Blaze Of Glory

PikaDarkness

Chapter 17

Its Moments Like These You Don't Forget

Jeff licked his lips and began the story.

"When I met Andrea it was my first day in High School…"

"Alright sweetie!" Danielle kissed Jeff's forehead as she saw the bus round the corner three streets away. "Be good and have a great first day!"

"I will mum." Jeff felt a hand on his back, he turned to see his father gazing at him with love and pride.

"I'm proud of you sport, do well and have fun." Jerry smiled, Jeff hugged him.

"Thanks dad, I will! I promise."

The bus was at the corner of their street in minutes, Danielle and Jerry quickly gave him their last minute reminders before walking off.

Jeff felt a twinge of worry, what if he didn't fit in? What if the kids at school didn't like him? He was off to Hillsworth High, supposedly the best high school in the country, that didn't quench his fear of the kids being the worst.

Boarding the bus Jeff dipped his new bus ticket in the machine, taking the chance to look around. People were throwing bits of paper up the back, and all the seats were taken. Jeff took back his ticket and slowly made his way up the bus to find someone who looked nice to sit down next to.

He spotted this girl with black hair who had earphones in, listening to a walkman. Jeff cautiously lowered himself into the spare seat. The girl stopped listening to her cd and smiled at him.

"First day?" She asked. Jeff nodded meekly, she smiled warmly at him. She held out her hand which he shook. "I'm Andrea Campbell."

"Jeff Hardy." Jeff smiled.

Andrea looked away thoughtfully. "I like that name!" Jeff blushed.

"Andrea heads up!" called a female voice. Andrea looked up, someone's vegemite sandwich was coming down on them.

"Jeff watch out!" Andrea cried, too late it came down on Jeff's head.

"Are you for real?" Emma asked, Jeff blushed.

"Yeah it was real, smelled like vegemite for the rest of the day.."

Andrea cringed and pulled the sandwich from Jeff's hair, then threw it off where it stuck to the back door. "Well go try and wash it off at school…"

Jeff nodded, a bit embarrassed.

The bus stopped and let on two boys, they obviously knew each other, they looked around Jeff's age.

"Hey, don't be shy… we're friends right?"

Jeff smiled. "Friends."

Andrea ignored his vegemite smell as they talked. Andrea was in year 8 she was popular but down to earth. Popularity wasn't a thing with her. Jeff was a daredevil when he told her all the things he did and places he went to do them she was amazed.

"You didn't ride a bike off a gorge did you?" Andrea moaned, she really liked him he had a carefree lifestyle.

"Yeah no safety lines or anything and there was a lake thing at the bottom, my bike hit the edge and I found just how cold that water was. Broke my arm but it was worth it, I experienced something amazing.""What falling?" Andrea asked, Jeff laughed.

"No… flying, I was free when I soaring through the air, its something hard to explain but when your in the air its mind-blowing."

"I like your view on life…" Andrea looked at her bag. "You find things extraordinary… you don't care how you come out of it you just do it. that's something a lot of people wont do."

"There is nothing to be afraid of anyways, it might be a live or die situation to a lot of people but to me its live or live with regret." Jeff didn't know how to explain how easy it was to talk to her with other people he'd have to watch what he said but he was able to talk without hesitating.

"I cant believe how selfless you are…" Andrea shook her head smiling.

"Is that good or bad?"

Andrea looked at him with a 'what do you think' expression which made him chuckle.

"Good, silly. Look it means you don't care about yourself, you just care about everything else."

Jeff smiled, that was praise he never got about anything not how well he did at school his grades, sports, how smart he was. He wasn't praised on anything because it just… wasn't good enough.

The bus had pulled up at the school in no time. Jeff's bright blue eyes were now filled with fear. Andrea nudged him.

"Don't be scared! I'm here to help you."

Jeff got up from his seat, at least he had the height advantage over age.

"Thanks…"

"What are friends for."

Jeff couldn't believe how lucky he was that he chose to sit next to her on the bus.

They remembered Jeff having the vegemite in his hair and went to wash it out, it came out just not the smell.

"Hey! Evan!" Andrea called, this muscled kid stopped and looked at Andrea. "You have any deodorant?" Evan nodded and pulled out deodorant the brand was lynx. Andrea caught it when he threw it and handed it to Jeff, he sprayed it on himself and gave it back to Andrea who capped it and gave it back to Evan.

"Thanks!"

"Hey baby…!" came a sly voice. Andrea turned around with a fierce expression.

"For the last time Bret, I am not your baby! We broke up last year!" Andrea pushed Bret's hands of her sides.

"Aw come on you know you want me." Then to Jeff's infuriation he tried to kiss Andrea, who tried to force him off.

"Hey!" Jeff shouted pushing Bret away. "Leave her alone!"

Bret got mad and punched Jeff in the face. Jeff crashed into the brick building behind the bubblers, he clutched his face then he tackled Bret and they got into a fight which Bret dominated sending upper cuts to Jeff's face before dragging him up and running him back into the wall.

Andrea screamed at Bret to stop hurting Jeff, who was bleeding. Bret laughed and walked away with a bounce in his step.

Andrea bent down and examined Jeff. "Ouch… your bleeding," Andrea helped Jeff to his feet. "Lets clean that up." and then she supported him to the sick bay to get it cleaned up.

The nurse was a plump woman with a kind face and wiry hair, she stopped the bleeding and wrapped a bandage around Jeff's cut wrist. They left as soon as the bell went. Jeff was called over by a teacher screaming for year 7's.

"Bye! See you at recess!" Andrea called, waving goodbye.

"Yeah see ya!"

And with that Jeff entered the hall. It was huge with an upper landing that was homing PE equipment. Chairs lined the hall with timid year sevens sitting on them, Jeff took a chair, the row was otherwise vacant. Jeff put his blue school bag on the ground (It was blue because Danielle wanted one to match his eyes- she adored looking into them and he was the only one in the family with blue eyes). As the hall gradually filled the woman who looked like the principal stood up.

"Welcome to Hillsworth high!" Her voice had a stern and do not mess with me ring about it. "I hope you find your time here the most pleasant. My name is Mrs March, I am your principal and I am here to assign you your timetables and class. You will come out the front to get them."

The long list started with 'Audrey Kingston. 7c."

Jeff was called, he stood up and put his head down practically power walking to the front without the weird arm movement. His class was 7w, a high class.

When they all got their timetables they were sent away to find their classes, Jeff had H.S.I.E first it was in room 10. Jeff figured it was on the ground floor, so he ran speedily into the building. Room 10 was on ground floor and he was the first to get there.

Jeff knocked on the door and the teacher looked up.

"Sit down." Jeff did so, taking a seat up the back. It was a good 15 minutes before the classroom filled up.

When it was filled the teacher began the lesson.

"I am Mrs Starnick, this semester you shall be learning ge-og-ra-phy." everybody yelled and covered their ears as her stick loudly scratched the chalk board. "Who can tell me what geography is? You!" Mrs Starnick pointed the stick at Jeff. "Come write up here what it means.

Jeff got up and walked to the chalkboard.

"The study of earth's physical features" Mrs Starnick read Jeff's neat writing. "Good spot on!"

"Nerd."

"What a nerd…"

The kids in his class muttered to each other, Jeff would've been smiling at the praise but being called a nerd hurt, he was very sensitive to these kinds of things.

When class finished, Jeff went to the bubbler for a drink. He didn't know Andrea was approaching him.

"Yahh!" Andrea grabbed Jeff's ribs and startled him. Jeff laughed hard as her fingers moved, tickling him.

Andrea still had a hold of him and she said, "Your ticklish aren't you?"

Thank god no-one was around. "No…"

"Uh huh," Jeff roared with laughter as she tickled him again.

"Ok ok! I am stop it! Stop it!" Jeff cried, Andrea stopped with a smirk on her face.

"You're the first guy I know that is that ticklish." Andrea shook her head. Jeff grinned.

"What and guys cant be sensitive?" Jeff challenged crossing his arms. Andrea held up her hands.

"No no, I meant the guys I know don't show any other side except their tough side. I hate that because you never get an insight in their personalities."

Jeff nodded now understanding. "So you like guys with another side to them?"

"Yeah.. But don't get any ideas I just met you."

"I wanted to know what you liked in a guy friend." Jeff said defensively. He laughed again as Andrea tickled him again and backed out of Andrea's grip. "Don't… please stop doing that!" Jeff begged, his pout worked on her.

"Aw don't do that! Its too cute!" Andrea pleaded, then hugged him.

"She was just like you." Jeff smiled at Emma, who smiled.

Jeff was amazed that Andrea was hugging him, she barely knew him for more then a couple of hours.

"Where do you live?" Andrea asked.

"Stevenson avenue." Jeff answered then gave her a suspicious look. "Why?"

Andrea shrugged. "I wanna come over, my parents fight a lot sometimes my dad hits mum-" she broke off looking horrified.

"He doesn't hit you does he? Don't worry you can trust me."

Andrea led him to a more secluded spot, the out of bounds area behind a shed. She lifted her shirt up and turned around, there was a massive bruise on her back.

"Oh my god…" Jeff muttered. He never thought he'd meet a person who was abused like this.

"This was in one of his drunken rages, I've never told anyone before, my friends aren't the people you can trust with these things- don't touch it!" Andrea gasped as he lightly put a finger on it.

"Sorry." Jeff cringed at it. Andrea lowered her shirt.

"He did that last week after I got 50 out of 100 in a math test he said it wasn't good enough, he hit me with his belt then one of his boots and I ended up with it, I had more marks but… their on my chest. I don't show anyone that part."

"You have to report him! You cant let him get away with it!" Jeff cried, Andrea looked down.

"it's just too hard Jeff, imagine reporting your father. Could you do it? Its betraying your parents!" Jeff interjected.

"Andrea he betrayed you the moment he laid his hands on you!" Jeff was shocked that she couldn't do it.

Andrea had tears in her eyes, "I cant do it yet Jeff!"

"Well you come home with me today I can show you were I live and if he does this again no matter if its midnight you come over alright?"

Andrea nodded. Then she engulfed Jeff in a hug who hugged back. There friendship was strong even if it was just hours old.

'I'll skip the school day because nothing happens." Jeff said and Emma nodded, immersed in the story.

"This is where you live?" Andrea was amazed, it was nothing like her hole- I mean home-. It was well kept and the garden was amazing.

Danielle was in the kitchen when Jeff walked in. She walked around the counter and hugged Jeff,

"How was school?"

"It was fine, I'm the class nerd because I know a lot of things, mum this is Andrea, she's my friend, a year older then me but still."

Danielle was nice to Andrea even though she wasn't that happy with Jeff making a friend with a female, but a friend is a friend none the less.

"Nice to meet you Mrs Hardy." Andrea said politely. Danielle nodded.

"Please call me Danielle." Andrea nodded courteously.

Jeff smiled at Danielle, she didn't take a liking to his other friends but she seemed to with Andrea.

Jeff beckoned Andrea to follow him. Jerry was in the living room, he stood up at the sight of his son.

"How was school sport?" Jerry rubbed his sons head.

"It was ok the class calls me nerd but I don't really care- dad this is my friend Andrea, she's a year older then me, we met on the bus when I sat down next to her, then we started talking and we became friends."

"Jerry Hardy pleasure to meet you." Jerry shook Andrea's hand. "Hope you know about my son's weakness of being tickled." Jerry started tickling Jeff who brought his arms across his midsection and turned to the side breaking Jerry's grip.

"I found that out at recess Mr Hardy, I was quite shocked really. I never met any guy who was ticklish- or displayed it either."

"Please call me Jerry."

These people were very nice, not at all like her parents. She couldn't bare to think of her drunk of a father and a drug addicted mother. Andrea was lucky to not have picked up either one of their life styles.

"Andrea I'll show you my room." Jeff grinned and ran upstairs Andrea following behind him.

"Again, not something you see with most guys." Jeff's room was clean. Not like the guys she knew she couldn't stand the stench of their rooms especially Bret's, but Jeff's had this deodorant smell about it and he had motorbike posters on his wall.

"I've been saving to get one of those, the bike I have is becoming worn out, had it for seven years" Jeff smiled at Andrea, "A bike is one thing a motorbike is another, they cost like a thousand dollars, I've got about seven hundred saved, mum pitched in when she saw I was babysitting when I was eleven, two years ago."

"You baby sit just for a bike?" Andrea asked, she couldn't believe he went to such lengths.

"Yeah, gotta work for what you want right?" Jeff crossed his arms and cocked his head glaring jokingly at her. One of his hats was on the table next to them and she picked it up and shoved it on his head and pushing him down on the bed, he got up quickly and took off the hat.

"Your unique you know that Jeff?" Andrea poked Jeff's ribs.

"No I didn't know, I thought I was just like everyone else." Jeff hunched his shoulders and looked down at the ground. "I've always been teased for being different, then I tell them what I do outside school and they have to see to believe, one of them dared me to ride my bike off a two storey building…"

"You didn't do it…?" Andrea moaned.

Jeff nodded, "Almost lost my life, they called me pussy because I almost died, I wanted to jump of a five storey building because the bullying got so hard." Jeff's voice was breaking. "I was being beaten up everyday to the extent where I begged mum not to send me back to school. I might do big stunts but fighting is never my thing I couldn't hurt anyone and still cant now, its too hard for me."

"So you just hurt yourself to deal with it all?" Andrea crossed her arms. She couldn't believe he'd just take it then take it all out on himself.

"I didn't know what else to do. It was all I was good at, risk taking, so I used it to my advantage to hurt myself." Jeff began to get teary eyed recalling it all. Andrea sighed and hugged him.

"Grr what did your friends think?"

"Nick was my only friend, we've known each other since kindergarten he begged me not to do it but I didn't listen to him."

Andrea decided to get off the subject because it clearly was hurting him. "Why don't I show you my place?"

Jeff looked up. "Ok, lets ride my bike."

Running outside Jeff grabbed his bike and got on it making room for Andrea, who climbed on and hesitantly put her hands around his waist, Jeff put a foot on the ground and grabbed Andrea's arms and put them fully around him. For some reason he found it comforting, thank goodness Andrea couldn't see him blushing.

Andrea whooped once they sped off, riding down the hill. Jeff laughed, whooping too just for the pure pleasure of it.

"Faster!" Andrea cried

"I cant go faster! The chain will break!" Jeff cried back.

The chain was rattling now. Jeff looked at it suddenly it snapped, now they were going faster.

"Oh no!" Jeff screamed, Andrea screamed too, she noticed the chain fly off. Andrea buried her head into Jeff's back.

The bike was unable to be steered they crashed headlong into a telegraph pole. Jeff was hurt the most, in fact he was unconscious. Andrea got up on her knees and careened towards him.

"Jeff… wake up! Jeff wake up!" Andrea shook him desperately, impatiently brushing away her hair. "Jeff! Wake up!"

Jeff's head was bleeding. Andrea had to get help, she hated to leave him but she had to get his parents. She pushed herself up, not caring if her hand was on Jeff's chest then ran off not stopping when a stitch burned her side.

Andrea banged hard on the front door of Jeff's house.

Danielle and Jerry both answered it

"Please help the bike crashed Jeff's unconscious!" Andrea then ran off with Danielle and Jerry following.

When they reached Jeff his parents ran faster. Andrea was in tears.

"Jeff, honey wake up." Danielle pleading, she turned to Jerry, "Call the hospital."

Jerry got his mobile from his pocket and dialled 000.

Andrea looked at Danielle. "The chain broke off the bike, the bike couldn't be steered."

Danielle wasn't angry at her, the bike was old it had to have happened sometime.

"Alright thank you." Jerry closed his flip phone. "There coming."

"Honey… wake up…" Danielle went back to trying to wake her son.

The ambulance arrived 10 minutes after the call. They examined Jeff before loading him onto a stretcher.

All three of them - Daniel Jerry and Andrea climbed in as well.

Jeff wasn't waking up as the paramedic questioned his parents on his D.O.B and other personal stuff.

When they got to the hospital he was wheeled off, Danielle was in tears Jerry put an arm around her shoulders and led her over to the seats. Andrea followed, cautiously sitting down next to Danielle.

"You should get checked out too." Danielle whispered hoarsely looking at Andrea. "Your hurt as well."

"No, no I'm ok."

"Don't be silly dear come on."

So Andrea allowed herself to be led away. All her injuries consisted of was a concussion and minor bumps and bruises.

When the doctor confronted them all about Jeff he said, "He's in a coma, he hit his head hard on the pole when the bike crashed."

Danielle whimpered, Andrea's heart failed. A coma?! He could be unconscious for a very long time-

"Hang on if you were unconscious how do you know all this stuff?" Emma asked confused. "You don't know what happened when you were out."

"I asked Andrea- sue me." Jeff and Emma laughed, Delia and the kids were leaving now, "Bye!"

"Bye!"

And they left.

"Come on keep going!" Emma pleaded.

"Alright but I'll skip to when I woke up." Emma nodded eager for the story to continue, talking about Andrea made her happy.

Two weeks later Jeff woke up, Andrea was sitting by the bed, she wagged school almost everyday to come and sit next to him, Danielle and Jerry had to go to work and Andrea promised to call if he woke.

"Mmm" Jeff moaned. Andrea's head whipped up.

"Jeff! Are you ok?" She cried as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Where am I?" Jeff asked, looking around, almost scared. Andrea interlocked her hand with his.

"The hospital, you've been in a coma for two weeks. Had all of us worried sick about you, we thought you might not wake up, your head injury was that serious."

Jeff was gaping, two weeks he had been out? He must be in a lot of trouble, from his parents and teachers.

"Am I in strife?" Jeff asked cringing slightly.

Andrea laughed. "No Jeff, but with your parents you'll be up for lots of kisses and probably a tickle time for this."

Jeff laughed, "Get me out of here." Andrea laughed as well.

"No can do, I think you deserve it." Jeff stared helplessly out the window.

"Mum's going to be ecstatic, I'm just worried about what she'll do to me."

"Well I'll call her and we can find out."

Jeff sat up then fell back down as his head swayed. "No no! Don't do that."

"Sorry I promised" Andrea got up ignoring Jeff's pleading. Within minutes she was back. "There coming."

"Oh no…" Jeff muttered,

Danielle and Jerry were indeed on there way in fact it was up to Jeff's hospital room.

When Danielle hurriedly pushed open the door she gasped, Jeff was indeed awake, Andrea laughed and backed away as his parents converged on him.

Danielle smothered him in kisses, one out of two happened. When Danielle let him go, she did tickle him.

"You silly boy!" Danielle criticised as her child rolled around laughing, Jerry joined in, Jeff felt like he was being tortured, his legs kicking out in a desperate attempt to escape. Andrea felt a twinge of jealousy; Jeff had the perfect parents while hers was a disgrace.

When they stopped tickling Jeff, they turned to Andrea. "Thank you for calling us."

Andrea nodded. "I keep my promises. Yours was no exception."

Daniel and Jerry nodded.

"I'll leave you guys alone…" Andrea walked to the door.

"No, no!" Jeff was quick to object Andrea turned to look at him weirdly. "You don't have to leave."

Andrea turned to his parents who nodded also. Andrea felt this unusual feeling of being wanted, she never felt needed before, only used. She settled down in a seat grinning happily. Jeff grinned back, he also wanted her to experience what a family is supposed to be like.

The doctor came in, the same one from two weeks ago. He smiled at Jeff when he found him awake.

"You found out what doctor was yours from mum didn't you?"

"Yes I did, stop interrupting, we have a lot of people anxiously awaiting what happens!"

"Sorry!"

"Ahh! Nice to see you in the land of the living young Hardy." The doctor smiled. "I'm Dr Bulstrode-"

"WHAT?!" Emma shouted, "Was this the one that almost killed you and me?"

"Nah this was his father, killed under 5 people, one of the best the hospital had." Jeff shook his head. "Then brought a disgrace into the world… anyways"

"- and I am just here now to run some tests, maybe we can let you go home if everything is alright."

Jeff nodded enthusiastically, eager already to get out.

"Don't be so keen!" Dr Bulstrode jokingly scolded, Jeff laughed. "Nah even I cant wait to leave this place."

"yeah… this place sucks the happiness out of everything," Jeff shook his head, Andrea slapped his knee.

"That's because there is no happiness in you anyways." Jeff laughed in an insulted tone. Andrea smiled victoriously.

"You know a lot about not having happiness…" Jeff said suspiciously, Andrea squeezed his knee, Jeff lunged forward, laughing, and broke her grip.

"Are you guys together?" Dr Bulstrode asked.

Jeff and Andrea shook their heads. "No, were friends."

Dr Bulstrode nodded. "But you do look like a great couple-"

"OK!" Jeff interrupted loudly, "Um…" Jeff blushed as his parents looked at him strangely.

Andrea gave him a queer eye as she slowly turned her head, this look scared yet amused Jeff, it was like she had something planned so he didn't know whether to laugh or run away- and that's if he could do it.

Lucky for him she didn't do anything. Yet.

Dr Bulstrode did the tests, then left, Jeff was feeling sick from staring into the torch light for too long.

"Jeff are you alright?" Danielle asked. Jeff rested back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, m fine." Jeff moaned lightly, "Just… tired."

"Yes after two weeks of sleeping we cant blame you." Andrea teased getting a weak laugh from Jeff.

"Get some rest sweetie." Danielle ran her hands through Jeff's hair lovingly. Jeff fell asleep not long later.

"Aww getting too tired?" Jeff commented lightly as Emma put her head on his shoulder.

"No…" Emma muttered. "Keep going."

Jeff put an arm around Emma. "Uhh no, I'll keep going tomorrow."

"Aww but dad-"

Jeff silenced her. "Your tired, now please go to bed."

"Alright," But Emma fell asleep before she could move, Jeff laughed softly now he had to carry her to bed. Just great.

But he did so nonetheless.

"Sweet dreams…" Jeff kissed her forehead before walking out of the room.

***

"Are you going to tell the rest of the story?" Emma asked this first thing in the morning, disregarding her breakfast completely.

Jeff smiled, taking a bit from his pancakes. "Tonight" he said then pointed to her breakfast. "Eat."

Emma moodily picked at her pancakes.

"I never really thought you'd be interested in the story."

Emma looked up. "Dad why wouldn't I be? We never talk about mum at all, you make her practically disappear when your talking to me, I ask a question you change the subject."

Jeff looked at Emma and sighed. "I wasn't ready to talk about her, grief can last a while Emma, you should be happy I am talking to you about her at all."

Emma knew that but he shouldn't have blocked her out until now. "Seven years is a long time dad."

"When I finish the story then you'll find out why I couldn't talk about her for that long, god… when you get with your true love then you'll understand where I am coming from with this." Jeff shook his head and returned to his breakfast.

The weird thing with them is they acted like brother and sister sometimes instead of father and daughter.

The day went without any troubles, no one called no one came around.

"Alright get back to the story!" Emma insisted, when they settled back down on the lounge that night, this time Jeff was sitting like she was, legs crossed on the lounge and facing her.

"Alright where was I?"

"You fell asleep in the hospital."

Jeff nodded. "Well when I woke up…"

Jeff blearily opened his eyes. Andrea was standing over him, arms filled with books.

"Hey there Jeffy"

Jeff smiled. "Oh great- a nickname."

"Haha, I got your timetable and took the liberty of collecting your class work for you, they said to get better soon and when I ran into a few of your classmates- well they want their nerd back the class is failing without you."

"Great." Jeff laughed.

Andrea laughed too. Jeff yelped as she dropped stacks of books on his legs.

"Sorry I couldn't keep carrying them." Andrea looked at him showing her teeth.

"Why are you here how come your not home?"

Andrea looked at him with annoyance. "I told you why on your first day!"

"Sorry, I forgot."

"Don't worry about it, I've been coming over here from school a lot, dad gets angry at mum now, god she's stupid! I mean why doesn't she leave him?!" Andrea burst out angrily slamming her fists on his bed.

"Andrea, she is scared, she's trapped in the house and when she says its over she'll be up for a beating." Jeff explained sternly.

"Yeah I know… but its hard to see her beat up and pretend like everything is ok! She should call the police, ring someone, or shoot him for Christ sakes mum doesn't deserve to be treated like this!"

"Your father will pay for what he did Andrea, they all do in the end." Jeff shook his head. "Time catches up with them, and they go crazy sometimes they go so crazy they-" Jeff put a thumb to his throat and slowly dragged it across.

"I hope that's what happens to him." Andrea gritted her teeth making her sentence come out muffled.

"When I get out I want to go to your house." Jeff put his hand on Andrea's.

"No, no you don't want to meet my father, he'll hurt you!" Andrea shook her head violently, she wouldn't let her father hurt Jeff. Not if she could help it.

"Andrea, I don't care!" Jeff seriously meant that. "look I wanna see your house, I wanna see Every. Little. Bit."

"Your going to regret this, I'm telling you now."

Jeff shook his head. "I'm going to regret not going."

"Well if dad beats you up I will say I warned you." Andrea shook her head.

"Haha! You got it wrong your supposed to say I told you so!"

"I'll say that to!"

"Damn…"

***

Two days later Jeff was released. He was ecstatic. Jeff made hasty arrangements to go to Andrea's house that afternoon, Andrea's reluctantly agreed.

Andrea was a little embarrassed about where she lived, for a second he didn't see why, that was until they were standing infront of it.

"Well here it is." Andrea turned and walked away.

"Aren't I going to get a look-see?" Jeff asked pulling off his pout. Andrea sighed and grabbed his arm pulling him towards her house.

"Sweet pea!" This must be Andrea's mother, but she didn't look anything like her, this woman had wispy blonde hair which looked unwashed, she was pale and very skinny so her bones would show up when she moved.

"Hi mum…"

Andrea's mother looked from Andrea to Jeff, she sighed. "Who are you?"

"My names Jeff ma'am." Jeff smile vanished instantly when some man with alcohol stumbled down the hallway, Andrea pushed Jeff behind her as if protecting him while Andrea's mother stood infront of Andrea.

"You!" The man hit Andrea's mother. "Get outta the way!"

Mrs Campbell didn't move, so Mr Campbell shoved her out of the way where she crashed into the wall. Jeff really wantted to leave now, especially as Mr Campbell reached around Andrea and grabbed him pulling him out to face Mr Campbell.

"Who are you?"

"J-Jeff H-Hardy sir" Jeff gulped. Suddenly he was thrown into the wall. Jeff was shocked, what did he do? "Ah!"

Andrea helped him up quickly, then got him to the door. "Jeff, leave- no just go!" Jeff was pushed out the door he turned to see Andrea's tearful face, begging him to leave. She shut the door, in two seconds a scream went off before silence.

The door swung open to reveal Mr Campbell, he obviously wasn't finished with him.

Jeff backed away, falling down as his foot got caught in a pulled up tree root. Mr Campbell advanced on the terrified boy, who was crawling backwards trying to escape.

"Dad! No!" Andrea screamed as Mr Campbell started kicking Jeff.

"Chris no! Leave the poor child alone!" Mrs Campbell shrieked. Chris ignored her, there was an oilcan under the window, he grabbed it, it was still half full.

Chris poured it on Jeff, only getting his shirt, before he lit a match that was in his pocket, Jeff screamed, writhing around he did the stop drop and roll before he quickly threw off his shirt. It was still ablaze but thankfully not on his body, which was pretty badly burnt.

"You were burnt?" Emma was appalled that this monster was her grandfather.

Jeff pulled up his shirt to show some marks that Emma mistook for bruises.

Andrea raced to Jeff pulling him to his feet, Jeff allowed her to pull him off.

"Didn't I tell you he would hurt you?" Andrea asked angrily, supporting Jeff away.

"I didn't know he'd set me on fire!" Jeff retorted. Andrea sighed, shaking her head. She led Jeff all the way home.

"Stay here!" Jeff pleaded.

Andrea was sorely tempted. "will your mum let me?"

"She will once she sees my burns." Jeff assured. Andrea nodded.

Andrea knocked for Jeff.

Jerry answered it. "Oh my god! What happened?" he led his son inside with Andrea following, and sat him on the lounge.

"We-we went to Andrea's house…"

Andrea filled in. "My father is a raging alcoholic, he hits us and beats us up, but when Jeff came over, he beat him up and set him on fire."