Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 15

~Natalie~

When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I realized was that I was facing the wrong end of my bed. I had shot up my hand to turn off the annoying beeping of the alarm, but my hand had contacted hard wall instead.

I rose my head and looked around groggily. I realized I was indeed at the bottom of my bed. I looked over at my desk and saw all my school stuff piled neatly on the desk, nothing like how I usually did it. I usually just dumped stuff on it and hoped nothing fell.

As I sat up I realized I was still in the same clothes as yesterday, and that an unfamiliar pile of fabric was next to me.

I picked it up and discovered that it was Jeff’s. What was it doing in my bed?

I would have to figure that out later. But first, that beeping just had to stop! I turned and smacked my hand down on the culprit and then silenced filled my room.

Wait, the room shouldn’t be silent. Dad was usually leaving for work around this time, I should be able to hear him banging around getting last minute things like he usually did.

But no, there was nothing. When I listened again the empty silence filled my ears. I strained against it harder and ended up just hurting my ears.

I got out of bed and changed into the first things I found in my drawers. When I realized I had put on a t-shirt, I changed quickly so I had something to cover my arms.

I ran a brush through my hair and splashed water on my face, not bothering to do anything else. I let my hair do its own funky thing, I didn’t care anymore. They only time I ever had was right after Mom’s death.

I went out into the living room and discovered that it actually was empty. Dad normally didn’t leave the apartment this early. Most days he waited for me and drove me to school.

I shrugged and then continued with my morning routine.

When it was time to leave to go to school, I stuffed all of the stuff Jeff had brought home for me into my backpack. Then after an internal debate, I pulled on Jeff’s sweatshirt and left the apartment.

The guard at the door told me that Dad had had an early morning so he had left early. I just nodded and started on my way to school.

It was weird walking knowing that about half a block behind me was my guard, it made me really self-conscious. I pulled up the hood of Jeff’s sweatshirt, loving the way it covered most of my face. I cursed myself for not bringing my iPod, but I figured it was for the best. At least I would be able to hear if someone was coming.

When I got to the school, I looked back and saw my guard watching me. I opened the door and entered the building. When I looked back he was already gone. I guess he had more important things to do than babysitting a screwed up teenager.

People stared at me as I went to my locker and put all the stuff I didn’t need for my first couple of classes in. I was extremely grateful for the large hoodie now, it offered some sort of shield between me and the stares.

I headed straight to my English class and slumped down in the seat. I tried to ignore the whispers of ‘the missing girl’ from the people already in the room. Instead I distracted myself with looking out the window. It wasn’t a great distraction, but it helped some.

Slowly the classroom filled up. Every single person stopped in the door way to look at me and occasional whisper while in the door way, before continuing to their seat.

Why did Dad make me come to school? Why?

Jeff was one of the last to come stumbling into the room. The teacher was still missing though, did he not own an alarm?