𝖻𝗂𝗍𝖼𝗁 | 𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽𝗀𝖾

iv

karma approached school the next day, deciding not to walk with missy or nas because she didn't want to seem like she was picking sides.

her first two lessons flew by, and at break she decided to seek out riz, wanting to get to know the boy better and avoid her friend drama.

'yeah, her boobs karm, i swear to god.'

'alright, alright, enough about miss keane's boobs' karma laughed as the two walked through the courts.

'tell me abo-'

her sentence was cut short as she heard a familiar voice calling out behind her.

'nasreen! nasreen? you alright? hey, you should see bruise i got from last night, look. nas- nas love, hey!'

karma watched in horror as nas pushed the older woman off of her.

'simone, get off.'

missy approached her mother.

'mum?'

karma felt terrible, muttering a 'just a minute' to riz as she strolled over to missy and simone as they stood, hugging.

'hi, simone.'

the ashford girl gave the older woman a quick hug, shooting a smile towards missy who returned it.

'nasreen!'

karmas attention was grabbed from cory as she watched missy march over to nas at lunch, the blonde girl clearly angry.

'what? you just gonna stand there and not say owt?'

'missy, i'm sorry.'

'you what? while them lot call her every name going. "slag, nasty, junkie" my mum! treated her like she was scum.'

'go on missy, smack her.'

at the violent encouragement from shannon, karma felt compelled to intervene, although cory held her arm, both of them slowly gravitating towards the scene nonetheless.

'and all that before! you act like you barely know me! two days in this school and you're so worried about what the girls in hijab think.'

'look, missy, they're me mates! you don't know them like i don't know your mates. it's- it's not my fault you got held back a year is it.'

at this, missy stepped foward, shoving nas.

'missy what are you doing?'

'oh, like you don't know how to fight back? oh, oh cause you're so perfect, you're so good, you're such a good little muslim. you fight right in with that lot. you were out, drinking with me and karm in town not two nights ago. w-with the kutti, with the gori! oh! oh, the shame!'

nas let out a screech, running at missy. they grappled at each other, fighting. karma wrenched her arm out of cory's grasp, hating seeing her friends like this.

she ran forward, trying to grab at one of them to hold them back, resolve the issue.

'nas- nas! miss, come on this isn't the right way to go about this.'

but her words fell on deaf ears as the two fought, and then, it seemed everything slowed down. everyone saw it coming, riz yelling a 'karma!' from the crowd- although his warning was a second too late as missy's arm flew back as she released herself from nasreen's grip, accidentally backhanding the ashford girl.

a collective gasp came from the crowd as missy's forceful hit pushed karma to the floor as she wasn't expecting it, silence falling upon the rabble, miss keane breaking the silence as she ran from the school after seeing the chaos.

no one was sure what to do- missy booth had just hit karma ashford.

as miss keane pulled missy off of nas, only then did the two realise the reality of the situation, their best friend on the floor holding back tears.

karma had gained a few injuries from the slap, a twisted ankle as she fell to the floor, a grazed knee, a cut on her lip from missy's ring and two new bruises on her temple and her jaw- her temple from where she hit the floor and her jaw from the hit.

missy and nas separated, watching as riz helped karma up gently, the blood from her knee dripping down her leg and staining her pristine white socks.

missy looked at karma.

'karm i'm sor-'

'save it.'

the girl spoke up, her voice quiet but enough to send chills down the spines of the dispersing crowd.

the surrounding people watched her retreating back as riz walked her into the school, the tall boy carrying her bag as they headed off towards the nurses office.

they waited at the reception, karma leaning on riz, the nurse seemingly on leave for her lunch break.

'look, it's okay, riz. i'll just clean myself up when i get home.'

'no, it's okay, i'm sure they won't mind.'

'what do you-'

he shushed her, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the medical room.

he sat her on the bed in the sterile room, rifling through drawers to find what he was looking for, letting out an 'ah!' as he found a first aid kit.

he knelt down, cleaning the cut on her knee.

'karma?'

'hmm?'

'why'd you get involved?'

he looked up at her curiously as she took in his question, leaning her head back against the wall and shutting her eyes.

'well- well um.. i'm not really sure. i guess i'm seen as such a 'good girl' by everyone in this town because i make it my mission to know everyone, and at home my parents are always arguing with each other or a-being horrible to me that i hate to see my best friends like it because it reminds me of them? i don't know i just- i just want us to be okay again.' her voice cracked and a tear slid out of her closed eye, which she quickly wiped away, chuckling and sitting up, peering at him as he bandaged her knee.

'hey, it'll be okay. i'm sorry about your parents.'

she nodded at him, watching as he stood and sat next to her, dabbing antiseptic onto her face and patching it with medical tape, sitting back and looking at her when he was done.

'okay, you're all clean. i don't know what to do about your socks though.'

he chuckled, the girl thinking.

she gasped, grabbing her bag and opening it.

'i knew i would need these at least once!'

she exclaimed, bringing a spare pair of socks out of her bag, both of them laughing.

she unbuckled her mary janes, quickly pulling off her soiled socks and pulling on new ones, clasping her shoes back on.

'thanks for looking after me riz, and for listening.' she smiled, leaning up quickly and kissing him on the cheek.

the boy flushed, karma grabbing her bag and swiftly leaving the nurses office to hurry home, riz smiling softly, shaking his head before standing too, heading to his house.