Hiding Anna

Chapter Nine: Crumbling Walls

Her eyes were open. That was the worst part of the horrific scene because the girl's eyes weren't human.

Green pupils duller than mud stared motionlessly up to the ceiling, dry and lifeless. Veins of red split the smooth white surface until the white couldn't be seen anymore. The girl's lips were deathly blue.

I was sure she was dead.

The fact that it was her made the situation a whole lot more real.

If she was dead, then I was as good as dead too.

"Cassie, Cassie? Cassie?" a soft husky voice said coaxing me out of my trance. My whole body violently shook at the memory I'd just relived.

It had been the worst day of my life. That moment with Anna minutes ago had brought it all back.

"Do you need some help? Here, let me lay you down somewhere," the voice said again. I wasn't even paying attention to who it was. My mind was somewhere else. The present was foggy and I couldn't concentrate on anything. The memories were focused and clear; more vivid than the day itself.

I felt a hand support my lower back and another that slipped underneath my folded legs.

"Don't touch me!" I spat at the person not caring who it was. I never was so rude to anyone other than Anna or her tiny group of bitches but I needed to let the visions pass.

It was the only way I'd be able to see straight again.

The hands pulled away from my back and legs but instead lifted my chin to look at them. I instantly melted.

"What's wrong?" George whispered leaning ever so close until I could taste the mint on his breath fanning across my face.

My eyebrows drooped and my lips followed scowling a sad frown I never thought possible to show. As if feeling my despair George looped his hands underneath my arms and effortlessly scooped my up in his embrace, as if I were lightly than a bag of sugar. His hands picked up my limp legs and wrapped them around his waist for me so that I could bury my face in his neck and just for a moment feel some ounce of comfort.

I couldn't pull away. An invisible force was preventing me from escaping an embrace I'd sworn never to indulge in.

It wasn't me. I had sex with boys. I didn't give in to their hugs when they offered.

Not today.

I tightly clung onto the scruff of his t-shirt, fisting the material in my hand and snaking my arms around his neck. Warm movements were circled into the base of my back whilst George's other hand ran through my hair.

He most know that calmed me down. He must know. At Milo's party he'd done the very same thing after I almost fainted.

Even I didn't know that action could soothe me until he'd done it.

Figures of eight were drawn around my spine feeling like an electrical current of bright blue branding me. My nose inhaled the scent of his spicy and warm cologne at his neck as if it was a pain relief.

All the recollections of the most horrific day of my life dissolved into nothingness whilst I was wrapped in George's arms. Every ounce of fear evaporated.

We stood there for a while until the gentle thudding of movement made me realise we were moving. I hadn't thought about the fact that I must be heavy for George to carry after a while.

"I'm going to put you down on the bench Cassie. Is that okay?" he breathed in my ear causing shivers to break out down my arms. I nodded into his chest as I felt the bench top underneath me.