Thanks for all the reviews, guys!
Love all of you! Enjoy chapter ten!
"Miss. Jordan?"
Paige looked up from her doodling and stared at the rather annoyed expression of her teacher. Her own expression of annoyance stunned her teacher and all eyes were on her. Even Johnny, who had decided it was best to stay far away from her, looked back at her with a somewhat worried expression. "Yes, Professor?"
"Would you care to tell me the answer to question fifteen?" He asked, tapping his pointer on the ground and waiting impatiently for his student to answer.
She shrugged. "I dunno."
"You don't know? Why, Miss. Paige, according to your papers this is your favorite subject." Professor Knight mocked and Paige just glared at the male with furious eyes. The only person, who decided to sit next to her, Javier, glanced over at her paper and found it littered with profanities and doodles of Johnny falling off a cliff with x's as eyes. Paige's solemn expression told him not to say anything and just stare back at his own paper and leave her be.
"I just don't know, okay, teach?"
The entire class gasped and stared back at her incredulously with wide eyes, even the PNK girls wore astounded faces. Professor Knight raised a curious eye brow and cocked his head back in shock at the response. Paige slumped back into the chair as she waited for her teacher's next move, whether it was making her answer the question or seeing her after class. "Very well, Miss. Jordan. Mr. Jacobs, would you answer the question instead?"
The green monster stuttered before stammering out the answer in his rough tone and leaving many of his fellow students puzzled. Johnny shook his head, but not before glancing at her once more with apologetic eyes. As soon as she saw him however, her horns curled and her eyes burned holes into his own. Johnny looked away quickly almost as if embarrassed being caught.
As their teacher continued to lecture them about the project due date and what he was expecting from it, Paige's mind wandered. Her hazel eyes looked away from her teacher and to windows that were shut for the coming winter. She almost expected the Dean to fly through the window, if it was open or not. She wished it was open and even more than that, she wished she had wings. At the moment, in all her life, she had never wanted to fly so badly and never wanted to escape anywhere so much. If she had wings, she realized, she could fly anywhere and never have to see her classmates ever again and never have to deal with Johnny.
"Are you alright?"
Reality slapped her in the face when Javier spoke.
Paige cleared her throat, "just peachy."
Seconds past and neither monster said anything to the other. Javier tapped his many fingers against his desk and awkwardly coughed. "Y-you sure?"
"Yes." Her voice was tense, a clear warning that the conversation was over. The purple monster nodded and swallowed, glancing occasionally at the girl who seemed ready to punch a wall. He then looked at her wrists, having heard what happened from his president, and his expression saddened. Paige noticed the look of pity from the male and glared hatefully. "Don't look at me like that."
He shook his head, stunned. "What look? A look like I care? A look that means I actually give a care about your well-being?"
"Yes, I don't need your pity, Javier Rios," she spat the name out as if it was poison sitting on her tongue, "give it to someone who needs it."
"What is wrong with you?!" The purple monster hissed in his classic accent, "listen, Miss. Bones, I don't have to take this from you! I'm just being kind and polite. Maybe you should try it once in a while."
She looked equally stunned. "The nerve! You let your president bruise me. I could have called my mom and gotten him out of this school before you could say munchies. And you. You and the rest of your stupid frat would have been taken in as accomplices for not reporting the instance to either the police or the dean. So take your "kindness" and "politeness" and shove it where the sun don't shine."
With her head no longer facing him, Javier opted to just stare at the green haired female with a dumbfounded expression, left with nothing to say. It wasn't often that women left him speechless and he wasn't sure if he should be amused or confused that it had been Paige and not Clara McGarden. And despite being embarrassed, he managed to crack a smile and had to cover his own mouth to stop laughter from escaping. He saw the scowl directed to him by his president and his other brother's around him and noticed a certain emotion in Johnny's eyes that he was sure he had when he saw Clara talking to any other male beside her brother.
"Mr. Javier? Is there something that you find amusing?"
Javier looked away from the scowl directed his way to his teacher and shook his head nervously. "No, sir."
"Good, good. Then you wouldn't mind demonstrating a scare for me in the simulator, one of my students from another class is looking for placement in a higher class. He's a promising student and I think I will also have him take your spot too." The teacher declared, leaving no room for argument. He gestured towards a furry monster in his front row to the left of the room and pointed to the seat Javier reclined in. "You'll sit up there, Mr. Sullivan. Please pay attention to my class while you're at it. I'm sure that Miss. Jordan won't be allowing you to slack off, right Miss. Jordan?"
"Sure," Paige grumbled and stared at the blue male swaggering up the stairs. He wore a cheeky grin and snapped his fingers at the occasional girl who just so happened to be looking his way. As soon as he saw her, he smirked and Paige was suddenly reminded of Johnny Worthington and his new recruit. Paige stared in shock at the jacket the blue monster wore and realized that he was the new recruit she had met at the ROR party. He made his way to Javier who was packing his things and cursing in his own tongue, then sat in the seat and whispered a slurred hello. Paige scrunched herself up as she noticed how uncomfortably close he was and how his fur brushed against her jacket.
"Hey, babe. You remember me, right?"
She popped her lips, smirking, "yeah, you were that jerk from the ROR party right? Is Mike winning?"
His smirk disappeared and a frown replaced it. "Well, I'm the one in a higher class and he's, well, being a loser."
"He will win." Paige reassured, cursing herself for sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than the Sullivan.
"Shows what you know, little one," he sneered and Paige froze. Her pencil snapped like a tooth pick in her hand and began to shake, her desk shuddering with movement. He stared at her as if he hadn't expected a reaction and saw the fierce look on her face.
"W-h-where did you hear that from?" Her voice was a deadly whisper, cold, and cut like ice.
"I ju-just made it up," he said slowly, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything!"
Paige grabbed her things in quick movements, grabbing things quickly and shoving them into her binder. She didn't dare look up, didn't listen to what Sulley might have said to her and did not, for any reason, stop packing. She had to move, she told herself. If anyone else called her Greenie, memories of him would resurface and it would be unbearable. "Wait! I'm sorry."
"..." The green haired female ripped the broken pencil off the desk and shoved it into its respective place in her notebook.
"What's going on up there!?" Professor Knight demanded, peering over the seats to see what his youngest student was doing. Paige felt the notebooks and papers leave her arms and heard them clatter to the ground below her. She collapsed to her knees and grabbed the sides of her head.
What is happening to me?!
Little one...
"He's here!" Paige screeched and heard the voice repeat the name over and over in her small head. "Get out of my head!"
What's wrong, little one? You going to cry?
"Shut up! LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU SICKO!"
"Paige, Paige!" It was Logan, but she could barely hear him. Could barely hear him over the sound of her racing heartbeat and the voices screaming in her head.
You thought you could run from me, little one? Come on, Pagiey Waigey, you should know better.
"Please...please...just go away." Paige could hear how pathetic her voice was; hear all the weakness in it. And it both sickened and terrified her. Paige looked up from the ground into the concerned eyes of Logan and the people gathered behind him.
He's saying something to me...
He's trying to talk to me...
But he's here...I can hear him all around me.
Just because you left Fear Tech doesn't mean I can't find you again, little one. I can find you and you'll never be able to run again. How does that sound?
"Paige! Paige, it's not real!" Logan shouted, his lips making sound to her and no longer just moving mutely. His hands held her shoulders and shook her wildly as if her life depended on it. Johnny was behind him, looking just as concerned as Logan, but hung back and just stared down at her. He look just as terrified as Logan as well and looked three shades lighter than he usually did. Javier was behind him as well; just staring at her as if she was going insane, followed by the rest of the class. Behind her was the familiar fuzz of Sulley, who had dropped to his knees to support her and hold her up.
She stared helplessly into the eyes of her friend, grabbing the material of his shirt. "He's in this classroom, Logan. I can hear him, he's here!"
"Who, Paige, who?"
"Axel Rodriquez."
What a pretty little mask...you wouldn't mind parting with it would you, Paige?
"I'm leaving, Axel, and you can't stop me." Paige declared in a strong voice, glaring through tears at the monster slouched against the brick wall.
He licked away the blood trailing down his lip and laughed hatefully. "You idiot. I'm going to find you, no matter where you go."
"No." She shot back, biting back the fear in her tone. "You'll never find me again. You can't hurt me anymore, Axel."
"You're going to die like your dad, Paige Jordan." He muttered and Paige growled. "I'm going to find out wher you're going and then I'm going to take that pretty little mask. I'm going to take so much better care of it then you ever did. It will be a nice little addition to my collection."
"Screw you."
Axel laughed bitterly. "Bye for now, little one. I'll miss you."
Paige stared up at the ceiling of the nurse room and just blinked.
She had passed out like a drama queen in her only class of the day and hadn't done so with style like they did in the movies. She had gone out screaming about Axel being in Monsters University when she knew he would never leave Fear Tech, even to chase his elaborate fantasy of hanging her mask on the wall as if it was a prize. And yet she had heard his voice like he was whispering in her ear or inside her head and started screaming like it would shut him up.
But it wouldn't because Axel would always be there in the back of her mind.
"You okay?"
She recognized the voice as the pompous Johnny Worthington and nodded, not speaking.
"Look, I know you're mad at me and you have the right to be."
Paige listened to his voice, checking for any sign of mockery or trickery. He sounded tired like he hadn't slept for ages and genuinely sorry, so she decided it was worth listening to.
"And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Or scare you ever, Bones." He continued and sat up slowly from her white cot. He stood in the doorway, looking anywhere but her, and was carrying her things under his arm. The white walls were even more confining and hearing the voice of another in the familiar room was somewhat comforting.
"Where are Logan and Sulley?"
He perked up, "Logan had football practice and Sulley had to go back to his own class. Did you know that Logan was in football? That's cool right?"
Paige managed a small smile and could practically feel the happiness forming off the senior in her room. "Yeah, it sure is. He doesn't look like the type does he? Are you going to the football game tonight?"
"Of course..."he began. "Bones, who is Axel Rodriquez?"
She clutched the sheets of her white blankets and looked down at them. "He's someone from Fear Tech."
"He didn't sound very friendly when you were yelling at him to go away in class." Johnny pointed out and Paige nodded.
"He wasn't. But he's gone now; I don't have to deal with him anymore. I'm here, he's back at Fear Tech," Paige explained, flipping her legs over the side of the bed and placing her little feet back into her shoes. She stood slowly from the bed, cracked her back and walked to Johnny to collect her things. "At least, I hope he stays there."
Johnny handed the things back to the sophomore and followed behind her as she departed from the room, cautiously, checking to make sure that the slug nurse was nowhere in sight. When she was sure, Paige strutted quickly out of the room, ignoring any of the other women present who asked her how she was feeling. Johnny followed after her quickly, trying to keep up with her pace and waving to the nurses who giggled flirtatiously. The doors shut behind her and the two shivered at the gust of shivering wind that greeted them and pushed their way forward.
"So..."
Paige rolled her eyes. "Yes?"
"I finished the project. When you left."
She looked at him, clearly shocked. "Why? Weren't you complaining that you were going to do the entire project anyways?"
He shrugged, "I guess. But I guess it was my way of apologizing to you. For your wrists and all."
Paige stared down at her wrists and found them to be properly bandaged and all the burning gone. She flipped her arm, checking the other side. "It doesn't matter. I'm fine now."
"It does matter, dang it!"
The senior stopped her by standing in front of her and grasping her thin shoulders, looking into her hazel eyes with concern. He glared viciously into her eyes, but softened instantly, seeing his reflection in her eyes. He lowered his head, shaking it, then released her shoulders.
"Johnny..."
"Bones," Johnny sighed, head still low, "I really am sorry."
She smirked and patted the senior on the head. Johnny looked up and managed to smirk himself, but not before she hit him on the head with all her strength. He clutched his head and Paige grabbed one of his horns, dragging him off. "OW! Knock it off, Bones! I said I was sorry!"
"Well, you should be!" Paige shouted back, ignoring the laughter from the monsters who were witnessing her yanking the mighty Johnny Worthington towards the football stadium. "And maybe I don't forgive you."
"Wh-wha?! But-But you sai-"
"Maybe I'll forgive you after you buy me a pretzel. And none of those hard ones, I want a giant puffy one that has enough salt to give me heart problems for the rest of my life. I also want a large drink and the biggest bag of monster munchies you can find, you hear me?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you!" Johnny hissed, but he was laughing as well. Paige looked away to hide her blush and questioned herself for doing it in the first place. Her arm hurt slightly, even her wrist began to sting, but she decided that it was worth making the senior look like a little boy being scolded. A few PNK girls passed, stared incredulously at the duo and raced off quickly before Paige could say anything. She watched them leave and looked back at Johnny, who didn't seem to notice that the sorority was watching them. "What about me?"
"What about you?"
"What am I going to eat?"
Paige scowled back at him, "well, you should have thought about that before you bruised my wrists, Eggplant!"
His smirk vanished at the remark and he looked away. "I know, I know, I was out of line."
"Hell yeah!" Paige agreed bitterly, "why did you freak out anyways?"
"I wouldn't say I freaked out..."
"Really?" She said dryly, releasing his horn and placing her hands on her hips.
He sighed, rubbing his irritated horn. "I think you know who my dad is. John John Worthington. One of the best there was...until he disappeared sixteen years ago. Along with your dad, Bones. My dad and your dad were rivals, I think. My dad decided to become a scarer and after he retired, he worked for the Peace Division."
"Peace Division?" Paige questioned, raising an eyebrow. "I've never heard of that before."
"Most civilians go there whole lives without knowing about it." Johnny explained. "It's a division in the CDA, a group in the government that investigates reports of human sightings in our world. If any human comes into our world, the Peace Division is in charge of investigating the cases...at least that's what my mom told me. Anyways, my dad was assigned to a case that would make or break his career."
"What?" Paige asked eagerly, the story captivating her adventurous side.
"Arresting your dad."
Paige jumped in front of Johnny and raised her leg so her thigh was parallel with her hip then snapped it forward at the male. The ball of her foot acted as a surface and successfully knocked the wind out of the ROR president. The force knocked him off his feet and to the ground with a thud, making him stare up at her with a shocked expression. Before he could speak, Paige took her foot and placed it on his fuzzy neck, holding him down. "Why?"
"I-I do-don't k-know! Bo-Bones, please I ca-can't breathe!"
Paige's cold eyes widened and she slowly moved her foot from Johnny, allowing him to breathe once more. He stood quickly and brushed the dirt off of his prized sweater, scowling at it the entire time. He continued. "My dad took yours in and when he confessed to his crimes, my dad was ordered to take him to a maximum security prison on an island. On the way there, the bus crashed and when people checked for bodies, only the drivers were identified and our dads were gone. That's honestly all I know."
"So our dads are dead?"
Johnny scoffed. "Weren't you listening? They never found bodies, ever. They searched and searched. That's why when I met you; I was hoping you would know."
Paige shook her head sadly. "I know less than you."
"My dad disappearing destroyed my family. My granddad just stayed in his room and he still just stares out the window. All my mom does is obsesses over the house and anything my dad ever touched. I had to become my dad; my mom is convinced that I'm not even her son." Johnny whispered, "Why am I telling you this?"
"Because we're breaking down emotional boundaries!" Paige exclaimed and turned on her foot towards the football stadium, head held high and proud. Johnny chuckled, following closely behind her and then walking beside her. "You know, Johnny, maybe I was wrong abo-"
"Ooh, Johnny-cakes! Paigey!"
Paige slumped forward, and groaned; it was Naomi coming to pester her and Johnny. Johnny turned and he grinned largely, more so than Paige had ever seen him do before, and waited for his skinny girlfriend so join him. Paige wasn't sure if she would wait with him or just walk on and forget about the couple. But her mission was waylaid, when she felt an arm loop with her own and the sorority girl squeeze her way between herself and Johnny. She clasped Johnny's hand and shot him a sickly sweet smile, before snuggling close to Paige. "Ummm, hey, Naomi?"
Naomi giggled, "silly, Paige, you can call me Nao! All my friends do."
I didn't know we were friends. "Okay...Nao?"
"Johnny Wonny, I missed you so! Where did you go?"
Johnny blushed considerably and Paige was surprised to see him reduced to a school boy in love around Naomi. "I was checking on Paige because she passed out in class."
She let out a cry of fake horror. "That's awful! I hope you're okay." Paige glanced at the little female looking at her with eyes full of 'concern' and resisted the urge to choke her and demand why she was associating with her. Wasn't this the same girl who made fun of her in the fraternity house? And the same one who spread rumors about her looking down on Molly?
"I'm fine. Johnny carried me there, right, Johnny?" Paige informed her voice teasing.
Naomi's sweet personality shattered and Paige felt the grip around her arm tighten considerably as Naomi slowly looked at her boyfriend. "Is this true, sweetie?"
Johnny shook his head, scoffing, "of course not. I'm not going to help that thing."
Nope, he's still an ass. "My mistake, it must have been Logan."
"Oh, thank goodness." Naomi sighed with real relief. "How are things going between you and him? You guys are boyfriend and girlfriend right?"
Suddenly, Johnny's eyes were on her too and Paige stuttered to get an answer out. "N-no! No-nothing like that! We're not d-d-dating!"
Naomi grinned, pulling Paige in closer to her. "Oh really now? I think you two would make a wonderful couple. We could go to dinner and have double dates. Wouldn't that be nice, Johnny-cakes?"
"Yes." Johnny managed to spit out, eliciting a glare from his girlfriend. "I mean, that would be."
Paige glanced over at the male who glared ahead and felt a painful sting in heart that she couldn't define. "Y-you think?" Paige couldn't understand why she sounded so defeated nor hesitant at the idea of dating Logan. He was perfect; charm, looks, smarts. "I never thought about it."
"Well then you can have a wonderful boyfriend just like I have my wonderful Johnny." Naomi informed, releasing Paige to wrap her arms around Johnny, who shifted his own arms to wrap them around her small form. Paige looked to her side almost as if she expected Logan to appear and wrap his own arms around her, whispering kind things into her hears. She realized how cold she suddenly was and clutched herself to keep warm. "Will you be sitting with us? Paige?" Although her voice sounded inviting, Paige detected the scorn in her voice and knew that the female was hoping she would say no.
"Actually, Logan got me tickets up close. So I could see him and I quote; kick butt and take names." Paige joked and could hear the sigh of relief from Naomi. "But if-"
"No, no. Enjoy your seat." Naomi said too quickly and Paige smiled all knowingly. "Johnny is a big football fan, even though he's never played before."
"It would be a crime to ruin this face." Johnny teased, making Naomi laugh and Paige snort. "Besides, I wouldn't want to take the spot light from Paige's boyfriend."
"Hey, Paige!" Molly called from the stadium entrance and Paige had never been so happy to see anyone in her entire life. She raced away from Johnny and Naomi and flung herself onto her friend, holding her tight. She laughed awkwardly, patting the girl on the back and smiling. When she finally pulled away, she saw what her friend was wearing and grinned. "Oh, this? I'm part of the planning committee now. I'm in charge of sports and they might even put me in the scare games! Isn't that great?"
"Yes!" Paige squealed, holding her friends hands with an eager grip. "You can tell me more after the game right?"
"Of course." Molly agreed and reached into her black apron, revealing the VIP pass with Paige Jordan in bold letters. She locked it on a chain and strung it around her neck, patting her shoulders. "Logan got you a VIP pass, huh? I wish that I didn't have to work here, I would love to join you."
The green haired female patted the girl on the back and lifted her chin. "Cheer up, buddy! Maybe they'll let you have a break and you can watch with me? I'll save you a spot if some random person with a lot of money doesn't show up and sit next to me. Like one of those annoying kids at the movie theater who steal your popcorn."
"Maybe." She sounded unconvinced. "Enjoy the game. It's against your old school, Fear Tech."
"W-Wait?! Fear Tech?" Paige cried, horrified.
Molly nodded, slowly and cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, what's wrong?"
"Uh, nothing." Paige swallowed, feeling herself shivering. "Please watch the game with me, Molly."
"I told you, I can't. I have a job, I'll get in trouble." Molly repeated, but stopped when Paige grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Paige, what is wrong with you?!"
Paige was shivering. And her eyes were glazed with fear, and Molly saw that she had never seen someone so terrified in her entire life. "Molly, you have to come with me. Please. Please, please, don't leave me alone." Her voice was cracking and was filled with sorrow.
"O-okay, it's alright, Paige." Molly soothed and eyed Johnny and Naomi as they stared at her with curious eyes. "Umm, you guys can go inside. I'll send you the bill later; I know where your homes are on campus."
The couple nodded before stepping around them and towards the roaring stadium where the football game would soon begin. Johnny glanced over his shoulder at Paige, but was soon tugged away by Naomi to their seats. Molly removed her apron and led Paige inside the stadium, holding her in shaky arms as her wings wrapped around her. She hushed her soothingly and patted her back kindly, pointing to her coworkers to work the ticket booth in her absence. Angered workers huffed and quickly ran to her spot to make sure they got their money's worth.
"So, are you going to tell me why you can't watch a football game by yourself?"
"One of the guys on the football team for Fear Tech is Axel Rodriquez." Paige whispered in a low, shrill voice.
"And I'm supposed to know who he is?" Molly joked, but looked down when Paige looked anything but pleased.
She fiddled with her hands and looked at her hands. "I don't want to talk about him. He's...evil."
Before Molly could comment, the two females bumped into something squishy, but felt like a brick. Molly hissed at the pain blooming in her head and Paige rubbed her skull mask. Molly felt herself being pushed aside, separate from Paige and cursed as she connected with the wall. Paige's rear end hit the stone ground and she tried to break her fall. "Hey! Watc-" Paige began but covered her mouth with a dainty hand to stop herself from crying out. Her hazel eyes shook and her mouth could not form words. "It's you..." She stared at the hand being offered to her and shook, shaking her head.
"Hey, little one, long time no see."
Paige felt warm tears flowing out of her eyes and dribbling down her hand, neck and to the floor.
"Why are you crying? Didn't know you missed me so much."
"I hate you...I hate you."
He clucked his tongue. "Oh, Paige, how I have missed you."
Oh snap! I wasn't planning to have Axel originally but I now have so many plans for him. I'm sorry for not updating in a while and thanks for all of your support.
Be on the lookout for my Christmas special!