Whispers on a Wing

Chapter Twelve

I sighed when the bell finally rang signaling the end of the day. The last two periods had dragged on, and I couldn't get my brain to focus on anything the teachers had been saying. All that kept floating through my mind was Jake's face, his happy stupid face, as he held the phone out to me.

The guy was confusing, and I didn't know where to stand with him. I'd put him in the category of popular lacrosse player who cared more about his peers' opinion than what grades he was getting in class. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's those things, but there's something different about him I just couldn't shake.

"Hey White wait up," I heard someone yell behind me but I didn't turn to check and see who it was. I was ninety percent sure it was Jake and there was no way I had the mental capacity to deal with him right now. I was exhausted and needed an early night so I was ready to face the day tomorrow.

I ducked my head lower so I could try to blend in with the crowds but Jake was still yelling my name from behind me, getting annoyingly close.The students were parting for him, getting out of his way, so he had a clear path to me, whereas I was having to battle the sea of students going the opposite direction to me. I was heading towards the back of the school, where I could escape this place, and more importantly, him. Everyone else was heading towards the front of the school, towards their cars so that they could head home and relax in their nice warm homes, in their soft and safe beds.

I could see the door towards the fields, a few more steps and I'd be outside, but just as I placed my hand on the door Jake's hand landed on my shoulder, wrenching me away and towards him.

I froze in fear as I panicked that I'd fall into his chest. There was no doubt in my mind that if he felt the back of me he'd know my secret, feel my wings as unnatural bumps as they lay flat, tightly bound against my back. "Take. Your. Hand. Off. Of. Me." I growled as I quickly spun so it was my shoulder that slammed into him and not my back.

I'd had enough of him. He was getting too close, too comfortable around me, and even though I didn't have the money to source a new identity, if he didn't back off I'd have to leave this school, maybe this whole place, just so I could be sure that I was safe. If not, if he found out a slightest bit of truth about me I wouldn't be safe. I'd seen how people finding out about me had gone, I'd be hunted, killed... feared.

I shoved hard against his chest so as to dislodge himself from me and smiled slightly as I heard a slight woosh leave his lungs. Good, maybe that means he wouldn't be able to follow me.

I turned around without a backwards glance at him and pushed through the glass doors that lead towards the school grounds and my escape.

I had been so close, so close to the fence at the perimeter of the school grounds, so close I could practically feel the vibration in my wings as they shuddered and demanded their release, when I heard Jake running after me.

I could still make my escape, slip through the gap in the fence and into the woodland around me before he caught up with me, but that would mean my place for future escapes would be compromised. I'd made this gap, it hadn't magically happened, and if Jake or anyone else knew about it, it could easily be blocked back up or used by other people, looking to ditch school or try to find me. I couldn't have that, I'd already lost so much of my normal facade already, losing this would be the icing on the crap cake that had been my first two weeks at this place.

With a frustrated sigh and my molars grinding together, I turned around just in time to see Jake run the last few yards towards me.

"What do you want," I whined as I held on tight to my bag straps, using them as an anchor so I didn't do anything stupid like punch a guy who was already suffering from a head injury.