

'You let the rape me and you joined in. You're supposed to be my friend. I trusted you.'

'You still can.'

'No, I can't I'm sorry our friendship is dead any buried.'

'Please Lil. I'm sorry.'

'Are you still friends with them?'

He looked at her through his dark emotionless eyes his face tightened.

'Then we are no longer friends.'

'Please Lil.'

'Just go.'

He leaned forward. 'I can protect you.'

'Well you've done a good job of that so far haven't you.'

'Just listen to me, Lil.'

She looked at him.

''If you're with me they'll leave you alone.'

She laughed. 'I doubt that very much, Aaron. They don't care who I'm with they'll keep bullying me, they'll keep raping me.'

'No, they won't just trust me on this.'

She looked at him could she trust him after everything?

'So..what do you say you and me together I can protect you, Lil.'

'Okay.' She sighed.

He smiled kissing her softly on the cheek. He released his hand and she dropped the buzzer, nurses came running with the doctor to examine her.

'We should contact your parents.'

'I'll do it so you can examine her.'

'Thanks.'

'No probs.'

He walked out of the room. 'Yore really lucky he's been here most nights when your family weren't.' He smiled.

She looked at him. Maybe he was regretting it or just felt bad for himself or was there another reason behind him being so concerned? Maybe he hoped she wouldn't wake up up up so she wouldn't grass on him or his friends for all of this.

'Do you remember what happened miss Draven?'

'Not really.'

He smiled.

'The police will want to speak to you now your awake.'

'Oh okay.'

Aaron walked in. 'So is she okay?'

'Not too bad we'll keep an eye on her for the next 48 hours and if she's doing well she may go home.'

He smiled.

'I'll be round again this evening with your medication.'

'Thanks, doc.'

She smiled briefly.

The doctor and nurse walked out of the room. He looked at her. 'What's wrong.'

'The police want to talk to me.'

'Oh.'

'I have to tell them, Aaron. I have to tell them everything.'

He looked at her placing his hands on either side of her body wrap paint it tightly in the sheets, his dark eyes were angered and cold she'd never seen them like that before they scared her. 'You can't Lil if you do I can't save you from them or me.'

She looked at him.

'Please Lil we're friends and I don't want something like this to ruin that.'

'You already did by..'

He cut her off. 'Listen to me, Lily.' He said sternly. 'We're friends and friends don't rat on each other.'

She looked scared his tone was unwell, she just wanted to curl up and die. 'You wanted me to die, didn't you? So you and your friends would be in the clear and nothing else would be said.'

'No, I didn't. If you died they would've found a way of pining Murder on all of us.'

'How fucking tragic.'

'Lily please don't tell them who was involved. They'll kill you this time and I don't want you to die.'

'Okay.' She sighed. 'I'll tell them I didn't recognise who did it okay.'

He smiled pressing his lips on hers and kissing her. He moved away loosening the sheets from around her.

Just then her parents walked into the room hugging her. Aaron said his goodbyes leaving them alone. 'He's such a trouper, he's been here for the last few weeks just watching. And waiting for you to wake.'

She smiled briefly. 'He's a good friend Lily. You won't find a better friend than him.'

She sat unsure that he was a good friend at all.