The Nightmare of the Scholar

5 - COURTNEY

She had been my best friend since kindergarten. How could I let her go?

I never can.

We broke the hug and wiped our tears.

"You scared me. Just promise me you'll talk to me if something bothers you." I affirmed.

"I promise." she nodded and smiled through her tears.

I wasn't sure what was going on in her mind. But I had to find out. I couldn't leave her hanging.

She was the sister I never had.

I had to protect her at all costs.

The days flew by, and we were already burdened with Mid terms.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed as I dropped all my books on the desk in the school library.

Sarah, Alan and I were having a group study session.

Our group assignment had been postponed due to Ms Martin's sudden disappearance.

No one in the school knew where she had gone. She was just gone.

I took a seat beside Sarah.

"I actually called Ryan. Thought we could work on the assignment." Alan confessed.

"Why would you do that, Alan? Today was about learning." Sarah commented while rubbing her temples.

I patted her back to calm her down.

She got real pissed whenever Ryan was mentioned. Especially after he told me about her little suicide act.

The big brown door flung open and Ryan entered the library.

"It's so cold outside." he said while walking towards us.

"I'm outta here." Sarah gathered all her books and got up from her seat. I grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Chill, Bissy. We had a truce." Ryan took a seat next to Alan.

"It ended the minute you told on me to Courtney." she huffed.

"Oh come on! She had every right to know." he added.

I pulled Sarah down to her seat. She widened her eyes at me. I widened my eyes back.

This was our thing. We used to talk to each other using our eyes whenever the situation demanded for it.

I won by convincing her to stay and follow the truce.

"Isn't Mackenzie supposed to be here too?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, she should be. I called her an hour ago." Alan replied.

"I hate her. What does she think of herself?" I claimed.

Alan grabbed my hand across the table and squeezed it.

Mackenzie barged in through the door and slammed it shut.

"Hello, losers!" she waved at us.

Ryan waved back at her.

"Why are you having this stupid meeting?" she took a seat next to Ryan, most probably to flirt with him.

"Well, some of us actually care about good grades and getting into their dream college. Unlike you." Sarah snapped.

Mackenzie started laughing.

"I know how you failed a lot of classes last semester!" she snorted.

Sarah pushed herself off the chair and strode away.

"Si!" I followed her.

I rushed and took Sarah's hand in mine when we reached to the other end of the floor.

"You know she is mean. Don't let her get in your head." I rubbed her back and pushed back her hair.

She nodded.

It was hard for us to deal with bullies like Mackenzie.

She was the headmaster's daughter, and no one had the nerve to go against her.

She had always wanted me to join her because she thought I was almost pretty as her.

I'm prettier than her, BTW.

But I was committed to a lifelong friendship with Sarah. I had sworn not to leave her side. Ever.

"Lets go back." I said.

"Okay." she agreed.

Just as we were going back, we saw a part of a hand peeking from the restricted area of the floor.

"Okay, I'm not having a good feeling about this." I panicked.

Sarah led me to that door.

We entered slowly, the floor creaking beneath our shoes.

And there she was.

Ms Martin.

Lying on the floor.