Book One: Trunk & Chopbox Girls

Chapter Twelve

December

I woke up the next morning thirty minutes before the rising bell. It was a sharp wake up, as if I had had a bad dream but I couldn't remember if I had even dreamt. I guessed it was because I was nervous about exposing The Queens today. The dorm was still dark and silent. I glanced over at Nann's bed. She wasn't in even though it looked slept in.

After witnessing her attack, I avoided Nann because I knew I would have approached her about what was happening to her. At dinner, I managed to sit on our other table just saw I wouldn't feel compelled to blurt it out. Lorraine, Aku and I sat together at prep, lost in our thoughts. Neither of us said one word to the other. I think I mumbled 'goodnight' to them when we got to House Street after prep. Back in the dorm, I tucked myself in and faced the other side so I wouldn't see Nann.

I heaved in a heavy sigh and pulled up my covers to protect my body against the morning chill but when I placed my head against my pillow, I felt something hard under it. Curious, I looked under my pillow and found a small notepad that was not mine. Since it was still dark, I struggled to see what was written in it. I got out of bed and headed to the corridor where there was light. It was a pink notepad with Nann's name on it. Initially, I didn't want to open it. Maybe it was from The Queens and they had mixed up our beds again. Nann wouldn't put her notebook under my pillow after barely saying five words to me since September. I stared at it for a while before giving in to read its contents. There wasn't much to read so I skimmed to the last page and that was where I saw my name. She knew my name?

I'm done. I can't take it anymore...JJ seemed like a nice person but you can't trust nice people. People disappoint. I thought this school was going to be a new place where I could start afresh...The Queens have destroyed me...I was taught to fear boys. I feel so violated. I just want to end it all...

I shut the book and swallowed. Where was Nann? I started roaming around the house but I couldn't find her. I didn't care that I was making noise. Finally, the rising bell sounded and I could hear my mates rushing to have their baths. I looked through the crowds of girls pushing each other to get a good bucket of water but I couldn't find Nann. That was when I started panicking.

"Have you seen Nann?" I started to ask anybody I could find but they all looked at me as if I was crazy.

"Hey!" Tasha Fierce spotted me.

"Have you seen..." I started to ask her.

"Get to the bathroom!" she snarled at me.

I heard the first scream when I entered my dorm to put the notepad down. Then I heard the second scream. Outside, I saw girls coming out of their houses and rushing towards the Administration Block. Then other girls in my dorm started rushing out. I joined them and found myself outside through all the commotion.

"It's Nann!" Lorraine was outside wrapped in her towel. "We should have done something JJ."

"Where is she?" I asked her.

"She jumped JJ! She jumped from the Admin Block!"

I felt the hairs on my skin prickle up in fear.

"What?"

"JJ, she's dead! Nann is dead!"

***

Is Nann really dead? What will happen to The Queens?

Find out in BOOK 2

ALLEGIANCE.