Christmas flew by way too fast.

The rest of Christmas eve was spent just hanging out at Cole's and once we had exchanged gifts, it was pretty late. I laughed to myself as I remembered the gift Jake had gotten for me and Jodie. Fucking matching lingerie sets from Ann summers. Cole had given me tickets for us both to go and see Eminem which was absolutely awesome. The tickets were in August and I couldn't wait to go. Jodie had brought me all sorts of amazing clothes and bits, pretty similar to things that I had got her. There was one present in particular from a certain person that had left me stunned.

My fingers traced my neck as I felt the beautiful thing. Reece had given me a gorgeous silver necklace with the word 'Sammy' on it. Safe to say that I nearly cried as I opened it. All my presents were amazing and I couldn't me more grateful to my friends. I think I was just more shocked as I didn't expect something like that from Reece.

Never expect me to take off that necklace.

When I got home, my dad was half asleep but we did what we always did on Christmas eve and that was watch home alone whilst drinking hot chocolate. Christmas day was great, we both cooked Christmas dinner which surprisingly wasn't a disaster and turned out fantastic. I ate so much I nearly puked but still ate dessert anyway.

Today was Friday and we went back to school on Monday. I couldn't believe that two weeks ago today was our fight at school. I huffed as I realised how fast the holidays always go. Why is it that if you were somewhere where you really didn't want to be for two weeks, it would go agonizingly slow but when you're having a good time it flies by?

Shrugging, I straightened the last strand of my dark brown hair and grinned when I was finally done. Today was Belle's birthday and she was throwing a party at her house. Unluckily, Cole and Jodie weren't able to make it so I was going alone. I know quite a few of Belle's friends so I should be fine.

Hopefully.

I wanted to ask Reece to come along but then I realised that was kind of weird so I didn't bother. Ugh, I sound like some pathetic girl. Standing up, I slipped into my converse and grabbed the jacket that I lived in and then my phone and keys. Dad had already left for New York and it was a pretty emotional time but I didn't want to show him that I was upset because then he would feel even more guilty than he already was. I jogged down the stairs successfully as I was pretty clumsy and it wouldn't be un normal for me to trip on the way down. It had happened on various occasions and once when Reece was waiting for me to come down. Safe to say he never let me live that down for the whole time he was tutoring me.

Belle only lived in the town over so after a short twenty minute drive I was at her house. The party was already in full swing as I heard music booming out from her pretty large house and I knew it was packed due to the number of cars on the street. After five minutes of struggling to find a parking space, I quickly parked and fast walked down the street to her house. I was shivering from the cold and smiled gracefully when I was embraced by the warm. I could barely hear as I manoeuvred around the house to find my cousin. Hundreds of strangers surrounded me and I suddenly felt awkward and desperately hoped I would find someone I recognized.

Maybe I should've asked Reece...

"Hey gorgeous." A deep voice came from behind me and I snapped my head around to see who the mysterious voice belonged to. A guy that looked slightly older than me was smiling widely at me. He had short brown hair and extremely tanned skin. He was a good looking guy but that didn't mean I was interested.

"Hi." I smiled politely.

His smile now turned even wider as he slowly took in my appearance. My cheeks heated up as he blatantly checked me out. "Where does a girl as cute as you come from?" He grinned and once again my cheeks grew even hotter.

"Woodfield." I answered him. Woodfield was the name of our high school and town so I'm sure that was a good answer.

His brown eyes registered what I said and he let out a low chuckle. "So you're one of those." He then smirked and stepped closer. "But I'd make an exception for you."

Ignoring the last part, I took a step back and raised my brows. "One of those?"

The guy then sighed. "Don't take it personally babe, just you assholes always gate crash our parties."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So now I'm an asshole?"

He looked a little taken back and his eyes widened. "No!" He exclaimed. "Just the people you go to school with."

I shook my head with disbelief. What the fuck was this dude even on about? "Look, I'm not too sure what the fuck your problem is with us but I'm not gate crashing."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you're not with them?"

I threw my hands in the air. "With who?!"

He gave me a tight lipped smile. "Never mind. I Gotta go." And with that he disappeared into the crowd. Rolling my eyes, I continued my search for Belle.

I had no clue who that guy was or what he was on about but I didn't really care anymore. I was here because my little cousin, who is only 2 months younger than me but I just love to rub that in, is 18 today. I pushed my way through the crowd of sweaty teenagers and into the kitchen but Belle's bright blonde hair was still nowhere to be seen.

Fuck this. I quickly made my way to the stairs and went up to her bedroom. I had been to Belle's more times than I could count so I knew exactly where it was even in the dark. I pushed open the door and a literal screech came out of my mouth. I threw my hand over my mouth as two heads snapped towards me.

The first head was my baby cousin, half naked under the covers with a very naked Elliot laid next to her with his arm around her shoulders. Luckily, the bottom half of their bodies were covered by the sheets. "I'm so sorry!" I yelled through my laughter. Belle's eyes were as wide as a ball and Elliot was chuckling.

"Sup Sam." He nodded and I had to bite my lip to stop me from laughing.

"H-hey." I said in-between fits of laughter but the mortified look on Belle's face sent me over the edge.

I grinned at her. "Happy birthday Cuz!" I then smirked. "Come find me when your um, not busy."

She glared at me but couldn't hold in the smile that formed on her face. I shook my head with laughter as I quietly exited the room and clicked the door shut behind me. It could be worse; at least I didn't walk into them while they were doing it. Sighing once again, I made my way to the bathroom downstairs. Belle's house wasn't massive but it wasn't tiny either so it was a pretty average sized house. The majority of people were in the massive living room where the kitchen was attached to it and then there was the hallway that came in from the front door and to the end of the house. The bathroom was placed at the back of the house, right at the end of the hallway and I sighed with relief when I saw no one down there. I briskly walked and closed the door gently behind me.

When I was finished in the bathroom, I quickly fixed my hair and closed the door behind me.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here." A familiar taunting voice appeared from behind me and I snapped my head around to see who it came from. With a wide smirk on her face, Amber stood there with Chloe next to her.

"What the fuck are you two doing here?" I hissed at them.

This was Belle's party and I knew for a fact that she hated them too and would never in a million years invite them here.

Chloe rolled her eyes and scoffed but before she could reply Amber silenced her. "Oh Sam, That's not how you speak to someone who's here to help you." She smiled maliciously.

I rolled my eyes with irritation. "Help me? How on earth are you two here to help me?"

Amber chuckled quietly before her face hardened with such hatred. "We've warned you before and you didn't listen." She shook her head and then an evil grin formed on her lips. "You think that photo was bad?"

I clenched my fists and bit my lip to stop me from going full ape shit on her. "Are you threatening me?" I questioned through gritted teeth.

Amber stepped forward, pushing Chloe back. She then smiled and shrugged innocently. "Just a bit of advice really."

I shook my head with disbelief and then chuckled. "I'm not scared of you."

She narrowed her eyebrows at me. "You should be. I'm capable of a lot more than just planting a half-naked photo of you."

Damn how I wish I got that conversation on record.

The anger came at me too fast and before I knew it I was pouncing at her but I was harshly yanked back. I tried to wiggle out of the person's grip but then realised two people were holding an arm each. I turned to my right and my eyes widened when I saw Jackson holding one arm and Brad the other, rather tightly.

"Let go of me you assholes!" I yelled and thrashed about but their grips just grew even tighter.

Amber stepped even closer this time, knowing that I couldn't get away or attack her. She looked down at me with such disgust and then smirked. She looked at the two boys either side of me and gave them a look. I was beginning to feel very uncomfortable and stressed out but no matter how much I squirmed, yelled or thrashed about their grip didn't loosen. The music was way too loud for anyone to hear me.

I watched with wide eyes as Chloe handed Amber a pair of scissors. Amber stalked closer to me and I froze in my spot.

Amber sighed deeply. "I did warn you."

She grabbed a hold of my hair and I tried with every muscle of my body to get away from her but I wasn't strong enough. Having two football players holding me back was too much to get away from. I watched with frantic eyes as she cut out a large chunk of my long brown hair and I squeezed my eyes shut.

The sound of the scissors clattering to the ground brought me out of my trance as I glared at her with such hatred in my eyes. Amber just gave me a fake pity smile in return. "Next time, do what the fuck I say." She snickered and then strutted away with Chloe right up her ass.

For the first time in my life, I was silent but I let out a loud gasp as I felt a cold liquid being poured over my head. Jackson laughed as Brad gave him a triumph smirk as he lowered the beer he had just dunked on my head. They both let go of my arms and I just stood there frozen in my spot as I listened to them walk away.

My hand slowly travelled up to my hair and tears began to form in my eyes. I was soaking wet from the beer so I quickly ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind me. I couldn't even bare to look in the mirror and found myself sliding down the wall. I held my knees up to my chest and sobbed quietly into them.

I just wanted to get the fuck away from here.

I shakily grabbed my phone from my pocket and stared at it for a couple seconds before ringing the first person that came to my mind.

After three rings, he picked up.

"Sammy if you're calling again for me to drop you around a McDonalds, it's not happening." Reece teased.

I sniffed and held the phone closely to my ear. "R-Reece?" I sniffled into the phone. I'm not sure why I was crying so hard but I just couldn't help it. All the emotions I had bottled up were coming out at once and I was nearly hyperventilating.

"Sam? Sam what's wrong?" Reece questioned.

"C-can you please come pick me up?"

I heard the clanking of keys and by the sound of It he shot right up. I could hear him jogging down the stairs and then the sound of the front door slamming. "Where are you?"

After quickly telling him the address the sound of his car starting up and just the sound of his voice was calming me a little. "Ok, stay there. I'm coming."

As soon as he said that I heard the sound of the call cutting as I glanced down at my phone and groaned when I saw it had died. This just made me cry even harder as I sat in silence listening to the sound of my own tears falling as the four walls around me felt like they were closing in. It was as if every single thing hit me at once and was drowning me.

What they did. My dad leaving again. My mum's 10-year anniversary coming up. My hair...

It was all too much.

I'm not sure how long I sat there against the bathroom sink but I wasn't crying anymore. My head was spinning and I struggled to focus my eyes on the wall in-front of me. My eyes were glassy from crying and my body was slightly shaking.

"Sammy open the door!"

I just wanted to go home. I squeezed my eyes shut as I lent my head gently across my knees. I was completely soaked and sticky from the beer.

I hated them so fucking much.

I hated Amber. I hated Chloe. I hated Jackson. I hated Brad. I hated Adam. I hated Mona.

I hated every single one of them.

The touch of a person's hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my trance as I warily looked up at the person. Reece stood above me with such a mad look that if I didn't know him I would be pretty frightened. But as soon as my eyes reached his, they instantly softened.

He crouched down in front of me. "Let's get out of here." He said softly.

"My hair." I muttered, moving my hand to touch it but Reece's hand grabbed mine and placed it back in my lap. I watched him with a confused look as he quickly ripped off his hoody and held his hand out to me. I slowly put my hand in his and let him help me up.

"Here." Reece murmured as he gently placed the hoody over my head and pulled up the hood so it covered my hair. Reece's usual smell hit me and I couldn't help a small smile that formed on my face.

Reece grabbed my hand and just the feeling of my hand in his alone was already making me feel better as he steered us out of the bathroom and through the hallway. Teenagers around us gave us strange looks but I just ignored them and dragged my ass out of there. I breathed a small sigh of relief when the fresh air hit me but I found myself walking straight into Reece's back.

His grip on my hand tightened and I looked up to see what he was glaring at. Jackson and Brad stood outside with horrid smirks plastered on their faces as they looked at me and then back at Reece.

I looked up at him. "Reece don't." But it was already too late. My hand had been dropped and I watched in shock as his fist went plummeting into Brad's face. Jacksons' eyes widened and as he turned to back up his friend he went flying to the floor. Reece stood over them both with a look of pure hatred and anger I had never seen before.

Brad layed on the floor crying in pain as Reece's foot made contact with his stomach. I turned to see Jackson trying to get back up, only to be pushed back down. Reece raised his fist to hit him again but I quickly ran over and grabbed it. He looked down at me with anger but his features instantly softened when his angry eyes bored into mine.

"Don't." I whispered.

As much as I wanted to see those assholes in a hospital for everything they had done to me and many others at our school, I didn't want Reece arrested.

After a couple of intense seconds of us just staring at each other, his arm lowered as he spat down at them. "Don't you ever fucking touch her again!" He spat, grabbed my arm and walked away.