The Guarded One ✔

Chapter Seven

I shoot my eyes open to find myself laying in my bed with my cell phone sitting beside shoulder. My eyes widen in surprise as my cell phone reads seven o'clock.

"Shit" I cry as jumping out of bed.

I run down the staircase to find a single mug filled with coffee on the counter and a dirty mug in the sink.

I beside my coffee there's a sheet of paper that reads 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART! Sorry, I had to leave early this morning, I'll see you when I get home'

A smile spread across my face as I guzzle down my coffee - I'm eighteen years old today.

***

I look down at my wristwatch as I walk down the hallway. My watch reads seven fifteen am, which means I fifteen minutes to get ready for homeroom and first period. 

Today is Duncan's first day back at school since the accident. I'm nervous for him, despite the fact that things have calmed down.

When I arrive at my locker, I press my fingertips around the combination lock, quickly doing my combination. The door swing opens before I take my laptop bag and books for the first period.

I turn my head, to see Duncan approaching Hayden in the distance. The bell doesn't go till seven thirty, meaning that Hayden is early.

She jumps in surprise after shutting her locker door.

"shit did someone die!" Duncan cries genuinely concerned.

"What?" She furrows my brows whilst glaring at the guy, dressed in denim jeans and a grey T-shirt.

"You're here early," he says surprised.

"No Duncan no one died" Hayden rolls her eyes as they begin walking towards me. "My parents thought it'd be a great idea to wake me up at five am"

"Gee that's rough...I mean I was laying in a hospital bed-" Duncan reminds her.

"Shut up" she rolls her eyes causing Duncan to laugh.

"Hey what are you doing here so early?" Jess asks as approaching them. 

"Did something happen?" Tyler furrows his brows.

"It's not that big of a shock is it?" Hayden cocks a brow as I approach the group. 

"You're here early" I fold my arms.

"Ugh," she rolls her eyes.

I haven't heard my own voice since in a while. With everything going on with Duncan, I haven't felt like talking.

None of my friends besides Duncan knows it's my birthday. I guess I hate being the centre of attention. Duncan only knows because, in homeroom, all our birthdays are stuck to the wall on coloured pieces of paper.

"Whose that?" Duncan looks across the hallway to a girl, who stands around the lockers.

"New blood," Jess announces "today is her first day"

We've got a new kid? Lockwood high rarely ever gets new kids. The kids here started freshman year then leave when they graduate. Most new students end up at Riverside.

"How do you know that?" Tyler asks.

"She's in my English class...Mr Johnson made a huge announcement about it on Friday" she explains to him.

"She won't last a week" Tyler smirks.

"What do we got first up?" Hayden looks over to me.

I take a second to think about it. "Calculus," I answer.