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“Back off, ya little punk!” Tane bunched his giant fists and Leilah cringed.
“Leave it!” she begged. “Please, Tane!”
He glanced once at her before dropping his fists. Vaughan pushed her behind his back, shielding her with his outstretched arms to stop her intervening.
“Loser!” Malcolm’s brother brushed the tears from his cheeks, not caring that snot ran from his chin in rivulets and dripped onto his school shirt. “You all killed my brother and you’re gonna pay.”
Leilah held her breath and Vaughan’s arms swung back towards her, folding her into his spine so she couldn’t see. Kevin jabbed a finger in their direction. “He took your girlfriend, so you killed him. Everyone knows you did it.” His chest hitched, a pitiful, devastating sound.
“I didn’t,” Tane hissed. Leilah peeked through Vaughan’s armpit and saw him take a step back. “I didn’t, man. I wouldn’t. I’m sorry for you that he’s dead, but I didn’t kill him. I didn’t like him, but I didn’t kill him.”
Leilah wiggled behind Vaughan’s back and his fingers locked around her in a vice. “He didn’t!” Leilah bounced on the balls of her feet and fought the cage of arms surrounding her torso.
“You’re in on it!” Kevin’s gaze tracked to her and he moved sideways to view her better. She struggled to release herself from Vaughan’s grip and failed. “He was with you all the time. You know what happened.” More tears joined the snot on his chin and Leilah baulked.
“We weren’t there, Kevin.” She shook her head, feeling the eyes of the gathered crowd staring. “I don’t know where he died.”
“Liar!” Kevin’s chest hitched. “Bloody liar!” He lurched for her and Vaughan twisted her sideways to block him. A scuffle began and Vaughan groaned in pain as Kevin’s elbow jabbed him in the stomach. He gripped his abdomen and Leilah broke free.
“Leave us alone!” she screamed. “Don’t touch him.” She slipped her slender body between Kevin and Vaughan, oblivious to Tane’s strong fingers yanking the frantic boy’s shoulder backwards.
“You’re all in it together!” Kevin sobbed and his fists flailed. “I hate you.” He aimed his punch at Vaughan’s stomach, recognising a weak point. Leilah dived sideways and put herself in the firing line.
A collective hiss went around the crowd as the knuckles of Kevin’s fist contacted her cheekbone. Down she went amid a blinding flash of light, shouts and yells muffled around her. She saw nothing and felt only the stabbing pains which burst up her jaw and into her brain. Feet milled around her as her body hit the wooden deck surrounding the classroom. She sensed it would hurt and it did.
Sound returned in degrees as though someone increased the volume on the television. Hairy knees replaced dusty sandals in her immediate view.
“Leilah!” His tone sounded urgent and afraid. Warm breath passed over her cheek and his tone sounded ragged. “Geez wahine! You shoulda let me take it. Why d’you get in the way?” Calloused fingers brushed stray curls from her face and she waited for the pounding headache to settle. Speech seemed redundant, so she didn’t even bother.
“Vaughan, move!” A deep male voice boomed above Leilah’s head and she closed her eyes against the vibrations of large feet pounding the deck. The principal pushed into view and Vaughan disobeyed him by remaining on his knees. Leilah opened her eyes to see the heavy man shake her friend’s shoulder and saw the danger flare in Vaughan’s irises. His pupils grew wider, obscuring the delicate shades of hazel and pin pricks of green.
“I’m okay.” Leilah pushed herself up, subverting a greater problem as Vaughan hovered over her like a protective eagle. She ran an assessing hand over her painful cheek and gulped at the sight of blood on her fingers.
Vaughan helped her upright and Leilah saw the agony in his expression. “Sorry,” he whispered as his face hovered above hers.
“Not your fault.” Leilah’s gaze raked the stoop of his body. “How’s your stomach?”
“Fine.” Vaughan’s lips formed a straight line and she squeezed his fingers, gripping them until the principal tugged on her arm.
“My office. Now.” He aimed his tank-like body towards the two storey building in the distance and set off, missile straight.
“I’ll come.” Tane’s shoulders slumped as he turned to follow the principal and Vaughan caught his sleeve.
“No. Stay out of it.” Vaughan shot a sideways look at Kevin’s hunched figure. “You did enough already.” He scowled, a dark, foreboding look. Leilah took his arm to support herself against the swimming sensation in her head. Vaughan allowed her, but she sensed his reticence and knew he wanted to pull away.