Chasing Stars

T r o u b l e i n p a r a d i s e

I hurried down the school corridor, my head down and shoulders hunched.

Spring Break was over, and with it my short week of bittersweet freedom.

I tried to lay low and scurried through the bands of people, trying my hardest not to be noticed.

Suddenly, a large hand reached out in front of me and knocked the stack of books in my hand to the floor.

I looked up blankly, and saw a smug face grinning down at me.

"Oops! Sorry! Didn't mean to!" the boy said.

My face flared red, whether from embarrassment or anger, I wasn't sure.

Not trusting myself to speak, I bent down and started to gather everything back into my arms.

I reached out to grab my last book when the boy's foot kicked it away further.

My throat contracted as I held my burning tears in. I pathetically scrambled closer and reached out, when he kicked the book away from me again.

I looked up. "Stop" I said hoarsely. "Please"

"Thats more like it" the boy said, and i suddenly remembered his name. Nate. His name was Nate. "I like it when you beg"

He leaned down towards me, and breathed down my neck. "You see that floor where you're sitting on? Thats where you belong. With all the rest of the filth. Just like your daddy wanted"

He smirked and straightened up, when suddenly a quiet voice behind me spoke.

"You're blind. The only filth in this hall is you"

I whipped my head around in shock and found Austin standing there in all his glory. He had a gleam of hatred in his eyes, and was staring at Nate like he wanted to pummel him to the ground.

"You're the only filth" he repeated. He looked down at me and his eyes softened with affection. He crouched down next to me, while Nate stared in disbelief. Leaning towards me, his lips brushed my ear and he whispered, "if youre trash, Ill be trash with you"

The tears I was holding in finally let go and I fell onto him and sobbed into his shirt. We stayed there for a long time, completely oblivious to the bewildered stares, as he gently patted my back.