I Like Me Better When I'm With You | Ackley Bridge

5|'Sir!'

Cory takes me upstairs to isolation, much to my dismay. He manages to get me inside, but I start resisting.

"I want to go home, Cory! I want me sisters! Please!" I beg. "Let me go home!"

"I can't, I'm sorry, babe." He says sincerely.

I fall to my knees, gripping my head to stop the tears and try to think straight.

"Cory? Izzy?" I hear Jordan's voice. I forgot he was in isolation. "What's happened?"

"She got in a fight over her mom with Nasreen Paracha." Cory explains briefly to his brother.

I feel Cory pick me up from the floor effortlessly, "Jordan, get her a chair, will ya?"

I hear some shuffling before I'm placed in a chair and see Cory crouched in front of me with Jordan standing at his side.

"You're gonna be fine, I promise." Cory tries to assure me.

"I shouldn't have come back." I sniffle.

"That's not true. Where would I be without ya?" Cory asks.

"I know for a fact I'd be in deep shite with that copper if it weren't for you." Jordan speaks up, earning a small laugh from me.

"What?" Cory asks, and Jordan laughs.

"It were crazy. Izzy went all lawyer-y on him for discrimination and harassment or summet. She really saved me." Jordan recalls fondly.

"Can't believe I missed it." Cory shakes his head as I groan and lay my head on my folded arms on the desk in front of me.

"I'll be back later, alright." I feel a warm kiss be placed on my temple before I hear the door open and shut.

♡♥︎♡

"Time's up, Jordan." Mr Bell speaks up for the first time since he gave up trying to get through to me. "Don't play games, just give it to me."

"If you put half as much effort into your GCSEs, you're gonna be laughing." Mr Bell states, and I raise my head from my arms to faintly see some drawings in his hands.

"Do you, um, do you like drawing? Cos this is really good, Jordan." Mr Bell compliments.

"Do you reckon?" Jordan asks, and I hear the sarcasm in his voice. "Do you reckon I could get into art school with that, sir? Do you reckon there's a whole world waiting for me, sir?"

Mr Bell drops the book on the teacher desk and turns back to Jordan. "Give me that sheet you tore out."

"No." Jordan says defiantly.

"I've looked bad enough trying to stick up for you today. Enough now. Give it to me." Mr Bell demands.

"Were you sticking up for me, sir?" Jordan taunts. "Sorry, I had no idea. No one's actually taken an interest in me before, except Bella, have they?"

"Shut up." Mr Bell rips the page out of Jordan's hands.

"If you're gonna have a fallout with your missus, sir, don't do it where I can here ya?" What's he on about?

Mr Bell screws the paper into a ball and chucks it on the desk, fed up. "I've had enough of you. Come on." He pulls Jordan up by his arm.

"Don't touch me!" Jordan exclaims, shoves him off, and stands out of his reach, causing me to stand up cautiously.

"You do not lay your hands on a teacher, lad, ever." Mr Bell reminds him.

"No wonder your missus bosses you about, sir. You're a pussy." Jordan tauntingly shoves Mr Bell.

"Jordan stop." I croak quietly.

"Jordan, back off, lad. I promise you, I will stick you on your ass." Mr Bell tries to stay calm.

"You can't let her talk to you like that, can ya, Steve?" Jordan continues. "Especially when she's banging Sadiq Nawaz behind your back."

Mr Bell lashes out a punches Jordan in the face.

"Sir!" I exclaim as Jordan falls to the side, gripping his face. He stumbles into me, bent over, his head near my chest.

I gently cup his head to try get a look at him, but he keeps his head down.

"Jordan." Mr Bell reaches out to him. "Jordan, just listen to me, y-"

He's cut off by Jordan running out so I grab both of our bags and run out after him.

"Jordan!" I follow him to the school gate where he finally stops.

"What?!" He snaps, turning to face me.

"Are you okay?" I ask him cautiously.

"I-I dunno!" He stutters and I embrace him in a tight hug.

I pull away slightly to get a look at his cheek to see a small cut from Mr Bell's wedding ring. "Its not that bad and... at least we can be matching now." I tell him referring to the small cut on my cheek I got from Nasreen.

He laughs at my attempt to make this situation better than it is.

"Yeah... I guess." We share a small laugh before continuing home.