It wasn't broken. I had sprained and severely bruised my leg. They had iced it and I was supposed to keep it elevated. The bruising was pretty dark on my face at first too. My mother wanted to keep me home from school until the worst was healed, so they called my tutor in for extra lessons to keep up.

A week off of school was boring. Sasha was there when Ames came to visit and heard the story from her, so I didn't get punished any extra for the fight. He said being stuck off my feet for a week was bad enough. It really was too. I hated it.

After the first week I was allowed to walk on it again and had to go to physiotherapy. My face was only a light shade of green by then and I went back to school. The fact that I walked away from a fight with three others had quite a few pats on the back and nods in my direction in the halls.

The other three were suspended for the week I was off too. Donny came back with a cast on his leg and Phil's face looked worse than mine at that point. Sasha refused to leave my side in the halls now though. He took me from class to class and sat next to Amy and I at lunch time, wherever we ended up sitting.

My parents were not taking any more chances. I hope they gave him a raise for having to hang around the school halls all day instead of the lounge room. A small part of me was thrilled at the eye candy that was now a regular fixture in my life, even if it got me strange looks from the other students there sometimes.

It wasn't any worse than being picked up by a fancy car and everyone knowing you are stinking rich, now they knew my parents cared... at least about appearances. The school just had to be glad they weren't losing the money I brought with me. I had to be glad I didn't have to switch schools. I was glad. That would have been a royal pain in my arse.

Speaking of pains in the arse, I heard a knock at my door while I was doing my homework and turned slightly when Sasha got up to get it for me. I could hear my mother speaking and he nodded, glancing in my direction a few times. I tossed down my pencil when the door closed.

"So? What did she want, Sir?" I glared at the closed door with a bit of spite. Obviously not to talk to her son... was my thought but I didn't say it out loud. Sasha didn't like it when I was rude or sarcastic about my parents.

"There is a party this weekend and she requested your attendance. Full formal dress to impress and I will be off duty for the evening. It seems Stephan and the security detail will be on for the night." He told me. I frowned but just turned back to my homework.

"That sucks. Well, for me at least. Glad you get a night off. Want me to save you some dessert, Sir?" I grinned to myself, thinking back to the plate of squares. He demurred the need for any such thing and told me to try and have fun that night.

Yeah right. Easy for him to say.

*

I was suffocating. My mother had sent a bloody fashion expert to 'beautify' me for two hours before the damn thing even started. My face itched. I thought my hair stunk. My suit was tight, stiff, and uncomfortable. My mother thought I looked fabulous, so I hated it.

I stood in the sitting room with about six other teenagers that all wished they were anywhere but here and faking enjoying the party. Christopher had a plate of food that he was slowly shoving in his mouth between conversation, big surprise.

"My mother said you got one of the chefs from the 'Rocket Ship' to do your catering. Their food is fantastic." He said with a mouth half-filled with food. I tried to ignore the wet munching and definitely refused to look at him.

"Not sure. I like the cheesy things though." I pointed out the small panko crusted ball things on his plate and he tossed one in his mouth. The moans of delight that followed even had the girl next to me grimacing slightly.

"This is boring. The bartender refused to give me a glass of wine. My mother lets us drink at her parties." The boy across from us said with a sniff. I shrugged.

"My mother is overprotective at best. Normally I can't even go anywhere without my bodyguard. If you want booze, I can't get you it. I'm being watched too closely." I glanced over at the security that stood just outside the doors and next to the bar, then back with a raised brow.

"I understand completely. My father has my friends patted down when they come to my house." The girl next to me said with sympathy. I exchanged a glance with her and a smile.

"Here, give me a second and I will set us up. Meet me on the balcony in ten." Christopher had finished his plate and was walking purposefully over to the food and drinks tables. I shrugged at the others and we wandered out in the direction of the cooler outside gallery overlooking my back gardens.

The lack of people and enclosure making it stifling made all the guys sigh in relief. One of the girls flopped onto a cushioned patio chair made of teak and put her feet up on the marble coffee table. I leaned against the railing and watched the tides of people as they moved inside the window.

"Alright folks. Drinks will be here in five." Christopher came back and grinned at us before flopping into a chair too. Little prick probably paid them off to bring them out. So much for trying to behave tonight, maybe I could have fun like Sasha suggested though. Same thing right?

I watched with a detached amusement as the others gossiped with extreme prejudice. A waiter came out with a tray loaded with drinks and I grinned when I saw the sly manner they were served. If you didn't know better, they all looked quite innocent.

"Rum and Coke?" He whispered. Two guys raised their hands and took the glasses passed to them.

"Tell me one is Gin and Tonic." The girl with the psycho parents said with a hopeful look. The waiter passed her a clear drink and she sighed with satisfaction.

"Vodka with Sprite?" He mentioned. I held up my hand and took the liquid passed to me. It was sharp and smooth as it hit my throat. Good quality alcohol, as expected of my folks.

I turned to the gardens and tuned out the noise behind me. This was better. I felt the burning start in my chest and hummed in contentment. The drink didn't last very long. Chris apparently had set up a few rounds, because the guy came back twice with his tray.

I felt my head swimming uncomfortably. I would have been too hot if it weren't for the coolness of the breeze outside. The words of the others were beginning to slur together into a mush I couldn't follow. Not that I cared. I blinked when the psycho-parents girl approached me.

"Hey." She looked up at me and I watched her bite her lip. Was she going to try and seduce me? That was weird. I mean, she wasn't horrible to look at, but there was no way it was happening.

"Sup." I replied coolly. I looked down at my third empty glass with a frown of disappointment. I tried to put it down gently on a table, but it thunked a little too harshly. I took a deep breath, but it tasted like vodka. I wonder if Sasha drinks vodka on his days off.

I felt a small body pushing me against the balustrade gently and let my tipsy body lean up against the cold concrete. When I felt cold lips trailing along my jaw, I looked down in surprise. It was that girl, staring up at me with a hazy look and too much mascara. I shook my head and turned away from her.

"Naw, hun. I'm too drunk for that." I told her as I tried to walk away. She grasped my jacket and held me back.

"It's okay. I'll do all the work." She tried convincing me. Her words were slurred a little and her eyes seemed too bright. They were dull and dead compared to the ones I wanted to be looking at.

"Not in the mood. Go on now." I pushed her back gently and tried again to slip away. She had my jacket in her grip though and I was feeling claustrophobic. I tried to pry her hand off but she was leaning against me now. I could feel the squishy curves pressing into my body and felt a wave of nausea.

"Don't be shy. Come on. Sneak me to your room." She whispered to me. I rolled my eyes and then shook my head. That was a bad idea. The others were ignoring us. One was sleeping in a chair. Another looked like he was having an effusive conversation with another girl. The other two were making out where they couldn't be seen.

"Not happenin'. Sorry." I pulled back the other way and when she stumbled a bit, I stumbled too. She landed on one of the marble tables. I tripped on nothing and felt myself go down. Where I thought there would be hard concrete, there was air.

When I finally hit something, it was to realise with sickening horror that I was too close to the stairs.

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