Is Anyone Out There?

Chapter 2

I try to ignore them, but I can't. I stand up and gather my things quickly, then run out of the classroom. The teacher tries to stop me, but I shove past her and sprint to the girl's bathroom on the third floor. No one ever goes in there because most of the toilets are broken. I push the door to the largest stall open and then slam it shut, shakily shoving the lock in place. I sink to the floor, letting the tears flow freely. I bury my face in my hands and heave sob after sob.

I search in my bag for something, anything to relieve the pain. I find my razor. I keep it in my bookbag because if my parents were to find it, my life would be over. Well, I guess that wouldn't be that bad, considering that my life sucks worse than death at the moment.

I shove up my sleeves to my elbows and yank off all of the bracelets that go up my arms. I trace the faint white scars with my fingertips, then I lift the razor. I lay it on my skin and pull down, applying pressure to it. I feel a rush shoot up my arm as drops of blood form on the cut. It isn't that deep, but I feel almost better after that.

I cut both of my wrists twice before I truly feel better. I still feel tears trailing down my cheeks, but they will stop soon. And then I see something on the floor. It had fallen out of my bag when I had been searching for my razor. It was a note, on yellow paper written in pink ink.

I don't want to even look at it, but something tells me I should. That maybe its something nice. Maybe an invitation to a party or out to the movies. I unfold the note and quickly skim it over.

Katherine, 

I know that you expect this to be something nice. So I will just cut right to the chase. Why don't you go back to the filthy dump you came from you ugly bitch. No one likes you and if I see you talking to Chelsea's boyfriend again, you won't like the consequences. I will tell her that you have been whoring around with him. Consider yourself warned, slut. 

Hope to see you at the game tonight... Not. 

Mandy

I've started crying yet again. I hadn't even done anything and now I will be even more in danger of Chelsea and her posse. It sucks. I'm not a slut. I'm still a virgin and I haven't even had my first kiss. I cry even harder. I'm such a loser. I'll never fit in. I should just kill myself, end the agonizing pain. I pick up the razor again and cut myself even more, enjoying the sensation crawling through my body.

I hear footsteps and try to stop crying. Why is somebody even in here? No one comes in here. I don't dare to move because if I do, they might come looking for me. I hear a door creak open and then a lock locking into place. But then I hear silence. I wait a couple of minutes, for the person to start doing something, but nothing happens. I listen closer and I hear the faint scratching of a pencil on paper. I frown. What does this person think they are doing, doing their homework on the toilet. I wait for them to leave, but the bell rings and I still haven't heard footsteps leading out. I move so I am sitting against the wall and put my head in between my knees.

I will be trapped in this stall until whoever this person is gets out of the bathroom, but it's been almost 30 minutes and they haven't left. I don't think that this is an entirely horrible thing though. As long as I'm in here, I'm protected from everyone out there. Everyone and anyone who can hurt me anymore. I silently thank this person for doing this for me, even though they don't know it.

I take my iPod out of my bag, I saved up for it for 2 years, and shove in the ear buds. I turn on Let the Games Begin by Anarbor and tap my fingers silently to the beat of the music. I mouth the words and close my eyes beginning to tap my foot as well. The song changes into the next one and I continue doing the same.

I hear knocking on the bathroom stall and I immediately freeze. "Who's in there?" a male voice asks. A male voice? This is the girls' bathroom? What does he think he is doing in here? I take an earbud out of my ear so that I can hear better. I glance underneath the stall doors and notice that the person from before isn't there. Is this guy the person? "Open the door please,"

For some reason, I feel like I should open the door. I get up without thinking and unlock it slowly, looking behind me and making sure that there is no trace of blood and my razor is back in my bag. I swing the door open and gasp. I didn't expect someone who looked like this to hideout in the girls' bathroom. He is the perfect height, not too skinny, but not too muscular, black hair that falls into his eyes, green eyes, like emeralds, not too tan, and just really really good looking.

"Why aren't you in class?" he asks me. His mouth, oh god. That lip ring makes it all the better. I just want to make him smile so that I can just see his perfect lips form into one.

I shrug. "Why aren't you in class?" I retaliate. He doesn't need to know why I am here. He is obviously new here because if he knew about me, he'd be running in the opposite direction like I was the plague.

He shrugs back, smirking slightly. So this is how he's going to play, huh? I shut the door in his face and lock it back up. "I just want to be alone," I say walking back to my spot and sitting back down.

I see him crouch down and look at me from underneath the door. "I don't think that's what you really want," he smiled at me. I feel butterflies in my stomach. I've never felt this before. He crawls underneath the door and sits down across from me. "I think that you want to skip school with me and go to this awesome little cafe that I know about," he winks at me.

He's just so adorable, and nice. I know that I really want to say yes, but I can't. I can't do that to this guy. Anyone associated with me gets it just as bad as I do. "I don't think so," I shake my head.

"But I want you to!" he does a puppy dog face, sticking his lower lip out and doing this adorable thing with his eyes. "I don't like to skip alone," I have to give in. It's just so darn cute. I don't think, just do. I stand and grab my bag. I sling it over my shoulder and walk out of the stall.

"Coming?" I ask him. Maybe this is a good thing, maybe this guy is just the thing that I needed to get out of this mess. Not that I'm going to scare him away with all my problems.

He looks a little taken aback that I actually said yes, but he gets his things and follows me out of the stall. "I'm Jake, what's your name?" he asks as we walk out of the bathroom and then out of this godforsaken school.

"Katherine,"