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Chapter 4: The outsiders

“That’s right ladies and gents a blood moon is coming to our not-so-sleepy town of Hartwood, now despite the scary name it is a somewhat common site, that’s not to say it’s something to miss however!” The voice from the radio said just loud enough to wake Josh, signing and getting to his feet he couldn’t help but be glad that the presenter wasn’t just spouting off more nightmare fuel. Smiling to himself in fact Josh grabbed his phone to make a note on his calendar to remind him of the lunar event, though still a ways off at least it gave him something to look forward to this month, and silently he hoped that the blood moon would be a new start for both him and the town as a whole, hopefully, they will all be able to put the last couple of months behind them, they do say things come in threes so this should be the end of it, and the blood moon may just be the sign of that being the case.

Stepping out of the shower barely warm shower cold air assaulting his skin showing no remorse or restraint, the mirror an object both loved and hated in equal parts all over the world, told Josh the harsh truth about his mental state, showing the deep bags that hung under his eyes. Ever growing and always present just like his nightmares apparently. “These wore worse than last time” he said poking at the skin under his eyes, remembering the dreams that could only have been spurred on by the knowledge of what his new job was.

Only the fact that he knew his mum was already out of the house working twice as hard as anyone else in town for a fraction of the pay, let Josh steel his resolve and not dwell on the dark thoughts of what he would be doing, and who the holes would be for. Again opting to skip breakfast so as to leave more for his younger brother Nathan, Josh closed the door behind him as he started yet another unremarkable day, or so he thought.

Josh managed to get through his first few classes without trouble finding him, that all changed however at lunchtime when walking into the cafeteria and his eyes instantly locked onto Sam’s the look she gave back before averting her gaze broke Josh just a little, the fear, hatred and regret that he saw there hurt his heart in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

Opting to avoid any further heartache Josh grabbed his meagre lunch and left to find a quiet place outside away from the masses, so he could think over his new reality in peace, after all a life without Samantha Jennins was going to take some getting used to, she was one of the only constants in Josh’s life, to be ripped from him in such a cold and callus way cut deeper than he knew.

Sitting under the tree that Steven liked to visit often, Josh had a slight hope that his furry little friend would come by to cheer him up, alas his hopes for a quiet rest bit from his never-ending stresses were not on the cards for Josh, as a short bleach blond girl with a wild smile danced over to Josh and dropped down next to him.

Turning that half-crazed wild smile on him, the strange girl stared at Josh not in a friendly way or even a hostile way, this stair and the thoughts behind it were completely alien to Josh, and a part of him wanted them to stay that way. Though he didn’t know why something about the girl put him on edge, as though he was eye to eye with a wild animal.

His body was trying to decide whether to run and hide or stand its ground and fight, when she nodded and spoke “Rough night Skeletor?” her voice was low and deep, not in a masculine way more husky, it was the kind of voice that would lure men into the deepest depths of the sea, whispering sweet nothing in their ears all while she watched them slowly drowned with a smile on their face and no regrets in their hearts.

“Huh?” Josh grunted shocked by the pleasant sound of her voice, masking the rudeness of her words, the first words that this person had ever said to him, and if Josh was in a logical state of mind, he would have realised that this girl didn’t go to this college, and once he realised that, he would also realise that she didn’t live in Hartwood at all, a girl like this would find it impossible to hide in a town as dull as Hartwood. But instead, Josh could only manage a questioning noise born from confusion and a little fear.

“Ah I see your wit isn’t quite as sharp as your cheekbones,” she said jokingly humour clear in her deep blue eyes “Seriously you’ve gotta eat more than that, you're practically wasting away.” Starting to get irritated by her mocking words Josh began to get to his feet before an unwavering strength on his shoulder made itself known, forcing Josh back down to the floor.

“Hey now I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m told I don’t make the best first impression” she said pulling her hand back from its resting place on Josh’s shoulder. Trying his best to not rub at the sore spot on his shoulder where the girl's hand was, “Who even are you? I’ve never seen you around before” Josh said in a disgruntled voice.

“Shit my bad I totally forgot about that” she said smacking herself on the forehead and laughing “My name is Niki, nice to meet you bones” So much for not wanting to offend me, Josh. Groaning “My name is Josh, not Skeletor, bones or Stretch just Josh” “Well how could you expect me to know that, after all, you just sat there staring lovingly into my eyes while I was waiting on you to do the polite thing and introduce yourself, and I never could you stretch just clear the record”.

Gasping in indignation Josh wouldn’t have been able to stop the words that came out next even if he wanted to, “What! Lovingly? What! You. Polite thing? You can’t be for real right? You came out of nowhere and just sat next to me, who does that? No seriously who? And then you stare at me like a hunter would stare at its prey, I’m not the one in the wrong here, you….” “Josh, Josh settle down I was only joking, I’m sorry I didn’t realise one conversation with a pretty girl would turn you into a gibbering mess,” Niki said laughing the whole time.

Slack-jawed Josh could only stare still panting from his outburst, no one had ever managed to throw him through such a loop before in his life, and he had no idea how to correctly react to an anomaly such as Niki. “Your face is priceless right now, honestly I wish you could see it” Niki said seemingly wiping tears from her eyes. “Your right though, I may be in the wrong again, so Josh do you mind if I sit with you for lunch? I Don’t know that many people around here yet, and I could do with some time away from my family”.

After settling back down the conversation was much more amicable though Niki still tried to press a few of Josh’s buttons from time to time, though the longer they talked the less it bothered him, in fact Josh was starting to like that about her, Niki didn’t take herself or anyone for that matter too seriously, and instead just wanted to find fun in everything she did, even if it was talking to the town outcast. Josh did manage to learn a little about Niki when he was able to get a question in, apparently, she was from a city called Stoke-on-Trent, and she moved just outside of Hartwood with her foster family.

Despite himself and his initial plans to sit outside and wallow in self-pity, Josh realised he was actually enjoying himself and was silently thankful thank Niki decided to barge into his life, the only thing that was souring the experience was that from time to time Josh could see some of Thomas’s friends pointing at them and talking among each other. “Pay them no mind Josh, they are probably just jealous of you that’s all” Niki said with what Josh was beginning to think of as her trade mark smile.

“Jealous of me, I doubt it, what could they possibly be Jealous of,” he said knowing full well he just gave her the opening she was waiting for, “well jealous that you get to spend time with someone as cute as me of course,” she said smile turning into a full-blown grin, “somehow I knew it would be something like that,” Josh said laughing. That was until he saw that one of the guys pointing and talking had left to go get Thomas’s attention, leading him out of the cafeteria, pointing in our direction the whole time.

Wincing “Damn I’m sorry Niki, but you should probably go, no need for you to be dragged into whatever this is” Turning to see where Josh was looking, only mildly annoyed it wasn’t at her, Niki saw what the problem was. “Nah I’m good” she said with her smile plastered on her face turning back around to look at Josh, “friends of yours I’m guessing” she said making it clear she was already well aware of what the situation between Josh and Thomas was.

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“Yeah, you could say that if by friend you mean constant tormenter,” Josh said getting to his feet to try and direct Thomas’s attention away from Niki and wholly onto himself, after all she didn’t need to deal with whatever was about to happen, just because she was nice enough to talk to Josh and turn what was starting to be a terrible day into one of the better ones he has had in a while.

The malice on Thomas’s face was visible thanks to the rapidly shrinking distance between them, with his back to Niki Josh could not see her let out a high pitch whistle but he definitely heard it, flinching and facing her with a questioning look, all he got back was a grin and a friendly wave. Josh couldn’t help but think about his strange new….. Friend? Is that what she was?

As though Josh could feel Thomas’s glare on the back of his head, Josh reoriented his focus back on to the immediate threat Thomas Clarke the town’s golden boy, but right now he looked anything but his normal angelic self, with wide eyes, red face and nostrils flaring, jaw clenched the pure rage he radiated was palpable, he didn’t look like this even when Josh took a swing at him. Josh instinctively gulped the only thing stopping him from taking a step back was Niki’s presence behind him.

Thomas didn’t holt his momentum barrelling straight through Josh the size difference knocking Josh aside with such ease it would be laughable in any other situation. Stopping just feet from Niki the words that came from his mouth shocked Josh enough to freeze him where he landed “what are you doing here? You know your kind isn’t welcome here. What did this bitch say to you Rowe?” Josh was so surprised by the words Thomas said not to mention the anger laced in every syllable, it took him a minute to figure out he was being addressed.

“Huh?” Josh managed to get out mind still mulling over the use of ‘your kind’ what did Thomas mean by that, I know Niki stands out a bit but no more than Sam even if it is in a different way. “You fucking told him didn’t you, you know what you’ve done now right? You know what this means…” Thomas said a little bit of excitement slipping into his tone wrapping around the anger already there, making him sound a little unhinged.

“Oh come now Thomas as if I would do something like that, you’re the only one spilling secrets right now, I was only having a nice little chat with Josh over there” Niki said smile absent from her face gesturing over to Josh who was only just beginning to get to his feet, mind still swimming while trying to follow along with what was being said. After all how did these two even know each other?

Starting to make his way round Thomas and his crew a hand settled on Josh’s shoulder holding him in place while a voice whispered into his ear, “easy now little one, things are about to get good” the humour in the voice was easily detectable. Looking over his shoulder to see who the voice belonged to since Josh didn’t recognise it, he saw no one there only now he realized that the weight of the hand only lasted a second.

Stepping into Niki’s personal space and getting up close to her face he said something that Josh couldn’t quite make out, “me and Josh are just friends” Niki said purposely loud enough for everyone to hear “so how about you take the stick from out of your ass and go find a nice quite place for you and your friends to compare dick size, so as not to bother the rest of us?” She said with as close to an innocent smile as she could pull off.

“You stupid little bitch, you remember my name right? I’m a Clarke maybe you should show the respect that I deserve before I decide to make you!” Thomas snarled face somehow growing even darker. Niki opened her mouth ready to snipe back with another remark, when her eyes flicked past Thomas for just a second, and she closed her mouth and just smiled this time there wasn’t even an attempt at looking innocent.

“Respect is earned not inherited Thomas, you of all people should know that” a deep gruff voice said no hint of emotion in his words, Josh looked to see a group of four guys and one girl strolling through the growing crowd, Josh did a double take where did all these people come from, it seemed half the college was now out watching the altercation. Thomas’s friends seemed to be growing increasingly anxious with the eyes one them and their leader.

“Drake” Thomas said without even turning to see the tall well-built guy leading the other four in their direction “that’s enough now Nicole you’ve had your fun, you know the risk you took by coming here, though I will stress this for your sake Thomas, she did not break any of your rules, and thus you have no ground to retaliate, are we understood?” Drake said his voice as hard as steel.

“Thomas he’s right just let it go man, who cares what they do with that piece of shit” one of Thomas’s thugs said nodding in Josh’s general direction. “That not the fucking point Skylar and you know it, they think just because my father isn’t here they can walk all over us!” Thomas snapped making the one who spoke up lower his head in submission “sorry man”.

“Your friend is right no need to turn this into something it isn’t, Nicole was just leaving anyway” Drake said “arw but Drake I didn’t even get to…” “Nicole you’re leaving now, understood?” standing there head bouncing between the two Josh couldn’t help but think back to last night at Sam’s house and the way her father spoke, with absolute authority knowing that what he said would be obeyed.

In a low almost inaudible voice Niki said “yes Drake” stepping past Thomas eyes down the picture of meek and obedient, this time Josh could tell it wasn’t an act, there was something about this Drake guy that made the most brass and outrageous girl Josh had ever met act like a beaten dog.

Seeing this Josh’s body acted before his mind could give a very detailed and thorough explanation on how dumb he was about to. “I don’t know who you think you are but you have no right to talk to her like that” Josh said stepping in front of Drake.

“Rowe you have no idea what you’ve gotten your dumbass in the middle of, now is not the time to play hero, go back to begging for any scrap of attention Sam is allowed to give you and stay out of the way” Thomas shouted behind Josh, “for once the fool is right, you’d do well to listen to his warning and keep clear of this all, people like you don’t tend you last long in our world” Drake said his voice only slightly softer than when he was talking to Thomas.

Josh’s head felt like it was about to explode, none of them were making any sense, what did Thomas mean when he mentioned Sam? Did he know about her father and how he treats Sam? And Drake saying people like you, meaning what? Poor, lonely, absolutely clueless? Because that’s what Josh felt like after this whole mess clueless clearly there was more going on and Josh had just touched the surface of it all, did Hartwood have some sort of gang activity Josh somehow didn’t notice all this time?

The way Thomas and Drake acted defiantly seemed like two rival gang leaders meeting at least to Josh’s admittedly limited knowledge. Feeling a hand brush along his arm down to his hip Josh stood ridged, perplexed by how people kept sneaking up on him today, only to have Niki’s cute face pop into view.

“Thanks but you don’t need to worry about Drake and the rest Josh they are good people trust me, maybe one day you will get to learn that for yourself if you’re lucky” she said her eyes twinkling showing that she meant every word and hinting and something else, but Josh didn’t have time to figure out what that hidden detail might have been, because just them Niki leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“I’ll you around hero” Niki said before twirling on one heel and linking arms with the other girl in Drakes group and as one they all left, as though they all shared one mind, and if not for the very visible differences between how they all moved and carried themselves, Josh might have actually believed it. After all that would be no more crazy than a girl as cute as Niki actually kissing him and wanting to spend more time with him, sure there was something wrong with everything that just went down, but damn it Josh need a win just one, so at least for now he chose to focus on the positive.

That was until Thomas span Josh around standing only inches away from him “What did she say to you Rowe, I’m not fucking around now you tell me or I’ll make sure you can’t tell anyone a thing again” Josh didn’t know if it was the kiss from Niki or if his brain really had short circuited but he snapped, “really Thomas? Even if she did tell me anything about whatever it is your all on about, which she didn’t, do you really want me to say it right now, really you could try to at least act like you’re not an idiot just for a change”.

Josh gestured around himself at the crowd of onlookers, finally Thomas looked around him and saw what had his friends so anxious, there were at least fifty people watching half of which had their phones out clearly recording the whole thing. Josh could actually see the blood drain from the bullies face as he turned white as snow, he leaned in and whispered “next time I see you Rowe” interrupting Josh snapped back “oh like you weren’t going to beat the hell out of me regardless, nothing’s changed except now you’ve given yourself some bizarre reason to harass me instead of it just being for your sick pleasure”.

That did it Thomas lost whatever scrap of restraint he possessed and started whiling on Josh, hammering fists down on his face one after another, Josh couldn’t even think to breath let alone move, he’d pushed the bully too far this is what a shred of confidence earned him, what felt like minutes but must have really been only seconds passed before Thomas’s friends dragged him off of Josh still struggles and fighting to get back to his human punching bag, Josh for his part was beginning to drowned on the blood filling his mouth and throat, choking and sputtering, before guiding hands had him in the recovery position and able to breathe again.