Stepping Out Of The Shadow

Chapter seventeen

Dylan's Point of view

I get out of the toilet to find Hayden and Elecktra kissing. I don't know why, but the sight of them kissing really hurt me. Unexpected tears fall from my eyes. I couldn't stand here any longer. I turned and ran down the long corridor. After a few seconds I hear Hayden scream my name but I ignore his calls. I just keep running. I can hear heavy footsteps behind me and run faster. I run out of the building and out of the school, it was the end of the day so most people had gone home. I needed to find somewhere quiet. I tried going to the place where I always go whenever I'm feeling depressed. But I decided to go somewhere else. Somewhere only I went and no one else knew about it. Somewhere no one knew where I was. I turn to the deserted street. And run down the road until I find the house that had been abandoned a long time ago. No one came down here because of rumours.

People thought it was haunted, this house. But it wasn't. I came here a couple of times. It was an ancient mansion that belonged to an old couple long ago. Both of them died. Both of them were pianists. Most people believe that they hung themselves and their restless souls haunt this very street. I don't believe that. The fact that there was a grand piano in the centre of their main room was merely the reason why I came here when I was sad. I'd play the piano for hours and hours, losing track of time. No one bothered me here. No one noticed me. And that's how I liked it. To be on my own. Away from all my problems. When it was just me and a piano, everything else would just vanish. I go in and sit on the seat. I carefully place my fingers on the keys and start playing. The image of Elecktra and Hayden kissing, vanished. The glares that I got from Lilly and her minions, vanished. The picture of Esme nearly dead, vanished. The looks I got from others today, vanished. All vanished. Just me and the melodic chords.

I could feel the huge weight on my shoulders lift off. I was in another world. I mean my body was there, playing but my mind and soul were somewhere else. A world full of beautiful harmonies and creatures. A world where everyone accepted you the way you are. A world where the words, ''ugly'', ''worthless'', ''reject'' meant nothing. A world full of pure love and beauty. A world that was very different to the world I live in. To the world everyone lives in. I played on for hours and hours. I played until my fingers were sore and my thumbs bleeding from the sides. I was used to it. Every pain, every cut was worth it. I didn't feel the pain when my fingers were sore, or when my thumbs bled. Playing the piano was an addiction to me, it was the only thing in my life to keep me going. I checked the time; 9:30. It was pretty late. I had been playing for about 6 hours. I decided to go home, as it was pretty late.

I get out of the mansion and walk out of the street. My house was quite far and since no buses ran this late, I had to walk it. I decided to check my phone. 50 missed calls from Hayden. 30 from my parents. 10 messages from Hayden;

Dylan, where are you?! We're worried about you!

DYLAN WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?

That one made me flinch, since I never heard Hayden curse before. I had 5 messages from my parents;

Dylan, honey, where are you?

Dylan, seriously where are you?!

Dylan, we're contacting the police.

Okay, this might be worse than I thought. I continue walking home, at a quicker pace than before. I see about 4 figures in the distance making their way towards me. I squint harder to see that the four figures are some teenage boys, they look about 17. I also notice each one of them carrying a baseball bat. My heart beats faster and not in a good way. Okay, I'm officially scared. As I get closer I notice they're covering their faces. Okay, my instincts tell me that they're trouble so I quickly cross the road and walk a lot faster. I notice them looking at me and begin to follow me from behind. "Get her!" I hear one of them say.

After that, I didn't have to be told twice and started running. I ran as fast as I could. I could hear them running behind me, trying to catch up. I continue running. Oh no, this is bad. Tears start falling from my eyes as I'm running. I look around to see anyone but find no one. This street was pretty deserted with abandoned houses everywhere. Suddenly I slip and land on the floor hard. I shut my eyes from crying out loud. I hear them behind me. I turn around to see them standing above me, with their bats raised. I cower behind, until my back hits a tree. They smirk at the fear that was in my eyes. The one in the middle raised his bat...