A/N: hey everyone, thanks to Vikki and Stacey Ellen for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter

Guilt chapter 3

Zain walked over to the sink, and ran a hand through his hair and then suddenly vomited into the basin. He started to shake violently and he sat down on a closed toilet seat, sure he was going to faint if he remained on his feet much longer. He looked around the bathroom. Ordinarily, it would be just a normal bathroom to him, but now everything he saw reminded him of David, and what he'd done.

"What is he doing?" Jason snapped at lunch time as he sat down beside Zain

"Who?" Mike asked

"David Hood. He's been flirting with Marie all day. He's only just got here!"

"So have you" Zain pointed out. Jason glared at him. "I was just saying…" he said, getting back to his lunch

"She can't possibly like him better than me" Jason went on.

"I think she just feels sorry for him" Andy pointed out, "She'll be back to flirting with you in no time."

"Well I'm gonna sort out Hood." Jason stood up, "Anyone coming?"

"Just leave it" Zain said, "They said they'd suspend you if you got into another fight"

"I don't care" Jason replied and, seeing David leave the hall, he got up and stalked out after him. Mike gulped down the rest of his juice and ran after him, Andy close on his heels.

"You not coming Zain?" Chris asked, "What's the matter? Too afraid?"

"I'm coming" Zain snapped, standing up and striding out of the hall, easily staying ahead of Chris. They found Jason easily enough. He was in the toilets, repeatedly hitting David and the smaller boy was bent over in pain. There was blood running from David's nose and his glasses lay on the ground, shattered. As Jason raised his fist again, Zain said,

"That's enough Jason"

"What?" he said, turning around, eyes narrowed.

"Leave him alone, he hasn't done anything." He sounded a lot calmer than he felt. He knew if Jason was in a bad mood, he'd turn on him next, and he really didn't feel like being hit twice in 2 days.

"And what exactly has it got to do with you?" Jason said, letting David slide to the ground.

"Just leave him alone Jason" Zain repeated, turning to leave

"Since when do I take orders from you?" Jason snapped, pulling him back, and slamming him against the wall. Zain looked around quickly, wondering which of his friends he could count on for help if Jason did start hitting him. Definitely not Chris anyway. David was still on the ground. Mike and Andy were both avoiding looking at them. It didn't look good, until the door opened and Mr. Martinez, their Spanish teacher walked in. Zain had never been so happy to see him. Mr Martinez took one look at David and yelled,

"What is going on in here!"

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3 hours later, they were all sitting outside the headmasters office, having each received their individual punishments. Zain got off with a warning because he never fought inside school and David had told everyone that it hadn't been him. Jason had, as predicted by Zain, got suspended and Chris, Andy and Mike all had detentions. They hadn't been allowed to re-join class that day, so they had all been sitting more or less in silence since they'd been punished. When the home time bell rang, Zain went to collect his bag and raced down the corridors so as to not miss the bus. When he stepped onto it, he looked around for an empty seat and frowned when he saw his usual one beside Andy had been taken by Helen Nelson, Andy's girlfriend. The only other free one that was anywhere near his friends was beside Jason and he wasn't going anywhere near him 'til he calmed down, so he sat down next to David, telling himself this would only be a temporary arrangement. That he'd be back with his usual friends tomorrow. However, the next day, even though there was an empty seat, he sat down next to David anyway, and the next day, and the day after that. Zain never went back to being friends with Andy Thomson, Jason Martin and all the rest. From that day onward, he avoided speaking to them if possible, because every time he looked at them, he remembered how willing they'd been to let him get beat up and he remembered David helping him with Jack Allen.

"You alright Zain?" Phil asked, entering the toilets. Zain looked up and nodded, and forced himself to stand up, leaning on the cubicle for support. "Are you sure, because I can get a doctor if you want…"

"I'm fine" Zain snapped, sounding harsher than he'd originally meant to.

"You're not on drugs, are you?" Phil asked him

"Drugs killed my little sister" Zain said shortly, "I'd never touch them." Phil nodded in understanding and led the way back to his cell.

A/N: Please review! It makes me happy and inspires me to write more, faster.