At 7am she was waiting outside feeling foolish. Why would a grown man be interested in her. Why would he go out of his way to help her? This was ridiculous. She picked her bag up and started towards the road. She'd only taken a dozen steps before she heard a throaty roar coming down the street towards her.Nash turned his bike in the street and stopped alongside her. 'Think I'd forgotten you?' Nash asked with a grin. Honey blushed and mumbled something incoherent. Nash swung his leg over the bike and walked up to her. He dropped his voice as he slipped his arm round her waist 'You thought I'd forgotten you.'
'It started to feel a bit unreal.' she admitted. 'I mean, I don't understand why you would bother with someone like me.'
Nash lifted her chin but her eyes refused to meet his. 'Never let other people tell you you're not worth caring about. I won't have it Honey, I won't have you believing you're worthless.'
Before another word could be spoken there was a commotion as the front door of her house was thrust open and a dishevelled man stumbled out. 'Who the fuck is that, bitch?' Danny shouted as he ambled unsteadily towards them. Honey didn't answer but flinched visibly and tried to hide away. ' Answer me slut! I knew you were fucking about.'
Nash stepped in front of Honey blocking her for Danny's advance and turned to face him. 'And you must be the infamous Danny.' he said menacingly. ' I know all about you.'
Danny pulled himself upright but swayed on his unsteady legs. 'Oh yeah, did she tell you about us? Best fuck I ever had.' he slurred and grinned sickeningly.
Honey made a sound and Nash looked back at her stricken face. he turned back to the greasy drunk. 'I think you and I need to get a few things straight.' Nash shot forward and gripped Danny by his grimy vest, pushing back towards the house. 'Firstly, say another word about her and I'll beat your sorry ass, secondly I find out you've been less than a perfect gentleman to her and I'll be there ready to make you sorry and thirdly. Thirdly, you lay a hand on her in ANY way and I'll fucking kill you. Do you understand me you piece of shit. All she has to do is let me know and I'll hunt you down like the fucking dog that you are and kill you where you stand. Now, I'm taking her to school and I'm picking her up again. You don't speak to her, you don't look at her. Do you understand me?'
Nash's voice was cold and deadly and Danny even through the alcoholic fugue registered the danger in his tone and the truth in his words. The older man nodded dumbly and Nash let him go allowing Danny to slump to the floor. Then he turned walked back to the frightened girl and wrapped his arms round her. Honey felt the raw aggression pulse through him and heard his heart thrumming a rapid beat.
'I never..... I haven't.......' she started to explain though her voice was muffled against his chest.
'I know you haven't baby. I know it.' Nash said soothingly. 'Don't worry about it sweetheart, now get on and I'll take you to school.'
They pulled up in front of the school and all faces turned to see who was on the sleek black bike. Some laughed when they saw it was her and some looked in horror at the scene. Some of the girls looked with interest at the man and began heading their way. They grimaced at Honey but smiled flirtatiously at Nash.
'Hi,' said one of the most popular girls dimpling at him and twirling her hair 'How about taking me for a ride on that some time.'
'No thanks.' Said Nash coolly. 'I'm very particular about who I let on my ride.'
'So what is She doing on it then.' the girl snapped and the crowd around them snickered. Honey wanted the ground to swallow her up but Nash was unmoved.
'Honey.' he said calling her attention to him. 'I'll see you later. You know what do do if you need me.'
The bell rang then and people started filling into the school, Honey looked at him with cautious eyes and turned away.
'Honey? I mean it. I'll be here unless you find me first OK baby.'
She nodded and ran inside taking a seat the rest of her form.
'Hey!' a male voice hissed at her quietly 'Hey!' She turned to see Dave Grady leaning across his desk. 'You whoring yourself out now as well, freak? Like mother like daughter.' he sat back smirking at her.
It was the pattern for the day. Including her usual pushes, shoves and barbed comments there was the new torment as news of her arrival with an older man this morning spread through the school. Near lunch time the girl that tried to engage Nash that morning caught up with her.
'So who is he, bitch?' she demanded as she blocked Honeys way.
'Just a friend.' Honey replied trying to get away from her.
'Oh yeah and how did you meet? Another of your mothers cast offs or doesn't he know about her profession? If he did he'd drop you in an instant.' the girl bit out scathingly and Honey dropped her eyes and hunched her shoulders that he would be disgusted by her background. Honey tried to walk away but the girl gripped her arm and yanked her back.
'I'm not done with you slut. Just remember who you are and where you come from. As soon as he gets tired of slumming it with you he'll be gone, leaving you even more of a loser and probably pregnant. You really will be white trash then.'
Honey's arm was released and the girl stalked away. Honeys eyes flooded and she slunk into the nearest class. The tears started to fall down her cheeks and she felt small and lost. The thought of Nash walking away from her filled he with cold emptiness and heartache. How could a man she had know less than 24 hours affect her so much.
By the time 3 pm rolled round she was on the brink of collapse. The lack of food and the sorrow in her heart was taking its toll on her. That coupled with the usual abuse and now the new hatred she seemed to have conjured around her, she fought to keep going.
She'd been asked what price she charged, if she was knocked up, if Nash was her pimp, did he know what a slut she really was etc etc. David Grady had shoved her against the lockers at one point and she'd banged her head leaving yet another bruise. If the teachers noticed a change in the atmosphere they didn't say and she was as invisible to them as always.
Fiona had caught up with her as she was leaving and noted the pale expression and bruised temple. 'Did he do this?' she asked with undisguised condemnation.
'Who?' Honey asked with a frown and touched the sore area on her temple.
'You know who, this new man you've been seen with.' Fiona clipped with her mouth set into a grim line.
'Not you as well!' Honey cried in exasperation 'What you think I'm not allowed to have a friend, not allowed to have someone on my side for once? He has to have some agenda, some ulterior motive. Are you going to ask me if he's my pimp too? You think he's knocking me about as well as knocking me up?' her voice was shrill as she reached the end of her rant.
'Look Honey, I'm just looking out for you.' Fiona said soothingly as she tried to placate her.
'No you're not, your're trying to keep me in my place. God forbid someone might have an interest in me that doesn't involve me being abused.'Honey stamped away from her despite Fiona's protestations and left the building.
Nash was standing leaning against his bike with his arms crossed and ignoring the crowd that was encircling him. Dave was there with Duncan and the rest of their gang. Honey approached the group nervously but kept her distance. Nash, however had watched her approach from behind his dark glasses and he could see the stress evident in her body. He pushed himself upright and walked up to her making a path through the observers. He heard some of the comments directed at them but it washed over him, it settled over her like a shroud though.
Nash reached her and took her hand gently leading her back to his bike. Without a word or a glance to anyone he settled her behind him. Kicked the bike to life and peeled away showering those left behind in dust and gravel.
YOU ARE READING
Honey Stone
RomanceHoney Stone is tarnished by her mothers actions and fighting to get away from her toxic home life . She has dreams of starting afresh but she has no way to escape . After a fleeing from her mothers boyfriend, a neighbour find her and introduces her...