I opened my eyes and that sickeningly familiar dull pain stung my face. I was still on the floor curled over and my body was stiff. There was some blood stains on the floor where my face had been and my stomach was throbbing with pain.

Did I dare look in the mirror? I knew that I wouldn’t like what I saw but that didn’t stop me. I peeled myself off the floor and struggled to stand. I hobbled into the bathroom to see the bloody mess that was my face. It could just about pass for walking into a lamp post. If I cleaned my skin up a bit and covered the worst of the bruising with makeup. Hopefully no one would suspect a thing, just like all the other times.

The only good thing about passing out from beatings from your father was that when you woke up you felt quite refreshed, apart from the pain, that is. Okay, maybe that was just me trying to see the bright side of all this.

I ran some water on a tissue and wiped away the blood. Some of the cuts hurt worse than others.

I didn’t know how I would explain the cut on my forehead though, it stood out too much. People would know that something was up. He’d never done this much damage before. Aish! What’s wrong with him?

I covered the worst of the bruising as best I could. I could only hope that people wouldn’t get wise to anything. I snuck past Appa who was pass out on the sofa from all the alcohol.

I got some weird looks from strangers as I walked along the street on my way to school. What do they know?

As soon as I got to school I shoved my headphones in my ears and sat at the back while everyone whispered and laughed. Probably making up stories about what happened.

I’d have to get through today without looking at anyone. That was my best option for not getting angry, and if I did, would I hurt someone? Would I turn into Appa?

I didn’t even want to have his disgraceful blood running through my pointless veins; the blood that he spilled last night. I didn’t pay any attention to the professors all morning. I was going to be alone this lunch time again, so I headed to the music rooms.

“YAH!”  Someone shouted from behind me. I didn’t bother turning to see who it was, they weren’t looking for me anyway.

“YAH!” there is was again, but louder.

“Guy with the cargo backpack!” It was a girl’s voice. It was like I’d heard it before. I didn’t need to check; I knew it cargo.

I turned slowly to see her coming to a stop in front of me, putting her hands on her knees and breathing heavily.

It was the girl from yesterday. The one I’d accidently bumped into.

“What is it? Did I forget to apologise? Ah! Mianhamnida. I didn’t mean to bump into you. I’ll be going now,” I said starting to turn. She grabbed onto my jumper and pulled my back.

“You think I chased you down for an apology? And anyway, you already apologised!” she said, but she sounded angry. “You missed the session Babo! It’s that sort of attitude that’s bumping your grades down; if you don’t want to fail chemistry you’d better show up on Thursday!” she was sort of yelling in my face.

“What happened to your face?” she asked suddenly taking a closer look at the person she was shouting at.

“I…uh…walked into a lamp post,” I lied scratching the back of my head. She didn’t look at all convinced.

“Yeah right babo! Because lamp posts grow arms and fists to punch you with,” she said sarcastically narrowing her eyes.

“Come with me,” she took my wrist and dragged me to the cloakroom.

“Stay here,” she told me. I took the opportunity to take off the makeup so that she wouldn’t think I was weird.

When she came back, she carried a first aid kit, sat it down and rummaged through it to find plasters. She put one on the worst cut and one on my forehead and one on my chin.

“Yah! Did that get bigger?” she asked. She was…sort of…cute. But why was she helping me?

I didn’t know her at all and she was taking time out of her lunch period to sort out my face.

“What happened?” she mumbled under her breath. I wasn’t going to tell her. My story was the lamp post.

“I can hardly believe that a metal pole sticking out of the ground could do so much damage to a face. Unless you make a sport out of running at lamp posts for a laugh, and I doubt that you’d be so dumb,” I don’t think she was talking to me as such, more like, talking at me.

“Could your fiends have convinced you to do it?” she asked dropping something in the sink and wiping her hands together.

“I don’t have any,” I said and it was embarrassing to admit it but it was true.

She was quiet for a while before her face lit up with a smile.

“I’ll be your friend,” this was new; no one had ever wanted to be my friend before. I’d always kept to myself and not bothered with people who would make me unhappy. I felt reluctant to agree. What if she didn’t mean it? Or she was joking and I’d get dropped and laughed at.

“I’m sure you don’t want to be my friend,”

“How do you know? Are you in my head?” She laughed. I smiled. Her boyish good looks were growing on me.

“It’s just that…I’ve never made a friend before,”

“It’s never too late to start and I don’t care what you say. I’m going to be your friend whether you like it or not.”

She was right and I felt like I wasn’t going to be dropped or forgotten with her. It was really nice. My chest felt all warm and the hole left by my Umma felt invisible while I was with her.

Soon the bell went and we both had to get to our classes.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow; you’ll be at the session right? I don’t want you skipping out,” she smiled.

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” she waved and was about to leave when I realised something.

“Wait! I don’t know your name,” it was an obvious thing to lean a friend’s name before anything else.

“Amber,” she grinned. “I know your name, so don’t worry about telling me, Kibum,” she said sweetly.

“Actually, you can call me Key…I mean if you want to,” I said nervously.

“Sure,” she made my heart sing. “See you later, Key,” and she was gone. I was left with a smile on my face and the warm feeling fading.

~~ <3 ~~

WOW i think this is a really long chapter :) and the funny think is i was riding a horse called Amber 2day but she got spooked by a car and i fell off and hurt my back :/ but it's better now!!! ^_^ :D Amber is so pretty, i love that name!! *D* soooo starting off as friends :3 they're just so cute xD thank you for reading! hope you enjoyed!!! have a good day <3