Fictitious

A.W.O.L

My feet slap against the pavement, my breathing labored as I desperately keep running. I could feel myself about to pass out, as I kept sprinting without giving myself a chance to catch my breath. It was dark around me, and the ground uneven. My foot got caught on a loose rock, and I stumbled, and they took that as a chance to grab me. I tried to scream, and pull away, turning into the grasp. I faced a horrible monster, their fangs long and sharp, as they pulled their face to my neck, about to bite me.

I jolt awake. "Good sleep?" Emily asks me, as she shakes me a bit. The bell had just rung, and I brought my head up to see everyone else had already left. 

"Hardly," I groan, "bad dream."

"Why are you so tired?" She asks concerned.

"AP homework..." She grimaces, and we both leave the class and go walk to class. 

"See ya." Emily says, after walking me to class. I walk in, English, better than math, but Jackson. I had forgotten to tell Emily about last night, my brain felt fried. That dream, along with that creepy car following me, and my lunatic dad who wouldn't let me hear the end about "vampires being real" must've all contributed. I need a break.

I walked to my seat, being a bit early to class. I watched all the other students trickle in, and when Jackson finally came in, and I gave him a slight smile, which he reciprocated. Mrs. Allans starts lecturing, and let us know we are going to be continuing our research papers. Great, like I wasn't already done with it. I rested my face on my hand, as I reread my paper for the millionth time, looking for any small errors I could've missed. I heard on the other side of the class, Brooklyn telling her friend about something to do with an alley. I tuned in, holding my breath, and found out that someone had been found dead in the alley, the one by the gas station, the one I had heard rustling in. 

"My dad said they don't know the cause of death, or if they even died there, just that their neck had been mauled!" 

I broke into a cold sweat, could I have prevented this? It wasn't right for me to blame myself, but I still had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I began to bounce my leg, looking at the clock. This was gonna be a long hour...

The sound of salvation, the final bell of the day ringing. Everyone began packing up, but they were quicker than I was. Jackson walked over.

"Need a ride today?" He asks, his thumb resting in the strap of his backpack.

I look up to him, "Thanks, but my dad took off work to pick me up today."

"Oh, okay."

"Well, see you around." I get up, pushing in my chair.

"Wait, Adaline," he hesitates for a few seconds, "Bye."

"Um, yeah bye." I reply, a bit puzzled. That is definitely not what he wanted to say in the first place. I didn't feel like prying though, at the chance I'd be seen as annoying or my dad would get upset for me taking forever. 

I walk away briskly, pushing the school doors open and seeing my dad parked in the front. I get in the passenger side.

"I had the tow truck take your car home."

"Thanks Dad." 

We sit in silence, and it gives me a chance to think about what in the world Jackson could've wanted to tell me, or why he started being nice to me. I pinch my nose bridge, trying to collect my thoughts. I had better things to worry about.

"Everything alright?" My dad asks, concerned.

"Just school stress." I sigh.

"Well, not to add any, but I think there's been a vampire attack."