Silent Heroes: Wildcat

Chapter 32: Secrets

I ran.

It was utterly stupid of me.  It was the worst thing I could have possibly done.  It would make me look guilty, and give Lucas a chance to twist everything in his favour.  But, I wasn't thinking straight.  I didn't have the presence of mind to articulate these thoughts. 

So I panicked and I ran.

People shouted after me as I sprinted for the exit and yanked open the heavy wooden door.  I few waiters even tried to restrain me.  I threw them off and kept running.

I burst out into the bright, silver moonlight and sprinted as hard and fast as I could down the main street, legs pumping, thick, humid air moving rapidly in and out of my lungs, barely conscious of where I was going or why.  People frowned and looked strangely at me.  Their expressions floated meaninglessly in front of my eyes and left only the faintest impression on my mind.  I had bigger things to worry about.

I had really done it now.  I was in huge, monumental trouble.  I had shoved Lucas through a freaking wall.  Not only that, I had done it in front of dozens of witnesses.  After all the talk about meditating and controlling my emotions, I had completely lost my temper and displayed my strength for the entire village to see.

Kerry was going to find out about this.  There was no way she wouldn't find out about it.  She was going to kill me.  She would kick me out of the school for sure.  She had already warned me once.  She wouldn't let me off so easy this time. 

I ran straight back to the school.  I pounded across the moonlit courtyard, up the spiral staircase, and across the boardwalk to my room.  I half expected Kerry to be there already, waiting eagerly to send me packing, but the halls were dark and quiet.  I hurled myself through the door and slammed it closed behind me.

The lights were off and the room was empty.  Jewel was probably still at the Silent Heroes meeting.  I stood with my chest heaving, my back pressed up against the door as if my insignificant weight could stop unwelcome guests from entering.

What was I going to do?  I couldn't leave the village.  Not now.  I was just starting to enjoy myself here.  How could I go back home after experiencing all this?  I couldn't.  I wouldn't do it.  They couldn't make me.  Especially not over a stupid jerk like Lucas.

Every time I heard footsteps coming down the hall my heart leapt into my throat.  Every time I heard voices, I thought it would be Kerry demanding my immediate dismissal from the school.

But, as the seconds and minutes ticked by, no one came charging down the hall.  No one came barging into my room.  The place was as still and silent as it was every other night of the week.

After nearly an hour, I recognized Jewel's voice drifting towards me.  She was talking casually with Reza, their woods muffled by the door.

Shoot, I didn't want them to see me like this.  All worked up and scared out of my wits.  They would ask questions that I had no idea how to answer. 

The light was still off, so I dove for the bed, scrambled under the covers and closed my eyes. 

Jewel and Reza stopped just outside the room and exchanged a few more words.  Then, one set of footsteps continued on down the hallway.  Seconds later, the door creaked open and I sensed light behind my close eyelids.  Jewel quietly shuffled inside and pulled the door shut again, plunging the room back into darkness.  She stepped lightly across the floor.  There was more creaking as she climbed up to her own bunk, and rustling as she settled under the blankets.  Then everything went perfectly quiet again.

I remained completely still, my body stiff as a board.  With time, Jewel's breathing became deep and even and I knew she had fallen asleep.  But, I couldn't sleep.  I stared endlessly into the darkness, fear gnawing at my stomach and troubled thoughts whirling through my head.