Chapter 4

"Beck!" Una whined, furiously trying her hardest to pull her hand from the boy's grip. She was very pissed off, to say the least, very obviously trying her hardest not to hurt him in any way possible and with her sister on the other side of her making sure she didn't run off, she was truly stuck.

Her siblings meant well, and she knew that she did! but she would much rather spend time at the small tea shop that seemed more like her second home, and she would deny all accusations but she liked having the occasional talk with Gus, and sometimes - only sometimes, would she leave the counter with the warm tea in her hand and a blush spread over her cheeks because of the words he spoke to her.

She was greatly disappointed as she walked through the town on their way to the beach, to see that the small shop was closed for the day. The town was celebrating one of the many festivals of summer, sharing laughter and picnics and music with all residents of all ages and as much as it was lovely that the town cared enough to throw such events, it was far too crowded and as soon as Beck let go of her hand she had navigated her way through the crowd so quickly it was as though she was invisible.

She wished to be, to be invisible - to not have to deal with the stares of strangers and familiar faces around her. She was the kindest girl and helping people was second nature but she didn't enjoy stares or the eyes around her who could spot her at any moment.

The sun was high in the sky and the heat amplified with a number of people that gathered on the beach. Some smiled in her direction, lifting her hands to wave and Cassia and Raymond from the tea shop had even stopped to talk to her for five minutes. They asked about her leg and if the boys who hurt her had tried it again and when she told them that Gus definitely took care of it, they had smiles on their faces that peaked her curiosity - not enough that she asked them, but it did leave her wondering.

She wasn't sure were Gus was, he wasn't popular amongst the students and she wasn't sure he really had friends apart from her, considering he was adamant that she was his friends and as much as she didn't think so at first, she greatly enjoyed the boys company enough to raise the status of friendship when it came to him, and she liked it.

She liked having someone to call her friend other than her siblings, it was nice and enjoyable and being with him was a break from her mother - a break from what she had to go back to at the end of each day. It was a break from the annoyance and the thought that the tea shop may be shut down but by the looks of it, Cassia was never going to let that happen and Una was more than thankful that his parents didn't blame her for her mother, they didn't see them as the same or similar in any way and it sent relief waving over her.

She enjoyed the look of the beach, she couldn't deny, as she watched the people around her have fun. Laughter filled the air from young children to the older residents who ventured outside of their house rarely but made an exception for the day's festivities.

The towns committee that consisted of a few very dedicated people who had loved the town since they were kids had set up the beach to look lovely, in Una's eyes. String lights fell down over poles set up for light when the bright sky turned darker and in the middle of the party stood a bonfire for warmth and excitement.

The table beside Una was set up with snacks and food and all sorts of goodies that the occasional person would take from whilst Una tried her best not to attract attention to herself and when she noticed Cassia and Raymond setting up a small cart near the top of the beach, she decided to make her way over.

"Una!" Raymond beamed at the sight of her, patting her shoulder whilst the girl politely smiled, nodding her head in a greeting of sorts.

"It's such a lovely day isn't it, have you found Gus yet?" asked Cassia, a bright smile crinkling the delighted wrinkles near her eyes.

"Oh no. I didn't look, I've just been keeping to myself," she sighed, "I was wondering what you were doing?"

"We're setting up a cart!" Cassia grinned, "no one cares for the shop when the festivals arrive so we figured it would be a great way to bring in more business. Would you like a cup of tea, Una?"

"Oh! Yes please, I was rather sad to see that the shop was closed today actually. My siblings dragged me here, I would much have preferred someplace quieter," she clicked her tongue, a frown settling on her face and soon did the two laugh whilst she moved to find her purse tucked into her rucksack.

"You're very much like Gus," Raymond smiled, "preferring the quiet. I'm not even sure looking for him would be very wise."

"Yes, he has probably wandered off somewhere far by now," Cassia let out a chuckle, handing a paper cup to Una filled with the tea she loved so much, and when Una tried to pay - Cassia waved her off.

"On the house, Una, it's the least we could do!" she waved the girl off, and as though she saw the confusion written across her face, she spoke, "I haven't seen Gus so happy since we moved here until he started talking about you more often. Until you became his friend."

She knew the blood was rushing to her cheeks before she could fully process the words the woman spoke, and with a small smile tugging at her lips, and a very squeaky "thank you!" Una had to bid them a goodbye so she couldn't embarrass herself.

The tea was a nice relief for her to have and as she climbed onto the wall that overlooked the beach, with her legs dangling in front of her and the tea warming her already warm body, she couldn't deny that she was happy. She was alone, overlooking the happy faces dancing and smiling and socialising during the beach festival below her but she didn't wish to do that, she liked her own company, she liked being alone.

The deep blue waves crashed onto the shore harshly, the tide coming in but the planners had made sure not to let the water ruin the fun and made sure all activities were much far away from the water and at the other end of the beach, but that didn't stop excited kids from running with the waves, ignorant to their parents worry and having fun with their friends.

She hated the thought of going down and pushing her way through the crowd, trying her hardest to have fun doing something she didn't want to and if that made her different then so be it, she liked the tea in her hand and the scenery in front of her and it was enough to keep her happy for the day.

"Having fun?" she almost jumped, almost fell had it not been for the hand that held her shoulder, who stopped her from hurting herself but that didn't stop the howl of laughter that escaped his lips at the reaction of the girl glaring at him.

"I was!" she huffed, shrugging his hand off of her and clutching her hand over her heart, "until I almost had a heart attack!"

"It wasn't that bad," he chuckled, sitting on the wall and mimicking her position with his legs over the side, "so you don't like festivals then?"

"No, I do." she shrugged, "I just...im not very keen on people."

"Understandable," he smirked, laughing, "relatable, too. There are only a select few of people that I like."

"Am I one of them?"

"You're top of the list," he winked, earning an eye roll from the girl who quietly sipped her tea in hopes that the cup in front of her face would hide the redness.

"I'm not sure the friends you got your tattoo with would be very happy about that," she pointed out, nudging her head towards the hidden tattoo under the jacket he wore. She didn't even realise that the smile she had on her face had tugged at her lips the moment his presence became aware, but he wasn't any better.

He was smiling too, and his smile caught her attention because she hadn't ever seen it so big before. It wasn't just a smile, but a full-blown grin and the words that Cassia said to her floated through her head whenever she caught a look at his face.

"I think they would like you, my friends, I mean," he was beaming now, and she knew talking about those friends of his had triggered his happiness. His hands had clasped together in front of him and he was looking out at the water as though it reminded him of something, or someone, and the lights around them - the people, everything.

"They're different, secrets and all that no one could ever know. But who doesn't have secrets?" he shrugged, biting back another smile and Una watched him pull back his jacket in order to stare at the tattoo on his wrist.

He brushed his hand over it and soon lifted his eyes to her, "give me your hand."

"What?!" she laughed warily, eyebrows knitted in confusion but he repeated what he had first said and even gestured to her hand resting on her leg, "why?"

He laughed, "just do it!"

"What if I don't want to?" she asked, her eyebrow raised and a look in her eye that told him very clearly that she was just teasing.

"Then, please will you give me your hand?" he almost went as far as to pout, and his wide eyes weren't helping her as she sat down the paper cup and placed her hand in his. He guided it to the tattoo, brushing her hand over the small heart and she was placed with the oddest feeling.

It was as though she could feel it, feel the tattoo - his happiness, his friends, what they all had. She knew it was impossible, and she never could think of the words to voice her thoughts and she didn't want to either, it would be entirely embarrassing for her to say anything of the sort, and she knew it was just down to how happy Gus was that she was happy for him.

"When did you get it done?"

"Before I left," he mumbled quietly, and neither of them said anything about her hand still resting on his, "we all got drunk," he shook his head as though it was the most idiotic thing he could've possibly done, "and found a tattoo parlour. If all may not be together, but our tattoos show that we'll never forget about each other."

"That's adorable," Una smiled softly. She wanted that, she realised, watching him talk about his friends so fondly she realised that she wanted it too. She wanted the love in her eyes and the swelling of her heart at the thought of having people so close to her that she was so dazed wishing to be near them, she wanted to laugh with people who understood her, who understood that she liked to be alone and yet still pushed her when she needed to be.

She wanted to have people to depend on, to love her as much as she loved them and could talk to them about anything under the sun. She longed for a group of people to accept her because she couldn't yet accept herself.

"Do you miss them?"

"Every day." He liked talking about them, he liked having them as a reminder that he wasn't alone no matter how far away he was from them and no matter how much they were getting by without him, they still missed him terribly.

"Do you talk to them still?" she was curious. She was very evidently curious about the friends he had far away, from the place he used to live but even in the short time she knew him, he didn't talk about his old town or country, or wherever it was he used to live.

It was as though he just appeared without a trace, and his friends lived in some place non-existent.

"As often as I can. They're busy though, all of them," he sighed, "Their parents all have...businesses and they all work in them."

"All of them?" she was rather surprised, to say the least, and it was highly unusual. She wondered if their parent's businesses were the reason that they all met but she didn't elaborate on it.

"Weird, right?" he scoffed. He pulled his sleeve back down and her head moved back to the beach that seemed to be getting busier and busier with every moment passing. The tourists that visited the town during the summer months were very pleasantly surprised to visit today, clearly joining in with the town's festival and feeling at home considering how kind the town was.

"A little," was all she said. Her tea had found its way back into her hand and she would be lying if she didn't miss the warmth of Gus' but she couldn't find the words to say anything. She liked how easy it was to talk to the boy, how much she liked his company and the conversation could flow.

She liked that they didn't need to talk constantly, that they could sit in silence and it was alright. She liked that even though there was plenty of things she wished to say, she didn't need to say it at this moment in time because that's what she had, she had time to talk to him and sometimes silence was a good thing, and basking in each other's company and doing just that was a good thing.

But she was always curious.

"Why did you move?" her voice was barely above a whisper and the music and laughter and fun just in front of them nearly blocked it out had it not been for Gus listening for the sound of her voice, "if you don't mind me asking?"

"My dad's a dick," he laughed bitterly, gesturing to his parents and Una was surprised, to say the least. Raymond was always so lovely and -

"My mum met Raymond when she was filing the divorce papers." Oh, she thought. She had no idea that Raymond wasn't his father, it never crossed her mind to think otherwise - though it was clear that Gus resembled his mother, she was still surprised nonetheless.

"My dad drained my mum of her happiness, she wasn't the person you see now. Never happy, she wasn't ever happy and it broke me to the point that I became a different person for a long time. So she ran away, and I went with her and for a while, we stayed with my aunt until he came looking for us and she finally threw the divorce papers in his face and told him to sign them or watch us leave without a care.

"he couldn't have her still married to him whilst not caring if she was with other men - and believe me that disgusts me at the very thought but he was far too obsessed with his reputation that instead of holding on to what he had with her, he signed them. We stayed in the city for a while but there was always the chance of seeing him, and Raymond suggested here so we packed up and moved.

Leaving my friends was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But I'd do anything for my mum."

A city, he used to live in the city.

It was hard to process everything he told her all at once and she was surprised, to say the least, more than surprised actually, and what surprised her most was that she didn't think twice when she reached for his hand and squeezed it once.

Their fingers laced together and her hand in his sat on his leg as they watched the people in front of them in silence for a few moments longer whilst Una thought of what to say.

"My dad's in jail." She blurted it out before she could think if it was a good idea or not. Talking about her father wasn't something on her to-do list, ever, but Gus trusted her with the information about his father, and who he used to be and that he used to live in a city and she wondered if he had trusted many people with that information.

"Falsely accused." The words almost got caught in the back of her throat and she had to stop the tears before they welled in her eyes. She hadn't said those words out loud before, the four words, 'my dad's in jail' because she never wanted to believe it.

"I don't know if that's the worst part," she whispered so quietly that her voice was barely audible, but Gus was listening intently to every word and his hand squeezed hers so tightly, "or if the fact that my mother knows he's innocent is the worst of it."

"She does?"

"Mhmm," she nodded. She bit down on her lip in anger of saying something she would regret, but soon spoke, "they found him guilty with tampered evidence - the reason I know that isn't anyone's concern but it's true, and I know it. He's not guilty, he's innocent and my mother didn't even try to help him, she just watched him go.

Now she's free to do whoever she wants, whenever she wants as if he isn't still her husband," it was bitterness that laced her tone, and rage - anger more than anything he had ever seen of the girl and her eyes narrowed to slits, "she doesn't deserve him. She never has and she knows I think that she knows how much I hate her.

I wouldn't be surprised if she shut down the tea shop in spite, in hatred of me."

"I think my dad and your mum would make a lovely pair," Gus said and Una snorted. She turned to look at him, and he was already staring at her and with a sigh, her head fell onto his shoulder.

"Thank you for telling me," she mumbled, "about your dad, your friends. It's nice."

He was about to speak when she quickly blurted, "well, your dad isn't nice - your dad is an arse but what I mean is, it was nice of you to tell me!"

He couldn't help but laugh, a small laugh but it was filled with amusement and something else, "I got that, Una, but thank you for clearing that up."

"You're a right git," she grumbled, "I think you like seeing me embarrassed."

"Oh, I do," he nodded, "I find it...endearing."

"Endearing?" she squeaked as though the entire thought of anyone finding her endearing was completely blasphemous, "I hardly think anything about me is anything of the sort."

"I think your love for tea is endearing," he admitted, "the way you read a different book every single day, the fact that you care so much about your siblings and you would stop doing what you love to keep them company.

"I think that the fact that you're you is endearing. You haven't changed for anyone else, and you never will and you don't want to and that makes you very endearing," she was sure her face resembled the deepest shade of red, "the fact that you don't let your mother get to you no matter how much you hate her is endearing and that you find what you love in a crowd of what you don't."

"You're just making stuff up now," she whispered quietly. She wasn't used to compliments of any sort, by anyone. She wasn't used to someone saying something so kind to her because she never had someone before, someone like Gus to tell her of her importance.

She was surprised, to say the least because he was being serious, he thought these things and she could tell from the look in his eyes when she dared a glance to see him staring down at her, and she couldn't help but look away so quickly.

"I wouldn't." Her eyes had fixated on the hand hers was intertwined with, the hand resting on his leg whilst she leaned into him, leaned into the warmth he emitted and the comfort and everything else. She wondered if this was how all friends acted, she knew, of course, that whatever it was between her and Gus that it was terribly sudden and a little overwhelming to say the least but she liked it.

She liked the sound of his voice calling her endearing. She didn't care about her flushed cheeks because his were flushed too, and she would go as far as to say she loved the feeling of his hand clasped in hers.

She wondered how different the past month would be had he not helped her with those bullies, hadn't threatened them to leave her alone. She wondered how many injuries she would still have, how many bruises and cuts and scars from those boys who would never fail to leave her alone.

She wondered if she would be as happy as she was, that she would feel good about spilling the secret she had never said out loud before.

"You know," his voice was as quiet as it had been for the duration of their chat, "I wasn't going to come here today. I don't like it, this many people, the crowds, the noise, it bothers me for some reason I don't know. I was walking down to the shop to get someone and took a peek at the beach to see how the cart was doing and I saw you here, and decided that anything I had originally planned to do wasn't as good as spending the day with you."

She smiled softly, "my day was so much better before you sat down."

"Oh, piss off," he scoffed, nudging her whilst her laugh filled the air around them, "I'm trying to flirt."

"Why?"

"I don't really know," he shrugged, "seems right."

"Hmm, no," she teased, "it's very wrong."

"Yes, please, continue talking whilst I stare at the blush on your cheeks," her eyes narrowed and she nudged him roughly, though she was amused, and shocked.

"Leave me and my cheeks alone," she tutted, going to take a sip of tea and realising soon that she had finished. Her eyebrows furrowed and she leaned over to throw her cup away whilst Gus turned to watch her, "what?"

"Nothing," he smiled softly, and she rolled her eyes at the look on his face, "you're really not used to affection, are you?"

"Oh yes, I receive lots of affection on a daily basis," she waved him off, though she was very clearly being sarcastic, "what you see is me, the master of hiding my reactions."

"My friends would love you," he whispered, shaking his head with a laugh of disbelief, and he meant it sincerely. His friends really would love her and he just knew it, there was no doubt about it and at the thought of the friends Gus clearly loved, loving her, Una smiled.

"Particularly Elysia, I think," he snorted, shaking his head, "she loves sarcastic people, loves people who aren't easily insulted by simple things. She'd love you."

"She sounds lovely," Una grinned. She liked that he told her the name of one of his friends, "what else is she like - what are they all like?"

"Elysia Ari Beasley, she mostly goes by Elysia but she has been trying to get everyone to call her fully by Elysia Ari because she loves her middle name and wants to show it off. She's incredibly sarcastic, and incredibly feminine too, all things purple and it's hers." He was smiling thinking of her, and it was nice to see him so excited to talk about his friends.

"Then there's Flynn Ashley. He's started getting into makeup because he thinks it'll help bring out his eyes, but he's not so skilled in holding a brush so Elysia has to help him. He's a lover of all things yellow and he has a heart of gold, really. He's also a lover of animals too, I think you'd like him. He doesn't need to talk to enjoy your presence."

"Ferris Fisher, obsessed with parties and alcohol and all things considered fun. He'd do anything to dance the night away, find a nice girl - or boy - or anyone. He's romantic, well that's what he calls it but he's a bit of an idiot too. Loves the colour red. I think he'd like your sense of humour, or just you in general. A bit of a flirt so I'd watch out."

"Well if he's a bit of a flirt I see why you're friends with him," she teased and he laughed.

"I think he'd laugh the house down if he heard you say that," Gus snorted, "apparently I'm terrible in the...ladies' department. That's what he calls it anyway."

"I don't think you're that bad, honestly." She shrugged, turning fully to face him and resting her hands on her legs, "tell me more."

"Delilah Dorris," he smiled wider, "the kindest girl you could ever meet, really, I don't think she has a bad bone in her body. Elysia is terribly protective of her and I think it's because she's scared of someone hurting her but Delilah's tougher than what anyone thinks, she could do some serious damage if she wanted to.

Good thing is, she doesn't want to."

"What colour does she love?"

"Hmm?"

"Your friends all represent a colour, you told me you represent black. Elysia represents purple, Flynn represents yellow, Ferris represents Red. What does Delilah represent?" he couldn't help the smile that widened on his face that she had taken notice of the colours, that she had remembered the colours.

"Green. She loves green," he ran a hand through his hair, "she's very adept in technology. I don't know how she does it but she can hack into anything, she was bored one day and the rest is history. Terrifying, but not many people realise it."

"She just...hacked into something?" Una whispered in disbelief, shaking her head with a quiet laugh, "any more of your friends I should know about?"

"Just one. River," he rolled his eyes, but the gesture wasn't rude or intended to be cruel and Una realised that with the smile on his lips, "the dick that he is."

"Oh, how nice," Una teased, shaking her head.

"He's called me much worse," Gus snorted, "River is a closed book."

"So much of a closed book that he doesn't have a second name?" Una joked, but Gus went as far as to nod his head.

"Along the lines. He doesn't like his first name so he changed it, and his second name - he said he doesn't care for, so he doesn't use it." She nodded her head, the boy's situation was all around similar to her own, except she kept her second name.

Mostly because it was her father's, actually.

"He doesn't tell anyone anything and if you're on River's wrong side then there's no coming back from it. He's quiet, closed off - doesn't care for anyone except his closest friends and it took a long while for us to gain his trust.

I think he'd like you, in due time, obviously."

"He sounds...lovely," Una trailed off, running a hand through her short hair, "what's his colour?"

"Blue. If he knew I was even telling you his name, or that he changed it, I think he'd have my head. He can also be very...forward. He's clever, very clever and he knows it."

"So, he's the classic egotistical asshole?" she asked, teasing of course, and Gus barked with laughter at the thought of River's reaction.

"Oh, he would hate you," Gus whispered, but he was amused by the thought.

"You say that as if it's a good thing," she scoffed, shaking her head and turning her attention back to the setting sun.

"I think it would be highly entertaining to see you annoying River if I'm being completely honest," Gus nodded, "he's too high on the horse, he needs to be thrown off."

"Your friends sound great," she said truthfully. She wanted to hear more about them, she wanted to hear everything he could tell her. Learning about his life, his old life, she was curious about it, about him and his friends and the city he left behind.

She was sure there was a lot she didn't know, a lot she had to learn or try and figure out. She wondered if he would ever them about her if he cared about her enough to tell his other friends about her.

What she didn't know was that they already knew about her, had told him to shut up countlessly when he talked about her over messages, over text, and phone calls, and video calls and every time her name was just remotely mentioned at least one of them would roll their eyes and the others would groan.

"Maybe talk to her?!" Elysia would groan, and this was way before he did, before he fought those boys, when he talked about the shy girl who entered the tea shop every day and he wished to talk to her, who he saw at school and kept to herself, just like he did.

Who saw him after fights as she complained at the office about books or something along those lines and although it was obvious that she was curious as to why he was fighting, she never once judged him.

"You should definitely meet them," Gus nodded, patting her shoulder with a small smile that mimicked the one on Una's lips, "one day."