That Boy - Page 18

When the bell rang at the end of school, I hurried out, avoiding the glares from my friends. I didn't bother to go to my locker to get my coat; I went straight for the bridge. I wanted to go home, to tell my mom that I wasn't feeling well, to be alone in my room and sort out my head.

I walked briskly up to the base of the bridge. I remembered seeing the boy leaning against it that one day. He wouldn't walk with me today; I was too far ahead of him.

Wait.

I stopped, more panic rising in my throat and stomach. I remembered Travis. I remembered what he said at lunch today.

I turned around, back toward the school, seeing the kids flow out of it and catch their busses. I didn't know where Travis hung out after school. I didn't know where the boy would be, if he wasn't at the bridge. If he made it to the bridge.

I ran back to the school. I had to find him!! Would he be behind the school? Near the back doors of the lunchroom? On the side, near the portable rooms and the highway?

I had no damn clue! I decided to go around to the back of the school. No one hung out here. This was a famous spot for beating, some kids have even been murdered back here in the past. I looked back there, but it was barren. Should I just go home? It was dangerous to be looking for trouble!

No, I wasn't going home until I knew where Travis was! It had been about five minutes since school ended, he could be anywhere! I trudged around the school, going on the side, next to the highway. I passed the portables, the extra rooms with the foreign language classes like Spanish, French, and German.

They could be in-between these little old buildings. I listened carefully, creeping around the corner of the first portable. Nothing there. I felt a presence behind me. I trusted my instincts and whirled around, expecting a ninth grader punk with a gun or something.

"What... are you doing?"It was the boy.

I relaxed immensely, he saw it. "Nothing. I'm fine."

He was looking at me from under his hood, very confused about what the hell I was doing. Now that I knew he was safe, I felt inclined to go home in peace, but I couldn't just walk away from him. "Uh, what…what are you doing here?" Stupid me. He's allowed to be back here, it's not like I own the place.

"Following you." He stated truthfully and plainly. "It's dangerous over here you know."

I laughed in my head. Ha! You have no idea! HE was the one in danger. But then I realized the many meanings behind what he just said. He could be talking about punks and creepers, but he could be talking about himself too. Was he telling me that I should be afraid of him? He was technically the 'darkest' kid in the school. At least that's what everyone gossiped.

"Yeah, I… I wasn't thinking straight." I headed toward the bridge. He walked beside me.