One of the Boys...Right?

*Jess*

I watched the gunman as he looked around the room. His eyes locked onto mine. The rest of his face was hidden by a ski mask.

“Jessica...Lynn...Walker.” he said each part of my name in a sadistic sounding observation.

“Y-yeah?” I asked.

“Get up.” he hissed. When I didn’t move, he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to my feet.

“Walk.” he hissed again. I couldn’t feel my feet begin to move, but I guess they did, because I was soon in the hallway.

“W-what are you going to do to me?” I asked.

“I don’t know, actually. I mean...I got what I wanted...but I don’t know what to do with it now.” he sighed. Instantly, I was transported back to the first day of the year, when Chase had me pressed against my locker.

‘I get what I want.’ he had said.

“Ch-Chase?” I asked. He slowly took off the mask, grinning as he started walking in a circle around me.

“Why?” I turned with him

“I told you that getting you would be a challenge. And I love challenges. I figured this was the only way I could win.” he shrugged nonchalantly, as if he wasn’t holding a pistol in his left hand.

“But putting everyone in danger? I don’t get it. I know you’re rebellious and that you DO get everything you want, but why am I worth it?” I asked.

“Because every girl in this school adores me. Why not you? Are you f*cking Bam or something?” he snorted.

“It’s not a popularity contest, Chase. I don’t like you like that. And no, I’m not doing anything with Bam.” I tried to stay calm.

“Don’t distract me!” he pointed the gun at my chest.

“You wouldn’t hurt me.” I whispered.

“What makes you think that? With one trigger pull, you could be gone.” he sneered.

“Because you went to all of this trouble to get me.” I replied.

“JJ!” I heard Bam yell. He and Dunn and Raab appeared halfway down the hall. Chase pulled the gun away from me.

“Bam, leave!” I ordered.

“Not without you, JJ.” his voice matched mine in determination.

“JJ. Go to the art room. NOW.” Chase said through his teeth. I stood still, not remembering how to walk.

“NOW!” he hit me in the back with the butt of the gun and I took off down the hallway. I threw open the art room door and ducked inside. I pulled a bunch of desks in front of the door, and then steadied a table on its side behind the teacher’s metal desk. Then I crawled inside the little shelter I had made for myself and cried as I remembered that I had been in this exact same pose, my knees pulled up into my chest while I hid, 8 years ago while I heard my parents being murdered in a home invasion robbery gone wrong.

Flashback

“Sweetheart, hide in here and don’t come out until the police find you!” my 7-months-pregnant mom moved aside a few boxes in my closet and I crawled behind them.

“Be a good girl and don’t make a sound, alright?” my dad kissed my forehead and my mom followed his example.

“And no matter what happens, we love you, Jessica.” my mom smiled sadly. She moved the boxes back into place and turned out the light in my closet before shutting the door.

For the next 10 minutes, I heard things breaking, people yelling and screaming, and my mom crying. I realized that she was begging for her life and the life of my unborn sister.

Then it happened.

I heard one gunshot. My mom screamed in pain. ‘They shot her in the stomach!’ I thought to myself. Her screams were silenced with the next gunshot. I heard my dad crying, something I had never heard before. The next gunshot. No more crying from him. The only cries were coming from me. I didn’t have my mom or my dad anymore. They were gone.

Three more shots. More people yelling. “GET DOWN ON THE GROUND! YOU’RE UNDER ARREST! WHERE’S THE LITTLE GIRL?” they were yelling.

“Jessica?” I heard my aunt Kelly yell. Feet were pounding up the stairs.

“I know where she is! It’s where her parents always told her to hide if something bad happened!” I heard her voice in my room. The closet door opened and the light flicked on. I found myself staring into my aunt’s frightened eyes as I sat with my knees drawn into my chest with tears streaming from my eyes.

End flashback

Shots were fired in the hallway. I started crying and shaking uncontrollably. People were yelling and running down the hallway. “BAM!” I heard Dunn shout.

Was Bam gone?