The weekend flew past, I spent most of Saturday in bed avoiding bright lights and the 12 missed calls from Zara. I felt so sick and didn't want to have to hear about what Zara got up to with Reece on Friday night.

My poor mother thought I was coming down with the flu, too oblivious to realise that I was hungover.

Now it's Monday morning and I'm at my locker, trying to figure out what class I have but I can't find my timetable and a group of the most popular girls in my grade are talking so loudly about who they managed to hook up with on the weekend. I try to tune them out but their voices are so high and whiney that it's impossible.

"Oh my god! did you hear about Theo?" One of them, I think Alice Caldo, said.

I roll my eyes, of course they're talking about Theo. He's the most popular guy in school. I wonder what he must have done this time, or who, rather.

After a series of replies urging her to go on, she continues. "He put this guy from Greenwell in hospital after Reece's! I don't know what went down between them, people are saying it's over some girl! Can you believe Theo doing something like that for one of his sluts? She must give really good h-"

I slammed my locker, suddenly I struggled to breathe as the events of Friday night came crashing down on me.

Inhale, exhale.

That creep's wandering hands all over my body.

Inhale, exhale.

Theo on top of him, throwing punch after punch at his bloodied face.

Inhale, exhale.

Theo in my bed, early the next morning.

I shake my head, did that actually happen? Did I dream Theo being in my bed?

"I AM THE WORST BEST FRIEND EVER I AM SO SORRY YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO HATE ME I AM SO SORRY ALANA."

I turn around to Zara kneeling on the floor of the corridor, peeking up from her lashes like a little kid who just got told off.

"Zara, what are you doi-"

"I shouldn't have ditched you I am so sorry I should have been there I should have gone home with you I am so, so, so, sorry!"

I can't help but laugh. How could I possibly be angry at her when she looks as stupid as this, begging for forgiveness on her knees.

"I'm not angry at you Zara. Like, at all." I clarify, not sure why she would even think that I was.

She lets out a deep breath and jumps up to embrace me in a tight hug, swaying us both side to side. After a while, she pulls back.

"Now, I believe you have some things to tell me!"

• • •

As we walk to Maths together, I try to recount the details of what I can manage to recall from Reece's party. Zara responds through gasping, more apologies for not being there, and a series of names aimed at the creep who caused all of this, who I have recently learnt is from Greenwell High, a local school in our district.

"I don't even want to think about what might have happened if Theo hadn't intervened..." Zara whispered.

I nodded slowly, the reality seeming scarily clearer now that I've told Zara and heard the words come out of my mouth.

I realise that I really needed to talk to Theo and thank him, all feelings of hatred aside, he saved me from something that could have been really bad.