When You Say Kill...

Chapter 2: Aquaintances

Chapter 2: Aquaintances

She slumped against the wall like a rag doll, fatigued and in pain. She didn’t know what Carmen’s deal was. Was Nicole just an easy target? Or Maybe Carmen was neglected as a child.

Nicole’s mouth tasted like metal and she spat out a little blood. The only area of her face that wasn’t bruised was her nose and under her left eye. She lifted her shirt, seeing red spread from an inch under her bra down to her stomach. What was she going to say to whoever saw this?

She must have dozed off because once she’d woken up somebody was kneeling in front of her, gently shaking her shoulders. It was a boy, visibly younger than she was with spiky blond hair and blue eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

It hurt to move, but with the little strength she had she smiled and said, “I’m fine.” because that's what to said to people, even when it's obvious that you aren't.

“You should see the nurse.”

Her eyes bulged out of her sockets as she took in the horrible contents of what had happened. Then there was the stairs.Oh, gosh, it probably looked like she’d attempted suicide!

She flopped her hand in an attempt to wave him off. “No, no, not a nurse. I just need to get to my room.”And die.

“You need help getting there. Is it in this block?” Nicole nodded, dropping an arm around the boy for support. “Oh, then do you know where I can find Nicole Clark?” Carefully, he helped her to her feet. He was quite tall and, thankfully, quite strong, too.

“You found her.”

“Looks like we’ll be heading in the other direction. The head wants to see you.”

Great. She knew what this would be about. She’d successfully avoided all his appointments until now. “Is it urgent?”

The boy shrugged. “I just got stopped on my way to lesson and was told to find you in here, no room number, no description to aid.” Nicole was on red alert for Carmen and was suddenly terrified. She didn’t feel like going anywhere other than her room, but then, who’s to say Carmen wasn’t waiting there as well? “My name’s Andre, by the way.”

“Hi,” she tried to smile, but her face hurt and Andre was the only person to nicely talk to her since...well,ever.And he seemed nice, but then again, he wasn’t exactly going to reject a bruised and helpless girl he was told to find by the head, was he?

“We’ve got a way to go; you can talk about what happened.”

“I’d really rather not.”

“That bad?”

“You have no idea.”

“Just tell me you didn’t attempt suicide.”

“No suicide attempt. Just an accident.”

“Good—not the accident part, the...other part. I don’t mean it was good that it happened, just—”

He was stammering which told her he didn’t really know how to handle a situation like this. “I get what you mean.”

“So why haven’t I seen you around before?”

Maybe because I’m in my room most of the time if I’m not getting beat up,she wanted to say, but instead she diverted, “It’s a big school.”

“Or maybe I just don’t recognise you--” he cursed, shutting his eyes. “I don’t mean because of your-”

“Yes you do. It’s fine, I barely recognise myself, either, I’m something crossed between a colourful panda and a blushing clown.” She had no idea how it sounded, but in her mind that was the best way to describe it. The blond with the blue eyes must have found it a little amusing, because he smirked.