Skin Deep

Hey Guys! It's me :) . I've decided to continue the story cause I love you all so much 3 And I have decided who Skye's Mum will be! YAY! :3 SO CHAPTER 7 IS HERE! :) :) Sorry it took so long to post!

Chapter 7-The Past

Skye

I snuck away from the fountain after the girl left. Outstanding success there. Major league. I'd made her cry again. Only this time i didn't have a clue why. She was crazy. I hadn't done anything. If I saw her again, I was going nowhere near her.

I stood in the town square and pulled the sketch map out of my pocket. How did I get to the pond from here? I looked up to get my bearings. I found the path I needed and set off. I could feel eyes following me. Probably another set of small town lads who thought they were hard men.

It's all in the body language, Vaughn'd said, in the way you stand, the way you walk. Get it right and they won't touch you. I never got it right before I met Vaughn, but he sorted me out all right. He'd ridden into our lives four years ago, on a jet black stallion. We'd been living in a skanky little place and Mum and I had gone to Co-op to get some supplies in. The shop assistant followed us around from the minute we entered the shop. Not surprising, I already had a reputation. My face heated up as Mum strolled around filling her basket with lentils, carrots and peppers and the woman behind us watched, scowling.

"Mum, Hurry up please."

"Quiet Skye. Don't rush me."

"Can I wait outside?"

"Oh, go on then. But don't wander off."

I went outside and sat on a bench. Some boys my own age, around twelve, kicked a football round the empty car park. It looked like a laugh, but I didn't go over to join them. No point.

Quarter of an hour later and Mum still hadn't come out of the shop. The boys noticed me and looked over, moving together into a pack, muttering. It set the hairs on the back of my neck on end. I knew this script, but Mum had said don't wander off.

They came over, swaggering more the closer they got.

"You a gyppo?" one called. He was shorter than me, but stockier.

I shook my head.

"You like one. Don't he look like one, Rhys?" He turned to the boy nearest.

I balled sweaty hands into fists. I didn't look like them, for sure, in the tie-dyed crap Mum made me wear back then.

"Can't you speak?" the third asked, stepping closer.

"Yes."

"Ha! He's English. An English gyppo."

"I'm not a gyppo."

The five surrounded me. The one called Rhys slapped me on the head. I scrambled up, meaning to make a dive over the back of the bench and run into the shop, but the stocky one grabbed me and kicked me in the knees.

Crunk!

I hit the pavement hard and brought my arms up to protect my face. The first kick wasn't as hard as I'd expected- a taster. Maybe they hadn't done this before. But it landed in my stomach and winded me all the same.

"Go on, Huw! Boot him!"

The second kick slammed into my arms as the boy aimed at my face. I heard them laughing.

"Gyppo!"

"English bastard!"

"Kick his head in!"

Feet hit into me from every angle, in my back, my legs, my arms still curled around my head, my chest, and stomach. I never got a chance to hit back.

Please don't let Mum come out and see this. Please.

But please make it stop...

The feet kept kicking. Above the sound of their laughter I heard the clip-clop of horse hooves. Coming closer

The kicks to my front stopped suddenly.

"Brave little shits, aren't you? Five on one"

The kicks behind me stopped as well.

"Get out of here. Unless you want to take me on too."

Feet slammed on tarmac, running away. Big hands hauled me up.

"You all right, kiddo? Let me see."

He pulled my arms away from my face.

A man in a cowboy hat, leather trousers and coat, with silver hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a bandanna round his neck. The stallion whinnied next to us.

"Getting a bit of hassle?" He grinned at me and wiped blood away from my nose with his hand. It was leather clad in a thick glove and hot from the sun.

I nodded.

"No harm done?"

"No, I'll be OK. I sat up properly. "Thanks"

"No worries." He held out his hand for me to shack. "Vaughn."

"Skye!" Mum shrieked as she dropped her bags and ran towards us. "What happened?"

Vaughn stood up. "He had some trouble with the local kids, but he's fine."

Mum stopped in her tracks.

He looked at her. She looked at him. And that was that.

A week later we moved to Sunshine Islands.

I knew what this flashback meant. It meant I had to visit Mum.

DUN DUN DUNNNN! WELL THAT was Chapter 7! Whaddaya think? Any ideas who Skye's Mum is yet? Review as always please and sorry the update took so long! Comment any ideas you have as they are greatly appreciated. As always I own nothing!