Chapter 9

So today's another day, I have school today and it's gonna be so great. I hate my life. So my new plan is too change it. Im gonna stay at Ryan's for a while, that way Tala won't know where I am , neither will anyone else for that matter. Hmmm...so right now its 8:40, school starts in five minutes and I just left the house. Crap.

I practically skidded into my form room only to receive a handful of staring eyes and amused looks. I sat in my seat and took out my head phones , My hair was slightly damp from the light rain and I looked like I'd come from gym, not the best look to start your day off with. The bell went and I rapidly left my class room and headed for geography, as I came around the corner I was un surprised to see Tala with another girl, just talking mind you.

Guess I spoke too soon, she must have been hungry...there won't be much of his face left at the rate she's going. Ahh well his loss, the orange stain she'll leave on his face won't exactly get the girls throwing themselves at him. I was somewhat pleased when he pushed her away, but that soon went when he smirked at her, then again the look of horror on his face when brushed past them both without a second glance. I wouldn't turn back though. He had attempted to grab my arm but I moved out of the way, a reflex I learnt off of Ryan he had tried to teach me martial arts. It paid off.

I hadn't thought about it but it was a good thing I did move out the way in time, my arm is still healing and if he caught it in the wrong way it might pull on the scab and start bleeding again.

Thank God Geography went by quickly, I actually enjoy the lesson; I just didn't want to be in today. I walked into the cafeteria and bought a bottle of water then left and sat on a bench outside. It wasn't the best weather to be honest, the sky was a dull grey more than anything and there was an annoying breeze that constantly made you shiver. I felt someone walk up behind me.

"What no hello? Where are your manners Steele?"

I turned to find Hiwatari and his lackeys, I sneered at him.

"Im not exactly in the best of moods and your presence just annoys me further, Im going to leave now."

His friends snickered and I suppressed a smile.

"No you're not."

Before I could question his statement he picked me up of the bench and threw me over his shoulders, I punched and kicked him but he merely grunted and shoved me into a wall, somehow knocking the wind from me, it wasn't until he dropped me on the floor that I realised I was in the boys changing rooms.

"Hn."

"Oh the horror, I'm in the boys changing rooms."

" ..and the doors are locked making it just you and me."

I paled slightly , what was he doing?

"Excuse me?"

"I think you heard just fine."

"What the fuck Hiwatari, you're so messed up, unlock the damn doors."

He had an evil look on his face, my mind drifted slightly and I wondered if he had been born like that.

"I heard you like closed spaces?, hows hide and seek?"

I silently cursed Tala and his huge mouth, so much for best friend. He walked towards me and I moved back until I realised we were going into the other side of the changing rooms, the part no one used, I kept backing up until my back came in contact with a door, which of course he shoved me threw.

(It was unlocked obviously) The cubical was dark and smelly, there was a light but the switch stupidly was on the outside and these weren't ones that you could crawl out under or over, they were completely sealed off. You could close them with a small bolt on the inside, however at the end of the day the caretaker would come and lock them from the outside, in case students had left something in one of the. Meaning that I was inevitably lockable in, and unless someone happened to stroll by and check them I was in here until tomorrow.

I had already by this time started hyperventilating. Since a child I have been extremely claustrophobic, something only close friends and my Mother knew of. My father used to lock me in the cupboard after he had beaten me, sometimes for endless hours, or even until the next day. If I was lucky.

"Have fun now."

Hiwatari locked this door and unlocked the main doors we had come through originally. I screamed.

I was terrified, tears streamed down my face as I sank down to my knees and wrapped my arms around my torso, the quiet sobs emerging from my chest were the only things keeping it from complete silence.

I don't know how long I have been here for, maybe a couple of hours but I was going mental. I had thought of calling Alicia but being the over precautious person I am I had left it in my locker. Eventually I heard what I assumed was the bell for lessons. It rang for 10 seconds, then 20. It was only after about 5 minutes of its increasing sound that I realised it was the fire alarm. Immediately I rose to my feet panicking, screaming for help but none came. I started telling myself it was just a drill. It was the first few weeks back at school and they probably wanted to make sure everything worked, yes of course that was it, im just paranoid, everything is fine.

Is it me or is it suddenly getting warmer? This is bad.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." To my horror I now knew that this wasn't a drill and there really was a fire. Smoke somehow got into the cubicles, which meant there must be a small gap at the top. There was still no way out. I tried to pull myself up onto it so I could attempt at shouting again.

Smoke rises.

Instantaneously I rushed back down to the floor and covered my face with my jumper. The smoke was making me cough and I knew I wouldn't last long. I imagined the relaxing sound of my mother's voice lulling me into sleep.

Meanwhile...