Smashed Pianos ~ Liam Gallagher

OUT OF FOCUS

His face is blurry and for a brief moment I think I've gone blind, but then it all comes into focus. "Y'know, you really should look where you're goin'." He plonks me back onto the pavement like I weigh nothing.

"Sorry." I splutter, bent double, breath short.

The shaggy hair seems to ring a bell with me. I know that I know him; I just can't think from where.

"What were you runnin' from?" He tilts his head up to the sky and the sun illuminates his face. He looks fairly normal. Like any lad our age. But his dark and deep eyebrows are very prominent and his eyelashes are even longer than mine. He's interesting looking.

"Got myself into some trouble." I reply simply, not wanting to explain my entire life story to a random guy I just stumbled upon, I don't fancy being judged by strangers. I peer back at gallery; Corey out of sight. I don't want to go back, too frightened.

He says nothing, just nods in my direction and turns on his heels walking away from me. That same feeling of rejection passes over me despite not even knowing this person. I need to get a grip.

Instead of heading back to the gallery which is only down the pavement I sit on the kerb. My whole body aches, my mind hurts and I feel as though the last ounce of trust I had in people has just slipped away. I trusted Corey - not wholeheartedly - but I trusted him enough to believe he wouldn't assault me like that. And he did. I trusted dad and then he cheated on mum. What next?

The sound of heels clipping along the pavement causes my ears to prick upwards. Ruth. She smiles at me softly and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Mum - she saw - she's giving everyone an earful right now." Ruth whispers, but I can't take my eyes off the lad walking down the street. He reeks confidence. Unlike me. "Let's get you home yeah? Nice bath, hot chocolate, we can watch a film if you like." Ruth offers and slowly pulls me up from the pavement.

I'm embarrassed and I know I shouldn't be. Mum saw Corey assaulting me and doesn't that just prove my weakness? If I had my way no one would know that I wasn't strong enough to defend myself physically and emotionally. I knew all along going outside with him was a bad idea. "Mum feels guilty." Ruth mutters, tugging me along the cobbles. "You might get that guitar after all." She chuckles but I'm not quite feeling it, she's acting like my older sister. I should be stronger. Set a batter example for her. "And anyway, why were you speaking to that lad from before?"

I shrug, "What do you mean 'from before'."

"He's the prick from the corner shop... Remember?"

Sighing, I take her hand in mine and we cross over the road, my legs quaking dramatically. I hope no one else can see. But I heard that when you're legs shake it feels massive but actually it isn't noticeable. I hope that's true. "Sorry, my mind's all over the place..."

"No, it's fine... Are you okay?"

I hold back the tears and try to get Corey's face from out of my head. I don't think I've ever felt so violated, so used before in my life. How can somebody think that it's okay to force another to- No. It's no use. I'm fine, unharmed, nothing more happened. I got away. "Not really." I mumble. But if mum saw then why didn't she do anything about it? That's the part I don't understand. And where is she now?

"Mum came out to look for you, she saw it- but you ran off and she couldn't find you." Ruth answers the questions I had but didn't vocalise. She's definitely telepathic. "She'll catch us up. When I left she had Corey pinned against the wall."

I'll bet she did. Mum can be pretty damn scary when she wants to be.

"Don't look like that," Ruth begins, "You're safe now."