AN: Would you believe that I've been super busy these past few months? Well you shouldn't.
As it turns out I've actually just been super lazy and had I touch of writers block. I've rewritten this chapter so many times you won't even believe me. It's still kind of awful. But anyway assuming you haven't already lost interest in this story, here it is:

Chapter 11

"Now you listen here bitch, you tell your little ted boyfriend that he better run and fucking well hide because if I get my hands on him I swear he won't live to tell the tale,"

"W-what?" I stammered, staring up at the meathead that had pinned me against the wall.

"Don't you play innocent you know damn well what I'm talking about,"

I shook my head rapidly, trying to think of a way to escape. The alleyway was completely deserted and there was no way I could out run him if he did let go of my wrists. I felt absolutely hopeless.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath, trying to compose myself, "Honestly I have no idea what you're on about. Can you get off me now?"

"What do you think I am, stupid?"

"Well... Kinda..." I saw his eyes flash with anger and I regretted saying it instantly.

"Well, you know what I think of you?" he hissed menacingly, not waiting for a response, "I think you're a filthy little whore who thinks they're better than everyone else just 'cause they ain't from round here."

He had drawn closer to me as he had said it. He grabbed my blazer and my body was pulled away from the brick wall behind me before I was slammed back into it. I felt slightly dazed, like my head had been filled with cotton wool when it had hit to wall.

"Get off me," I spat in his face. He groped my boob, "Get off me," I meant to sound threatening but my voice came out as a whimper. I was really getting scared. The meathead laughed at me, pulling on my blouse. I heard the pinging of a plastic button on the pavement. I screamed. Then I heard running footsteps and a thunk as something collided with the back of the his head. He looked bewildered for a second before turning around and punching his attacker in the stomach and running off.

Slowly I opened my eyes. Wide eyed and clutching my hockey stick was Paul.
"Are you alright?" he said apprehensively.

I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears from my eyes, "Been better... Are you?"

He nodded solemnly, there was an awkward silence that seemed to last an age.

"Thanks," I said finally, "Seriously thank you, I don't know what he'd have d- oh my god," I burst into tears. Suddenly everything seemed push itself to the front if my mind and- "Oh my god," - it all seemed so helpless. My legs gave way under the violent sobs and I was sat on the ground, my back against the wall and my knees clutched against my chest. After a while I managed to calm myself down enough to stop sobbing and open my eyes. Paul was sat next to me on the pavement, his eyebrows raised into an expression of earnest concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

I inhaled, a long shuddering gasping breath between sobs. "I feel, I feel like everything's wrong, y'know?"

He kept his Hazel eyes fixed on mine. "Yeah, I know,"

"I mean my life all looks just fine and John's... Oh god, I mean, fuck... I can't do this to you, or me, y'know either of us,"
He looked at the ground, his hair flopping into his eyes.

"Where did you get my hockey stick?"

"Your mam told me to give it to you, said you'd forgotten it. Lucky you did, I guess."

I nodded. I sniffed. "Why does nothing work out, Paul?"

"I've been asking myself the same question for the past 2 years and I still haven't a clue,"

"2 years?"

"Yeah, me mam died back then,"

"I'm sorry,"

"'s not your fault. But yeah it is pretty shit,"

I had no idea what to say, "Sorry,"

"Shh, it's okay, yeah most of the time I'm over it. It's just times like this that I miss her y'know? She just always knew exactly how to work it out," he blinked rapidly, obviously trying not to cry.

"It's alright, I guess. We can work it out, life goes on and all that."

"I know," Paul stood up and swung his bag onto his shoulder, "Anyway we should get to school,"

"Yeah, I guess so," I said, "But we don't have to..."

"Yes we do Edie, it's not the same."

"Hmm," I stared at the ground, "I'll see you later then,"

I wandered around the back-streets for a while. I felt completely lost and wasn't entirely sure how much of that feeling was due to my mental breakdown and how much of it was down to not having a clue where I was. Eventually I managed to find my self on a street I knew. I sat down on someone's wall to assess. My options. 1) I could wander around aimlessly all day; 2) I could go back to school; or 3) I could find John. I decided on option 3 and headed in the direction of his art college.

"Edie!?" John said as he walked out of the gates at lunchtime, "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"No actually," I stepped towards him. He looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face. "Did you by any chance pull a prank on that guy that beat you up last week?"

"Ha, well, he didn't beat me, and would you believe that I just happened to accidentally spray paint his beloved car pink in my sleep?"

"No... Hang on you did what?" I said, feeling my voice getting higher, "Would you believe that meathead pinned me against a wall this morning? Huh?"

"He did not,"

"No John, I ripped this button off of my shirt for the good of me health," I tried to cover my rising panic as I relived that morning with sarcasm but it didn't work.

"I'm going to kill him! That little shit, I'll fucking kill him!"

"John, Please don't do anything stupid,"

"I'm not stupid,"

"Didn't say you were,"

"Right, okay." he paused, "You wanna go somewhere?"

"Where did you have in mind?"

AN: Yeah so there you are. If you have any requests please leave them in a review or PM me or something. Also I have a collab story with vickytmandy called "Things we said today". It's pretty awesome and she's pretty awesome too. And if this story gets up to 35 reviews by Sunday I promise to update by next Tuesday. Pinky swear.
DFTBA,
Beth