Stuck Here (Ziall)

Chapter 5

(Niall’s POV)

 

 I didn’t go to any of my classes after a while. There was no point in going to them. Why would I go to a class that taught information that was no longer pertinent to my life? I had no life. I was dead. So then I just roamed the hallways. I really did sound like a ghost, roaming the halls of my high school, doomed to complete homework forever. Ha, what a joke.

But really, was that all there was to death? Were we all stuck in our own world by ourselves? I thought that maybe heaven existed, but as it stands, there is nothing after death. There is only this repetitive, everlasting, routine. I hate it. Why did I spend my life in a routine? I could have done more. I could have really lived.

All of that was gone. I’m gone. I wondered if anyone really missed me. Of course some people did. Chad did. The school missed me, and I guess that felt good even though all their sorrows and tears were fake. I bet my mother missed me.

Oh god.

My mother. She must have been a mess when I died. I would do anything to see her just once and tell her that I am okay and that I was still here.

“Argh!” I pulled at my hair and spun around in the hallway. All the students around me suddenly overwhelmed me. The bell had rung and they were filing through the hallways to their next class on their schedule. At first I saw their faces and they looked familiar, but their names escaped me. I knew who they were. I knew their names. I know I did. It bothered me that I was surrounded by several dozen faces; yet not know a single person. I never did well in crowds.

There were girls with blonde hair, tall boys, couples holding hands, and yet I didn’t know a single one of them. Even the teacher’s names were beginning to be hard to remember. They were more my friends than my classmates were.

“Hey Chad!”

I heard the one name that was still familiar to me. I was glad that Chad was close by. I knew his face. I knew his personality. He was my best friend and I was truly happy to see him in this crowd of unfamiliar faces.  I turned to see him standing by his locker. He was pulling out books for his next class. I was supposed to be in that class and I bet it hurt him to be there. I watched as a taller boy approached him and how his body movement changed. He pulled his books to his chest and backed up against the cold, metal lockers.

“Sad little Chad.” A mocking tone came from the bully. I glared at him and walked up to the two. They couldn’t see me, but I hoped that even my presence would give Chad the power to stand up to the prick. “Sad, depressed little Chad. How’s it going my friend?” The larger guy wrapped an arm around Chad’s shoulder and pulled him away from the lockers. His grip on Chad looked painful. They began walking down the hall and I followed them, fearing for my friend’s safety. Chad and I were the closest of friends and we went through hell together. We weren’t popular. We weren’t jocks. We were quiet.

We were easy targets, and Chad was now by himself.

“So Chad, tell me, how have you been feeling?” The bully asked. I wish I knew his name. The guy made me uncomfortable, so I must have had previous experiences with him. “Do you miss your blonde, butt buddy? Was he your secret, gay lover?”