Slave of the Heart (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter Two

"That was torture." Anna groaned as we walked out of English. I giggled at her.

"You don't say. Why do we need to learn about persuasive techniuqes anyway..." Anna shrugged and walked over to her locker. I looked around for Daniel, but he was no where in sight. I frowned.

"Who you looking for?" Anna asked as she shut her locker.

"Oh no one." Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Now we both know that's not true. So spill your beans girlfriend." I laughed at her.

"I mean it, i was just looking. Admiring the view." Anna threw her head back and laughed.

"Seriously your admiring the school?" She whistled. "We need to get you to the mental health hospital girl, your going insane." I frowned at her and giggled. "So spill, please." I stared at her for a few seconds then sighed.

"Im just looking out for Mr Gaurd. I was meant to hand in my homework last week and I haven't so I have to watch out for him." I lied. I crossed my fingers hoping she'd bought it, and well she had.

"Woah...your not the type of girl that would forget homework." She whistled. "You have changed girlfriend." I flashed her a smile and folded my arms across my chest.

"In a good way?" She nodded and grabbed my hand. "Oh now where are you taking me..." She grinned.

"I was talking to the new boy in class while you were at the toilet and he said we can all hang at break." I groaned. "What?" She frowned.

"Nothing. Let's go." She smiled and dragged me along the hallway and out into the quad. I looked around. "So where are we meeting him?"

"There." She pointed to a picnic bench which was occupied with a boy. Oh no... The boy turned round and my eyes widened. Daniel... He flashed a smile as he stood up.

"April. Hi." My cheeks reddened as he gracefully took my hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Wait...you two know eachother..." I looked at Anna, not knowing what to say, so Daniel answered for me.

"Yeah we do, a bit. When you went to the bathroom before class, we got together and talked for a bit." She glared at me.

"Why didn't you tell me." I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't form the words. "You know what forget it. It doesn't matter." She giggled and sat down, opposite Daniel. I held my breath as I took the spot next to Daniel.

"So April what brings you over here?" Daniel asked as he turned to face me. I blushed as he flashed a smile at me.

"She brought me over here." I quickly replied. He grinned.

"Did she now?" I nodded.

"Yup she did. Cause Im just too cool." I chuckled.

"Well im glad she did." I looked at him wide eyed. He just grinned and chuckled. "Im being serious you know." I nodded my head slowly and turned to face Anna.

"So what do we have next?" She laughed and my face reddened. What? Is Daniel making faces behind my back. I glanced at Daniel to make sure he wasn't, and it turned out he was just staring at me.

"We have a free period until lunch, so that means we have two hours to kill." She grinned. I sighed happily.

"Good. I might go and see my aunt." Anna looked at me sympathaticly and sighed.

"Want me to tag along?" I shook my head, and gulped back tears.

"No it's fine. It's her birthday today, so I wanna go alone." I smiled sadly then picked up my burger. Daniel frowned and turned to Anna.

"What's wrong?" Anna frowned at Daniel then looked at me. 

"I think it's for her to tell you not me." I shook my head as a few tears fell. She sighed. "Okay then. Well it happened when she was about five. Her mum passed away and she had to stay with her aunt. Her aunt was very ill though and it didn't take long for her to pass away too." Daniel sighed sadly and looked at me. "She was only six when that happened." Daniels eyes widened.

"Woah." He looked at me with a sad expression in his face. "So it's her birthday today then?" I nodded. He frowned and stood up. I looked up at him

"Where are you going?" He looked down at me.

"Follow me." He turned on his heel and began to walk away. I grabbed my bag and mouthed an apology to Anna, before chasing after him.

"Wait!" I shouted as he walked out the gates and around the corner. I frowned and stopped dead in my tracks. "How is he so fast." I muttered. I groaned as I began to run again. I really need to excerise more. As I turned the corner I yelped as I ran into Daniel. He grabbed me by the arms and t to my surprise stayed where he was. I raised an eyebrow. He smiled.

"You should watch where your going." He whispered. I caught my breath as he came closer towards me. He kissed me on my nose and I yelped falling backwards. He chuckled and caught me in his arms like I was a bag of feathers.

"How did you do that?" I asked when he stood me upright. He raised an eyebrow.

"Do what?" I frowned at him.

"You know run super fast." He laughed and folded his arms across his chest. 

"It wasn't super fast. Im just a fast runner." I opened my mouth to say something, but in the end, nodding was my best answer. He smiled at me. "So want me to tag along with you to see your aunt?" I frowned at him.

"I just told Anna I didn't need anyone." I lifted himself up onto the wall and looked down at me. Hands clasped together.

"Now we both know that's not true." I groaned and he flashed a smile. "So im going to ask again. Want me to tag along." I stared at him for a good few seconds then sighed. 

"Fine then. You can tag along." He grinned and jumped off the wall.

"Well lets go." He began to walk forward and I crossed my arms across my chest. 

"Ugh...Daniel." He whirled around, raising his eyebrows in question. "It's this way..." I nodded my head in the right direction.

"Right. I knew that." He walked up to and I smiled up at him. "Lead the way einstein." I frowned.

"How does knowing the way make me Einstein?" He shrugged.

"It doesn't. I just wanted to use that word." I laughed and began to walk. Within seconds he was beside me and I jumped.

"Don't do that!" I shouted. He raised an eyebrow.

"Do what?" I looked at him as I continued to walk. You know I don't know why I shouted. But... I shrugged.

"Sorry it doesn't matter." He smiled at me and took my hand in his. If he had held anyone else's hand im sure they would have pulled away in disgust or horror, but something inside me told me I could trust him. That I needed him at this point in time. So as we walked hand in hand, to the Town's graveyard, all the sadness and despair drifted away from me. I looked up at Daniel and he smiled at me. "You know iv seen you before im sure of it." He frowned. 

"You sure?" I nodded, and looked at him closley. The amount of horror and regret that was swirling in his eyes, was enough to swallow me whole. I blinked and turned away, hoping he hadn't noticed that I knew. He finally shrugged. "I have that face." I smiled slightly and turned a corner. 

"Well we're here." I said as I stopped in my tracks.