Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

Hissing Cockroaches

"Oh god here comes Rachael and her gang of cockroaches." Gray exclaimed dramatically while rolling his eyes.

I laughed and playfully slapped Gray on the arm.

"God those hissing cockroaches make my skin crawl." Gray claimed again making me laugh harder until my cheekbones started to ache.

Rachael turned her head quickly towards me though her pale blonde hair had other plans, which were to slap one of her goons directly in the face. Obviously Rachael didn't notice, or she just didn't care, the latter being more accurate. She shot me an ugly glare and continued to walk further into the cafeteria along with her friends.

"What does she have against me, like literally I have never done anything to her?" I asked turning my attention to my tray that remained untouched.

"Pshh, she's just threatened by your beauty." Gray assured me while making a gesture with his hand.

I jerked my head forward to look over the rim of my Ray Bans and gave him a "seriously" look.

"How can a girl who wears shades most of the time threaten Rachael Herring?" I genuinely asked Gray, though most of the beauty was in her head she still had good looks and I do wear shades all the time. But seriously I highly doubt anyone other than my doctor, Mom, or Gray knows what my eyes look like.

"Don't question it just go along with it."

I rolled my eyes but began to notice something, "Does anything seem off to you?" I asked Gray hoping I wasn't the only one to notice.

Gray straightened his posture and lifted his chin up, he started frantically searching for whatever with his eyes that were the size of saucers at the moment. "No, why?" He asked, his eyes still scanning over the large lunchroom.

"Nothing, just something felt off for a second like someone was watching." I breathed out trying not to laugh at Gray's antics.

"You have to stop doing that Lea, you know I watch to many Syfy movies."

"Sorry it's just things have been a little off lately, my dog was acting weird a few days ago." I told Gray.

"What do you mean weird?"

"He was staring at something and he didn't eat, and you know Fio loves food. I don't know maybe I'm just overreacting." I said trying to convince myself that it was nothing.

"Fio not eating his food, yeah no something has to be wrong." Gray mumbles to himself.

I stand up and grab my tray, "Well I'm heading to next period I'll meet you at the usual spot after 4th." Gray nodded his head and I walked towards the trash bins where I dumped the food and placed the tray on the tray-return shelf. Without looking around I walked out of the cafeteria and made my way down C Hall towards my locker.

The hallway was completely deserted and silent, the only sound was the bottom of my shoes meeting the freshly waxed floor.

When I reach my locker I put in the combination and grab my book bag.

I made my way to my World history class and sat in my usual spot next to Phea Hansworth, the quiet witty girl of the class.

The next hour was spent thinking about the odd feelings I had been getting. My only indication that it was time to go was when everyone started piling out of the classroom.

Chemistry was never one of my strong suits, and it was definitely not surprising that I always let my partner Kenzie do all of the stuff. Trust me it's not like I don't want to it's just that I just shouldn't, me and Kenzie had come to that conclusion when we were working on a formula and things went south. All the classrooms on the hall had to be evacuated and the fire department was called. Who knew mixing the wrong things can result in a mini explosion.

So now she does all the chemical stuff and I do the paper stuff like essays or something. I'm actually surprised they hadn't kicked me out after the last incident, especially considering it wasn't the first time this sort of thing happened.

It was currently 1:32 and I was making my way out side to the back of the field where me and Gray spent our break time. As cliche as it sounds we always sat under a large white magnolia tree just talking about whatever.

Gray was sitting there with his headphones in and his head tilted back against the tree. One of his eyes popped open and looked at me. "Your late." Was all he said to me, his eyes remained closed waiting for an explanation.

I huffed and sat down looking at my phone, "By 2 minutes, and I had to stop by the bathroom on the way here."

"Well now we only have 13 minutes left of our break since you just had to stop by the bathroom."

I rolled my eyes which didn't matter because he couldn't see past my glasses and laid down on my back so I could watch the sky.

"Gray what are we going to do at the end of next year?" I asked him, thinking of the moment where we would walk across the stage and take photos but months later we would be going our separate ways to college.

"Don't worry about it Lea."

"Yeah well it's hard not too when you have been best friends with someone since 2nd grade and never been apart. I mean think about it Gray, we can barely go a week without seeing each other, how are we suppose to go to college on the opposite sides of the world."

"It's 5 states apart." He deadpanned. Me and Gray had talked quite a lot about our future plans with college, he was going to Chicago to attend The University of Chicago and I was going to California to attend Pomona College.

"Yeah that's exactly what I just said Gray keep up." I claimed with a huff, even though it may not seem to be as far away it still felt like it because Gray was like a brother to me.

He rolled his eyes, "Yah know Lea there is a certain thing called FaceTime, oh and holidays, oh and of course the fact that we're NOT GOING TO BE IN COLLEGE FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES."

Gray got up from his spot on the grass and walked over to me, he came into my vision right above me upside down, "Lea no matter what we do or wherever we go we will always be best friends."

I removed my shades and looked him dead in the eyes "You promise?"

"I promise."

"Even when you get a job and get married and start a family of your own?"

"Yes."

"Even when you're old and can't remember my name."

"I would forget my wife's name before I forgot yours but yes." He gave me a genuine smile in which I returned.

He offered a hand to me which I grabbed and pulled my self up, dusting myself off and placing my shades back over my eyes as he grabbed his and I's back packs and handed me mine.

I rolled my eyes as we began to walk back towards the school "Torture chamber here we come."