𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳

• 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 •

(𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝:)

"Watch it, bitch." Danny shouted.

Liam, David, Charlie and one of the girls surrounded him. I didn't remember her name. It was Katie or something, but it wasn't like it mattered to me.

I stayed quiet, kept my head down and carried on walking.

"I'm talking to ya, ugly cunt." He sneered as I got closer.

I looked up in just enough time to see his leg stuck out infront of me, but it wasn't enough time to stop myself from falling.

A chorus of "ooo's" echoed around the corridor as my nose crushed into the floor.

"What do you think you're doing?" I pushed myself off the floor and brushed my skirt down before turning to face him.

"Dirty bint." He scoffed, spitting right at my face.

I span around quickly and walked down the corridor as fast as I could.

I pushed the heavy-duty doors open and sat down on the bench nearest to me, wiping off the spit that was slowly seeping down my cheek.

Before I did anything else I let the tears spill out.

(𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘮'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝:)

"Maddie, where are ya?" I pushed open the doors, looking to my left.

There she was, covering her face with her hands.

"Look, are you okay? That- That wasn't right." I sat down next to her.

"Do you think I'm okay, Liam?" She scoffed, uncovering her face.

All of her eye makeup was smudged, tears running down her cheeks.

"He's not normally like that, he's normally sound." I shrugged.

"Don't start this. I've had to deal with him since year 7, and now we're in year 13. He's still the same old wanker." She rolled her eyes.

"Mads-" I grimaced before correcting myself. "Maddie. Yer cross."

One half of it was missing.

"What about it?" She frowned, looking down. "Oh."

I watched as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

"My dad got me it." She closed her eyes. "He's barely ever home now."

"Maddie, I'm so sorry." I began to unclasp the cross which hung around my neck. "You can 'ave mine."

"I don't want yours." She shouted. "I just want mine back."

"Okay, okay." I raised my hands in defeat.

"I want it back, Liam." She sobbed.

I felt frozen as I watched her break down, like I could do nothing to help.

"Can I do anythin' for ya, Maddie?" I frowned.

"Please take me home." She whispered.

(𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝:)

I felt cold as we sat in the school reception together. Liam was right, I definitely wasn't in a fit state to be walking home by myself. Suddenly he sat up.

"Will ya let us go yet?" He tapped on the glass that separated the office and the seating area.

"Yes, darl. You and her can leave now." The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes.

I stood up, ignoring the dizziness it caused. I quickly walked toward the door, my head hanging low.

I pulled open the door and stepped into the fresh air, Liam was close behind me.

"You okay now?" He raised his brows at me.

"My nose is a bit sore but I'm sure I'll survive. I've had worse anyway." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry about-" He began.

"Stop saying sorry." I snapped.

"Jesus, okay." He rolled his eyes.

"You know you could have stopped him from doing it, don't ya? You just stood there and did nothing." I sneered. "Just like him you are, a cunt."

He stayed quiet. "I'm not like him, you don't know me."

"I've seen enough of you to know what you're like, Liam." I rolled my eyes.

"Bollocks." He frowned, looking towards the sky. "It's raining."

"Why are you complaining, you have a coat." I frowned at him.

"You can have it." He began to take off the Adidas zip-up he was wearing.

"I don't want it." I grimaced.

I hated when other people acted like this toward me. Like I was a damaged object, something that needed to be doted on.

"Yer 'aving it anyway." He placed it over my shoulders.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, pulling it on properly and zipping it up.

I could see he was about to laugh, I didn't know what about.

"Do I look like a twat in it?" I frowned.

"Nah, it's fine." He resisted breaking out into childish giggles. "Just a bit big, that's all."

"You're way taller than me, of course it's big." I laughed. "You do know you're gonna get soaked, don't you?"

"Not the end of the world." He shrugged. "We're nearly at yours anyway."

"Thanks." I mumbled at him.

"For what?" He frowned, eyebrows knitting together.

"I don't know, for being kind to me when the others are all pricks." I shrugged back.

"Yer a sound girl, Maddie. You atleast deserve some kindness." He smiled at me.

I smiled back at him.

"You sorted out all that tutorin' stuff then? That list of things you can help me with?"
He raised his brows as we approached my front door.

"There's only two things, really. Analysing language and structuring detailed answers." I shrugged, unlocking the door and going in. Liam followed close behind.

"Cuppa?" He raised his brows.

"I'll put the kettle on." I smiled, walking into the kitchen.

After five minutes I'd already finished making them.

I could feel Liam coming up behind me.
"Scuse me." He mumbled, his left hand grasping my waist as he reached for the sugar.

"Want any?" He looked down at me after dumping two spoonfuls of it into his mug.

I looked up at him, feeling frozen in my own body. His hands were warm and his brows were raised.

"No thanks." I finally came to my senses, picking up my mug and going to sit in the living room.

I didn't look at him as he followed me through.

"You okay?" He raised his brows as he sat next to me.

I didn't respond.

"Madison, are you okay?" He gently shook my arm.

"Why did you grab me?" I frowned, looking him dead in the eye.

"I didn't grab ya." Liam frowned back.

"In the kitchen, Liam, when you were getting the sugar. You grabbed me and you didn't let go." I bit down on my thumbnail.

"Sorry, I was just gettin' the sugar." He shrugged. "You were in the way."

"Okay, forget about it then." I rolled my eyes.

"I think I'll go now." He mumbled, standing up and walking toward the door.

"Liam, your jacket?" I slipped it off and offered it toward him.

"Keep it," He waved his hand dismissively. "See ya soon."