Savanna

Chapter 7

I don't know what my mum was thinking when I closed myself into my room for practically the whole day. But I still didn't agree with taking a day off school.

While sitting alone in my room, I tried to think. I tried to tell myself that I can face my fears. Sometimes I cried silently to myself. I had no idea what Jake was going to do to me. And as long as I'm here, in Blue Mist, I don't think I'm safe from him. But I can't leave either. Besides, what would I tell my parents?

I think the only solution if I want to live is to keep the secret. No matter how reluctant I felt about this. All that was left to do now was to hope that Jake would leave me alone.

Heading to school the next day, I kept my eyes open. The front of the school was crowded, and before joining them, I carefully checked the faces of as many as possible. Noticing no threat, I quickly entered the school.

Spending all my free time at school with Rudy and Nicole, we used the hallways a lot. But at the end of the day I hadn't seen Jake even once. And when it was time to go home, there was still no sign of him, the black pickup or his gang. Nicole walked me halfway to my home but from there I was alone. And when I finally reached our house, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I hadn't even realized how tense I had been. Without any dangerous events at school, the rest of my day went by better, too. I didn't lock myself in my room or stay as silent as I had been the day before.

The next day I wasn't that easygoing anymore. I was on alert, looking out for possible threats. But luckily I didn't see Jake that day too. And nor did I see him the next day. On Friday I was starting to calm down. I didn't let my guard down completely, but I didn't look around me all the time anymore. I was even more relieved when Nicole mentioned that Jake hadn't been at school those days at all. Though Nicole seemed a bit sad when she said it, I felt pretty good. I didn’t count the fear of thinking about what Jake might be up to if he is not here.

When lessons were over and I was at my locker, Nicole and Rudy were both with me. We were planning to spend the day together.

"I'm not forcing you to come anywhere with me again," Nicole told me, "but I hope you won't take too much advantage of it."

"Again some parties you're planning to go to?" Rudy asked her.

Nicole shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. If I find anything interesting for that weekend. But hey, have you two ever heard of a place called Night Pack?"

I shook my head. "Never heard of it."

"What about it?" Rudy asked, scowling.

"It's some kind of a club or something. I heard it was almost impossible to get in there."

"Nothing like this has ever been impossible to you," I said, remembering all those times I had to listen to her non-stop chatter about pretty much everything she has accomplished in her seventeen years.

"Now wait a moment. You aren't actually thinking about getting in there?" Rudy asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"So you know this place?" Nicole seemed happy about someone else here knowing about night clubs.

"In fact I do, and I don't believe they'll be letting you in. I'd recommend you to keep away from this place anyway. With the things that are going on there, it’s not actually... appropriate for you."

"And you know this how?" Nicole asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Just please promise me that you won't go near there," Rudy asked, his voice a bit pleading, but at the same time serious. It seemed to work, as Nicole finally gave in and nodded with a sigh.