SafeZone

Chapter Four

*RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG*

The door slammed shut behind us, as the school bell rang. "Well shit, I guess we weren't on time after all.." Parker muttered rose himself. As the students began to clear the calls, the VP spotted me, I tried to swiftly turn around and sprint to my locker, but the grey haired witch stopped me. "Why, isn't it Miss Amelia Williams, finally here to join us?" She crossed her arms, wearing this tacky navy cardigan. She basically looked like your neighbourhood crazy cat lady. "Yes Mrs. Chu?" With a flash of a fake smile I turned to her, my lips and left eye twitched in annoyance. At this point Parker was also stuck beside me, as Mrs. Chu kept staring at him then back at me. All of a sudden her resting cold face, turned into.. sympathy? Oh God, that's worse than anger, or disappointment.

   She gently came for us and placed her cold hands on our backs, guiding us towards the main office. "Come you two, we have things to discuss about the past few months." As she dragged us closer and closer to the principals office, my heart races, but my feet were stuck walking forward. I felt frozen and trapped, I didn't want to talk about it.. I couldn't. Not about Theo, not about the past few months, or even this week, I couldn't bring myself to talk about those things. It was hard enough to even cry to Parker about some things, hell I couldn't even tell myself what happened it just turns up as.. as a blank slate.

    Just as I was about to scram as usual, a warm marshmallow like hand gripped mine. It was Parker, he knew I wasn't okay with this, he looked down at me with those calming blue eyes and nodded, no words needed to be exchanged. He was right, maybe it was time I came clean, maybe I should let it out.. or maybe I just wasn't ready for that yet. With a deep breath, and the help from Parker, I opened the door, much to everyone's surprise. There stood Mr. Williams, a survivor of a mass shooting back in 74. Back then he protected for black lives and discrimination against African Americans, he stood with many of his fellow brothers and sisters, unfortunately some people in Washington didn't stand for their cause, and some even brought guns. Before you knew it this peaceful protest turned into a blood bath, luckily officers got involved and Mr. Williams was perfectly safe. Eventually he became a history teacher and black lives matter activist. Today he's our principal.. and my birth father. But that's a different story.

"Amelia Williams and Parker Becker, come please sit. Thank you Mrs. Chu for bringing them, you can go back to checking on Axel Jung and the motorcycle incident." He waved to her quietly, before getting up to close the door behind her. In his navy suit and greyish dreadlocks, he brushed himself to look professional? You know the weird profession sweep most business men do? Well yeah he did just that. "So where do we begin?" He sat back down in his oversized chair with a thud, twirling his thumbs and looking back and forth between us both, he clearly was tired. With heavy bags under his eyes, from dealing with the past few months with Theo's accident, and of course the regular student struggles.

"How's the weather..?" Parker chirped in, he was always quiet especially around Mr. Williams. We both ignored Parker, because it was obvious Mr. Williams just wanted me to open up, especially about Theo and these last few years. He's always tried to get Theo and I to join him in family therapy with Mother Judith, but we refused. He left us first, and even with Theo gone it doesn't change anything. "I've been fine, the accident happened and I moved past it. There's nothing more to say." I started at Mr. Williams dead in the eye, my tone may have been harsh but what is there to say to this man? He gulped down and signed. "You always give me a hard time Amelia, I'm not the bad guy. Regardless, don't be late to class if you're truly fine. Oh and by the way, Parker, maybe sure to bring Amelia to see her therapist after school. She said that Amelia hasn't even been to one appointment." He looked at me with attitude, before pointing at the door dismissing us. Parker simply nodded at his instructions.

*    *    *

          First and second period went by quickly, it felt like I floated along as if no time passed and all of a sudden it was lunch. While at my locker, I shut the cool mint metal door and spun around. Right before hitting a familiar slender figure, the girl's expression was cold and she softly flipped her silky black hair. With puckered lips and narrowed eyes, I knew who it was. "Hey.. Noor" I choked out, nervously. It's been awhile since I've seen her, and I could tell she wasn't happy to see me. "Don't bump into me again Williams, stay in your lane." Her words were hash, but at least she wasn't that snobby. She pushed me away slightly and walked over to the volleyball team. Noor and I sorta had a history, a complicated one, at one point I sorta liked her and we were friends, but I guess that freaked her out. Then well she dated Parker for awhile, and stuff happened. I never hated her, but she definitely scares me.

     Crowds of students began to fill the lunchroom, and I looked around trying to find a spot, or Parker. I couldn't find either of those things, so I slowly backed myself out of the cafeteria, and headed towards the library. Sure you weren't allowed to eat there, but I had my ways of sneaking stuff in. I may not have always a good girl, but the teachers and librarians always loved Theo and Parker, I just tagged along. Walking by isles of shelves and past the front desk, I waved at Miss Smith, she was a lovely older woman with the warmest smile and hair as white as snow. She didn't mind letting me eat, as long as it was in the back of the library near the history books. No one ever went there, so it was a safe place, one of my favourite places. The closer to the back of the library the colder it got,the school only had so much money for heating, and as this is the least used place in school it was FREEZING cold!

   Pulling out a bean bag chair from underneath a nearby table I pulled out my lunch, guess it'll just be me for today. Or so I thought. "Is it always so cold in here?, Jesus" I didn't think I would ever hear that voice again for a long time..