Page 105 of Almost Ours

November 14th 2015

Ruby:

I should have known that Oscar being aware of the attack would make things a million times more dramatic than they need to be. He has barely let me out of arm’s reach since the police finished taking my statement, and now, on the walk back to his flat, he has positioned himself on my left, while Josh walks on my right, and Cam trails directly behind us, effectively boxing me into the middle of some ridiculous human barricade.

I glance between Josh and Oscar. “You guys are aware the bad guys have been taken away, right? I don’t need a protective convoy.”

Oscar keeps his eyes ahead, scanning the face of every person who comes anywhere near us. “Are you aware that you were attacked tonight?”

“Yeah.” Cam backs him up.

Oscar shakes his head. “Excuse the shit out of us if we don’t want to take any risks.”

I fight to roll my eyes. “Does not taking risks require Cam to be so far up my arse we might as well form a circle?”

“Sorry,” Cam mutters, dropping back a step.

“Thank you,” I breathe over my shoulder before turning back to Oscar. “Please don’t panic about all this. I’m okay, I swear.”

“You’ve got a black eye, bruises all over your arms and blood on your clothes, Rubes.”

“I know, Oscar. But this is overkill a little bit, don’t you think?”

“No.” Josh answers for him, stepping a little closer when a group of lads comes towards us from the opposite direction. He puts himself between me and them until they’ve passed before looking down at me. “It’s not. It gives us peace of mind, so let us have it.”

I can’t really argue with that. “But it’s only going to be for tonight, right?” The idea that this might give Oscar even more provisions to breathe down my neck makes me want to pull my hair out. I’m not badly hurt. Well, I’m bruised, my face looks horrific and every muscle in my body aches, but none of that means I need somebody following me around campus for the next six months.

Oscar glances at me. “How about we just get through tonight first?”

“That sounds a lot like a no, O.”

“It sounds like I’m not trying to lose my shit, and I need to get you to safety.”

“Am I not safe with the three of you around me like this?”

Josh tuts. “Just tonight, Rubes. Let us fuss over you for one night.”

I tut right back. “I don’t think I like being bossed about like this.”

Josh puts his hand on my lower back to guide me. “I don’t think any of us care right now. We need you to be safe, and we have to get you there.”

I glare at the side of his face but make no effort to stop him from steering me.

We walk the rest of the way in silence, the only noise being other people and Oscar unlocking the front door of his flat. I’m surprised as holy hell when we get inside and Abi and Brooke shoot up from my brother’s sofa like bullets. Emma is in their open-plan kitchen with the kettle boiling, and on the counter next to her is a little stack of pyjamas, fluffy socks, Oreos, and painkillers.

Abi moves towards me first, but the second she gets close and really sees my face, she slows down, tears welling up in her blue eyes. Brooke is right behind her, one hand hovering near her mouth, and neither of them says anything. They just stare with these matching horrified looks etched across their faces.

I rub my arm subconsciously, causing Josh to move closer, offering comfort without a word.

Abi reaches for my hand instead of hugging me, her fingers wrapping carefully around mine, and Brooke comes in on my other side, keeping her distance.

A huge lump forms in my throat.

I’d expected Oscar to be dramatic, Cam to crack jokes, and Josh to hover, but I hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected them to come over or really worry at all.

Emma quietly switches the kettle off and starts making the tea while Oscar guides me towards the sofa by my shoulder. I sink into the corner of the cushions and Abi reaches for the pyjamas, holding them up with this tiny hopeful smile while Brooke grabs the fluffy socks beside them.

“We went to Big Asda,” Abi tells me, dropping them onto the sofa. “Oscar said you’d be staying with him for a few days and we wanted you to have something… new.”