The Boy Next Door

And Then My World Came Crashing Down

I slowly turn to see Emma standing beside me, leaning against a locker. A smile was casted on her face, a smile I knew all to well.

"What do you want, Emma?"

"To show you something. Didn't you just hear me?" She spits in my direction. I roll my eyes. Starting to walk away, a small but firm hand grabs my arm, stopping me.

"I wasn't kidding." I turn to face her once more. She gently hands her phone over, a glint of mischief in her eyes. The uneasiness in my stomach grows stronger as I turn the phone on. On the bright screen is are text messages from someone last night. I look back up at her confused.

"Trust me. This time I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just trying to help," she says. I glance back down at the phone.

Emma: Hey
Jared: Hey
Emma: What are you doing?
Jared: Just got back from the most boring convo with Malia. She was going on and on about you bullying her. I didn't get any action.
Emma: Aww that sucks:(
Jared: ikr! I spend all this time listening to her drone on and on about her life. She never gives me anything in return.
Emma: I got to go. Ttyl.

Pain. That's all I could feel. Lots of pain wells up in my chest, making it hard to breath. The phone suddenly drops from my shaking hands, a loud clattering noise hitting my ears a few seconds later.

"Hey! I know you're upset, but you don't have to drop my phone over it," Emma squeals as she bends down to pick the phone up. She stands up and looks me in the eye. Suddenly, a look of guilt flashes across her face, but quickly is replaced with a fake sympathetic smile.

"Sorry, I don't like seeing people cry," she starts and I realize that there are hot tears streaming down my face,"but I don't like keeping secrets even more. I had to tell you."

She pauses for a moment. "Don't worry about him sweetheart. He's a pig and he doesn't deserve you." With one last fake smile, she walks away. Not only three seconds later are her minions right at her hips.

I turn and close my locker. I decide to call Zamora and ask her to get me the hell out of this drama filled school. I rummage through my bag looking for my phone when I hear someone running down the hall.

With tears still streaming down my face, I look up to find Jared running a thousand miles an hour towards me. Another shockwave of pain rushes through me, taking my breath away.

I told you he didn't care for you one body does. The voice rings in my ears, causing a small aching to form in my head. Jared reaches me, worry lines crinkling his forehead.

"What did she do?" He manages to get out between large breaths of air.

"It's what you did," I spit out. I can't take it anymore. I run past Jared, as confusion crosses his face. I rush into the little girls room, pulling out my phone. I click on Zamora's contact while trying my best to ignore the loud knocking that Jared is going on the bathroom door.

The phone starts ringing and I wait patiently for Zamora to pick up. After a few moments I hear a familiar voice.

"Hello?"

"Zamora, I'm in the bathroom. It's an emergency. Please hurry here as soon as possible." I say and hang up.

After a few minutes of waiting, the knocking outside the door stops and I hear a female voice telling Jared to go to class. Zamora then rushes into the bathroom, with a worried expression edged in her face.

"What happened?" she yells. Quickly, I tell her all that has happened in the last half an hour.

"Malia..... I'm so sorry, honey. You don't deserve any of this. I can get you out of school for the day if that's what you would like," she offers.

"Yes, please. I would like that," I quickly accept."Thanks for understanding." She just nods her head and takes my hand leaving me out of the bathroom, towards the front desk. Before we get to the front desk, Zamora stops that her locker and takes out a small white piece of paper. I take this time to dry my face. When we reach the office, the lady looks up from her paperwork at us.

"Can I help you?" She asks politely.

"Um, yes. my friend here said she was supposed to leave a half an hour ago, but no one has called her down to the office to get picked up," Zamora answers for me.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that dear. May I see your pass?" For a moment I panic, but then Zamora slips the piece of paper into my hand. I smile at the lady and hand her my "pass". She looks it over for a moment, then signs it off.

"You're good to go. Have a great day," she tells me.

"Thank you," I say, heading out the door. Zamora walks me to the front doors.

"Hey, call me after school so we can talk about what happened, okay?" She says.

"Okay, thank you for everything," I tell her.

"Anytime." I smile at her once more then head out the doors. After a short walk, I reach my house. As I step in the front door, I drop my school bag at my feet. Tears are now running down my face again and all I want to do is sleep.

I rush up the stairs and into my room, throwing myself onto my bed. Sobs escape me, but slowly the darkness of sleep overwhelms me.

*************************************
"Malia?"

"Malia?"

I slowly open my swollen eyes to find Jared sitting on my bed staring at me with red blood shot eyes.

"We need to talk."