The New Frontier

Chapter 2

"Wait! Mr. Smith there must be some kind of mistake." I tried to sound convincing as I was shoved into the back of a flashing police car. I ended up whacking my head on the top of the car with a loud thud.

That's gonna leave a mark.

Luke climbed in after me, considerably more gracefully. "Sir I demand to know what is going on," he questioned.

His once plump and juicy lips now formed a tight thin line across face that made him look slightly more dangerous. The car remained silent as the hoards of students began swarming around the outside of the school, trying to get a glimpse of the police car. I ducked my head down in shame and I didn't even know what I needed to be ashamed of. Luke was becoming very tense and I could see the outline of his biceps flinch from behind his black hoodie.

"You alright?" I asked in a hushed tone.

He looked straight at me and I could see the hint of terror hidden in his eyes.

"Hey, everything is fine. We didn't do anything wrong." I tried to sound reassuring but Luke must have seen the  fear plastered to my face. If anything he looked worse. It was strange seeing a boy showing emotion, most boys wouldn't let anybody see that side of them, especially a girl.

"I'm sorry. I promised my Mum I wouldn't get into any trouble on my first day."

He reminded me of a child begging for forgiveness.

"Is that it? It seems like there is something your not telling me." There was an awkward silence when he didn't reply. He turned away from me and faced the window so that he could watch the cars speeding past us as we pulled out into the highway.

"You don't have to tell me. We have only known each other for a couple of hours, I understand." I had a knack for reading people. I could tell whenever they were sad, angry, confused. Even when nobody else could tell.

"My dad left when I was seven. He chose a life of crime over a life with me. Mum has been raising me by herself for the last 9 years, she works three jobs and still doesn't have enough to pay the rent. So she sent me into the big city a week ago so that I could get a better education and a better life than she could have ever given me. The last thing she said to me was 'stay out of trouble Luke. I don't want you choosing the same path your father did'."

He seemed slightly more relaxed after getting all that off his chest. Of course it was none of my business, but I felt sorry for him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," I said.

"Don't apologise Alice, it's not your fault."

My name sounded beautiful as it left his lips. I had never thought of my name as anything special or unique until he said it. They way he said it made me feel important, and no longer boring old Alice.

"Alice, you're bleeding." Luke's voice was full of concern. He pulled out a band-aid from the front pocket of his school bag and tore it open. He gently placed it on my forehead where I had banged my head on the car. He smoothed out the fabric on my head with his long nimble fingers. I tingled when he touched me and I began shivering when his warm smooth skin brushed mine.

"You're cold." He said taking off his hoodie and wrapping it around me. For a brief moment his arms were wrapped around me holding me tight, I began leaning into him but he broke the short embrace and turned away from me facing the window.

"Thank you." I whispered.

His fluffy hoodie smelt of almond soap and lynx body spray. I buried my head into the sweater to get a big whiff of the scent.

What's going on? Where are we? These are the questions I asked myself in a constant loop going around in my head.
We turned a sharp corner and began heading straight towards a police station. I could see lots of other police cars and police men standing outside the large concrete building. I began mentally preparing myself for all the questions I would be asked, the mug shots that would be taken, and the metal bars I would be put behind for something I didn't do. I worked my heart rate up until it was beating hard in my chest. We drove closer and closer to the station and u could feel my pulse speeding up faster and faster. 

We were ten metres away and still not slowing down. If anything, we were going faster. Next thing I knew, we had driven straight past the police station.

"Weren't we meant to pull into the police station?" I asked the driver curiously.

"Oh no. We have a very long drive till we get to where we are going. I suggest you get some sleep," he replied.

I couldn't get to sleep for the next few hours. Luke had fallen asleep long before I did, but eventually I forgot about what had happened at school, I forgot about what I would tell my family, and I forgot about what might happen. I let my eyelids slowly drop down, and I was out like a light.