The Five

4

"How do you understand this crap?" Jennifer whined from the bed. "It's like reading code!"

Kelly sat in the comfy chair by Jennifer's desk, still reading her book that Eric had gifted her with that morning. "It's algebra. That's kinda the point. Decode it."

"But how?" Jason asked from beside Jennifer. "I have a test on Wednesday that I so cannot fail. I don't want to risk Nationals!" He dropped his textbook out of his hands. "Please. Help."

Kelly raised an eyebrow at Eric, who sat with a binder in his lap on the window seat. "It's your turn."

Eric let out a high-pitched groan before making his way towards the bed. While he explained the content to the couple, their eyes only seemed to get wider in confusion.

"Do you get this?" Jennifer asked Brian, who was on the floor with a baseball, tossing it up in the air and catching. Jennifer knew it was a broken nose in waiting.

The boy grinned, a curly piece of hair falling into his eyes as he tilted his head towards her. "Do I need to?"

"How are you going to graduate at this rate?"

Brian just continued to toss the ball. "I have a plan."

The entire room groaned at his reply. That was Brian's answer to every serious question. Granted, he wasn't lying, he did have a plan. Jennifer's annoyance beside, they worked ninety percent of the time, but she didn't want this one to land in the remaining ten percent.

"Is this one legal?" Kelly asked. "Orange isn't your color."

Brian paused. "I actually don't know."

Kelly lowered her book to display her shock. "I was kidding, but are you?" A wicked smile in response caused her to continue. "Brian, the last thing I want for you is to end up in jail because of one of your plans."

He only laughed. "You worry too much. Life is fun. It'll all work out in the end."

"Said every criminal before they end up in prison a week later," Jason told him. Unfortunately, her boyfriend had been dragged into the last plan Brian made, and near came out with no eyebrows. They'd all gotten tied up in the plans one time or another, but Jason was a popular choice for Brian.

Brian only stuck his tongue out. "I promise I will not go to prison you worrywarts and if I did you all love me enough to come visit every so often." He laughed. "Besides, Eric would bail me out."

Eric scoffed. "And why would I do that?"

"Because your mom would get too lonely otherwise." Brian only laughed when a book was thrown straight towards his face, and then shut up when Jason threw the next one.

Everything was dark.

She heard sounds, footsteps mixed with laughter and talking. The occasional locker slamming. Shoes squeaking. A bell ringing. Things she heard every day, familiar sounds. Yet she saw nothing of the hallways or the library. Her friends and her teachers were gone. It was just her and those sounds.

She tried to remember what had happened, but everything got blurry past AP Chemistry sixth period. She should have gone to her debate club with Eric after that, and then homework when she got home. Jennifer was supposed to come over too so she could get help with her algebra. She was supposed to do all these things but she was still here. Wasn't she?

It could have been hours. Could have been days. Time seemed irrelevant now, didn't go by quickly or slow, it was just... there. But those noises were always there and never left.

She had tried to scream for somebody. For her friends and classmates. Some teachers. But no sound left her body.

So now she sat there, waiting for some end or release.