Ella's POV

I couldn't stop smiling as I watched everyone's faces at school as I walked by, the hottest guy ever holding my hand.

The party incident was forgotten as this was the newest thing.

"I'll see you at lunch time beautiful" Alex said kissing me on the cheek as he dropped me off at my class.

My stomach lurched as I walked into class, feeling like I was floating. Ew did I seriously just think that? What's gotten into me?

I sat up in my usual spot, I could see the girls down front whispering about me and I rolled my eyes. The teacher walked in and started the lesson. I realized Iggy wasn't here but I shook it off. Why would I care?

Iggy's POV

I headed to class, my mind elsewhere so I kept tripping on thing. I stumbled on the corner of a bin stand and swore under my breath.

"Tsk tsk, no swearing Black" someone chuckled and I growled.

"Fuck off Alex" I snapped which made him laugh more.

"Sorry, am I stealing your turf…..again?" he laughed like a psychopath.

"You're sick" I spat. "I know" he laughed again.

"So what is it with this Ella chick? Is it her long brown hair? Her warm brown eyes? Her cute smile? Wait, you wouldn't know would you?" he mocked and my fists clenched.

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you?" I said, my jaw so tight it hurt.

"Know about it? Oh Ig, I lived it remember. I remember the screams, the blood, the trip to the hospital. Oh and her to" he sniggered and I snapped.

I jumped forward, swinging my arm and my fist collided with his nose. This was what he had wanted, to break me, make me snap because he knew I would fight and he knew he was a better fighter.

His fist sunk into my stomach and my face. My glasses smashed with the impact of his fist. He slammed me against the wall and kneed me in the stomach. I dropped to the ground in pain and he kicked me in the stomach and I started dry reaching. My head was spinning but I heard him bend down and whisper in my ear.

"You remember how she was the worst off of all my victims in the end? Well now, it'll look like she got off easy compared to what I'm gonna do to Ella" he said, giving me one more kick before walking off.

I laid there, my body screaming in pain. I could feel the warm sticky blood dripping off my face. My breathing was shallow and it hurt to move at all.

I laid there for what seemed like forever. I couldn't just lie here, so I slowly and painfully dragged myself up.

I had no idea where I was. I could hear people coming out of their class rooms so it was lunch time. I pulled my hoodie over my head and kept my head down.

I followed people to the cafeteria where everyone was sitting. I could hear Nudge rapidly talking and I knew Ella would be with her and Max with her, and Fang with Max.

I followed the sound of her voice and could hear the others with her. Ella had made her way over with them. Max, Dylan and Gazzy were also there. I heard a light chuckle from Fang so I knew he was there.

My whole body ached and if I was blind I think my eyesight would be blurry. I felt sick and light headed as I reached the table.

"Iggy?" Max asked. "What's wrong?" Fang asked jumping up.

I tried to say something but my lip just quivered. I felt Fang slip my hoodie of and I heard him gasp.

Nudge and Ella did a small squeak, Max whispered "Oh my god" and Gazzy and Dylan jumped to their feet.

Was it really that bad?

"What happened Ig?" Fang asked, his hand cupping my face, turning it to get a good look.

My legs felt like jelly and I could feel them going. They fell from under me and I fell into Fang's arms and passed out.

Ella's POV

Iggy wobbled and collapsed in Fang's arms. His nose was clearly broken, blood all over his face. Both his eyes were beginning to blacked, with the rest of his skin on his face. His breathing was shallow and uneven. Fang lifted up his clothes and we could see two lumps where two of his ribs were broken.

"Call an ambulance" Fang instructed and I pulled out my phone.

"Hello would you like the police, ambulance or firefighters?" A woman asked. What the hell?

"Ambulance" I said quickly. "One second" she said and there were a few beeps and a man picked up with

"Hello?"

"This is Ella Martinez, we need an ambulance down at Holster high school at once" I rushed and he said ok and hung up.

"They're on their way" I said.

They arrived and took Iggy, Fang and Max jumped in with him.

The day passed in a flash, all I could think about was Iggy and what could have happened.

"You ok Ella?" Alex asked me as school finished up.

"Fine, why?" I asked.

"You didn't meet me and you look upset" he said looking worried.

"It's ok Alex I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow" I smiled, giving him a quick kiss before leaving.

I got home and checked the phone and there was a message from Max.

"Hey El, Iggy's still out, two broken ribs, a broken nose and a lot of bruising. They think he's going to be fine. Gazzy came down with Angel. There's some pizza in the fridge, I'm gonna stay down here with Fang, come down if you want."

I put my bag away and gave Dylan a call.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Hey Dylan, its Ella."

"Hey Ella. What's up? Heard about Iggy yet?" He asked.

"Yeah Max left a message, they think he's gonna be ok, but he's still out and pretty beaten up" I said.

"That sucks" he mused.

"Yeah. I was wondering if I could get a lift down there?" I asked.

"Sure thing. I'll be there in 5" he said and I thanked him and hung up.

Dylan pulled up and I jumped into the passenger side.

"Hey" I said. "Hey" he replied.

It was a quick drive and not much was said.

"Ok thanks for the lift" I said jumping out of the car once we arrived.

"Anytime. Give Ig my best" he grinned then took off.

I walked into the hospital and up to the counter. I hated hospitals. Actually so did most of us.

"Yes?" The receptionist asked. "I'm looking for Iggy Black" I said. "Room 11" she said looking bored.

I walked off, roaming until I came to room 11.

I peered in and saw Gazzy sitting in a corner with Angel leaning against him, flicking through a magazine. Max was sitting in a chair, her head on Fang's shoulder and Fang holding her hand and the other on the hospital bed.

I looked over to see Iggy lying perfectly still. Battered and bruised, a white plastic thing over his nose, keeping it straight.

"Ella" Max said and everyone looked at me. "Hey" I said lamely.

"Pull up a seat" Gazzy said pointing at a seat between him and the bed.

I sat down and took in a better look of Iggy. There was barely a patch of skin on his face that wasn't black and blue. His lip was split open and his nose swollen under the plastic thing. His cheekbones and jaw were a tiny bit swollen and the darkest shades of blue. His eyes were closed but all around them were cuts.

"What are these?" I asked pointing to the cuts.

"When the guy punched him they smashed his glassed while they were on his face" Gazzy said and I flinched.

"Wait, someone definitely did this to him then?" I asked.

"Yeah, the doctor said they were done from being hit and kicked" Fang said softly and Max squeezed his hand.

"Do you know who?" I asked. It was silent but I knew what everyone was thinking, but no one said it, until Angel, who always said what she thought spoke up.

"Well it could have been anyone, no one actually like Iggy very much. It could have been any of the jocks" she said and as mean as it was, it was true.

My phone beeped at me and I walked out of the room and answered it.

"Hey baby its mum" Mum said. "Hey mum what's up?" I asked.

"Umm, there's been a change of plans" she said and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to be away for another week" she said. "That's ok, everything's fine here" I said sweetly.

"Ok sweetie. Give Max my love. I love you." "I love you too mum" I said then hung up.

Just as I went to put it back in my pocket it rung again. "Yeah?" I asked, expecting it to be mum.

"Well hello to you to beautiful" a guy said.

"Sorry Alex I thought it was my mum" I grinned.

"Common mistake" he said and I laughed. "So what's up?" I asked.

"Just seeing you're ok" he answered. "You seemed upset after school" he added.

I smiled stupidly to myself at his cuteness. "Yeah I'm fine" I said and I could hear him grinning when he said "Ok then."

"Alex?" a girl said in the background. "Who's that?" I asked, getting a sickening feeling in my stomach.

"Um, just my cousin Stacy, she's staying for a few days" he said.

"Ok then" I said.

"Yeah. So I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were alright" he said. "Ok, thanks" I said. "Ok I'll see you tomorrow sweetie" he said and I said bye and hung up.

It was nothing, I'm sure of it.

I walked back in and noticed Gazzy and Angel were gone.

"Gazzy took Angel home" Max said.

"Ok. Mum called. She said she's going to be away for another week. And she loves you" I said sitting down and Max nodded.

"So Fang, we're are your parents?" I asked. "Outta town. I left them a message" he said.

"Fang and I are going to get a bite to eat, wanna come?" Max asked. I thought about it but really didn't want to intrude on what looked like was meant to be a date until this happened.

"I'm good" I said.

"Ok. Do me a favor and keep an eye on Iggy" Fang said as they were leaving.

After what he did at the party it was the least I could do. They'd only been gone 5 minutes so I pulled out my phone and texted Nudge:

E: Hey

N: Hey what's up I tried calling your home phone before

E: At hospital

N: How is he?

E: Passed out, badly beat up

N: Aww poor Iggy

E: Yeah, it sucks

N: Well when he wakes give him my love

E: Ok, but creepy

N: You know what I mean

E: Yeah I know

N: What's wrong?

E: Nothing

N: Don't bullshit me. I know you don't like Iggy, but you could be a little more sensitive

E: It's not that. I got a weird call from Alex

N: Tell me all about it

E: I'll tell u at school

N: Ok then

E: Gotta go

N: Ok bye

I saw Iggy had moved.

I watched closely and once again he twitched his hand and moved his head. Oh please don't wake up. This is just not fair. Why did he have to wake when I was the only one here? Now he's going to get the wrong idea, please don't wake.

He groaned and moved his head from side to side.

"Iggy?" I asked standing up.

His eyes snapped open and he sat up. For the first time ever I was looking into Iggy Black's eyes. They were pale blue, almost cloudy like the blue had faded in them.

His hands clutched at the bed sides and he was breathing heavily and I noticed he probably had no idea where he was.

"Iggy?" I said again and his head snapped to my direction. "E-Ella?" he stuttered.

"Hey Iggy" I said softly sitting down next to him.

I decided after what he had been through I could at least be nice to him, for now.

"What's. What's going on?" he asked.

"You're in the hospital" I said. He was silent as he thought. "Oh" was all he said.

"It's dinner time, Max and Fang went out to get something to eat and Gazzy just took Angel home" I told him.

"And you stayed to take care of me, aww I knew you cared" he tried to joke but even his cheeky smile he always had was weak.

"Nudge sends her love and Dylan gives you his best" I said and he gave a small grin.

"Wow, Nudge sends her love and Dylan gives me his best. The others were here and now you are. I should get beaten up more."

"Iggy. Who did this?" I asked and the small grin disappeared.

"Can't remember" he said and I knew he was lying.

"Come on Ig, I know you better than that" I said then frowned, did I really just call him Ig?

"Well I can't remember, just like you can't remember what happened after the party" he raised an eyebrow at me and I blushed.

"Ok fine I remember" I snapped. "I knew it" he grinned triumphantly. "Whatever" I said.

"I knew you wanted me" he grinned, leaning in closer to me. "Dream on" I said.

"Oh I will, your just a lot more….naked in my dreams" he said and if he wasn't so bruised I would have slapped him. "Sexist pig" I said and he chuckled.

"So what happened?" I asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he said softly.

"Try me" I said.

"You really wanna know who did this?" he asked, looking at me, well at my forehead. "Yes" I said.

"It was Alex" he said.

"Iggy.." I began to argue.

"I told you, you would believe me" he sighed.

"Why would it be Alex? He doesn't even know you" I said.

"Oh he knows me" Iggy growled, his jaw shut tight. "How?" I asked. "You know how we moved here about 2 years ago?" he asked.

"Yeah" I said.

"He was my best friend at my other school" he said and my jaw dropped open.

"He what?" I squeaked.

"He was my best friend" Iggy said, his sightless eyes sharp with hatred.

"What happened?" I asked. He was silent.

"Iggy what happened?" I asked with more force.

"He killed my sister."