Lost in Your Ice

Chapter 1

It took another stolen glance for Lilly to understand what was going on. The moment she saw blood on the tiles, her heart did a triple axle jump and her head felt light and the walls of the grocery store began spinning around her. She immediately looked away, breathing hard.

The blood dripped to the ground like the ketchup she liked drenching her food with. She breathed hard and fast,trying to keep her pain inside and not let it spill like her blood. Still, she couldn't help a whimper from escaping her mouth. She licked the salty blood from her limps and clenched her fists on both sides. She kept her eyes on the rack of chips in front of her, but the blood was pouring like rain now and it was impossible to avoided looking at it. She wanted to throw up. She didn't dare touch her nose or bring her fingers even close to it.

TAs she gripped the rack and attempted to get up, a kick in the stomach slammed her back to the floor. She grunted and grabbed the boot clad foot that pressed down on her stomach. She shoved it off and scampered onto her feet, her hands touching the blood stained tiles. "You bastards!" She seethed. Snickers came from behind the rack. She grabbed two large packets of chips and flung them at the two. It was a perfect shot.

"You wouldn't," one of them said in a threatening voice, his expression turning cold.

"I just did," answered Lilly, but only she could hear herself. She took hold of several packets and held them tight in her hands. The men laughed out loud synchronously. "Idiots," whispered Lilly, getting ready to target their faces again, but a hand grabbed her wrist, twisting it. It was the guy who had kicked her and made her nose bleed. Lilly wondered if hitting him with of the packets could make his nose bleed. She tried to ignore the blood staining her other hand and punched him in the jaw. He staggered back. She took it as a sign to punch him again, but he grabbed her wrists and pushed her against the rack. She groaned as her back hit the metal rods.

"Listen, you little piece of shit, you won't get away with this," he threatened.

"And you will?" She challenged,   She resisted against his push, but he lifted her wrists and pinned them above her, the rack digging into the back of her hand. Taking the opportunity, the two boys who worked for Jeremy rounded the rack and joined the show on the side it was happening. They snickered and made fools of themselves. Lilly's blood boiled. She would beat their lights out at the next chance she gets.

"Where's my money?" He spat.

"I told you I'll give it to you tomorrow!" Lilly struggled to free her hands. Her heartbeat increased. She was nervous now. Tomorrow? She didn't even earn a penny of what she owed him.

"Tomorrow?" He let her go and moved a few steps back, considering it. Lilly stared down at the ground and nodded.

"Yes, tomorrow."

"All seven hundred thousand?"

She bit her lip, tasting blood again. She lifted her head and resolutely  answered. "All seven hundred thousand and twenty."

There was a smirk and by now, her hands were itching to plant a hard slap on all three faces. She swallowed and navigated the endorphins to the exit. Her eyes fell on the cash register where there was nobody there.

"You can't go just yet," said Jeremy.

Lilly kept her eyes on the door. Jeremy pressed Kleenex into her hand and she looked at him, surprised.

"You can't go out looking like that."

The door opened and the cashier stood there staring. Lilly shoved the Kleenex back into her stepfather's pocket and said, "keep your pity to yourself." On her way out, she stepped onto Kashif's foot, the one she loathed the most out of the two idiots. The cashier had his mouth wide open as she passed him. She pointed at him and then at the three men surrounding the food racks, chip packets lying around them and chips spilt on the ground. "They wasted your stuff," she said and left.

When she was on the pavement, she called Dina to come pick her up. Jeremy and the guys would be busy dealing with the cashier for a while so she was safe waiting. Dina was on her bike and around the city all the time. If she was near, she would drive up any moment and take Lilly with her wherever she was going next.

Lilly walked some distance further from the grocery store, and waited. Just as her patience was running out and she stated hearing men yelling and cursing at each other, Dina pulled up beside the cars lined up and took off her helmet. Her curly blonde hair shone gold in the sunlight. She waved at Lilly and Lilly hopped on behind her.

"What happened?"

Lilly sighed. "Don't ask."

"You look bloody as-"

"Ugh, Dina, just drive."

Dina put her helmet on and pulled out a pack of Kleenex from her pocket. She handed it to Lilly saying, "you look bloody as fuck."

Lilly wiped her upper lip and dabbed at her nose as Dina drove. She had hold onto Dina's shoulder tightly as she dealt with her blood and cleaned it off. It made her dizzy and nauseous.

"I'm headed to a party. Want to come with?" Asked Dina as she turned into a narrow and quiet street. It was that question that snapped Lilly out of her daze and she realised where they were going. Lilly could go anywhere but back to that he'll hole.

"I look like shit."

"Nobody would care what you like."

Lilly rolled her eyes. Dina was a great friend for transport and spending time at parties, but their friendship wasn't deep enough for any of them to care what they looked like at a party. They had never spent more than half an hour together or anywhere other than on Dina's bike.

Dina stopped near the rusty brown door of Lilly's house. "Hundred bucks," she said.

Lilly sighed her pockets for cash. "I have none."

"You owe me," said Dina.

"Come on, what are we friends fro?"

Dina smirked, taking Lilly by surprise p. "Friends?"

Lilly's heart sank. Was this happening to her because she didn't pay Dina for the past two weeks for the transport. "I..thought-" She stammered and blinked.

"What? You thought we were friends just because I was nice to you a few times and drove you places?" Dina slung a leg over the seat and sat with both legs on one side, facing Lilly. "We're not friends. I provide you a service and you pay me. You haven't been doing that for a couple weeks."

"I don't have money right now." Anger flared up her veins. She pursed her lips and watched Dina settle onto her bike again and drive away after warning her to pay everything she owes by tomorrow.

Lilly punched the brick wall beside her and kicked it. She felt blood on her upper lip again and threw the Kleenex at the door. She banged the door open and it fell off it's hinges. Lilly never imagined herself coming back here again after what happened at the grocery store, but she had the only thing that brought her comfort hidden inside the tiny room she slept in.

Her skating shoes.

She made up her mind to grab the skating shoes from the closet and run straight to the rink, the only place where she felt like people loved her. The people who watched her skate from the bleachers.

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