the fallen;; zm {slow updates}

ten

CHAPTER TEN;;

I blinked, jerking to life just in time to see the ball rolling through the air towards me. I started to swing, when I heard another trickle of words in my mind.

Not... yet...

Even though I still wondered how it was possible that I could hear Zayn in my head, I listened to him and held back, waiting for the ball to come to me. As it descended, I stepped towards the front of the plate then swung with everything I had.

A huge crack sounded and the bat vibrated in my hands. The ball drove at Julie, who fell flat on her backside. Squeezing between shortstop and second base, the ball bounced in the outfield grass.

"Run!" My team shouted to me from the dug out and I did as I was told.

"Drop the fucking bat, Mia!" I hear Ethan's voice and I flung it aside.

People on the infield yelled at me to stay on first base but I didn't. Hell no. I told myself that I could do this. I could do a home run.

Stepping on a corner of first base, I rounded it, sprinting towards the second base. Left field had the ball now, in position to throw me out, making me quicken my pace.

The ball sailed towards the second baseman, spinning white somewhere in my peripheral vision. An excited chanting of the word slide came from the dugout and couldn't decide which I wad hitting the dirt first; my shoes or my hands.

The second baseman snagged the ball out of the air. I dove headfirst, arms outstretched. The glove came out of nowhere, swooping down on me and it collided with my face, smelling strongly of leather.

My body crumpled on the dirt, leaving me with a mouthful of grit and sand dissolving under my tongue.

"And she's out," The Coach cried.

I tumbled sideways, searched myself for any injuries. My thighs burned a strange hit and cold and I knew it, at the back of my head, it was a bad idea to slide, headfirst.

Limping out of the dugout, I collapsed on the bench and tucking my knee against my chest, gently brushing the dirt away. From the corner of my eye, I see Ethan walking towards me, shaking his head.

"I told you he was bad luck," He says, kneeling infront of me and I was surprised that he noticed Zayn. He then blew on my knee and larger bits of dirt fell to the ground. "Can you walk?"

Standing, I showed him that even though my leg was a mess of scratches and dirt, I still can manage. He nods and I glanced at the fence where I'd last see Zayn but he was no longer there.

His voice still echoed in my head and my heart pumped faster, but if anything, it ran colder. Was there some inexplicable link between us that allowed it to happen? Or was I straight out losing my mind?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The school day was almost over, only biology left and after a quick stop by my locker to exchange books, I headed to class and went straight to my seat.

Harry came strolling in and when his eyes met mine, his smile grew sider and he waved and rushed to his seat infront of me, then turning around so that he was facing me.

"Guess what?" He says, sounding all excited, and I can't help but smile with him.

"What?"

"You're suppose to guess, Mia," He rolled his eyes, still smiling.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I thought about what that could happen today that made him this excited. Ever since I knew him, everything that he did, even if it's just crossing a street or finding a new book, he'll find it exciting.

Not that I'm complaining that he is happy and excited and all cheerful. It was obvious to me that he had pushed the thought of that night when someone had branded him, far away and it was good.

When I didn't answer, he rolled his eyes again, "Ethan is in my history class!"

My eyes widened at his words. I didn't know Ethan was the type of person who would do history. I felt like, he's more of a business type of guy.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow and he nodded, still smiling. "That's great. He's in my PE class and--oh! I almost made a--"

A cough was heard, interrupting my sentence and Harry and I looked up to see Zayn pulling out his chair and setting his notebook and pen on his table before he sat down.

"Remember what Ethan said," Harry reminded me, looking at Zayn carefully and back to me, before turning to face the front and started a conversation with his partner.

"What did Ethan say?" Zayn asks, sounding curious and interested about what Harry was talking about and I wondered what he would do if I told him that Ethan thought of him as a psychotic killer.

"It's none of your business," I say, opening my biology textbook.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

I coughed, I mean after my relationship with Liam, that out of control guy, I dont think I want to be in a relationship and have a boyfriend anytime soon.

"No," I shake my head. "We're just friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Fullstop."

"Mhmm," Zayn raised his eyebrows, obvious that he didn't take me seriously. "It didn't look like it in the field,"

I glared at him, "Why do you care?"

He grinned, flipping open his notebook and started to sketch. "You smell good, by the way."

"It's called shower," I tell him. I had a shower after PE this morning in the girls locker room. "Soap. Shampoo. Hot water."

Zayn's grin deepened. "Naked. I know the drill."

I opened my mouth to change the subject when I heard the heels of Ms Murphy coming into the class and when I looked at her, she was not holding her laptop but a stack of papers.

"Biology test," She says, licking her finger as she tried to separate the papers. "You have until the bell rings. Do your best and good luck,"

After Ms Murphy had handed the papers to everyone in the classroom, she sat in her seat and looked cautiously around the room, for cheaters, probably.

I worked through the first several questions, answering them with a rhythmic outpouring of memorized facts and I was proud of myself that I actually remembered that much.

At the end of class, I handed in my test papers and so did everyone else before leaving. While Harry and I walked down the school hallways, we talked about the test. I told him that it was easy for me but for him, it was apparently, not. But I understand why.

When we reached the parking lot, we saw Ethan leaning against his jeep with his hands tucked in the pocket of his jeans, looking around the parking lot.

His eyes soon found us and he pushed himself off the jeep, "First day in this school and I have tons of homework and catching up to do,"

"And you're never gonna do them, are you?" I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because I have a life," Ethan smiled. "So, where you guys heading?"

"Mia has work," Harry pointed his thumb to me and I groaned, at the thought of it. "And I'm probably going to go to the community library to start on my project."

"Work?" Ethan raised an eyebrow at me and I nodded. "With Rose?" And again, I nodded, since I couldn't be bothered answering. "I'll come with you."

Yeah, Ethan, so much for having a life. All of us got into our cars and went our separate ways, that is, Harry ofcourse but Ethan trailed behind me as we drove to the mall.

On the way there, my phone rang and I got my phone out of my pocket and answered it to hear Harry's voice on the other end, saying my name, in a panicky tone.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"Someone's following me," He tells me and I could hear his breathing getting heavier. "I'm trying my best to lose them but-"

The sound of crashing was heard and just like that, the line was cut off.