He doesn't look dumb but I've been disappointed before.
“Are you saying if I leave right now, you're going to try and stop me?” asked Satara.
The blond boy slouched on the end of Hayden's bed groaned. “Mate, you need to stop picking fights with everyone. Especially girls.”
“I don't,” said Hayden sharply. “With girls.”
“Oh, don't let that stop you now.” Satara released the handle of his front door and kept her back close to it without flattening herself against its surface, ready to slid into her preferred stance instantly. “I won't hold back just because you're a guy.”
“Yeah I noticed.” His savage smile didn't reach his stare. “Back at the club.”
If they come at me at the same time, I might have to use zai. The idea crept across her taste buds like a centipede. She let her disgust trickle down her expression as she scanned their faces. No. I'll take down whoever comes first, then run. None of them moved towards her or looked like they were interested in anything else besides Hayden's conversation with her.
“You didn't answer my question,” she reminded him.
“The cops hold people hostage, not us,” said Hayden. “Go if you want. Or d'you want me to ask you to stay with a pretty please this time?”
“If you need to get that out of your system, go for it.” She smirked. “I'll wait.”
The following silence swelled until she was sure it would burst like lightning from a storm cloud.
And then the girl with lilac nail polish burst out laughing and tried to smother the sound with her hand.
The rest of them – with the exception of Hayden – followed her example, covering their mouths but the sound filled the tiny flat with amusement anyway. What are they laughing at? Are they trying to distract me before they –?
“The hell, you guys?” Hayden glared at them in turn.
“I'm sorry, Hay,” giggled the girl who laughed first. “You want some ice for that burn?”
“I've missed seeing a girl tell you where to go,” choked the blond boy.
“Excuse me?” Chloe sounded indignant even as she smothered her own chuckles.
“Not just a girl,” said Matt but he caught Hayden's eye and quailed at once.
“You're all idiots,” muttered Hayden, turning away and patting his pockets. “Where's my phone?”
“Your phone?” Chloe scanned the floor and bed before her attention returned to him. “What for?”
“The pizza isn't going to turn up by itself.” He pulled a cheap-looking silver mobile out of his black combat trousers. His thumb hovered over the keypad as he glanced at Satara. “So? Should I order some for you too?”
She didn't want to hide in the stairwell. She didn't want her stomach to rumble and expose her.
She didn't have anywhere else to go.
So she asked, “Does anyone else like tandoori chicken?”
<><><><><>
“What did you say your name was again?” Hayden looked up from a second, clearly more expensive smartphone and tossed it over his shoulder onto the bed.
It narrowly missed Chloe's knee as she said, “Oh yeah, you didn't say.”
On a random dark grey bean bag chair opposite her, Satara closed her eyes and chewed a bite of pizza carefully, pretending the question hadn't turned her brain to ice.
“Take your time,” he added with a grin, reaching for a slice of his own.
Matt sat on a cushion on the floor next to her left leg. He glanced at her as if he couldn't believe he'd invited a girl into his friend group without asking for her name.
“Tanya.” What? Why Tanya? She swept the potential reasons into a corner of her mind and left them there. Maybe I should've taken his advice.
“Tanya?” Entertainment flickered behind Hayden's smile. “Nice.”
“Nice or funny?” she asked.
“Funny?” burped Ryan, the blond guy, after a very audible gulp. “What's funny about it?”
He was on the floor next to Hayden with Falicia, his girlfriend, sitting on the mattress beside Chloe. Both had their backs to the front door and she tried not to judge them for their sense of security.
“Unexpected is probably a better word,” said Hayden.
“Why?”
“You don't look like a Tanya.”
“You can't go around telling people they don't look like their name.” Chloe tapped his shoulder.
He passed her a slice decorated with salami and chopped kebabs. “But it's true.”
“What do I look like then?” The food had settled her stomach but wiped out the clean summery smell of Hayden's clothes that had been piled onto the back of the bean bag. She leaned away from them with a faint smile. “Dare I ask?”
“To be honest, Tanya,” said Matt. “I don't think you should ask.”
“What he said,” agreed Falicia. She shrugged when Hayden picked up a tomato ketchup bottle as if he was going to throw it at her. “Hey, she's new and us girls have to look out for each other, right?”
“Dunno, babe, why're you asking me?” Ryan laughed unpleasantly.
Because you should want your girlfriend to be safe, obviously. His attitude reminded her of all the boys who checked out and whistled at girls as they walked past them in the school corridors. She grimaced and reached for another slice of the tandoori special. Matt lifted the box up from the floor.
“Damn, Mattie's really on it today, isn't he?” remarked Hayden with an artificial smile.
“What?” Two pink splotches spread across Matt's face. “You're not supposed to touch other people's food with your hands.”
“I know.” Hayden leaned back against his bed frame and adjusted his feet, unnecessarily taking up leg space and exposing his most vulnerable areas. Is he stupid? “Where did you say you picked her up from?”
“I didn't pick her up,” he muttered, lowering the box. “She was in the park and I just asked her to hang out.”
“Ah right. The park where you were also just hanging out.” Hayden chose a tandoori slice this time. “Same difference. Did you even ask how old she is?”
His light tone was a metal fork slammed into the table beside her hand.
“I'm old enough to hang out with you guys,” said Satara.
“That's what they all say,” he drawled.
I've been here for at least three hours. Beyond the window adjacent to the bed, the sky had turned dark blue. That doesn't mean it's late though. Not at this time of the year.
“I don't mind eating and going,” she said, jerking the invisible fork free and stabbing the table between his extended fingers. “But apparently that's rude.”
“You worry about being rude?” His eyes widened but the expression was clearly deliberate. He chewed on his pizza. “Shocking.”
“Sometimes.” She couldn't remember if people usually announced when they wanted to use the bathroom if they already knew where it was.
The white door behind her seemed to lead to one since she could see the edge of a washing machine through the only other doorway.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Do you normally run away after you get what you want from people?” Hayden smiled as he continued to eat.
Why is he trying so hard to scare me? The uncomfortable faces around her revealed they were more bothered than she was by his ceaseless questioning. But they won't say anything about it. Not to him.
“Sometimes.” She rubbed the grease off her smile with the base of her palm. “Do you normally interrogate your friends?”
“Friends?” Hayden's brows raised as if he had beat her at a game. “Wow, are we friends already?”
“You asked me to stay here. Isn't that what you hoping for?” she said. “Or do you usually let girls you don't know stay here for another reason?”
“What century have you come from, Tanya?” He laughed shortly. “That's not even a question for a nineteen year old guy.”
“Oh.” She stood up. The others looked in her direction then his, or vice-versa. “I see.”
“Where're you going?” His gaze flitted down to her hands and feet before returning to her face.
“To wash my hands,” she said, as if the answer were obvious.
If she had been a petty person, she would have dragged her pizza sauce covered fingers along his light sky blue walls.
“Why? Feeling dirty after hearing a guy talk like a guy?”
They always act like it's okay when it never is and no one ever makes them feel bad about it when they should.
“Hay, that's not –” Chloe leaned forward but her outstretched hand only hovered behind his shoulder.
“I normally wash my hands before and after I eat.” She paused before she turned towards the bathroom. “And the guys I hang out with don't talk like you.”
“Oooh guys? Plural?” Hayden looked around at his friends. Ryan was the only one who laughed but he didn't look at her. “Damn, Tanya. You've got a body count already?”
She stared at him. “Why are you asking?”
“Because you don't look old enough to have one.” He shook his head but his smile lost its heat. “Even if you think you are.”
“So you're the one who wants to know how old I am?” She pictured a palm shaped smudge of pizza sauce on the centre of his face. It suited him. “Not Matt.”
“Sure.” He dusted his hands off and started to stand. The urge to back up against the nearest wall was strong but she resisted it. “I've got to know if you're allowed to have a beer with us somehow, right?”
“I wouldn't want one anyway,” she replied.
“The bathroom's over there, Tanya.” Chloe pointed at the door behind her.
“Hey, we're still talki-” He barely glanced at her over his shoulder.
“No one likes to stand around with dirty hands, you know.” She tried to grin at him but her expression wavered. “Just let her go.”
“Thanks, Chloe,” said Satara as she retreated into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
I should just wash up and go already. Is it too soon to head back to Melissa's? She might not be back yet and if the police are still there … The space was claustrophobic but as clean as the rest of the flat. The sleeve of black crew neck shirt hung over the edge of a pale brown wicker laundry basket but that was the only item out of place. The floor of his shower was surprisingly white and he had just as many skin care products as Melissa lined on the window sill above his sink. Where can I go without them finding me?
“What the hell, Hay?” Falicia's muffled voice reached her through the wall.
“What?” he exclaimed.
I guess they don't know it isn't soundproof in here. She turned on the hot tap, pumping honey and milk liquid soap into her hands. That or they don't care
“Why're you picking on her like that?” Her voice lowered as if someone had silently warned them.
“I'm not picking on her –”
“Guys, relax,” said Ryan. “That's just his thing.”
“His thing?” Chloe echoed the question in Satara's mind as she lathered her hands, focusing on the unpleasant stickiness around her nails.
“Shut up, Ry,” growled Hayden.
“What thing?” demanded Chloe.
“You know what I mean. He always does this with people he likes.” Bryan chuckled tightly. “Remember how he was with Lis-”
“I said shut up,” snapped Hayden.
A familiar taut silence followed his voice. Satara rinsed the bubbles off her skin and twisted the tap until she was sure it wasn't dripping. Did he do something to Ryan? Or did they hear me turn off the tap? She dried her hands with two sheets of toilet paper and flicked away the rest of the moisture, tossing the damp ball into the toilet before she left the bathroom. They all looked at her in turn. Ryan fixed the front of his clothes and slumped back down against the bed but his face wasn't as relaxed as it had been a minute ago. Yep. Time to go.
“You heard everything, didn't you?” said Hayden.
His eyes seemed extra blue but she knew that only meant his pupils had narrowed. It's got nothing to do with zai for once.
“So what?” She reached for her bag and looked for her shoes.
“What do you mean so what?” His tone wobbled between a laugh and a growl.
“So what if I did?” She turned to return his piercing stare. “If you don't want to people to hear, you should learn how to keep quiet.”
“Like you do?” he suggested sarcastically.
“Exactly.” She found her trainers by the front door and pushed her feet into them.
“Where're you going now?”
Wherever I want. She faced them again. “Home.”
“But I was just about to get drinks.”
“And I told you I didn't want any.” Her fingers slid around the door handle. “Thanks for the pizza.”
“Sorry if we made you uncomfortable, Tanya,” said Chloe.
I appreciate you saying that but why the hell are you apologising for him when you didn't do anything? She struggled to keep the frustration off her features.
“It's fine,” she replied. “I wasn't going to stick around for too long anyway.”
“Would you stay if we put a gag on Hay?” offered Falicia.
“What makes you think I have a gag here?” Hayden's reflex frown became a sickening grin. “I'm not into that.”
“You're not?” Ryan sounded genuinely shocked and winced as Hayden kicked his hip.
“The hell, man?” he huffed indignantly.
“No. I've got to go,” said Satara. I've got to find somewhere warm to stay that doesn't belong to the police.
“Okay,” sighed Chloe.
“I'll take you down,” said Matt suddenly. He was already wearing his own shoes. “All the weirdos come out at this time.”
“Weirdos like you?” snickered Hayden.
“Thanks.” Satara unlocked the front door. “See you guy-”
“Let's all see her off,” he suggested. “Since she's so popular already.”
“No offence, Tanya, but I'm too full of food to move right now,” said Ryan, waving at her. He had already pulled himself up onto the mattress. “Nice meeting you though.”
“Same here.” She lifted a hand in response. Is he using me to avoid Hayden?
“I'll stay here with him,” said Falicia. She lay down beside her boyfriend. “But hopefully we'll see you around at the club, yeah?”
“No messing around on my bed, you two,” warned Hayden before she could answer. She waved instead as he and Chloe put on their shoes. “We're not going to be long. I swear I'll throw you both down the stairs if I catch you guys –”
“You don't have to come down with me, you know,” said Satara as she pulled open the door and left the flat. “I'm sure I won't get lost down the stairs.”
Suddenly she could breathe again but the delight was short lived. She grimaced and pressed her sleeve to her nose.
“It's fine,” said Chloe, following her out. “After eating that much pizza, we probably should move a li'l.”
“It hasn't even been an hour though,” she replied. Don't blame me if you all get cramps.
“We come here all the time.” Chloe flapped a hand. “These stairs are nothing.”
“You know what's something?” said Hayden as he exited the flat behind Matt and closed the door. “You all talking loud enough to wake up my neighbour's dead grandma.”
“It's not that late yet and I don't think we were that loud.” For the first time that day, Chloe sounded truly annoyed.
Finally. Satara headed down the second flight of stairs and Matt fell into step with her as though he were her shadow instead of a separate person.
“Yeah? I didn't know you spent that much time in my neighbours' flat.” A wry, accusatory chuckle wove around Hayden's voice. “Looks like someone else's in a rush.”
Despite Matt's sideways glance, Satara didn't say anything. He can listen to his own voice since he seems to like the sound of it so much.
“Is he always like this or am I just really unlucky?” she muttered.
Matt's uncomfortable laugh melded with the uneven squeaking of their shoes on the steps and his eyes were dull in the flickering yellow stairway lights. “Is your house far from here?”
“Not really.” Which house?
“Hey, did she just ignore me?” Authentic surprise dripped from Hayden's question.
“Why would she do that?” asked Chloe, her tone soft but undoubtedly sardonic.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
They really don't care if I hear them, do they? Their words tumbled down the steps behind her and Satara stopped herself from taking a deep breath, her nose still blocked by the back of her forearm. The stench was stronger the closer they got to the ground floor.
“Want me to walk you home?” Matt didn't ask about the placement of her sleeve but he jumped down the last two steps and pulled the door open ahead of her.
“It's okay,” she said, trying not to gulp in the fresh late afternoon air as she followed him. “If I see any weirdos out here, I'll just run.”
“Or you can punch the crap out of them like –” He grunted as she noticed the boys standing on the pavement outside before he did and grabbed his upper arm. “What the –?”
She only recognised the one wearing an orange coat but their eyes lit up as soon as they saw her and Matt.
“Not who we were waiting for but you'll do just fine,” said the former. “Thanks for not making us wait around all night.”
Matt stepped in front her. His biceps quivered within the cage of her fingers. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Passing on a message,” replied Orange-coat boy as he strolled further onto the property towards them. “To that dog, Hayden.”
The walls won't let them crowd us now. What an idiot. Before she could pull Matt back into the safety of the stairwell, Hayden pushed past them both.
“Thought I heard someone talking crap about me,” he said, raking a hand through his loose dark curls. “But it's just crap talking. My bad.”
“So you really do live in this dump?” Orange-coat surveyed the dirty building and upended flower pots along a wall stained yellow and green by substances she didn't want to think about. “I didn't really expect Kane to be wrong but still.”
Kane? Matt and Chloe's faces tightened identically as Satara moved forward to let the taller girl stand beside her brother. Hayden grinned but the soul left the rest of his features. Who's Kane?
“What? He doesn't think I did a good enough job on your face?” he said breezily. “Get out of here and tell him find a plastic surgeon or do it himself.”
“He said meet us at one tomorrow by the park.” The other guy smiled back at him and nodded at Satara. “And bring your girls too. Looks like you've got some fresh meat for us.”
“Kane said that?” murmured Chloe. Doubt twisted her tone upward.
“No, I did, but you can stay home,” he replied. “I ain't touching no nig-”
Satara barely saw Hayden's fist as it crossed the space between them and connected with the side of Orange-coat's jaw in a satisfying right hook. He stumbled back into the arms of his friends who instantly jumped into defence mode.
“A piece of crap like you doesn't deserve to touch anyone,” snarled Hayden. “You better have fun all by yourself while you can. The match isn't the only thing you're going to lose tomorrow.”
The other boy straightened up with difficulty and spat a mouthful of bloodied saliva onto the broken pathway that led to the building
“Kane's goin' to kill ya,” he promised thickly.
“Yeah, sure. And then he'll ride off into the sunset on his pink unicorn straight after,” replied Hayden, flexing the momentary tension out of his fingers. “You and the other Lost boys should go before I send your butts back to Neverland.”
The other three waited for their leader's signal, glaring at Hayden and his friends with pure hatred. Satara was sure she had once seen a similar stand off between a pack of wild dogs in one of the David Attenborough documentaries Mr Lang enjoyed.
“Screw you,” spat Orange-coat. “Let's go.”
All four slunk back down the path and out of sight but none of them moved for several seconds after as if they were all listening intently at the same time.
“Hay,” said Chloe. “Are we really –?”
“It's not like we can turn down an invite from the all mighty Kane, can we?” Hayden's gaze lingered on the property entrance before he turned to Satara. “Not even you, Tanya.”
“I wouldn't be so sure about that,” she replied, shaking her head. “It sounds like he's your friend, not mine.”
“Friend?” Hayden's laugh was crow-like. “Sounds like you've got a screwed up idea of friendship.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged and scanned the road as she started walking away. “I'm not as popular as you think I am.”
“You're really not going to join us tomorrow?” The question sounded like an accusation.
“Why would I do that?” She stopped moving.
“I don't know.” Hayden lifted his hands innocently as she turned back to them. “Why'd you make sure Matt didn't walk into those guys like an idiot?”
“Because you don't need to have friends to be a good person,” she shot back.
“You're a good person?” He lowered his palms and smirked as if she had accidentally revealed a weakness.
“You're not as popular as you think you are either, are you?” Irritation flashed through her chest like forked lightening.
“Of course I'm not. These guys just hang around me because they've got nothing better.” He shook his head nonchalantly but his taut amusement screamed at her.
“Nothing better to do or no one better to hang around with?” She dug her thumbnails into the inner side of her bag straps but didn't pull them tighter.
“We're not –” began Chloe, her green eyes desperate.
The impact of Orange-coat's unfinished yet utterly perceived insult left red marks across her cheekbones.
“So are you going to be a good person and help us out?” Hayden interrupted her again. “Or is this goodbye forever?”
He doesn't even deserve an answer. Before she could leave without a word, her eyes met Matt's beyond his sister's shoulder. She remembered a staircase crowded with boys in her first year of high school and the red haired stranger who stared up at her from beneath the monkey bars in the playground with the same expression.
“Are you always this dramatic?” She shook her head and she walked away. “See you guys tomorrow.”
She didn't look back but hoped the question mark floating in the air between them had disappeared.
I don't even know how to help myself right now. Why am I acting like I can help anyone else?