As they entered the classroom and took their seats, Riya turned to her friend. “Are you not gonna ask why I broke his nose?”

He shrugged, picking at his nails. “Are you not gonna ask why I was eavesdropping?”

Chuckling, Riya shook her head. “That one’s on me - I should totally have heard you coming, but I was so mad I wasn’t focusing on my surroundings at all.” He touched her shoulder gently, smiling. “Hey, sounds like you were justified in your anger.”

She shot him a brief smile, which was quickly overtaken by a grave expression. “Yeah well, you probably heard, but he’s the one who hurt my best friend. And he’s done it for years, the absolute prick. I just hope Atti will actually get help this time.”

He nodded, cocking his head at the name. “Atti? That’s a cute name.” Riya grinned, tugging on her braid. “Yeah - a cute name for a cute boy. I seriously love the guy.” Her desk mate quirked an eyebrow at her.

“I’m beginning to think the comment about you having feelings for the guy is possible.” Riya pushed him lightly, scoffing. “Uhh, yeah right. The one I’m in love with is his brother.” As soon as the words passed her lips, she made an annoyed expression.

“Oh fuck, I’ve never admitted that out loud before.” Her friend grinned wildly, gripping his pen excitedly. “Oh my God so there is someone! What’s he like? Come on, you have to spill the beans.” Riya laughed, promising to describe him in their break.

—————

“Ugh yes, ok. I do have a picture,” Riya said, pretending to be exasperated, but her wide smile was obvious to everyone at their table. Whipping out her phone, she found a picture of her and two boys - one looked older than her, with light brown hair and brown eyes. The other looked around the same age as Riya, and when the football captain saw this boy, his heart stopped a little.

Red hair, amber eyes. A dusting of freckles across his nose and cheeks.

“Oh shit,” he whispered. Everyone turned to look at him. “Wow, you think her guy is super attractive or something?” Freddie asked, amusement creasing his brows.

“Yeah, he’s hot. But. Um. Riya. This guy, do you know him?” He asked, pointing at the red head. Riya looked at him with questions in her eyes. “Yeah? He’s my best friend, and Ceyden’s younger brother.”

Before he could even say it, Amy pointed out what everyone was thinking. “He’s the one who got injured? How could someone do that to him, he looks so sweet! Look at his lovely smile!” Riya nodded emphatically. “Right?! He’s so adorable. I’m still pissed at the guy, but at least I broke his nose.”

They all laughed, but Riya noticed the troubled look on her desk mate’s expression. “What’s wrong?”

He swallowed thickly, his mind playing over and over again the moment he’d had eye contact for the second time with the boy. He’d been dragged off by a much bigger guy, and at the time, he’d wondered why the boy looked so sad.

He hadn’t really looked at the guy, he’d been transfixed by the boy’s gaze, but he knew immediately who that guy had been.

“Riya, I’m so sorry. I- I saw your friend get dragged off by that guy from earlier. I didn’t even realise, but that- it was definitely him. I could’ve prevented it.”

Riya’s smile completely dropped. “You saw them?”

He nodded, feeling so awful. You could’ve prevented it. This is your fault. His thoughts smashed against his skull, and he squeezed his eyes shut, fearing that he’d actually start crying otherwise. Then, he felt arms snake around his back, and his head guided to rest on a shoulder.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. Same as it’s not mine, you just didn’t know. Think of how many people saw what you did. No one could have known.” He stayed there, on Riya’s shoulder, for several minutes, until he knew for certain that he wasn’t going to cry.

“I just feel so bad for him. He looked so sad, but also like he’d just…accepted it.”

Riya pulled back, slouching in her chair. “Yeah, I know that look of his all too well. At least this time, he said he tried standing up against that twat. It just…made it more inevitable, unfortunately.”

Resting his head in his palm, Riya’s desk mate glanced up at her. “Will he be safe now?” Riya snorted, flicking her hair behind her. “I mean, I broke his nose, and Ceyden said some…pretty scary stuff to Daniel - that’s the dick’s name, by the way. I think he should get the idea now.”

Amy nodded, happy with the verdict. “How about, once your friend is able to come back, we all look out for him? If someone did anything to any of us, it’d get around pretty quick, let’s be honest.”

Riya nodded enthusiastically, smiling fondly at her friends. “Is it ok if he joins our group? He’s in the year below, and only had one lesson before he got stuck next to Daniel and then beaten up, plus he’s not the most talkative, so I doubt he’s made any friends yet.”

Everyone agreed immediately; Riya could be a harsh judge of character, so if someone got her stamp of approval, it meant they’d most likely all like the person.

“Ok ok, show me the picture again, I want to know all the details of what’s between you guys!” Amy exclaimed, and Riya quickly obliged, happy to find any excuse to gush about her love life.