think so.’ Hero glided one hand around her waist.
Her high cheekbones took on a pale redness, and her lips trembled slightly. He folded himself into her. The beautiful warmth of her soft lips was an electric charge that sent his heart twisting and racing even faster.
She gasped, her lips still against his.
He pulled back and took her hand in his. ‘Come on, then. Let’s have tea.’
Once they were home, Hero felt as if he might have to cut his hand off to separate himself from her. He focused on making tea, as had become his usual homebound duty. The tea was drunk innocently enough, although it did get cold during their many long pauses.
Fi looked at her watch. ‘Oh my God, is that the time? I’ve got to go.’
The way her hair bounced as she stood up was so beautiful. He wouldn’t be able to wait to get to school to see her again. He walked her to the door. ‘Tea and kissing is so much better than tea and biscuits.’
Her eyes widened.
Oh shit. Had he just gone too far?
She smirked and shook her head. ‘Don’t ever become a comedian, Hero.’
But he didn’t think she really minded.
Over the next few days, James came to school with Hero in the morning and accompanied him on his way back home before gym. Although Fi didn’t join them again on their homeward journey, the couple were now an official item at school, regarded with jealousy by their friends.
The bell rang at the end of the school day, and Hero made his way towards the gates, where he knew James would be waiting. It was a cold winter’s afternoon, and the light was fading fast. James was there already, looking agitated.
Hero felt a twinge. I never thanked him, did I? I should say something.
He fell in beside his brother. ‘Hey, thanks for being there for me. Thanks for taking me home every day. It’s made a really big difference.’
‘No worries, mate,’ James said with a grin. ‘One day, I’m sure you’ll return the favour. Anyway, it’s the least I can do for my bruv.’
‘You’re not angry for having to look after me?’
‘Not at all. Why on earth would you think that?’
‘You just seem a bit pissed off, that’s all.’
‘It’s not you, buddy. There’s something in the air.’ James glanced over his shoulder. They’d reached the street where he’d saved Hero a few days before. ‘Something’s coming. Something’s wrong, bruv.’
Hero became aware of the sound of several people running behind them.
James pointed across the road. ‘Go now. Run home as fast as you can.’
‘What?’ He surveyed the area, his eyes darting backward and forward, looking for predators. They’re back—I knew it. They’ll never stop, just like James said.
‘Just do it. Now.’
Hero dashed across the road and rounded the corner towards home. Then he stopped and crouched behind a garden wall, peeking over the top to spy on his brother.
James had turned around to face three well-built men jogging towards him. He fixed his gaze on them, emotionless, looking directly into the eyes of the man at the front.
The group stopped in the middle of the road, directly in front of him.
‘I heard you beat up my little brother last week,’ called the leader. The thug was holding a knife that glinted in the light from the street lamps. One of the others was carrying a wooden baseball bat and the other, a crowbar.
‘I assume you’re talking about that complete tit, Martin,’ James said. ‘He and three other brave lads thought it a great idea to beat up my little brother on a daily basis. Now, what big brother could stand by and let that happen? You must be so proud that Martin and all his mates have got such ginormous balls. What did you say your name was, anyway?’
‘I’m Warren,’ he said, ‘and you won’t be forgetting it. Now it’s your turn to find out what it feels like to be hurt by someone bigger than you.’
James widened his stance. ‘I don’t think so.’
James had that same look in his eyes that Hero remembered from the previous fight. Was he even blinking? He peered through the dusk, trying to see if James’s eyes had any colour.
I don’t think they do. What the hell is going on?
A knot formed in his stomach. He looked again, and James’s eyes looked normal again. But the knot stayed. His heart was racing, even though he was crouched low and still.
Warren waved dismissively. ‘Fuck off, dickhead. Like you said, what big brother could let that go?’
‘I haven’t got time for this,’ James called back. ‘You’ve got weapons. Use ’em or piss off. This is your last chance to walk away.’
‘Shut up, mate. We’re gonna break you up so bad, you’re gonna wish you’d never seen my little brother.’ He glanced at the others. ‘Ryan, Jack—deal with this prick.’
Hero was transfixed. Ryan raised his baseball bat and edged towards James; Jack did the same wielding the crowbar. Ryan brought the bat towards James, but before he could connect, there was a dull, crunching thud. The weapon had connected with Jack’s face instead, which now had a huge dent in it.
Hero recoiled, aghast. James had somehow changed positions with Jack.
Jack staggered a few steps. Then his eyeballs rolled up to the back of his head, and he dropped to his knees and onto his face.
Ryan and Warren looked on, as amazed as Hero. Warren pivoted deliberately towards James. His advance was cut short by a wrenching, tearing sound. He stumbled and let out a burbling scream that seemed to pierce its way out of the side of his throat. His leg was no longer straight; there was a strange, V-shaped angle at the knee. Blood began to spread outwards from the joint, and Hero realised that the leg was broken. He imagined what it must look like under Warren’s jeans, cartilage and bone crawling through the broken skin like blood-soaked maggots.
The knot in Hero’s stomach exploded, and he fell to all fours. With one hand on the wall to steady himself, he vomited a pool of carrot-and-blueberry porridge onto the pavement. The intense sour cheese aftertaste caused him to retch a second time. Somehow, he choked it back, leaving only the emission of a foul burp. He panted as a bead of sweat ran down the length of his nose and dripped off the end.
He heard another dull thud and then, after a long silence, a voice above him. ‘I thought I told you to run home.’
He looked up at James, who held out his hand to help. ‘Come on, bruv, let’s go.’
James pulled him up and set off briskly towards home. Hero craned his neck to see the scene they’d left behind.
‘Don’t look back,’ James
