Chapter 4

We walk down the street and I found a pebble to kick. After a few blocks the black buildings come to an end revealing a dark meadow that is swarming with life. Lanterns are strung up between tents and stalls of all different color variations adding to the festivity. There is a huge Ferris wheel in the Centre strewn with different colored lights and random clowns, tricycle riders and jugglers mixed into the crowd. I've never been to festival before but it sure looks like a lot of fun.

It looks like a world on its own, all smiling faces and bright colors, children laughing, couples holding hands. It looks too happy to be a reality. I spot numerous candy stores spread throughout the festival and my mouth waters at the possibilities.

"Want to go on the Ferris wheel with me Raven?" Tommy asks in a timid voice, once again fiddling with his thumbs.

"I'm sure she wants to hang out with the big boys", Damian responds for me with a smirk, I roll my eyes, men. 

"Sure Tommy, I'd love to" I say if not to please Tommy to shock Damian. I look over at Damian just in time to see the smirk slip off his face. I grab Tommy's hand and drag him off towards the Ferris wheel, leaving behind his two speechless brothers, though to be honest Tommy looks just as speechless as they do, though he recovers quickly. Before I could pull out my small amount of cash, Tommy had already paid for two tickets.

"You don't have to pay for me" I say, glancing at Tommy who has a nervous smile on his face.

"I want to", Tommy responds "because I need a favor" He looks up at me with pleading eyes. "Could you please pretend to be my girlfriend?" he asks as we hop onto the Ferris wheel and the safety bar is secured. It's safe to say that I did not see this coming.

 "Just for this festival, those guys from the restaurant will be here and if they see me with you they might not beat me up." They can try, I'll give the, an ass whooping I think to myself.

"Sure", I respond, without hesitation, "where are they?" Tommy points into the crowd to the group of boys standing next to a cotton candy stall, The redhead spots Tommy and I at the top of the Ferris wheel and points us out to his friends, they all turn and stare at us. Now I feel like an animal in a zoo.

Suddenly and idea pops into my head, I turn to Tommy and grab his face in both my hands. His eyes open in shock and partial fear.

"Just trust me" I whisper before smashing my lips on his, he gasps in shock allowing me to slip my tongue into his mouth, full on French kissing. I've kissed guys before but this feels strange almost wrong, I'm not sure why.

After as long as I think would be convincing to our audience I pull away and bite my lip.

"You ok?" I ask in a teasing voice. Tommy still looks completely shocked. He takes a moment to recover.

"Yeah, all good" he responds "you're a really good kisser" he adds with a chuckle, "pity it's wasted on me." What does he mean wasted on him?

"I hope that was convincing enough" I say with a wink as I rest my head on his shoulder. "We look like a couple right?" I question as I cuddle further into him.

"Very much so." He responds "and I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so" I look back to the group of boys who are glaring at us, something like sadness flashes through Knights eyes. Then I look to the left and see Damian and Jason staring at us with their mouths hanging open. That'll tecah Damian to be cocky I think to myself.

That's gonna be awkward to explain. I let my mind stop worrying and just enjoy the view and the warmth of Tommy's body. "Just so you know," Tommy says. "I'm actually interested in guys." I'm taken back for a second, confused. That's why the kiss felt wrong.

"I didn't realize" I say as I chuckle to myself.

"I just didn't want to lead you on but you're the first person I've told."

Wow, I knew we would be fast friends but I didn't think he'd be spilling his biggest secrets to me within two days of knowing me. He doesn't have to wary about me spilling them, my mouth is like a vault, locked up and the key tossed away.

"Please don't tell anyone, I don't want to be bullied anymore than I already am." I gesture locking my lips and the lung the key away and he smiles.

"Your secret is safe with me." I say as we snuggle closer and he puts his arm around me. "Just for now though, pretend you're into girls" I say looking up into his eyes.

"Will do" he says with a chuckle. As our carriage comes to the ground again we hop off and walk hand in hand around the carnival. We meet up with the other brother when it gets closer to 7:30 to go for dinner at one of the carnival food stands. We all sit at a picnic-like table and order a taco each. Another apparently delicious street food that I have never tried before.

"So" Damian starts, "is there something you want to tell us." He asks "do we need to have 'the talk'". 

"No, lets not" I reply with haste, I can't think of anything more awkward.

"We were only testing the waters," Tommy adds, giving his brothers a look as if to say; drop it which they thankfully do.

"Ok, ok" Damian says raising his hands in surrender, "I was just making sure, we don't need any teenage pregnancies." Tommy turns a scarlet red and Jason's eyes show some sort of emotion that I can't quite pinpoint for a fleeting moment. They don't need to worry about teen pregnancies for Tommy, that's for sure.

After we have all finished our tacos we begin to walk back to the pub, the alley way is dark and scary looking. Suddenly I hear breaking glass and I see two figures emerging from the shadows of the streets. Blocking our way to the pub. They look big and bulky and definitely not pleasant. I had my fair share of alley way encounters so I hope for their sake that they just keep walking. They don't.

"Well,if it isn't Jason and Damian and their twig little brother" one of the shadows sneers in a mocking tone. My anger levels already start to rise.

"I see you brought the fresh meat with you" the other figure says. "My brother told me about you, the waitress with the nice ass" 

"Of course you're related to that pervert, makes sense." I spit in his direction. 

"I think we better teach the lady some manners" the brother of the perv he steps into the light and I see his face, it's split into a sinister smile and framed by blond hair similar to his brothers.

"Don't talk to her that way James, or I'll break your nose again" Jason says with a snarl. I didn't expect him to defend me like that.

"You might be able to take him Jason boy but can you take me." The other shadows says as he steps into the light traveling a sneering face framed with Black hair, he looks similar to Knight, the quiet boy at the dinner. Only malice lingers in his eyes

"I believe I'll take you up on that offer, Vincent," Damian says stepping forward, cracking his knuckles.

"Or you could all abandon your male egos for a few seconds and we could all go our separate ways" I say as I try and walk past the dark haired haired man but he grabs my arm.

"Not so fast missy" he says in a menacing tone, when his hand wraps around my waist I lose it. My anger levels reach boiling point. I jam the palm of my hand into his nose and bring my knee up to his groin.

He doubles over as he releases a groan of pain. 

"Why you little slut" James screeches as he lunges for me, I duck out of the way and elbow him In the back, he falls to the ground hitting his head on the pavement. James is lying on the ground unconscious whilst Vincent is writhing in pain on the ground, I turn to the brothers who all have their mouths hanging open. I may be small but dynamite comes in small packages.

"Shall we head home" I say with an innocent looking smile as if nothing even happened, they all nod their heads silently as they follow me back to the pub. Hopefully we don't have to deal with those boys again.