Chapter five

"Don't worry I'm numb to them now"

A car horn cut like a knife through the crisp night. Sahara looked up, cringing "Oh shit, Sandy, Eye Ball is with you?" Sandy smiled, wide and gappy, she proceeded to close it rather quickly though as a fresh torrent of blood dribbled out.

Sahara who had grown up with most of the Chambers family (unbeknownst to her parents) was not in the least bit frightened of EyeBall who had a soft spot for her and would do just about any thing she said, no, she was frightened for Chris, some how Eye ball would turn it round so everything would be Chris's fault.

"Yeh, I told you we were going to the movies, until this" her voice wobbled "look at me!" she screamed, pulling a hanky from her bright pink clutch.

"Sandy what the hell are you doing, the movie starts in 15 minutes!" Eyeball's voice shouted some where close outside.

"Great" Chris sighed.

"Fan-frickin-tastic!" Gordie winced, coming up to inspect Sahara's bleeding hand. "Nice punch, can I keep her tooth?" he whispered into her ear. Laughing discretely she nodded.

Eyeball filled the door way, his stocky 5'9 body looking ominous in the moon light. He took one look at his date squatting on the ground, a pool of blood on her lap, then at Chris he stood defensively in front of Sahara.

"Chris, get out of the way, don't go fighting my battles for me, its only Eye Ball" she murmured pulling at the sleeve of his shirt.

EyeBall pointed an accusing finger at Chris "get here you fucking little dweeb, what did you do to my date?" he lurched forward, slicing past his date who had now fallen silent and was trying in vain to redo her ruined makeup. Grabbing Chris's collar he arched his fist, "I'll kill you, you crazy punk!"

Vern and Gordie both stepped forward, no longer afraid (as much) of Eyeball. Chris didn't break his gaze from Eyeball refusing to take any more shit from his useless older brother, if he was going to have to fight him; he'd damn near do it so it left an impression on him.

Sahara stifled a moan, men, she thought. Sometimes all you needed was a little womanly sense, although smacking Sandy Clarkson square in the jaw wasn't to womanly, but every one had their slip ups. "Oh for mother Mary's sake. Eye ball I hit your precious date, ok, she was pissing my off so I popped her one, simple, Chris had nothing to do with this!" she ducked under Eyeballs arm so she was right in front of Chris, who still hadn't let up his death stare.

"EyeBall she's lying to protect her boyfriend"

"Chris Is not Sacks boyfriend, sandy so shut it!" Eye ball commanded, looking briefly over at Sandy. "Eyeball!" she moaned.

Eyeball looked straight at her, the Chamber's trade mark blue eyes masked with confusion and anger "Sack stop protecting him."

"I'm not protecting him; I smacked her, ME, Eyeball!"

"Yeh and can you really see Chris hitting a girl for gods sake" Gordie said standing a little back just in case Eyeball started to lash out.

"Sincerely!"

"Eye ball he hit me, Chris!" Sandy got up wobbling over to Ace. "He got jealous of me and you"

"Oh go screw the milk man, you cheap dim store whore, Chris never laid a finger on you! Sahara growled feeling very ready to re open the gash on her lower lip, how could this girl be saying those things. Didn't she know the consequences of her words, Sahara wanted to kill her. Some one was deliberately hurting her Chris, her best friend and that didn't sit to well with Sahara.

"You call me a whore, I'm not the one who's always hanging around with boys and they even sleep around here I mean what do you call that!" Sandy sneered.

"They're my best friends!" spat Sahara.

"Yeh, we're her best friends!" Vern cried.

"Even so" Sandy replied.

"I'll get you, little bitch!" Sahara cautioned, her eyes glimmering with revenge.

Sahara looked pleadingly at Eyeball "Eyeball, how long have you known me for, I'm telling you the truth!"

"No!" "Shit head I want you home now!" he sneered pulling at Chris's collar, sending Sahara tilting forward. Chris wrapped a strong arm around her waist to steady her, and Gordie cupped her elbow.

"You're not taking him!" she wailed, "no!" angry tears were now sprouting in her eyes, this was so unfair Chris would get a beating for something that was completely and utterly not his fault, and judging by how enraged Eye ball was the beating would be one for the record books.

"Come on Eye ball grow some balls, can't you see that Chris didn't do any thing!" Gordie spat hatefully at Eyeball "Be a man for a change!"

Chris who hadn't uttered a word in his defense looked down at Sahara and whispered in her ear "Let it go Sack, I'm numb to them now nothing he can do will hurt me", he tilted her head towards him and stared reassuringly into her blurred eyes then he kissed her on the forehead with drawing his arm from around her waist and letting himself be dragged past her.

"No, Eye ball please" she sobbed, trying to grab Chris's hand.

"Come on Eye Ball, let him go man!" Gordie's doe eyes creasing with anxiety, "Eye ball c'mon" Vern whispered.

"No, let's go Sandy!" grumbled Eye ball pulling Chris closer to the foreboding doors.\

"No, Chris" Sahara ran up to him. He only smiled and took hold of her hand, "I'll be ok, I'll be seeing you" he let go of her hand lingering for a second on her finger tips.

"Not if I see you first" she wept, letting the tears fall openly on her rosy cheeks, "Eyeball please, don't" she begged one last time. How could this be happening, her heart was breaking with guilt and sorrow, her own foolish pride would get Chris a hiding.

"Sorry babe" Eye ball said, before him, Sandy and Chris disappeared from view.