Faded

Chapter 9

"Scarlet are you okay?" Ariel asked as she sat on the chair by my bed. I was still baffled with what Ms. Baker had told me and I could only muster a small smile as Ariel looked at me worryingly.

"Ariel. What...what did you tell Ms. Baker?"

"Don't you remember what happened last night? We both went for a walk because neither of us could deal with the cockroaches in the bathroom and you lost your footing and fell. It's exactly as you said except for the fact that you excluded me from your story."

"What about Laurel?"

"We don't have a Laurel in our class." Arie replied with a frown.

"Laurel, Laurel Lankford. You...you don't remember her?"

Ariel shook her head as I remained wide eyed in shock.

"Page was there and-"

"It was just us Scarlet. Are you okay. Did you hit your head when you fell?"

It was almost as if Laurel never existed at least that was the way everyone reacted whenever I brought her name up. I knew that I wasn't crazy and that what happened last night was not how everyone else remembered it. The field trip was canceled because of the stunt I had pulled off and soon enough we had all packed and we're heading back into the city.

I didn't understand why everyone acted the way they did and neither did it sit well with me. As I reached the bus I placed my uninjured foot forward and my and then placed the crutches up the first step and I continued this process until I reached the last step. Most of the students were already on the bus, some appearing tired, others were angry, and the strange few were actually glad that we were heading back into the city. I noticed Page and Jordan sitting in the front row looking as bored as usual and that's when I noticed it. There were no cuts and bruises on Page's face, it was as if we never fought last night. Page's horrified face played over and over in my head from last night's events until she gave a sharp reply after I appeared to be gawking at her for too long.

"What are you looking at McCarthy?" Page snapped.

"Nothing."

I moved passed the front row and managed to get a seat by Ariel who had Titan sitting next to him on the other side in the mid section of the bus. Titan plastered a look of pity as he noticed the splint on my left leg.

"Does it hurt?" he asks.

"I would be lying if I said it didn't."

"I'm sorry." he said with remorse written all over his face.

"You did nothing wrong." I reassured him.

Ariel and Titan bickered with one another through most of the drive back as I chose to stay out of their childish disputes. I was not in the mood for arguing or speaking to anyone. I felt sick to my stomach. Laurel's sudden disappearance didn't sit well with me, I felt as if something needed to be said for her behalf because I felt responsible but at the same time I didn't want to be deemed insane by my peers. The bus stopped abruptly at a rest stop and Ms. Baker got up from her seat at the front row after the bus driver explained to her what had happened to the bus.

"Alright everyone we will be taking a short break and then we'll have to split people into separate buses. It seems that the bus is no longer operable. If you wish to use the bathroom or get a snack now is the time for you to do so. You have six minutes, Scarlet, you go first."

I got up uncomfortable with all the eyes that were staring at me ats I made my way out of the bus. I left the parking lot area before Ariel or anyone else could catch up to me and headed to the rest stops bathroom where for the time being I would be alone. The restroom looked like any other. It had white square tile floors, white walls, six sinks along with twelve beige doored bathroom stalls. I leaned against the wall and sighed as I closed my eyes.

I finally had what I was looking for, silence. Sadly that silence was short lived as I heard the sound of laughter reach my ears. I opened my eyes in time for me to see Page and Jordan enter the bathroom and they both didn't looked pleased to see me.

"So this is where you decide to wallow in sadness after what you did." Page began as she gave me her fakest smile as she fixed her hair in front of the mirror.

"Can't you just drop it for once Page?" I questioned wearily.

She turned on her heel to look at me and continued on with her fake smile. "Sure. I'll let it go for once. You don't look like you are capable of standing up right nonetheless argue with me." Page then turned around and walked away with Jordan only a few steps behind her.

I then regained the same position I was in but was once again cut short not by a person but rather a sound. I heard a grating noise coming from the door and I made my way to the door as quickly as I could as I heard giggles on the other side.

I tried to open the door but it was locked. "This isn't funny let me out Page!"

"I told you I was going to get even with you Scarlet. If you really want to get out then you should be able to find your way out."

I banged my fist in anger as the sound of her footsteps and Jordan's became more faint. "This isn't funny!" From the otherside of the door I heard the loud roaring of the bus engines.

I need to find my way out of here quicky.

There was a large window about two feet off the ground. I made my way toward it and pushed open the window as it slowly opened inch by inch and after it was large enough for me to exit. I sat on the windows edge and slowly made my way out to not irritate my broken leg, I mentally cursed myself after I accidently placed pressure on my leg but regained my composure after I was on the other side of the window standing on the grass just as I saw both charter buses that were filled with school children leave the rest stop.

They left me behind. 

A/N: So what do you think?