SUNSHINE | PHAN

sixty three

"chris!"

i spotted him and pj across the courtyard, and rushed over, waving at him. he glared at me harshly, putting his arm around pj's shoulder and pulling him close protectively.

"please," i said, somewhat breathlessly. "just talk to me. let me explain."

"fuck off," chris hissed. pj made a small noise, burying his face in the crook of chris's neck.

"pj," i breathed, turning to look at him. he avoided my eyes. "you believed me. i was just protecting you, i-"

"go away," he muttered. i frowned.

"peej i-"

"you heard him!" chris shouted, pulling away from pj to shove me lightly, and a few heads turned our way. "go away, can't you see you're upsetting him?"

"i-"

"fuck off," he growled. "one more word, and you're fucking dead."

i stared at him. my eyes stung. a heavy feeling enveloped my heart.

"guys, please don't do this."

true to his word, chris swung at me, hitting me in the jaw. pj gasped, and i stumbled backwards.

"hey-!" someone shouted.

when i opened my eyes, the white-clad boy i had run into the other day was standing between my former friends and i, his arms out.

"did you just hit him?" he asked, surprisingly softly.

"yeah," chris growled, glaring at him. "what is it to you?"

there was a shriek, and in seconds the kid had chris in a headlock, and then he was on the ground, writhing in pain. there was a red mark on his cheek, and his wrist was bent oddly; i had hardly seen what had happened.

the kid turned to me.

"i don't like meanies," he muttered, and ran off.