Rejects // l.h.

8

Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring.

Everyone looked around the room, panic and confusion etched on their faces. Miss Waller, the sewing teacher, looked horrified.

"Ok, everyone, seal the doors, close the blinds, turn off the lights. Hide, and don't make a sound. There's an intruder in the school," She said, rushing around in panic. Some girls started crying, clutching each other. The boys, all wanting to be the heroes, locked the door and the windows and turned off the lights and pushed a desk in front of the door.

Carmen grabbed my hand and pulled me under the teachers desk, which Miss Waller had abandoned and hidden in the cupboard with a few students. She was shaking. I put my arm around her.

"We'll be fine," I whispered. She grabbed my other hand.

"Luke? If we don't make it out aliv-"

"We will,"

"But if we don't, there's something I need to tell you,"

"Make it quick, we shouldn't be talking!" I hiss. She leans forward so her mouth is level with my ear and whispers.

"It's you. You're the guy I've been talking about for the past few weeks. The second I saw you, I knew I was falling for you," She whispers, her voice shaking.

"Oh, Carmen..." I breathe, and I press my lips against hers.

Suddenly, there's loud banging on the classroom door, making us sprint apart in horror. She starts shaking again, and breathing heavily.

"Carmen, Carmen, calm down," I breathe in her ear. I can here almost silent whimpers around the classroom and from the cupboard.

The banging stops. I peep out, noticing four desks pushed up against the door, and the book shelf, and of course it's also locked. Would they really give up this easily.

"We're gonna be fine," I mutter. She puts her head on my chest, and I can feel my chest slowly getting wet from her tears. I know what she's thinking. Are all our friends ok? Ashton, Michael, Calum, Emily, Laura and Dani? I've been at this school about five
months but I've become so close to them.

There's another five short bursts from the bell, indicating the intruder has gone. Miss Waller comes out the cupboard.

"We have to evacuate onto the field, just in case there's any dangerous items in the building," She says. Slowly, people clamber out from under desks, behind shelves, in the cupboards. Nearly every girl has black makeup down her cheeks. I still had tight hold of Carmen. I felt so protective over her, after what she's told me.

"You're not mad?" She whispered.

"Of course I'm not!"

We lined up and Miss Waller lead us out into the field. I could see Ashton, Calum and Michael standing in a small huddle. Carmen sprinted over and hugged them all. I hurried over and did the same. Then I looked around.

"Where's the girls?" I ask, heart thudding. Calum swallows.

"We don't know,"

Carmen puts her hand over her mouth.

"They'll be ok. They'll just be coming out now," I say desperately. We scan the field, and then see Emily and Dani, crying, stumbling over.

"Laura. She didn't make it," Emily chokes out.

"What?" Ashton exclaims.

"One of the intruders came in our classroom. Emily and I were hiding together under one desk, and Laura was under the next one along. Us two were hunched up really small, but I think Laura moved and... He shot her," Dani told us, through sobs.

"I'm just gonna tell you guys something, but I liked Laura. I just never had the courage to tell her. And now I never will be able to tell her," Michael whispers, looking down. I put my arm around him in comfort, while the three girls cry quietly together.

When the school has been fully checked for any bombs or anything, and nothing has been found, we go back inside. Lessons have been cancelled for the week, in case some of us are grieving over lost fiends. Quite a few people died, but only Laura out of the people I'm friends with.

Hi Dad
Losing Mom was awful, and I hoped I'd never have to go through the same pain again. Unfortunately, I did. A good friend of mine, Laura, was shot by a group of intruders who broke into the school. I'm fine, they didn't come in my classroom. They tried, but couldn't get in.
Lessons have all been cancelled for the rest of the week.
Your son,
Luke

I folded the letter and and slipped it into an envelope before slotting it into the post box outside the office.

Michael, Calum and Ashton were outside, kicking a ball around half heartedly. Emily and Dani were watching, but Carmen wasn't out there. I slipped out my room to hers, and knocked on the door.

I don't wait for a reply. I open the door and see Carmen, sitting at the end of her bed, looking out the window. Her head is tilted back slightly, making her long black hair touch the bed.

"Carmen?" I ask softly.

"Hi, Luke," She says, not looking round. I go and sit on my knees in front of her. I'm tall and she's pretty small, so our faces are at the same level.

"How are you doing?"

"Not so well. I miss her,"

"I know. I do too," I sigh, rocking back and forth on my heels. She runs her hand through her dark hair. It looks like she hasn't bothered to wash it, let alone brush it.

"I look awful, I know. I just don't see the point in trying hard with my looks,"

"You're still beautiful to me," I tell her. She gives me a small smile.

"I forget to tell you something," I say.

"What?"

"I like you too,"