Each of us has a story to tell (Completed)

Chapter 8- Jessica

Trigger warnings- Blackmail, swearing, student- teacher relationship mention and pregnancy mention.  

The conversation with Mr Rogers ended quite well in my opinion. I told him that Laura and James were lying and he believed me. I know I probably should have told him the truth but I didn't know how.

It's now Thursday and lessons have just finished. Normally everyone just goes back to their dorm or to their year's common room. Today however is different. It's the beginning of the athletics season. The athletics team are mostly the same every year with a few exceptions, including those who have left due to last year being their final year. The first match is a 800m sprint against Oakwood's main rival Windmere Academy. Windmere is a private school too but only for boys. All of the Windmere boys are much bigger than our athletics team.

The Oakwood athletics team makes their way out of the changing room and moves towards the track to begin the race. I am shocked when I realise that one of the team members is none other than Ryan Jamison. He is one of the last people I would expect to be on the athletics team. I'm sure he wasn't on the team last year. I would have noticed.

The athletics teacher Mr Harris sounds an air horn and the race begins. It surprises me when Ryan shoots off infront of everyone else. Even Oakwood's star Athlete Liam Morris is trailing behind. The race looks pretty much the same right until the end. As Ryan turns onto the home straight a boy from Windmere catches up. He looks as if he's about to pass Ryan but Ryan seems determined to win. He puts in one last big effort and crosses the finish line barely a second before the boy from Windmere.

Mr Rogers begins to speak over the tannoy and announces that Oakwood has won the first race. He then announces the tennis match will begin in half an hour. I move with most of the school to head off for a drink. I also want to speak to Ryan.

I approach Ryan but I quickly duck behind a bush as I see James making his way over to Ryan instead.

"Hey man I didn't know you were into all that running shit now" James says.

"Shut up" Ryan snaps, he's not even slightly out of breath, "I was forced into it."

James seems as confused by this statement as I am. "What d'you mean 'forced into it'?" He asks.

Ryan hesitates and looks around before he replies "well in the letter I got this morning there was this photo of the inside of my locker." James gasps as Ryan goes on "it had a note with it threatening to send the picture to Rogers. Then this afternoon I got a text on my burner phone from someone saying that the athletics team still needed one more runner for the race and that if I didn't do it they'd send the picture to Rogers." He shows James something on a flip phone but of course I can't see it.

"So someone's blackmailing you?" James asks.

"Yeah," Ryan replies "you should make sure they don't do the same to you."

James seems slightly scared by Ryan's warning "they couldn't possibly know about my little secret could they?" He asks.

"You never know," Ryan says ominously "these people have ears and eyes everywhere. They could be watching us right now." They both look around. Lucky for me this is a very thick bush.

"Let's head to the cafeteria for a bit" James suggests and with a simple nod he and Ryan leave and disappear into block A.

I also make a move and head towards the school but towards block B where my locker is. I always put my bag in my locker and only take my homework up to my room. As I approach I see something white sticking out of my locker door. Someone has obviously tried to put a note through the vent on the front of my locker. The note is sticking out far enough that I can pull it out without opening the door.

When I pull it out I see that it's a white envelope. I carefully open it and I see several things inside. A few photos and a note. I pull out the photos first. It's from one of the security cameras in the cafeteria. The time in the top right hand corner shows that it's from 4:45pm on Monday the 20th of September, right around the time Mr Grey was killed. You can see my phone screen and you can see at the top is Mr Grey's name Eddie, short for Edward. There are multiple pictures of different texts I sent him but the final image is the worst one. It's another picture from the security cameras but from last week instead. Last Thursday to be exact. The picture shows me texting Eddie but this time the screen shows.

Me: Hey I think we may have a problem

Underneath is a picture of a positive pregnancy test.

I know for a fact it isn't his. He did too. I just needed help from someone and I couldn't face my mother so I told Mr Grey. Whoever sent this letter clearly doesn't know that the baby isn't his. The note that was in the envelope reads:

WE WOULDN'T WANT GREENWOOD TO KNOW THAT WOULD WE

There's also a message on the back of the note.

TOMORROW AT 10AM SET OFF THE FIRE ALARM. TELL NO ONE OR GREENWOOD WILL SEE ANOTHER SIDE OF HER BABY GIRL.

I don't want to have the same thing happen to me as is happening to Ryan but I don't have a choice. It makes me wonder if this will happen to Laura and James. It also makes me wonder. If this person knows about mine and Ryan's secrets, what could they possibly know about James and his perfect sister. What do they have to hide and what will the blackmailer make them do to keep their secrets hidden?