Goodbye Midnight

~3~

The halls were crowded and loud with voices as I entered Tesna High but I could already sense an overpowering cloud of doom rolling over me. It was Monday and I had a bad case of the 'stuff this'.

Usually Mondays are easy for me as I have both art and English blocks to look forward to at the end of the day, but to be honest, I wasn't really feeling it. It probably had something to do with unnerving thought that, oh I don't know, I-was-the-last-person-to-see-Jace-and-I-should-probably-tell-the-authorities-at-some-point. But then again, Monday.

I spotted Wade and Andy chatting next to my locker. Wade was talking quickly, obviously engaged in the current topic, Andy, not so much. She was leaning against the lockers, her legs crossed and posture slouching causing her 'Yes homo' t-shirt to crinkle. Although not gay, it was one of her favourite tops as it caused Wade's face to light up every time he saw it on her. It was her way of silently supporting him and at the same time taking the attention off him. he'd had some problems in the past, we don't talk about it.

"What's cookin?" Andy joked as I approached the duo. I noticed she we wearing the perfume I had re-gifted for a present for her thirteenth birthday party. it was a cheep brand from a two dollar shop that my father had gifted me the Christmas before. it looked as tacky as it smelt and it cost only three dollars, I know this because my father wrapped the receipt with the gift. 

"Not much" I sighed answering Andy's question. "Soooo..." she continued. "Still gonna be a part of the school bulletin or are we finally giving that up?"

I groaned. "What is it with you and hating on my interests?" I hissed. 

"Hey, I'm being a honest human being and I'm trying to have a decent conversation wth you!"

"Yeah and I'm trying to subtly avoid it" I snapped.

"I'm just trying to avoid all this J-A-C-E talk, you almost bit off my head yesterday for mentioning it!" she offered.

"Whatever, I'm out. See you at third" I said before pushing myself off the wall and making my way down the hall, making sure I kept my head low as I passed Tiana and her blonde bimbos next to the science rooms. I worked out long ago that if I didn't bother them and stayed invisible they seemed to pick on me up to 60% less and I planned to keep it that way.

A hand softly tapped my shoulder bringing me out of my daze and I looked up to find Mrs. Steinge, the front secretary in front of me.

"Love, we need you to come to the front office, something has come up." she said eyes darting the corridors nervously. "Don't worry about first period Ms Klien knows you'll be absent. If you'll follow me." she gestured to the office complex and began a fast walk towards the door. I, following her a few feet behind.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the office was the small cactus sitting on the desk. Not the three police men surrounding the room nor the guns they had hollistered to their belts. Just that small tiny plant, half dried out and dead, as one officer came forward. 

"Miss if you would take a seat. We have a few questions we would like you to answer on the disappearance of Jace"

Suddenly I wished I was that cactus, I wished I was dead.