Friendship And Family

CHAPTER 32. heartache

                 Andrew's POV

I got out of the supermarket to my mum's car, holding the bag of groceries in my hand. It was a Saturday, and she'd sent me on an errand.

My eyes were hurting from the heat of the sun as I stretched my hand that held the car keys in a hurry to take shelter. The vicinity was void of people, and my mum's car was the only thing parked in the surroundings. It was probably too early, or people don't normally shop under a harsh weather.

I pressed the button and the car beeped twice. I quickly opened the back seat and dropped the bag inside, not checking if it was seated properly before shutting the door and jogging over to the driver's side to get going.

I made to open the car door when I felt a tight grip on my shoulder, which pulled me around in a forceful manner.

I met Jeff's eagle eyes, Deborah's boyfriend, and with him were two of his classmates. I didn't need anyone to tell me it was all Deborah's doing, and I wondered what story she must have cooked up for him.

"So you've been the one messing around with my girlfriend."

Being the cause of his anger was already a plus for me. "Get a life, I don't have your time." I turned around and opened the door and he appeared in front of me and palmed it shut.

"But you have all the time to mess with Deborah!"

I scoffed at his petty words, my anger reaching its tipping point at the same time from the noise he was drilling in my ears. I never start a fight, but he was looking for trouble. "It's not my fault you can't satisfy her." I got in his face with a smirk on mine, provoking him further.

Next thing I knew I was staggering backwards, and then pinned to the car by his friends before I could react, each holding either of my arm. I hadn't recovered from the face punch and he hit me again with the back of his hand. I felt a sharp sting close to my left eye from the metal on his finger.

He then gripped my jaw tightly, turning my head to face him. "How tough are you now?" His voice held vengeance as he mocked me.

I shot him a menacing stare. "Tell your puppets to let go of me and you'll see."

He dunked his knee in my stomach and I groaned from the excruciating pain that kept coming. His hands were firm on my neck and I couldn't get them off because mine were held down. I was running short of breath, the pain made me nauseous, and my vision was starting to blur out.

"Hey!"

The hitting stopped and they dropped me carelessly on the hard-bricked floor. Jeff gave me a final kick in the stomach before they all got away like thugs.

I was gasping for air and coughing my throat out, while gripping my stomach that was seriously arching.

"Are you okay?" The security guard in blue uniform squatted next to me.

"I'm fine." I barely got the words out as I struggled to get on my feet.

"Do you know the guys? We can report them."

"I don't know them," I replied in a rude tone which was unintended, but somehow his questions were pissing me off. Plus, I never asked for help even though I felt grateful.

He overlooked my stubborness and held me up. The pain in my stomach was a heavy weight on my legs. He opened the car door for me and I fell in the chair, grimacing. He looked in the direction they ran off to and shook his head.

"Drive safely," he said when I held the door handle.

"Thanks," I told him, closing it shut.

I watched him through my windshield as he walked back to his duty post, while I relaxed my head on the headrest to regain myself.