Halo Of Fire: An Angel In Trouble

Lunch Time

That morning all I did was look for him in the hallways, the classrooms, the lunchroom. And every time I found myself hoping, looking over heads to see that tall head of dark hair I reminded myself that he was in fact, a bully that had been relentless in his torture of me over the brief two weeks I had been attending The Academy. Why all of a sudden I felt the need to see him and talk to him was beyond me. He saved me, yes, but what did he think he would gain from that?

I couldn't remember much after I cried on his shoulder, the whole night was spotty, really. I only remembered in little snippets broken up by complete darkness. So why was I so eager to see him? I fought whatever anticipation was building up within me at every step towards the end of the day. The knot forming in my stomach became painful to a point that when I met the group for lunch I couldn't fathom solid foods so I only put a glass of juice and a small salad on my food tray.

Cecily was extra chipper that morning, talking our ears off about all the gifts she opened over the weekend. It was nice to see her aura lit up with bright happy colors and constant pink undertones.

As we chatted and walked to find a table I was taken aback by a sudden pressure against my shoulder which caused me to lose my balance and fall forward. My tray went down first, shattering the glass of orange juice on the floor and rolling my salad bowl across the marbled flooring. I followed as a close second, landing on my hands as I tried to cushion the fall forward. I stained my white blouse and the knees of my uniform pants with orange juice and slit my hand on a shard of glass. I pulled my hand close to my chest in reaction to the sting.

"What the hell!" I said, picking myself back up and looking at my friends who were too bewildered by what happened to even react.

"A-are you ok?" Cecily finally asked, blinking and coming towards me.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, a little voice in the back of my head telling me I already knew.

"Damian-" Ophelia started and I already knew where it was going.

"Where did he go?" I asked, looking around myself and not seeing him. The knot more present than ever.

Jordan pointed towards one of the side doors to the cafeteria. "I'll be right back." I said, before storming off and then turning around, realizing my hand was bleeding onto my blouse, "Can someone have the janitor come? There's glass on the floor. BE CAREFUL." Then I turned around and went running after him. I was done being bullied.

I was bullied for being odd as a child talking about the auras that my classmates had enveloped around them. I was bullied as a pre-teen because I had one friend who would always stick up for me but I couldn't protect myself. And then again just months prior, I was bullied so badly that I had fallen into a deep depression that made it impossible for me to leave my house. I was done being bullied, especially without a reason behind it and after what he had done for me at the party I thought we were over it.

The corridor split in two directions after just a couple of feet and I stopped to think which way he could have gone. I turned left and ran towards the gym, I'd guessed that if he was in a bad mood, he'd want to go somewhere secluded where nobody could see or hear him. That used to be my reasoning when I was running from the bullies at least and the gym at this hour was always empty, coach went to lunch in the teachers' lounge and all the students were in the cafeteria.

I walked in, letting the door slam behind me. It was empty, so I checked in the bathrooms, peeking my head into the boy's one fearing for my sanity, but they were empty too. Here lied two options, I either turned around and went down the other hall or I went outside towards the main grounds. I chose to go a little further and go through the side exit of the gym that gave off a side street between two school buildings. The door closed heavily behind me with a soft thud.