Homesick

Chapter 1

Chris and Cable both gave me a stunning blow across the face and i was finally knocked on all fours, slowly crawling away from them in the dirty school bathroom. Bruises were dotted all across my body, some purple, some green. With ease, Cable grabbed me by the neck and lifted me in the air so close to his face that i could smell his putrid breath of sweat, dirt and blood. My legs dangled uselessly in the air.

"Do-do you need a breath mint?" I choked, trying to make the best of his situation.

Cable's burly face contorted into rage and he slammed me on the ground, making me slide on the wet floor until i hit the brick wall.

"Any last words, vermin?" They both growled, striding towards me and cracking their knuckles aggressively.

"You have a pen and paper? I wanna write it down." I gagged.

They both smirked simultaneously and Chris launched a fist towards me. I shut my eyes, bracing for the impact... but -

It didn't come.

'Huh?' I said, gaining enough courage to squint open an eye. What I saw made me widen my eyes in shock.

A hand had stopped Chris's hand millimetres away from my face. I immediately looked at who did it, but the person was covered into darkness from under a hood.

Chris tried to shake his hand free, but the person bent his hand back painfully, making him yell in pain and pushed him away, making him skid on the ground into a huge puddle. The hooded person stood in front of me, dripping head to foot from rain.

Cable then charged forwards, attempted to give her a crippling blow to the leg but she ducked and it missed. She took this opportunity to strike him across the face repeatedly and kick him in the chest making him fall to the floor where he moved no more. Chris had then suddenly got to his feet and was behind her, ready to strike.

"Watch out!" I tried to say but i didn't have the energy to do so. She narrowly bent back. Chris's fist was just where her head was a second ago. She elbowed him in the stomach, leaped over him and side-kicked him on the back, knocking him out unconscious. Then she stood there, looking down at Chris and Cable sprawled on the floor.

My eyelids flickered, on the verge of sleep. She then turned around and walked towards me, stared at me for a second and pulled back her hood, letting her hair fall down. I gasped.

The girl was about my age. She had short, dirty blonde hair, cut to her shoulders. Her lips were the colour of cherry and she was wearing all black, with black leggings and a black hoodie. I recognised her! She was that girl that sat at the back of my class, who didn't talk much, who didn't have friends, who everyone thought was a complete weirdo. Her name was Kara, i think. My jaw dropped to the ground. Who knew a shy girl could fend off the two most feared bullies in the school.

"You alright?" She said softly, helping me to my feet. I got up shakily.

"Y-yeah." I stammered. I had a million questions to ask her but i decided not to be a creep. "How did you even find me?"

"I've been watching you for ages, getting beaten up by Chris and Cable." She said matter-of-factly.

"How did you even know how to fight?" I asked.

"Oh... um, well i took a few martial arts classes." She said, clearing her throat. "Anyway, you're Jack, right? I'm Kara."

"Oh... yeah, i am." I said awkwardly.

"You're bleeding," said Kara, nodding towards my arm. "I can patch it up for you, just come over, is your mum okay with that?"

"Oh... ok, i'll just call her." I said, grabbing my phone out of my pocket and calling her, which she accepted.

"Well, let's go then," Kara said, pulling the hood over her head and stepping outside in the pouring rain. "What's up?"

"Don't you have an umbrella or something?" I said in disbelief, staring at her standing outside while rain poured down on, soaking her to the skin.

"Nah, i like the rain." Kara grinned, which was kinda cute. "C'mon, it's not that far!"

"Well, ok then." I said. But before i stepped outside, i looked back at the state of Chris and Cable, both were still knocked out, a stupid look on their face. I half-grinned and walked outside.