Nose in a Book

Eighteen- Jared

"MAGGIE" "MAGGIE" It was Monday. A normal monday except for the person yelling "Maggie" down the hallway. I'd only seen Mags been called Maggie a couple of times, but every time it happend she writhed in pain. I'd watch her eyes as they'd grow sad for a second and then I'd see her snap out of it and return to reality. It wasn't some nick name she'd chosen it was serious. She'd never told me why she'd chosen to be called Mags and I haven't asked. But, I learned it was something more when I was with Holly at the very first party. Only the second time I'd seen Mags, Tanny was gossiping about her and for the most part Holly was ignoring it. However, as soon as Tanny referred to Mags as Maggie, Holly cringed similar to what Mags does, and while her eyes didn't grow sad they grew fearful and angry. Holly stomped off, and from then on I knew not ever to call Mags, Maggie. As soon as I walked into school I heard them calling her name. I heard it now racing down the main hallway searching for Mags, instead I found Holly.

"Jared" She yelled crossing the hallway to meet me, she too was running. "We have to find her, NOW!" she cried with actual tears streaming down her face.

All I could do was nod. And with that we took off down the hallway. Holly was wearing boots with a large heel in them but she countined to run fast never missing a step. Of course at the end of the hallway we met a panicked Jason. I knew Mags was upset with him for calling her a "groupie" and I knew that Holly knew that too, but when she saw him it was clear she didn't care. She hugged him still crying, crying harder now.

"Jason, we have to stop them" She cried, almost inaudible now. He too nodded and took off looking for the person calling "Maggie". 

I'm sure to any bystander it seemed like the three of us were over reacting to a simple name. But the way Mags reacted when she was called it, and the way Holly was acting now revealed that this was bigger than I thought. Still, people stared and some even laughed at Holly's tear-stained face. She cried harder the longer we searched and eventually she started yelling "Mags". I knew this school wasn't that big. And just as I was going to head towards the library to search for her in between her two favorite shelfs where her favorite book was, that she sought out when she was sad, I saw him. Cole fucking Smith was running down the hall yelling her name. Right as my eyes met his, Mags ran into me crying, imedatly I wrapped my arms around her. I turned and started heading towards the doors, but I didn't miss Jason coming up and punching Cole square in his jaw. "No!" Mags cried out.

I grabbed Holly and the three of us hurried out to the parking lot. I helped Mags and Holly into my truck and then I just drove.