Chapter 2 What did you do

Nana's voice was laced with pain as she clutched her jaw. "Gosh... my jaw hurts." Ryan poked her jaw.

Ryan's concern turned to shock as Nana flinched and hit his arm. "Ouch! Man... I was only being worried."

Sammie's guilt was palpable as he stared at his cracked phone screen.

The three friends huddled under a tree, drenched and their faces etched with bruises.

"I'm sorry guys. It's all my fault, and..." Sammie's voice trailed off.

Nana's reassurance was firm. "It's okay, Sam. What are friends for?"

Ryan's eyes gleamed. "Yeah. Even though we got beaten, friends stick together."

Sammie's gaze met theirs, his heart swelling with gratitude.

"Well, it's your fault too!" Sam fired back.

"C'mon, we helped you. Just admit it," Ryan said.

"How?," Sam asked.

"If we weren't here, you would have received all the hits and you could even get killed. But me and Nana took lots of hits for you," Ryan said.

"Yeah," Nana said as she pulled both guys for a hug. They stayed like that for a while.

"Even when we're hugging, I still feel cold," Nana muttered.

"Why didn't you bring an umbrella, tomboy!," Sam said as he punched her stomach playfully.

"I was in a hurry. What about you?!," She asked as she punched his stomach as well.

"My umbrella fell on the way earlier when I was running," Sam said as they broke the hug.

"The rain has stopped," Ryan said.

"It's getting late, let's go," Sam said and they stood up.

•••

They were walking through the quiet path they took, thinking it was a short cut to their houses.

"So, why were you out?," Ryan asked.

"I was running an errand for mom. We were about to cook lunch, so I got out to buy some foodstuff since there's nothing at home," Sam explained. "So I ran into those guys," Sam added.

"Why were they chasing you in the first place. What did you do?," Nana asked.

"Oh! I eh.. I kissed his girlfriend at school," Sam said as he itch his hair.

"What!!," Nana and Ryan exclaimed.

"I mean.. no! I mean... She kissed me! And Seth caught us. I managed to escape that day," Sam said as he sighed.

"What!," Nana said. "Why did she do that?," She asked.

"Well, I don't know..." Sam muttered.

"Hmm. Now she has put you in trouble," Ryan frown.