Made Of Money

three

I'm in Here

I didn't know how much time had passed, if the sun was still even beaming in the sky, or even if anybody was looking for me. 

I had given up all hope of getting out, instead praying that an on duty janitor might come wandering in, until a low buzz on the other side of the door caught my attention. 

It was quiet, barely audible, but it was there.

My phone!

Someone was calling me, someone had realized that I was missing! 

"Hey!" I started screaming once more, praying that the person calling my phone was close by. It was a long shot, but it was hope and I was tired of sitting in this musty closet. "Hey" I screamed, pouncing back onto my feet. I pounded my fists against the locked wooden door, hoping beyond hope that someone would hear me.

"I'm in here!" My voice didn't even sound like my own anymore, hoarse, and thick with the tears that I still wouldn't let fall. I know Clarke wasn't around anymore, but if I let a single tear slide down my cheek she would still win, and even in her absence, I couldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had gotten the reaction she wanted.

"I'm in here!"

The eerie sound of the front door of the wrestling building squeaking open only made my screams grow louder, someone was here!

"In here!" I continue to bang on the door, still screeching for help at the top of my lungs. "I'm in here! I'm in here! I'm-"

The closet door flew open to reveal one of Callum's soccer teammates, clad in his soccer uniform, complete with dark blue cleats, and his phone clutched tightly in his hand.

"Toby!" I beamed, a sigh of relief escaping my parted lips.

"Hey kid." Toby smiled down at me, sweeping his long blonde bangs from his eyes, though it didn't quite work seeing as they were stuck to his noticeably sweaty forehead.

Bending down in front of me, he scooped my phone from the tiled floor between us and slid it into my hands while I tried my best not to stare at the sheer perfection that was the boy in front of me, though I was sure it hardly worked. He looked to perfect, as always.

"Planning on doing some cleaning?" He teased, gesturing to the contents of the closet behind me and I gave him a small smile in return, but then his demeanor turned serious. "Clarke?"

My stomach ached just at the sound of her name but, surprisingly, I think I felt more embarrassed that Toby was the one to find me than I was about being shoved into a closet against my will.

I hated all the boys on the soccer team and I had been the butt of their jokes to many times to count on my fingers. They were all self-centered, egotistical assholes, that is except for Toby and I guess Callum too, though he could get on my nerves just the same sometimes, but Toby was definitely the only team member I could tolerate without wanting to gouge my eyes out and it obviously helped that he wasn't necessarily ugly either. 

Too bad I couldn't talk to him without making a fool of myself. Him finding me in this damp, cruel smelling janitor's closet was proof of that. 

"How'd you find me?" I wondered, and I watched him hold up his phone, shaking it back and forth in the palm of his hand.

"I heard your phone ringing." He explained. "Coach wouldn't let Cal leave practice so he sent me instead and after I searched the entire school, I came out here and followed the sound of your phone and your screaming. You have some nice pipes on you by the way."