The Black Angel [Gratsu]

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

★ Gray's POV ★

I was awoken to the sound of my phone ringing. The first time, I allowed it to go to voicemail, but when they kept calling, I eventually fumbled around for it and accepted the call.

"Hello?" I said groggily, voice half-muffled by my pillow.

"Gray!" Lucy's yelled back into the phone. "Where are you?"

"What?" I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake myself up. Her loud, staticky voice was starting to make my head hurt. "I'm in bed, of course, what do you mean, where am I? It's Saturday."

"Gray. It's Wednesday. You have this thing called school remember? Wake up early, live through seven hours of hell, that sort of thing!"

I sat up in bed, eyes widening in realization. "Oh my God!" I screeched, tumbling off my bed, pulling my covers off with me. I picked myself up and tossed them back on the bed, knowing I could make my bed later. "I'll be there in fifteen," I told her quickly. I didn't bother to hear her response because I had already terminated the call and was running around to get ready.

A stream of panicked obscenities tumbled out of my mouth and I changed clothes and stuffed all my school supplies into my backpack. I kicked down the bedroom door and scaled down the ladder, wondering how I overslept in the first place.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, giving me a tender smile before helping me into the escape room.

It was so dark, so cramped. I nearly cut myself with the knife as my hand wouldn't stop shaking incessantly.

Be strong, Gray. Don't cry.

I heard the sounds of the helicopter blades, the shattering of glass, the screams. Were they Angel's, or his captors?

I thought I was going to die.

I nearly fell off the ladder when the memories of last night flooded into my head like a tsunami, knocking me over. I grabbed onto the rungs of the ladder so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Don't think about that right now, I commanded to myself. If only I could push the thoughts out of my head, I'd be fine, right? Just go about my day and pretend like I wasn't in life-threatening danger last night. Just get to school.

I didn't have time for breakfast, so I took a long swig of orange juice and grabbed a banana, knowing I could eat it on the walk there. I didn't have time to pack my lunch either, but that was a bridge I could cross in a few hours. I rushed out the front door, barely remembering to lock it before I took off in a run towards the school.

"Only a few more hundred dollars until you can buy yourself a car, Gray," I hissed to myself as I pushed my legs to run faster. With my heavy backpack on my shoulders weighing me down, running proved to be twice as difficult.

Still, I remembered that Natsu wouldn't want to present the project alone, considering his inherent shyness. I pictured him in front of the classroom, shaking so hard no one could understand what he was staying. My guilt for setting up that situation made me move faster.

I got to school in just under fifteen minutes, which was a new record, considering half of the walk was up a giant hill. Usually I would've been able to take the bus, but that option was out the window, thanks to my oversleeping. I got a late slip from the receptionist and headed towards my English classroom, slipping in silently when I heard another group presenting their ideas about the poem.

"We think the message of the poem is about the relationship between..." A classmate of mine droned on monotonously, staring at the words of her powerpoint slide instead of directing herself towards her audience. I barely registered the words she said as I moved towards Ms. Winters' desk.