"My name is Alex, " the boy said, smiling a crooked, boyish smile. A dimple showed on his right cheek, his short, wavy blonde hair nearly covering his left eye. Warm, chocolate brown eyes stared deep into my cold blue ones.
"Annie." I smiled brightly as I uttered my own name.
"I know. "
"How? "
" I saw you on the news. You're even more spectacular in person. They assumed you died in the fire with your family. "
"You're not afraid? "
"Of what? "
"Me. "
" You haven't given me a reason to fear you."
"Oh, really? I just murdered a bus full of people, Alex."
"That doesn't bother me."
"Oh. " he reached up to wipe a bit of blood off my face.
"You're beautiful." he muttered.
"How old are you? "
" I'm fifteen."
"Oh."
"And so are you."
" No. I'm thirteen. "
" Don't lie to me, Annie."
"Fine, I'm fifteen. "
" Why did you lie to that woman about your age? "
"To protect myself."
"Obviously."
"Great. " I rolled my eyes. The shrill sound of sirens overtook the silence surrounding us. Alex looked at me wide eyed. "
"Annie, we need to leave now. "
"But-"
"Now, Annie. Do you want to get caught?"
"No, but-"
" Then I suggest you start moving. " He jumped up from his seat beside the woman. He took my hand in his as we ran through the open doors of the bus, taking off in the direction of a group of buildings. We hid around the side of an abandoned building. Black ash layered the top half of the building, the ceiling and top floor completely burned down.
"Come on. " Alex said as he led me around to the front of the building. He tried the door, and learning that it was locked, thrust his fist through the glass panel in the door. He reached inside and unlocked it, shoving me inside as he followed behind me. We hid underneath the burned but still standing staircase, even though the walls were tall enough to hide us and the windows were stained with ash.
"Ah, sh*t." he muttered, staring down at his right hand. Blood poured from his hand, glass stuck in each crevice. I winced and sucked in a breath.
" I'm sorry, Alex."
"No no, it's fine. Not your fault."
" How is it not my fault, I killed all those people, I'm the reason we're running. You shouldn't even be here, you should be dead with all the rest of the people on that bus. Or at home being normal. " I gave him a cold stare, but he didn't notice since he was busy examining his busted hand.
"Uh Huh. Yeah, well. Thats real nice and all, but I figure ive gotten myself into this, and I can get my d*mn self out. Got it? " his brown eyes turned cold as stone when he looked at me. It actually hurt a little, I thought he was my friend, that he was on my side. I looked back into his cold eyes. I tried not to let the hurt show, but I think he could see it anyway, considering that his eyes quickly softened and he ran up to me, engulfing me in a hug.
" Oh my god, Annie I'm sorry." I quickly pulled away from his embrace.
"No don't be. You're right. You can get your d*mn self out." I turned towards the front door, ready to walk out, when all the blood drained from my face and I went light headed. My vision went fuzzy, my head ached viciously, I felt heavier, and heavier, and heavier. I couldn't hold myself up any longer.
" J.. Jayce... " I muttered as everything went black.
