Hold Me Close

Chapter Sixteen.

To say school ended as soon as it started would be a lie. I became the topic of many conversations, as the word of Chris's move caused rumours to spread through every year, soon even the new kids at school knew who I was, or at least heard about me and Chris.

"Ann" I heard a voice call after me as I rushed through the crowds of people forming at lockers and doged all that were to lazy or rude to move from my way.

"Ann" the person called again, I turned of my heel causing my schoolbag to swing and hit off of a girl who was applying lipstick to her plump lips, "are you kidding me" she screeched as the lipstick went up the side of her thin face in a think red line, "Im sorry" I blushed and turned my attention to the girl who was speed walking towards me with her head down, revealing only a black band t-shirt with skulls on it and a fuzzy blonde mane of hair.

The girl looked up and soon the face of Pip came into view. She was a friend of mine and Chris's, she hardly ever showed up to school, but when she did all chaos was bound to be set loose.

"hey pip" I smiled as she rushed to my side and linked my arm, "we need to talk" she gasped through breaths, "and nice lipstick Claire, you're looking better then ever" she smiled as we walked down the halls.

"is everything OK Pip? " I asked when she finally allowed us to come to a stand still, right outside the locker rooms.

" Man everyone is talking about you and Chris, like everyone", I nodded, wanting her to continue, hoping that wasn't all she needed to tell me after dragging me down the halls.

"Well one girl was saying you sold him out for money, I put gum in her hair when she wasnt looking, but still she had some nerve, and then Lisa, you know that girl in the year below us, curvy, and big eyes? ", I just nodded again,

" well she said that Chris came to her and confessed to stalking her so she had to report him, but the woman on the phone said you already did, well I'll tell you this Ann, I looked her dead in the eyes, as if I was real interested in her shit, you know, and then i burst into laughter, right in her face, I asked did her ass even have a phone since she's like fresh out of the womb with only being a first year and all, then I said that Chris would have rather stared at a stick for half an hour then to stalk her, cause at least then he'd be looking at something natural and not a kid who found her way into mommy's makeup bag".

I laughed at what Pip had just told me, but I'd be lying if i said it didnt hurt knowing that everyone thinks I'm the reason Chris is gone.

"Pip, I cant thank you enough for sticking up to those girls, but God, how am I going to get out of this mess? " I groaned.

" Easy" she smiled.

"You keep your head up high, people hate seeing you stand tall when they're trying to bring you down. Then you laugh, when they say crazy things you laugh like crazy, ain't no one gonna try say stuff to you if they know it doesn't bother you, and finally, you stop caring, you know the truth ok, you know what you know and leave them to think what they want, cause at the end of the day Anns, he was your best friend, not theirs, yours."

"Thanks Pip" I smiled, "you really need to come over one day, we can watch bad movies , judge them and be fat all day with bundles of food, just like before",

"definite, I'll text you when I'm free".

We hugged and parted ways.

I got home and showered before texting Derek about being ready soon to head out.

After settling on skinny jeans and a loose jumper I made my way to the local supermarket where I was to meet him.

"where are we going? " I questioned as my eyes dwelled on the parts of town I had never seen. The bus moved slowly through places I never knew existed.

Small houses were thrown together, the conditions of them worsened the further we went. The bus came to a halt outside a small store. Its windows had dirt clinging to them and the door hung on its last hinges, awaiting a heavy gust of wind to remove it from the frame.

"you'll see" is all he replied back with. I shrugged and kept my eyes on the small resemblance of a shanty town.

An old frail woman came through the doorway and leaned against the cracking frame, i wondered if she too was as old and damaged as the old door. Wrinkles were the majority of her face and behind the pale crusted skin of hers were eyes as blue as the oceans core. Her thick white hair was held together under a scarf, with small frizzy amounts escaping the red fabric. She stared back at me, I altered my gaze, and watched her as the bus started to move.

She was out of seeing distance, but every old building reminded me of her, of those eyes that looked as if they had seen the whole entire world, and hated it, sadness and grief were embedded into them, and with each wrinkle, was a reason to the ages she had lived through.

"This is our stop"Derek smiled, he attempted to nudge my arm but stopped before doing so. And i was grateful he did as it could have cost us our lives.

We got off of the warmth of the bus and stepped out into a smokey cold town. It wasn't as old and broken as the town we had just passed, but in a few years it would resemble it's destruction.

"Ann, you mustn't ever mention where we go to anyone, I'm not really meant to bring new people without them meeting Dane first, but I know he'll accept you, just don't worry"

I nodded and whispered a slight yes, but with what he had just told me I couldn't help but feel nervous and anxious all at the same time.

We walked along broken pavements, each crack and missing piece held its own story, one I wanted to know. Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned the fact that right outside our small perfect town, lied poverty and destruction.

We came to an apartment block that seemed too high to stand on the breaking structure beneath it, no doors or windows were opened but yet we came to a halt at the giant black doors that kept us out.

Derek knocked four times, I know it was four as he waited a few seconds between each knock.

The sound of multiple locks being opened was all I heard after Derek's specific knocks.

A tall man stood in the opening, his skin was pale which caused his chocolate brown eyes to pop out against his skin and dusty blonde hair that stuck out in all ways but yet still managed to look good. He was dressed in an over coat with baggy jeans. As my eyes scanned him they came to a sudden, and heart racing stop. The shape in his right pocket put the fear of hell into me. The shape of a handgun.