Saved from the Darkness

I jogged down my road, gasping for breathe. My throat feeling raw, my hands grazed from falling over the fence and my knees bruised. I could feel the backs of my shoes chafe against my feet giving me stinging blisters. I ignored it all as i sprinted to the door and stood on the step outside. I nervously glanced at my watch. I froze instantly at the time- I was five minutes late. I took a couple of deep breathes as i closed my eyes, concentrating on trying to calm my thumping heart that was beating a hundred times a minute, thrashing against my rib cage painfully.Oh no.With my shaking right hand i reached up and gripped the door handle, I took a deep breathe, opened the door and walked through. There was silence as i closed the door. My ears and eyes scanning the house for any sound or movement. I heard some hurried footsteps coming from the back room. I turned quickly in the direction they were fast approaching. I tensed immediately at the sight of my father walking to-wards me with anger printed all over his face, followed closely behind by my mother, looking worried.

"Your late!" He shouted at me as he gripped the top of my left arm tightly. I cringed.
"They let us out late last lesson." I pleaded. He huffed and started dragging me up the stairs. I tripped on the stairs and fell to the floor, bending back my left hand. I winced in pain as I heard it snapping , he continued to heave me up the stairs. He pulled me too my feet and pushed open my bedroom door.
"You will not be going to school tomorrow. You will stay in your room until your are told other wise." He said sternly, his face inches from mine. He pushed me into the room throwing me to the floor. I screamed as my hand hit the wall behind me and cradled it in my arms biting my lower lip, trying to suppress the urge to scream in agony and cry - showing him I'm weak. He slammed the door behind him and i could hear him stomping angrily down the stairs. I scowled at the door, thinking how much I'd love to tell him how much i hate him.

I sat there, unable to move through sheer fear of the pain I'd be in for well over an hour. Eventually, once the aching had dyed. I undone my shoe lases carefully with my right hand and threw them on the floor in front of me. I heaved myself up, using the dresser for support and walked,limping over to my desk facing out the window. I picked up my pencil and sketch pad and walked back over to my bed. Climbing on it carefully, leaning up against the wall and resting my hand on my lap. I started drawing.

I drew for hours that night. Just random things; Trees, flowers,houses. I even tried drawing a forest. It didn't look too bad.
I didn't sleep well at all, waking up every 5 or so minutes to an aching pain that never ceased. Eventually i just lay there and imagined a different way of life. If i was queen or if i were Kelly (Most popular girl in my school) or even if someone cared for me. I woke up around 10 in the morning. Having roughly 2 hours sleep, adding every 5 minutes or so. I went quickly to the bathroom to have a shower before my father came back from work. I was sitting at my desk, wrapping my hand in an old T- shirt as a bandage. I then drew, looking out my window and drew what ever came into my head. Around 12 my mother brought me up something to eat. It wasn't much but i couldn't blame her, she wasn't even allowed to bring anything up(because i was grounded).
It was a strange day. Normally when i got locked in my room and wasn't allowed to go to school it was the work and freedom that I missed most. That drove me to go on with things without hassle. But something has changed. Theres something else that pulls me, something i long to be near. I still miss the freedom but everything seems slightly more open to me now, slightly more worth it as if i could someday, soon, Be free.

I went to bed at around 7 or 8 hoping that I'd end up falling asleep sometime before 12. I had a bit more sleep that night, about 3 or 4 hours. I woke up around 5:30 in the morning and guessing that that was all the sleep i was going to have, i got ready for school. It took me about 30 minutes longer than usual because of my hand. I re-wrapped it in the t-shirt, making sure that i wore a big jumper so that the sleeve covered it and headed out the door and down the stairs. I guessed my father had gone to work because my mother was sitting at the kitchen table, writing up a grocery list. She looked up when she heard me walk by and glanced quickly to my hand before darting her gaze back to her work.

"Have a good day Taylah, and do try not to be late home." She added in sympathy for me or more likely fear for herself. I resisted the urge to shout at her for being so weak and walked out of the house. I was an hour and 15 minutes early, due to the fact that it was going to take me at least 10 minutes to get over each fence. I walked slowly down the roads and up to the first fence, careful not to bang or move my hand, I climbed over and started walking the unsteady ground.
My shoes rubbing against my blisters and my knees aching with each step, but none of them even came near to the pain serging up and down my hand and arm. maybe i could risk going to the nurse for pain killers? I climbed over the last fence and winced as i landed on my feet, my hand knocking against my thigh. I walked slowly and carefully into the school, cradling my hand as securely against my stomach as i could without drawing attention to it.

I walked quickly up the stairs and into the form room taking my usual seat at the back of the class. I sat there, staring absentmindedly at the table in front of me with my hand resting on my lap as people started filing in. One by one the class grew until there were only a few people missing. I saw him then, walking up the far isle. He wore long black jeans and a black shirt. I wanted to look up, to see his beautiful face but didn't he'd just think i was pathetic. Out of the corner of my eye i noticed he was standing behind his own chair, watching me. He took a step forward, to wards me and then hesitated, stepping back and sitting in his chair. Through out registration i never looked up or moved so much as an inch although I frequently noticed him glancing in my direction.

The buzzer went and i slowly got up, waiting for the others to leave while i sat on the end of my table facing to wards Dean - who stood behind his chair - looking at the floor. He didn't go though, i turned to look at him as he walked over to me, smiling warmly. I couldn't help but return a small smile, even though I've only spoken to him once, he has this impression of me. He makes me feel safe and happy, as though I've known him for years.

I got up and started walking to wards him. He didn't say anything as we walked side by side out the form room and down the stairs. He walked me all of the way to our maths class, glancing at me now and then. I didn't dare look at him, scared of what i might feel. Even though his beauty and mystery pulled me to wards him i couldn't help but be reluctant to look or even speak to him, as i did to the other people. We walked, together into the class room. I blushed and got a nervous feeling when he held the door open, not bothered about everyone who sat staring at us intently as we took our seats like is was.
I got out our things and the teacher started the lesson. I could see him watching me, clearly debating whether or not to talk. He lent slightly to wards me. I clenched my hand deeper into my lap so that he didn't see it. After all, what would he think? that I'm just as much of a freak as everyone else thinks i am?

"Where were you yesterday?" he whispered to me. It caught me off guard and i looked at him shocked and confused.Why would he care? I stared at him for a while, trying to find an underlying meaning to his words. After a while i had an idea.
"I, urm, hurt my hand and had to stay off school" I said, clearly acting too much. I just hope he hadn't noticed. He tensed when i told him I'd hurt my hand and stared at me. I couldn't help but distinguish the expression on his face. Panic. Although it went against everything I've taught myself, i felt happy. At least, he seemed to care.
"How?" He asked, sincere concern drenching the word. I smiled a little, feeling long dormant warmth beginning to enter my heart. I shook my head, trying to shake out the feeling. I hesitated, glancing at him and then back at my book.
"I.... fell off a fence on the way home from school." I lied. Even to me it sounded true. I turned to look at his expression, it was blank. He just sat there, staring at me with a blank expression as though he was deep in thought. He then looked down at the hand, cradled against my stomach and resting on my lap.
"May I have a look?" He asked, extending his hand to wards me. I tensed immediately staring at him in shock as i clutched it closer to me.No. He can't. I couldn't comprehend what he wanted and it scared me. I shook my head. He frowned at me. Tilting his head to the side in confusion. I continued to stare at him.
"Mr Jones?" The teacher asked suddenly, disrupting our gazes as he turned reluctantly to the teacher, and now, the whole class. I cringed in my seat, trying to push myself as far down as i could go, hiding from their questioning gazes.
"yes miss?" he asked in a very polite voice, although it did sound a little off. As though he was frustrated.
"What is it that you find so very fascinating about our miss Dillan over there?" She asked turning to us as some of the class giggled. I turned to look at his expression, it hadn't changed. He looked serious as he answered.
"She was explaining the work." he replied calmly. He clearly hadn't listened at all to her in the last 20 minutes.
"Oh, I'm sorry, i didn't realize you found drawing circles difficult." She said sarcastically. Folding her arms, clearly thinking she'd embarrassed him. A small grin appeared on his face, his eyes glinting menacingly. He quickly composed his face until he looked serious again and nodded his head.
"Oh yes, it's very difficult indeed.I just don't understand how you move the pencil in such a smooth line." He replied with such heavy sarcasm, the class erupted in laughter.Even I couldn't help but giggle. It sounded strange, like a long forgotten memory. He grinned at the teacher as she huffed and turned back to the board. I chuckled a couple of times through the lesson, replaying what he said over and over in my head. I could see him grin and look at me when i chuckled, he knew what i was laughing at.

The buzzer went and i packed up my things and started walking out of the class and to art. I got out the door before something caught my arm. I turned around, wide eyed. Dean was there staring at me, his expression changed as he took in mine. Changing from a grin to a confused frown.
"Are you scared of me?" He asked shocked. I thought for a while. I didn't want to lie, he was the only person nice to me but i certainly wasn't going to tell him the truth.
"Not you." I answered. I smiled nervously up at him as he let go and we walked to wards my art class.
"What lesson do you have now?" He asked casually. Watching me as we walked, with his hands in his pockets. I looked up at him as i answered.
"Art. You?" As soon as our eyes met i felt a jittery feeling in my stomach so quickly turned and looked at the floor blushing again.
"P.E" I could hear the smile in his voice. Damn, he'd seen. He walked me all of the way to my class before turning to me and, looking nervously asked me something.
"Why don't you come in to lunch with me today?" I immediately felt tense. I could feel the longing in my heart and it scared me. I was getting too close to him. I was pinning my hope on him. I shook my head slowly.
"I don't think thats a good idea and anyway......." I paused taking in his hurt expression, i quickly added "I don't have lunch." He frowned. We each stood either side of the door now and a couple of people walked in between us to get into the lesson. Once they'd gone in i looked up at him.
"Why?" He asked sounding slightly mad. I smiled up at him warmly.
"I don't have money with me today." I replied, shifting slightly as i heard the buzzer go.
"Well, I'll buy it for you. Just come in with us." He pleaded, grinning.
"Us?" I asked immediately feeling even more nervous. His expression changed, He looked worried, like he'd said too much. I could see him thinking about something. He shrugged after about a minute.
"Yeah. Well I'll see you after art." He said and before i could argue with him he walked off, with that same menacing grin on his face. I couldn't help smiling as i walked into art.

The time seemed to fly by. I was so nervous. The others were going to be there and I'd never even been into lunch before. I didn't even really know were the canteen was. I kept glancing to wards the door every 2 minutes, waiting to see if he would actually come to the class for me. I painted a rose i was copying from a plant pot in the window opposite me. It didn't look too bad, until i jumped when the buzzer went and sent a big black smudge through it. I huffed and threw it in the bin. It didn't matter, i had plenty more. I packed up my things and walked nervously to wards the door. I walked through and glanced around for him. My heart stopped when i saw him standing a bit further down the hall, one foot pressed against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. He was watching me stare at him with a grin on his face. I took a hesitant step forward and he put his foot down and walked to wards me, the girls around him gawking at his appearance. He smiled smugly as he stood to the right of me, nudging me forward with his shoulder. i raised my eye brow at him and he laughed, i smiled as we began walking. I felt nervous. My legs felt like jelly,I felt my hands beginning to shake.But i was happy. This was stupid, i was only going to sit by him and a few other people. Then why did it seem so....frightening? He looked down at me and put his hand on my shoulder, reassuring me.