When Sunrise Comes

Chapter 1 - Miles

Numbness.

That is all I felt, or rather didn't.

A large crowd of students gathered to watch as I was pushed from person to person. Through the sea of students I spotted a teacher surveying the growing crowd in defeat. Our gazes connected momentarily, sadness and pity filling her brown eyes. She taught in the artistry wing of the school, a class I never had a hope of being in but I often seen her in the hallways. She looked so helpless despite me being the person at the hands of the school football team.

I closed my eyes and bit my tongue to stop myself from retaliating. If only there had been less of them involved I could fight back. Not that they knew that or anything, but I did. The whole football team was involved in picking on me, like a rhythm. Every week for the last three years of being a student in this dreadful school. I wanted so badly to give up and just not go, but that is what they wanted and what everyone expected. I would comply with the many wishes if only there was another school that a car wasn't necessary for me to attend. I had made a promise after all to my mother before she passed that I would finish school and make something better of myself. It was a promise I intended on keeping.

I never even noticed when they stopped shoving me around the circle. I was in lock-down mode. I felt myself being pushed down the hall. A door was thrown open, and a set of stairs were revealed. The stairs were too narrow for two people to fit up at once, so the football players who were shoving me had to follow behind.

They started to push me up the grey steps, effectively making me trip onto my hands and knees. I didn't hear the curse words or names they directed at me, only  a loud ringing sound echoing through my ears. The warning buzzer. In place to notify those that they were now officially late to detention or to their after school activities. How I wished that was my worst worry, being late to detention.

The guy behind me kicked me, and I reluctantly stumbled up the stairs heavily. I depended on the railing to hold me up as I dragged myself higher up the staircase. The guy pushed me to go faster, and I nearly fell down again but managed to stay upright. I pulled myself up the steps one by one as the guy continued to follow me all the way up to the creaky red door at the top of the stairwell.

The guy grabbed my arm and reached behind me pushing on the door. He shoved it open, and it swung wide clanging on the brick wall. The bright sun made me squint my eyes, and I vaguely felt myself being shoved out into the open. The guy stalked up to my body crumpled on the roof.

The rough texture digging into my bloody skin leaving spot like impressions on my legs as I lay on my side. The guy  pushed his foot into my stomach, and I curled back up into a ball to protect myself. I faded in and out of consciousness from the pain. I never did see him leave through the rusty red door back into the school to go home as I gave in to the darkness.

-~*~-

Cold.

That was the first thing to come to my mind. I opened my eyes and quickly shut them. I reached up to rub my eyes slowly, my whole body screaming in protest. I suddenly remember being beaten up by the football team, the teacher, but that was it.

I slowly opened my eyes and blinked them a bit, letting them adjust to the bright light. I slowly sat up letting out a quiet groan. The sun was setting, and someone was sitting on the edge, but the edge of what?

Sitting up, I looked around not recognizing my surroundings. A jacket was draped across my shoulders but had fallen into my lap as I rose, and my head had been leaning on a backpack. The person was still looking out at the sunset, sitting on the edge. I slowly stood up.

From up here, I could see the football field, soccer field, tennis court, volley ball court, and the picnic tables where I often ate my lunch alone. I was on top of the school. How did I get up here again?

I walked over to the person and sat on the edge of the roof beside them. It was a girl. I feel like I should know her, but I don't remember how or from where. She was still staring out at the sun setting, and I cleared my throat quietly.

Her head whipped to face me so fast, I'm surprised she didn't get whiplash. Her eyes roamed my face, and arms probably looking at all of the bruises. She frowned deeply and brought her eyes up to mine.

My breath lodged in my throat. Her eyes were the most gorgeous, captivating color of brown I had ever seen. The lines on her forehead deepened, and I frowned slightly. She reached her hand up slightly, and I fought the urge to flinch as she gently pushed my bangs away from my eyes and probably a gash or bruise.

"I would say you should put some ice on that, but we don't have any up here" She said retracting her hand.

"Who are you?" I asked her neither of our gazes wavering.

"Literally no one" She answered tearing her gaze away and looking out at the sun which had now sunk beneath the horizon leaving rays to light the land.

"What's your name?" I questioned.

"Jaiven" she said quietly.

What? Jaiven Small. This girl was not no one. She is the girlfriend of Nicolson High's quarterback. What is she doing on the roof? Oh god, Kade, her boyfriend is going to kill me for even looking at her never mind talking to her and sitting this close to her.

I quickly stood up, regretting it instantly as pain ripped through my body. I took a few steps back almost falling over from the abrupt movement. She stood up as well and reached out to steady me, only succeeding in making me pull away.

A flash of hurt flitted across her face before it disappeared, replaced by a cautious expression. I wasn't actually afraid of her, or Kade himself, but when the whole football team ganged up on me it was not exactly something I would call fun. Quite the opposite I'd rather say.

There were these things about me that have been hidden for so long, that now it is just a sudden reaction for me to protect them. Secrets I guess you could call them, and I have no friends or any relationships with anyone, not even my father to keep them from finding out these secrets. I had successfully built a wall around myself and pushed everyone away in the process. I became the silent, bipolar guy in the back of the class covered in marks rejecting any sympathy or pity from everyone. The guy that Kade Gilson hated for no apparent reason. I had come to accept it, as did everyone else in the school. They didn't really have much of a choice as Kade's father was the town Mayor and his aunt the principal of the school. Typical high school egotistical player that can do no wrong in the town's eyes. Never at fault, never questioned. 

I strode towards the door, intent on getting home before the sun had completely set, but Jaiven's voice made me come to an abrupt halt.

"It's locked"

"What?" I asked stupidly turning back around to face her. She had followed me and was about halfway between the edge of the roof and myself.

"The door, it's locked" She answered dryly.

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean when Michael left you out here, he locked the door so we are locked onto the roof of this school here, together. I would call someone for help but my phone is dead and you don't have one so we are stuck here" She said slowly explaining the situation to me as if I was a mere three year old child.

"For fuck sakes!" I yelled loudly. Jaiven flinched and her eyes widened in surprise as they gazed at me with curiosity floating through them. Of course, just my luck. I get stuck on the school roof for the night with the golden boy's play thing hoping the cleaning staff and over committed teachers coming to the school on a Saturday can let us down. However, the four story jump seemed very appealing to what kind of repayment Kade was going to give me for this next week.

My phone and backpack were god knows where which was no help to the situation at all leaving me only one option. I sat down by the door, with my back leaning up against the cool brick wall.

 Then, I started to wait.