Silence is Golden

Chapter 20

My heart was in my throat as I scrunched my eyes up and searched for the courage to open them again and look at the person before me. I pulled in a shuddering breath and opened my eyes keeping my gaze downcast looking at the space of floor between our feet. Combat boots, he had on big dirty scuffed combat boots with the laces hanging open. I whipped my head up, coming face to face with Eli’s chest covered in his school shirt  with his leather jacket hanging open over the top. The relief nearly choking me as it flowed through me at seeing who it is.

I craned my neck up to meet his questioning gaze, a slight indent in between his eyebrows forming as he stared down at me.

“You ok?” he asked his deep voice coming out rough.

I just nodded concentrating on pulling in a lung full of air in. The panic I had felt seconds ago slowly disappearing in his presence. Its ok it’s just Eli, he’s harmless I continued to tell myself over and over to help calm my pounding heart. Harmless toward me anyway.

“Come on let’s get out of here” he said letting go of my shoulders and grabbing my hand.

The feel of his big rough warm hand closed round mine, swamping my small pale shaking one sent shocks through me. Part of me is terrified and desperate to pull away from the feeling of some ones flesh touching mine but the other part of me is relishing in the warmth of his skin on mine. The two different feelings causing conflict and fear to cloud my thoughts.

He easily pulled me through the crowded room as people stepped back to let him through and I just followed in his wake while he kept a firm grip on my hand. I wonder why they do that.  Why does everyone move away from him so easily? Why do most of the students dislike him? Why do the teachers even treat him differently? Maybe I'm not the only one around here with a past. But he handles it all so differently from me. He just walks around with his head held high ignoring all the looks and comments. He doesn’t care what they think or what they might do. He knows no fear.

At the door way we were met by his two friends from the other day. They jumped in front of us and stood either side of the door way with their arms crossed and identical grins on their faces like some sort of bouncers into a club. But instead they are guarding the exit.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the one with brown hair and little gold hoop in his ear directed at Eli.

“Yeh where are going mate?” the one with the Mohawk asked as he leaned back against the wall.

“Coz if your ditching then so are we” the one with the Mohawk added before Eli could reply.

I looked up at Eli wondering what he was going to say. He looked down at me then up at them.

“Roxy this is Jax and Trey” he said pointing to the one with the Mohawk then the other.

I nodded wondering what this is all about. Jax said something about ditching, I didn’t realising Eli meant ditching school for the day. I though he was just going to get me out of here so I don’t have to have my picture taken.

“Come on man let us come with ya, we don’t wanna sit around this place all day” Trey said.

“And he don’t need his mug shot done to send home for his mum, he already got that done last week” Jax said grinning.

“Do you mind if the boys come?” Eli asked turning to me.

I just shrugged not bothered.

“It’s all sorted then” Jax said jumping up from his position against the wall and led the way out of the assembly hall.

Trey followed him then me and Eli. They all walked down the corridor oozing confidents not bothered at all if they were spotted. I followed slightly behind Eli feeling out of place. They led me out the front doors and straight across the tarmac to the main entrance not even bothering to be discreet about it. At least when I used to skip school or ditch halfway through the day I was discrete about it and snuck out over the fence at the back of the field. But they just don’t care.