Author's Note: Okay the edits are nearly done but this entire week I have had essays and homeworks every night to do so they'll take another few days to finish, but here is a new chapter because I refuse to be late! Thanks to Pixiecropse, sadlyhuman1997, Mystic Vampyre, SilverDragon13, Flowerchild23 and TheGoofyCat for their awesome reviews and for new favourites and follows!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Lost Boys, just my OCs.
The walk back to the part of the boardwalk I would feel a lot safer in was very painful, my back stung on the surface as well as deep into the muscles, a throbbing pain that attacked with every movement. Even breathing was causing me pain.
I stopped to lean on a wall, resting mostly my side on it because my back would hurt too much, I straightened up as much as I could from where I had been slightly hunched and let a wince slip, which froze as I caught someone's eye.
Paul.
He wove through the crowd towards me and I forced a smile to appear on my face, I wasn't sure I could even explain to myself what happened never mind tell someone else.
"Hi!" I said brightly, perhaps a little too brightly to be convincing that everything was normal, but he seemed to buy it.
"Hello, and where have you been hiding?"
I shrugged, then made a mental note not to try it again, "Just hanging around, I had to leave back that video and…" I settled on tilting my head this way and that rather than shrug again.
He smiled and held his hand out, "Care to hang out?"
I looked at his hand and considered it, I really did, something about being with Paul always made me forget other things and just have fun, but right now there was an ice tray at home with my name on it.
I shook my head, "Sorry, I can't."
"Why not, Shorty?"
I knew soon enough if he kept up the teasing I'd give in, so I pushed myself off the wall as gently as I could before starting to head back in the direction of the shop.
"Aw come on-" His hands just went around my waist and his chest pressed against my back only a little, but it was still enough to make me yelp and turn round, wincing further at the pain the rapid movement triggered.
"Sorry, I just-" I wrecked my brains for an explanation as his brow furrowed in confusion.
"You okay?"
I nodded, "Yeah just bruised my back earlier, I hit it on a, uh, wall."
Paul's face took on a dubious look, "You hit it on a, uh, wall?" He mocked.
I scoffed, "Yes, I did."
"Show me."
"No!" I cried, grabbing the hem on my shirt to hold it firmly in place as he made a gesture to raise it, "I'm not lifting my shirt in the middle of the boardwalk." I hissed.
"So let's you back to the store and show me there, or somewhere where there's less people." He challenged.
"Why do you need to see a freaking bruise?!"
"Because that is one lame excuse for getting a bruise, unless you walk around your house backwards… You don't, right?" He asked jokingly, I smiled slightly at the temporary look of apprehension on his face because it was replaced with a more serious one, "Seriously, what happened?"
I was real thankful at that minute that two figures joined Paul from the corner of my eye, "Hi guys." I said to Marko and David, grateful for any kind of distraction. Paul turned to them but snuck a sideways glance at me as if to say he knew what I was doing. As long as the subject was dropped, because even thinking about it was freaking me out.
What the hell happened to Zach?
"Hm?" I said when I managed to drag myself out of my thoughts, I turned to see the three guys looking at me with raised eyebrows, damn I had missed something.
"I said you look a little pale." David said with a teasing edge to his voice, damn, well anyone would be after what just happened.
"So do you." I shot back without thinking, it was all that I could say! Marko barked a laugh and David simply smirked.
"She's got you there." Paul snickered, as if he was much better. As if any of them were, except Dwayne. Where was he, anyways?
I glanced around, half-looking for Dwayne meanwhile keeping an eye out for Zach. I managed to catch the next best thing. Not to Dwayne, but to Zach. Nick.
"I gotta go, I'll catch you later guys, I'm sorry!" I called, the ending was over my shoulder as I turned to try and hurry after Nick as he started walking down the boardwalk. I made my way through the crowd in a less-than-graceful manner as I dodged as many people as I could so I wouldn't bump into one.
"Nick!" I called as I caught up with him, he turned at the mention of his name but once he realised it was me he narrowed his eyes and turned to continue on his way. Oh no you don't!
"Hey!" I said as I grabbed his arm and pulled him round to face me, his jaw was set tight as he stared down at me.
"What?" He spat.
"Where is Zach?"
He seemed taken back that I asked about Zach out of everything I could have possibly said, on a regular occasion it would have been obvious I didn't give a rat's ass where Zach was. But maybe if Nick had seen him I'd know he just decided to leave me to wonder what the hell had happened. I wouldn't have thought that would be his style judging by how much of a creep he was, but right now I was hoping I had been wrong.
My stomach dropped when Nick regained his composure and shrugged, "No idea."
Shit.
"When was the last time you saw him?"
"What's it to you?" He asked suspiciously.
I rolled my eyes, "Can you just answer the question, please?" I pleaded, trying to sound less snarky.
"Maybe a half hour ago or longer? He disappeared a while ago and I haven't seen him since. Why do you want to know?"
"He's just vanished." I said to myself, it was loud enough for Nick to catch it and he raised an eyebrow, I shook my head, "Never mind, it doesn't matter."
"Okay." Nick said, and with that turned away to walk in the direction he had been heading before I had stopped him. I was in the process of watching him walk away when I remembered he was the exact reason I had come to the boardwalk. If only Zach hadn't shown up we might have already made up by now.
"Wait up!" I called, he turned back with a sigh and folded his arms.
"What?"
I folded my arms same as him, ignoring the sharp pain across my shoulder blades, "You know what, I want to apologise for the other night, I overreacted."
Nick raised an eyebrow, "Liar."
I cursed inwardly, of course he knew I was lying, "Alright, I think you overreacted. But I am sorry, I shouldn't have let things go they way they did. We're better friends than this Nick."
"I'm better friends with you than they are, Bryn, but you can't seem to decide whose side to be on."
My temper flared as I remembered my argument with Zach, "There is no damn sides!"
"You're just too innocent to see it, you think those guys are choir boys?" He said with a gesture back behind me, the guys were maybe somewhere in his line of sight. I glanced back to see them walking in a line around the place casually. Still just the three of them, no Dwayne.
"I'm not stupid, Nick. But I'm not going to keep having the same fight with you. You know I'd never kick up a fuss like this over your friends." Telling him about Zach and showing him the bruises would be the perfect ammunition for showing him his friends weren't choir boys either. My hands skirted around the hem of my shirt but I decided I needed to find out exactly what happened to Zach. There was no point in telling Nick if all I could conclude with was that I had no idea what happened to Zach and he basically disappeared.
"If you don't want to keep having the same fight we have a problem, because I'm not gonna keep telling you how much of a mistake you're making."
I gritted my teeth, "Meet me here tomorrow night, we'll talk properly and get this all sorted out."
Nick threw his hands up, "Or we can talk now? What's the problem with you just answering me now?"
"I need to find something out, there's something I need to get some answers for before I can give you one. Please?"
Nick closed his eyes and nodded, "Fine. Right here tomorrow night at this exact time."
"Which is what?" I asked, glancing at my bare arms which had no watch on them.
Nick thought for a second before cracking a smile, "Alright, so we can't tell time. Just meet me here tomorrow after sundown."
I nodded, "Okay."
Nick's smile faded and he turned to continue on his way, this time I let him go. After a few minutes I decided to head on my way home to get some ice on my back.
I had till tomorrow night to figure out what happened tonight. Oh boy.
I walked slowly back to the house, my parents hadn't even know I went out, I hadn't told them Nick and I had gotten into a fight, they just thought I'd stay at home. I decided to play along with that and not tell them what happened tonight, they didn't need to worry.
You ever get the feeling someone's watching you?
My feet slowed to a stop as the distinct feeling of someone's gaze on me registered, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my back tensed a little as I turned.
Nope, no one.
I looked all around the street and even let my eyes stray to the rooftops, but it must have just been my paranoia. Nevertheless, I put the chain on the door when I went in and checked the back doors and the windows before grabbing some ice and putting it in some cloths to put on my back when I got upstairs.
Author's Note: A short chapter but the next one will definitely be longer, promise! Hope you guys enjoyed, please review!
