Blade

15- A True Lie

“Hey freak!" Tony's voice sounded like it was coming from a faraway highland.

I stopped in my tracks and looked up slowly. There was some kind of fog in my head,a haze that left me feeling numb all over.

I really didn't need this right now…

I bit down on my bottom lip,taking a deep breath to keep my unstable emotions contained.Right now,it was all I could do to keep from bursting into tears,or maybe screaming… Yes,screaming would be better.

The two sidekicks strolled over to me,grinning like they had just hit the jackpot. I was their jackpot…

“She's in the mask again," Tony feigned a pout. “Now we can't find out if she got surgery."

Snickers surrounded me.

The videos of my scrape with Nathan had circulated round the school,of that I was certain. The barely suppressed snickers that followed me all through the hallway was enough of a hint.

Nathan stood afar off behind them,leaning against a locker with his hands shoved in his pockets. His eyes were unwaveringly focused on me,a smirk playing across his lips.

I took another deep breath to tamp down the fear spreading in my stomach.

“Hey! We're talking to you,dumb…”

" Rachel! There you are!"

Suddenly,a bunch of books were shoved into my arms.

Dread crept all over me. This emotional rollercoaster was driving me crazy. There was fear, confusion, hurt, anger…

Fear at both my present situation and the fact that Ms Sarah could be right.

Confusion on what and who to believe.

Hurt that dad had left me all alone in my mess.

And anger at everyone!

Mr. Frederick was smiling at me where he stood before me. I managed to find my balance under the weight of the books he had dumped into my arms.

My stomach coiled so much that I probably produced a stone in there.

“Mr. Frederick…”

Stay away from Frederick Lawson…

The words were loud,insistent in my head.

“Come with me,” he said.

I wanted to scream for real this time. My recent discovery about him still plagued me. He was a Christian!

Had I somehow instinctively sensed that and promptly avoided him? Was Ms Sarah right, that Andrew was only a mirror of what I wanted, which was why he had asked me to stay away from the Physics teacher?

I bit down on my lip again. It was sore now,bruised from the repeated biting.

Mr. Frederick had taken a few steps ahead already ,but stopped when he saw I wasn't following. He raised an eyebrow at me questioningly.

“Rachel?"

I swallowed,forcing myself to take a step forward.

Stay away from…

He’s a teacher! I can't just dump his books on the ground and run away!

I mentally snapped.

Besides, it's not like I was the one who approached him…

But even as I said those words repeatedly in my head,stumbling awkwardly after Mr. Frederick,the dread within me did not lessen.

I followed into the office that was apparently exclusively Mr. Frederick's.