Always Awake

Chapter 12

The sun was shining and the birds were singing, down at the local beach. The soft sand glistened and rocks glinted beneath the amber ball of fire. A warm comforting breeze, rustled the leaves on the tall, photogenic palm trees.

"I still think he's bad news" Jack warned, as I looked over at Zak persuading pretty girls to buy a tangerine and honey smoothie.

"Hmm, you could be wrong" I said still looking at Zak.

Zak must of been some kind of girl-magnet too, they were now sat on stools giggling, and twirling their hair in front of him. While sipping the orange drink.

"He has all those girls wrapped round his little finger" Jack sounded annoyed, I knew he wasn't a fan of Zak. Just like Maddie and Jas weren't fans of Jack.

"Jealous? " I laughed, lying back down on the sand.

"No...of course not, just curious as to why they would be interested in him" he crossed his arms.

The sky was dyed indigo, milky clouds passed through slowly. I peered at Jack, he seemed to be looking at something. "What are you looking at?" I asked, squinting my eyes away from the sunlight. "Those girls...they look familiar" he wondered. I sat up to look.

"CRAP" I said burying my head in my towel. "What? Who is it?" He said. "Maddie and Jas" I mumbled into the towel still. "Oh god".

"Uh Ellie, they are coming this way" he said patting my shoulder. I didn't move.

I knew they had recognised me, they laughed when they walked by. "He was so hot!" Jas squeled, referring to Zak probably - confused thought, what about Jordan? "So is he..." I heard Maddie murmur, Jack.

"Have they gone?" I asked, "yup". I took a breath of air in. "I need to go speak to Zak, stay here".

I padded across the sand, barefoot. My long brown silky hair blew behind me as I approached him.

"Well look who decided to join me! I knew you couldn't stay away!" He said opening his arms. "Shut up" I said, taking a seat. "Can I tempt you to a pineapple and coconut smoothie?" He said, shaking a coconut in my face. "Yeah whatever" I said.

"What were they saying?" I scoffed.

"Just saying...how sexy I am!"

"Oh Zak, grow up" I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously though, what?" I asked

"Well, they did talk about you, which didn't make any sense..."

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" I demanded

"That you're such a bad person, and I should never trust you"

I was shocked. I didn't think they would stoop that low. Spread crap about me.

"Don't believe anything they say" I groaned. Zak just looked at me. We didn't say anything, I could feel the awkwardness crawling on my skin.

My loud, rude slurping kind of broke the silence. I could feel Jack watching my every move, I felt really pressured for some reason.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I should listen to you, your my friend, I shouldn't believe those dumb girls" he apologised, putting his tanned muscular arm around my shoulder. It was surprisingly comforting. Zak felt gentle, like a big brother.

"Watch it man! Get your hands off my girl!" Jack interrupted, yanking Zak off of me.

"I hardly touched her!" Zak argued.

"Oh really? Is that why you were all over her? " Jack pushed Zak.

"Hardly! I was just comforting her..." He huffed.

"Yeah well leave me to do that!" Jack scolded.

I respected how much Jack liked me and cared about me. And, that he was protective. But the push at Zak was unnecessary, I had already explained that nothing happened so why was he so annoyed now?

Things were beginning to get a little violent, and I need to intervene.

"Guys! Would you cool it!" I begged, pulling them apart.

"Zak, maybe you should comfort me less, I know your my friend but"

"Yeah Zak!" Jack chuckled

"And you! I am allowed to have friends that are guys you know, it's not a law, and it doesn't change anything" I said calmly.

"Yeah Jack!"

"God your both as worse as each other!" I moaned, storming off.

"This is all YOUR fault!" I heard Jack hissed.

I had no choice by to go home, I couldn't go back to Jack's. He was out of order back then with Zak. I was already dreading walking through that door. Mum will rant. Cameron will tease. And Harry will wail.

Just walking up the driveway, I could hear the madness, descending out the open kitchen window. I yawned.

I really wasn't in the mood for mum giving me some psycho lecture.

"And where were you last night?!-" mum demanded. The spoke again, just as I was about to answer. "-We were worried sick!" She cried. "I went to Maddie's" I lied. "I'm sorry, I just needed to get away".

I pushed past mum, ignoring whatever questions Cameron was throwing at me. I flopped down onto my bed, letting out a big tired sigh. I was so sick and tired of everything and everyone. I was just in one of those moods.

My room was due a tidy, clothes were scattered all over the floor and bed, from my dramatic leave the other day. Another thing I needed to do. Mum called me for dinner, but I didn't show. She had an annoyed tone of voice when she called me.

I decided to take a long, hot, steaming bath. I used a new bathbomb, which exploded in the bath beautifully, bursting with colours of peach and milkshake pink. After my long, needed soak, I slipped into my summer pyjamas and slid into bed. The sheets were cold and freshly washed, I liked it that way. It felt easier to breathe.

A shimmering silver path of moonlight carved through my blinds, illuminating my room. I could drift off to sleep, but my body wasn't letting me. So many things were buzzing around in my mind irritatingly.

My room was silent, and all I could hear was the faint siren of an ambulance nearby. It took a while for my mind to settle, but I eventually plummeted into a deep sleep, that could of easily been identified as some sort of coma.