Even Angels Fall (18 page)

Abbey’s head is throbbing from where Natalie had been swinging on her hair and a sharp pain shoots through her ribs every time she shifts in her seat. Other than that she is fine. Natalie on the other hand has a broken nose and a split lip, and looks much, much worse. Abbey takes more than a little pleasure in that. It is the first fight she has ever been involved in so the fact that she more or less won - or at least came away with fewer injuries - makes her feel rather smug. It is probably due to the sheer rage she felt coupled with the element of surprise. The last thing Natalie expected was meek little Abbey Miller to actually retaliate. Or perhaps it was just blind luck? Either way despite the gratification, it definitely isn’t going to help her case.

Abbey cautiously glances to her left, mostly to check that Janet is actually still sitting beside her, as she hasn’t moved in the slightest since they first entered the Principal’s office. She too stares straight ahead, clearly trying to control herself and prevent her emotions from showing on her face. She is perfectly still, almost business like and as far as Abbey can tell, very, very angry.

Principal Grant finally looks up and carefully removes his glasses, while rubbing his forehead wearily.

“Well, Abigail…” Abbey bites down on her lip to stop herself from correcting him. There is clearly no point in asking for the millionth time to be called Abbey, and now isn’t exactly the best moment, but it really irritates her, because she has an overwhelming suspicion that he is doing it on purpose. ‘Fucking idiot’, she thinks, wishing she could say it out loud, “We took into account your unfortunate situation when you arrived at this school…’ He continues, ‘and because of this we gave you the benefit of the doubt. Yet you have continued to miss numerous lessons, even after we contacted your mother about it…”

Janet snaps her head around, no longer a living statue, and glares at Abbey.

“What?! I didn’t know about this…!” She protests. Shaking her head at Principal Grant and holding her hands up, mystified, almost acting as if she is the one on trial.

“No, you weren’t immediately informed. We thought perhaps we should give her a bit more time to get back on track, but needless to say, she hasn’t…” Janet closes her eyes in disbelief and shakes her head, as her cheeks flush a deep red. Abbey can’t tell whether it’s out of anger or embarrassment… probably both.

“Well, now that I know things will change, I assure you! Her life will consist of school and coursework… nothing else.”

“Isn’t anyone going to ask me what happened?” Abbey asks, defensively. It is starting to get on her nerves, sitting here with her mother and Principal Grant only to be talked about as if she isn’t in the room. Janet’s eyes look like they are about to burst out of her head and she almost chokes on her words.

“I don’t think you are in any position to…”

“Mrs Miller…” Principal Grant cuts her off and gently raises his hand, with a slight smile playing on his lips as he turns to face Abbey. ‘He’s enjoying this, the little…’ She curses to herself.

“If you feel you can justify your actions Abigail, then please go ahead…”Abbey sits up straight and takes a breath, ready to explain to them exactly what started this whole mess and that Natalie is nothing more than a bully who deserves everything she gets. But before she can recount her version of events, Principal Grant speaks again, “But may I remind you that no matter who started the argument or what it was regarding, we simply do not tolerate any form of violence at this school…”

Abbey can feel angry tears pricking in her eyes. It is so unfair, she hasn’t caused any of this, she is the victim here but it obviously doesn’t matter to either of them.

“Whatever…” She sighs, slumping back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest.

“Abbey!” Janet gasps, disgusted at her daughters rude behaviour, but Abbey couldn’t care less. Even her own mother isn’t willing to listen to her side of things and hear her out. So why should she care what she thinks?

“OK then… although I don’t doubt that you will be keeping a close eye on your daughter from now on Mrs Miller I am afraid it isn’t that simple. We have already given Abbey plenty of chances, chances the typical student most certainly wouldn’t have been given. I have no choice but to suspend Abbey from school until further notice…”

“And Natalie?” Abbey snaps, her anger building once more, “What about her?”

“She will be dealt with also. We will organize work to be sent home on a weekly basis and if there are any problems or you need any assistance you can contact your teacher’s via email…”

“How long will this suspension last?” Janet’s asks quietly. Her voice is softer than before and it reveals more than a hint of shame and disappointment.

“That depends. After a fortnight I will have to review the case with the board, but with truancy and fighting on her record, it could go either way. She may be allowed straight back in under supervision…”

“And if not?”

“The worst case scenario would be Abbey being transferred to another school in the area…”

“You mean expelled?” Janet states, flatly.

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“Abigail is there anything you would like to add?”

Abbey stares at him with her arms still folded and shakes her head once.

“Very well. Mrs Miller I will contact you as soon as I have any more information…” He rises to his feet, buttoning up his suit jacket before holding out his hand. Janet takes it, shaking it abruptly.

“Thank you for your time.” She says politely, before picking up her bag and coat and stalking towards the door. Abbey turns and follows at a slightly slower pace and by the time she reaches the corridor, Janet has already stormed out of the main entrance and down the steps outside.

Mr Harper is leaning casually against the doorway that leads to the main reception area with a cup of coffee in his hand. The top button of his shirt is undone and his tie hangs loose around his neck. Abbey catches his eye as she approaches and sees a genuine look of concern on his face.

“Are you alright?” He asks.

“Me? Never better…!” She retorts sarcastically, striding past him as she leaves Eden Comprehensive for quite possibly the last time.

When Abbey reaches the car park she half expects to find Janet has sped off and left her there, but she is sat perfectly still once again, gripping onto the wheel with her perfectly manicured hands. The journey home is awkwardness personified. They don’t speak a single word to each other and as they pull up in the driveway, Janet has barely secured the hand brake before she storms dramatically into the house. This isn’t going to be in any way pleasant but Abbey, to her own surprise, really doesn’t care. She feels nothing; no remorse, no guilt, just agitated by the whole stupid, messed up situation. It has finally all come to a head with Natalie and with her family. She has tried so hard to fix things, tried to get her family to talk to her, to open up and let her in, but they have fought her back every time. They have distanced themselves from her, but then they still feel as though they can wade into her life and throw around judgement whenever they feel like it? She is sick of it and as a result she has absolutely no fight left in her anymore.

“Get upstairs…” Janet commands, without even looking at Abbey, and she doesn’t argue. She trudges wearily up to her room and throws herself onto her bed, exhausted from her rather eventful day and wincing slightly at the pain in her ribs. She shuffles over to the mirror to assess her battered appearance and sees a dark purple bruise beginning to form under her left eye.

“Damn it…” She sighs, pressing her cheek bone with her finger to see how much it has swollen. As she reaches for her make up in a vague attempt to cover it up, her mobile rings.

“Hello?”

“Oh. My. GOD… Abbey are you OK? How are you feeling? Are you hurt?!” Lucy fires off her questions without waiting for Abbey to answer, her voice littered with worry.

“I’m fine, don’t panic…” Abbey assures her.

“I can’t BELIEVE you did that, I mean you just went for her!”

“I know Luc, I was there remember…” She laughs. There is a lot of background noise and Abbey strains to hear as the phone crackles with static, “Where are you? You keep breaking up…”

“We’re at The Locke…”

“ABBEY YOU ABSOLUTE LEGEND!” Liam shouts down the phone cutting Lucy off mid-sentence and Abbey can hear her whack him while muttering something inaudible.

“Liam’s so pissed that he left just before he’s gutted he missed it! So are you coming to meet us?”

“Yeah sure. I’ll be there in half an hour…”

“Cool, see you soon…”

Abbey hangs up the phone and throws it into her bag along with her keys and her purse. There is no way she is staying in her room and moping. It is starting to get old, this whole ‘prisoner’ routine.

She quickly changes into a black off the shoulder jumper, her tight blue jeans and black buckled ankle boots, but her make-up she unfortunately can’t rush. It takes a bit more time than usual as she has to layer on her foundation to cover up the bruising, but once she has finished she doesn’t look half bad, better than before at least. After pulling a brush through her hair and a quick spray of perfume, she grabs her bag and skips down the stairs, pausing briefly in the doorway.

“I’m going out…” She shouts and there is a loud clatter as a dish hits the kitchen floor and Janet appears in the hallway.

“I beg your pardon?!” She asks, slowly. Pronouncing each word with added emphasis.

“I’ll be back late…” Abbey turns and closes the door swiftly behind her, but half way down the driveway she can still hear Janet cursing and shouting for her to get back inside. Worried that she might follow, Abbey breaks into a sprint, ducking into a cut through at the bottom of the road before running down a muddy path between two houses, checking behind her once more as she heads out onto the main road.

The Locke pub is absolutely packed and Abbey has to literally fight her way through the door, dodging people the best she can while trying to avoid knocking her increasingly sore ribs. A local rock band is playing on a small stage by the bar and the room is full of people crowding around to watch them, despite the nice weather outside.

After a quick scan of the room Abbey weaves her way to the back door and out into the beer garden where she spots her friends straight away. Liam is attempting to balance a pint glass on his forehead - most likely for a bet or in an attempt to prove Nathan wrong - and the others are goading him, throwing beer mats at his face and trying to make him laugh. As Abbey approaches the table, Darren glances over in her direction.

“Well, well here she is… the woman of the hour…!” He shouts, and Lucy is already on her feet, greeting Abbey with a gentle hug.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I told you I’m fine, really…” Abbey smiles.

“I’m so glad you’re here! We didn’t think your Mum would let you out like, ever again…!” Abbey shrugs at Lucy’s comment, not quite knowing what to say. Her mum does feel that way but she isn’t about to be grounded again for something that isn’t her fault - and especially not for something that she feels was perfectly justified.

“You are a complete fucking legend girl, she has had that coming for a long time!” Liam high fives Abbey as she reaches the table and she greets the others with a shy wave. It feels strange to be the centre of attention and it makes her a little uncomfortable.

“Too right…” Sophie agrees.

“She’s fucking horrible; it’s about time someone stood up to her. Who knew you had it in you Abs?!” Nathan smiles.

“Not me…” she answers, honestly.

“Jesus, that’s a shiner…” Abbey’s heart lurches in her chest and a warm shiver runs down the back of her neck, as her body reacts instinctively to Alex’s voice. She turns to face him, blushing slightly.

“Hey…” She smiles as he tucks a strand of hair gently behind her ear, tracing his finger lightly under her swollen eye.

“Are you alright?” He asks, staring at her with concern.

“I’ll live…” She sighs; wishing in that moment that it was just the two of them and that she could be alone with him. Content, safe and protected from everything.

“Natalie came off worse trust me…!” Lucy gloats, “You should have seen her face when Abbey went for her, it was priceless!”

“She sounds like a total bitch, I’m surprised no one has hit her before now…” Gemma adds, lighting a cigarette and looking as gorgeous as ever. She winks reassuringly at Abbey.

“Like I said she had it coming…” Liam reiterates.

“Well, maybe she’ll be more careful who she pisses off in future…?” Tom declares, “what with our Abbey on the scene…” He drapes his arm over her shoulder and squeezes it affectionately, swaying slightly as he takes a swig of his pint.

“Can we drop it now?!” Abbey pleads, embarrassed by all the attention.

“Oh never…” Darren laughs, “We’ll be talking about this for at least the rest of the night…!” Abbey rolls her eyes at him and Alex laughs quietly. Sensing her discomfort, he gently snakes his arm around her waist and pulls her closer to his side and Abbey’s breath catches in her throat as she reacts to his touch.

“Would you like a drink?” He whispers in her ear.

“Yes. Please!” A drink is exactly what she needs after the stress of today, “Make it a double…!” She jokes.

“No problem…” Alex grins, “Anything for my ‘Million Dollar Baby’…”

“Alex!” Abbey digs her elbow into his stomach as she frowns disapprovingly and the others burst out laughing.

“It’s my round, what you drinking Rocky?!” Tom shouts across the table with that ever present mischievous glint in his eye.

“Guys… shut up!”

“Whoa, steady on boys…” Darren laughs, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture, “I wouldn’t push it if I were you, you don’t want to make her angry…”

“You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry…” Nathan quotes ‘The Hulk’ in a deep, throaty voice and the lads roar with laughter again as Liam suddenly slams his hands down on the table - drumming repeatedly while chanting the ‘Rocky’ theme tune. Sophie, Gemma and Lucy smile sympathetically at Abbey as Nathan and Darren join in and Tom jumps up onto the bench, knocking over a few empty beer glasses and staggering slightly as he starts ducking and weaving, punching the air in time to the tune. Abbey groans and turns towards Alex, disappearing under his arm in an attempt to hide herself away, but she is still unable to keep from smiling at her crazy, ridiculous friends.