Read Even Angels Fall for Free Online Page B

you grief already? She doesn’t waste any fucking time does she?!” Liam rolls his eyes with a look of irritation on his face.
    “We met on my first day, it was definitely an experience. She slammed me into the lockers…”
    “Seriously…?”
    “Yeah, Lucy came to my rescue…” Abbey smiles, gratefully.
    “I wouldn’t say that. I saw the aftermath…”
    “Still, I never said thank you…”
    “Don’t mention it…”
    Abbey starts to relax as the four of them chat together in the blazing sunshine and she listens intently as Liam recalls numerous horror stories of Natalie and some of her poor unsuspecting victims. By the sounds of it, she got off lightly. It does make her worry even more though, knowing what Natalie is capable of.
    The half an hour that Abbey had at first been wishing away, comes to an end all too soon. It has been so nice talking to people her own age without the shadow of her past hanging over her. She hadn’t realized until now how much she has missed this sort of interaction. She has clearly gotten too used to being on her own.
    The courtyard is almost empty with only a few stragglers left behind and Abbey can’t put it off any longer; she has to head back to class or she will be late. She hopes it won’t be the first and last time that she gets to spend lunch with Lucy, Nathan and Liam. She really likes them, and they give her a sense of hope that things might finally start to improve.
    “We’re headed down to the arcade in the park, if you fancy it?” Lucy’s question catches Abbey off guard. She wasn’t aware of any free periods. In the hours you don’t have lesson you are expected to attend study sessions in the library.
    “Oh… I can’t… I have class…” She stutters.
    “Come on Abbey, live a little…” Liam winks at her again.
    “It’s far too nice a day to be stuck inside…” Nathan adds.
    Abbey hesitates. Nathan is right, it is a gorgeous day and she is already ahead in her French class. She is good at languages, and a lot of what they are learning at the moment she has already covered in her first year of sixth form back at her old school. She finds herself seriously considering it, but she is still reluctant. Abbey has never skipped class before. Ever.
    “Plus, you could end up running into your best friend again. She didn’t look too happy earlier…” Lucy smiles innocently, knowing full well that if anything is going to convince her to ditch, that is it. The three of them begin to edge away as Abbey looks back at the school, still uncertain, “Come on Abbey, it’ll be fun!” Lucy shouts, gesturing for her to follow, and after another brief moment of hesitation, she does.
    The last thing she wants is another run in with Natalie and from her behaviour over lunch she is obviously gunning for her. Plus it is only one afternoon, what harm can it do? Abbey is clearly trying to convince herself. Trying to come up with whatever reason she can to justify what she is doing when really, there is only one reason she is skipping school… because she wants to. It has been a long time since she did something for herself - and she can’t even remember the last time she’d had ‘fun’.
    After a 15 minute walk they reach the outskirts of Hall Park, a large expanse of grass that contains within it a cricket green, a skate park and a children’s play area. Situated on the very edge of the park - with a walkway that leads back out onto the main road - is a modern café with an adjoining arcade. Outdoor tables and chairs are scattered over a large paved area at the front of the building, most of which are taken up by mothers with prams, gossiping over coffee. They receive a few judgmental looks as they sit down. It is after all the middle of the day and they are in school uniform, but it doesn’t seem to bother the others; it is almost as if they are totally oblivious to the reaction, either that or they are immune to it after skipping school so many times before?