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Chapter Three

I fell asleep quickly; seconds after Ray and I had shared our small moment of smugness over what Gerard had done for me. But I clearly wasn't asleep for long because when I woke, it was still dark and everyone was still snoring, grunting or making some other form of sleeping noise. I couldn't move, the pain was so consuming. I hadn't seen my face since Gerard lashed out but I'm pretty sure no one would have cleaned me up while I was out; Gee can be a scary dude when he's angry, I don't blame any of the guys for not helping me out. Judging by my arms though, I'd say I'm definitely just a bloody mess.

I never noticed how choked up my nose was with thick, dried blood until I'd woken up slightly, no longer hazy with drowsiness. It was quite difficult to breathe actually so I tried to pick myself up off the couch to sit so I wouldn't end up choking myself. Needless to say, that didn't go too great. In fact, if the sound that rang out next hadn't happened, I, myself, would have found it quite comical; I was writhing about trying to make myself fall off the safe leather that I was lying on, I could picture my face scrunched, painfully, up in concentration and waiting for more pain as my broken body would thud to the ground of the bus for the second time tonight. As it was, her harsh, bitter yet falsely sweet sounding giggle stopped me in my tracks and made me lie still once again.

I didn't turn my head to look at her, partly because I refused to but also partly because she was too far round for my neck, in it's currant messy state, to allow me. So instead, I just lay there, motionless, allowing her to make her next move. I could almost feel the power radiating off her, hitting me through the darkness, laughing at me mockingly. I over think things, I know, its part of my problem. But still, I could actually feel the laughter pulsing from her even though she had fallen silent. All I could do was listen as her feet padded against the thinly worn carpet, walking towards where I lay. I was prepared for her to jeer at me or something along those lines, possibly kick me or slap me, like I slapped her earlier, before traipsing back to Gee's bunk to crawl back under his protective, desperate arms.

What I didn't expect, and what she did do much to my immediate shock, was for her to gently place her left arm over my shoulder blades and then to scoop her right hand under my arm to manoeuvre me into a sitting position on the couch. My mouth literally dropped open, even that pained me, and I stared at her as she retreated to the back of the bus out of my sight.

The blood eating away at my nose, which I had thought was dried and crusted, blocking it proved me wrong and began pouring freely down my face. I couldn't move to stop the flow so instead just sat and allowed it to happen. At least I could breathe now. I was just thinking how pathetic I must look when I jumped in fright as I felt cold hands reach out and touch my nose, then bringing soft cotton wool over it soaking in all the red. I didn't know what to do so I just let Sara continue with her uncharacteristically helpfulness.

She had clearly gone to the compact bathroom at the back of the bus when she disappeared the first time to get stuff to help clean me up because I glanced over to the table Ray had been sat at and it was taken up by bottles of bright coloured liquids that I just knew would sting like hell when she got to using them. Ah, I sighed inwardly in relief as I thought that, she wasn't being a nice nurse after all, she just wanted my wounds to continue hurting me. For a minute I had forgotten who Sara Hafferty was.

"Sara I..." My tone had intended on being hard and angry but with the swollen jaw and lack of action in my voice for some time, it came out as a squelchy hoarse whispering that sounded unbelievably pathetic to even my own ears. But it didn't matter anyway because she cut me off.

"Shh Mikey. Please just let me do this." She stopped momentarily from dabbing away at my cheek with a damp cloth and stared me straight in the eyes. The look she gave threw me so much; her eyes were watery as if she could cry, her eyes were honest, she was pleading with me. I just nodded and let her continue. She took one of the bottles, this one full of green liquid that shone over her face eliminating its fragile appearance in the dark light of the bus, and poured some on a fresh cloth and brought it to my face. Like I suspected, it stung but not as much as my skin would have had it been left alone.

When she was done with my face, she gently pulled my shirt over my head and stared sadly at me for some seconds before reaching for another bottle, this time orange, and repeating the action she had done with my face. I couldn't really understand why my body was so messed up, I only remembered Gerard hitting me in the face.

"He kept beating you after you passed out." She whispered scaring me slightly at the fact she had more or less read my mind and also because for the past half an hour, I'd say if I had to guess how long she had been nursing me, we had been in silence. I didn't say anything back, I was too busy concentrating on how good the cool liquid felt against my skin.

"Mikey I'm sorry." She said so quietly as she rubbed my shoulders with the cloth. I had never heard her say those words before; not when she ruined family gatherings, not when she fell out with Gee, not when she smashed up my mom's car because mom told her, jokingly, that the cookies she had made were over cooked -lesson learned: never joke with Sara. Something inside my calmness snapped and I did all I could do in my physical state, I snorted. Although all I wanted to do was walk away. I snorted and I managed to say, "Yeah right," as she knelt in front of me with those pleading eyes again.

Her fingers wrapped around my face and softly pulled my head around to look her in her eyes, "please Mikey. I am sorry, I don't say that often, but I am. I shouldn't have dragged you into this. I'm sorry.." her voice was soft and the tears were slowing falling from her eyes.

All I could think was, 'do I actually know Sara Hafferty like I thought I did?' and I stared at her. I didn't think about what I said back, I just said it, "Fuck off bitch! You shouldn't of even dragged Gee into this fucking pitiful excuse for a relationship!" my expression went blank as soon as I said it, I could tell.

She stood from where she was before me and stared down into my eyes. Her tears had stopped and she looked stunned by my unconscious words. She slapped me across the face really hard and left my skin stinging pitifully as she stalked back to the bunks. But she snarled quietly back to me before she disappeared, "leave me and Gee the fuck alone you little shit! You don't understand anything!"

I smiled as she left my vision. I was right; I did know her. I did know Sara Hafferty.

I couldn't sleep after she had left, too many thoughts were running through my mind.

I sat for about five minutes before I reached for my cell phone to dial the number I always dial whenever something's troubling me. It was still dark but I knew she'd answer and be willing to talk to me, she always did.

"Hi Mikey..." I sighed as her peaceful, soothing voice answered almost instantly

"Hey Sally..."

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