Her Story

Part 4

Copyright © Lucy_Bug 2017

All rights and content of this story are owned by Lucy_Bug. 

Part 4:

Remember that day, not that long ago, that my Mum told me– no, more like promised me that Troy Vander will never come near me again? Well, that promise was not exactly held in tact. Okay, that makes no sense, let me backtrack a little: It started out as a normal day at school, me, oh I was in Mr, Mark's classroom just doing some homework, nibbling on an apple from the lunch pack that my Mum made for me earlier that morning...

"Are you sure that you will be okay in here on your own?" Mr. Mark asked me for the billionth time.

"Yes, Mr. Mark, I'll be fine, like all the other times. Go, the teacher's meeting awaits you."

"Alright, I'll be back soon." He said, picked a portfolio up on his desk, some other papers and walked out, leaving the door open. I settled into my chair and looked to my left, out to the school yard. I spotted Alex with a couple other guys from the swim team. It seemed like one other guy cracked a joke because all of them started doubling over in laughter. What next caught my eye was a couple girls who made their way over to them. One guy wrapped his arms around one of the girls and gave her a kiss. They must've been together. Some of the girls must have caught onto the joke because they all giggled, you know, like that annoying, nasally kind of giggle that all the girls use, they think that it is attractive to men but it is actually very off–putting. I was watching the group for a couple more minutes before I noticed that Alex was spying me through the classroom window. He smiled and so did I. I turned back to my homework, quickly writing down some notes. I looked back to where Alex was standing, only to find that he was no longer there. I looked further around the school yard but he was nowhere to be seen.

**trigger warning. Pass this scene if you can't handle the subject of school shootings though there is no fatalities and small references to the shooting**

I went back to my homework at my desk and decided to forget about Alex and focus on what was in front of me.

All of a sudden there was a hush that came over the school yard. When I looked out the window...my heart stopped. The person that I never hoped to see in my life again, was standing right there. Two words: Troy Vander. He was standing at the edge of the school yard... with a hand pistol in his left hand. He was standing there. My instincts kicked in and stumbled from my chair and crawled to the window, hiding beneath it. I tucked my knees up to my chest and locked my head between them. Right then I knew I was paralyzed with shear, pure terror. Was it bad that all I could hear was my breathing and my pounding heart? None of Jenny's calming words were coming to mind, I wasn't able to control my emotions, anything.

"Anna?" I thought I heard my name echoing in the halls, but I must've been dreaming it.

"Anna!" I heard it again and I knew that the second time I wasn't dreaming. I wanted to look up and see who was in the halls but I just couldn't. The fear was too overtaking.

"There you ar– " The soft, deep, concerned voice beckoned me to look up, it was something about his voice, the calming sense it brought that made me give in. Slowly, I gazed up at the face that belonged to Alex Ryder.

"Oh my god, Anna," he said once he saw me, tears streaking down my face and he peered out the window behind me,

"Oh My God!" He exclaimed and ran over to me. He crouched beside me and covered me with his arms. I tried to squirm out of his arms but... the shrilling sound of what could only be a bullet stilled me. Next thing I heard was glass shattering, the glass of the window above me. I screamed and brought my hands to cover my face when I saw the glass spread out in shards before me, scattering everywhere. My heart, the heart that I could hear going a bazillion miles an hour in my ears, lurched at the sounds of tackling, yelling, shouting, more bullets. Strong arms tightened around me and I welcomed them, loving the feeling of security they brought. But I still felt unsafe, with everything going on behind me, on the school field.  What if someone was shot, bleeding. Oh my gosh, what if someone is already dead because of Troy?! Would that have been me if I wasn't here, in the classroom?! The thoughts in my mind were bullets themselves, pounding me into a whole of... unexplainable pain. The tears started coming trailing down again. I felt Alex's arms leave me for a second, pushing up on his knees to see what was happening outside.