Perfect Friends (1)

Chapter 44: Pain

"Ow." Tom winced as the first aider dabbed the blood on his forehead.
"Keep still Tom." She instructed, Tom frowned as she started cleaning the blood. After she patched it up with a plaster Tom was free to go. Katie waited outside he back against the all with her arms folded waiting patiently for Tom to come out.
"What happened?" She sighed as Tom came out the door.
"I got into a fight with Quinn, but it's fine don't worry about it." Tom told her.
"I'm just sick of this fighting." Katie said.
Tom smiled weakly, "me too Katie."
"Just please promise me you won't fight with Quinn again." Katie requested.
"I won't, promise." Tom said hooking his pinky finger with hers.
She nodded, "good."

"Does fights like that usually happen in this school?" Rico asks Jan as they collect their lunch.
"Kind of, only they're meant to be best friends but a certain party changed that." Jan hesitated slightly.
"Oh, bad party?" Rico guessed.
Janice glanced at him smiling slightly, "yeah, I guess it was."
"Hey, I was wondering if I could come round your house so we could maybe work on a song together...as a duet?" Rico asked hopefully taking a sip from his water.
"I'd love that! But I'm not sure my step dad would be too happy about it." Janice admitted.
Rico looked down slightly disappointed, "oh, ok."
Janice suddenly felt bad, "I'm sorry, my stepdad won't be problem you can come if you want."
Rico's face lit up, "Thanks Jan."

Janice unlocked the door with Rico following after her, "here we are, home sweet home." Janice said once she got the door open and invited Rico in.
Rico looked around the house, "you've got a really nice house, it's got a nice feeling."
"Thanks." Janice chuckled awkwardly laying her guitar case on the middle of the living room floor.
"So, what song shall we start with?" Rico asked as he set his guitar up.
"I'm not sure, I think 'Ed Sheeran thinking out loud' is a good one." Janice suggested as she set her guitar in her lap in the settee.
Rico nodded, "that's my favourite song, I love Ed Sheeran."
Janice smiled strumming slightly, "me too."
"Do you know how to play it?" Rico asked.
Janice nodded, "yeah I've been practising this song for a long time."
The two started to play occasionally giving each other wide grins and sweet smiles they got so lost in the music they didn't realise that Jan's mum came in with Jacob darting in the room only stopping to see Jan and Rico play the guitars.
"Janice?!" Jacob screamed running into the living room.
Janice stopped playing the guitar as a smile rose from her face seeing her happy little brother, "hello little man."
"Who's this Jan?" Janice's mum asked following Jacob.
"Oh this is a friend from school, Rico, he's new and he plays the guitar." Jan explained giving Rico a smile which he returned.
"Well hi Rico, I'm Julie, Jan's mum." Jan's mum greeted shaking his hand.
"Erm, hello Julie, delighted to meet you." Rico replied politely.
Julie left the room with Jacob following up the stairs.
"So where's your dad, is he working late?" Rico asked Jan.
"My step-dad obviously is...and um...well you see my dad...is...you know..." Jan trailed off.
"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to ask." Rico said apologetically as he came round and sat next to Jan.
"It's alright Rico you didn't know he was..." Jan paused as tears filled her eyes.
"Jan, I know what it feels like to lose someone, I lost my grandma and I lived with her until I was 15, she sang and taught me how to play the guitar she was my inspiration. I was devastated when I heard that she died in hospital." Rico explained.
"My dad was the most bravest man in the family, he bought me my first guitar when I was three and he taught me lots of stuff, I suppose I was more of daddy's girl, we were so close, he'd buy me albums of different artists every birthday and Christmas. When I was 12 my mum fell pregnant with Jacob and my dad thought it was a good idea to join the war." Jan hesitated, "then we got news saying he got shot in the chest and there was nothing they could do to save him." Jan trembled as tears started to drop on her cheeks.
"Jan, you can stop of you want I don't want to see you in pain like this." Rico told her.
Jan sniffed wiping the tears away, "I'm sorry, just every time I think about him, it just brings back memories, good and bad."
Rico pulled her into a hug and let her cry on his shoulder, "it's alright." He whispered rubbing her back reassuringly.
"I'm sorry Rico." She said her voice quavering as she pulled out of the hug.
"Are you sure your going to be alright now?" Rico asked Jan as his arm was round her tightly.
Jan nodded sniffing up slightly giving a weak smile.
Rico smiled back at her, "Good, don't let me see you upset like that again."
Jan stared into his deep brown eyes as he started back at her crystal blue ones.
Suddenly the door flew open and in stomped Jan's step-dad.
"Oh no." Jan muttered.
He stormed in the living room towards the kitchen which was attached to it and went in the fridge not giving a glance at Rico and Jan.
"WHERE'S ALL THE BLOODY BEER?!" He yelled.
Rico stood up packing his guitar away quietly but awkwardly.
"JULIE?! WHERE IS IT?!" He boomed again.
When Rico finished he sat next to Jan just as Gary entered the room laying his eyes on Rico his face full of hate, "Janice, who's this?"
"Um, this is my friend Rico we were practising with the guitars." Jan explained.
"Yeah we were, but I was just leaving." Rico said awkwardly grabbing his school bag and guitar case.
"Good get out of here sonny." Gary mumbled scornfully.
"Bye Jan." Rico said quickly rushing out of the front door and shutting it behind him.
"Who the hell was that?" Gary snapped locking his eyes on Janice.
Janice looked down at her knees, "he was just my friend that wanted to play the guitar with me."
"Just a friend? Jan, I don't tolerate you lying to me it was bad enough with Quinn!" Gary yelled.
Janice snapped her head up, "I'm not lying Gary!"
Gary studied her hard, "have you been crying?"
"No." Jan replied quickly.
"Where's the beer?" Gary questioned looming over her creating a shadow above her.
Jan swallowed hard. "I don't know."
"Why are you lying to me?!" Gary bellowed grabbing her shoulders digging his nails in.
"GARY GET OFF!" Jan screamed.
"Shut up! Your mum will hear you!" Gary hissed putting his hand over her mouth.
She tried to fight back and scream her hardest but all that came out was muffles due to his hand over her mouth.
"Now tell me where the beer is!" Gary ordered taking his hand off her mouth.
"Your hurting me." Jan whimpered.
"TELL ME!" Gary demanded.
"In the cupboards." Jan breathed out.
Gary took all his force off her and made his way angrily to the kitchen.
"If I find out your lying to me..." Gary started.
Jan shook her head violently, "no Gary I'm not. I swear."
He smirked, "good, now you stay sitting there like a good little girl, I'm not finished with you yet..."