The New-Kid Tag

4. Red Flags

Author's note: Play the music when I ask you to play it, for extra dramatic flair later in the chapter. Enjoy the chapter!

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Paris and I had to stay late to help Mrs. Bush. By the time we were done barely anyone was there in the school except for some teachers and janitors. The sky was cloudy and grey, it was daring to rain soon.

"Paris! Wait up!" I cried out while running after her.

She waved her hands up while walking away, "I've got no time."

"I just need a ride," I stopped on my courses, "it looks rainy today."

She gave up and turned back to me, "I'm sorry, Nylah, I'm going out with Jackson and then I have to go back home soon."

"Can I come with you?" I asked, "I can third-wheel! Please?"

She agreed to the condition that I stay inside the car and I agreed because I needed a ride home.

Jackson and Paris had been dating since her break up with Austin 3 months ago and I doubt either of them knew my name, despite I've been friends with Paris for years. 

Maybe she doesn't mention me.

"Hey Jack. You don't mind if my friend comes with us, right?" Paris asked Jackson and backed up by saying, "She'll stay in the car while we're out."

Jackson looked at me, while I attempted to make the best puppy eyes I could ever make to convince him. He frowned and whispered something along the lines of "Is she crying?" to Paris.

Paris looked at me, scrunching her eyebrows. She let out a sigh and went inside of the car. I chose that as a cue to get in.

The drive to the food place they were heading wasn't too far from school, and we were there before I could untangle my earphones. They got off of the car, and as promised, I remained in the car.

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It had been 2 hours since they were in there. My stomach was rumbling, and mom had already called me thrice in that course of time. Mom wanted me to come home soon before dark.

Defeated, I sent Paris a text saying that I'm going to walk home from here.

I should've walked home instead of tagging along with them.

It's 6 pm, if I take big steps I could reach home within 40 minutes.

I strode as I turned on the map on my phone so I could take shortcuts, which was a bad idea I realized later.

Ten minutes into following the "shortcuts" I found myself on a quiet and dark street with abandoned houses and they were the red flags I failed to acknowledge. After hearing some noises nearby I saw there was a car with its headlights on. I heard a lot of grunting so I decided to check what was going on, which was stupid I shouldn't have done it on a dark rainy day where I didn't have anything as a self defense weapon.

I crawled a little to peek, I gasped loudly when I found two men beating up a guy, the guy was failing to fight back, his defense looked tired.  One of the men must've heard me as he stood up and decided to walk towards my direction.

Not knowing what to do, I climbed up a small tree. When he couldn't find anyone, he went back to finish what he started. When the streets lights turned on I recognized the guy.