Chapter Two

I woke up to the alarm on my phone, considering I broke my alarm clock with my carelessness yesterday. I continued with my usual morning routine, pathetically tiptoeing around the place so I wouldn't wake him up. Hopefully I can avoid him again tonight. I hope my mind blocking thing works, it should make today more interesting. She'd want to know why she can't hear me, which makes it more likely that she will talk to me, then I can call her out on the whole 'just like everybody else' comment.

I pulled on my black t-shirt; I swear I just have the same outfit again and again in my wardrobe, like a fucking cartoon. I took slightly longer to get ready today hoping I could catch her on her bike with her morning cigarette, she always looks so sexy smoking.

I strolled out of the house, jumping on my bike and riding off to school, I can think of someone I'd rather be riding… stop Daniel, focus! I pulled into my usual space and inwardly rejoiced when I saw her sitting on her bike taking a slow drag off her cigarette. I think I'll just try and piss her off until she apologises about her last statement. I leaned on my front handlebars and watched her, her eyes flickered to the side to me but I didn't look away when she caught me staring. I smirked slightly.

"You know those could kill you?" She scoffed. I then pulled out my own and lit up, still watching her. She raised her eyebrow and watched as I put it between my lips and sucked in a long drag. "You know you weren't very nice yesterday" I commented lazily, while exhaling.

"I'm not very nice" she smirked slightly, "Bambi's coming over" she was holding back a laugh.

"I quite like that nickname, Bambi? Hmm, I might have to steal it, although she'd probably see it as a term of endearment. Maybe I should just stick with sugar" I looked back over to her and saw her eyebrows furrowed in frustration, good I'm glad my closed mind is staying closed. "Is something wrong?" I asked innocently barely able to keep a straight face.

"No" she huffed slightly; she looks cute when she's frustrated.

"Daniel" I heard Angel purr.

"What?" I answered being somewhat hostile, still not taking my eyes off Loretta

"Do… do you want to come to mine tonight?" she sounded scared, good.

"No" I was studying Loretta intensely and I could see she was getting uncomfortable with the close scrutiny but I didn't care.

"Oh" she walked away and Loretta turned to glare at me.

"That was harsh" I simply shrugged

"That's quite hypocritical of you sugar" her eyes narrowed but I continued before she could blow a gasket, "there's something different about you and your family, I'm going to find out what it is" she froze and her jaw clenched.

"It would be better if you didn't" her voice sounded strained.

"Better for whom, exactly?"

"You" her eyes bored into mine with some hidden threat.

"I don't always do what's best for me, Loretta" I said softly, almost a whisper, I put out my cigarette and went to find my friends, happy in the fact that I had caught her attention.

* * * * *

After a quick conversation with Cian and Michael I hurried to History, like I said I don't like to be late for Mr. Matthews. I burst through the door with a grin on my face.

"Ahh, right on time Hollow, and it looks like you have a partner now"

"She's a pretty one too" I said with a grin causing Loretta to huff and the rest of the class to laugh.

"Sit down and settle down, I don't need you getting 'excited' in my class" I laughed and sat down for my favourite lesson, smirking at Loretta.

To most adults I was just the downtrodden son of a drunk. I got a mixture of looks, the most predominant being pity and wariness. They would pity me and my situation but have a fit if one of their precious children started hanging around with me. There were only a select few adults I liked; three of them being Cian and Michael's parents (Cian's father left when he was younger) and the last is Mr Matthews. As a result I always aced history, determined to prove to people that I wouldn't end up like my father.

"Ok, today we're going to look at some anti Nazi jokes" he waited patiently for everybody to finish talking before explaining himself, "humour is a sign of resistance, anti Nazi jokes made the regime look ridiculous and pointed out it's flaws, it's a good way to see what people at the times problems are. How do we know this?"

"Because jokes made today are mostly about recent things in politics" Matthews smiled nodding, I could see Loretta watching me out of the corner of her eye.

"Correct, think of how many jokes you know about Bush or the Iraq war. Comedy is still a prevalent form of resistance. Now I want you to look at these jokes in pairs and see if you can identify the criticisms of the regime displayed in the joke." He dropped cards on the tables and I turned to Loretta with a smile, happy when she was scowling at me.

"So darling," my grin widened as her scowl deepened, "what's the difference between Chamberlain and Hitler?"

She raised her eyebrow elegantly then shrugged when she realised I would wait for a response.

"Chamberlain goes to the country for the weekend, whereas Hitler takes countries in a weekend" I snorted slightly at the ridiculousness of the joke before returning my eyes to her perfect face. "Aw, honey why aren't you talking to me?" I pouted comically and had to fight back my laugh when her eyes narrowed.

"I thought you said you would stop with the pet names once you found out my name"

"No I said I wouldn't call you sugar, sweetheart" I replied grinning at my genius. She huffed angrily again, "so then what do you think the criticism is baby?"

"You know you will eventually run out of endearments"

"Yeah but then I'll just make something up pumpkin" I smirked smugly and saw her mouth twitch into a slight smile.

"There's something different about you today" she pursed her lips and studied me; I knew she was trying to understand why my mind was so quiet.

"Really?" I replied innocently, knowing that she couldn't ask because she would be admitting that she could here my thoughts. She nodded once still holding me in her scrutinizing gaze. I smiled and made my eyes go wide and innocent, "I can't think what that would be honeybun"

"I'm sure you don't" do I detect a hint of sarcasm? I think I do, "You're cheerful today" she stated sceptically.

"I always am when I see you sweetpea" that was fantastically cheesy

"Can you please stop that?" she looks angry, it makes her look sexy, well sexier.

"Stop what chicken?" I replied innocently

"The pet names" she… growled?

"No can do… love" I had to think for a sec there, I watch her brow furrow in annoyance and I leaned back on my chair with my hands behind my head grinning widely. I could almost see the light bulb light up above her head before she turned and smiled sweetly at me, what was she up to?

"Does this mean I can give you a nickname?" she purred leaning forward and biting her lip. I felt myself harden, and had to rest my arms on the desk to hide it, oh yes she's a sneaky witch.

"I- I suppose" I stuttered! What the hell! I don't stutter! "Kitten" I added so I could least keep some of my masculinity in tact. She smiled widely.

"Thanks… Danny" she sounded it out slowly watching me intently for my reaction, funnily enough I had no reaction. I didn't feel the anger bubble up, I was just… happy. I liked her calling me Danny, "What no incredible hulk thing?" she asked disbelieving.

"Nah, I don't think I mind you calling me Danny sugarplum"

"You said you wouldn't call me sugar!"

"I'm sorry sweetness, it won't happen again" I held up my hands grinning while she silently fumed. Suddenly she broke out into a grin and started to laugh, strange. "What's so funny?"

"This is the first time anybody but Chaz has had the guts to tease me"

"Chaz?"

"My twin"

"Oh" I replied lamely

"I was wrong about you, you're not like everybody else" she smiled slightly and my face split into a huge grin, I was doing the victory dance in my head.

"Ahh shucks sweetie pie" I said this with a kind of hillbilly accent making her laugh again. This is the best day ever!

We continued with our light hearted banter throughout the lesson and by the end of the class my smile was huge. I continued through the rest of the day in a state of bliss, I can't believe a girl is making me feel this good. She's different, interesting, and special. Michael and Cian wouldn't stop taking the piss through lunch about it but I couldn't care less, Loretta was the only thing I could think of.

I waited for her at the end of school on my bike and my smile grew as she sauntered up.

"Hey fairy cake"

"Fairy cake?" she started laughing, I could listen to her laugh all day and be the happiest man in the world. "Danny… I'll see you tomorrow" I could have sworn she was going to say something else…

"Yeah, see you beautiful" she straddled her bike and with one last smile in my direction she rode off.

"Hey Daniel!" I turned to see Cian and Michael grinning at me, "Meet you tonight same place yeah?"

"Yeah, see you later fucktards" I rode off with a smile on my face and to the sound of my friends laughing.

* * * * *

I sauntered into my house without a care in the world, that is until I saw who was waiting behind the door. The bastard was standing there smiling manically, obviously waiting for me. He reeked of alcohol and sweat.

"Good to see you son" his eerily green eyes were shining with malice, "you looked happy" the disgust at the prospect of my happiness was evident in his voice and I wondered how I could ever be truly happy?

"I was" I clenched my jaw, determined not to show him that he could affect me.

"I got a call today" I waited, he likes to draw things out for the full effect, "Off a Mr Perky" shit, "he said you were late into his class yesterday and he had to give you a detention for your insolence" he stopped again his smile growing, "care to explain?"

"I needed to ride" I kept my voice controlled

"So it's your motorbike that is distracting you? Well I guess I'll just have to destroy it"

"Like hell you will" the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, I knew it would not only my motorbike that he would damage now.

"I'm going to have to teach you some manners son" His voice was still quiet and controlled but the excitement was seeping in and the coldness was dancing up and down my spine. I braced myself for the hit but kept my eyes open, staring into his, I would not show fear. His fist came fast and impacted on my nose with a sickening crunch…

It isn't as long as the last one but I wanted to end it there. I'll be faster writing this next chapter, promise!!

xxx