Chapter One: Run
"Raven this is the last time I will allow you to get away with your worthless pranks!" Ms. Scottmilllectured me again. I just let a slow sigh escape my lips. I was, once again, sitting in the office at "Bellatar's boarding school". I had been sent to her for one of my 'worthless' pranks on one of the many preps here in this hell whole they call school. As I stood and pulled the strap of my bag over my shoulder I let a small smiled grace my lips. "Yeah, well I'm not planning on sticking around much longer anyways, so bite me Scotts." I replied and then existed then room. I could hear Ms. Scottmill going off about how I'm such a 'disrespectful child' and that I need to be taught the meanings of the word. Chuckling, I turned down another hallway. Head down, I walked lazily toward the front doors, until I collided head first into what felt like a brick wall to me. A pair of strong arms wound their way around my waist before I could stumble back, and fall to the ground. I glanced up in shock, my mismatched eyes locking onto a pair of oddly green ones. We stared at each other for a minute before I realize exactly who he was. A slow smirk spread across his face as the realization appeared on my face. "Let the hell go of my, Zeak!" I yelled, trying to push him away. Zeak Bradley was the most popular boy in school, and the lowest lowlife I knew. He was tall, around six-foot, with lean muscles and lightly tanned skin. His eyes, though I hate to admit, were a beautiful shade of amber green. Zeak just smiled and tightened his grip around my waist. "Any why would I do that? You look so delicious in that little skirt that I just want to eat you." He remarked, the amber in his eyes slightly glowing. I let out a low growl and tried once more to get lose. "So help me if you don't let me go this instance I'm gona-" I was cut off when suddenly a fist shot pass my face and slammed into Zeak's. I turned my head and let a smile adore my features. There stood my favorite guy in my life. Jace Carnell. Jace's face was contorted in a mixture of anger and annoyance as he pulled my out of Zeak's arms and into his own. Jace was way over protective of me at times, but he seemed to know when I really needed saving. No me and Jace are not dating. We're best friends and that's all there is to it. I looked back over to were Zeak now laid on the fool, clutching his left eye.
"What the fuck Carnell?!" Zeak shouted. Jace growled, low and deep at him. "Keep you filthy hands off Raven, Bradley." Jace snapped back. Childishly I stuck my tongue out at him as Jace drug me off toward the front of the school building. Once we reached our destination Jace turned on me. "What the hell was that back there?" He questioned. I blinked once then fixed my bags strap once more and started to walk off in the direction that led to my personal hell. I didn't want to go home, but if I didn't get home soon then he would be upset with me again. A slow shiver rocked my body softly as I walked. Jace must had caught on to what I was doing, because before I could make it far enough away that I could out run him he grabbed me and spun me to face him. His soft brown eyes held the fear I knew he felt. "No Raven. You can't go back there. You know what he'll do to you if you do. Please don't." Jace pleaded with me. I just shock my head and sighed. My eyes locking on his. "Jace, you know I have to go. If I don't he'll just come looking for me."
Jace knew I was right, but I could see the plea in his eyes. I gently pushed him away and turned my back, preceding to walk toward my house. It wasn't far from the boarding school to the small apartment that I shared with my step-father, John. My real father had passed away four years ago in a car accident, two and a hafe years later my mother remarried John Sanchez. Though she made me change my last name along with her I still prefer to go by my real name, Raven Crestwells. I sighed as I thought about my mother. Maria Crestwells was a possibly one of the worst mothers in the world. She had married John Sanchez for his money and when that failed to impress her she moved on leaving me with a man I barely new to take care of me. That's when it started. John went mad when Maria left him. He started drinking, heavily. I thought back to a few months ago, when I was hospitalized. John had been drinking, as normal now, when I had gotten home from school. I'd been late due to getting in trouble that day too. Everything seemed fine when I got home. It was quite though, John didn't have the TV on like normal. I had made my way up stairs and towards my room, when I noticed my bedroom door was standing ajar. Fear had taken hold of me as I slowly entered my room. It was torn apart. Clothes, bedding, and all my binders and notebooks were strewn across the floor and over the small desk. I remember think that This was bad. That's when I heard the door slam shut behind me. I spun, coming face to face with a drunken John. "Maria left me because of you." He had slurred. After that all a could really remember was the immense pain that I had felt as his fist met with my lower stomach. I snapped back into reality as I turn the corner into the apartment setup that John and I lived in. My walked slowed momentarily as I got closer to our apartment. Stopping in front of the door I braced myself for the worst. Slowly I placed my hand on the door knob and turned it. With a soft click the door slid open and I walked in, John was standing in the hallway staring at me. I could smell the alcohol that was coming off him from where I stood at the door. Slowly I stepped forward and closed the door behind me. I knew what would happen next. We'd ague. He'd beat me for reasons unknown to me. And then I go to my room and hide. It was the same routine everyday. "Where have you been?!" He yelled at me. I started down at the floor as I responded. "Ms. Scottmill held me after school." I could feel the air around him thicken with anger as I told him. "You worthless piece of trash! You should go die! It's because of your actions that your mother left me! You deserve to die!" He screamed. I flinched slightly at his choice of words and took a step back. His fist connected with my right cheek and my head snapped to the left in reaction. The strange metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I turned my head back to face him. My cheek was sore and blood was trickling down the side of my mouth as I stood there. That's when I did the one thing I should have done long ago. I turned on my heels and ran. The door slammed shut behind me as I raced back down the hallway and around the corner. My mind was blank and I had no ideal where I was going. All I knew was I had to get away. I had to get away from John, from the school, from this town, and most of all from myself. Everything I ever held back came rushing to the front of my mind. Jace would be the only won to really miss me, no one else would care. I slowed to a stop and pulled out the small back phone I took with me every where I flipped it open. I dialed in Jace's number then pressed the button that said send a message. Quickly I type the last thing I would ever say to him. 'Goodbye Jace.' and with that I started to run again. Not knowing or caring where my feet took me.