Pretty. Quiet. (Ryden)

IX

*Gerard's POV*

I forgot they lock the bathrooms after school. The only one open is the staff bathroom. Ugh. That's too far away.
Don't they know we students are tired and lazy?

**********

I stumble out of the bathroom. Some kid is having a fist fight with Brent around the corner and I wanted no part of it. He knew I was dating Frank. He usually did very harmless things; telling me I was going to hell and that no one loved me. Well, Frank does and that's damn well good enough for me. Basically, I avoid him as much as possible.

I heard the bathroom door swing shut and a kid crying. I've been here long enough to know that it definitely wasn't Brent. I half sprint to the end of the corridor, not wanting Brent to remember why he hates me. I turn the corner and try opening the small teachers cabinet outside an old, unused classroom. It doesn't open.

I'm screwed.

"Was that Way I just saw? Running away like a coward?"

His voice is louder than I thought it was, echoing off the walls, mocking me.

I hear talking but I'm not close enough to hear the words. Then I hear the loud, clear, smack of flesh on flesh. A whimper. Footsteps. Silence.

Confused, I peek around the corner to check if he was still there. He wasn't.

The cabinet was still dented shut. I turn away to make it back to detention. Mr Michael's going to kill me. As I walk away, I hear something move. Very quietly. I stop.
I strain my ears, making sure I heard it and it wasn't a figment of my imagination.

It wasn't.

I hear it again, slightly louder than last time.
It was coming from the cabinet.

I walk back up to it. I swear, if this is someone's idea of a sick joke, its not funny.
When I'm examining the lock, my phone buzzes against my thigh in my pocket. I'll deal with it later.
The lock is jammed shut, like someone forcibly kicked it shut.

After a few minutes of fiddling around with the lock, it comes loose. Suddenly someone falls out of the cabinet, unconscious.

Ryan.

The fuck?

I catch him before he falls to the floor, hoisting him up a little. He's bleeding from his temple and his arm is covered in bruises. His jaw is also discoloured.

As carefully as possible, I pick him up, bridal style. Luckily he's so much lighter than me.

I pray Brent isn't loitering around.

**********

I make it to the infirmary, completely forgetting  I'm supposed to be at detention. My phone buzzes again and I make a mental note to throw it in the depths of ocean. Now is not the time for it to be going haywire.

The nurse looks shocked to see the new kid unconscious in my arms. I quickly explained what little I knew and laid him down on one of the beds. A quick check up later and I'm being told nothing serious, and that if he wants, he can stay at home for a few days. I take my phone out.

Message from: NODNERB

Dud where r you? Your like 20 mins late.
Ditching?

The other text was the same message, copy and pasted.

I type out a quick, short message.

Message to: NODNERB

Infirmary.

**********

[hEy guYs I'm back from my hiatus (I guess that what it was I dunno) how y'all doing? I started a new story and I've pretty much finished it but I'm still editing it. I love this story a lot though so I'll probably finish it first. If you guys are interested it's going to be Ryden (of course) and it's called (for now) 'An Awkward Ryden story' because everything that happens is cringe inducing and awkward as fUck so yea that's coming. I have no idea when I will post next or how Long breaks in between are so sorry for that I'll try be more consistent this year. ❤️❤️]