We're all ugly when we cry

Chapter 11: The woods

A lump made it's way into my throat as I saw a shadow skim across the borderline of the trees. Automatically I reached behind me to grab a hold of Bens wrist, he opened his mouth to protest but before he could complain I clasped a hand over his mouth, giving him a look of warning.

I let my ears take main priority as my eyes couldn't spot any possible dangers. All my senses where on high alert knowing that Cal could be around any corner. I was foolish to think he would leave me alone after being humiliate in front of his group like that.

There was a rustle to the left of the border...

I whipped my head around to catch four figures, lurking in the canopy, Cal was among them a smile dancing across his lips taunting me.

"Ben, we have to go..." I whispered not daring to let my eyes leave the bodies hidden away.

"W-what's going on?" His voice trembled, eyes darting in all directions to make sense of the desperate situation. Although I wanted too, I couldn't turn to comfort him, he had no idea what was going on. I was at this moment that Cal had started to slowly walk towards us. My heart began dancing at a beat to fast to catch up with... I only had chance to utter one word...

"Run..."

With the words barely past my lips, and Bens wrist in my clutches, I darted towards the depths of the woods dragging Ben after me. Desperate to try to gain some distance between us and the group. Being tall and lanky I had an advantage with a body of a runner, Bens' small legs struggled to keep up. Yet I didn't leave him. I kept a firm grip on his wrist dragging him along.

The trees around us had started to thicken telling me we had managed to get further into the depths of the woods. Easier to loose them. But if they caught up with us... Nobody would be able to here us scream.

"Yasmin...slow....down!" I pulled harder on his wrist sending a glare behind me. There was no way I was risking his safety just to slow the pace.

We had to keep going.

We didn't get much further, before a root of an old oak tree sent Ben tumbling.

"Ahh-" before he could finish screaming his face had made full contact with the ground.

"BEN" I rushed to his side picking him up. Physically he was fine but emotionally, I'm not sure. His eyes were swollen and tainted red as tears began to form, I followed his gaze to see his glasses smashed up.

"Why are we even running?" He clutched the pair close to his chest wiping any stray tears along with the dirt streaks that he'd also gained from the fall.

"They're after us after me, we have to go NOW, can you still see?" I tugged on his arm but he pulled away cradling his wrist to his body, black marks had started to form around where I had grasped him. Guilt immediately flooded my stomach making me feel ill.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, but you don't understand, we have to get far away from here. He knows who you are now." I kept glancing around the woods checking for any sign of new movement.

"Yeah I can see, my eyesight is decent enough but I can't see anything too far away, anyway who are you on about?" From the tone he was using with me I could tell he wasn't angry, just scared. I didn't blame him, I had gotten him into this mess in the first place.

"It's that gang I told you about. I thought they had posted that photo about us on Facebook... But turns out they didn't even know where I was. So Basically gave them exactly who they were looking for and now know who they can use to get to me. You."

Ben sat there mouth agape not sure how to react.

"So who posted that photo?"

"My guess is Kirstie Robin, she hates me since I was a threat to her popularity" I brushed it off as nothing "now Ben please, we have to go."

He nodded reluctantly, but this time he grabbed my hand with his own undamaged one before running again.

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About what felt like an hour later, we collapsed besides a stream. The forest hanging thick around it secluding us from the outside world. Ben immediately staggered to the waters edge, eagerly scooping handfuls of the clear liquid into his mouth to quench a growing thirst, I joined him once I was pretty certain we had lost Cal. However in the panic of all this I'd managed to get us lost. I was pretty ashamed of myself... I thought I knew these woods like the back of my hand.

I looked up just seeing past the coverage of trees to gaze at the rapidly darkening sky. If we didn't get back soon, we would be here overnight. After relaxing next to him, I spoke up "I'm sorry" I was annoyed with myself... not only because I couldn't protect him but I had just made everything worse.

"Hey it's ok, I told you you could relay on me for anything." He seemed so upbeat...

"But not this!" My gut was twisting with dread about what was coming our way. Even if we got home fine today, they would be looking for us until they got their revenge. We weren't safe. A bitter breeze rustled it's way through the forest sending a series of shivers down my spin. I was grateful for the jumper I had shrugged on last thing before I left my house that morning. But Ben I noticed, had only a t-shirt on. I got up and sat closer to him wrapping my arms around his small frame to try and share some of my warmth with my oversized sweater. I don't know how long we stayed like that... I was just glad when his body stopped shaking against me. I didn't care that we hadn't spoken for a while. We were both too exaughted from the exercise.

The wind suddenly turned making Ben shove himself closer to me, his arm digging slightly into my rib-cage, yet I was too tired to complain. It was so perfect up until...

"Don't you two make a great couple?" The familiar voice sent a shiver down my spine, my jaw clenched with anger. All I wanted was to keep one person safe. Was that too much to ask? Also what's with everyone thinking we're a couple? I turned to face Cal, surprised to find only two others were stood with him. Most of the group had probably got bored and gone home, or more likely gotten lost.

"JUST LEAVE US ALONE!" I tensed as Ben removed himself from my side and was now standing facing Cal anger radiating off him fists clenched into balls by his sides.

Unfazed by Bens' speech Cal spoke again "Well aren't you a brave little boy?" He tilted his head to one side interested by the performance. And if it were a different situation I may of laughed as Cal crouched to try minimise the height gap between the two. Considering Cal was taller than me, Ben being below average, it was quite a sight. To be honest I was quite impressed by his burst of confidence. However, Cal spoke again "Such a shame I will have to smash all your confidence."

What happened next was too quick for me to be able to respond... Within seconds, Cal had clicked his fingers making one of his guards, who was almost taller than Cal, grab Ben roughly by the hair holding him painfully tight at his side. Once sure he was out the way Cal then approached me.

"Now are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"