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My heart pounded loudly in my chest, echoing in my ears. My legs ached as I pushed through the crowds of people and darkness had fallen. Some random people called after me or whispered swear words after I had shoved them but I had bigger things to worry about than angry middle-aged caucasian men.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" A rough raspy voice hollered from behind me. No one had really seemed to care about the group of three large teenage boys chasing a smaller teenage girl through the streets.

I broke away from the crowds of people and ran across the road, in between cars as they waited at the traffic lights. The boy's shoes stomped heavily on the concrete, I was desperate to get away from them. I reached the other side of the road and turned around to see how far back they were. I felt almost defeated as I saw how close they were, only meters away.

I suddenly ran into a hard force, my body panicked and jumped backward as hands stabilized my body. I look up and saw the familiar deep blue eyes, it was Jace.

A frown fell over his face as he looked down at how distressed I was. Before he could ask questions he noticed Nate and his associates, Jace's grip on my shoulders tightened. I glanced beside Jace, he had a group of four other rough-looking people with him.

"Give her here Jace," Nate spoke as we all stood in a stand-off fashion. Jace shook his head no. "You have five seconds to get the fuck outta here," Jace answered hatefully.

"Come on dude she's not worth it," One of Nate's friends spoke. "Oi listen to ya buddy here you don't wanna get your ass kicked again huh?" Jace chuckled smugly. Nate's eyes narrowed intensely on us, his pride too high to walk away. I looked between the two boys in annoyance and started to quickly speed toward Nate, Jace attempting to grab my arm as I walked away.

Before Nate could react I punched him as hard as I could in the jaw causing him to fall back slightly. My feet were firmly on the ground as my chest rose and fell quickly, my sore fist clenched by my side.

Nate looked towards me with wide eyes as he held the side of his face, Nate's friends refused to move. "Get the fuck outta here. You better leave me and my brother alone, got it?" I spoke firmly.

Nate hit the shoulders of both his friends lightly telling them that they're now leaving before all three of them turned around and walked away. My breathing calmed as I rubbed my fist with my other hand, staring at the back of the boy's heads in hate. An arm slithered over my shoulders, Jace leaning against me slightly.

"Not too bad new girl, where you know them dickbags from huh?" He questioned nonchalantly. I pushed his arm off me and stared blankly at him.

"How do you know them?" I snapped. My eyes furrowed in sudden annoyance towards the boy, what? Did he think he was my friend or something?

"I jus- um don't worry about it," Jace speaks firmly trying to mask the visible sadness behind his eyes. He is extremely bad at hiding his emotions and I felt a little bad for being unnecessarily mean.

"Oi Jace, you comin' or what?" One of his friends a few meters away hollered. Jace looked over to his group of friends and exhaled, he looked down at me.

"You should come to hang with us," He says. I thought for a few moments, frowning at him with uncertainty.

"It's okay if you don't wanna but at least let me drive you home," Jace stated. I was almost kicking myself, I can't trust this person so easily. This person I've only known one day and spoken to twice.

"I'm going home," I spoke bluntly. "Then I'm driving you. You're not walking around here by yourself with them dickheads still out." Jace answered.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle it," I sassed gesturing towards my hand. "Yeah I'm sure you can handle Nate but not if six of them gang up on you. Trust me I'd feel like shit if something bad happened to you and I could've done something."

Why does he even give a shit about me? He's known me for around a day and he's already getting all protective and it annoyed me.

"I don't need a babysitter," I say looking away from his bright blue eyes. "I'm not your babysitter I'm just looking out for you. Now can you please stop being difficult and walk with me back to Shawn's house so I can get my car?" Jace snapped, almost yelling at me in a fit of frustration. Generally, I wouldn't let people yell at me but I couldn't really get mad at him if he was just trying to be nice to me.

"Okay fine," I whispered. Jace exhaled and closed his eyes trying to calm himself down. "Sweet," He murmured as he began to walk down the footpath and I followed closely. I saw Jace's friends all the way down the end of the street as they were being loud and carrying on. We walked in a thick silence while Jace angrily kicked rocks and random objects on the path.

"How do you know Nate?" I ask. Jace's face stared straight ahead as I watched some kind of thoughts flash over his eyes.

"We used to be best friends me and him when we were little and uh, he moved schools. Got with the wrong people and turned into whatever he is now. He only hates me because I remind him of who he used to be, every time he sees me he wants to fight. He's only won once because I was drunk in the street alone, and he thought that would be the perfect time to beat the shit outta me." He explained emotionless. I didn't really have anything to say or follow up with that.

I was a little shocked though, I hadn't thought that anyone really went through similar experiences to me. "You gonna tell me how you know him?" He questioned turning to me with his deep eyes.

"I mean if you want but I just told you something not a lot of people really know so maybe you'd wanna return the favor." He says as his eyes wandered off to the night sky. We walked in silence for a few moments, I can't open up to this boy. I didn't even know him. What was I thinking?

"I used to live on the streets a lot with my brother and a bunch of other friends. Nate and his huge ass group would always take our stuff to beat us up while we slept. He hates me and my brother the most because Nate just wanted to get in my pants. So my brother beat the shit outta him, nearly killed him. Things from then just got worse. I've been stabbed by him a couple of times, beaten he's actually killed one of my friends. And how his parents kicked him out and he's left the school he's got more time to chase after me and my brother all day." I explained. Jace kept quiet as if he was processing everything I had just told him. His eyes glanced in my direction, anger seemed to flicker over his body.

"It's okay Jace," I whispered. "No!" He hollered suddenly making me jump. "No it's not okay and you can't think that it is," He pleads as he stopped walking and faced me.

"Bonnie you can't just believe being stabbed and beaten is normal. And you can't believe that you deserve it either, I know what it's like and it's rough but I won't let him touch you ever again," Jace spoke with anger towards the situation.

"I don't-" I was quickly interrupted by the boy. "You don't need a babysitter, I know. But I'm back up okay?"

"I don't even know you," I shook my head slightly. "Listen, Bonnie, I know it's weird but I wish I had someone like me when I was where you are. Just don't push away my help,"

I frowned slightly at this boy. He's a little strange and I couldn't understand why he cared so much but I nodded my head and we continued down the street. It was quiet for a few moments Jace seemed tense as I glanced over to him, analyzing everything about him.

I could see he was like me, he may not be a foster kid but he's definitely seen some shit. He's tough and I like that about him. He burrowed into his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He plucked one out as if his hand was a claw from a claw machine and slipped it between his lips.

He shoved the pack deep in his pockets again and lit the cigarette, toxic chemicals lifted into the air and drifted away. He side-eyed me before he handed the death stick out for me to take.

I considered it for a moment, but I had already had a few puffs today and I'd promised Hunter I wouldn't do it anymore.

"No thanks, I'm tryna get off em," I declined and he just nodded slowly. "Was it that bad huh?" Jace questions looking down at the cigarette almost with pain in his eyes.

"You shouldn't do it," I stated. Jace exhaled slowly before placing the cigarette between his lips.

"It's relaxing; and calming. Keeps me focused from distractions," He spoke glancing over to me as he spoke the word 'distractions'. I felt like I just wanted to punch him, just hit him as hard as I could but I didn't. I was cold, hungry and Hunter was probably having a fit because I'm not back yet. It's not like he's the boss of me but he is extremely uptight, only because he cares.

But I knew that I hated this side of Jace with a passion, I mean he was alright at the start of the day but whatever person he's evolved into now I just want to punch.

"You thinking about how much you hate me hm?" Jace suddenly questions catching me off guard. "I can see the look on your face," He adds.

"You're being a dick," I bluntly state silencing him completely. Jace looked down at his feet as he walked, flicking his unfinished cigarette on the ground and walking over it. He lifted his head, his luminous green eyes stare at me as his eyebrows furrow together.

"I'm sorry," I say a little suddenly. My eyes widened slightly as I wasn't expecting something like that from him.

"I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year and uh, it's not really something that goes away or you can control," Jace sighs. "I'm sorry if I was rude to you, I didn't mean it," He adds softly.

"Don't worry about it," I shake my head slightly as we had now reached the end of the street. A large house with pumping music and drunken teenagers flooding the proximity was in front of us. A road separating Jace and me from the house, lights flashed inside along with red solo cups and rubbish littered on the front lawn.

I smirked a little, I remember parties like these. Jace fished around the pockets of his leather jacket before I heard the jiggling of keys. An old-looking holden commodore unlocked from across the street as I walked by Jace's side to the black car. I went to the passenger's side and placed my hand on the car door.

"Bonnie," Jace says attracting my attention as he stood on the other side of the car. He pointed his car keys towards me. "If you make a mess in my car I will end you," He says half-joking. "I love my car okay? Okay." He mentions before quickly getting inside.

How am I supposed to make a mess? I got inside the car and put my school bag at my feet. I put my seat belt on as the engine roars to life. I quickly turned up the heaters and placed my icy hands over them.

"That cold huh?" Jace asks checking his mirrors before he pulled out of his parking spot. "Well unlike you I don't have like ten layers on," I retorted.

"Bonnie I have no idea where I'm going," Jace suddenly states. "Oh uh, migley street," I answered.

"Jesus christ how far did you run?" Jace quizzed as migley street was on the other side of town. I stayed silent and stared out the window. "You're a little weird," Jace mentioned as I turned to look at him and narrowed my eyes on the boy. The car slowly rolled to a stop and I opened the car door, glared into the car as I stood on the street.

"Bye," I abruptly spoke and shut the car door. I stood out the front of my foster home, I heard my brothers yelling from inside. A shatter echoed throughout the house as I slowly walked up the street steps. The front porch light, illuminating a section of the street. I sigh and entered the house.

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(WORD COUNT: 2257)

love, tassie <3
➩ unedited •