Zelena.
The lunch bell rang, and the students all got up and left, except for Smith, he waited for me to put my books in my bag. He stood by the door with a smile
"Ready for some grub?" he asked with his hand rubbing his stomach. I smiled and nodded,
"Just got to drop my bag off" I squeaked.
"Want me to come, or shall I meet you there?" he asked with his thumb pointing down the hallway towards the cafeteria.
"I'll be okay" I said pulling my bag onto my shoulder and sliding through the door around him. He smiled and wiggled his fingers at me and took off down the hall.
I walked to my locker with a smile on my face. This is turning out to be a good day, for a change. I got to my locker and started to put in my combination, when I was violently yanked around by my shoulder. I put my hands up to cover my face, ready for whoever it was that was about to hit me.
"You don't actually think that he likes you, do you?" Demi's high-pitched voice snickered at me. I dropped my hands to my side, bowed my head and said nothing. It's always best to just let her get it out, when I speak or try to fight back, it's worse.
She slammed her palm into the door beside my head, which made me flinch and turn away.
"Oh my god" she huffed,
"You're seriously so pathetic, why do you think everyone is out to fight you?" she snarled at me leaning closer to my face.
My face was turned away from her and my eyes closed tight, just waiting for her to hit me, kick me, pull my hair, do something. I could smell her perfume, the overbearing floral scent burned my nose. But I could smell something else as well, it was a cold bland smell. Something I would relate to fear or anger. That couldn't be right, how could I smell fear, emotions don't have a scent. She grabbed my shoulders and shoved me hard against the locker, my tender back burned from the sudden burst of pain.
"Gunner doesn't want you, why would he want a pig like you?" she spat at me, only inches from my face. I whimpered at the feel of her hot breath on my cheek.
"Stay away from Gunner, okay bitch, he's mine now".
I nodded my head quickly. The sharpness of her words sliced through me. Of course her and Gunner would get together, they're both ridiculously beautiful, and beautiful people tend to stick together. She let go of my shoulders and took a small step back. I didn't dare lift my head to look at her, but I can picture her evil smirk in my mind, I could basically feel her heated glare burning my flesh.
"What a useless waste of space" she laughed turning to her minions and the crowd that had gathered beside her.
Even after she turned away, I could still feel the burning from her glare. It was like a wave of heat burned through me, engulfing my arms. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into the palm of my hands. Those hot pins, the same from yesterday in the forest, I could feel them running up my legs and into my chest. Without a second thought, I stepped forward and slapped Demi clean across her face. I hit her so hard that her head snapped to the side and the sound echoed through the hallway. Everyone fell silent, surprised to see such an outburst from me. For years I have sat quietly and taken their abuse without a word or any show of retaliation. Demi grasped at her face and turned to look at me. Her upper lips curled up into a snarl and fiery hatred filled her eyes. She lunged at me grabbing my wrist with one hand and the other hand around my throat. She shoved me against the locker, slamming my head into the door. I let out a small squeal of pain.
"Who the fuck do you think you are? You filthy slut!" she screamed at me whilst slamming me against the locker again. I tried to take a breath but her grip around my neck was too tight. I could feel her fingers tightening around my throat and I closed my eyes to prepare myself for more pain. Desperate for air, I pulled at her hand around my neck, to no avail. I could feel my head starting to spin and a fogginess clouded my vision. Demi's grip suddenly released, and I fell to the floor coughing and struggling to breathe. I stayed crouched on the floor on my hands and knees, frantically trying to catch a breath. My throat burned and the air felt like knives as it began to fill my lungs.
When I was finally able to breathe again, I managed to register the sounds of yelling and screaming in front of me. Hesitantly, I looked up. Cole and Smith were both struggling to hold back a violent looking Gunner, who was desperately trying to lunge at Demi. Demi was clutching onto Brian's arm trying to shield herself from Gunner. Brian, Demi, her minions and everyone else in the hall were staring at Gunner with shock and terror on their faces.
"LET ME GO!" Gunner screamed, thrashing his body trying to get free of Cole and Smiths grip.
"I'll fucking kill you if you ever touch her again" he screamed at her, still fighting to get free of Cole and Smith's hold. Demi was sobbing as she buried her face into Brian's jacket, Brian was standing back with his hands up in surrender just shaking his head.
"Come on mate. Enough" Cole pleaded with Gunner.
I slowly started to stand up, gripping the locker for support when I felt fresh blood running down my back. Oh no! I have to get out of here before anyone sees it. Getting into a fight at school is one thing, but if anyone found out about my back and the beatings I get at home, my dad would kill me. I coughed and I stumbled on my feet as I tried to take a step. Gunner turned around, locking eyes with me. He pushed past Cole and Smith and grabbed me around my waist. I flinched at his hands holding me.
"She's a fucking psycho, Gunner" Demi screamed. Gunner looked over at her and growled a deep bellowing growl that echoed through the halls. The crowd went silent, the aura of fear was thick in the air.
Gunner lifted me up with ease and began to carry me away. My toes were touching the ground, but I was barely able to walk with Gunner holding me. We burst through the front doors and out into the parking lot. He was so quick, I don't know how we got out here so fast. I must be more out of it than I realized. He put me down and stood in front of me, his eyes looking me up and down, running his hands over my face and arms.
"Are you okay?" he demanded urgently,
"Are you hurt?"
Looking into his frantic eyes it dawned on me, what Demi said in the hall. Why would he care, why did he bring me out here and why is he asking if I'm okay? I hit Demi, and they're together now, so shouldn't he be with her? She told me that they are together now. But he still threatened her. Didn't he, that did actually happen, right? I could feel that burning sensation running through my body again. Only this time, it was ten times more intense. I covered my face with my hands to muffle my cry of pain. I felt my ribs were pulling apart and my spine was twisting under my skin. The hot needles were stabbing me all over my body.
"Zeleeeeena" Gunner said slowly with concern. But I couldn't listen to him right now, I didn't want to. The burning feeling was too much, my bones felt like they were breaking inside me. I threw myself to the ground, my body writhing in the dirt, trying desperately to ease the pain. My aching body shook and squirmed. If Gunner was still there, I couldn't tell. I screamed out, begging for some kind of release from this torture. My body flung up from the ground until I was perched on my hands and knees. It felt like the ground under my hands were shaking, my whole body was on fire and the pain was excruciating. I tossed my head back, and a truly harrowing scream burst from my lungs. The sound pierced my ears and echoed through the forest in front of me, until it melted away to silence.
Everything stopped. The pain was gone, the burning was gone, the aching in my bones were gone. I was okay. I turned around to see if Gunner was still there. He was. He was standing with his hands up in front of him, slowly backing away from me. Cole and Smith were behind him. They all looked at me like I had grown a second head. I get it, they should be scared of me. They see me now for the head case that I am. The way I snapped like that and hit Demi, she's right, I am a psycho.
I turned on my heels and ran off away from school and away from Gunner, and into the forest. Holy shit, I'm fast. I could never run this fast before, could I? I kept running and running, darting through the trees, bounding over boulders and logs. Where did this come from, this energy, this endurance? I love it! The wind brushing through my hair as I ran, the dirt under my feet. This feeling of freedom, it was amazing.
I skidded to a stop as I came upon a small stream. With the thought of cooling off in the water, I walked over to it. I sat down at the edge and peered into the water. I jerked back in fright, it wasn't my reflection I saw, it was a wolf. I snapped my head around to see the wolf behind me but there was nothing there. I looked back at the stream and there it was again. I turned my head to the side and so did the wolf. I leaned in close to the water, and so did the wolf. Then, like a brick to the face, it hit me. I 'am' the wolf, the wolf is me.
I looked at my reflection in the water, taking in every inch of myself. I am beautiful. My eyes were what caught my attention the most. They glowed a bright yellow that twinkled in the light. My coat is just like my hair, it's so dark that it looks almost purple. I looked down at my furry paws and my claws that scratched at the dirt. I drew my eyes up and traced them down the side of my smooth and silky fur, to my long fluffy tail. At the tip of my tail is a pure white patch. I huffed happily and looked back to my reflection in the water. At long last I finally believe that I can be truly beautiful, well at least my wolf is. A calming resolve took route in my mind, this is how my life was meant to be. I was born to be a wolf, to be wild and free.
I looked around the forest, everything was so clear and in focus. I couldn't stand still anymore, so I started to run. Not going anywhere, just running, dashing through the trees of the forest. I passed fields of flowers and large boulders and I even jumped over a little waterfall that I didn't know existed. I suppose no one ever comes this deep into the forest, so there would be lots of undiscovered sights.
As I was running, I caught the scent of something strange and somewhat unpleasant. I slowed my run to a trot. Lifting my snout to the air, I took a deep whiff. I immediately recoiled and scrunched my nose. It smells like burnt metal and coal, but there's another scent that I don't like. It's a hot garbage like smell, mixed with a rotting animal and burning chemicals. I stopped walking and stood silently, looking slowly around the forest. I couldn't see anything, but the scent was starting to burn my nose. I don't like this, it's time to go. I turned on my paws, heading back the way I came, and the smell soon disappeared behind me. I came up to one of the flower fields I passed earlier and laid down in the grass for a quick rest. I feel a little tired, that running took a lot out of me. I rested my head on my paws and closed my eyes as I panted softly.