I was late for school again. This is the second time I missed workouts this week. Hopefully Harry won't make a big deal of it today. He's been cutting me slack lately due to my recent situation at home, but the stuff between us might get in the way of that.
I rub my still sleepy eyes, walking down the hall. This time I came through the passing period. The halls were crowded as I made my way to class. My eyes were stinging with sleep, so I enter the nearest bathroom to splash water on my face. Suddenly, the tardy bell sounds and I curse to myself. I didn't even hear the warning bell.
I rush out of the bathroom, heading down the hall. Right as I was turning the corner, I bump into someone. Harry's eyes connect with mine, but I divert my eyes somewhere else. He had his folder in hand and he closes it, about to speak.
"I-I have to go to class." I breathe out, pushing passed him.
Harry grabs my wrist, having me turn back to him. I felt very tense and awkward at the moment. Also, my heart hurt a little from seeing him.
"You weren't at workouts this morning." he states.
"I was up late, waiting." I hint at him. "Reminder, a little text would help."
He sighs. "I'm sorry, but-"
"Whatever," I interrupt. "Zayn made my night better."
"Zayn?" he scoffs. "What? Since I didn't come you invite him. I won't be apart of your line of boys anymore, Rylee."
"I didn't invite him, he just dropped by Ravalon." I frown at his discreet comment. "And last night– I had dinner made, I was going to set up a table for us to have an actual date like you wanted."
"And you had it with Zayn instead."
I scoff, shaking my head. "Why are you so jealous of Zayn?"
"Because you loved him once-" he says, frustratingly. "– and that love for someone takes a while to fade away."
"Wh-what do you want me to sa-"
I was interrupted by a couple of students racing around the corner we were standing by. They seemed frighten as if something was chasing them. Harry shouts after them while I move past him to look around the corner. Two people stood there, facing each other. I spot the familiar bag hanging off one of their shoulders. The band name he told me about once, flashed in my vision and I frown.
"Will?"
Suddenly, a gunshot echoes the the halls and I gasp. I watch one of them fall to their knees then fall face forward. A hand clamps over my mouth before I could call for help and I'm hidden behind the corner. Harry pushes me against the wall, staying attentive to the situation. He removes his hand after a few moments of silence and I couldn't stop shaking. I try speaking, but Harry shushes me. He slowly peeks around the corner then returns to me.
"Okay, go to the nearest classroom and stay there." he instructs, holding my shoulders. "I'm going to go check on them."
"Harry no!" I pull him back. "It's too dangerous."
"Rylee, there's a shooter and this whole school is at risk, others can get hurt." he tells me. "And we can't leave that kid on the floor dying."
"Harry please, come with me."
"No, go!" he orders. "I'll be fine, okay? I'll be fine." he reassures me, pushing me the opposite way. "I don't need another student down, especially you. Please go, for me."
I take a deep breath, turning away. I start racing down the hall, going to my classroom that was just around this corner. My shoes squeak against the tile floor when I make a sudden stop. This cannot be happening to me right now. I was trapped with a gun pointed right at me.
"P-please," I beg with tears sliding down my face. "Why-why are you doing this?"
"You ditched me!" he growls. "You made me feel wanted, but you pushed me aside."
The gun was aimed right at my head. I didn't know what to do. I can't run because a bullet is faster than me.
"I-I'm sorry!" I cry out. "I just wanted to be friends. I didn't think-"
"Shut up!" he interrupts, stepping closer and I slowly back away.
"Hey Brennen," a soft voice appears behind me. "It's not very polite to put a gun in a lady's face."
Brennen ignores him and cocks the gun. "I fell in love with you, Rylee." he tells me, tears now sliding down his cheek. "You were this cute, quiet girl, and I fell for you that night at Leslie's house. I've heard about you before and I never thought someone like you would break my heart."
"I-I told you I didn't want a boyfriend-"
"Then why the fuck did you accept my request for our first date?"
"Because you forced it!" I remind him. "You wouldn't stop until I had said yes. I did like you Brennen, as a friend."
"I didn't want to be your damn friend!"
"Okay," Harry breathes out, slowly grabbing my shoulder to pull me behind him. Brennen shifts the gun to him and Harry freezes. "Bren-Brennen, how about we calm down, put the gun down, we can talk about this later without the gun, and move on."
"It's too late." Brennen shrugs then looks at me. "I shot your little friend Wilfred, now it's your turn and I'll do anything in my power to find that man you were with last night." he tells me his plan and my eyebrows twitch into a frown.
"H-how did you know I was with someone last night?"
He scoffs, laughing dryly. "I was there. Yeah, I watched you two enjoy your time together. I didn't think much of it until Monique left. Why would you lie to me Rylee? You don't want to be with me because of that guy."
"He's just a friend, I promise you."
"Stop!" he snaps loudly. "Stop lying to me!" he orders, stepping closer and Harry moves back making me move as well. "What does he have that I don't? Do you even love him?"
I choke on the words that tried coming out then Harry glances back at me. "Brennen, this isn't the right way to confron-."
"Shut up, you pervert!" Brennen interrupts. "Do you think I'm stupid? I know something is also going on between the two of you. It's so obvious just by the way you look at each other."
"Brennen, you're insane."
Harry raises his arm to stop me from going further.
"No, she's right. I am insane–" he lets out a wry laugh. "–because I fell for a slut." Brennen shifts his aim to me. "You manipulated me, Rylee. I followed you around like a lost puppy and fell in love with you. You were supposed to love me back and I thought you did, but you hurt me instead."
The school alarm blares the hall, startling Brennen. Suddenly, Harry grabs his wrist and swings it so the gun shoots the wall. Both are tall, strong men, so I'm assuming the fight was a struggle between them. I look down the hall to see Leslie standing there with a hall pass in her hand. She was just as shocked as me. A gunshot echoes the hall again and I jump. The two fall to the ground and I race to them. I kneel down next to them while Leslie comes up as well.
"Harry?" I say softly, shaking his arm. Blood started to come from someone and it gets onto my hands. I back away, looking up at Leslie. "Tell them we're over here, hurry!" I cry out.
Leslie runs off and I push Brennen off Harry. Harry had his eyes wide open with blood staining his shirt. Red stains were splattered across his face and neck. He raises his hands that were covered in blood and checks his body. His head falls back and he sighs.
"I-I'm not dead." he mumbles. "I'm not dead, I'm alive."
"Yes," I say softly, embracing his face. I start crying harder, leaning down to kiss him. I kissed him as if it were our last time. "You're alive." I breathe out, pulling away.