Drop Dead | Sam Fender

Prologue

Aurora

Having been born and bred in the Northern town of South Shields, I was not amused when I was told I had to move. Granted, the move was only slightly further up north to a town called North Shields, which wasn't exactly far but what thirteen-year-old would take that into consideration? My dad decided that the place we called home reminded him too much of my late mother but hadn't wanted me to become isolated from my extended family, which was how he had settled on the small fishing town.

I was forced to move school and made to do my 'first day' all over again, except I was the only new student. It was part of the reason I resented my father for uprooting our lives. Everyone already had their friendship groups. I was going to be the outsider, desperately searching for her place to fit in.

After awkwardly collecting my new timetable from the school's office, I was forced to traipse the hallways as I searched for my first class, one I had given myself more than enough time to find having factored in the possibility of getting lost. It was a given. Dragging my feet along, I heard voices echoing from down the corridor and stalked over to investigate.

"Where's that boyfriend of yours, Thompson? Yous are usually glued to the hip!" an older boy laughed as he watched another, who I had assumed was one of his mates, pin a smaller boy to the lockers that lined the hallway.

"Not here to protect you now, eh?" the one who had had him pinned grinned evilly. I clenched my fists, my teeth gritted as I watched the scene unfold. My blood boiled as my feet carried me over almost autonomously, calling out to the pair of bullies.

"Oi!" Three pairs of heads snapped in my direction with varying levels of concern. "Why don't the pair of yous fuck off?"

"Yeah, ya gan make us?" the shorter of the two smirked as he stalked towards me, eyes surveying my smaller frame, almost assessing me. His friend watched with disinterest, still happily pinning the younger boy with his forearm held firmly across his throat.

"Aye, but I'd encourage ya to listen to the warning," I hissed, squaring up to him. I wasn't tall, by any means and neither was the boy in front of me but he still had a good six inches on me. I wasn't one to back down, however. That was one thing that I was proud of was my fire, it was something I had learned from my mother.

"Why don't ya get oot of here now, before your lil' friend gets it?" the other boy spat, slamming the boy against the lockers and earning a hiss of pain.

"Don't say ya didn't ask for it," I growled, pulling my fist back and hurling it towards his face with all the force I could. "Now, you get oot of here before your lil' friend gets it."

"Josh!" his friend gasped, loosening his grip on the younger boy, who immediately dropped to his feet and grasped his neck.

"Now!" I snarled, startling the two, who immediately bolted in the opposite direction. "And don't come back!" I was still seething as my eyes stayed glued to their hasty exit. The pair couldn't miss a chance to trip up a lanky blonde that was practically running in my direction. I reached out and steadied him as he swore under his breath. "Are you alreet?"

"You're not Dean," he said plainly as he stared down at me

"Well, no shit, Sherlock," I replied bluntly.

"Sorry," he muttered in embarrassment as his hand grabbed at the back of his neck sheepishly, "I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"Well I'm glad there was, might not have ended so nicely for me. Cheers," Dean said sincerely as he pulled himself up and over to us. "I'm Dean and that twat is Sam."

"Aurora," I grinned back.

From that day on, the three of us were inseparable. Talking to the two of them was easy, we had clicked almost immediately, which was something I'd never experienced before. Sure, I had friends back in South Shields but I always felt like an outsider in the group. Some people found it weird that my only friends were two lads but anyone could see that the friendship bond was strong. Something that could overcome anything.

Well almost.