Finding Her Way

Chapter 23

I was sitting in English clss, waiting for the bell to ring. The day was just dragging on. I was sitting in the back row of the class, Rusty two rows above me.

He kept turning around and glancing at me. When the bell finally rang, I tried to get out before Rusty. I glided past him into the hall, but he grabbed me. My breath hitched in my throat.

He pulled me into the closest janitors closet, locking it behind us. Why would somebody put a lock on the inside of a closet? I screamed in my head.

"Long time no see, Skylar. Tell me, how's your house?" He asked, encasing me against the wall.

"It's being remodeled, nice touch with the spray paint," I hissed.

"It's wasn't my idea, you can thank your best friend, Kennedy," he smiled. It didn't match his eyes.

I struggled against his iron grip on my wrists, but he only tightened his hold.

"Not yet, Sky. We aren't done here," he breathed against my face.

"Let me go!" I demanded, kicking him in the shins.

"Not until you hear me out," he said, pushing his knees into my thighs, making me completely immobile. "I don't understand what I did to you to make you hate me. I mean, I treated you right. So why did you go run to my best friend? Now he wants to fight me and we both know he won't win, I have the perfect streak against him."

"You don't know Rider," I spat.

"I know him more than you do," he countered.

"If you don't let me go, I'll scream," I threatened.

"Do that, and you'll wake up in another hospital bed," he hissed.

I could see through his bluff.

I screamed as loud as I could, making it high pitched. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, making me louder. Rusty clamped a hang over my throat, cutting off my airway.

"I told you not to do that," he violently whispered.

There were black spots in my vision as he held his hold.

"You are mine. After this pathetic fight between Rider and I, you belong to me. And we," he started to whisper, " are getting out of this town."

He threw me the ground and walked out, leaving me alone.

I coughed and sputtered, trying to catch my breath. My throat was raw and the adrenaline was leaving my body, leaving me tired.

I slowly stood up and walked out of the closet. The bell must have rang, signaling the start of lunch. The halls were abandoned.

I walked to my locker, and put away my backpack. I made my way into the bathroom to check my neck.

There was an obvious handprint surrounding my neck. Bruises were forming around my wrists. I put my hair on my shoulders to lessen the sight of my neck. Rider was going to flip out when he saw me.

I walked back out of the bathroom and headed to the cafeteria. When I walked in, everybody went silent and started staring at me. What the hell?

Then I looked at Kennedy and she was smirking. What did she do??

Rider turned his head and saw me, he instantly came over to me. He grabbed my hand and I hissed in protest. He was gentle but it still hurt to bend it.

"What's wrong?" Rider asked, pulling my hand to his face. He stared at my wrists, then got angry.

"Who did this to you?" He demanded.

"You know," I whispered.

He pushed my hair out of my face. He must have seen the red marks because he took me out of the cafeteria.

We ended up in the principals office. Rider pulled me right into Mr. Blue's office.

"Hello Rider, Skylar. How may I help you," he asked.

"Skylar was harassed today," Rider said, holding out my wrists. He also showed him my neck.

"Skylar, who did this to you?" Mr.Blue demanded.

"Rusty," I said, looking at Rider.

Rider's eyes were in slits, his hands clenched at his sides.

"When did this happen?" He continued.

"About 10 minutes ago, in the janitors closet by the english classroom," I replied.

"You are free to have the rest of the day off, Rider you may join her. I'll be seeing Rusty for his side of the story, and then you. That way he can't change his story," Mr.Blue said, shaking his head.

"Thank you," I said, pulling Rider with me as I left.

I took him all the way to his car and he was still fuming.

"Rider, let's get out of here," I suggested, sitting in his drivers seat.

"And go where?" He asked, sighing.

I put his car in drive, and took us away from this town filled with awful memories.