The WRA Draft

Chapter Two: The Panic

I had put my things in my locker and looked around. I was the only eighth grader out right now. You could see the senior and junior hallway from my hall and freshmen walked passed to go to their other classes. They all stared at me as I leaned against my locker for a moment. A group of teachers walked passed, giving me looks of sympathy.

I was biting my fist now. And biting hard. I brought my hand down forcefully and hit the metal lockers behind me. A few students watched me. My hands were shaking. I tried desperately to hide it. The tardy bell rang and the halls grew empty other than me. There were no tears surprisingly, just shaking. I stood against my locker for a few more moments while thoughts ran wild in my head, then I headed off to the French room.

I found it and opened the door with shaking hands. All eyes fell on me as I stepped into the room.

"Miss Stafford?" I began in a quiet voice. I saw Tommy looking at me intently. His eyes asked me, Are you okay? I answered the question while fidgeting with my hands like crazy. "May I speak with Thomas Crone in the hall please?"

"Is this an important matter?" she asked.

"More than ever," I replied. Miss Stafford gave me a look of sympathy.

"Go ahead then. Thomas." She gestured to me.

Tommy followed me out the door. I glance at the class and saw them all give me looks of sympathy.

That's not what I need right now, I thought.

"God, I'm so sorry, Olivia," Tommy said once the door was shut. "This whole thing is a so shitty."

My hands were going crazy. I chewed on my fingers then flung my hands to keep myself from biting them. I almost hit Tommy twice.

He worked to keep my hands down, but it was no use. He was lucky enough to hold them for a split second while I rambled like an idiot, "Tommy what do I do? I don't know what to do! God help me!"

"Hey," he said quietly. "Look at me." I looked at him. I was baffled by the fact that tears weren't coming. "It's okay."

"No, it's not!"

"I know it's not. But I have to say it."

"Why?"

"It's a start to everything. Now come on. We'll go the band room. Mr. Wires will know what to do."

"There are seventh graders in there right now, though," I reminded.

"We'll go into his office. Now come on. I'll walk you." Tommy wrapped his arm around me and led the way to the band room in the next hall. I was still shaking. My hands had moved back to my teeth. I bit on my index finger lightly while my hand was still in a fist.

We walked into the band room and quickly walked into Mr. Wires' office. The students watched us carefully as we walked. I kept my head low until the door was shut then I started in,

"They said class of 2027 and I got scared then I heard Marrisville and everyone started screaming and didn't know what to do I couldn't go to Eliza she's in New York but she called me and told me to go to you because you'd know what to do I mean you know about my biting so I figured you'd know that to do and I just don't know what to do and I'm scared I haven't bitten in a while so this means it's bad and I'm not capable of creating a production none of us are God what the hell is wrong with this country!" I stopped for a breath.

Tommy took this as an opportunity to speak, "There you go, breathe. You have to calm down. You spoke way too fast but I think I caught it all."

Mr. Wires walked in. "That was a lot of speaking at once. I've never heard you talk that much before."