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Chapter 3


Thoughts can get in the way of a lot of things, as can actions.
I wish everything in life was as simple as ‘ABC’, but its not.
So I’m stuck with this.
My thoughts, stopping my actions.
Making me, do what I do.
And make mistakes.


I slowly walked up the street towards the hospital. It wasn’t a long walk from where Amanda dropped me off, just around the corner. But I took my time. I was stuck in a vortex in my head. Amanda had never acted so weird. She just didn’t. she’d walked out of the house earlier, all spaced out, walked back in, tense and then dropped me off, at the side of the road because a car was following us. That was weird.

As I reached the hospital I still wasn’t paying attention. Then I heard someone call my name.
“Stella, over here,” called the voice.
I looked around and saw the Reighns, standing side by side. They waved to me and I gave them a small smile as I walked over to them.
“Oh Stella, Brittany said you talked to her. She was so happy that you said you would come, she is desperate to know what going on,” Mr. Reighns informed me.
I nodded and we walked towards Brittany’s hospital room. I braced myself, not sure what to expect. I walked into the room.

It was large, white and sterile. It smelt of detergent ad antiseptic. The only noises to be heard were of our breath, and the constant, rhythmic, beep of the heart monitor. The bed was in a corner, near the window. The sun shone through and hit the whole bed. Lighting up the room, it made a pale figure in the bed seem more alive. I gasped.

“STELLA!” a voice squealed as I entered the room.
I walked swiftly to the bed and smiled a warm smile.
“Hey Brit, how are you?” I asked as soon as I sat down.
“I’m good. Well I’m here so that says I’m not fine, anyways I say I am,” she laughed.
I laughed with her, but when she stopped laughing, she started being serious.
“So what’s happened in school? What happened after I ended up like this? Who did you talk to and sit with? Any random news you wish to tell me?” she asked.
I looked at her, open mouthed, gobsmacked. I felt like I was under interrogation by the police for murder or assist in murder. After a long pause, and Brittany’s open eyed wonder, I began.

“Well after I was attacked, I blanked out, then I awoke, this guy was running away and Brannon, Rowan, and a few mates came. They said to call the police, so I did. Then they showed up, and so did your folks. Then your mum and dad took me home,” I paused and smiled over at the Reighns, who were standing in the corner talking. Then I continued. “School was school. I saw, that even after he was so nice to me, on Saturday, he was going out with Samara. Then in English I had to sit next to him. He tried to apologize, but well his apology wasn’t the best. Um, I talked to a girl named Blair. She’s just moved here form Egypt and she is really nice. I sat with her at lunch. She sits with the Ashford’s etc, it was alright though. In sport we played basketball, and well samara tried to beat me up but ended up getting fouled off. Then we had to sit through a two hour assembly! It was about how another two people got attacked, on their way to lunch. The principle also said we’d be going to a boarding school, starting ASAP!” I told her.
I studied Brittany’s as I told her all this. She was shocked.

After I finished telling her everything, Brittany sat there, looking at me. The shock was still evident on her face. Silently she looked down and gathered her thoughts.
“Brit, what’s wrong?” I asked after a long silence.
“It’s just, others have been attacked. And you have to go to boarding school until after Christmas. So for three weeks I won’t be able to talk to you,” she moaned.
“Brit it’s going to be fine! Did you not hear me? Did you not hear anything else I said?” I asked.
“I did,” she replied defending herself, before she continued, “So Samara…. She tried to play basketball!” she exclaimed after a few minutes, suddenly enthusiastic about the whole thing.

We talked the rest of my visit. When the time came, for visiting times to end, I said m goodbyes.
“Stella dear, do you need a lift home or are you alright?” asked Mrs. Reighns.
“No, I’m fine. Thanks for the offer. Amanda’s on her way,” I replied.
Mrs. Reighns looked at me warily but in the end nodded. I walked out of the hospital as the Reighns finished talking their daughter. I waited and waited outside in the cold winter’s air. But Amanda didn’t show. As the Reighns went to leave, I hid behind a pillar. I wasn’t going to let them see I was still here. I waited, and as soon as they had left I called Amanda. I called her mobile, which rang and rang and rang, until it eventually it went into voice mail. So I tried to call the house, but the same result, continuous ringing until voice mail. I had two options, walk home or get a lift with Brannon. I decided to walk home, but then I remembered the attacks. I wasn’t going to put anyone through the pain of seeing me here, in a hospital bed fighting for my life. But with no other choice what else was there to do? Did I really want to call Brannon? My mind was made up for me however, when I stepped out of the shelter and the heavens opened and the rain came lashing down. I scowled. I looked at the mobile which was still in my hand and decided, I may as well face Brannon then walk home and end up soaked to the skin. I rummaged through my pocket and found the piece of paper with his number on it. I took a deep breath and dialled the number and waited, breathe held, listening to the steady ring of the phone. Just as I was about to give up, someone answered the phone.

“Hello, Ashford residence, Brannon here. How may I help you?” he asked.
“Hey Brannon it is Stella. Look, umm I’m at the hospital, and I know it’s a big favour to ask, but I need a lift home. Amanda was supposed to collect me, but she’s a no-show. I’ve tried calling her and all but she won’t answer. And I’ve been waiting ages. So can you give me a lift?” I replied, all the worry, and fear which I usually concealed so well, breaking through my voice.
“Okay. I’ll collect you. Just wait where you are. I’ll be there soon,” Brannon informed me.
Before I could say anything else he had hung up. How rude. I thought.

I waited and waited. Time dragged by slowly. I looked at my phone after what seemed to be hours. What was taking him so long? I wondered, but it turned out it had only been three minutes since I phoned him. I shook my head. I was getting paranoid. I sat on the kerb outside the hospital and leaned against the pole and closed my eyes. Rain drops streamed down my face and down my back, from where I leaned against the wet pole. I thought about how much my life was going to change once I went to boarding school. How I’d have to share a dorm with someone, how we would have meals at set times, classes on weekends, set bed times etc. It all seemed to be so … weird. Then I heard a car screech to a halt near me. My eyes flashed open and I looked around so I could see whose car had just screeched to a halt near me. I stood up and saw the dim hospital lights fall onto a flashy metallic purple car. It was right in front of me with the passenger door open. I headed towards the car hesitantly. As I approached, I heard a voice like velvet call out to me from within the car.
“Stella, its Brannon. Come on lets go,” he called out.
As I went to jump into the car, I noticed the rego plate. It read – 1ashford3. I smirked,


“Stella, why were you out, ALONE? After all the attacks that have happened recently why didn’t you have a lift?” Brannon asked angrily.
“Like I said on the phone, Amanda should have collected, ages ago. I didn’t walk because I didn’t want to end up here. Fighting for my life, or worse DEAD. But at this rate I may as well have walked home,” I replied my voice rising.
Brannon just kept a steady glare out the front window. The rest of the journey in the car was fairly quiet, except for the odd question about where we were going. The silence grew tenser and I found it harder to bear.
“Look, I’m sorry I got so annoyed. But I was scared. I know I should have gone home with the Reighns or something but I only have the Reighns and Amanda. And he Reighns had left awhile ago and would have gotten angry at me for not getting a lift with them in the first place. So what else was there to do?” I told him.
He just nodded.

I turned my face to look out the window. The trees blended in with the lights as we drove. Everything was like a blur. The suddenly everything became clear, the car had stopped.
“Stella, I just parked down the road from your house, so if Amanda drives up later she doesn’t get suspicious. Do you want me to walk you to the door?” Brannon asked calmly, obviously putting on a façade or something to hide his anger.
I looked at him to see if he was joking but he seemed to mean it so I just nodded.
“Stella, I’m sorry. I should have known there was a good enough reason for you to call me for a lift,” he said as we slowly headed towards my house.As we approached the drive, I saw Amanda’s car wasn’t there. I shook my head confused. Why was she out so late?
“That’s okay. I just didn’t know what else to do,” I told him.
“Yeah, that’s ok. I know that now, but well I didn’t want any more attacks happening,” Brannon said, keeping his eyes low.
Something about his actions and tone told me there was more to it then that.
As I reached the door I pulled out my keys. As I opened the door it groaned it complaint and the hinges felt loose. This worried me. As the door opened further, it groaned and creaked more. I looked over at Brannon who was hovering behind me, very quietly. I peered around the door and looked inside.

The hall was dark, plants that usually looked cheerful, looked glum. The pots were toppled over, smashed into pieces, mud was all over the floor, the plants lay limply on the floor. And there were pages from the phone book, all over the floor. The hallway table was smashed, left in splinters the legs broken off as if they were to be used as weapons. The four legs scattered all over the floor, the top of the table was broken in half, lying n the middle of the hall and the phone was lying on the floor, still plugged into its plug, barely. I turned and looked at the wall. I gasped. Written on the wall in deep black ink were the words;

We know you betrayed your brother;
We’ve caught up with you before,
We will meet again. Amanda.
Yours sincerely,
_____the union____
“Stella, we should be going, like now,” Brannon said in a worried voice.
I spun round to look at him.
“What does this mean? Why has it got you so worried? What aren’t you telling me? Why do I have to leave?” I yelled at him.
I didn’t know what or who else to yell at or what else to do, so I just forced my anger out on the first person I saw, which just so happened to be him, the only person in view, in the house, apart from me.
“Stella, can’t you see, it’s dangerous here. Someone is obviously after Amanda. If they wrecked your house to try find her, can you imagine what could have happened to you? What about your parents? What would they think if they came back from their holiday and find you dead or something?” Brannon asked me in a string of harsh questions.
I looked at him, my anger building up.

“Just don’t mention my parents, get out. Leave me alone, and just go back to your little Samara,” I screamed.
Tears streaming down my face, thick and fast. He looked shocked. As if I’d slapped him across the face, with a metal rod. Then I sunk to the ground and started sobbing. A pair of cool arms comforted me.
“Stella what’s wrong? What did I say? Stella come on, tell me,” Brannon pleaded, worry filling his voice.
I stopped sobbing for a moment, and peered up at him through my thick, short, dark hair, which covered my eyes.
“My parents. That’s what you said. That is what’s wrong. Okay? What Samara said at school, about my parents being dead, well it’s true. They are dead. Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault. I’m just… temperamental about my parents,” I told him as I moved my hair away from my face, to stop it covering my eyes.
Brannon nodded. His face looked deep as though he were thinking of some past memory.

Then I heard the low hum of a car pulling into the drive. I stood up quickly and ran over to the window. A small, red ford fiesta was pulling into the drive; Amanda’s car. It was lucky we’d closed the front door and even luckier that we’d parked down the road, and not in the drive. This way I could find a reasonable excuse so that I could cover, and let Brannon get home. I turned to Brannon who had some how, silently managed to get next to me.
“Upstairs,” I said only that. But he got the message - go up stairs.
We ran quickly upstairs. As we reached the landing we froze. The front door creaked open.

I turned to Brannon and pointed to my room. He nodded. Someone, presumably Amanda walked into the house and let out a gasp.
“Stella? Are you here?” called out a voice. It was Amanda’s.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Amanda, I’m here. Where wer-” I asked stopping myself, mid sentence, seeing Amanda’s face and the concern and fear on it.
“Are you ok? How long ago did this happen?” Amanda asked.
I took a deep breathe and gathered my thoughts.
“I’ve only been in the door five minutes and I am ok. I got the bus home. I was going to ask you the same thing,” I told her, trying as hard as I could to keep my voice steady and a straight face.
She nodded. I walked into the kitchen flicked the kettle on and went to go upstairs. But then I noticed Amanda still in the hall.
“Stella, when you go to boarding school, no, no wait, when you go to school tomorrow, hand this to the principal,” Amanda said as she handed me a neatly folded piece of paper.
Then she walked into the kitchen. I watched her as she walked away, then I hurriedly turned and ran upstairs.

As I opened my bedroom door, I thought of how soon, it will no longer be a room of my own, but a shared room. I would miss my own room.
“Hey. You took awhile,” said a voice that seemed to light up the whole room, although the room was dark.
“Well I expected you to have left by now. Like I was expecting you to have jumped out of the window or something,” I answered him, and laughed a silvery laugh.
I flicked the light switch on and saw him sitting on my bed. I smiled. As I walked towards the bed, a creak was heard from the stairs. Brannon stood up quickly and ran to the window. He nodded to me before jumping down to the ground. Not a sound was heard as he landed. So I had to hope he got down ok. As soon as he had left, my bedroom door opened. Amanda poked he head around the door.
“Stella, I’m going out to get some take-away. What do you want?” she asked.
“Well umm I’ll have Chinese,” I replied as I went and sat on my bed. She nodded and walked downstairs.
I listened carefully for the car to start so I could see if Brannon had left.

As Amanda closed the front door, a bush rustled in the garden and I heard a few twigs crack. I spun around and ran to the window. I had to close it. I leaned out, grabbed the handle and went to pull it shut, when a hand appeared on the window ledge. I gasped. Then I screamed. I turned to run towards my bedroom door. As I headed toward the door, going towards the phone, I was grabbed from behind. A hand covered my mouth, to silence my scream. As I fought with who ever was holding me, we started falling towards my bed. We started to tumble onto my bed. I turned myself around as I fell so I could face my attacker.
“BRANNON?!” I exclaimed in shock.
I rolled onto my side so I could see him properly. I smiled at him.

Looked at me and gave me a weak smile in return as he combed his hand through his gorgeous brown hair, which was now full of twigs.¬
“Hey. I’m sorry I scared you,” he apologized.
“Hey not you’re fault. I’ve been jumpish since, well since Brittany was attacked,” I told him.
“I didn’t leave because well, I hadn’t finished talking to you. And Amanda might of heard me leave and start my car,” he said innocently.
I smiled at him. As we lay there he turned to face me. he was so close, I could smell his cologne. It smelt so … right. He moved closer still and then pressed his cool lips to mine. He kissed me and I kissed him back enthusiastically and pulled him closer to me. It was so right being here again, with Lee. Feeling him in my arms, so close to me here, and not with Mia. It was like that had never happened … I thought. Wait – LEE? WHAT? I froze. I stopped kissing Brannon. This wasn’t lee, I don’t like lee anymore. What was wrong wit me?

Brannon picked up on my tension and stopped kissing me. He pulled away…

PROLOUGE

Sitting in the cold winter’s snow in Ireland, life seems pretty normal, until the new “clan” moves to town. Everyone veers away from them and everyone else in town for that matter, which was strange. This “clan” consists of the very hot, VERY sexy, Ashford twins, they are well built, tall, dark haired,(well one is dark haired, the other has lighter more golden like hair.), and EVERY girl in town swoons for them and I mean EVERY GIRL. I don’t know what it is but all I know is everyone wants them, but avoids them. Me, well sure they do look hot. OK so I swoon over one of them but I won’t avoid him or force my self on him. I’m Stella Vistriávio (Víst-ri-á-vi-ó), 17 tall, slim, short, layered brown hair just past my shoulder, wide brown eyes and most guys in town want me.

Chapter 1

It was Saturday. A day with no school, no homework, nothing. A day of freedom. I smiled.

As I walked through Dublin’s snow covered streets I saw THEM, the Ashford twins. I saw them as they came around a corner. So I tried to avoid them. Then as I tried to avoid the dark haired one walked right into me. I fell backwards and his skin was cold and hard. I peered up through the hair that covered my eyes. He was bending over me. Then he spoke.
“Are you ok? Did I hurt you?” he asked
“Wha-? Yes I’m ok.” I replied shyly
“Good. Sorry. It’s my fault I wasn’t paying attention. I should have looked as I rounded the corner.” He murmured, just loud enough for my ears.
I stood up and dusted the snow off of my jacket, and looked at them. The lighter haired brother smiled at me.
“Allow me to introduce ourselves, I am Rowan, my brother, the dark haired one is Brannon,” His teeth gleamed as he spoke.

Then they walked off chatting in low voices to each other. I glared behind my back and gave there backs evils. I then walked into star bucks to meet Brittany Reighns, my best friend. I sat at the table and looked at her. By the face she had on I must still have had the glare on my face.
“Hey cool it Stella. What’s wrong?” Brittany asked in concern.
“I just ran into the Ashford twins. They were alright at the start but then they just walked off, after introducing themselves, BEFORE I could say my name. Argggghhh.” I grumbled and complained
“Chill, just make sure you don’t kill me in your anger. Your face says I want to kill someone. Just breathe. Maybe now you can see why everyone else avoids the? You should have just walked off. Why didn’t you?” Brittany said in a flurry of words
“I know, I know, but when you’re on the floor its kind of hard to walk away, especially when they are being polite, I mean would you walk away from the hot-“I was nearly shouting when Brittany cut me off.
“Ssssshhhhh they’re coming around the corner, they might be able to lip read you never know” Brittany said in a hushed voice barely moving her lips.

I got up to order a drink and as I went up I looked behind my back and then the Ashford twins walked in. I turned back to the counter and ordered my drink. As I waited for my drink I noticed everyone was shrinking back into their chairs. Even Brittany was looking at me warning me not talk to them. I got my drink and started to walk back to the table when Rowan walked into me and the force of the impact knocked me over. I fell and my drink flew backwards. I heard it hit someone before it clattered to the ground with a large SMASH my hair covered my eyes again as I lay on the ground.
“Watch where you’re going Rowan that’s what the second time today that you ran into someone?” a voice behind me teased.
“Sorry bro I wasn’t paying attention. Hey maybe you should go clean your shirt” Rowan snickered.

I stood up slowly and turned around keeping my head down so the hair still covered my face. As I peered through my hair, I saw it was Brannon and my drink was all over him. I walked back to the table and Brittany and I looked at each other. She looked like she really wanted to know what went on and was waiting for me to spill but I shook my head and put my head down. Then someone kicked me. I looked up at Brittany and glared but she had her head slightly tilted to the right so I looked. It was Brannon and Rowan. I looked at them. A glare started to cover my face.
“Yes?” I asked sharply. My glare fixed into place.
“Oh is this a bad time then? I was just wondering if you and your friend would like to come to a party, tonight.” Brannon asked.
“Umm I’ll see about the party. Where is it and I‘ll show up if I’m allowed to go.” I replied, pointedly with a hint of sarcasm.
“Oh, it’s at our place 39 castle town, Lexilip.” He replied a little surprised at my tone.
“We’ll show up if we can go.” I replied.

I stood up and walked out the door. Brittany followed. She looked at me burning to ask a question but didn’t.
All she said was “déjà vu much?”
Eventually we reached the train station. Brittany looked at me. Fear crossed her face.
“WHY DID YOU KICK ME? WE SHOULD HAVE JUST WALKED OUT BUT NO YOU MADE SURE I SAT THERE AND I WENT THROUGH THE AGONIZING PAIN OF TALKING TO THEM…AGAIN AFTER ALL YOU SAID ABOUT NOT TALKING TO THEM. I DON’T BELIEVE YOU. NOW WE HAVE TO GO TO THE PARTY TONIGHT.” I shouted.
Brittany looked at me. She waited and waited. When I still hadn’t calmed down she took a deep breathe.
“Stella, what happened back there? What happened just now? What’s wrong?” Brittany questioned.
“I don’t know. It’s your fault you should have stood up. I don’t know if it is to do with the fact that they are so I don’t know overpowering or what but you could of at least stuck up for me.” I said.
“Look I don’t know if this is to do with the fact he lives near Lee or what, but you need to get control of yourself,” Brittany said.
That was it as soon as she mentioned Lee I started to cry. It was a long journey home, the train seemed to take forever, but eventually we got to Brittany’s house, because her house was closer to the Ashford’s.

I called my aunt to say I was staying at Brittany’s and then we got changed. I pulled on a pair of skinny leg jeans and a top that showed off all my curves really well. Brittany pulled on a knee length black dress and a pair of white leggings. We both pulled on a pair of white wedge boots and walked to the party. We brought our denim jackets and got on our way. When we arrived at the party thing seemed to be in full swing. We walked into the house and admired the brilliant décor inside. We walked into the lounge and my stomach churned. Sitting in the corner, making out like there’s no tomorrow was Lee and his new popular girlfriend.

That hit me hard Lee and I had been going out for 2 years, since I was 15 and he dumped me, for the new girl in our school Mia because he thought I was useless, just because I wouldn’t go all the way. Mia was popular so of course she would. It had been nearly 7 months since our break up but it still hurt. The way they were acting made me feel sick. So I turned around and left that room with Brittany close behind. Tears started to brim but I wouldn’t allow myself to cry, because I wasn’t going to let him get to me and I wasn’t going to allow my mascara to run. Brittany grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

“Are you ok?” she asked full of concern.
“Yes I’m fine. Let’s go dance.” I calmly replied. Hiding my tears from her… I wasn’t going to ruin this night; we may never be invited to a party like this again.
We headed out to the dance floor and started dancing. Then Rowan came over and asked Brittany to dance she looked at me scared and I nodded. She smiled a thank you and walked off. I walked over to the kitchen and picked up a can of coke. I stood in the kitchen and looked around.

Then Lee walked in. He looked utterly shocked at the fact that I was there and looked at my body. He honestly couldn’t take his eyes off of it. I glared at him and started to walk out of the room when he grabbed me and forced me against the wall.
“GET OFF OF ME” I screamed at him.
“Hey babe, calm down what happened to us? From before can’t you remember that for a few hours?” he asked in an innocent voice
“I SAID GET OFF OF ME. YOU WANT MY FEELINGS FROM BEFORE? WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU THERE GONE. IT’S BEEN 7 MONTHS TOO LONG.” I shouted.
“Chill I’m sure that if you were to put all that hate into me, we could get back to where we were. Mia won’t have to know….” He said in a sly voice leading on to something.
“I ALREADY SAID NO. NOW WHAT DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND OF LEAVE ME ALONE?” I reminded him forcefully shouting the words.
“Hey babe I’m sorry,” Lee replied soothingly trying to get me to go with him.
“I SAID-“I started to say when he kissed me.
I kneed him in the gut but that didn’t stop him. He looked at me and leant in again. “LEAVE. ME. ALONE.” I screamed with emphasis on the word alone.

As he continued to lean in a hand grabbed his shoulder.
“Don’t you understand that when a lady says leave me alone she means it? Especially when she has said it a few times previously as well?” said a dead sexy voice.
The hand pulled Lee backwards and threw him into the wall. I hadn’t realised how weak I was feeling and how much I was relying on Lee for support until he was gone. I sunk to the ground. I looked up and saw Brannon looking over me. My hair yet again covered my eyes. How come every time I saw him I had hair covering my eyes?
“Hey are you ok? You look pretty shaken. Here have a drink.” Brannon said as he handed me a drink of coke. He seemed pretty concerned.

I sat up slightly straighter against the wall and brushed the hair out of my eyes. As I took the drink out of Brannon’s hand I scanned the room, Lee wasn’t there. Good. I started to stand up but I got a massive head spin and fell. As I fell I felt a set of arms grab me, then all went blank. When I woke up I was lying on a bed. I looked around. I could see no one then a shape came into view, I let my eyes focus and then I saw Brannon was there. He was the only person. I sat up, slowly so I wouldn’t get a head spin.

“Are you ok?” Brannon asked, full of concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine. What happened? I haven’t had anything to drink here except part of a can of coke I got before Lee came so I know it wasn’t ‘cause of alcohol.” I said as I tried to retrace what had happened.
“I reckon you’re just really shaken. He was holding you pretty tight. Have you eaten anything today?” Brannon asked.
“Of course I have. I’m not an idiot and I wouldn’t starve myself.” I replied sharply.
“Ok. So what was going on with you two? It looked like you were like any other couple but then I heard you say leave me alone.” Brannon calmly questioned.
“Well umm, Lee and I were going out for just over 2 years. Everyone called us the schools best and cutest couple. He was really nice and we hit it off really well because we had been best friends before hand so it was really good. Then he start trying to get me to sleep with him because he wanted to be ‘cool’ or something I don’t know, and then I kept refusing, standing my ground, being strong, and he kept saying I was chicken and stuff so when Mia started school, she became an instant popular, her tanned skin, blonde hair etc. well as soon as Lee saw her he dumped me like that afternoon and went out with her. I was going to tell him to come over that night and that I had a surprise for him, but he dumped me, I was going to go all the way. It tore me apart. I still haven’t gotten over him. It’s been 7 months. I can’t believe it. I was just getting over him and then I saw him with Mia when I first came in it just sent me back to where I was 7 months ago.” I answered. By the end I was trying hard not to cry but tears still leaked over.
“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realise, it was that bad. I wouldn’t have asked,” Brannon stuttered out.
“It’s ok.” I replied with a small smile.

I took a deep breathe and walked downstairs. As I entered the lounge Brittany was there with Rowan, Dancing. I walked over to her.
“Can we go?” I asked
She nodded. We headed out the door and started walking back to her house. As we walked we felt slightly spooked, walking in the pitch black with only the street lights for guidance. Brittany was starting to get a little spooked, looking behind her continuously.
“Hey chill, Brie its fine trust me.” I said reassuringly.

As I said that though there was a large crunch from the bush. We looked at each other. We stepped up our pace and started walking quicker. Then something came flying from behind us and smacked into me. I groaned. Why did everything seem to be happening to me today? As I went to roll over I couldn’t move. It felt like I was being held to the ground by ice. I groaned again but this time a piercing pain shot through me. I screamed. I heard a voice calling my name, Brittany’s? I couldn’t tell I was swimming in a vortex of pain. All the things that had hurt me through the past came back to me, Lee, my parents that snapped me to a slightly more conscious level. I wasn’t going to revisit hat memory.

Then I heard a man’s voice, hard, rough and scornfully harsh. The weight was lifted off of me and the pain decreased. Slowly I sat up. I hurt but I had to get away, I saw a man’s shape come together, the man was tall and had clothes that covered his hair so I couldn’t tell who he was. Then a gang started heading down the street, from the direction of the party. Then I recognised Brannon and his brother. Rowan ran to a shape on the ground beside me I hadn’t noticed before now. I realised with a start it was Brittany. I screamed. Then a second shape moved towards me and before I could scream louder a hand covered my mouth. I fought against the hand but I was too sore to put up much of a fight.
“Shhh it’s ok. I’m here. It’s all going to be alright. What happened?” A calming voice next to me said. I relaxed slightly and turned towards the voice. It was Brannon, he slowly removed his hand. I took a deep breath, it stung, but I would deal with it later.
“What’s wrong with Brit? I don’t know what happened. We were being followed I think, I don’t know but then I was attacked and I don’t remember anything after that.” I spoke my voice low and weak.

I looked more closely at Brittany her face looked gaunt with a greyish tinge. It was strange, her usually pale skin had never looked like this no rosy tinge she usually had. It was scary. I started to stand up but the pain that shot down my back caused me to cringe. I fell slightly but someone caught me. I didn’t pay attention to who caught me, I just continued to stand. When I looked around I realised the group that had come with Brannon and Rowan were still there, only talking in hushed voices to Brannon now. No one was near me. I walked over to the group slowly and hesitantly. As I got closer I still couldn’t make out what they were saying but the tone used was one of total worry. Then as I was close enough for them to notice me I heard them hurriedly say
“Too dangerous, couldn’t have been that. Not here. They wouldn’t show up here would they?”

Then Brannon turned to me. He looked worried and distressed. He started to walk further down the street signalling for me to follow, so I did.
“Here,” he said as he tossed me a small slim item. Catching it I realised it was a mobile. “Call the ambulance and the geárda. A few of my mates and I will stay here. We have a story that will do well. Pretty much similar to what really happened but a few more facts. We’ll go along with whatever you say. Now call them” he said fiercely continuing his earlier statement.

I quickly did as I was told and called the geárda and ambulance. I was still in shock and my voice was still weak. After I called them I walked over to the others. A lot of the group had left but I wasn’t really paying attention. I pulled my jacket tighter around myself as I started to shiver. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the geárda arrived. As their car pulled around the corner Brannon and the others came and sat near me. Then the car pulled over and two officers climbed out of the front. One was a male, tall blonde haired and fit looking; the other was a female who was the opposite, short and dark haired, although she did look fit. They looked at the group of us, mumbled to each other then wrote something on a note pad.

“Ok so tell us what happened?” asked the female, as she got ready to take notes.
I took a deep breath and started.
“We were on our way back from a party, we all live within walking distance you see. Well we were walking staying in the light of the street lights when we heard something walking in the bushes, so we sped up. Then out of know where we were attacked, from behind I think. I don’t know what else happened. I was pushed to the floor and blanked out. I consider myself lucky though after I saw what happened to my friend. We have kept her warm, and before you ask yes we have called the ambulance,” I said voice still weak but not as quite as before. As I finished the officer looked at her partner and scribbled more down on her note pad. Then the ambulance rounded the corner. I let out a sigh of relief. The officers took the others off one at a time and questioned them. There was one other girl apart from Brittany and me, so I walked over and greeted her.

“Hi I’m Stella. I haven’t seen you around here much. Are you new?” I asked her politely.
“Yes, I’m new I moved here from Egypt, last week. My name’s Blair.” She informed. She was tall, tanned and had short brown hair. Then she to was called for questioning by the geárda. I decided to walk over to where the paramedics were examining Brittany. They looked up as I approached. They were tall, well built, and male. One though had dark hair the other had blonde hair. Since I was now more aware I took in the details more clearly. I realised with a start, that she must have hit the ground with some force; this was because there was a large cut right across her head. Her face looked gaunter and more greyish then I thought. I couldn’t stand it. I turned away but I could still see her face, the cut that stretched from the crown of the head most of the way down, her hair mated together by the blood, the way her face seemed to be asleep, not aware of its true surroundings.
I choked back a sob and turned back to the paramedics.
“What’s wrong with her?” I asked voice full of concern.

The paramedics looked at each other and one let out a sigh. Not a sigh of relief but more like a sigh of pain or sorrow to do with what he was thinking. At that point I knew it wasn’t good.
“We don’t know. There are possibly a few broken bones, but we also think there is a possibility of brain damage. Do you know how hard she hit the ground? No you wouldn’t the geárda say you hit the ground and blanked out, so did a few others and a few ran. No. Umm let’s check you out make sure there is no concussion.” The one that had dark hair said.
I nodded and let them check me over. They checked over the others and we were all fine. No signs of concussion. They asked for Brittany’s number and I gave it to them. From what I could hear the paramedics telling them, they were worried. Who wouldn’t be?
They turned back to me after the phone call.
“Your parents are going to come take you home and then come to the hospital.” they informed me.

I just nodded to them with out saying anything. Whoa they must think we’re sisters or something I thought. Well Brittany was like a sister to me, and the Reighns were like my parents. My parents died in a work accident. When I was 7. They were mechanics and their garage exploded after that, the Reighns always cared for me in a family way. Although I lived with my dad’s sister, my aunt, and called her mum for all intensive purposes, I always thought of the Reighns as my other family, that’s what they treated me like, like family. When the paramedics assumed the Reighns were my parents, it hit me how much it would hurt to lose Brittany. I choked back more tears and I knew I would probably cry as soon as I got home, I wasn’t going to now. I walked over to Brannon and he looked at me, gave a small smile. That was nice, so I gave a weak smile back. Then the Reighns drove up. As they got out of the car I looked over at them. They saw me and a small bit of relief came upon them although they were still in fear, for Brittany. It was nice to know they care about me, even when there daughter is in danger. I said goodbye to the group and walked over to the Reighns.

They finished there conversation with the paramedics and looked at me.
“Stella!” They called in relief as I walked over to them. Even as they saw there daughter, lying on the stretcher, quite possibly never to be awaked again they we relieved to see me. I was touched.
“What happened Stella? Tell us everything.” Mr Reighns asked.
I a took deep breathe and told them exactly what I told the geárda. By the end they had tears in their eyes but not once did they tell me off for not calling for a lift home. Things like this never usually happened. The neighbour hood was classed as safe. That was obviously about to change. The “castle town stalker” was on the loose. Well that’s what Brannon’s group dubbed him, or them. They aren’t quite sure how many people there were. I climbed in the car with the Reighns and they dropped me home, to my aunts. I thanked them and walked inside as they talked to Aunt Amanda. I walked up the stairs and threw my stuff on the floor, and jumped on my large bed. The cover felt soft against my skin but I didn’t pay attention, I wasn’t in the mood for comfort. I peered at my clock. 23.30. I buried my head deeper in the covers, not wanting to see anything, I just wanted to delve into the darkness, but I couldn’t.

There was a knock on the door. I slowly turned my head to the side as Amanda slowly peered around the door. Her face was soothing and I sat up slowly, as tears streamed down my face. I moved over a little so that Amanda could sit down. She sat down and put comforting arms around me. I buried my head in her shoulder.
“I’m so glad you’re ok. I don’t know what I would have done without you. How are you? I heard about what happened with Brittany. I’ll bring you down to the hospital tomorrow morning. So you can see her,” Amanda told me. Her voice was comforting.
I just nodded. I sat there with her for a long time, with the comforting arms of someone I cared about around me. Eventually I nodded off. When I awoke, I was lying on my bed with my covers around me. The blinds were open so I saw the rays of sun falling across the bed. That must be what woke me, the rays of sun. I smiled, until last nights events returned to me, my smile faded and tears started to well up on the edge of my eyes. I shook my head to clear the thoughts away.

I walked down the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs, yum! Amanda smiled as I walked down the stairs. I gave her a weak smile and sat down at the table. Amanda brought me over a hot chocolate. I nodded my thanks, Amanda realised I wasn’t in the mood for talking, so she let me be, not trying to force anything. As I drank the hot chocolate, I let my thoughts dwindle; what if we’d called her parents? What if we had waited for a group to leave? So many what ifs. I was pulled out of my trance when food was placed in front of me. I looked up and saw Amanda sitting across from me. She was worried; her face was relaxed but cautious, as if she didn’t want to say anything to upset me. I can read her well; she forgets that sometimes, like she had now. I sighed.
“What is it ’Manda? I know there’s something you want to say,” I told her, calling her what I usually called her after a bad night, like last night.
I had nightmares a lot about what happened to my parents and when I was younger on those nights, I’d call her ’Manda, it kind of relaxed me, so after awhile it became a habit. Even after all this time I still called her ’Manda. I smiled.

Amanda noticed this and she smiled with me for awhile. Then her face went back to worried and cautious. She took a deep breath and the looked at me hard.
“Stella, I don’t know how to tell you this, but well Brittany is still,” she paused, as if looking for the right word, she found it then continued, “She’s still unresponsive. The doctors have run tests and she has minor swelling around the brain, because of the fall. It’s only a matter of time until she wakes up, or becomes responsive, hopefully. They were hoping for her to be responsive by now, but well, nothing. They fear that if it goes to long without a response, her condition may deteriorate and well, she may die. I’m sorry,”
I looked down at the table, this couldn’t be happening. Not to Brittany, not her. She’d been there for me when I was down, after my parents died, after Lee, after everything. Even at the party when she was with Rowan- who she’s had a hug crush on for ages, she was there and left with me…… the party, if anyone should be fighting for their life, it should be me. I was the one who wanted to leave. This was my fault.

Chapter 2

Faith has a funny way of playing with people. Even me. My life has been rough since day one, and today, is no different. Faith has decided to land my best friend Brittany in a position where she is, well fighting for her life. No other way to put it, she is literally, lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life.

Monday, a day of school, a day of learning, and a day of uniform. Green and black - Yuck. I really didn’t want to face this. Not with out Brittany or with the state she is in. When I left her hospital room yesterday, she looked no better than on Saturday. Her face looked gaunt with a greyish tinge. It still had no rosy colour to the cheeks. It had hurt to see her; today everyone was going to ask me what happened, how she was and what I did to fight off the attacker. Today was going to be interesting. I use the term interesting lightly, it is school after all and nothing interesting happens in school.

I walked in the gates of Colaíste Cíearan, my long black coat wrapped tight around me, the ground was covered in ice, I looked around me, and my heart immediately fell. Brannon was standing there with his arm around a tall, blonde, beautiful girl. Her hair was waist length and blew in the wind. I knew who it was immediately; this was the school’s most popular and meanest girl, Samara, I nearly slipped on the ground. I have to admit I was surprised I didn’t see her at the party, but she could have been in one of the many rooms with one of the many guys. I changed the direction I was going, hoping that the group hadn’t seen me, but like everything else in my life faith decide to go against what I wanted, they’d seen me. I knew this when Brannon called my name. I turned around and pulled on a face that didn’t say ‘I’m going to kill you’.

“Oh, hi,” I said, sounding like I had yesterday, glum.
“Hi. How are you? How’s Brittany?” Brannon asked.
“Brittany’s in hospital. She’s my best friend. She’s fighting for her life. Brittany helped me through a heap of stuff and now she’s Fighting for Her Life. How do you think I feel?” I replied. Voice harsher then I expected to mange. The tears were brimming again and I concealed them by tuning around and purposely covering my eyes with my hair. I heard Samara make some sarcastic remark at me but I didn’t care. As I started to walk towards the school building, Brannon answered me.
“She’s really that bad? So she’s not awake?” he asked.

I don’t know whether it was the fact the news shocked him or if he was acting that way to enjoy my pain, what ever it was I lost it. I turned to face him with a glare thick on my face. I took a step closer and made sure he could see each word clearly as well as hear it.
“That’s what I said. She is in hospital, fighting for her life. Generally saying someone is fighting for there life means they aren’t awake. Now I don’t know what country or era you are from but generally that’s what fighting for your life means in Ireland in the 21st century. Ok?” I replied pronouncing each word separately and harshly. My voice was cold, harsh, and dangerous. I knew he wasn’t going to cross me again. I smirked and started to walk off. Then I heard Samara.

“Don’t listen to her. She’s just crazy because her parents died when she was 7, and she wants to get back with her ex Lee, things like that make a person crazy” Samara informed loud enough for me to hear. That really annoyed me.
As I turned to lay it on her and give her a piece of my mind Rowan stepped in.
“That’s harsh Samara. Seriously, if you aren’t making the stuff about her parents up, maybe she didn’t want anyone to know? Brannon I don’t know why you date her, she’s just a real b***h,” he said.
That was it though, as soon as Rowan confirmed that Brannon and Samara were going out I ran off, into the school, to my locker. I got to my locker, and threw my bag in with a great force threw my coat in a ball at the back of my locker, and, after I got my books out I slammed the door shut, it groaned and clanked in complaint to the force but I really didn’t care. I spun round to head off to science. I stormed off. When I got to science I was early, well I knew I would be so I sat patiently outside the classroom and waited. Slowly people started to gather outside the classroom.

Then Blair, the girl from Saturday came and sat next to me. I must have spaced out because I never saw her until she spoke to me.
“Hi. How are you coping? I noticed you and Brittany were inseparable, and what you said to Brannon earlier, really shook him, but also confirmed that you were close to Brittany,” Blair said, in her quite voice.
“Hmm, yeah, we are inseparable. Did what I say really shake Brannon up?” I replied.
“YES! You should have seen his face after his brother told him off he was shocked. Then he dumped Samara on the spot. I haven’t seen her since and apparently Brannon’s looking for you so beware!” she giggled.
Then the teacher called us in for the double science. It was nice talking to Blair and I felt so much better. Maybe good things did happen to me! When class was called to attention and the register was taken, we were told to get into pairs and plan and ‘explosive experiment’, fun!!! Things really were going good. I paired up with Blair and w giggled through the lesson as she told me more on what happened after I stormed off. When the lesson was over and it was time to hand in the plans for our experiment, Blair and I had written up two, so all we had to do was choose which one to hand in. It was an easy choice; we choose the one no one else would do. We’d get more marks that way.

I was in a better mood after science and I was feeling better about the how the day would turn out. That was until I saw Samara in the hall, she glared at me and when I walked past her she snickered. Then one of her ‘groupies’ tripped me up. I should have expected her to do something like that, so when I dropped my books, I turned to her.
“Samara, if you want to pick on me do so after school, so I can beat you fair and square. Oh and this,” I paused. I looked at her, then knocked her books to the ground “is for knocking my books to the ground,” I smiled, picked up my stuff and walked away. I know as I left her she was standing in the middle of the hall, mouth open, in shock. I walked towards my English class, and took a seat at one of the many empty desks. Good I wasn’t the only one who was late.
Then I heard voices in the hall, on their way to the classroom, discussing what had happened between Samara and me, I smiled. If what happened to Samara was already gossip, then I may have to fight her after school, which will obviously result in me winning. I was looking forward to that in spite of my no violence policy.

I turned to look around myself and I noticed the class was full, all for three seats, Brittany’s which was beside me, Samara’s which was beside Holly, and Brannon’s, which was usually beside his brother, Rowan, but today, that seat was taken up, by a guy that was in the group that helped me on Saturday, that left a seat at the back and the seat beside me. I so hoped that he didn’t sit beside me, but as he rushed in, he saw the seat beside me was empty, not realising that I was there, he sat down. Anger crossed his face as he looked at Rowan, then the teacher walked into the room – even Mr.Lesstine couldn’t get to class on time. He called the class to attention and called the role. When he called my name out, and I responded with here, Brannon looked at me, he bent his head, as if he’d made a bad decision. Well if he didn’t want to sit next to me well I’d make sure it was all that much worse.

Mr.Lesstine said we had to do partner work on the themes and characters in ‘The Fire Thief’ by Terry Deary. I smiled the perfect chance for me to annoy Brannon. Brannon turned in his chair and looked at me.
“Look I -” he started but I cut him off.
“I know you don’t want to be here, I know you don’t want to sit next to me, the crazy one, and I know you are annoyed at your brother, and I can only think of the pain you are going through after Samara dumped you, so I’ll make our lives so much easier, we’ll work separately and combine our ideas when there is five minutes left. Ok. That way we don’t have to talk to each other,” I said, as hard as I could.
He just nodded and we worked. I could see Samara was looking at us and gossiping but I didn’t care. When it came to putting our ideas together, I had obviously done the most work he didn’t complain. Mr.Lesstine finally collected our work and dismissed the class; I walked out toward my locker quickly. Recess; how long would I be able to avoid Brannon for? It proved to be not long because as soon as I got out the door he was beside me. Luck really didn’t like me today did it?

“What?” I asked my voice sharp.
“I’m sorry about earlier, you know this morning. It was dumb of me to ask; she’s really that bad? So she’s not awake. I was; I don’t know being an idiot. You had a right to think I was from a different era. I am really sorry. You have every right to be angry at me, it’s just well like I said I was being an idiot and I’m sorry,” Brannon apologized.
I knew he meant what he was saying, but I just couldn’t forgive him, not yet anyway. I just nodded and walked off. He was left in the hall, standing there, as I rounded the corner to my locker. I placed my books in the locker and pulled out my snack. I closed the door and walked towards the yard. As I was on my way out I saw Blair at her locker, I walked over to her. She turned around and when she saw me she smiled. We walked to the yard silently. She seemed slightly shaken.
“Hey, what’s wrong” I asked her as we got outside.
“Umm, it’s nothing. Honestly. I’m fine.” She replied, her smile turned brighter and she seemed happier. Seeing as Brittney wasn’t in school, I went and sat with Blair, I was fine with it but there was one problem, she sat with Rowan and co. and I didn’t think Samara would want to see me, or Brannon after what happened after or in English. I had nowhere else to go though so I was going to have to put up with it.

We sat down on the ice covered bench. I hadn’t realised how cold it was, and so I left my coat in my locker, I was regretting that, but I wasn’t about to go get it, especially as Samara was coming and she was sure to make some remark, if I were to come back and sit down, so to annoy her I just stayed sitting there, pretending to not see her coming. I knew it worked because she walked over, went to sit down, saw me muttered some swear word under her breathe and walked away. Sitting here however did not have the same effect on the Ashford’s, this annoyed me, because I so didn’t want to face Brannon; but I had to suck it up and face him. They sat down and Rowan looked at me, pulled a puzzled face, and then remembered what had happened to Brittany, he shook his head then turned his attention to a conversation going on about Gaelic. Brannon however, came and sat beside me, he looked at Blair, and she nodded and went over to where Rowan was sitting. It was as if she new what he was saying! Strange; I turned away from him and faced the others, trying hard to gauge what topic they had now moved onto, it was obvious it wasn’t Gaelic because I didn’t know what teams they were talking about, it was still sport though. Then I realised they were talking of what domestic basketball they played.
“I play for the Liffey Celtics, U18’s. I’m training to try out for the Irish team,” I put as people started saying what team they played for.
They all looked at me, shocked, they obviously hadn’t realised I played.
“Whoa that’s cool, how long have you played for?” asked Jake, the guy Brannon was usually seen with, apart from his brother.
“Umm, since I was eight? I think,” I replied.
The bell went in the nick of time, because Jake was about to ask why I joined, and I wasn’t ready to talk about that.

I’d started basket ball as a way to, take out my emotions, when my parents, died. It was Brittany’s idea and I’ve been on a team with her for the whole time. It was going to be weird on Thursday, training without her, and even weirder on Friday playing without her.
I shook the thoughts out of my head as I got to my locker. I had P.E next and had to get my sports kit. We would be playing basketball, and I was preety sure I was the only girl who had played before, and with Samara in my class I was sure I would be the worse lesson yet. I was right, because as I walked into the changing rooms, her group of friends glared at me as I walked past. I changed quickly and walked out. The spot teacher nodded at me when I entered the courts. Most of the boys were there so I joined in with their warm-up. We stated with lay-ups and most of the guys were surprised to see I got most of them in. it was a blast. I enjoyed it, just messing around while we waited for the rest of the class. Then the other girls came out, now we had to start the lesson and I was pretty sure Samara was going to use her never played before excuse to hit me with the ball hard, I was tough though and I was sure it wouldn’t be all that bad. We started the lesson with four ‘suicides’, (this is where you start at base line, run to quarter court, back to base line, to half court, back to base line, to three quarter court, back to base line and then to the end of court and back to base line.) most of the girls were tired and walking half way through, but I was fine, we then had a drink break. Then it became dangerous, we had to pair up, and lucky for me there were an odd number of boys and girls so one girl had to go with a boy, I was the girl. The guy I was paired up with was Jake. The class worked on there passing, dribbling and defending through the lesson.

We started with our passing.
“Stella, finally I get to see whether you were joking about actually playing before!” Jake joked as we started passing.
“No, I think your friends get to see you being, umm shall we say, beaten by a girl? I can take you on ANY day!” I teased.
I threw the ball for a long pass, because we were challenging ourselves, seeing how far we could pass to each other, turned out I threw the ball too hard. As soon as it hit his finger he gasped in shock. I think he was trying not to say it hurt but after that he decided we work on our offence and defence. I was offence and I got passed him easily the first time, Jake however said he was going easy on me, when I passed him for the seventh time, he just mumbled something about me being defence. So I went defence, after he couldn’t get passed me, and we were called in for a break he was in a fowl mood.
“Righty then we shall start a game and I shall see which ones of you will be capable of going on the school team. Ok?” announced the coach.
Most people groaned at the thought of more work, but I just didn’t say anything. This was something I could beat Samara at. I wasn’t going to give up the chance of beating her for anything.

I was on a team that consisted of Jake, a few of his mates, a girl called Lisa, and myself. Given my height, (being as tall as most of the guys) I did the jump ball at the start of the game. The game started and the intensity was high, the other team had the ball, only for a few seconds though, because I stole the ball, and dribbled down the court and stopped at the 3point line everyone, including my own team mates, looked at me, I could hear my team shouting: “don’t shoot you’ll never make it,” but I ignored them. I shot and it went in, swish and all. Everyone was astounded. I smiled and ran to the player I was defending. The game moved slowly, for me, I scored most of our baskets and they scored none, so when the teacher called end of class I was, kind of relieved. I hit the showers as did every other girl, and then got changed. It was at times like this that I enjoyed our personal changing areas in the changing rooms. I changed in a hurry so I could go to the shops at lunch. When I stepped outside into the cold after the warm shower I shivered, so I ran into the main building and got to my locker, eager to get my coat. When I got to my locker, I opened it and threw my sport kit in; grabbing my coat I hurriedly shut the door of my locker. I turned around and I nearly walked into Blair. I was late for lunch, but I hadn’t realised she’d been looking for me. Her face was worried, but as she saw me it turned slightly relieved.
“What’s wrong, you look worried?” I asked.
“Umm there is an assembly on now, they said it was important, and about a student,” she replied, worried about what was going to be said.
We headed to the assembly hall. We took the shortest root, down the long hallway outside, through the gym and up the stairs. We entered the assembly hall and looked for a seat. There was to beside the Ashford’s group; great. We went over and sat next to them, Blair beside a girl I didn’t know, which left me beside Brannon. I took my seat as the teachers ushered everyone else to a seat, then the assembly started.

“Students, as you all know on Saturday, Brittany Reighns, was attacked. Today, two other students have met the same faith. Just after leaving the school gates for lunch, Lucy and Joe were walking down to the shops when an unknown attacker attacked them. They both ended up, unconscious, on the ground. If it wasn’t for a fellow student we wouldn’t have known. Both Lucy and Joe are now in hospital. We are unaware of their condition as of yet, but we hope they get better soon,” announced Mr. Kael, our principal.
There was a loud hum as everyone murmured there thoughts, that ended quickly though, as Mr. Kael cleared his throat before continuing.
“Ok. I know that is a shock but I must inform you. We are closing this school at the end of the week. And before ANY of you celebrate, we are sending you to a boarding school in Clontéarf, where you will continue your schooling as normal, only you will board so that there is a low danger risk of another attack. I apologize for the inconvenience. Collect a note on the way out. Thank you. Sorry for taking up your lunch, and lesson after lunch. Take your last lesson as your lunch. See you all tomorrow,” he finished.
We all left the assembly hall and walked out glumly, who wanted to go to boarding school; definitely not me. I caught up with Blair and she looked horrified.
“BOARDING SCHOOL! Why on earth would we want to go to boarding school? Not only that but its in Clontéarf which is THREE HOURS away. Can you believe that?” she exclaimed in horror.
I looked at her and laughed.
“Why the HUGE overreaction?” I asked between giggles.
She just glared at me but then realised it was an overreaction and joined in my laughter.

We walked over to the same table we sat at, at break and sat down. As I leaned back on the bench letting my hair fall back behind my shoulders as the cool rays of sun heat my skin, I watched the snow glisten. I loved winter, I loved the snow the way it glistened, and the way it shined in the sun. I sighed. Why couldn’t it be like this all the time? I looked then to my right. Brannon was sitting in the snow, his perfectly tanned skin was a gorgeous contrast to the snow, and I quickly turned away as he started to stand. I wasn’t going to let him get the pleasure of me looking at him. I sighed, why was my life so, I don’t know hard, complicated? It was never easy, not when I was born, not with my parents, not with Lee, not with anything. I stood up and walked toward my locker. If we were going to leave after this then why not get my bag? That way I’d miss the after school rush. As I headed toward my locker, I passed Brannon’s locker, he was there; obviously getting his stuff to. As I walked by he looked up at me.
“Following me now ’aye?” he asked
“You wish. I’m just getting my stuff so I can leave straight away. No point hanging around this place,” I replied. He laughed.
“So tell me, when’s your next basketball game?” he asked
“Not for awhile. Doubt I’ll even play after this week, what with going the attacks etc,” I replied.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. That’s bad, the fact that you can’t play” he said.
I just shook my head; at this stage I had reached my locker so I opened it, grabbed my math book and put it in my bag. I picked up my bag and shut my locker. As we exited the building, the end of day siren went. As everyone rushed inside, we headed towards the gates, leaving the old building behind.

Then something hit me, just as I was outside of the gates. I fell onto the snow covered floor with a large thump. My hair spilled over my face as I tried to sit up. I could hear fighting in the background but I wasn’t paying attention. As I looked down to make sure I didn’t loose my footing, I noticed by my hand was a gold chain. As I thought of picking it up a hand came out in front of me and picked it up.
“You ok?” a voice asked. Brannon, was he hit by the attacker? I wondered.
“Hmm? Yeah I’m fine. Are you ok?” I asked.
“Yes I’m ok. Let me help you up,” he replied and took my hand instead of waiting for me to take his.
I let him pull me up, and then I continued walking towards the shops where I was going to meet Amanda. He kept up with me and just walked quietly beside me, deep in thought. His face looked grave.
“This is my stop Brannon,” I said as we ended up outside the shops.
“What? Oh okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then?” he said, still in thought.
“Brannon what is wrong with you? Your so, I don’t know really deep in thought or something now, when you weren’t, before the attack,” I informed,
“Have your parents said anything to you about the, umm protectors?” he asked.
I looked at him confused, but before I could ask him anything Amanda’s car came around the corner. He handed me a piece of paper then walked into the shops. I was puzzled but didn’t linger on it as Amanda pulled her car over.

I jumped in the car and shoved what Brannon gave me into my pocket. It was a quite drive back to the house and I just stared blankly through the window, wondering what Brannon meant. As I saw the drive to my house appear I quickly shook myself out of the trance like state I was in. I walked in the door and dropped my school bag on the floor and walked upstairs to my room to get changed. As I walked down the stairs I noticed Amanda on the phone in the hall, I tip-toed down the stairs so as not to disturb the conversation and quickly entered the kitchen where I took the note about boarding school out. I slid it across the counter and sat in silence as I waited for Amanda. When Amanda entered the kitchen she had a smile on her face.
“Stella, I have the best news, Brittany’s awake. Visitors that aren’t family are allowed from Friday. That’s great isn’t it! Mr. Reighns even said that the dr. said she can go back to school next term isn’t that great?” she said.
I looked up at her and smiled, but it was only half hearted.
“Amanda, the school is sending us to a boarding school starting next Monday and, well I won’t be able to see Brit until she starts the boarding school or Christmas, since we’ll be coming back for those holidays in three weeks,” I informed sadly.
Then Amanda noticed the note from school sitting on the counter in front of her. She read it and her face fell. She shook her head. It obviously had information on the recent attack that happened just outside of the school, boy did that information get printed fast. Amanda walked out the hall and towards the front door.
“Stay here awhile, I’ll be back soon,” she said as she left the house.

I went around the house and locked the doors, I was being cautious. I looked at the piece of paper Brannon had given me. On the paper in elegant, black writing was a note, it read:

Stella,
Call me later.
My number is;
6243672,
Brannon

Weird, I picked up the phone and dialled the number given.
“HI, Rowan here. Who is this?” asked Rowan
“Hi, it’s Stella, is Brannon there?” I asked back.
I heard mumbling in the background then a new voice answered.
“Hello?” it asked.
“Brannon, it’s Stella, umm what were you talking about earlier?” I asked quickly.
“Hi Stella, oh umm that, well I think it would be best to explain in person. You want to come over?” Brannon replied.
I sighed. “I can’t; Amanda won’t let me, why don’t you come over in an hour?” I answered.
“Oh, um I can’t how about if we get to school early? Then we can go through it.” He replied, with an answer.
I shook my head “okay,” I replied.
“Good, see you then, bye,” he said, hanging up abruptly.

I was stunned and I stood in the hall, holding the phone and wondering what had just happened. I sighed, as I pushed the conversation to the back of my mind. Without really thinking I just dialled the number of the person I always called when I needed to talk to someone about things that had just happened. I pressed the numbers and hit the call button. As the phone rang I realised it was Brittany’s number. I took a deep breathe, not breathing, thinking she wouldn’t answer because she was unconscious but then the ringing stopped.
“Hello?” asked a small weak voice
I let out the air I’d been holding as I remembered Amanda’s previous words “Stella, Brittany’s awake” and tears streamed down my face.
“Brittany, it’s me, Stella how are you?” I asked my voice shaking from the tears that were rolling down my face.
“I’m fine Stella, well now anyways; mum and dad said I’ve been out for a while. How are you? Why don’t you come down? I’m sure mum would be able to convince the doctors your family, ’cause you are really,” she commented her voice still weak but happier then before.
“look I’ll visit as soon as Amanda gets back and I have so much news for you I have to tell you, but in person, because if I do come over to day we wont have anything to talk about otherwise, oh I’ve missed you so much at school, its shockin’ the difference between you being there and you not being there,” I told her ambling on slightly.
Brittany laughed.
“Stella I see your point, but if you don’t get her by, say 7 o’clock tonight then I will call you and demand EVERY detail,” she told me still laughing.
I laughed with her knowing that she was serious. Then Amanda walked in. I hadn’t realised I was still standing in the hall.
“Hey Brit, I’ll see if I can get down later, Amanda’s here so I’ll try convince her, speak later,” I said.
“Ok. I will call though if you don’t come down,” she replied.
I laughed. And then she hung up.

I put the phone down and then walked into the kitchen where Amanda was now, standing behind the counter. She looked at me as I walked in.
“Stella, who were you just talking to?” Amanda asked, in a voice that sounded heavy.
“That was Brittany; I called her because I wanted to know when I could visit her, and she said if I go down now and she’ll get her parents to let me in,” I told her, my voice still shaky with the tears I had earlier.
“Ok. Go get in the car, I’ll be out in a second,” Amanda told me.
Her face was hard, as if she was scared of something. It confused me but I wasn’t going to annoy her, I was just going to wait for her to tell me herself. I grabbed my mobile and went out to the car. As I sat in the car waiting for Amanda I rolled the phone over in my hands. It was a small, Samsung D500; I got it for Christmas last year, from Amanda. She thought it would be better then having my old phone. It was amazing how close we’d grown since the beginning. As I thought back to when my parents first died and I found out Brit’s parents weren’t going to permanently look after me I was devastated. I didn’t like Amanda she always seemed so distant when she looked at me, so cold. Then I had to go with her. She moved down to Wexford at first and I refused to do anything that she asked me to, so she moved back up here. Then our relationship started to grow. Instead of resenting each other, we grew closer and became more like sisters. She was dad’s younger sister and was only in her late 20’s; there was a bit of a gap in their ages only because my granddad re-married. So yeah she was a little older then me, we mostly treated each other like sisters, except for the odd time Amanda needed to be parent like.

When Amanda got in and sat behind the wheel of the car she sighed and looked at me.
“Stella, are you sure you want to visit Brittany today?” asked Amanda
I looked at her in disbelief.
“Of course I want to see her. and anyways I might not get a chance to see her after today, the school needs us to go out to the shops and get a heap of stuff for boarding school and I am pretty sure we are all being sent off to boarding school slowly starting, Wednesday, so yes I am positive I want to see Brit today,” I replied, putting all the force I could muster into the last sentence.
She just nodded and continued driving. As we went on the silence of the car was bearable, until we saw the hospital insight. I shook my head and looked over toward her. Amanda had a look I hadn’t seen in her eyes before. It was dark and scary as if she didn’t want to be her. I looked at her puzzled but waved it off as concern over what happened to had us that Saturday. That was until I saw her pull over when a black car rounded the corner and started driving close behind us. A shiver ran down our spines in sync, so it seemed.
“Stella get out of the car and walk the rest of the way. I have a, business meeting to get to that I suddenly remembered,” she spoke hurriedly as she locked her door and rushed me out of the door.
As soon as I shut the door she drove off. That was weird. I’d never seen her act so weird, it was almost like she was trying to hide something.