The Tangent Lines

Chapter 13 - Stop running away

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You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present.

-John Green, Looking for Alaska

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Chapter 13 - Stop running away

It is just the last period of the school. Time seems to pass so slowly today, as if it's torturing me agonizingly. My mind can't stop replaying the toilet incident. This feels so horrible, it feels like a bandage that covers my old scar is being ripped over and over again. I keep thinking of ways to forget all of those terrible things, try to distract myself from the negative vibes Samantha and Jack gave to me, but I just end up overthinking it again. The sudden realization that my days aren't going to be peaceful as usual makes me sigh desperately.

John. Jack.

Why is my life suddenly getting down, like a roller coaster?

The reason how Jack knew is predictable. After all, Jack is the son of NYPD's Commissioner. He probably gets it from his dad. It's pathetic really, while his dad is the epitome of justice, he fights underground.

They are just like a coin - only at the different side.

"Chelsea?" Mrs. Keele, my Sociology teacher calls out to me, waking me up from my thoughts. I immediately straight up and cough. Although I had short span attention when it comes to studying, I have never been called out like this by the teacher. They usually asked those who didn't pay attention to the class, well just like me now. "I'm sorry. What's the question?"

Mrs. Keele gives me a disapproving look, "There's no question. Mr. Jenkins just needed you to go to the teacher room after school."

I only smile and say thank you, embarrassed by my stupid short attention span at class. After the class ends, I put all my books to the locker and walk to the teacher room, which is exactly on the west wing of the school. What could possibly Mr. Jenkins want? Is that because I ditched the rest of the lesson today? Or maybe it's because my last pre-test? I did get one number wrong, but what's the matter in that?

I turn to the north wing area and walk over the bridge. Lots of students call this the Harry Potter bridge, although it's not wooden, it suits the school's enormous building and blends in with the garden. But since the north wing is going to be renovated next week, the place is deserted and quiet. It was used for the janitor area, but now it's moved to the west wing.

But before I step to the bridge, someone's arm snatches my shoulder harshly and strongly. I could not help but shriek on the sudden movement. I punch the guy on his back and he puts me down in one strong move after bringing me to the heart of the north wing area.

My face turns to horror when I see Jack Gretchen is smirking wickedly to me and yells, "Shut the fuck up!"

"What the hell?!" I stand in front of him, losing my temper already. Is this Samantha's threat? I don't know if I have to be afraid or angry. Angry because I'm so stupid to let Tyler help me, afraid because I'm with Jack Gretchen, alone and deserted in this very, very deserted area. Crap.

He pushes me roughly to a cupboard and then pulls me again with force. I feel like a barbie doll being played by aggressive girl, but that's just understatement. He then traps me again, my back aches from being slammed to the cupboard. I bite back my scream. It makes me paranoid, just like in the past. My head feels drowsy from the sudden movement. Then I realized I haven't consumed my pills today, because I ditched lunch. Jack really wants to make this a living nightmare for me.

"You know, Samantha was so coward. She cancelled our partnership to torture you because she was scared of her reputation. Me? Of course I won't back out from such great opportunity. You're very pretty and hot so it's a plus." He smirks. What? Then if Samantha -

"No stop," I breathe frantically as he throws me to the floor. All of my jumbled thoughts are gone instantly from his sudden movement to me. I move back, trying to back away from him and stand but my body aches in familiar pain and my head feels like spinning. He suddenly drags my uniform and pushes my body against the cupboard.

"Does that what John do to you?" He smirks, making my tears stung on my eyes, blurring my vision of his smug face. No. This is not going to happen. This is not, right?

"Poor sweet orphan, abused by his own daddy," he says in incredibly annoying tone. I bark at him, mad. "He's not my father!"

"Aww, well guardian is it," he trails his rough finger on my arm, as my subconscious yells 911 in enormous panic. I struggle against him, but his strong arm and sly smirk are really menacing. If he's a buldozer, then I'm an ant out of my colony. I'm dead.

He suddenly cups my butt and squeeze them with his left hand, as I bite his arm and he backs out a bit. Pervert! I pathetically run as my legs can carry me but he pulls me again, then he erupts in evil laughter. Suddenly he slaps me violently on my left shoulder, slamming my ribs hard. I lay on the floor helplessly, my body hurts in so many places. Tears start to slip from my eyes. What did I do so wrong to get such harsh punishment? And why can't I still stand up for myself? I feel utterly stupid. I can't help myself and now I let Jack tortures me. My ribs sting in pain, and I silently hope that everything is alright, although I know better that they aren't and they will never be.

"Are you not learning from your past? Stop running away when you're helpless as fuck and just surrender to me!" He laughs in menacing tone, as he suddenly puts me on the cupboard where the janitor tools are put.

He locks the cupboard and laughs maniacally before I'm left in darkness. I bang the door pathetically, quite hopeless because my punches aren't that strong to make people from another wing notice. I try to shout for help but nobody comes. My ribs seem hurt, and breathing or screaming make it more painful. After five minutes, I just slump on the tiny room and sigh. Maybe I can call someone for help. I try to look for my phone on my pocket but it's not there. Oh shit, I left it on my locker!

I feel ache and tire all over my body, just like in past. Tears slip from my eyes again, but only a few. Maybe I am finally tired of crying, tired of being in pain. Being beaten and punched by Jack makes my trauma come all over again, it feels like all of them flash through my eyes, like a living nightmare. If he intended to make this a living nightmare, well, he did a great job. Because now, instead of my pain, I feel incredibly numb and I can't move my own body in such tiny space. My breath starts to hitch in weird pace. I couldn't feel my own hand, and the darkness inside the cupboard isn't helping either.

And not only that, I hear another rumbling sound from my stomach. I mentally groan, lecturing my stomach not to protest in such wrong time. This proves that I shouldn't have ditched lunch.

Then something hits me.

What if nobody is going to find me here soon? The renovation is probably next week, and even the workers come here to work, they probably won't care what's inside the cupboard. And stop being so unrealistic - am I able to survive even until two days again? No food, no drink, and my body isn't in prime condition either. Even if they notice that I'm missing, nobody would know that I'm in cupboard.

All such trouble. I may as well just rot here and die. God, I haven't even visited Disneyland yet, I haven't visited London yet, and all those awesome places. I haven't even learnt Paganini's Caprice.

I smile briefly when I see the thread bracelet my friend gave me. Maggie is her name. She is someone from the soup kitchen I'm helping. Her words still stung in my head - "This bracelet isn't much to repay your kindness to me". But handmade gifts are just cute. It gives you somekind of hope. My finger absentmindedly touch the clasp as my eyes threaten to close. Maybe I should just sleep it off. Maybe it's just a dream.

Maybe it's just another cruel nightmare.

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Well just like everyone wise said - things will get better. Yep, better :D

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Ps. I have finally finished my finals and god I'm so relieved! How about you guys? I hope you all endless supplies of pizza and ice cream for this upcoming summer xx