Run Wild • Ackley Bridge

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" I'm worried about those Wilson lads Will" I hear Mr Bell say as I walk down stairs to get myself breakfast.

" Has it got worse?" I hear Will ask.

" They haven't had water..." Mr Bell stops, after seeing me at the bottom of the stairs.

" Morning Annie" Will says, as he notices why Mr Bell stops.

" Morning" I say, before grabbing a bottle of water before heading back up the stairs but sitting at the top to make sure I can hear what they're saying.

" They haven't had water for weeks, Jordan's got into drugs and I don't know what to do" I hear Mr Bell say.

" It's not your duty to care for those kids, they're young and make mistakes " I hear Will say, as I hear him sit down in a seat.

" If I don't care for them, who will? Their dad is, I mean he's fucking terrifying to me, and I'm a grown man" he says, slightly laughing, before I hear him get up.

I quickly rise to my feet and run straight into my room, wondering what an earth is up with Corys dad.

I mean he hasn't really mentioned him, apart from yesterday when he said he was a deadbeat but that's about it.

I slowly shut my room door behind me and begin to put on my uniform, taking off my sleepwear first.

I part my hair on the side before putting on my purple blazer and checking I look presentable in the mirror, which I do.

I place the bottle of water in my bag before putting all the other things I need for today inside, which is just Biology and Maths as it's the only subject I've got.

" Annie?" I hear Will shout from downstairs, which is the signal that I need to hurry up so we can leave.

" Coming" I shout back, before grabbing my bag and heading straight out of my room and down the stairs to where Will is waiting for me, but I'm guessing Mr Bell had already left or something.

***

"Where was you yesterday, Me and Missy were looking everywhere for you." Nas asks me as I walk into biology, taking my seat at the front of the class room.

" I wasn't well so my uncle let me stay off." I say.

" You sure, cos Cory Wilson wasn't in either" she says, raising both her eyebrows and smiling.

" I'm sure" I laugh, before she walks away from me and takes her seat on the other table.

Cory Wilson comes in, with Riz who keeps his eyes on me a little too long, as if he knows what happened yesterday and I can't help but feel like he's judging me.

I leave it for a minute, before the overwhelming feeling of his eyes burning into my head gets too much. I turn around and Riz quickly looks away.

" Sir, can I go to the bathroom?" I ask Mr Hyatt, trying to get away from the situation, as knowing what people say about Cory he's probably gone and made some stupid rumour up about me.

" Bathroom? You can" he tells me, before I quickly stand up grabbing my bag, walking past Riz and Cory and outside into the corridor.

I quickly go to the bathroom, opening the 5th stall and going inside, doing my business before walking out to wash my hands.

I quickly wash my hands, before walking back out of the bathroom to see Riz stood ahead of me.

" you're Annie right?" He questions me.

" yes" I say, trying to push past him.

" You kissed Cory yesterday right?" He asks me, not allowing me to go past.

" what did he say about me?" I question him, giving up of getting past him.

" Look I really shouldn't be telling you this but he likes you, and I know you think he's a player, but he looks at you different, talks bout you different ." He tells me, which makes me give him a confused look.

" I'm serious" he says.

I bite my lip, before pushing past him again, this time it's successful and begin to make my way back to the Biology lesson.

***

"Jordan Wilson tried to fight you ?" I question my uncle,whose sat at his desk while I'm sat on the other side.

" had me in a headlock and everything" He laughs, while popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

" Will." Mr Bell says, charging into office, ushering Will to come outside with him so he can probably tell him some teacher gossip.

Will looks at me, before standing up from his chair and following Mr Bell out the room, where they shut the door leaving me in the office.

" You haven't seen Cory have ya?" I faintly hear him say, making sure I am extremely still so I can hear everything that he's saying.

" No, only Jordan after he tried to fight me" Will says, slightly laughing.

" Mr Wilson gave Jordan a proper kick in, that's why he didn't want to shower. Cory told me everything then took off. If you see him, send him to my office" Mr Bell says, and in that moment my heart sinks.

" Will do Steve" my uncle says, before walking back into the room and walking slowly back to his seat.

" I -I -I need to go" I tell my uncle, standing up from my seat with bag in hand, and before he gets the chance to reply I run straight out of his office and through the school halls.

It's a long shot, but I think I know where Cory is, and if there's one thing I could do right now it's be there for him.

***