Take Me Away | ✓

» 28

K A D E N

I came back from my jog to find my empty mattress. The sheets were rumpled but a cup of hot coffee was left on the floor beside the pillows. I took the coffee, finishing it off as I showered and went out to start the car.

Even though the night of the storm had passed, the days that followed were none the better with endless raining. It was fitting though, considering my mood. On my jog, I'd seen roads that had been blocked. One street was completely evacuated after a tree tore through the circuit lines. Grass quickly turned to mud and puddles began to grow, looking like mini lakes.

I took a different route to school, a cup of coffee between my legs. I'd made another since the first had finished but poured it into a flask, hoping it would get me through the day and it did to some extent.

I made it until gym. Despite the field being practically sludge, Coach still made us run laps. I suspected he was still irritated at the rest of track season being cut because they wanted to bring in a new sport. The decision put him in a bad mood and he took it out on his students.

Zach was in my gym class. I recognised his blonde head in front of me. It bobbed up and down as he jogged at a steady pace. I was about to quicken my own when I felt a presence beside me.

"Weather sucks right?" Jay said, keeping in stride with me.

I grunted in response.

"Have you done Mr Summers assignment yet?"

"No."

"Do you need help with it?"

"No."

"Are you going to do it?"

I sighed inwardly, "What do you want, Jay?"

"Nothing. It's a crappy day, I just want to make it better."

I looked at him for a second longer before quickening my pace.

Halfway through the laps, it began to rain heavily as hailstones fell. Coach yelled at us to get inside, shielding his head with his clipboard. Everyone started to swarm towards the doors leading inside. Since the ground was practically wet mud, it made it that much more difficult.

Jay slipped and fell. He made a face at the substance coating his chin. I offered him a hand which he took, giving me a nod and we went inside.

I pushed my wet hair out of my face. It had grown annoyingly long recently but instead of getting a trim, I just left it. I changed out of my clothes and into dry ones. As I was pulling on a t-shirt, I saw Zach a couple lockers down. He was talking animatedly with another guy, laughing as if everything was okay.

I shut my locker door hard with the intention to show him how it really wasn't.

I lost my job because of him and that stupid article. I had to look at my parents as they read it. I had to look over my shoulder as others read it. Now I was going to do something about it. But someone stepped in my path.

"Move." I told Jay. He was no longer covered in mud but wasn't fully dressed either.

"What are you going to do?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago."

I stepped to the side and he did as well. "Phee told me what happened."

"Move." I repeated.

"She wouldn't want you to do this."

"She's not here right now." I ground out, noticing that Zach was about to leave. I knocked past Jay and caught his shoulder just, making him turn around to face me.