Accused - a Thomas Sangster imagine

Chapter five - the fish hunt

Sophie had a skip to her step, a sway in her hips, her chest on fire with excitment. Her pocket was stuffed with tissues to hide the clinking of copper coins in her pocket. Today she was to get a new fish. She had other jobs to do first - including spending the morning with Zac and his gang. But she wasn't as reluctant about it today as she had been a few weeks ago.

She turned the corner, her hoodie pulled around her neck. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, praying the coins would not give her away. Zac was arguing with one of his mates, shoving him against the metal, grafitti-ed shutter of an abandoned shop. The others milled around, some getting involved in the arguement. Off to the side of the group, leant against a wall, with his hood pulled up, tapping away at a game on his blackberry phone was Tom. She hurried over to him, jabbing him with a finger, a grin on her face. He smiled back, tucking away his phone. "Good morning." He said. "How was your pot noodle?"
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I binned it after you left, went cold. How was your cottage pie?"
Thomas sighed, his finger skimming the line of her top. "Umm, my mum wouldn't let me finish it."
Sophie groaned, imagining his mum pouring the cottage pie down the trash chute. "Next time she does that, tell her to send it to me."
Thomas laughed stroking his lips, eyes flicking around the residental square the group liked to hang in. Sophie hadn't noticed but the group Zac was amongst had gone very quiet, all of them watching something. Sophie turned when Thomas didn't reply, following his line of sight. Across the spray paint covered square, with all the broken window, abandoned shops walked a boy. He looked to be maybe a year or two older than Sophie and Thomas. His long dark hair shoved under a black hoodie, his eyes on his feet. Sophie leaned into Thomas. "Who is he?"
Thomas licked his lips as he looked down at her. "That's my mum's friend's son."
"Name?"
"Sean." Thomas replied, backing away from sophie. With all good reason. Zac was coming over. Swaggering, hands in his sweatpants, chewing on a bust cigarette. He spat it out, in his right hand was a silver can, a red wrapping around the centre. He eyed Sophie up, scanning her over, before tossing the can to Thomas. He stumbled but caught it, looking at the spray paint. "Whats this for?"
Zac smirked, his hand falling to Sophie's side, she twisted her head away from Thomas, who was chewing his cheek. "Time ya earn ya place amongst us, go draw a dick on that woman's door." He pointed to the first floor, a small green door, yet to be trashed.
Sophie rolled her head. "Zac." She whined, knowing that old Mrs Harrington lived in that flat, she had a nurse come care for her six days a week, her son filling in the seventh day.
Zac placed his other hand on Sophie's side, pinning her against the metal shutter. He snapped his head at Thomas. "Go on." Returning his attention to Sophie, grazing his lips over her neck. It drove Thomas mad watching it, watching her, ans he stormed off with the can trigger on his fingertip.

When Thomas returned, there was a huge male gentil drawn all over the frontdoor. Sophie could hardly look at Thomas, the feeling of guilt riddling her stomach like a disease. He hung his head low as he tried to talk to her. "Soph?"
Her problem was she couldn't remain angry for long, not with Thomas, maybe Zac. "Do you promise to give me your cottage pie next time?"
"Do you promise to end things with Zac?!" Thomas snapped, grinding his teeth together. Luckily Zac had left once he saw Thomas's drawing was complete, leaving sophie with a kiss and zinging feeling on her neck. She didn't like it, and kept wiping the area with her sleeve to calm it.
"Shit, sorry, I didn't mean that, you can have my cottage pie."
Sophie smiled, grabbing his top and draghing him off towards the bus stop. "Thank you, and to make up for shouting at me, you get to come shopping with me."
Thomas chuckled, allowing the smaller woman to pull him off. "How is that a punishment?"
She pulled the tissues out of her pocket, throwing them in a bin that was long overdue being emptied, and started to count out the coins required for two bus fares. "I thought men hated shopping?"
Thomas shrugged. "Means spending time with you.... then yes I certainly hate it."
She smacked his arm gently, sticking her tongue out. "Watch your manners, Tom!" They hopped on the bus, heading upstairs for the back seats. Thomas behind her everystep of the way. They sat opposite each other, lounging out across the four seats. "What are we shopping for anyway?" Thomas said, looking out the window.
"Fish." Sophie answered, ignoring the buzz of her phone.
Thomas beamed at his reflection a small plan in his head. They got into town and headed straight to the exotic animals shop, a small little hut behind the garden centre - not like anyone had any of those. They walked and talked between the isles of fish.