IV.

When Liam sees us in our last class, he almost doubles over in surprise.

I sigh:"I'll explain later. I'm sorry we can't sit together this week." I apologize sincerely. I know he's probably as happy as me that he finally has a friend, if not even more.

"Okay, I'll call you after class. Can you give me your number?" he requests and I quickly scribble it down on the corner of his notebook.

He smiles:"Thanks."

"Of course you would become best friend with the lamest kid in the entire school." Axel speaks next to me. "You're probably fucking him as well."

"Oh, shut up, I've only been here one day, literally. And so what if I'm friendly with him? He's a much better person than you."I say back and he makes a grimace.

"He's a much better person than you." he mocks my voice.

I give Liam a look and slightly shake my head. How am I going to survive four more days of this?

"Can you please quiet down? I don't want to go to the principal's office because of you again." I hiss at him and he raises his brows at me, giving me and offended look.

"Because of me? Fuck no, don't even fucking try to put the guilt on my fucking shoulders. If you weren't so fucking annoying, I wouldn't have to sit next to your stinky fucking ugly ass for the entire week." he shoots back.

I give him the hardest glare I can muster. "You're telling me that I stink. The irony."

The look in his eyes turns icy. "Wow, how fucking grown up from you. Please just shut the fuck up leave me alone. I don't have the fucking nerves to deal with you right now."

***

The rest of the week is pretty uneventful. I get used to Axel's constant rude and annoying remarks and the constant need to punch him in the face.

In all fairness, his remarks are sometimes funny but otherwise he's still a complete dick to me.

By Friday I find out that I have started to swear a bit and promise myself I would stop.

After Friday I'm never going to speak another word to Axel anyway.

At the end of the last class on Friday, the headmaster comes to get us and asks us how we're doing.

"Oh, she's great! We're like best friends now, talking about period and making braids to each other!" Axel says and I mentally facepalm myself. There's no way Mr. Howell will fall for that.

"Yeah, we get along well." I lie.

"Well? What are you saying, Soph? You know we're soul sisters! Oh, I can't wait for our spa day tomorrow!" Axel exclaims and throws an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, making me stiffen. "Aren't you, bff?"

I give the headmaster a fake smile and nod:"Yeah, sure."

"Spa day, huh?" he grins, obviously not buying it but evidently not wanting to deal with us anymore. "You did a good job. Have a nice weekend!"

With those words he leaves us and Axel immediately removes his arm, as if he's disgusted of me. "What a fucking idiot."

He doesn't say goodbye, like always and leaves to go wherever he's supposed to be, probably selling drugs or something. I sigh and slowly start to head home.

I feel glad that the week with Axel is over, but somehow, a small piece of me feels slightly disappointed that it has ended already. No matter how rude or annoying he is, he somehow has an ability to stay on my mind and now that the week is over I probably won't ever talk to him again.

As I realize what I'm thinking, I want to slap myself. Sophie! What the hell? You're happy you won't have to bother yourself with him anymore, remember?

When I get home and start with my homework, I figure out that I can go by for only a minute or two before I hear a sarcastic remark in my head. I shake my head, forcing myself to concentrate on my school work, but unfortunately his remarks don't leave me.

***

"Sophie! Can you please come downstairs sweetheart?" my mum yells and I put down the pen, following her order.

"Hey mum, what do you need?" I ask and she hands me a small piece of paper. "We've run out of those things. Could you please go buy them?"

I look at the list and see that there are some basic things like eggs and milk written on it.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be right back okay?" I say and smile.

"Thank you sweetie." she thanks me and gives me a hug. "You're the best."

I chuckle and put on shoes and a jacket, since it is quite chilly at evening on a September night and leave the house.

As I slowly walk, I take my time observing the trees and the birds around me. With slight fear I also notice it's getting darker and I pick up my pace, not wanting to be outside when it will be completely dark.

I wouldn't want any bad people to find me alone in the dark.

What, are you scared of the dark? Pussy. I hear Axel's voice in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut in annoyance. My wishes go down the drain with the long line in the store, though, and by the time I finally exit it, the night is pitch dark. I quietly curse and then curse again because I cursed. I zip up the jacket and quietly start to walk back to my house, when multiple angry voices in the shadows between two buildings stop me in my tracks.

Oh dear. This doesn't sound good.

I feel my heart beat speed up when my fears are confirmed.

There's a fight going on.

I'm not able to see much because of the darkness, but I can see that there are three against one, one who's already on the floor, his hands around his stomach, yet the other three men don't stop kicking him and he lets out a loud grunt of pain as a foot comes up to between his legs.

I could recognize that deep voice everywhere.

The person on the ground is Axel.

Suddenly something overcomes me and I start to run towards them. "Hey! Leave him alone!"

The men turn to look at me and I see that most of them are bloody around their mouths, showing that Axel got a few punches on them before falling to the ground.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here? Is this one of your girlfriends, Jarvis?"One of them says, looking directly at me.

"She's hot, guys. You think we could...?"another one says and I slowly inch away from them.

"Leave her alone." Axel is now looking up at us through his swollen eyes.

"Or else what, dick?!" The first guy takes a step toward Axel but instead I reply.

"Or else I'll scream."

All the men looked at me, before two of them start laughing, the third one keeping a straight face and I realize that he has yet to speak.

"Oh you'll scream? I bet I could make you scream louder, baby." Guy number two says and caresses my cheek with his disgusting hand. I flinch away from him.

"Come on guys, let's go before she actually does something. We taught Jarvis here his lesson and that was what we came to do." the third guy finally speaks up and I thank the gods that at least one of them is a little human.

They stand there in silence for a minute before the first guy finally says:"Fine, fuck. Let's go."

With those words he turns on his heels and starts walking into the shadows, the opposite direction of which I came. The third guy follows him.

Suddenly I feel the same disgusting had on my cheek again and then a whisper in my ear:"Till next time, baby."

He moves away a bit and theres not much I can see about him, but I will always remember those horrible black eyes staring down at me.

I feel an intense need to spit in his face, but I'm thankfully able to hold it back and soon he disappears as well.