𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 | 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭

a.c.
     If you've been inside a school at any point in your life, you'll know that there's a food chain. You'll know that whatever grade you're in, there are groups. The popular ones. The rich ones. The smart ones. The sad ones. The playful ones. The troublemakers. And the extras to their stories. At one point or another, I've been all of them. I was the rich one in seventh grade before my Parents divorced and Dad took half of Mom's money. I was the smart one in college who took color coded notes and tried her hardest to be the best. I was the playful one in third grade when I didn't know about life's big problems. I was a troublemaker in high school while I dated a football player. I was popular then too. And then, after that, I was the sad one. I was in a low point of life when Dad got remarried and he and his wife, who was less than ten years older than I was, had a baby three years ago. I was twenty-one then. I was in a lifeboat. We were sinking. We had been sinking for years. People started pushing and shoving each other, fighting for their space on the boat. I was in their hands, held over the water, screaming and begging them not to let me go. It wasn't until we realized that someone had to sink first—had to take one for the team—that I felt the water hitting my legs. I was the sinker. I was commanded to go into the icy cold water and when she said to jump... I did. It wasn't until I was already gone that I realized I didn't want this. I wanted the warmth of the sun on my skin, the freedom of air in my lungs. I wanted fuzzy socks on my feet and sweaters and leggings and jewelry. I wanted it all. I was sinking. I had weights tied to my feet. I was headed for the bottom. But, I made it. I got out of the water, onto the sand. He saved me. It wasn't anyone from the Lifeboat—no one I had ever even met before. He was in his own boat, trolling through the icy waters and he saw me reaching. Saw me drowning. But he doesn't even know he saved me. Leo still has a relationship with Dad and his new wife, Clara. He still talks to Dad. He talks about me, about Kate, about Mom. But, Leo tells me that Dad usually seems uncomfortable talking about me. He should. When he left Mom, he took everything from her... everything except her children. He took half of her money, took the dog, the car, the furniture, the house. All he left for her was her children. He tried to reach out and we reciprocated. But, when I learned about his new wife, something inside of me broke. He left his children for another one. They got married seven years ago and three years ago, they had a baby—A little girl named Jane. He left his little girl to have another one. So now, I don't talk to my father. Leo still talks to him because we don't share the same resentment towards him. He still cares about him. But I don't. It hurts to look at him and see his life so put together. When Mom died late last year, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I collapsed in on myself. What was I to do? My mother, the woman who raised me, was dead. I couldn't cry to my Father. I couldn't cry to Leo, he had just left the Country on a Deployment to Europe. There was no one else I could cry to. So, I cried to myself in the corner of a sinking LifeBoat.
     A metal clunk of the Gym doors slamming against the wall pulls me out of my daze. A mother and her son, step back, shaken by the disturbance. A man in black stands at the doors, huffing, wheezing. He steps into the light of the gym, weakly. He stomps almost as if it's all he can do to come my way. He holds his chest as if he's dying. I stand, an eyebrow raised. He looks around, seemingly spinning as he searches for something—someone. I approach another teacher, Katherine Kelly.
"You take the rest of the kids to your classroom. I'll let Margaret know. I'm gonna talk to this guy and see what's up." I say. "I'll be down there soon."
She nods, taking my bag and jacket with her. She looks around the gym. There's only a handful of kids left—maybe ten to fifteen.
"Okay, kids. Come with me! We're gonna go to my classroom and you can play with toys until your parents show up." She says.
The kids stand from their seats, grabbing their backpacks. They all follow her out of the Gym, walking down the hall towards her classroom. The doors slam shut behind them and it's just us. He stumbles over his feet. I run forward, wrapping an arm under him to stabilize him.
"Hi, I'm Ayleigh Cochran. And you are?" I ask, trying to get any details on who he is.
He turns his head, our eyes meeting. His eyes are dark, full of emotion. His jaw is decorated with brown stubble. His lips are parted, exposing clenched teeth. I swallow sharply.
"It's me. It's Devin." He says weakly, his voice gravely—Rough.
He collapses, his knees giving out beneath him. I press a hand to his chest, stabilizing him between my hands. My hand feels warm and wet. I remove it, looking down at it. It's red, covered with blood.
"Is... Devin, is this blood?" I ask, looking back at him.
He nods, groaning as he leans against me. He starts coughing. He brings a hand to his face, covering his mouth as he coughs. He removes his hand, his fingers painted red with blood.
"Shit, that's not good." He breathes out, sighing sharply.
I walk him over to the bleachers, sitting him down on a seat.
"Stay right here, Devin. I'm gonna go grab my stuff and then I'm taking you to the Hospital." I say.
He grabs my hand, pulling me back towards him. He shakes his head. I can feel him trembling in his fingertips.
"You can't take me to a Hospital. You just... You can't." He says.
I cock an eyebrow, looking back down at my blood covered hand.
"Well, what else do you suggest I do, Devin? Where can I take you? I'm not gonna let you die on my watch." I say.
He coughs again, stronger this time. He wheezes, trying to catch his breath.
"Dammit, we don't have time for this. I'll be right back." I say.
I run down the hall, running to Katherine's room. I push the door open, grabbing my bag and jacket from behind her desk.
"He's been shot. I've gotta take him to the Hospital. I'll call you later with more information." I say.
I leave before she can stop me. I run towards the Gym, spotting Devin where I left him. I run over, pulling him into his feet, supporting him.
"Where am I taking you?" I ask, walking him outside.
We stumble in the snow towards my car. His breathing becoming shallow and weak.
"Take me to Frasier Crawford's estate. He can help me there." He says.
I nod. We continue to my car, the wind pushing us further. I reach into my pocket, grabbing my phone. I dial Flynn Dallas' number.

     "Hello? May I ask who I'm speaking with right now?"
     "Hello, Mr. Dallas. My name is Ayleigh Cochran. I'm Alana's teacher."
     "Ah, yes. I remember you. Is everything alright?"
     "Um, may I ask who is picking Alana up today? I'm curious because I had to leave early."
     "Oh, yes of course. Her Uncle, Devin, is going to pick her up today. I'm sure you met him a couple days ago. He picked her up sometime last week."
     "You may want someone else to come pick her up today."
     "What? Why? Is everything alright? You sound panicked."
     "Devin's been shot."