Freezing Fear

Borden shook the spray can vigorously as he eyed his target. Double checking his stencils he calmed his nerves before taking a running start toward the obstacle in front of him. Pushing off with just the right amount of strength he grasped the top of the fence and flipped over.

Making it over he ducked into the shade of a nearby tree and waited heart thumping. There was no sign that his stunt had been noticed for what felt like an hour, his phones clock told him it was five minutes.

Suddenly confident that the security hadn't picked up on his intrusion Borden walked briskly over the sports field toward a rarely visited part of campus.

The stencils and spray flew in his hands creating numerous small artworks as he went from place to place around campus. Sitting back on his hunches Borden admired his last work, a fir tree covered in snow with its roots rapping around a coffin.

A shadow moved and a throat cleared behind him.

Borden stilled dread chilling his body, a breath tribulation expectancy and fear. Nothing more was said he stood spray can still in hand. Turning he saw the familiar uniform of Ye Ran High's special security.

Borden swallowed in face of the level stare pointed in his direction.

Feeling guilty he dropped the can back on the ground and put his hands up behind his head.

The security guard laughed. "No need to be so tense. Do you have your student ID on you?"

Borden wanted to cuss instead he smiled meekly and nodded before reaching to his backpack, snatching it off the ground and bolting. His mother would kill him if this got back to her. The guard had asked for his ID, his student ID.

Footsteps were catching up behind him.

Had he been recognised or was it a lucky guess? Targeting his own school was not the smartest idea after all even if it meant he could gather information openly.

Borden dodged to the side as a hand reached for his shoulder.

Clearly he hadn't gathered enough.

The guard had been calling at him to stop but Borden only went faster, as fast as he could. It wasn't fast enough he realised as the guard tackled him from behind and pinned him down.

"Alright kid now you confirmed earlier that you had your ID on you. Now, you need to tell me what pocket it's in or I will be forced to call the cops."

"If you see it?" Borden asked the dirt.

"Then we call the Principle and your parents."

The idea chilled Borden to his soul. "You can't tell mom you just can't."

"You did this when you can't even deal with your parent's kid? Alright, I'll take you to the holding room and if you present your ID we can call the Principle first. With his agreement we can leave your mother out of it." The weight on Borden let up slightly and when he didn't move he made a questioning sound.

"You haven't told me where your ID is kid."

"Back pack, small left pocket." The zip opened and he felt the pressure on his back as the guard fished it out.

"Ok Borden, I'll need you to come with me now." The weight let up and Borden made his way to his feet brushing the dirt off slowly. He kept his head down unwilling to look the guard in the face and waited to be told where to go.

The guard sighed before placing a hand on his shoulder and guided Borden to the holding room. Inside he noticed another guard leaning against a doorway; the black bowl cut with a streak of white and stunning features revealed it was one of the Parachute trios even before the man opened his mouth.

"You had a bad fall feeling alright?" Borden had no words to reply, no words at all. "Your art is awesome how long have been doing it?" That startled he before he could process that Tao had been speaking to him the other guard interrupted.

"Did you call Mr Lee?"
"Yep, the boss is on his way Max."

Borden was sent into a padded room with a desk and a few chairs and large internal windows, nothing else. Borden sat on one seat and Max settled down beside him. "I would like to search your bag if you would?" Max gestured to Borden's back. The latter dully removed his backpack and through it on the table.

"Did you really need to ask?"

Max was rummaging through his bag removing the spray paint but leaving everything else. "Legally no but it's in our policy students get more rights."

"Ha, thanks Max."

"Max?" The guard looked at him blankly before realisation seemed to dawn. "Stupid Tao," Max muttered then louder, "that's not my name but you can call me that if you wish. Nock on the window if you need anything." The guard who didn't introduce himself left the room taking the spray paint with him.

Borden drew he bag back and found his phone, turning it on he started playing game apps.

There was a knock on the door before it opened revealing Tao who held up a seal bottle an exclaimed, "Hey ~ do you want some water?"

The infectious grin was relaxing and Borden agreed readily waving Tao to sit down to. They chattered amply, Borden off guard didn't realise just how much he was saying. There was another knock on the door and Tao got up to open it with a flourish, the door wasn't locked?

"Hey Boss, did I walk you up?"

"No Tao. How is he?"

"He's fine, worrying about the consequences though." Oh, Hell. The Chairman had arrived.

Tao cast him a question, "Do you want me to stay?"

Borden nodded sharply as the Chairman walked in. He had never been sent to the Principles office before and he was dreading the man's wrath but not as much as his mothers.

"Now I've been told you don't want to be reported to your parents. This would be neglecting my duty as an educator. So why don't you convince me that you weren't just caught defacing the school?" The smile was gentle but somehow Borden wasn't reassured at all. He stole a glance at Tao who was standing back in the corner. The chairman wouldn't do anything untoward with a witness right their right?

Tao's thumbs up also reminded him of something else.

"I wasn't defacing the school Sir; I was placing artwork to be admired by those who try to separate from the crowed."

"Art in the middle of the night?"

"It was to be a surprise, a secrete for those who know every inch of Ye Ran."

The Chairman adjusted his glasses before looking over his shoulder. "Tao could you get me pictures of this art?"

"Sure thing Boss" Tao gave Borden on more grin before ducking out of the room.

"Is there any reason you couldn't ask for the right to put up your artworks? Borden?"

Jolting at his name Borden eyes went from the door to the desk and he told it the truth in a low voice.

"Could you speak up?"

Borden repeated himself.

"We can wait for Tao to return." The chairman sighed rubbing his temple; the movement reminded Borden that he had been called out at slightly past ten to deal with a student who had trespassed on his own school after hours. It would make sense for the Chairman to just call up his parents and be done with it till tomorrow.

Tao returned and passed a phone to the Chairman, who swiped trough pictures of Borden's work.

"These are very well done. He did all this in 20min?"

"Sure did Boss"

"Borden, I am convinced this is art only two are inappropriate and will have to be removed. I still don't know why I shouldn't call your parents."

"You can call my father Sir but my mother is a dragon."

"Alright, I'll call your father you will wash off the inappropriate art. The rest...can stay but you will need to see the councillor until she says otherwise."

"Thank you Sir."

"Tao"

"On it Boss."

~ S ~

Three weeks later the councillor referred him to the art club. Borden found his place soon after.

Prompt 26, Freezing.

To anon Victor and Cadis are a couple of my many OC's and come from Children of our Souls. Most of my OC's are only there for guest appearance or a different POV, they don't have their own stories.