tirade

noun

1. a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation.

I was eating a packed lunch that Ms H sent with Grant to uni today. She had made a cute little bento box for me. Each little compartment had something new and exciting, like a rolled up cheese wrap with slices of ham and sliced tomatoes, or a small pottle of vegan yoghurt with pomegranate seeds that came with its own matching teaspoon. There were rice wafers with an insert filled with hummus spread, and a little packet of carefully wrapped petit fours, each individually iced in pastel colours and topped with realistic looking cherry blossom flowers made from icing.

Lastly, Grant handed over a thermos of a delicious Mexican tomato chicken soup that had just the right amount of chili spice for the cold winter days. The soup didn't really go with the whole bento box theme, then I realised that Grant had handed me his own lunch along with mine.

"You aren't eating?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Nope. I have an after lunch group project meeting for my Investments class. I'll be eating with them at the pub down the road." He waved at me to eat his soup. "Anyway, I don't think you'll have enough if you only eat what is in the box." I nodded as I sipped the soup from the flask, then wiped my chin.

"I don't know if this was supposed to be a lunch meal? It looks too small for lunch." Then I remembered what Wallace said yesterday about eating smaller meals more frequently, then blushed when I realised I'd shot that in the foot by eating Grant's soup as well.

"You'd better pad your stomach before your lunch meeting. Don't go hungry. And don't tell Wallace you gave me your soup." I quickly put the thermos lid back on and handed it back to him, then quickly ate the cheese wrap, showing my friend that I didn't need his meal as well as my own.

Grant sat down next to me and we talked, laughed and pretended that we weren't being watched by three different social groups trying to figure us out. It was no secret that Grant was gay, so I wondered if that was the focus of all these people watching us eat and chat between classes. Grant doesn't seem to have any problems here at uni but I still occasionally hear someone whispering derogatory names as they pass him by. He has come along way in the last few months and seems to be happy where he is at.

I've heard him talk about the guy he met at the car yard, or some man at the social club he goes to. He's looking for connections, but nothing seems promising for him at this point. I mean, what is there not to like about the guy. He's charming, funny as heck, really caring and kind and handsome too. Staring at him, I was trying to figure it out.

"What? Something on my face?" he asked with a grin, trying to pat his chin in a way that wasn't patting his chin. Poser.

"Why haven't you found Mr Right yet?" I blurted that out of nowhere.

"He's hanging out with Mr Wrong. Give it time. I have a date Mr CarYard next weekend. We will see, although I still think he's trying to sell me the latest off-roader. I've already told him I was only purchasing for my boss and that I'm gay but he was cool with it. We will see."

"Good. Nice to hear." I finished my petit fours and wiped my fingers on the enclosed napkin.

"What about you, Ms Twice. Any more developments with Mr Ang..." I quickly covered up his dirty mouth.

"Stop that! Bad Grant. Bad." I felt my face flush and he giggled, his breath splashing across my hand. I quickly pulled my hand away and scratched the ticklishness he created.

"You're going red, Lills." I poked my tongue at him.

"Shuddup. Nothing will happen. He's a jerk with a chip on his shoulder. Not gonna happen." I think I was trying to convince myself of that as well as Grant. Thinking back to the flowers and bunny balloon that were still on my kitchen bench, I drifted in thought.

"You're smiling." I looked up at Grant sharply. "Ok, OK. Not gonna happen." He said, then under his voice murmured: "Would it kill a girl to dream?"

[Ding-ding! Ding-ding!]

My phone saved me from further embarrassment.

[Jackson: I need your help. Sunny's in trouble and I don't know who to turn to get her out.]

I didn't bother texting him back and phoned him straight away.

"Jackson? What's up?" I asked as he answered. It was my first time talking to him over the phone.

"Lily, Ms Twice. I don't know who else to turn to without going to the cops." Jackson's base voice was a little agitated.

"Tell me what's wrong." I packed the lunch box away in the bag it came in, handed it to Grant and quickly gathered my school bag. We made our way to the parked car in the student car park.

"Sunny was on her bike last Friday night just outside the club scene when she was involved in a near miss accident. It was a black Lexus owned by a club boss who isn't known for his mercy and grace. She was clear of the accident, but he claims she caused it so she has to pay. Sh%t, he's bull-shirting, and only after skirt. She only twenty and he's gunning for her to pay fifty grand or he's going to keep her."

Jackson sounded totally pissed by the time he finished his explaining. I would be too if someone I loved was being accused and abused.

"I know you know someone who can hack computers. Can you find me a street cam in the vicinity of the jerk's club and send me the video? Please, Lily, Ms Twice. I'll do what ever you want for the rest of my life." He was almost begging me to help him. It wasn't a good look on the ever stoic and staunch Jackson, but knowing who he was trying to keep safe, I was totally on the same page as him.

"Jackson, I will help you with the video of the street cam, but you don't owe me anything. You helped me at my show, we're now even. Don't go making vows or some-such that don't need to be made." I didn't want him to go that far. Favours amongst peers were OK. Promises or vows, I wasn't really comfortable with that.

"Where is Sunny now?" I asked Jackson over my phone as Grant opened my vehicle for me to sit in. He took my bag and threw it into the back then got into the drivers seat.

Where to? he mouthed.

Wallace's Office I mouthed back while giving him a 'W' and an 'O' with my fingers. He nodded that he understood and we set off.

"She's here with me, but someone came to her part-time job. They're now stalking her at my garage so I took her home." He huffed a breath out and I could imagine the guy rubbing his hands over his dark head in frustration. Honestly, this is the most I've ever heard Jackson speak before in the whole time I've known him.

"Are you guys safe?" I asked, wondering if I should send someone over to keep guard.

"Yes, no? I don't know." Then I heard banging over the phone and Jackson swore and started yelling "Get out, get out. Grab your bag, run." It sounded like they were in trouble now.

"Jackson, you have Sunny?" I yelled.

"Yes." He was breathing hard, swearing and I could hear someone yelling in the background, chasing them. My heart raced and my hands got sweaty, a physical reaction to when ever I had been caught and had to run in the past.

"Where can we find you? Tell me your address, now Jackson." I yelled again.

"92 and fourth, down past the International School by my workplace. I'll head on through the park, sh%t, we should have taken the bikes."

"Grant, take the next exit, head back to the International School over on fourth." Grant quickly followed my lead and we sped off the motorway and back towards the direction Jackson gave us. We drove towards them, they ran, chased by thugs towards us.

"Is Sunny still with you?" I asked.

"She's safe." He was huffing and spoke to his girlfriend who sounded scared over the phone.

"We're near the school, where are you?" I demanded, so scared that they would get caught.

"We're past the school, halfway through the park. They are gaining on us. Are you close?"

"We're right on the other side of the park, I can see you!" I yelled as I saw Jackson and his gorgeous Japanese girlfriend Sunny running towards us.

"Grant, there, there. Stop." He stopped right in front of them and I reached over into the back seat and flung open the car door. Sunny was pushed into the car before Jackson turned around quickly to the guy who was right behind him and threw a fist at his jaw. The guy went down and another jumped over him to get at Jackson and his girl.

"Jackson, get it!" Sunny growled, pulled on his jacket and kept yelling. "Go, go, go!"

My heart was thumping, so scared they'd get caught.

Bang! I heard a thundering noise as the car jolted sideways a little and realised another car smashed into the back of my SUV. Both grant and I screamed and I pulled my arms over my head.

"Jackson!" Sunny also screamed in the back seat as she tried to pull her boyfriend into safety. The momentum of the rear ending knocked Jackson out of the thugs hands and he was able to scramble into the car. He had knocked his head on the side of the door as the other car rammed into us, and blood flowed down the side of his face.

Sunny reached around him and slammed the door closed. Grant didn't need any encouragement and put his foot on the peddle and we were off.

"Is everyone OK?" Grant asked a minute later as we all sat there rapidly breathing and stunned, trying to figure out what just happened.

"Well, sh%t. There goes my insurance non-claims bonus." I mumbled and they all laughed.