Innocents

Innocents: Marissa

“Life is simple, its just not easy.” ~Unknown

***

 Marissa’s Archer POV

“Marissa, we understand that this will be hard for you, but we need your account of what happened to you that day. Can you do that for me?”

 I look up at Officer Cooper, the Chief of Police. “Officer, I relive that day every night in my nightmares. You think speaking about it out loud will be harder?” My words are vicious as I spit them at him. “Let’s just get this started.”

 Officer Cooper nods his head and leans forward. With a small click, the tape recorder starts. Taking in a deep breathe, I close my eyes, and speak of the memory that plays before my closed lids.

 *~*~*

January 24th, 9: 25 A.M

That bitterly cold day, I sat in Mrs. Miller’s English class, bored out of my mind. I need to get out that classroom, so I raised my hand. “Mrs. Miller?” I asked. “May I go to the bathroom?”

 Mrs. Miller barely acknowledged me. She just held up the pass, which I happily took it. Outside in the hallway, it was quiet. I rushed past the red and blue lockers, which were just a blur as I quickly walked to classroom where my boyfriend, Tony Benson, would be. Somehow, Tony always knew when I wanted to leave class and be with him. He was almost…physic. And that was one of the many things that drew me to him. With his six foot height, and the amazing muscles that came with it, most saw Tony as the typical high school senior football player. But no, I knew the real Tony. I knew the sweet and caring Tony with the chocolate brown eyes that made me melt into his arms every time I saw him. I knew who Tony Benson was, and I still do. Tony was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I’m only eighteen, but I knew that Tony was my soul mate.

 “Hey babe.” Tony greeted as he swept me up into his arms. I felt him kiss my dark brown curls that sat atop my head. “Bored with Miller again?”

 “How did you know I would be out here?” I asked into Tony’s chest. My 5’6 frame was much smaller than his six foot frame, so whenever he hugged me, I would end up pressed against his sweet smelling chest. “You always get bored in Miller’s class, that why.” Tony laughed as he let go of me. We linked hands and began to walk down the hallway as we chatted about our day so far, even though school had only begun only about two hours before.

 “Have you found your prom dress yet?” Tony asked me as we rounded another corner. “’Cause I still think you should go with that purple one. It makes your beautiful brown eyes pop.”

 “You mean my poop brown eyes?” I groaned with a roll of my eyes.

 “You have beautiful brown eyes, so stop saying that they are ugly.” Tony scowled.

 “And what will you do if I don’t?” I teased. Then Tony gently pushed up against a wall and began kissing my neck. I let out a soft giggle before shifting my neck so he couldn’t kiss my neck anymore. “Nice punishment.” I laughed before pressing my lips against Tony’s. He placed his large, smooth hands against my waist, keeping me in place as our kiss became deeper and deeper.

 And that’s when I heard the glass shattering.

 Tony and I separated quickly, looking for the source of the noise. Looking down the hall, I saw the front entrance doorway, and the left door’s window shattered among the floor. Then the right door’s window exploded, and the flash of black coming up the steps of the school. “Tony…” I whispered.

 Then I saw him. He had on a black hooded sweatshirt, black jeans, and black sneakers. His face was shadowed by his hood, but I could see the gun he had, and by the way his pockets were sagging, I would have bet anything in that moment he had more weapons in his pockets. Tony’s hands were still on my waist, keeping me against the wall. Tony, like me, where staring at the gunman, processing what was happening. Then the gunman raised his arm, weapon in hand. And it was pointed at us.

“Run!” Tony screamed. He took my hand in his, and we began to sprint off down the hall. Shots rang out, and then pain pierced through my leg. I let out a scream, and fell to the floor. Tony tried to keep me up, but then he fell next to me as more shots rang in the air. I look at him to see blood seeping out of his back in different spots. I laid on the ground, my leg pounding in pain next to Tony. I watched him with wide as Tony’s breathing became shallower and shallower, till it seized to exist anymore. A mangled sob escaped me as footsteps slowly approached. Tony’s final word echoed in my head. “Run. Run. Run!”

 “Run.” I whispered to myself. I pushed myself off the ground and staggered forward, pain rocketing in my leg. Then that piercing noise rang out again, and I felt the blood gushing from my side. I hit the ground again, blood pooling at my side. Darkness was creeping up on me as he finally approached. I was face down on the ground, clutching my side as I made whimpering noises. He flipped me over and I looked at his face for the first time.

 “Patrick.” I choked out. “Wh-h-hy.”

 “Just don’t speak.” He pleaded. “It will all be over for you soon anyways.”

 That’s when Patrick placed the gun against my stomach, and fired into it.

 *~*~*

I look up at Officer Cooper. “Everything went dark after that.” I finish.

 “Did you ever regain consciousness after that?” Officer Cooper asks.

 “No, I woke up in the emergency room after that.” I answer. “I wasn’t supposed to live. Patrick…he meant for that shot to the stomach to kill me. He wanted me to die from that shot. He wanted that shot to end my pain.”

 “Thank you for your time, Ms. Archer.” Officer Cooper nods curtly, then stands up to escort me out. “It will help conclude our investigation.”

 “Yeah, but its not going to bring Tony back, now is it?” I spit before slamming the door shut behind me.

*~*~*

I understand it may be a bit short, but some accounts may be shorter than others. But this is my first Wattpad story, and I’m really nervous about it. So what did you all think?