"I know about the burn on your arm."
My blood ran cold and my heart almost stopped. I felt like I was paralysed, Van's angered and concerned eyes had me frozen.
Larry had turned white with his mouth agape. I shouldn't have put him under that pressure, of course he would say something. It wasn't exactly something you could brush under the carpet.
Van softly took a step closer to me. He winced when his fingers slowly pulled my hair back and saw my cheek.
"I'm so sorry El, I thought you told 'im and it came out." Larry apologised.
I wasn't angry at him. He cared enough to try and keep it in.
"Don't be sorry Larry. You did nothing wrong." I choked out, avoiding any type of eye contact with Van.
He was still examining my cheek. His eyes wide and his lips slightly parted. I knew it wasn't a pretty sight.
"Who did this Eleanor?" Van spoke up.
He already knew the answer, all he wanted was for me to confirm it.
"Kyle."
My voice went shaky and when it came to trying to explain how it happened, my eyes started to water.
"He said I lost him a customer. My mum. I called him sick and then he grabbed my arm and pulled out a shard of glass."
"He slashed my cheek and ran. Said that pain was nothing. He's going to do worse, I know it."
By then my eyes were flooding with tears, some falling down my cheek. Larry was nervously playing with his hands but Van who had previously been filled with anger, had softened up.
"It's going to be okay El." He hummed, wrapped his arms around me.
I hadn't up until that point, realised how tall Van was. He was at least another half a head bigger than me.
His hands gently rubbed up and down my back, it was sort of soothing in a way. I felt safe tucked into the crook of his neck, but I also felt bad for probably getting makeup on his t-shirt.
"I'm sorry Van." I frowned, my voice weak and small.
"Don't be sorry love. I get why you didn't want to say anything, I was a bit harsh." He chuckled.
His grin could light up anything, including my heart.
Just as he pulled away Larry jumped up and threw his arms around me.
"I'm sorry." He repeated at least eight times.
A smile grew on my tear-covered face.
"Don't be sorry, you were right. I was jus' too stupid to see that I could actually trust certain people."
Thankfully he started smiling and the overall atmosphere of the room brightened.
"Has he left your house?" Larry asked, a glint of worry in his eyes.
"He hasn't been near it since last Saturday."
"Well he better not come near it or you again." Van muttered lowly.
I knew I could trust Van and Larry to keep this quiet. They wanted to help me and I was thankful for that, I jus' didn't want either of them to get hurt too.
"Mate, Kyle's always around my place. Not my house but that area, he creeps me out." Larry shivered.
"He's a prick." Van sighed.
Couldn't disagree with that one.
"I know this probably sounds stupid, but you's can't tell anyone about this. My mams going to get better and if rumours fly around about this it'll knock her down completely." I bit my lip.
Larry nodded in agreement whilst Van remained still, his eyes staring deep into mine. He wasn't angry, he was just thinking.
"We won't, but you can go walking around alone El. Anywhere you go, have someone with you. I don't care if it's three in the morning and you just want to go grab fresh air, call me and I'll come. I wouldn't turn you down."
I was glad that he said that. The idea of being alone and at risk of Kyle terrified me, at least if I had company he wouldn't risk coming near me.
"Thanks." I smiled.
Just at that moment, Mary returned with a flask of tea and a biscuit tin.
"Goodness, what did I miss? You alright Eleanor?" She gasped in a high pitched tone.
"You didn't miss anything Mary and El's fine." Van smiled innocently.
"Oh good, thought she looked sad or summat, must be my eyesight getting worse." Mary frowned, plopping down on her desk chair.
The room slowly returned to silence until the lunch bell rang.
I grabbed my bag and followed Van and Larry out the isolation door.
"What do I say if someone asks? I can't keep my hair like this forever." I sighed as we swerved our way past others who were desperate to eat their lunch.
"Say you fell in the shower, walked it off summit on your way down. It sounds possible." Larry chuckled.
I guess it would work, I had already told my mam that I had slipped and she didn't question it.
"Right lids, let's go." Larry clapped his hands.
Throughout lunch I could feel Van staring at me. I kept my hair over my cheek and ensured that there was no movement.
The last thing I wanted was for this entire thing to play on Van's mind. This wasn't something that he should have to worry about.
"So are we going to do it?" Harper grinned, clapping her hands.
I hated zoning out.
"It'll be class, although we need tents." Benji pointed out.
"I've got a few at home." Bondy nodded.
I honestly had no clue what they were talking about.
"Alright!" Ade beamed. "Friday we will go home and grab our shit then meet up at the forest! Harper, El and I will grab food so you lads may provide everything else."
"So Friday and Saturday night?" Larry asked.
"Until we want to go home I guess." Ade answered.
We were going camping, it took me a while to figure it out.
I've always loved camping, used to set up a tiny tent in my back garden and pretend I was miles away. Once I went away camping with school and I remember everyone being so bored and sort of terrified when it got dark but I was in my element.
"Eh Larry lad, you can use your Boy Scouts skills to light the camp fire." Benji teased, bumping shoulders with a giggling Larry.
"Don't make fun, you'll be thanking me when it gets cold and dark."
"That we will." Bob smirked.
Soon enough the bell went and I returned to my isolation sentence. Van was quiet, scribbling stuff in his notebook. I didn't want to push him to talk so I just messed around with Larry.
At five past three Principal Mullen stormed in and leant up against the door.
"Caused any trouble yet Mary?" He asked expectantly.
Mary rolled her eyes, "not at all Gary. They're taking their punishment right on the chin, great bunch of kids."
Mary seemed like the type of person that would never bad mouth someone unless she really disliked them.
"Alright then, you three can leave. But you're 'ere till Friday so don't bloody forget!" He warned before leaving just like he came.
As per usual, I walked home with Van. Larry joined us until we got to his street and then we were left alone, walking in silence.
"So camping on Friday, you in?" He finally spoke up.
"Yeah, think I need a little break. You going?"
"Yeah. Should be fun." He nodded.
Camping is always fun.
Van still had a concerned look in his eyes which made me feel awful, I hated the idea of him letting this consume his thoughts.
"Van, you don't need to worry about me. I'm great. I know my arm and cheek might not give off that impression but really, I'm good."
A small smile formed on his face.
"I know, it's just annoying that he's getting away with it. He's a dick." Van mumbled.
"He is one isn't he. But that's why we are going to stop thinking about him, let's have fun on Friday and forget about Kyle and everything else!"
It wasn't possible that I could ever forget about Kyle and what he's done but if I could give off that impression to Van so that he would relax, that's what I needed to do.
"Your very optimistic for someone with a gashed cheek." He smirked, gently bumping his shoulder against mine.
"Eh, it makes me look badass." I chuckled.
Finally he started to laugh and any ounce of worry of fear evaporated into thin air.
We messed around right up until he dropped me off at my front door.
"See you in isolation en?" Van winked.
"You not gonna walk me to school tomorrow?" I dramatised a frown only to crack into a smirk.
"I've got to do something quick in the morning, Larry's gonna walk you. He can't wait!" He chuckled, taking a step forward to hug me.
Van hugged me a lot. Everytime his adoring scent of cigarettes, mints and cheap cologne filled my nostrils and just to admit it, I loved it.
"Well El, I gotta run. Take care of yourself." He smiled before picking up his backpack and walking across the road and into his parents b&b.
Before he walked through the door he turned and waved like a child at their first day of school. It was rather comical which was why I had to turn and walk into my own house before I got stared at for laughing like an idiot.
As soon as I shut the door, Amy Winehouse filled my eardrums. I creeped through the hall and peeped through the door to find my mam dancing around and humming to 'Valerie' whilst she did the dishes.
My throat began to tickle which resulted in a loud and obnoxious cough which then startled the life out of the dancing woman.
"Jesus El, you frightened me!" She gasped holding a hand to her chest.
"Sorry mam, nice dancing though." I smirked.
Conversation between my mam and myself had been rare since the divorce, she was drowning in pain after losing the love of my father and the last thing she needed was to talk to someone who was half of him and herself.
"Aye I'm amazing!" She winked, "oh and El I got a call from school saying your in isolation until Friday."
She didn't really look angry which was a good thing I guess, although I kind of hoped she would get a tiny bit madder. She never really had much interest in education.
"Yeah, was a bit late."
"They should be happy you turned up, could've easily decided not to go in."
She always expressed her opinions towards education powerfully. My mam wanted us to get a head start in life and not waste time in school but my dad said we were going to proper school and that was final. Shes been criticising it ever since nursery.
"I'm going camping this weekend, is that alright?" I asked as she began to return to the dishes.
"All weekend?" She asked, not looking up at me.
"Until we get bored I guess."
"Alright sounds fun."
Just like that she was away doing her own thing and blanking me. I took the opportunity to go and get a bath, finish up my art coursework and get ready for bed.
My eyes were slowly beginning to close until my phone lit up with a message.
From: Van The Man😍
To: Me
'It's 2am and I'm sorry if I woke you but jus wanted to say goodnight.. See you tomorro El X X X'
A smile covered my lips when I noticed that he had changed his name of my phone.
I was learning that Van had his moments, he was an overall caring and warm person but was even better when you actually knew him. Others judged him on the fact that he wanted to make something of himself but nobody could say he was self obsessed or rude because that was lies.
Van did want to make something of his life, but he wasn't going to be cocky about it. From the small time that I had known him I realised that he was polite, passionate and dedicated about his future.
I sent a reply saying basically the same thing before setting my alarm and putting the phone down.
For once I was content with life.
I was getting happy.
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