Counselling

Chapter 1

Alish’s POV

I was stalking away from the house; I refused to think of it as my home. It hadn’t been my home since I lost my mother. Before you think it she didn’t die or anything, that probably would have been easier for me; just a clean break. I’m not saying I would have been totally fine after but I would have talked to some people and eventually I would’ve gotten over it. Not have to go through the torment that I suffer now. It’s not just the abuse it’s the changes. If she was just one or the other I would feel so much better, really, even if she was just mad all the time, telling me how worthless I was, I could take it if she would just stick to her guns. She will just switch, loving caring mother one minute, crazy screaming wreak the next.

That’s why I’m running away again, it’s the only thing I can do, run away and rebel. I look down; I’m wearing a pair of tiny running shorts and a tank top which explains the predatory looks the guys across the road are giving me. The leader looks like he’s just about to walk over, clearly he hasn’t seen my bare feet but a few of his friends have, they’re sniggering and pointing at my feet. As a pre-emptive strike I flip him the finger but it doesn’t put him off.

“I like a bit of spunk in a girl, so why don’t you come over here and I’ll give you some.” He leers at me and then winks at his friends; clearly he thinks that he’s getting me in bed like that. I may be feisty but I’m not an idiot and looking at them properly I see that there would be no chance of me winning if they decide to throw a punch at me. There are about six of them, four have lanky muscles that they are attempting to show off using either tight V-neck T-shirts or wife beaters. The other two are massive, one with fat and the other with muscle. The muscular one is scaring me he’s not looking at me with the same lustful look as the others; he’s staring at me with cold hate in his eyes. I guess I was wrong about who was the leader of this little gang it was clearly colossus over there. The look he is giving me is my cue to leg it. I’m a fairly fast runner but I can’t run for very long, thankfully Tommy’s house is just round the corner and I know how to climb the wall if need be, I just have to hope being bare foot doesn’t hinder me.

He takes a step toward me and that is all it takes to make me turn and run, I only make it a couple of steps before I run smack into a hard chest. My first thought is that colossus somehow managed to get in front of me and that is what makes me ignore my first instinct to punch him. On most I would but I know it would do nothing to him. Instead I hook my leg around his knee and pull as hard as I can. I feel arms around me as he falls, dragging me on top of him and holding me tight to his body. I’m about to bite his arm when I hear a familiar laugh.

I look up to see Tommy flick his floppy blonde hair out of his sparkling blue eyes. His wide mouth is pulled up and apart as he is laughing his loud laugh at me. “You look like a deer in the head lights.” He continues to laugh at me as I scowl at him. Suddenly I realise that I’m still lying on him and start to feel a bit self-conscious about it. I pull myself off of him and offer him his hand to help him up. I look over at colossus and his crew and they look like they’ve decided to back off, they obviously think that Tommy is my boyfriend. He’s not but I’m not planning on pushing the matter as I think this may be a good way of getting rid of them. Tommy isn’t very tall or imposing looking but he gives off a ‘don’t mess with me’ vibe that most people pick up on. It’s working on these guys and they are wondering off, thank god!

“Hello”

“Hi”

“Well that was a very enthusiastic way to say hello, I know I’m sexy and all but can you at least try to keep your hands off of me?”

“Shut up”

He laughs at me and punches me lightly on the arm “I’m just going round to the shop to grab some chocolate”

I raise my eyebrow at him, he hates chocolate. Seeing this he adds “It’s for Becca.”

Ah, I understand now, his girlfriend of three years Rebecca is one of the most annoying people I know. She’s so cliquish and shallow. The only thing she has going for her is her boobs, they’re massive! I'm as straight as they come but even I can’t help but stare at them! Rebecca hates me more than most; I don’t think she’s ever gotten over the fact that Tommy asked me out a month before they got together. I don’t see why it should matter, I said no and they’ve been together three years, she really needs to get over it already.  That being said I wish I had said yes now, He wasn’t very attractive when I first met him. His face was a little chubby and his hair was spiked up with gel exposing a forehead that was slightly too large for the rest of his face. His body wasn’t as nice as it is now as well, he was skinny but in a soft way, now he has just the right amount of muscle. His hair has covered his forehead and his cheeks have thinned a bit and his jaw gotten more prominent. The only thing that’s gotten worse is his nose, though years of fights and falling on his face free running he has broken it so many times that it is now large and bulbous.

I come out of my train of thought and see him looking at me, laughter twinkling in his sky blue eyes, “And where are your shoes?”

“Didn’t have time to get them, I just needed to get out of there.”

The look in his eyes changes to sympathy and he pulls me into a quick but tight hug.

Most of the time I despise it when people look at me with sympathy but I allow it with Tommy, he has a bad relationship with his mum too so I know its empathy more than anything, empathy I can handle. I wouldn’t say that either of us has it worse, just slightly different. His mum is mean to him all the time however he has his dad on his side. I have no one but my mum changes.

“That explains why you’re up here then. I’m sorry to say but the clothes you’ve left at mine would boil you alive in this heat.”

“Damn.” I’ve left clothes at my friends’ houses so that when I’ve stormed out I can change into something more suitable as I’m normally in trackies and a top when me and mum have had an argument. “I guess I’ll go to Keegan’s, there any chance I can get some bus fair and shoes; they don’t let you on the bus bare foot?”

He laughed, “I’m guessing you know that from experience then.” I nodded laughing too. “Of course I’ll give you your shoes and a bus fare”

“Thanks, I’ll pay you back next time I see you” I hate being in debt to people.

“Sure.” He looked like he wanted to argue that point but he’s known me long enough to realise that it is a non-negotiable point.