‘Really? What parts?’
‘Your colouring, your smile and your defiance,’ she added with a smile. ‘Go on, you’ll be late. I’ll see you after school.’
‘Bye,’ she said heading straight towards the lawn area where her friends were waiting.
‘You’re late this morn…what happened to you?’ Anna’s eyes bulged.
Taylor drew in a shocked breath. ‘Jasmine!’
Jaz laughed. ‘Didn’t you know, Anna, you accidently hit me with the Wii controller when we were playing tennis!’
‘Me?’ Anna said confused.
‘Just kidding. I told Mum it was from having a scratch match with Tick at The Ring.’ Jaz sat down on the seat and leant her back against the trunk of the tree behind her.
‘Your lip looks sore; it’s a bit swollen.’
‘You should see my ribs,’ Jaz said and held out her fingers. ‘My hands are tender too.’
‘What the? You don’t end up like this with Tick.’ Taylor took one of her hands and gently held her swollen red knuckles, then saw the bandage on her hand.
Jaz nodded, the concern of her friends warming her heart. ‘I was walking home from The Ring and got attacked by a few guys.’
‘What!’ Anna and Taylor yelled together causing some nearby students to turn their heads.
‘What happened, did you snot them all?’ asked Taylor.
‘Well I’d like to say I could hold my own against five guys…but.’
‘FIVE guys! You were attacked by five!’ Anna looked about ready to faint.
Taylor still held Jaz’s hand, stroking it softly with his thumb. ‘Holy shit, how did you get away?’
‘Um, well it wasn’t looking good but then Ryan showed up and opened a can of whoop arse on them all. He saved me from…well I don’t know what they were going to do with me, but I can guarantee you they weren’t taking me to a party.’
‘Ryan? Really, he saved you?’ Only Anna could see something romantic in this.
‘That older guy from the fencing comp?’
‘Yes, Tay and he’s not old, he’s yummy. He goes to The Ring all the time with Jaz,’ explained Anna.
Taylor glanced at Jaz for confirmation.
‘Yep, and thank God too. He drove past on his way home and spotted me. He was amazing, Anna. And he stitched me up.’
‘Huh?’
Jaz unbuttoned her white sleeve and rolled up her shirt showing her stitches. Taylor and Anna both leant in for a closer look, narrowly missing each other’s heads.
‘What did that?’ Anna’s green eyes sparked with awe.
‘A knife, a few of them had knives. I got a small cut on my hand too.’
‘Jesus Christ, Jaz! Did you call the police?’ asked Taylor.
‘No, didn’t have time and after…well let’s just say they were in bad shape too. I think Ryan was more worried about trying to fix me up.’
The siren went and Taylor stood up. ‘This is weird. I’m glad you’re okay, Jaz but I don’t like this Ryan guy. He sounds a bit suss. Stitching you up instead of going to the hospital.’
‘That’s because I didn’t want to go. You know my mum would have freaked, Tay. Ryan did a great job. It’s all okay.’ She reassured her friends.
‘Just watch out, okay. Look, I better catch up with Dan. See ya’s in class.’ He gave her stitches another glance before jogging off to join his mates heading inside.
Jaz did up her sleeve while Anna swooned back against the tree. ‘You are sooo lucky. He took you back to his house?’
‘After he took off his singlet to stop the bleeding.’ Jaz couldn’t help but share that juicy tidbit.
Anna’s jaw dropped just as Jaz expected it would.
‘NO way.’ Anna sighed. ‘Damn it, I say again, you are so lucky.’
Jaz was tempted to tell Anna about his tattoos but decided against it. For some reason that seemed too personal to share. Funny, considering she shared everything with Anna. But this was personal to Ryan and she felt like he’d trusted her with it, and she didn’t want to let him down.
As they picked up their bags and walked towards their class, Jaz couldn’t help but wonder what Ryan was up to today.
*
‘The freak show has come to town. What happened to you? Someone finally tried to make you look better?’ laughed Minka as she paused by her desk. Her blonde hair was shining like spun gold. Jaz wondered how many products she’d used to get that look.
For once, Jaz ignored Minka, and swallowed all her smart arse comebacks. Instead she picked up her bag, and left the classroom. School was finally over for the day and she wouldn’t have the constant stares. The rumour mill must be working overtime. Everyone had given her a wide berth today; well, most of them. Minka wouldn’t let anything stop her from taunting people unless they had something contagious.