Desperate

13

Arabella

"So class, I've watched how you interact between your partners and I'm not happy with it. The whole point of being partnered up is to get to know your peer to be able to support each other in your last year. So my next assignment is to write a report on your parter, what they hope to be, what there biggest fears are, what makes them happy. You have one week for this assignment and to help you I've written up a starter sheet full of basic questions you will ask each other, which you will be quizzed on as well as your report. You have the rest of the period to make a start, find a quiet spot in school and begin."
Mrs Scott our English teacher said at the beginning of the class. I skipped school yesterday so I haven't seen coke since, but now I have to face him.

Deciding the library is the quietest place to go where we won't get disturbed we head there without a word. He walks straight past the tables and into one of the back isles and sits in the floor placing his books and the questions next to him.

The library has its heating off so I have to take my oversized white hoodie off so I'm left in a baby blue short sleeved fitted crop top and leggings. I place my hoodie on the floor and sit on it before we begin.

He doesn't make a move to talk first, so I sigh and say, "well, pass the questions."

He does as I say then I read the top question.
"What's your partners favourite color?"

"Royal blue" he says in a fed up voice.

"Lovely" I say rolling my eyes "mines yellow"

"Next question, what's your-"

I'm cut off my a loud bang followed by whaling screams and more bangs.

We both look at each other, we know what happening, but the text that comes a minute later telling us we're on lockdown and there's an active shooter in the school confirms our fears. My heart sinks.

I don't realise I'm shaking till Cole sits next to me, he doesn't say anything, he just sits there shielding me from everything happening.

I think he can sense how scared I am because he whispers, "everything's going to be okay, don't work, I've got you." his arm snakes around me and pulls me in tight.

In these situations we're told not to message anyone or talk on the phone so I can't check if Ethan's ok, that's the worst part.

"Let's continue with the list, to take our minds off of it" he whispers"

I just nod my head and pass him the sheet of paper.

"What's your favourite flower?" He asks at a volume only I can here.

I can't think of anything else, I can't stop shaking, if Ethan dies I wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Daisies" I say stuttering. "This isn't going to work" I say.

He doesn't argue with me he just hugs me. I didn't expect it, it scared me but also helped me, after a while I stopped shaking. That's when I noticed his expression. He's scared.

He's scared and he's focused on helping me, I didn't expect this, I didn't expect to need him to hold me.

About 45 minutes pass, I've not heard anything for a while, we're following the news stories outside to see what's happening , they've not sent any police into the main building yet and they've only evacuated the students in the sports centre and the arts centre.

We search for a way to get out that doesn't include going through the hallways or making ourself known. We spot a window at the top of the wall over a bookcase, it leads out onto the side path that leads to the front of school, after assessing the risks we decide to risk it. We leave our bags in the library, but I make sure to grab my phone so I can contact Ethan, and my keys are in my pocket.

We get to the back corner of the library and realise thankfully it opens and it's big enough for us to fit through. As I get to the top of the bookshelf I hear something outside. Coke quickly comes up beside me and opens the window. Is a wide window but only one of us can fit through at a time.

The door handle begins to jiggle, Cole basically pushed me through the window as someone bursts through the doors. At this point I'm on the floor outside, I don't know what's happening but Cole is still in there, my heart sinks.

Bang.

My voice breaks as I begin to shout him, hardly any sound comes out of my mouth, but I continue to shout him. He needs to be ok.

A second later Cole drops from the window, he's got blood on his white shirt, on his shoulder. I run over to him, searching every other part of his perfectly built body to see if he's got any other wounds. Thankfully it's just the one.

"Are you ok, what happened, please be ok." I say panicked.

He just hugs me, and we stay like that silent for a moment.