Escaping Reality

Chapter 4

Caleb's POV

  "Caleb...what's wrong?" Jess asked for the fifth time.

  I started to cry even harder, ignoring the questioning looks from other people.

  "I just..." I started. "I don't like this school. They..they think I'm insane because I had a panic attack in the middle of class." I said. I knew I couldn't tell her the rest.

  She wiped the tears off my face, and asked me if I was ok.

  I nodded, and she said, "Good. Now, I've got to go to my next class, I'll see you at lunch," she got up, and walked off to her next class.

*   *   *

"Hey, loser." a voice called.

  I just kept walking, hoping he would leave me alone.

   I was wrong.

Suddenly, I was pushed up against a locker, a pointy elbow pushing into my neck.

  "So, you and Jess, huh?" he said, smirking.

  "N-no!" I stuttered.

  "Oh. Good, because she's mine."

  I simply nodded, and he let me go, after punching me in the face.

*  *  *

At lunch, I found Jess sitting at a table with three other people.

  A boy with blonde hair spoke first. "Jess? Who is this?"

  "Oh! This is Caleb!" she said as I sat in the seat next to her.

  "Hi, Caleb. I'm Colin." he flashed a friendly smile, and continued talking to the ginger sitting next to him.

  "This is Oliver." she said, pointing to the boy that was in the library earlier. He smiled, and put his headphones back in.  "And this is Jordan." she pointed to the ginger, who waved, and continued talking to Colin.

I nodded, and started working on my History homework.

  "So, Jess. Would you like to tell me what this is?" a familiar voice said. I looked at him, and he was pointing to me.

   It was the guy that pushed me up against the locker.

"Brandon, this is Caleb. Now leave." Jess snapped, anger dancing in her eyes.

"Why?" he smirked.

  "Because I have a sudden urge to break both of your arms." she said.

  "Well I'm not leaving until I get to date you, psycho." he whispered, tracing his index finger along her cheekbones.

  Tears welled up in her eyes, and her breathing became uneven.

  "Come on," he said, grabbing her hand.

"No," she said.

"What was that?" his voice was full of frustration.

"No!" she repeated, punching him in the nose, and running out of the cafeteria. I followed her.

  She ran into the girl's bathroom, and I quietly walked in. I heard muffled sobs coming from the third stall.

  "Caleb? What are you doing in here?" she asked, looking up at me.

  "I don't know, I just..."

  She cut me off by hugging me.

"I-I'm sorry!" she said, her eyes wide.

  "It's okay.." I said. I really didn't want her to stop hugging me, but I would never admit that.

  "I just don't get why he likes me..." she trailed off.

  I wiped her tears away gently.

  She smiled, and at first I thought she was going to kiss me, but she stood up instead.

  "I'll be in the library, for the rest of the day." she stated, walking over to the mirror. She quickly fixed her makeup, and walked out the door.

When I got home, I walked into the living room, and what I saw made me want to barf.

  Frank was on the couch, making out with some girl half his age. That's weird, she is definantly not Julie.

  Frank must've heard the door close, because he jumped up, an angry look on his face.

  "What are you doing, boy?" he yelled. His breath smelled like alcohol and lip gloss.

  "I-I just got home." I said.

"Well get up to your room!" he said, throwing me on the floor.

He kicked me three times in the stomach, and once in the head. He then turned to the girl, and pushed her up against the wall, making out with her once more.

  I scrambled up the stairs, and in to my room, locking the door.

   I had no idea what to do.