Code Red >> l.h. au

second period ; 9:20

Rule #3 of a Code Red:

Do not allow any student to change classrooms. Restrict cell phone usage and hide all people in the room as best as possible.

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I crawled out from under the table, grabbing my bag.

"Quinn what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Luke asked as he grabbed my hand from under the table.

"Yeah seriously Quinn. What are you doing?" Chelsea asked.

"Quinn please sit down." Ms. Grover urged and raised her eyebrows. I kept walking to the door but Ian stepped in front of me just before I could grab the handle.

"Yeah. You see... that's not happening. My best friend is in a class with twelve other people and if he were to get shot without me being there, I'd have a rampage of my own." I explained and tried to reach for the handle again.

"Listen, Q. You're not getting out of here." Ian said, using my middle school nickname.

"Quit bullshitting Ian. You and I both know that I could kick your ass and use your knocked out body as a door stop." I growled and narrowed my eyes.

"Ok girly. Let's go back to our table." Luke sighed, grabbing my arm and pulling my away from the door. I tried to tug my arm free, but failed. I protested and huffed, but it didn't help. I was growing frustrated and angry, and it wasn't helping the atmosphere of the room. Soon, my anger turned into what it usually does; tears.

"I need to be with him! What if something happens? Who's gonna be there for him? I'm always there for him. Always! I can't let him down now!" I yelled, and Luke clapped his hand over my mouth, signaling for me to take it down a notch. "What kind of friend would I be if I just... left him?" I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I can't leave him, Luke. You of all people know that." I sobbed and he wrapped me in a hug. "I can't leave him. I can't leave him." I repeated and pulled away, wiping my eyes as I did so.

"Quinn. What you want to do for your friend is admirable, but I can't allow it. Right now, I need you and everyone else to get in the closet. Sit in pairs. If someone comes in, I'll tell them I have planning." Ms. Grover explained and, despite my protests, Luke led me into the closet. We went all the way to the back and sat down. The rest of the class followed, with Chels and Ian sitting in front of us. Luke put his arm over my shoulder and smiled a grim smile. I closed my eyes and sighed a frustrated sigh, letting myself blackout.

-

I opened my eyes and panicked. I looked around, past events of the still early day slowly flooding back to me. I clicked on my phone and saw that I had only been out for about 15 minutes. I groaned and Luke lifted up his head.

"Hey Sleeping Beauty." Luke mumbled groggily.

"Why would you let me sleep?" I huffed and sat up straight.

"You're really stressed out. I figured a nap wasn't going to do any harm." He said and looked at his phone. "30 more minutes left in second period." He informed and I groaned. I put my head in my hands and attempted to keep myself from crying. Chelsea turned around and put a hand on my shoulder, trying to let me know she felt my pain. My phone vibrated and I pulled it out. I opened up my messages, my brow furrowing as I read the message.

Aaron: Are you ok? Paul's team are on their way in.

I showed Chelsea, who gave me a confused look. "Why didn't you get a message?" I asked and started to type a reply to Aaron, asking what he meant.

"My phone's off." She said and shrugged. My phone vibrated again and I checked it yet again.

Aaron: I have a friend on the local SWAT team. You guys will be ok. If they don't get the job done, I'll come in and rescue you and Chels myself.

I smiled to myself and showed Chelsea. She laughed and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Atta boy Aaron." She mumbled and turned to face the front. After she turned around, the paranoia started to creep back. What would happen if they caught Calum? Would the count him as one of the 18? Who would be the one to get shot if they came in here? Would they believe Ms. Grover's story? Luke noticed and started drawing small circles on my back.

"Quinn. Calm down. Just talk to me." He said in a soothing tone. His suggestion was ridiculous. We were in the middle of a Code Red for God Sake and he wanted me to just talk to him? I decided that he may help, so I complied.

"Ok. I'll talk. What do you want me to talk to you about?" I whispered.

"Ehhhh...... what's your favorite book?" He laughed.

"The Fault In Our Stars." I replied instantly. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "What? What's wrong with that?" I asked, both confused and slightly offended.

"It's just... I can't believe I'm good friends with a girl who's into such predictable and cliché books." He said and shrugged.

"In what way do you find The Fault in Out Stars 'predictable and cliché'?" I asked and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Well... for one, Augustus' death could totally be called and t-"

"What do you mean 'could totally be called? I never saw that coming!" I whispered.

"Okay. Augustus' thing was wanting to leave a lasting mark on the world. He wanted the world he knew to.. well, know him. Hazel became his world, and therefore the only lasting mark he could leave was on the people he loved the most." He explained and my mouth dropped. I tried to process the fact that he had read the book first. Secondly, I tried to figure out when he got his master's degree in Philosophy.

"Hey. Professor Hemmings. Explain that again?" I asked and he rolled his eyes yet again.

"Hazel Grace Lancaster's first love was Augustus Waters. She was also Augustus' last love. They meant the world to each other. Gus had what I like to call the Hero Complex. Gus needed to make sure the world knew him. Gus' only goal in life was to leave a lasting mark on the world. He himself said that the marks humans leave are far too often scars. Gus wanted to lessen the hurt in the world ; he wanted the world to be a better place because of him, though he wanted it on a large scale. The disease inhibited that goal, but he was able to do something far more important. Gus left a lasting mark on Hazel Grace and the Lancasters and Issac and everyone else. Hazel wasn't the grenade, Gus was. They could never end up together because that was the whole purpose of Augustus' life. Now, for why I don't like it. I don't necessarily not like it because of the quality of writing or the story line, but for the fact that every teenage girl looks past the meaning and skips straight to the hot guy that will be playing the charismatic Augustus Waters." I let his words sink in, thinking out my reply.

"So you don't hate the book. You hate the fact that no one sees the message. Which, if I understand, is that the lasting mark you leave doesn't have to affect the whole entire world, just the people in your personal little world." I said slowly, making sure my words made sense.

"Exactly." He said and smiled. "Someone finally gets it." Just then my phone vibrated and I looked to see if it was another text from Aaron. It was not in fact from my ex boyfriend, and what I read sent me over the edge.

Calum: Quinn. I love you so so much. You're the best sort of sister anyone could ask for. I'm sorry I messed with you so much. I hope you're hidden well. The footsteps are getting closer, Q. They're in our hallway.

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chapter song: Beside You by 5SOS

ok that song doesn't really match it just was my concentrating song.

ok I'm sorry cliffhanger again but it needed to be done. i'm thinking about killing someone off soooon.

please go check out the blurb for my new story, Hot Mess. I want the first chapter up before next weekend so I might not update Code Red before I get the first chapter of Hot Mess up.

love you guys so much x