As soon as I’m into the park properly and walking past the play area I realise my mistake. A group of guys are draped over the swings and climbing frames, smoking and drinking and talking in low voices. They all look up as they see me coming and the one nearest to me smirks. I wish I had the dog with me. I shove my hands in my pockets and walk with my head down, hoping they won’t bother me and cursing myself for deciding to walk home.
‘Hey Ash,’ one of them calls and I look up, recognising one of the boys from school a couple of years ago. I think he dropped out before exams. His name’s Adam something or other, and he’s one of those slouchy guys who always look a bit menacing and look at you like they’re imagining you with their clothes off. I smile and wave, picking my pace up, but he comes jogging after me with his mates behind him. He comes to a halt in front of me, forcing me to stop. I go to walk on the grass to go around him but he steps with me so he’s still in my way. I roll my eyes, trying to pretend he’s just being a pain, but my heart is hammering and his friends have caught up and are clustering round.
‘Where are you off to then?’ he asks.
‘Just on my way home.’
‘Already? It’s a Saturday night, why don’t you come and have a drink with us?’
I shake my head.
‘Nah, I’ve got stuff to do at home. Thanks though.’ I smile as if I’m really pleased at his kind offer and go to step forward again, but he crosses his arms and doesn’t budge. A lock of greasy hair falls over his forehead from under his cap and he pushes it away in irritation. I notice how dirty his finger nails are. Behind me, his friends are sniggering.
‘We’re going to a club later. Come with us.’ He really doesn’t like taking no for an answer. I glare at him and say as firmly as I can;
‘Like I said, I’ve got stuff to do. Would you mind getting out of my way?’
Adam just laughs, and not in a nice way. One of the other guys nudge me from behind so that I almost fall into Adam and I spin round glaring, much to his friend’s amusement. There are two boys hanging back a bit, the one who pushed me who is small and ferrety looking and a taller, stockier lad who isn’t laughing but looking at me with a sneer. I’m betting he’s the ringleader, and the reason Adam is showing off.
‘Maybe I would mind,’ Adam says from behind me, so close I can feel his breath on the back of my neck. I tense, wishing I had kept up those self defence classes last year and trying to remember everything I learnt at the two I went to, when I was actually paying attention and not laughing at Dannii trying to flirt with the instructor. No doubt if Dannii was here she’d flirt her way out of it.
The taller guy speaks, looking me up and down with undisguised contempt.
‘She doesn’t want to drink with us. Thinks she’s too good for us don’t you?’
I shake my head in protest. ‘I’m just busy,’ I begin but I hear Adam’s voice again, not even pretending to be friendly now.
‘Yeah I bet she does. You were always stuck up at school weren’t you Ash? Little Miss Goody-two-shoes. Not like that mate of yours.’
‘Who’s her mate?’ the ferret faced one asks, leering at me.
‘Dannii something. Let me feel her tits for a few smokes. Jason’s had a go on her too.’
The taller one, who must be Jason, finally cracks a smile, though it’s more of a smirk. He takes a long swig from his bottle of Bud and gives me a long look.
‘Yeah,’ he nods, ‘she’s a right slut.’
‘She is not!’ I snap. I’ve never heard her mention a Jason; they’re just trying to wind me up. It’s had the desired effect, as Jason laughs and goes ‘oooh’ sarcastically.
