Catch Me If I Fall

Chapter 1

I took this photo a few months ago. Do you guys like it? Please like, comment, share and DO NOT COPY MY WORK! Check out my other story if you want, but it only has one chapter. Also, this (the story) will be a slow process and needs a lot of editing. Please let me know what you think!

"Ms. Williams, wake up!" I jump in my seat. Rubbing my eyes, I look around and see a few people chuckling.

"Is my class boring to you?" Mrs. Davis jokes.

"Sorry, Mrs. Davis, it won't happen again." I looked down at my hands. She smiles warmly and walks back to her desk.

"All right, class, your homework is to write a poem about something or someone that you love. I really want to get to know more about you all as people. This is due in two weeks, which gives you all lots of time to write something spectacular. I expect this assignment to be some of your best work. Class dismissed." Mrs. Davis says. The bell rang not even a second after she finished assigning the homework. I slowly stand up and grab my backpack, not fully awake.

"Avani," Mrs. Davis called right before I stepped out the door. I turn around. "Are you feeling alright?" No, not really, I thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I smile unconvincingly. She opened her mouth to say something else, but I beat her to it. "I actually have to get home early today, Mrs. Davis. I'll see you tomorrow!" I force some enthusiasm into my voice. She smiles hesitantly at me, nodding her head. I practically ran out of the classroom.

I quickly walk to my locker with my head down, just focusing on getting out of school without any trouble. 125634. Click. I open my locker and grab my skateboard. I was just about to close my locker when someone beat me to it. SLAM! I flinch, hard. I look up to see Jacob Leery and his friends, Sam and Lucas. The school delinquents. Hot ones, too. Almost every girl at my school (except me) pines after these boys. Hell, the boys pine after them, too. Leery and his cronies are the type of people you either want to be, date, or be friends with--maybe even all three.

"Hey, Avani. How was your nap?" Jacob and his friends snicker obnoxiously.

"It was great, thanks," I reply sarcastically. "How's your eye?" I smirk. Jacob and I get into fights pretty often, and last week I gave him a black eye. "It still looks a little purple." Jacob stops snickering and his friends try not to laugh. He gives me a menacing glare. "Oh no, you're giving me the death glare. How will I ever survive?" I feign panic and gasp. Jacob's friends now burst out laughing.

"Listen good, you little punk," he growls and grabs the collar of my shirt. But before I had the chance to "listen good," Mrs. Davis came out of her classroom and took in the scene before her.

"Mr. Leery!" She shouts in shock. He immediately releases me and looks at the ground. "Detention for a month or ten day suspension? It's up to you. And the principal will be hearing about this." Jacob sneers at Mrs. Davis and walks away.

"I guess you get to choose," I joke. "I say suspension."

"Oh, dear, Avani. Are you alright?" She ignores my lame joke and looks at me with worry. I just nod. Mrs. Davis is my favorite teacher, and I'm pretty sure that I'm her favorite student.

"I'm fine. Thanks for saving me." I smile. She chuckles. "Anyway, I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Davis!" I wave and walk away. I go down the stairs two at a time until I reached the school exit. I started skateboarding to Mason park. Mason park is where I go almost every day after school. It has a nice field to run around in and it also has a small playground. I only go there to sit under a tree and do my homework, but it's also a nice place to hang out. 

I sit down, take out my notebook, and start brainstorming ideas for my poem. I've barely started when I feel the shadow of someone looming over me. I look up to see a fuming Jacob Leery with Sam and Lucas. 

"Hey guys," I smile sheepishly. "Anything exciting happen today?" Jacob doesn't say a word, just nods his head at me while looking at his friends. They slowly walk toward me, with slightly guilty looks in their eyes, as if they're apologizing for what they're about to do. 

I try to back up, but the tree that I'm sitting against stops me. I start to panic, knowing something bad is about to happen. My hands start to shake and I think about the worst possible case scenarios. I mean, I've fought Jacob before, but I've been getting weaker because I have cancer. Leukemia, to be specific. Anyway, nobody at my school knows because I don't have any friends, and I'd like to keep it that way. 

"Guys, come on, you don't want to do this." I say, trying to calm my worsening anxiety. 

Jacob rolls up his sleeves and comes right up to my face. He comes closer and closer, until our faces are an inch apart. We were almost kissing. Gross! I would never kiss an asshole like Jacob. 

I stare into his beautiful-- I mean ugly -- green eyes. We stay that way for what seems like hours but is only seconds. I clear my throat when he looks at my lips. 

"Um, what are you doing?" I ask him. He immediately straightens up, blushing furiously. 

"Nothing!" He glares at me. "I was just thinking about how ugly you are." Scoffing, Jacob looks away from my teasing glance. 

"If you say so...simp." I mutter under my breath. 

"Sam, Lucas, hold her." Jacob glances at them. Before I can register what's happening, I'm being held up against a tree. Jacob balls his fists and throws a punch. It stops millimeters away from my face. He and his friends start laughing at the scared look on my face. 

Even though he didn't actually hurt me, it was enough for my anxiety to shoot through the roof and my vision starts clouding with black spots. I fall unconscious, into a deep stress-induced sleep.