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Chapter 5: Falling

Ashley's P.O.V
I walked down the hall towards my locker. I just started going to Carlinville High-school.  As I reached my locker I pushed my glasses up onto my nose and squinted at the lock, turning the pin left to the twenty one, right to the four and left again to the ten. The lock clicked and I opened my locker, filled with books of all different colors. Some blue, some red, some white and some green.

"Hey, you got enough books there?" A boy asked teasingly, standing directly in front of me. His short brown hair was spiked and his brown eyes showed intent.

"Yeah, I love to read." I said, pushing my brown hair behind my ear.

"My names Isaac." The boy said, his cheeks turning red as he held out his hand, showing his dimples. I blushed, taking his hand.

"Ashley." I said, turning back to my locker, filling my backpack with the different colored books.

"Did you hear about the murder?" Isaac asked, sliding his hands in his pocket, looking at the floor. I could tell something was bothering him.

"What murders?" I asked, pushing my glasses up again.

"My best friends brother, he was stabbed.. But they don't know who or what did it... Two of his friends, Trevor and Leila died in the accident..." Isaac said.

"How is your best friend holding up?" I asked, biting my lower lip.

"He's uhh... He hasn't responded to any of my messages for the last two days... I'm a little worried..." I put my hand on his shoulder and said.

"You will be alright... I have to go to class, I'll talk to you later?" I asked, starting to walk away.

"Yes you will." He said, turning away. Then I tripped on my own foot, dropping all of my books. My glasses fell onto the ground with a large crack!

Oh my gosh... I just... I just fell in front of him...

"Woah! Are you okay?" Isaac asked, coming over to help me. He bent down and picked up four of my books and handed them to me.

"Yeah... I need my glasses though..." I said, feeling around for them. I am completely blind without them.

"I got them right here." Isaac said, sliding them onto my face. I could see his chocolate brown eyes once again. I glanced at his lips and back into his eyes as he did the same. He started leaning in as I did, but stopped directly before our lips touched. "I gotta go..." He whispered, standing up, showing his hand to help me up. I gladly took it and stood up. I was looking into his eyes once again.

"Thank you for helping me. I'll... I'll see you around..." I whispered, waking away, leaving him to think about what just happened. I almost kissed him... And I just met him... I guess I was starting off the school year right.

JEROME'S P.O.V

I woke up to the sound of a doctor talking to Skylar, his shirt off, and a syringe in his arm. He was looking at the ceiling, quivering in pain.

"This will help you with the white blood cells that you lost when you were stabbed, it will help you heal the hole, get the stitches out faster. You have been very lucky to be alive young man. Always remember that." The man said. I rubbed the dry tears from the night before out of my eyes.

I really wanted that mustang... I thought to myself, feeling my heart sink. My dad walked into the room, having to duck under the doorway because of his height. He was 6,8" and 258 pounds. He was a very large man.

"Hey, skylar... How are you doing?" He asked, rubbing his big hand through his buzzed hair.

"I'm doing alright, dad. How's Mom?" He asked. I could tell he was very depressed about his friends deaths. I didn't know either of them, the only thing I knew is that they were a bad influence on Skylar. My Father was glad they wouldn't be around to effect him anymore.

"She is okay, who did this to you? Do you know anything at all that could help us get to the bottom of this?" My father asked.

"I don't remember... It's kind of a blur to me... I just remember the gut wrenching sound of Leilas neck..." He said, starting to choke on tears.

"It's okay... We know..." My father said.

"Luke..." My mother said, walking into the room. "Phone call."

"Alright, I'll be right back." Luke said, taking the phone, with a big sigh and saying "hello?" He always sighs when it's a business call. I checked my phone to find four messages from Isaac:
Hey.
Text me when you can.
Hope you are alright
Heard about you and Allison... That was wrong man...

I slid the phone back into my pocket and curled back up into the chair, closing my eyes, hoping to dream about the mustang again.

Isabel's P.O.V

"Did you hear about the murder?" Selena; my best friend asked me, approaching my locker.

"No? What happened?" I asked, setting my book down in my locker.

"Jerome, super hot, basketball star, his brother Skylar was stabbed... Two people died and they are trying to find the killer..." Selena said. Just then two cops walked into the narrow hallway and into the principles office. Then the intercom came on.

"Attention, students of Carlinville High. There has been a murder off school grounds. It happened last night. Three of your fellow students were involved. Two of them are dead, in order to commemorate the loss of Trevor Oakley and Leila Pietro, we will be having a moment of silence in the gym at two fifty five today. Thank you." The principle said. The officers walked out and through the hallway.

"Well... Looks like we have an assembly." Selena said, pulling a stick of gum from her spear mint box. I felt bad for Skylar... He seemed like a nice kid with a hardened heart.

If only someone would have shown him compassion, he may be on the right path today...