November 11th, 2019
As always, I'm awoken by the loud, thunderous steps of my stupid brother.
"Nix!" I groan. "Learn to be quiet, please!"
My bedroom door cracks open and I frown at the boy standing before me, a sheepish grin etched into his lips.
"Sorry, sis. I've got footy training."
"And? What does that have to do with anything! I still have twenty minutes to sleep before I have to get ready for school!"
"Well, now you have an extra twenty to get ready," he shrugs.
"I hate you!" I groan, throwing a pillow at him.
He dodges it swiftly, stepping into my room. He strides over to my desk, sitting down on my chair.
"How are you getting to school?" he questions.
I frown at him, rubbing my tired eyes.
"The same way I always do on Monday's when you have training. Millie's mum."
"Oh, yeah. Forgot," he mumbles, wracking a hand through his blonde hair.
I watch the clock as it ticks to 7 am. Fifteen minutes until I have to officially start my week.
"What class do you have first?"
"Um, maths," I answer and then I gasp.
"Crap! I didn't do my homework!" I whine, jumping out of bed.
"Who cares," Nix laughs. "It's not the end of the world you know."
I shake my head at him. "Now I'll have to tell Mr Montgomery I forgot and he won't be happy."
"Do you know what your problem is, Lon? You're too honest. Learn to lie a little."
"Shut up, Nix. I'm not that honest."
"Um, yeah, you are," he scoffs.
"Okay, so maybe I am," I laugh lightly.
I go through my school bag, searching for the maths homework I had been assigned on Friday.
"Anyway," Nix says from behind me. "I better get going. Coach will kick my ass if I'm late."
"Uh-huh," I say, only half listening at this point.
"Have a good day, alright?"
I turn back to him briefly as he walks towards the door, reaching for the handle. "Nix?"
He stills at my voice, turning to face me. He blinks slowly, suddenly apprehensive. "Yeah?"
"Don't forget that it's your turn to cook tonight. Mum left some money on the counter for the supermarket."
"Oh," he clears his throat. "I'll— I'll get that before I leave."
"Good," I smile. "I'm craving one of your chicken burgers."
"Okay. That's what we'll have then," he agrees, nodding his head.
"Well, it's all you can make, isn't it?" I tease.
"Shut up," he grins, his eyes lighting up. "I can make toast too."
"Wow," I deadpan. "That's really...great?"
He rolls his eyes, swatting a hand in my direction.
He goes to turn back towards the door but he stops this time, turning around to face me again.
"Forgetting something?" I question. "You'll be late if you don't leave now."
"You know that I love you, right?" he blurts.
I retrieve my homework from my bag and place it on my desk. I frown at Nix, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Oh no. What have you broken now? Is it my hairdryer again?"
"Nothing's wrong," he shakes his head vigorously.
"Well, yeah. I know you love me. Well, sometimes. Probably not when I steal the last chocolate but—"
"Even when you steal the last chocolate," he interjects.
"Alright," I laugh, sitting down at my desk. "Have fun at training. Don't work too hard."
"See you, sis," Nix speaks, his hand on the door.
I look up at him, smiling. "Oh, and hey? I love you too, Nixie."
He nods, tapping his fingers on the door.
"Anyway. See you later, Nix."
With one last lingering glance around my room and then at me, he closes the door.
I hear his heavy footsteps as he glides down the stairs, before shutting the front door behind him.
I start to scribble down the answers of some of the equations when mum pops her head in.
"Honey," she says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Your brother left the money I gave him for the shopping on the counter. Could you give it to him at school today?"
I roll my eyes. "He's so hopeless! I literally just told him that you left it there for him."
She shakes her head. "Well, you know your brother."
She kisses my hair before leaving the money on the desk next to me.
"Dad's already got the bags packed ready for the airport. So we'll see you in five days."
"Have the best time," I say, standing up to hug her. "And happy anniversary."
"I love you," she says, squeezing me tight. "Have an awesome day at school."
"I will," I say, stepping back.
She touches my cheek gently before stepping back to walk out of the room. Dad hugs me, picking me up off the floor, laughing.
After that, they both leave and I realise I'm running late for school.
Whilst I'm rushing around getting changed, brushing my hair and doing my makeup, a car honks downstairs.
My phone lights up and Millie's name pops onto the screen.
I swipe the answer button. "Coming!" I scream into the speaker, laughing, before hanging up.
I pick up my bag, grab the money on the desk and trudge down the stairs and out the front door.
"So, I was thinking this weekend that we should go to Greyson's party but like, for only an hour."
I'm walking up the front steps of the school with Millie, side-by-side.
"An hour? Why only an hour?"
"Well, I don't want to seem desperate, you know? He's my ex-boyfriend. I don't want him to think I'm desperate to get back with him."
"But you are," I deadpan. "You do want to get back with him."
"That is so not the point," she glowers, bumping her shoulder with mine playfully.
"It's clear that he still loves you. I don't know why you don't just—"
"L-Dog!"
I look up at the person calling me by my stupid nickname. It could only be one person anyway.
"Danny," I acknowledge, trying to brush past him.
Danny was the most annoying of my brother's football friends. He always liked to give people stupid nicknames because he thought girls liked feeling special.
"Hey, chicka, don't walk away with me," he says, placing an arm around my shoulder.
"Go away, Danny," Millie sighs, throwing him a glare.
"Hush now, Mills," Danny says, holding out a hand. "I've just gotta talk to my favourite girl."
"I'm your favourite girl? Shouldn't that be your girlfriend, Lexi?"
"Lexi and I are on a break."
"Should have guessed that," I mutter to Millie, who rolls her eyes.
"Get to the point, Danny. We don't want to be late for class."
"Nixie ain't answering his phone. We needed him at practice today. Coach is pissed that he didn't turn up. If he wasn't our best player, he would have been benched."
I pause, my steps faltering. I shrug my shoulders, allowing Danny's arm to fall.
"Wait. He wasn't at training this morning?"
Danny frowns, shaking his head.
"But...but he left early."
Danny nonchalantly shrugs. "Probably got caught up with something."
"Yeah," I mumble, my mind elsewhere.
"Lon, we'll be late for class!" Millie hollers from down the hall.
"I've gotta go, Danny. Maybe just try and call him again?"
"Yeah, will do," he smiles, ruffling my hair. "Have a good day, princess!"
I rush over to Millie, rolling my eyes. "He's seriously—"
Bang.
Millie and I flinch, involuntarily ducking our heads. She stares at me, her mouth open in shock.
"Was that a—"
Bang. Bang.
"That couldn't be what I think it is, right?" Millie says, grabbing my hand.
Bang.
The sound is coming from the distance, echoing off the relatively empty corridor.
People begin to empty out of their classrooms, peering out behind doors. Everyone was looking around, apprehensively. Students around me begin to murmur.
Winterville Prep was such a boring school. Nothing ever happened here.
"Mills? What—"
All of a sudden, someone screams from down the hallway. I jump backwards, falling against Millie. She grins my arm tightly, staying close by me.
"What the f—"
Her voice is drowned out by the sound of more bullets being released. The sound is a lot closer now too.
Suddenly, Millie is tugging me back down the hallway, towards the exit. It's a stampede at this point, everyone is trying to get out.
"What the hell is going on?" someone next to me shouts.
"Where are the teachers? What do we do?" another says.
I feel like I'm dreaming. Something like this couldn't be happening in my small-town school, right?
"Millie," I say, my voice wavering. "What—"
Another shot goes off and everyone screams, including me.
"I'm calling the police! This better not be some sick prank, fuckers!" some guy screams nearby.
Millie grasps my hand and we start to run briskly towards the front exit. My palm is sweating profusely but I use my free hand to dial Nix's number.
Hey, you've reached Nix. Sorry I can't take your call. Wait for the beep. You'll know what to do.
"Nix! Where are you? Danny told me that you didn't—"
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Nix," I whimper, my hand shaking uncontrollably. "Something's going on at school. Where are you? Please. I'll be waiting out the front."
I drop my phone back into my school pocket.
Another gunshot goes off and I flinch. Millie grips my arm, pulling me through the doors.
People are running, bumping into each other. A girl in front of me loses her footing and goes down. I reach for her but she's already running off, out of school.
"Mills. He's not—"
Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Listen to me," she says, gripping both my shoulders so that I'm forced to face her. "He's going to be fine, alright?"
I shake my head, my stomach-churning. "Something's not— I know something isn't right."
"That's because there is a fucking gunman in the school," someone shouts in my face and I cower back.
"Hey, watch it! It's not her fault!" Millie shouts, glaring at him.
She turns back to me, moving us away from the crowd. I reach for my phone and dial Nix's number again. It goes straight to voice mail.
"Shit," I panic.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Millie rubs my back reassuringly. A few girls from our group come up to us. Some are crying.
The loud chatter is suddenly cut short when another shot goes off. Someone nearby screams.
Bang.
A few teachers come spilling out the doors, one carrying an injured guy from my year level.
"Holy shit," Millie whispers, her face paling.
It's like up until this moment she hadn't believed that any of this was real, that it was all just a dream.
A few people rush over to him, but the teachers hold them back. He's screaming out in pain, holding his leg.
Blood drips through his fingers, cascading down his leg. I cover my mouth, turning away.
I can feel the tears beginning to pool in the corners of my eyes. His anguished screams hitting me like a punch to the stomach.
"He killed her! He fucking killed her in front of me!" he begins to scream.
Sarah, a girl who occasionally sits with us, grips my arm. "That's Billy. He must be talking about his girlfriend, Layla."
Layla. She was always so sweet to everyone. She always smiled at me in the corridor when we passed each other. There is no way she could be dead.
The distant sound of sirens fills the air and I'm briefly filled with hope. It doesn't last long when Billy screams something else.
"Nix fucking killed her!"
The air seems to change suddenly. I've stopped breathing. Millie drops my arm. I feel my legs nearly give out.
There's a ringing in my ears as I stare at Billy in the distance, watching his mouth open and close rapidly. His tear stained face turns a bright shade of red as he burns with fury, shaking violently.
His gaze suddenly lands on me and time seems to stand still. He points at me and I squeeze my eyes shut, willing this day to be a dream.
"Lon—"
Millie is whispering something in my face but I can't hear her. I feel like I'm drowning. Paralysis seems to inhibit my body as I stare at her, confused.
"Listen to me...Lon...he...I..."
"No," I whisper.
Disbelief seems to bubble up my throat, spewing out in random, disjointed sentences.
"No way. He's wrong," I say sternly to Millie, looking her dead in the eye.
"I know," she whispers, but I can see it in her eyes. She's not so sure herself.
"He's wrong," I croak, shaking my head vigorously. The tears begin to fall but I push them away violently.
My legs almost won't hold me. I begin to shiver uncontrollably. I have to turn to my side, dry-reaching.
I know it can't be true.
Nix.
He's my brother. The best person in my life. The one who cheers me up when I'm down, the one who tells me not to worry about what other people think, the one who cares about me.
It's been quiet for a while now. No sound of the gun going off. No voices. Just the peaceful air.
It almost feels as if all of this is a dream, that the gun never went off multiple times.
"I counted 15 shots. I—"
"Shut up," Millie seethes at Sarah. "Shut the fuck up."
I ignore the stares of everyone around me. The only person I try to get to look at me is Millie but she seems to be avoiding my gaze.
Two more teachers suddenly bring out three students. All eyes peel away from me, back towards the front doors of our school.
The amount of blood. Oh god.
A sob rises from my throat. All three students look badly injured.
I notice a girl in the year below, Aubrey, let out a terrible, gut-wrenching shriek as she runs towards her injured brother.
This couldn't be happening. No way was this real.
With shaky hands, I open my phone, about to text Nix. But the gun goes off again and I drop my phone.
That came from somewhere closer. In the carpark.
"Everyone get down!" a teacher yells, his hands waving frantically in the air.
But I can't move. I can't hear anyone. I can't listen. Even when Millie is shouting in my face, trying to pull me down, I stay standing.
The sirens are getting closer now but I can't focus. I feel dizzy. I feel like everything is suddenly spinning out of control.
Before Millie can pull me down, my legs give out and I hit the ground, my vision turning black.