Scarlett's Lost Daughter

Chapter 22

Novah's POV

I had awoken randomly in the night, with a feeling I could not quite describe. Usually when I wake up in the middle of the night, it was because of my anxiety. But usually I would have a reason on why my anxiety was acting up. I'm not so sure what could be wrong, I'm caught up all on school work, I don't have anything important coming up, everything is going fine here. So what could it be?

I look over at my clock to check the time. 4:57 AM it read. I have only a little over an hour left before I have to get up and get ready for school, so I might as well try and get more sleep. 15 more minutes went by with me tossing and turning, with that same feeling. "Well, I might as well go ahead and get up." I mumble to myself. 30 minutes later I was dressed and downstairs. Nobody was up yet, but it shouldn't be much longer before mom shows up.

I don't know how long I had been sitting at the kitchen counter, but I was startled as mom entered the kitchen. A flash of surprise came upon her face when she saw me. "Hi baby, I wasn't expecting you to be down yet." She greets as she kissed my cheek and started on making breakfast. "Yeah, I got a bit of an early start. I woke up and wasn't able to go back to sleep." She looked over at me a little concerned. "How long have you been up?" I shrug. "A little before 5." She hums.

"Any reason why you couldn't sleep?" I think it over, trying to remember if anything was wrong again, but nothing came up. So I shrug again. "No, not that I know of. Usually when I wake up and can't go back to sleep it's because my anxiety. Or if I'm sick. But I'm not sick, so I don't know what it could be." She sets my plate of food down in front of me. "Well maybe you're thinking to much into this? Maybe its just your brain not being tired anymore...?" I bite my lip. "I mean, possibly. I don't know. Maybe I am overthinking it." Mom kisses my forehead and then tells me she was going to get Rose ready for school.

An hour went by and we were pulling up to my school, but I still had that uneasy feeling. "Bye baby. I'll see you when I pick you up." Mom says. I look at her and smile but hesitate to get out. "You okay sweetheart?" I felt her hand land on my knee which I hadn't realized was shaking up and down. "Ugh.. yeah, yeah. I'm fine." She narrowed her eyes at me. I sigh. "Really I'm fine. I just can't shake that feeling off." Her eyes immediately soften and she pulls my hair behind my ear. "Well, do you want to stay home today? If you keep feeling that way maybe it's best you stay home."

Staying home does sound tempting but I shake my head no before I could even think about it. "No, it's fine. I'll be fine. I'm sure it's nothing." I smile as I start to get out of the car. "Well okay baby. If you change your mind just call or text me okay. I love you!" I turn to her as I'm about to close my door. "I love you too mom. I'll see you later." She blows me a kiss as I shut my door and head inside.

Lunch had just ended which meant I just had two more classes to go and nothing has happened. So maybe I was just freaking out over nothing. On my way to class I suddenly had the urge to go to the restroom, as I was about to go to class I heard a loud bang and multiple people screaming and sounds of everyone running and doors slamming. There was more banging, I immediately ran into the stall and propped myself on top of the toilet trying to keep my tears from coming. Is this why I kept feeling the way I felt? Why I felt so anxious? Mom was right. I should have stayed home.

Scarlett's POV

I had just gotten home from picking Rose up from school. Novah still has a couple of more hours before she gets out, so I can relax for a bit before I have to go get her. "Good your home. I was getting worried." Colin says as he approaches me. "Worried? Why? Why would you be worried?" He sighs. "Well you weren't answering your phone." I let out a breath. "I'm sorry. I forgot my phone here when I left to get Rose." He just looks at me with concerned eyes, but also like he knows something that I don't. I raise my eyebrow in question. "Colin? What is it? Is something wrong?"

He pulls me over to the TV and puts on the news. What's shows up is Novah's school with police cars surrounding it and officers with there guns out. My breath hitches. "What's going on?!" I ask panicking. Colin immediately pulls me closer to him to try to reassure me. "Half an hour ago, they reported that there is an active shooter in the building. They are doing the best they can to capture him." Tears immediately come to my eyes. Oh God. My baby.