Grabbing Alexia's hand, she ran through the staring crowd, desperation pushing her on. No-one stopped her. They just stared. She pushed on, despite Alexia's protests, knowing that the tearswould come soon. The dry grass crunched under her feet, her gasping breaths ringing through the silent bush.
Veering to the right she broke her grip with Alexia's hand, struggling a few more metres until she reached the cool water of the creek. Scooping up the frigid water in her shaking hands, she splashed it over her face, the water mingling with tears and mascara.
She turned to the befuddled Alexia, her perfect pale skin tinted a rosy pink from the running. "I told my parents" she blurted out, the words huting her throat, choked as it was. "I told them I loved you." Alexia gasped, her pink lips forming a perfect 'o'. "And? What did they say?"
She sat down next to Bella, tucking a stray lock of jet black hair behind her ear. Bella turned to her "They didn't say, they acted." She pointed to the bright red slap mark on her face. "I took that they didn't like it." That was all she could manage before the sobs broke through.
