Black and Blue

Chapter 4

Aamor’s POV

I could hear footsteps thundering down the hallway towards me. Closer, closer. I didn’t know why they were chasing me or what they wanted from me, I just hoped they didn’t catch me. I slid around the corner, my heart beating at a hundred miles per hour, my vision blurred with tears, my feet begging me to stop. I leant against the wall, hoping they would just run past, hoping they wouldn’t notice me.

Why couldn’t they pick on Alexander? Wasn’t he somewhere dusting a table or chair? Why did they always come after me? I held my breath as their voices drifted towards me, my nails digging into the palm of my hand.

“Run,” I nearly jumped out of my skin as Miles turned around the corner instead of them, “Run, Aamor. What are you still doing here?” I pressed my shaking finger to my lips, begging him to shut up. They would hear him. I couldn’t explain another black eye to Henry.

Miles shook his head, his expression etched with anger, frustration and pain. Why was he upset? He wasn’t the one being chased here, I was. He turned around, listening to their voices coming closer.

“Please,” I whispered, my voice shaking, “Stay this time, please.” He always managed to disappear when I needed him. It was like my mind shut down and locked him out, as if he didn’t exist. He was there to offer me words of wisdom, but never any proper help. He was never there to stand up for me. He only understood me, but sometimes that wasn’t enough. Sometimes I wanted a friend who could help me in these situations.

“I’m sorry, Aamor,” he smiled sadly, his blue eyes begging me to comprehend his words, to forgive him like I always did. Their footsteps were louder now, in less than a minute they would find me here, and Miles would be gone. He was already fading from my sight, like he was a projection and somebody had stood in front of the image. I reached out for him but he began to back away. I didn’t get it, I didn’t understand. Why could he help me?

The tears were falling down my cheeks uncontrollably now and I wiped them away angrily. I wasn’t weak; I didn’t show emotion. I shut my eyes, desperately trying to blink back my tears. As I opened them again he was gone. As if he had just vanished into thin air. There were no doors around and I was facing a dead end, the gang was down the other side of the corridor. How had he escaped? How had he just vanished? Why couldn’t I do that?

“Well, look what we have here,” Regan sneered at me, strutting towards me. She loomed over me, her harsh grey eyes scanning my guarded expression.

Her friend, May, stood behind her, her hands on her hips, glaring at me in disgust. A boy stood to her right, though his expression wasn’t angry like the two girls, he looked pained, like he didn’t want to be here. His black, spiky hair fell into his chocolate brown eyes locked with my green ones. He smiled sadly, mouthing the word sorry.

“Why won’t you talk, freak?” spat May, stomping towards me, her heel snapping like thunder against the tiled floor. I jumped backwards, the wall pressing against me as I tried to escape their glares.

“Looks like freak here still hasn’t learnt her lesson,” Regan said, folding her arms, raising her head. I cowered down, feeling smaller than ever, wishing for the ground to swallow me whole. Why did they pick on me? What had I done to them? Why couldn’t they leave me alone?

Regan raised her hand and I knew what was coming before it happened. The palm of her hand slapped my cheek, sending me tumbling to the floor, clutching my face in pain. I scrambled backwards, trying to put as much space between us as possible. She strutted towards me, her heels right beside my face. I gulped, looking up at her. She was like a skyscraper, towering over me, and I could do nothing to stop her.