Chapter 2 – Kiss With the Fist
I turned away from the car to continue down the road to school, but got the shock of my life when I saw that a tall dark stranger with scars all over his face had been creeping up on me from behind. I quickly sprung into action but not quite quick enough to stop him from punching me in the cheek. I stood there dazed for a minute unable to think. Honestly, where was Sam when you needed him? I was brought back down to earth when I was rapped sharply over the head. I collapsed onto the floor, and stayed there. I heard a car engine start and shut my eyes hoping that maybe they were going to leave me alone.
"Ginger!" Ah. Here came Sam. Pity - he was a bit late really. I heard footsteps running over to me but didn't open my eyes. I was just so sleepy all of a sudden.
"Gingersnaps?" Sam's voice sounded worried and came from directly above me now. "Can you hear me?" Yes, i wanted to say. I'm fine, but i just couldn't get the words out. I really did feel so sleepy. I couldn't even open my eyes. I felt some fingers gently prising my eyes open, being careful not to hurt me. Everything looked blurry. I could make out another shape next to Sam, which i found weird as I had assumed that he had been alone. I wondered who they were for a split second but the mystery was solved when they spoke.
"She might need to go to medical. She could be concussed," said Emily, my best friend. Sam gently closed my eyes again. I felt safe then, as although her words were far from reassuring about my current state, I knew that if Emily was there, i would be OK. Not that I didn't trust Sam or anything, but he just tended to get worried - he didn't usually do anything about what was worrying him. He left that part for anyone else who might happen to be around. Still, I loved Sam and I took he strength and conviction from this thought to open my eyes.
"Ginger?" Emily asked tentatively but sounding relieved.
"I'm OK," I said, "just shaken."
"Can you get up?" asked Sam worriedly. "I can help you if you need me to." He held out his hand for me. I took it gratefully and he helped me to my feet. I stumbled and he caught me.
"Maybe you two should just stay here while I go fetch help," said Emily as she exchanged a worried look with Sam.
"No, really - I'm fine," I said, and to prove my point, I snatched my hand from Sam's and attempted to walk towards the school gates. Needless to say I failed and fell almost immediately to the floor. "I think I'll wait here after all," I muttered as they both looked at me worriedly again.
Sam waited with me while Emily went and fetched someone. It bugged me slightly that he looked at me with such a worried expression but my head was starting to hurt, and the pain distracted me. So instead of asking him why he was so worried, I rested my head on his shoulder and he started stroking my hair.
"You're going to be ok now, I promise - those men aren't coming back," said Sam gently. "Are you sure you're ok? You look a bit disoriented."
"Well so would you if you'd just been hit twice over the head," I snapped at him, before realizing that it wasnt him I should be angry at. "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to snap at you."
"I know. You're just in pain, but you'll be ok - I'm here now. I guess I shouldn't have run off like that. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault and anyway, I'm almost glad you did run off. Otherwise they might have gotten you too."
"But maybe I would have been able to help you, stop them from hurting you."
"Maybe," I said, "but it doesn't matter now. I'm just glad one of us wasn't hurt."