Hometown Glory

Prologue

Prologue

No one could have guessed what would happen that morning. No one saw how lucky we really were before that morning.

The classroom was quiet except for the three school hotshots whispering behind me.

"Do you know why Casey ain't here?" Bo asked. He was the meanest of the bunch. There was no response spoken aloud by the other two, Evan and Marcus, but I could imagine them shaking their heads 'no'.

I turned around in my seat, needing to sneak a glance at the popular kids that were our hometown glory's best friends. Without their ring leader, they were in a state of disarray. I tried to distract myself from the need to risk another glance at them by working on my next question. 'Are you a catalyst for change?' I let out a breath of air and rolled my eyes. So much for trying to be distracted I thought harshly. Slowly, I craned my neck and looked behind me. As soon as I did this, I regretted it.

"Hey, lesbian, what are you looking at?" Evan Peters asked me with a smirk. I swung my head back around so fast it almost gave me whiplash. Casey Mcfall's entourage all erupted in vicious roars of laughter that tugged on my heart strings. I would never get used to them taunting me.

"Oh, lesbian," one of them continued the cruel mocking, causing the rest to snicker. I closed my eyes tight and tried to shut them out. I kept them shut until I felt the pressure of Mr. Cosgrove's hand resting lightly on mine. I was partially glad for his comfort but at the same time I knew that it would make matters worse once class was let out.

"Every single one of you have known each other since kindergarten," he began. "That's how small of a town we live in. You may not know it, but your lives have already started because everyone in this high school will be with you the rest of your lives. Maybe one or two of you will move away but the rest will stay here and you all will marry each other. So look around you; it's your future. You want to be nice to your future."

All our heads that were bowed in shame from Mr. Cosgrove's speech quickly shot up. The silence that surrounded the classroom dissipated as soon as the ancient screech from our intercom came on. We hardly ever had announcements and everyone was confused by the sudden one about to come through. Everyone glanced around at each other as a whisper, too hushed to fully understand, came through.

In the classroom, there were quiet questions of what the voice from the intercom had said. Then came three consecutive gun shots, harsh and quick. Kids began screaming in the classroom, in the hallways and other classrooms. Some rushed to call someone and others continued listening to make sure it wasn't a prank.

In our small school, there were only four people who worked in the office.

In a slightly louder whisper our school secretary spoke, "this is not a drill; we have an intruder." She then whimpered in fear. Instant goose bumps took over my body and my hairs stood up. Mr. Cosgrove closed the blinds, covered the small window on our classroom door, and also blockaded the door. Many more cries and screams filled the classroom as my whole body filled with heat; I suddenly felt faint.

"He said he wishes he could shoot up the school," I remembered my best friend Jarvis telling me the week before. More goose bumps shot up everywhere on my body. I knew this was going to happen. I could have stopped it. We both could have.

We heard the gun barrel click in place as our secretary let out a sob. Screams could be heard down our hallway and in the classrooms next door. The secretary spoke, "Just like we practiced kids. May God bless our souls." Our beloved secretary let out another whimper as we all knew what was about to happen.

Then a gunshot. Then silence. Then approaching footsteps.

No one could have guessed what would happen that morning. No one saw how lucky we really were before that morning.