Unwanted Hero

Seven.

I staggered out of music class and out of the back door. Vomit came up my throat, and I swallowed it.

There was no way I could go to my other lessons.

Quietly, I escaped out of the fire exit and started up towards the gates. Just as I was about to leave, I heard a muffled sound that I knew anywhere.

Crying.

I looked round the corner into a small clump of trees, and I saw Ashley, curled up in a ball, tears running down her cheeks.

"Ash?" I said softly. She looked up at me and gasped slightly. I sat down and leant against a nearby tree. "Please tell me what's wrong." I begged gently, even though deep down, I knew.

I knew it was Morgan.

"I tried to do it! I told him I was leaving him and he went crazy! I should have told someone! He wants to kill me." She spoke really fast and looked at the ground in panic.

"Slow down. What happened?" I said soothingly.

"I... I told Morgan it was over. He got really angry and refused to let me go." She sniffed. "There's no escape now."

"Does he hit you?" I asked.

"N...No." She stammered.

Why wouldn't she admit it? I knew that son of a bitch was a psycho, but I couldn't tell anyone without proof.

I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning them against the tree. The nausea and headache was getting a lot worse, and I felt like I could throw up at any minute.

"Why aren't you in class?" She asked me.

"Why'd you think?" I chuckled softly. Bullying was a normal thing now.

"Is it Morgan?" She said, regretfully.

"Yeah. Well, its everyone really. But mostly him." I sighed.

"That bastard." She bit her lip. "Whoa, Kai, are you okay?"

I shrugged.

"You look like you're about to pass out." She said worriedly. "And you're as white as a sheet."

"Meh. I'm just kinda sick." I said vaguely. "Ugh, shit. As much as I want to stay with you and talk, I need to sleep."

"You can't walk home." Ashley shook her head. "You'll die!"

"Hopefully." I joked, but she took me seriously.

She stood up and held out her hands to help me. Sluggishly, I stood up and leaned against the tree.

"I'm driving you home." She insisted, and I was too tired to argue. I climbed in the passenger seat of her shiny red car and she started the engine.

I lay back in the chair, struggling to keep my eyes open. "Please don't tell anyone what I told you." Ashley asked.

"I won't." I promised.

"Kai. I'm worried about you. I've known you for years, and now you're different. You've gotten skinnier and paler, and you just seem depressed." She admitted.

"I'm fine." I lied. She nodded, clearly not believing me.

It didn't take long to get to my house, and all I remember when we got there was Ashley helping me inside. After that, it went black.