The End [Completed]

4

My nose flaring and my face felt flushed as I eventually had her trapped against the lockers in the schools' corridor. Everyone else had gone to class, so it was just her and I. She was scared, I could see it in her eyes, and she should be. What made her think she could talk to me that way and get away with it?

"P-p-please Adam," she pleaded "just let me g-get to class? W-we could discuss the project later? I-I-I'm sorry, I s-said that. Adam?" her breathing got heavy and as she felt the cold metal lockers behind her, she knew she wouldn't be able to get away from me fast enough. I was much faster than her in every way. I was much stronger too. The fear in her eyes was enough to give me some sort of satisfaction, she would never call me lazy ever again. How dare she?

My gaze was enough to have her shaking. I came close enough to her without physically touching her. I didn't need a law suit on my hands. I had no money and just by the look of me they would convict me without any real evidence. This thought had sobered me. I didn't need to worry about going to jail over something as petty as a girl calling me freaking lazy.

Being cooped up in the house with the monsters for so long was starting to make me snap. How could I even consider putting hands on a girl? And such a small one at that? This was all just getting too much. I felt sweat dripping from my forehead and realised just how close I was to this girl. Her whiskey coloured eyes had flecks of gold in them and were brimming with fresh tears about to burst over onto her flawlessly tanned cheeks that were now slightly flushed as if she were wearing a natural blush. She had no make up on, not that she needed it. Her rose red lips quivering.

This was becoming dangerous. I would not be able to handle her crying. I started panicking. My eyes wide and searching hers I tried to see if there was any way I could take it all back. Oh, man! I had messed this whole situation up very badly. If she starts crying and drawing attention to herself in anyway, people would start thinking I really did hurt her.

"Okay, look Cattleya, just calm down okay?" now it was my turn to plead with her. I had my palms up and started backing away and she flinched as if I was about to strike. Slowly I back tracked and whispered to her "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I just don't like being called lazy or stupid for that matter. I might've overreacted a bit. Please, just calm down." I breathed in deep and held my breath as I waited for her to scream or run or burst into tears. Closing my eyes tightly and bracing myself for the inevitable.

After a few seconds of no reaction I was confused. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Cattleya still standing in front of me. Her tears were gone, and she just stood there looking at me. I let out the breath I was holding I had no idea what was going to happen next.

Cattleya looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. "What?" I asked confused. "well," she started "we still have to establish a meeting place to discuss the project. This is important Adam. It counts for our year end mark and I cannot fail this. Also," she took a deep breath "I really am sorry for calling you lazy. I had no right and completely understand your reaction. Thank you for not hurting me." She smiled slightly, still looking unsure of whether I was still going to hurt her or not.

"We can't meet at my place." Is all I said. I didn't want her near the monsters. I didn't want the monsters knowing anything more about me than they already do so the further away from them this could happen, the better it was for me. "uh, okay. My place it is then?" she responded, not asking for any further explanations. For this I was grateful.

I merely scratched the back of my head, not knowing what else to say to this girl. I still had no idea what the project was, but I wasn't about to ask her or tell her that. The last thing I needed was for her to call me any more names and for me to get angry at her again. "Uh, what time?" she asked. "directly after school work for you?" she asked after I failed to provide an answer as to time. I nodded my head at that and started to walk away when I realised I had no idea where she lived. She didn't seem to offer up the information to me either and by the time I turned to ask her, she was gone. I figured I'd get Jake to tell me later and headed for the exit.

It was rarely a great day anymore, with weather as erratic as two to three seasons in one day, so today was the perfect opportunity for me to skip my last few classes of the day. Nobody would care or miss me anyway. I walked across the parking lot and headed for the trees beyond. It wasn't a very thick cluster of trees, but it was enough to conceal me as I came to a rock under one of the tallest trees. Sitting on it, I pulled out a book. Yes, an actual book. It was highly illegal to have one. Nobody knew I had it and I had read it so much that it was worn to the point of almost falling apart. It no longer had a front and back cover and some of the contents pages and epilogue had fallen off as well. Nevertheless, it was mine.

I had wrapped it in plastic wrap and buried it in the backyard when the announcement was made for all books and paper to be burned. I couldn't stand the thought of anybody burning it. I carried it with me everywhere for fear someone would search my things at home and find it. Another reason for people to lock me up, and the monsters would leap at the opportunity. I should have buried it again or burned it after, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I sat on that rock and opened the fragile pages. Breathing in the scent of the paper and feeling the roughness between my fingers. Tablets and screens did not feel like this, did not smell like this. I heard a snap of a twig somewhere nearby, frantically I shoved the book back into my backpack and looked around to see if I could see anybody.

Nobody was there but I heard voices approaching and glanced at the time on my screen. School had dismissed. I hadn't even realised I was out here so long already. I had been so captivated by the essence of the book that I had lost track of time. I still had to find Jake for him to tell me where Cattleya lived.

As I made my way out of the hidden protection of the trees, I had a strange feeling of eyes on me. Had someone caught me reading the book? My heart started to race as I peered around one last time. Seeing no one I started to ease a little. Spotting Jake from across the parking lot, making his way toward the transport. I had to catch him before it drove away. Taking one last look behind me, still not being able to shake the feeling someone had been watching me, I made my way towards Jake.

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