Gracie | Cory Wilson

Chapter 1.1.6

I hadn't spoken to Cory since we awkwardly parted ways yesterday. Well, when I say awkward, I mean that I was uncomfortable. My mum had rushed out with Leo and told me to go back to class. Cory, who stood up and held my hand, pulled me flush against him. He smiled down at me and kissed my hand, winked, then walked off.

Nope, I didn't say anything. I just stood there, like an idiot, as he laughed and walked off.

But, it was now Wednesday and maths was about to end, then I could go home. Not that this was any better of course, but at least they wouldn't give me any homework there.

I'd been sat with Raz and Hayley for most of the day because Missy had been in a foul mood all day. None of us had had a perfect day. We'd had a cover teacher in Geography during fourth period, and they clearly had no idea what they were talking about. All of us were desperate to get out of there.

As if my prayers had been answered, the bell rang.

Missy, looking angry as ever, stormed out of the classroom immediately. 

Scared for what I guessed was about to happen, Hayley, Raz and I chased after her.

Sure enough, we all ended up in the middle of the quad watching Missy and Nas face-off.

"NASREEN!" Missy shouted out at her. Nas shoved her hands in her pockets and looked anywhere but Missy's face. "What, you just gonna stand there and not say owt?"

"Missy, I'm sorry..."

"You what?" Missy put a hand by her ear mockingly. "While them lot call her every name going? Slag, nasty, junkie. My mum! Treated her like she was scum."

"Go on, Missy!" Shannon encouraged. "Smack her!"

"And all that before!" Missy continued. I glanced over Nas' shoulder and spotted Cory walking out of the opposite building. "You act like you barely know me. Two days in this school, you're so worried what the girls in hijab think o'yuh."

"Look, Missy, they're me, mates. You don't know them like I don't know your mates."  Nas half-whined. "It's not my fault you got held back a year, is it?"

Oh shit.

Missy moved forward and shoved Nas. Both the girls' eyes blurred over with tears. I looked at Missy in surprise as the ever-growing crowd 'ooh-ed'.

"Missy, what are you doing?" Nas asked her.

"Like you don't know how to fight back?" Missy continued to tease her. "Oh, oh, 'cause you're so perfect, you're so good, you're such a good little Muslim."

You could see Nas becoming more angry and upset by the second as Missy taunted her.

"You fit right in with that lot." she went on. "You were out drinking with me in town not two nights ago. With the kutti, with the gori. Oh! Oh, the shame!"

That was it.

Nas screamed and ran forward, grabbing Missy's hair. The crowd cheered loudly. Raz, Hayley and I rushed forward, but the other two seemed afraid of getting in the way. Missy and Nas continued to hit each other as the crowd chanted 'FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" 

I smacked one of Nas' friends phones out of their hands as they started recording and moved back over to where Raz was standing. 

"MISSY! MISSY!" Hayley attempted to grab her sisters' attention but to no avail. I glared at Cory as he joined in with the rest of the crowd. Moving into the circle, I tried to pull Missy away from Nas, seeing as Hayley didn't have any luck.

A small fist flew at my eye, making me stumble back a few steps and grab my face.

"STOP!" Ms Keane shouted, running across the quad and pushing her way through the crowd. "STOP! Out of the way." She grabbed Missy and started pulling her off Nas. "Stop, Missy! Missy, get off her, get off her, get off her!"