Inside Job

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After- January 31; 3:33 pm

I feel like a coward.

I read a book once, about a girl who lived through a school shooting. She was a brave enough to stay at that school, even though the shooter was her boyfriend and everyone hated her. I look up to her now, even though she was a character in a story. But my situation is a little bit different. I'm not saying mine was more tramatic or anything, 'cause hers kinda sucks, but i'm just saying it's different. She got shot too though.

But still, being a hostage for 4 days aginst 15 guys with machine guns is a lot different than 12 minutes and stupid teenager with a pistol. Don't get me wrong, what happened to her was awful, and the after effects of her were worse, but it's still just different.

It's not that i'm scared of the kids, it's because i'm scared of myself. I'm scared of brain, of reliveing those four days. Of being placed in a classroom where i saw someone shot.

Saw someone killed.

4 of my best friends were killed in that high school. Some of my worst enemies were killed in that high school. It's strange. You'd think i'd miss my enemies least, but when i think of them my chest aches.

And not because of the scar.

So, we are moving today. Moving away from my nightmare. Adrian was suprisingly kind about it. I guess he didn't want to live in a city where his sister had been held hostage either. His friends all treat him like a stranger now, because of what I did.  

"Kinsley?" My moms voice floated into my old bedroom. The walls are the same light blue my Dad helped me paint. The clouds are still painted on the celling, but the furniture is gone, and so are the glow in the dark star stickers we put on the celling. My Dad always said I deserved to live in the best place on the earth, so I picked to live in the sky.

" I'm coming. Just one more box." I say it in a normal voice, but i know she heard, because her heels click away and i hear the front door close.

I walk over to the window and watch Adrian man hug with his best friend Greg, before he gets in his car. It's a camero, and trust me it's awesome. My brother worked three jobs and bought no new clothes for 2 years to buy that thing. He claims it was worth and i just nod along. It's fun to ride in though, and i'd rather ride to the airport with him than Mom in her stupid gigantic Bentley. My moms not doing so bad as an attorney, but she makes me and brother buy our own stuff. We get alowance, but we have to buy our own cars. She pays for insurance, but gas is on us too.

I hear her beep outside and i nod and wave my hands at the window, letting her know i just need a minute.

I look at the room again. The longer i look, the more tears i feel coming on. I haven't cried in a long time, i realize. A very long time.

But i don't let any tears escape. Instead, i make a small noise in the back of my throat, a mix between a whimper and a sob. It sounds like a small animal. Then, after that small noise of grief I pick up the last box an leave without looking back.

* * * 

Mom shipped most of our stuff ahead, so it's waiting for us in the new house. In the backseat of the benley are four boxes and 1 suitcase. My suitcase in the trunk of the camero along with brothers.

He drives silently for a little while, tapping his hands on the nice leather seat, his other hand on the wheel in a ridged pose. Every now and then he glances at me. I can tell he's worried.

"So." He coughs," Gonna get your liscense when we get to Wilson?"

I look at him and try and muster up a grin. " Yeah, totally. I can't wait to drive."

He grinned at, " I can't wait either. Then i won't have to tote your ass around to see all your friends."

My smile fell away at the mention of friends. I looked out the window and put in my headphones.

 After we got through security, i lumbered over to one of those newsstand shops you see. I glanced through the magazines and books, before wincing when i got to the newspapers. The court case was still on the front page. And my face in a little box next to it. I turned away and half walked, half jogged back over to mom, who smile patted the chair next to her.

This was gonna be a long flight.